The budding rivalry between Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen will play out on television before reaching its conclusion at a pay-per-view event as the two light-heavyweights have been chosen as coaches for the next installment of UFC's The Ultimate Fighter.
UFC president Dana White confirmed to the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday that Jones, the current light-heavyweight champion, and Sonnen, the former middleweight who is now returning to the light-heavyweight class, will each coach a team of prospective fighters on the MMA reality show before facing each other for the title.
Jones initially refused to fight Sonnen as a last-minute replacement at UFC 151 in Las Vegas after his original opponent, Dan Henderson, was removed from the card with an injury. Jones' refusal to take the bout on eight days notice led to the eventual cancellation of the card, a first in UFC history.
At the UFC 152 card in Toronto, Jones defeated Vitor Belfort via submission in the fourth round to retain his title.
Sonnen's last bout was a rematch loss to middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 148 in July.
