Jade Jones keen for MMA switch after third Olympic gold

Double Olympic taekwondo champion Jade Jones admits she may be tempted by a switch to mixed martial arts (MMA) – but only after winning a third Olympic title in four years' time.

The 23-year-old defended her crown at Rio 2016, and is aiming to become the first taekwondo fighter to win three gold medals in the sport come Tokyo 2020.

This weekend, Jones will compete in the World Taekwondo Grand Prix finals in Baku, where the winner of each weight division will earn just shy of £5,000.

MMA fighters in the women's UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships) can earn in excess of £50,000 for each bout, and that, Jones admits, could see her career take a different direction in the future.

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"I'm not going to lie, it's tempting to think 'what else is out there' and in MMA, people earn millions," she said.

Jade Jones (GBR) celebrates after defeating Eva Calvo Gomez (ESP)

Image credit: Reuters

"Taekwondo is an Olympic sport so it's hard to get sponsors and hard to make money, but I just love it.

"Maybe in the future I'll go to MMA, but for now, no-one in the sport has ever got three Olympic gold medals, so I have to continue to get that."

Jones, making her first appearance since the Olympic Games, headlines a six-strong British squad headed for Azerbaijan, with Mahama Cho and Bianca Walkden also selected.

Joining them are Damon Sansum, Rachelle Booth and Charlie Maddock, and Jones is hopeful she can continue her unbeaten record this year.

She said: "I'm not in peak shape after taking a break following the Olympics, but I love a scrap and it would be amazing to finish the year off with another title."

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