UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has decided to keep his distance – for now – from UFC president Dana White.

Jones, who received the brunt of the punishment from White after it was decided to cancel UFC 151, told Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com that he has yet to talk with White since the incident.

I haven’t talked to Dana White; I’ll let him calm down then talk to him. He has his reasons to be upset, but I think he has to realize that I have a reason, too. I thought he would be more supportive.

Jones declined a fight with Chael Sonnen after Dan Henderson had to pull out with a knee injury. Jones, however, said he didn’t want to face Sonnen on short notice, and the UFC decided to cancel the first event in 11 years of running the promotion.

I felt like a piece of meat. My job is not to be popular among fighters, I could care less if any fighter liked me or not; my job is to show up, do my job and go back home.

Jones will now face Vitor Belfort at UFC 152 on September 22.

Photo credit: Esther Lin/MMAFighting.com