Dana White: Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones 2 'probably going to happen in April'

The UFC isn't ready to announce the return of Jon Jones yet, but things are getting closer. UFC President Dana White revealed Wednesday to FOX that Jones' rematch against the man who now holds his UFC light heavyweight title, Daniel Cormier, is "probably" going to take place in April.

"I don't have the date yet," White said. "I don't have the date or the venue yet, but April is looking like the month."

Straight from @ufc President @danawhite: @JonnyBones vs. @dc_mma 2 is happening.

Maybe sooner than you expected.https://t.co/E08VQsdDbp

— AtTheBuzzer (@TheBuzzerOnFOX) February 3, 2016

An April date keeps in line with the long-rumored target date of UFC 197, which takes place April 23 and remains without a main event.

Jones was initially targeting an April 23 return at Madison Square Garden, in the former champion's home state of New York. However, plans changed last week when Judge Kimba Wood denied Zuffa's preliminary injunction request to allow the UFC to circumvent New York's ban on MMA, forcing the promotion to look elsewhere.

Jones (21-1) was stripped of the title he held for five years last April, after fleeing the scene of an automobile accident that left one pregnant victim with a broken arm. Jones, the youngest fighter to ever become UFC champion, defended his belt eight times prior to the incident, including a unanimous decision over Cormier in Jan. 2015.

Jones ultimately pled guilty to a felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident and was granted a conditional discharge by the Bernalillo County Second Judicial District Court. The terms of his plea deal ordered Jones to serve 18 months of supervised probation.

With Jones absent from the title picture, Cormier (17-1) picked up right where he left off, submitting Anthony Johnson to claim the vacant belt at UFC 187, then defending it with a gutsy five-round victory over Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 192.