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UFC superstar Jon Jones revealed some bombshells about his pending move up to the heavyweight ranks to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi. Among other things, the 33-year-old admitted he couldn’t get himself up for challenges at 205 pounds anymore, that he never really trained between fights as that division’s champion, that he believes he’ll be able to wrestle better than ever in his new weight class, and that capturing the UFC heavyweight championship will solidify him as the best MMA fighter ever.
You can read more about all that below.
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Jones: ‘They’re Intimidating As S***’
Perhaps the biggest thing Jones revealed was what many people already suspected. Jones was so dominant in the UFC’s 205-pound ranks that he couldn’t quite get up for his fights, at least as much as he did before.
“The light heavyweight division was fun, but I just wasn’t scared of those guys anymore,” Jones said per ESPN. “Like, none of them. And I think it showed in some of my performances. Obviously, I still trained hard. But there was no urgency in some of my last fights.”
Indeed, Jones still managed to defeat the likes of Thiago Santos and Dominick Reyes, but the longtime light heavyweight king said those fights were closer than most expected because he was no longer intimidated by anyone at 205.
But at heavyweight?
“With these next guys I’m going to be going up against, I respect these guys,” Jones said. “These guys are intimidating…they’re intimidating as s***. It just gets me up in a whole different way.”
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Jones: ‘I Would Never Really Train in Between Fights’
Jones also admitted he didn’t actively train between fights, and that he would even let himself “get fat” between his 205-pound title defenses.
So the fighter long considered the best fighter in MMA believes moving up to heavyweight was just the thing he needed to change that.
“It’s a different feel for me,” Jones said. “I would never really train in between fights. I would allow myself to get fat. To train now with no fight scheduled, it’s different. It shows maturity and it shows how much I really want to do this.”
Indeed, anyone who follows Jones on social media knows the fighter is training with a newfound enthusiasm. Jones expects to be somewhere around 240 pounds when he finally debuts at heavyweight.
“I’m trying to change my whole makeup,” Jones said. “There are some guys that are way bigger than me up there. I’m just constantly pushing…I have to commit my whole life to this project. I’m committed.”
Jones Predicts Upgraded Wrestling
Additionally, Jones believes his wrestling skills will dramatically improve in the heavyweight ranks. At least, the fighter believes all the work he’s doing in the weight room and with his fitness advisors will mean he will better be able to employ his elite wrestling moves.
“When I was 205, I always had a hard time getting down low,” Jones said per ESPN. “Or hated getting low, with [single-leg takedowns] and stuff like that. Almost as if my knees were killing me to do it.”
But this new version of Jones is ready to shoot for those takedowns like never before.
“Now that I’ve been working on my legs so much and they’ve gotten thicker…I think that’s going to translate into me shooting high-crotches and shooting double-legs,” Jones said per ESPN.
“I think it’ll make those muscles a lot faster. I predict that my shooting ability and my wrestling is going to just be faster. There’s just more power, and my ass has gotten a lot bigger. I think my double-legs are going to be one of the biggest differences in my game that people are going to notice.”
Jones Wants To Remove Doubt About GOAT Status
Jones believes a dominant run in the heavyweight ranks will solidify his status as the best fighter in MMA history.
“I just want there to be no debate when I’m done,” Jones said per ESPN. “I do feel like I’ve had a great light heavyweight career. I’m by far the greatest light heavyweight. And in my heart, I do feel like I’m the best fighter in this sport’s history.”
Jones believes he’ll become UFC heavyweight champion someday soon.
“But I just don’t want there to be any debate,” Jones said. “And one way I can do that is by capturing this heavyweight crown, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
That would make Jones just the eighth fighter in UFC history to win championships in more than one division over a career.
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UFC’s Jon Jones: ‘They’re Intimidating As S***’