Jon Jones teases 2020 move to heavyweight: “Very close”
We may very well see Jon Jones take on UFC heavyweights sooner rather than later. While Jones has remained atop the light heavyweight rankings for years, with controversies outside the cage being a bigger threat to his reign than light heavyweights inside of it. Many have speculated about a move to heavyweight for a lengthy period of time. However, much of that talks subsided after that Jones was booked to defend his light heavyweight title against undefeated Dominick Reyes at UFC 247.
Despite this, during the press conference ahead of UFC 247, Jones admitted that he wanted to fight at heavyweight recently.
“I was trying to get a Stipe Miocic fight,” Jones said at the recent UFC 247 pre-fight press conference. “I thought that maybe it would happen but instead we have Stipe-DC (Daniel Cormier) 3.
“But at the moment I was so ready to go to heavyweight and stick my hands in with some of those big fellas.”
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Jones revealed that he was interested in moving up to light heavyweight shortly after his most recent title defence against Thiago Santos. He has been a long time training partner of heavyweights Andrei Arlovski and Alistair Overeem, and certainly does have both the size and skill to compete a weight class above.
“After this Thiago Santos fight, I was at a place where I wanted to start entertaining the heavyweight division,” Jones said. “I’ve been wrestling with my brother my whole life. I’ve been going with Andrei Arlovski and [Alistair] Overeem and all these big guys my whole career and I’ve always done well. At 240 [pounds] I move just as well as a I do at light heavyweight. My versatility, I realize, is not things most heavyweights would do, spinning things, flying knees, things like that. I feel really good.
“Wouldn’t be surprised if it happened in 2020”
“The time is going to be really close. I wouldn’t be surprised if it happened in 2020. I was 240 not that long ago. Right now, I’m living with my nutritionist and I’ve built a home gym in my garage and I feel really, really good right now. I’m 230 with a six pack.”
Jones regained the light heavyweight title at UFC 232, where he defeated Alexander Gustafsson via TKO. After this he faced off against Anthony Smith , winning via unanimous decision. Jones would then go to a split decision in the first time in his career after going the distance with above mentioned Santos. Jones won the close and competitive fight.
