Jon Jones explains exactly how he would beat Brock Lesnar
Jon Jones loves a challenge and that — along with a big pile of cash — led to him calling out former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar following his win over Daniel Cormier at UFC 214.
Jones has never ventured beyond the 205-pound division, where he’s ruled as champion longer than any other fighter in history.
He’s hinted at a move to heavyweight for several years, but only recently did Jones finally make the overture to take a fight against the 6-foot-3-inch, 275-pound monster who is currently keeping busy as a professional wrestler in the WWE.
While Jones would give up a lot of size to Lesnar — approximately 40 pounds or more — he was still made a sizable favorite by odds makers after the fight looked like it might go from fantasy to reality.
Jones readily admits that he looks at Lesnar as an opponent he could beat, but at the same time there’s always going to be serious danger when facing a heavyweight smashing machine who was also an NCAA championship wrestler and a former UFC champion.
“I think that’s what makes the fight so great — the legitimate danger there,” Jones told the Jim and Sam show this week. “People really could see me losing that one. If I’m not on my game, it’s a fight that anything could happen. He’s a Division I wrestler, super athletic, he’s no slouch. I mean look at him. There’s not many men on the planet that look like this guy.
“I’m chasing greatness and this is a huge legacy thing for me and to be able to beat Brock Lesnar, it’s like this guy is truly a bad motherf–ker.”
Of course, Jones discussed the possibility of facing Lesnar with his coaches before seriously pursuing the fight and he believes they have the game plan to dismantle the former heavyweight champion if they ever meet.
Jones would still enjoy a reach advantage over Lesnar and his quickness would surely be an attribute despite giving up a lot of muscle and power to his larger opponent.
Jones even feels that his wrestling matches up well with Lesnar given his unique ability to put opponents on the mat just like how he took down two-time Olympian Daniel Cormier several times in their first fight.
“I feel like stylistically Brock Lesnar is a very winnable fight for us,” Jones explained. “The key to the fight would have to be just using my versatility on the feet and my speed. I have really good takedown defense as well. [Alexander] Gustafsson’s been the only guy to get me down and I was just completely caught off guard and I wasn’t expecting a Swedish boxer to shoot a double leg dive. Completely caught me off guard. I don’t think they have wrestling over there in Sweden.
“The key for Brock is literally to stick and move. I wouldn’t be surprised if I got him down. I’ve got a lot of unconventional trips and takedowns that I pull off on heavyweights all the time and I wouldn’t be surprised if I took down Brock and finish him off with a submission.”
Jones sounds very confident in his chances to win the fight and there’s little doubt that Lesnar loves the idea of facing that challenge if he returns to the UFC.
Add to that, Jones and Lesnar would be reap the benefits of a highly publicized fight that could be one of the most lucrative matchups in UFC history.
Put it all together and it seems more and more likely that Jones might just get his wish to face Lesnar in the Octagon in 2018.
