Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is only weeks away from making his long-anticipated heavyweight debut at UFC 285. The event will mark Jones’ first Octagon appearance in three years, but the former champ revealed in a Twitter Spaces appearance with Kandai Pandas that his contract has been thoroughly updated since his last outing.
When asked whether Dana White offered him more money, Jones was emphatic. “Oh yes, he sure did. I had eight fights left on my contract, I just wasn’t happy with my percentages. We just bumped up the pay and pretty much picked up where we left off with my commitment to the UFC. Hopefully I can get through all eight fights, that’s a lot of fighting at 35 years old. We’ll see.”
Jon Jones Sets Sights on Stipe Miocic
Jones continued, pointing out the fight he wants most in the heavyweight division. That honor belongs to former champion Stipe Miocic, who was dethroned by Francis Ngannou a few years ago. Miocic is widely considered one of the finest UFC heavyweights of all time, while Jones is considered among the greatest mixed martial artists regardless of weight class. Jones wants to take on elite competition, which means Miocic is at the front of the queue.
“I’ve got my sights on Stipe Miocic. I think it just means the most. There’s a lot of guys out there, but for me, personally, for my legacy, to defeat the greatest heavyweight of all-time, it just means the most to me.
As far as how soon, hopefully I get out of this fight with no serious injuries, but I’d let to get [back] out there as soon as possible. My goal is anywhere from two to three fights depending on how it looks.”
Jones also discussed the difficulty he experienced packing on mass to bridge the gap between his leaner 205-pound light heavyweight physique and a bigger, stronger build in a weight class where the upper limit is 265 pounds.
“One of the hardest things was not being able to lose my shape while still trying to pack on 40 pounds. I think when the fans see me, they’ll be surprised that I still look a lot like I used to — [although] my shoulders are a lot more broader, I freaking gained a whole bunch of ass, unfortunately — but just trying to keep that shape and doing it the right way.”
Is Jones vs Miocic the fight to make? Let us know in the comments.
