Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is set to make his heavyweight debut at UFC 285. Jones has not fought in three years, and will face Ciryl Gane for the vacant UFC heavyweight championship. Supposedly, before contract negotiations broke down, Jones was slated to face Francis Ngannou, but “Bones’ told The Underground that he really wanted to face the man Ngannou dethroned, Stipe Miocic.
“It does [take away from my return not being Ngannou]. I feel like Francis is the more intimidating of the two. I feel like just as far as Americans go, I feel like he’s more known in America. Francis is this big, scary, intimidating man and whereas Ciryl is relatively unknown. Obviously, Francis has the belt so taking it from him would have been nice. It’s a completely different fight stylistically.
Jon Jones Wanted Miocic Fight Over Ngannou
I think the fight that meant the most to me was fighting Stipe Miocic. That’s the fight that actually means the most to me because Stipe is the greatest heavyweight of all time. I’m not looking past Ciryl Gane at all. I’m very honored to fight Ciryl Gane and I knew it would be happening eventually, inevitably, but that’s the fight I was really bummed didn’t happen.”
Otherwise, Jones is looking forward to his UFC return. ““I’m excited, I’m grateful, I feel humble, I feel appreciated by the company I work for, I feel like I’m in a really good place. MMA feels fun to me again. Obviously, with being out for three years and a new division, there’s a lot of questions that cause me to stay up long nights, but it keeps me sharp. That’s something I felt like I didn’t have at light heavyweight toward the end. It just felt like another day at the office.
This doesn’t feel like another day at the office. This feels very different. The nerves, anxiety, it’s all back, and I do good when I’m under pressure.”
Jones, now 35, knows that he has a limited number of fights remaining in his career. He did, however, “guarantee” two fights before he hangs up the gloves: first Gane, then, at last, Stipe Miocic.
“My immediate goal is to beat Ciryl Gane and to beat Stipe Miocic. After that, it will just be conversations with the UFC to see what makes sense, but I’m guaranteeing the fans at least two more fights out of me.”
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