LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Jon Jones has sent some advice to his next opponent.
After three years away from the octagon, the former Light Heavyweight king, Jones, claimed the Heavyweight title last night (Sat., March 4, 2023) inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, by making easy work of Ciryl Gane in less than three minutes when he submitted him with a guillotine choke. (Watch highlights!)
While sometimes, a fighter’s next opponent is up in the air immediately after a fight, that is not the case for Jones. Instead, former Heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic is up next, and if all goes right, it will be during 2023 International Fight Week at UFC 290.
During the UFC 285 post-fight press conference, Jones advised Miocic ahead of their matchup.
“The next fight is going to be awesome. I say it respectfully to Stipe, I would take time off from being a firefighter right now. I mean that with all due respect,” Jones told the media. “My whole world is going to be focused on him. This is the biggest opportunity in my life to beat the heavyweight G.O.A.T. I’m going to give it everything I got, absolutely everything I got.”
“Stipe is talking about how he’s heavier than me right now. His head is already in the wrong spot if he thinks weightlifting is going to beat me. He’ll never be younger than he is right now. He’ll never be faster. I’m going to not only beat Stipe Miocic, I’m going to finish Stipe Miocic before the championship rounds.”
Last year, Miocic was sworn in as a full-time firefighter for the Westlake Fire Department after being a firefighter for several years. So, besides being one of the baddest men walking the planet right now, he is helping his city.
Miocic has been out of action since losing the Heavyweight title to Francis Ngannou via knockout in 2020 (watch). However, he is chomping at the bit to fight Jones next.
For complete UFC 285 results and highlights click HERE.