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Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, is gearing up to make a transition to the Heavyweight division in 2021 after accomplishing pretty much everything imaginable in the 205-pound division.
And while a tentative date isn’t on the radar yet, UFC President, Dana White, has already stated that “Bones” will get an immediate shot at the 265-pound title currently in the firm grasp of Stipe Miocic.
As far as that potential matchup is concerned, Jones takes the bout in all facets of the fight game. That’s according to Mike Winkeljohn, Jon’s striking coach, who recently Told Submission Radio that despite the fact that Miocic has proven to be a well-round fighter and worthy champion, “Bones” takes the bout wherever it goes.
“It’s a tough one. Stipe is a great striker, so strong everywhere and he’s real smart. I saw the way he was controlling some of the heavyweights on the ground. He’s smart about what he does,” said Winkeljohn (transcribed by The Underground).
“But I think Jon beats him in every one of those aspects. When Jon puts his mind to it, Jon beats everybody at wrestling, he beats everybody at stand-up, he beats everybody everywhere and always ends up having a bloody show when things go right.”
But there aren’t no guarantees that Miocic will be the title holder after March since he is in line to rematch Francis Ngannou around that time. And even though Stipe already has a win over the heavy-handed “Predator,” Ngannou has the power to end the fight in the blink of an eye.
“Of course that’d disappoint me, because that would be, I would assume, a great goal for Jon,” he said about Miocic not being the champion or even retiring. “But if that’s the situation, then on to whoever else has title, it’s as simple as that.
“That’s what Jon wants, just to go beat the best that’s available out there at the time. You know, Francis, if they were to rematch, I think he’s a beast. I mean, that guy, he’s got bricks in those hands there, and whatever he hits just kind of explodes. Nothing but respect for him. He’s a scary man, no doubt about it,” he concluded.