UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic has warned former light-heavyweight king Jon Jones one shot can end a fight in his division.
Jones recently announced he is relinquishing the UFC 205lb belt in order to pursue a career at heavyweight. Many believe ‘Bones’ will skip the queue at heavyweight. Miocic is open to fighting him or Francis Ngannou after successfully defending his belt at UFC 252.
“I’ll fight anyone. I don’t really call people out. Whoever they put me in front of, I’m gonna fight. That’s what I do. That’s what I signed up for. If it’s him or it’s Ngannou or whoever, I’m ready to go,” Miocic told ESPN.
Miocic did however send a warning to Jones about the dangers of fighting at heavyweight, he said.
“Listen, it’s big boys and they’ve got small gloves on. It just takes one. I don’t care if you hit hard or not, you can still get caught. I don’t care who you are.”
Despite that, Miocic expects the light-heavyweight well in the division.
“He’s got great technique,” Miocic said. “That’s definitely gonna help him. He’s very fluid in what he does. He’s got a great, strategic plan to how he fights. Half the game is having a good plan every time you go in and fight.”
Miocic understands a number of heavyweight contenders would be annoyed if the UFC choose to make a fight between him and Jones.
“I don’t know,” Miocic said. “[Jones has] got a great résumé. But other guys have worked hard to get where they need to get. I’m not the matchmaker, so I can’t really say anything. I fight. If I was a matchmaker, I wouldn’t be fighting. I’ll do what the UFC decides.”
Do you think Jon Jones will be able to dethrone UFC heavyweight king Stipe Miocic?