Jon Jones recently announced that he was moving up to heavyweight, after vacating his UFC light heavyweight title. This has led to many fans wondering if he will get a shot at Stipe Miocic and the UFC heavyweight title in the near future.
Jones is generally regarded as the greatest light heavyweight of all time. But the question remains, how will ‘Bones’ fare as a heavyweight? Let alone against the UFC heavyweight champion? While a title fight with Miocic won’t be happening soon, with Francis Ngannou next in line, it’s already being discussed by fans.
Shut Down
In an interview with ESPN (as transcribed by BJPenn.com), Miocic’s head coach Marcus Marinelli said the heavyweight champion has the upper hand in a potential title fight.
“I think Stipe’s standup could shut down Jones, and just the size. Stipe is a very efficient 230-something pounds,” Marinelli said. “He is extremely strong, stronger than anyone Jones has ran up against so far. And Stipe doesn’t move like a heavyweight, he moves like a middleweight. So, Jones wouldn’t have a speed advantage.”
Miocic is fresh off a successful title defence against Daniel Cormier last month at UFC 252, putting an end to the rivalry in the trilogy fight. Jones was last in action at the beginning of the year at UFC 247, when he won a controversial unanimous decision against Dominick Reyes, to defend his light heavyweight title.
Do you think Stipe Miocic will prove to be too strong for Jon Jones, should the two face each other inside the UFC Octagon at heavyweight?
See also:
