Jon Jones breaks down matchups against fellow UFC double champs

Jon

Jones remains highly confident in his ability.

In a recent interview, the former

Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight and light

heavyweight titleholder weighed in on how he believes a fight

against fellow former two-division king Alex

Pereira and a wrestling match against longtime rival Daniel

Cormier would unfold, backing himself in both scenarios. Jon Jones explains why he sees grappling as the deciding factor

in a hypothetical fight with Alex Pereira

Jones and Pereira were seemingly on a collision course when the

latter announced his move up to heavyweight for

UFC Freedom 250 . However, with Jones’ ongoing stalemate with

the UFC regarding his future, a fight against “Poatan” has fallen

through.

Nevertheless, Jones cites size as a key factor at heavyweight,

claiming his former opponents Stipe

Miocic and Ciryl Gane

are bigger than Pereira, who previously competed at 185 pounds.

“I watched Pereira train,” Jones said in an interview with AFL

Global. “I see his level of wrestling and it's way behind. I feel

as if Stipe Miocic is a true heavyweight. He's a big, big boy.

Ciryl Gane, when you see him in person, he's a big, big boy. Alex

Pereira is not a big, big boy. He's a lean guy. I think right now

he weighs maybe 250.”

Jones believes his size and grappling would have overwhelmed

Pereira, predicting a submission win had they collided inside the

Octagon.

“I feel as if my physical strength would have been too much for

him,” Jones said. “I felt as if the moment I would have gotten him

to the ground, my submissions would have come pretty quickly. I

mean, everyone knows that. I think that's the clearest path to

victory for me against Alex Pereira. But we're not fighting. I am a

fan of him. I support him, and I want to see him do well.”

“Bones” also discussed his approach towards a potential wrestling

match with Cormier, who he’s already shared the cage with

twice.

“I think I would have beat D.C. in a wrestling match,” Jones said.

“It wouldn't be easy, but I think I would beat him in wrestling. I

hear that he has problems with his back, so my strategy would be to

just try to wear on him. Not shoot, not go for the takedown, but

just hand fight, hand fight, hand fight and see if I could wear on

that back.”

Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Yahoo Sports. Open at source →