Former UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones looks poised to make a big impact at heavyweight.
Jones on Thursday posted a video of a recent pad session with longtime coach Brandon Gibson. The ex-champ went bare-knuckle and touted his readiness to make his long-awaited heavyweight debut.
“Right now I’m exactly where I need to be, I’m excited to see myself in a few months when things actually start to ramp up,” Jones wrote. Feeling sharp across all areas .”
Jones, 35, has been ramping up for more than two years for his debut in the big-man division, though his future in the octagon hasn’t always been clear. After relinquishing his light heavyweight title amid a contract dispute with the UFC, he focused on building bulk and stayed on the sidelines as he changed managers and worked behind the scenes on his next career move.
None of that kept Jones off social media, where he clapped back at critics and reminded fans of his stellar run at 205 pounds.
This year, talk of a Jones return has heated up after the resolution of a domestic battery case that paused his comeback. Although a date is not yet set, it’s widely believed that Jones will face ex-champ Stipe Milocic in his debut heavyweight bout.
In the aftermath of the battery arrest, Jones left Jackson-Wink MMA Academy. He has since worked with a number of coaches and toured various gyms including Fight Ready where he was able to meet Henry Cejudo, the former champ-champ. Jackson’s MMA Acoma in Albuquerque is where he currently trains.
