Ahead of his return to the UFC, Jon Jones feels like a fighter reborn. Making his heavyweight debut, Jones will take on Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. Despite moving up in weight, Jones feels that he will be comfortable and is a much stronger fighter than before.
Previously, we have seen a temperamental change in Jones. Changing his ways from his bad boy persona, Jones seems to be making peace with his past and making a change in his attitude. Recently, Jones also admitted that he would be open to his long-time rival Daniel Cormier commentating on his fight.
View this post on Instagram
Talking about his fight, Jones says that he has evolved in his time away from the sport. “I’m definitely not the same fighter I used to be. I have power in my hands that I now believe in. I’m not afraid to hop right in that pocket and box with anyone. My takedowns come with a lot more explosiveness. My guard passes, all of it, my sweeps. I just feel more explosive and more powerful.” Having last fought in 2020, Jones has had a lot of time to get ready for his new journey.
Within a week, Jones will be facing off against Gane and will put all his progress on display. Facing off against arguably one of the best heavyweights on the planet, Bones has a tall task ahead of him. Regardless of the result, fans will be overjoyed to see the GOAT make his return.
When was the last time Jon Jones fought in UFC?
As mentioned previously, Jones last fought in 2020 at UFC 247 against Dominick Reyes. On the night, Jones capped off a lackluster performance with a controversial unanimous decision victory which has fans scratching their heads, even to this day. On the night, Jones (26-1) arguably came the closest he had ever been to a defeat in his professional career.
Since the fight, Jones made his mind up about moving from light heavyweight to heavyweight. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and recurring legal troubles, his move up was delayed. Further, Jones was seemingly stuck in contract jail, unable to come to an agreement with the UFC over his new deal. However, with all that out of the way and a clear-cut path to the title ahead of him, Jones will feel good about his chances.
Looking back, Jones has often stated that his time at light heavyweight came to a close at the right time. Having edged out Thiago Santos in a split decision and escaping by the skin of his teeth against Reyes, it was only a matter of time before he lost his title. However, by moving up, he has been able to reinvent and find himself again.
Taking on Gane, Jones will hope to replicate a similar game plan as Francis Ngannou did at UFC 270. Having an extensive wrestling background and some lethal ground game to supplement it, Jones does possess the tools to trouble the Frenchman. However, we will only truly find out what Jones has in store for us come fight day.
