UFC star Jon Jones appears to be relishing the process of training behind the scenes to get ready for his first ever fight at heavyweight, and he’s now revealed when he expects to finally step back into the Octagon.
“I think it will be some time in the second quarter of 2022,” Jones told reporters yesterday.
Jones also talked enthusiastically about how he’s transformed his physique and worked diligently on his skills and cardio in preparation for the move.
“Right now I’m about 255,” Jones said. “I feel really great. My goal is to get up to 270 pounds. My goal is to be the most technical, the most well-conditioned, the strongest out of all the heavyweights. That’s what I want. I want to take over all across the board and that’s what I’m going to continue working for. I’m very patient and I know I have several more months of work to do. If anyone is impressed with the way I look today, I can’t wait until they see me when I get back in there. I’m planning on doing so much more.”
“… Before, I would start training about 10 weeks before a fight. I would try to get my body fat down and my cardio up and my skills together. Right now, for the first time in my whole career, I’m actually training consistently. I believe my cardio is fight-worthy right now. When I get in camp, it’s going to go to an even higher level. I feel I’m in better shape now than I ever did before. I’m sleeping better, eating better, drinking less alcohol. I feel really good.”
Jones also made it clear that his desire is to fight for the title, whether that’s against Francis Ngannou, or the next title challenger Ciryl Gane.
“Fighting for the title is what I want the most, for sure. I want the biggest fights and I think the title fights are going to be the biggest fights. If there was someone that was a bigger star than Francis at heavyweight who didn’t have the title, then I would go for that. But I think Francis is the biggest star at heavyweight. Him and I. And he has the title. That’s what I want.
“… I’m excited for either (Ngannou or Gane). I think they present two completely different puzzles but yeah, Francis is definitely a bigger star. It’d be a lot of money lost if Francis were to lose. I don’t care who wins the fight, I just want the championship.”
