Mike Winkeljohn says if Jon Jones fights Francis Ngannou “it would be heavyweight from then on”

Mike Winkeljohn says if Jon Jones does move up in weight to fight Francis Ngannou it would be the end of his light heavyweight tenure.

For weeks now, Jones and Ngannou have been talking about fighting one another. Recently, however, pay has been an issue for the light heavyweight champ. He then said he was going to retire and vacate the belt, which coach Winkeljohn said to BJPENN.com is 100 percent true.

Yet, Winkeljohn hopes the UFC and Jones can mend fences and make the Ngannou fight happen.

“Jon wants Ngannou and he wants to be paid for it. I want what Jon wants and when he fights, I’m on his team,” Winkeljohn said to BJPENN.com. “If that is what Jon wants, I’ll train him every day to help him get the win.”

If the fight does happen, Mike Winkeljohn doesn’t get how Jon Jones is the underdog. He knows “Bones” is the better fighter everywhere and all they need to do is avoid the power right hand.

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So, the game plan for Jones would be simple. Use his wrestling and kicks to slow Ngannou down and get his hand raised.

“Jon wins that fight. He is the smarter fighter and we know what he has and he is tremendous at what he does. With that being said, Jon does take a good shot but hopefully, he wouldn’t eat one of Ngannou’s,” he explained. “Jon is much better in the clinch, in the wrestling, and in the kicking game. Punching range, Ngannou throws bricks. But, Jon is the most intelligent fighter so he would rise to the occasion and be victorious.”

If Jon Jones does indeed move to heavyweight for the Ngannou fight, Mike Winkeljohn believes Bones would be a heavyweight for the rest of his career.

“I don’t know, I think we would get enough weight on that it would be the start of his heavyweight run,” he concluded. “Once he gets the money at that level and cutting back down to 205 it would have to be for a money fight for that. Once he puts the weight on it would be heavyweight from then on.”

Do you think we will see Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou?