Jon Jones explains why he is gunning for Stipe Miocic after UFC 285: “To compete against such a man, I’d be honored”

UFC star Jon Jones has explained why he’s gunning to face off with Stipe Miocic during his heavyweight run.

Next weekend at UFC 285 in Las Vegas, Jon Jones is back. After three years away from the Octagon, he will return to lock horns with Ciryl Gane. The UFC heavyweight championship will be on the line as Jon makes his first appearance in the division.

For so long, ‘Bones’ was the king at 205 pounds. Now, he’s challenging himself in an entirely new manner, attempting to cement his status as the greatest of all time.

While he doesn’t want to look too far ahead, it’s hard not to picture him throwing down with Stipe Miocic. It’s a match-up we’ve seen get teased for quite some time, but ultimately, Gane was the one who got the nod for March.

When asked about the future during a recent interview, Jones made sure to call out the Ohio native.

“You know, Stipe Miocic would be a great challenge. Obviously I’m not looking past Ciryl Gane, I got a huge order ahead of me. But Stipe Miocic is who I’ve got my eyes on. People consider him the greatest heavyweight of all time.”

Jones eyes up Stipe

“The opportunity to compete against such a man, I would be honoured. To beat such a guy would truly be something special, and that’s what I wanna do. I wanna solidify my legacy, and I know you’ve gotta fight the best guys out there. As long as Stipe is still in the game, that would be my next target.”

Jones made it clear that he knows many fighters would’ve taken a “warm up” fight upon returning, but that he wanted to go after the best – which is why Ciryl Gane will serve as his next opponent.

Do you want to see Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic? Let us know in the comments, BJPENN Nation!