Jon Jones says light heavyweight division is “cleared,” believes heavyweight is at “all-time best”

By Tom Taylor - August 19, 2020

Jon Jones believes he’s cleared out the light heavyweight division, and that he’s migrating to heavyweight at a time when that division’s never been better.

Jon Jones, UFC 247

Jones, the long-time UFC light heavyweight champion, vacated his throne earlier this week with ambitions to move up to the heavyweight division.

Speaking on Twitter on Wednesday, the former champion shared his belief that he’s completely conquered the light heavyweight division, and that the heavyweight division has never been more perilous.

“I’ve had only three close fights in the last decade, it’s safe to say the light heavy weight division has been cleared,” Jones wrote. “Now I enter the heavyweight division when it’s at its all time best..”

While there are a handful of light heavyweight contenders Jones has yet to fight, it’s hard to deny his claim that he’s done just about all their is to do in that division. Since winning the title with a TKO victory over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in 2011, he’s defeated a murderer’s row consisting of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, Chael Sonnen, Alexander Gustafsson (twice), Glover Teixeira, Daniel Cormier, Ovince Saint Preux, Anthony Smith, Thiago Santos, and Dominick Reyes.

Jones will head up to heavyweight at a time when the division is populated by behemoths like the reigning champion Stipe Miocic, and dangerous contenders such as Francis Ngannou, Curtis Blaydes, Derrick Lewis, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Alistair Overeem, and Alexander Volkov, so his claim about the division never being better is also pretty justifiable.

At present, the details of Jones’ move to heavyweight are not clear, but it’s expected that he’ll either be granted an immediate title shot against Miocic, or a No. 1 contender fight against Ngannou.

How do you think Jon Jones will perform in the UFC’s heaviest weight class?


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