Junior dos Santos rates Jon Jones, Ryan Bader as heavyweights
Former UFC heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos thinks reigning UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones is the best fighter in the world today. In fact, dos Santos believes Jones would do very well if he made the move up to the heavyweight division.
“Jon Jones is the No. 1 baddest guy on the planet… actually, he’s the No. 1 pound-for-pound in the world, so I think he could do very well in the heavyweight division,” dos Santos told MMA Fighting.
“It’s kind of different,” he added, speaking of the difference between heavyweight and light heavyweight. “Not many different things, but more power on the punches, more power on the grappling, in everything.”
While Jones has yet to make the move up to heavyweight, his former foe Ryan Bader is now well established in the weight class. Shortly after becoming the Bellator light heavyweight champion, Bader captured the promotion’s heavyweight title. He’s since been called by the best heavyweight in the sport by Bellator President Scott Coker.
.@RyanBader is the best heavyweight fighter on the planet. pic.twitter.com/Rd5AS8d3Gh
— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) August 18, 2019
Dos Santos disagrees with this sentiment from the Bellator boss. While he acknowledges Bader has good power and grappling, he believes the best heavyweight alive at present is reigning UFC champ Stipe Miocic.
“I disagree,” dos Santos said. “I think Ryan Bader is a great fighter, but I disagree that he’s the best. He’s not the best, (Stipe) Miocic is the best right now. But, yeah, Ryan Bader is a guy who has knockout power, he has some grappling skills too, he always puts on a good show, but he’s a little far from being the best heavyweight.”
Junior Dos Santos has fought Miocic twice before. He won the first fight by decision, and lost the second by knockout.
What do you think of his comments on Jon Jones and Ryan Bader?
This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 9/22/2019.
Topics:
Bellator Jon Jones Junior dos Santos Ryan Bader UFC
