Michael Bisping: Johnny Walker gives Jon Jones ‘a lot of problems’

Despite a less-than-stellar performance against his last opponent Thiago Santos, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones still has the aura of an unbeatable fighter. His offense is as versatile as his defense is impenetrable, and it’s simply difficult to imagine anybody ending his reign.

Yet former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping believes there is one light heavyweight on the UFC roster with the skills and physical tools to threaten the seemingly bulletproof reign of Jon Jones: Johnny Walker.

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“I think the biggest threat right now to Jon Jones is Johnny Walker,” Bisping said on his Believe You Me podcast (transcript via MMA News). I think Johnny Walker gives him a lot of problems, but I understand it from Jones’ perspective. He’s still not well-known enough to the average MMA fan. He’s had a big splash, he’s had a few big wins in very, very quick time. And in fact, he’s injured right now because he injured himself with his post-fight celebration. That’s the most damage he takes in his fights, in his own f*cking celebrations.”

While Bisping views Walker as a potential threat to Jon Jones, he does feel that Walker has a bit more work to do to stake his claim to a title shot. Jones has recently shared the same opinion on this potential rival.

“But he’s not there yet,” Bisping said. “He needs another win or two. For one I think it would be rushing Johnny Walker and potentially bringing him on a little too far, too soon. And Jones is right. Another couple more wins, put him in a co-main event, even a Fight Night main event against a big name and then all of a sudden you’ve got a real star on your hands. And then that makes the pay-per-view bigger for everybody involved. So, I agree with Jones.”