Jon Jones wants to fight Stipe Miocic in better shape

Jon Jones breaks down Gane win, says Stipe Miocic better give 100% of himself for their fight

Newly-crowned UFC heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones has declared that he wants to fight former titleholder Stipe “Stone Cold” Miocic in better shape.

After defeating Ciryl “Bon Gamin” Gane with a guillotine choke in the first round of UFC 285, Jones plans to hit the gym and lose some pounds.

Previously, Jones made his comeback to the UFC after a three-year hiatus to challenge Gane for the vacant heavyweight title. During the buildup to the Gane bout, fans made fun of him for being fat.

After the victory, the 35-year-old said on social media that his first fight at heavyweight had taught him a lot. “I’ll come back at the same exact weight but much leaner,” the former two-time UFC light heavyweight champion said. “Ultimately, it’s not about looks, it’s about performance.”

Earlier in the in-cage interview of UFC 285, Jones called out Miocic, saying that he wanted to fight him “real bad” because he was the best.

UFC president Dana White then confirmed that Jones would have a showdown with Miocic in the main event of UFC 290 in Las Vegas this July. The winner will face either Curtis “Razor” Blaydes or Sergei Pavlovich, depending on the results of UFC Vegas 71 in April.

Before UFC 285, Jones had not recorded a first-round finish since defeating Chael Sonnen at UFC 159 a decade ago, where Jones was awarded “Performance of the Night” for his smooth submission.

Jones is currently 27-1-0 [1 NC]. MMA expert Anthony Smith told journalist Ariel Helwani that Miocic, who is 40 years old, would end Jones’s dominant winning streak in the UFC.

Smith initially underestimated Miocic’s size, believing he was too small at only 230 pounds when he fought Daniel “DC” Cormier. However, during a later conversation, Miocic revealed that he weighed 253 pounds, changing Smith’s perception.

Miocic has taken down numerous fan-favorite heavyweights and is a seasoned veteran. He has won 20 fights and lost only four throughout his professional career.