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Jon Jones details physique changes for heavyweight debut

James Herrick / UFC / March 2, 2023

Jon Jones details physique changes for heavyweight debut

After years of waiting, Jon Jones’ UFC heavyweight debut is almost here. The former light heavyweight champion is set to face Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. Jones has left no stone unturned in preparation for his heavyweight debut and has added a massive amount of weight to ensure he won’t be undersized in his debut.

“Honestly, I feel like a stronger version of myself,” Jones told reporters Wednesday. “I’m not super lean. I don’t have a mean six-pack like I used to. That took me a while to get used to.”

More specifically, Jones explained that he plans to weigh around 250 pounds for his heavyweight debut.

This added weight has resulted in more power which is a scary thought for any that finds themself locked in an octagon with “Bones.”

“I feel like I’m performing really well,” Jones said. “I’ve had some close knockouts this camp, knocking out other people. That’s something that never happened in camp in the past. When I decide I want to get guys down to the ground, they go down. I have a pretty much 100% (takedown) rate in my training right now.”

Let’s be honest, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know someone is more powerful when they add muscle mass. The real question is if Jones has the same speed, cardio and flexibility that he did at light heavyweight. Those are the real traits that made Jones a unique fighter. More importantly, those are the traits that led him to victory in his most recent fights.

If Jones has seen regression in those traits he may be in trouble at UFC 285 considering Gane is the quickest and most athletic heavyweight on the UFC roster.

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On top of that, Jones has not fought in over three years. That is another massive area of concern. Sure, it is great that Jones is strong, but will he be as sharp as he traditionally is, or will the ring rust be evident?

I am not going to sit here and pretend like I have the answers to all these questions. Truly, Jones may not even know the answers until he enters the cage at UFC 285. Regardless, we have a really interesting fight on our hands.

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