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After dominating his division for almost a decade, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones announced his switch to heavyweight. Considering the fact that the light heavyweight division is now shallower than ever, it may seem like a good move from a legacy point of view. However, his new division comes with a new set of new challenges.
There is absolutely no doubt that Jones' transition to heavyweight was long overdue. In fact, "Bones" should have moved up a while ago. His high Fight IQ, coupled with his desire to win makes him one of the greatest fighters on the planet. But looking back at his past two fights, a transition to heavyweight could be disastrous for the former champion.
Jones did not look good in his last two fights
Jon Jones fought Thiago Santos at UFC 239. Despite suffering a freak injury early in the fight, Santos gave the former champion a tough time. It was the first time fans saw Jones in trouble since UFC 165: Jones vs Gustafsson. Unfortunately for Santos, Jones was slightly better than him that night.
Seven months later, Jones fought Dominick Reyes. Against all odds, Reyes brought the fight to Jones. His performance convinced many pundits that Jones lost the fight against him. After looking at statistics, it is safe to say that "The Dominator" outstruck Jones in the first three rounds.
Overall, Reyes landed 116 significant strikes in the fight, while Jon Jones landed 104. The number of significant strikes absorbed almost doubled since the latter's scrap with Santos. This is definitely not a good sign for someone who is transitioning to a weight class more dangerous than his previous one.
Age is not on Jon Jones' side
Jon Jones is 33 years old. The level of danger only increases from here. Fighters like Francis Ngannou — who is likely to fight Jones in the future — hits way harder than any athlete in the UFC. One punch and its lights out. Similarly, the heavyweight champion, Stipe Miocic, is no slouch either. His impeccable boxing and wrestling, combined with his reach, power, and the ability to adapt mid-fight cannot be taken lightly.
One can make an argument regarding Jones' superior Fight IQ, speed, and technical abilities. But will he retain his speed at a heavier weight class? Will Jon Jones have one-punch KO power at heavyweight? Can he control the heavier fighters, who cut down to 265 lb?
These are tough questions to answer as Jon Jones has never competed at heavyweight before. The only time we saw Jones at a heavier weight class was against Dan Henderson at Submission Underground 2. And that was a grappling match against an opponent who is not a true heavyweight.
Could we see Jon Jones get clipped at heavyweight? Absolutely. No matter how good Jones is, he will get caught. The real question is: Can Jon Jones take a punch and stay on his feet like he did at light heavyweight?
