'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman has suggested that Stipe Miocic will likely be a problem for Jon Jones in their long-awaited heavyweight matchup.
Speaking to The Schmo, Weidman revealed that during his time away from the octagon, Stipe Miocic has been bulking up and now weighs about 250 lbs. ‘The All-American’ was all praise for Miocic. He notably asserted that Miocic is “a different beast right now.” Warning Jones to steer clear of the UFC heavyweight legend, Weidman stated:
“Tell you what, man, I’ve seen Jon Jones really working to gain size. And Stipe was smaller. I trained with Stipe. He’s [one of] my boys. I was hanging out with him last night. Bro, he [Miocic] got big. He’s been doing it quietly. He’s like a solid 250 [pounds] right now, solid 250.”
He also added by saying:
“And whenever he decides to come back, he’s a problem. I don’t think Jon Jones wants that fight. If he thinks he’s going to be going against a 225-pound Stipe, he’s wrong. You got a big, strong boy that won’t stop coming forward, and believes in himself, and is very well-rounded.”
Miocic’s most recent fight witnessed him lose his UFC heavyweight title to Francis Ngannou via second-round KO at UFC 260 in March 2021. Miocic weighed in at 234 lbs whereas Ngannou weighed 263 lbs for the aforesaid fight.
This led many to speculate whether the significant weight disadvantage hurt Miocic in the fight. Regardless, Miocic does hold a win over Ngannou, having beaten him via unanimous decision at UFC 220 in January 2018.
Watch Weidman discuss the topic at 2:36 in the video below:
Jon Jones prefers Stipe Miocic over Francis Ngannou for his heavyweight debut
Jon Jones last fought at UFC 247 in February 2020, successfully defending his UFC light heavyweight title by beating Dominick Reyes via unanimous decision in a closely-contested fight. ‘Bones’ vacated his title in August 2020 and has since been bulking up to make his long-awaited heavyweight debut.
UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is currently embroiled in a contract dispute with the UFC and is unlikely to fight until early 2023 due to knee injury issues. Meanwhile, the consensus is that Jon Jones could face Stipe Miocic in an interim UFC heavyweight title fight this September.
Jones recently asserted that he’d like to fight the more well-rounded Miocic rather than the one-dimensional Ngannou who’ll be coming off knee surgery. Jibing at Ngannou, ‘Bones’ tweeted:
“At this point I’m looking to fight Stipe, I think it proves a lot more. Fighting a fairly one-dimensional fighter fresh off of knee surgery. I don’t know, I believe beating Stipe says more at this point”
