"Obviously range and distance is not his forte" - John McCarthy rates Will Smith's viral slap on Chris Rock

Will Smith’s recent display of striking technique against Chris Rock left much to be desired, according to John McCarthy.

On a recent episode of the Weighing In podcast, the MMA analyst opined that the actor's range and distance were off when he landed the viral blow on the comedian at the Oscars.

McCarthy said:

"Obviously range and distance is not his forte. [He] didn't understand how to create the right range and close that distance. And I think he kind of stuffed himself in there and tried to short-arm it a little bit. Didn't help."

Watch the full episode of Weighing In with John McCarthy below:

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John McCarthy on why Jon Jones deserves the next heavyweight title shot

Jon Jones last fought Dominick Reyes in February 2020. With a unanimous decision win, he successfully defended his light heavyweight title. Following the victory, the 34-year-old relinguished the 205-pound belt and has since been preparing for his much-anticipated heavyweight debut.

While the idea of 'Bones' receiving an immediate title shot on his heavyweight debut has been met with some criticism, John McCarthy explained why Jones should indeed get the next championship opportunity once he makes his return to the UFC.

Speaking on the same episode of the Weighing In podcast, McCarthy said:

"How can you not sit there and look at Jon Jones, a guy who legitimately has never lost a fight, ran through what 15 title fights as a light heavyweight, how can he not be the first person that deserves a shot at the heavyweight title? He ran through everyone."

While there's no official update on Jon Jones' heavyweight debut, Henry Cejudo recently stated that 'Bones' will finally return to action this year.

The UFC is yet to make an announcement around the future of the heavyweight division. Current champion Francis Ngannou recently underwent knee surgery and is expected to be recovering until 2023.

In addition, his future remains uncertain in the promotion, with rumors suggesting he is expected to take on Tyson Fury in the ring early next year.

Dana White has stated that the company will likely introduce an interim title in the near future. It seems highly likely that Jones will fight for the gold if he returns later this year.