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Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones' coach Mike Winklejohn believes 'Bones' is not interested in taking on Stipe Miocic in his heavyweight debut.
Speaking to Submission Radio, the JacksonWink coach said that Miocic is currently not on the former 205-pound champion's radar.
"From the outside looking in, I would think that [a fight with Stipe Miocic] wouldn't excite Jon [Jones]. I think Jon wants a big one...he wants a big challenge and right now, Stipe is not there. Stipe is awesome, don't get me wrong, but Jon wants the biggest challenge out there. That's how Jon Jones thinks," Mike Winklejohn said in the interview.
When asked who he thinks will be the heavyweight champion by the time Jones makes his heavyweight debut, Winklejohn said:
"We'll see how that plays out, I really don't know. If they [Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane] are gonna fight, it's kind of a toss-up. Francis has improved quite a bit. He used to be just a big power puncher but you're seeing he's slowly getting better everywhere, with everything he's doing. And when you have somebody that puts that fear in you, that might change Gane's gameplan a little bit. [At] the same time, you know, Gane moves around with some of the things he has, the tools he has, he'll make it a bit harder on Francis and he's strong. He's quite strong actually. So, I don't know, I would have to sit down and think about that...I can't give you an answer at the moment at all."
Catch Mike Winklejohn's appearance on Submission Radio below:
Ciryl Gane recently defeated Derrick Lewis at UFC 265 to become the UFC interim heavyweight champion. He will likely face Francis Ngannou next in order to unify the belt.
Dana White doesn't see Jon Jones in the heavyweight title picture right now
Speaking at the UFC 265 post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White said that he is not thinking about Jon Jones in regards to the UFC heavyweight title picture right now.
"He's not fighting till next year. It's 2021, my brother. He's not fighting till '22. So I'm not even thinking about him till '22," declared Dana White.
Catch Dana White's comments on the heavyweight title picture in the video below:
Jon Jones hasn't competed in the UFC octagon for more than a year. After his last fight against Dominick Reyes in February 2020, 'Bones' relinquished his light heavyweight title.
Since then, the 34-year-old has been preparing for a move up to the heavyweight division.
