Coach Says Jon Jones Will KO His Opponents Upon His Return To UFC Octagon
Former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones considered the greatest fighter of all time, after what he has accomplished inside the Octagon. But his most recent second drug test that came positive ahead of UFC 214 grudge match against Daniel Cormier which he won via third-round knockout somehow tarnished his legacy.
Jones currently on the sidelines awaiting punishment from the USADA and could face four years of suspension. Jon Jones return to MMA is unknown he’s doing everything in his power to make a comeback to worlds biggest stage. In his absence, Jones formal rival Daniel Cormier scores the heavyweight title and surge in P4P rankings after knocking out Stipe Miocic at UFC 226.
Jones holds notable wins over the likes of Lyoto Machida, Vitor Belfort, Quinton Jackson, Maurício Rua and of course Daniel Cormier, but he has never demonstrated the knockout power to impose fear to his opponents.
A question begs here can Jones be any better than before with improving skills? According to his longtime striking coach Brandon Gibson, Jones is extensively training during his hiatus from sports to sharpen his skills to enhance his knockout power, and he’s ready to put his opponents to sleep when he returns.
“I think there’s still a lot of growth possible,” Gibson told Luke Thomas on a recent edition of The MMA Hour, per MMA Fighting’s Alexander K. Lee. “Jon’s in his 30s now, I think he’s really starting to develop the one-strike knockout power, we saw that in the last (Daniel Cormier) fight. Before that, Jon was like a break ‘em down, break ‘em down, break ‘em down, finish, where guys were never just out cold, unconscious. I think now Jon’s really developing a lot of power for 205 and he’s gonna really start putting guys to sleep.”
If Jon Jones, in fact, is developing more power to his hands and feet so he could very well maul all the light heavyweights upon his return to UFC and his next goal is to make a move to heavyweight to show his new talent there.
No matter how much strength and power Jones bring to Octagon, a threat will always be there.
Coach Gibson who trains Jones at Jackson-Wink MMA Academy in Albuquerque said, his student is ready to regain the light heavyweight title and cement his legacy as GOAT.
“He’s a special champion, he has a very special mindset, and he’ll get in there and I believe reclaim everything that he ever had and more. I told him the other day that I think greatness and his legacy continue to await us. We’re not there yet.”
“I think the goal right now when he returns would be to claim back the light heavyweight crown,” he said, “But Jon has a frame and definitely the technique and the size to compete at heavyweight. And who knows, maybe they make a 225 cruiserweight some day, or 195. I think Jon would have a lot of interest in different weight categories, not just heavyweight.”
Coach is optimistic on Jons return, but former champion could be on sidelines for a long time as he’s facing whopping four years of suspension by USADA. Due to his latest failed drug test, Jones removed from official UFC rankings.
