UFC 146: Jon Jones Considers Challenging Junior Dos Santos

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/4/12/2943503/ufc-146-video-jon-jones-junior-dos-santos-mma-interview

UFC LIght Heavyweight champ Jon Jones has his hands full with a title challenge from former champ Rashad Evans at UFC 145: Jones vs Evans on April 21 in Atlanta, Georgia. Not only does Evans, one of the best in MMA at mixing striking and take downs, present a formidable stylistic challenge for Jones, but the two are heated personal rivals and former teammates as well.

Nonetheless, people are going to ask questions and Jon Jones is the kind of young guy who will think out loud while answering them. He recently sat down with New Mexico's Prickly Pear Studios (video after the jump) for an interview and they got him off on some interesting tangents.

Most notably they asked him about facing Heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos. Dos Santos may or may not be short of an opponent for his scheduled title defense at UFC 146 in Las Vegas given anticipated challenger Alistair Overeem's struggles with high testosterone levels and the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Here's what Jones has to say on the topic (transcribed by MMA Mania):

"You know, it's hard to even say because of two factors: First, it would be disrespectful of me to just look past Rashad completely like, 'Oh, this fight's already done.' Rashad is going to be a huge test and I'm excited for this great challenge. And you know, honestly, it is something I would totally entertain. But at the same time, I have so much respect for Junior dos Santos. He's such a cool dude, you know what I mean? He's just such a cool dude. Fighting him is just like... Me and him, he treated me like his brother when we were in Brazil together. We did a lot of fun stuff in Brazil. He's just a cool dude. Challenging him out of nowhere would be hitting him upside the head like, 'Where did Jones come from? Why does Jones want to fight me?' I'm not saying he's scared of me, by any means, I'm sure he's not. If it was somebody else, I would definitely go for it. But it's Junior. I don't know, I'm not even a heavyweight so to pick a fight with Junior doesn't really make sense to me. There's a lot of work to be done in the light heavyweight division."

So in typical Jones fashion he first puts his foot in his mouth by saying the fight is something he would "totally entertain" and then spends the next 7 sentences backing out of it.

Personally, I'd be all for Jones facing Dos Santos but the layover is too short for him to train for the bout, not to mention that he could very well be injured against Evans and that would leave Dos Santos once again without an opponent.

JDS would probably love to fight Bones. He would take him apart.

Jones is a fucking douche.

Maybe this is why we haven't heard of an opponent yet? That would be too good to be true to see Bones get thrown in there with JDS.

He wont get JDS especially after Rashad beats him next week.

JJ v JDS is a very very intriguing match up. Jones has a huge frame and probably as big as JDS. Even if JDS has size he doesn't it. He just boxes.

I really have no idea who would win.

I think jeds would win but jones could make it interesting

What if Rashad wins? He was the HW TUF winner...

I hope evans kos him Bisping style but afraid jones will keep it outside untill he sees evans fade then ugly it up enroute to decision via control or stoppage due to choke

Way too soon for Bones to even consider HW. Frankly I am not convinced he'd even transition well to the division, his lanky frame and speed make him deadly at LHW but at HW those advantages would evaporate.

Ali wrote:

Way too soon for Bones to even consider HW. Frankly I am not convinced he'd even transition well to the division, his lanky frame and speed make him deadly at LHW but at HW those advantages would evaporate.

His speed advantage would evaporate against slower guys.....uhhhh what?

Farmer1906 wrote:

Ali wrote:

Way too soon for Bones to even consider HW. Frankly I am not convinced he'd even transition well to the division, his lanky frame and speed make him deadly at LHW but at HW those advantages would evaporate.

His speed advantage would evaporate against slower guys.....uhhhh what?

Farmer1906 wrote:

Ali wrote:

Way too soon for Bones to even consider HW. Frankly I am not convinced he'd even transition well to the division, his lanky frame and speed make him deadly at LHW but at HW those advantages would evaporate.

His speed advantage would evaporate against slower guys.....uhhhh what?

Who's to say that speed will remain once Jon begins to gain muscle mass and weight.

Ali wrote:

Farmer1906 wrote:

Ali wrote:

Way too soon for Bones to even consider HW. Frankly I am not convinced he'd even transition well to the division, his lanky frame and speed make him deadly at LHW but at HW those advantages would evaporate.

His speed advantage would evaporate against slower guys.....uhhhh what?

Who's to say that speed will remain once Jon begins to gain muscle mass and weight.

He doesn't have to go all Overeem, but if he doesn't cut and focuses and being more explosive then he could easily weigh 235 and be faster.

Farmer1906 wrote:

Ali wrote:

Farmer1906 wrote:

Ali wrote:

Way too soon for Bones to even consider HW. Frankly I am not convinced he'd even transition well to the division, his lanky frame and speed make him deadly at LHW but at HW those advantages would evaporate.

His speed advantage would evaporate against slower guys.....uhhhh what?

Who's to say that speed will remain once Jon begins to gain muscle mass and weight.

He doesn't have to go all Overeem, but if he doesn't cut and focuses and being more explosive then he could easily weigh 235 and be faster.

Jon will definitely need to bulk up a little to compete with the likes of Cigano and Cain.

Farmer1906 wrote:

Ali wrote:

Farmer1906 wrote:

Ali wrote:

Way too soon for Bones to even consider HW. Frankly I am not convinced he'd even transition well to the division, his lanky frame and speed make him deadly at LHW but at HW those advantages would evaporate.

His speed advantage would evaporate against slower guys.....uhhhh what?

Who's to say that speed will remain once Jon begins to gain muscle mass and weight.

He doesn't have to go all Overeem, but if he doesn't cut and focuses and being more explosive then he could easily weigh 235 and be faster.

I think Jones is closer to the 240 range naturally anyways.

OU wrote:

Farmer1906 wrote:

Ali wrote:

Farmer1906 wrote:

Ali wrote:

Way too soon for Bones to even consider HW. Frankly I am not convinced he'd even transition well to the division, his lanky frame and speed make him deadly at LHW but at HW those advantages would evaporate.

His speed advantage would evaporate against slower guys.....uhhhh what?

Who's to say that speed will remain once Jon begins to gain muscle mass and weight.

He doesn't have to go all Overeem, but if he doesn't cut and focuses and being more explosive then he could easily weigh 235 and be faster.

I think Jones is closer to the 240 range naturally anyways.

Then boom. He's at his natural weight kicking ass and not worrying about cuts and feels more comfortable.

Anyone know what weight Jones wrestled at in college?

Ludo wrote:

Anyone know what weight Jones wrestled at in college?

I couldn't find it directly, but was reading that one of his opponents was Max Askren(Ben's brother), who wrestled at 197lbs for Mizzou.
Also reading that Jones is probably closer to 220lbs then 240lbs.

Jones walks around at 233 he said in a recent interview.

Quote :

"In the past, one of Rashad's main advantages over me was that he was more seasoned and a lot more stronger than I was. When I first joined the UFC, I never really cut weight, I came in extremely thin. Walking around at 213, 210. Now I walk around at almost 230 at times. I'm just a lot more mature in my body and physical strength. I think that's gonna be a huge difference for him and he's gonna feel it right away."

OU wrote:

Quote :

"In the past, one of Rashad's main advantages over me was that he was more seasoned and a lot more stronger than I was. When I first joined the UFC, I never really cut weight, I came in extremely thin. Walking around at 213, 210. Now I walk around at almost 230 at times. I'm just a lot more mature in my body and physical strength. I think that's gonna be a huge difference for him and he's gonna feel it right away."

230 with the longest reach in the UFC should be plenty big enough to match up with JDS.

I wonder what the UFC will do if Jones wins tomorrow and comes out injury free, assuming justice is served with Reem. My hunch is Werdum is the man that gets the call. But if Jones really campaigned for it, he could possibly steal it away.

I would love JDS to hit jones so hard he thought he was HArold Howard

Just continued context on the Jones weight discussion.
"I was 224lbs last night "@bartolini69: @JonnyBones how much do you weigh the night of the fight, 220-225?"" -Jon Jones