Quinton “Rampage” Jackson believes Jon Jones is in trouble.
This past fall, Jones was supposed to defend his UFC heavyweight title against former champion Stipe Miocic at UFC 295; however, Jones injured his pectoral muscle and was forced out of the fight. Now, Jones plans to return sometime this year to finally fight Miocic.
Jones’s plan has garnered heavy criticism given that the 41-year-old Miocic has not fought in three years and has not won a fight in four, but nevertheless, Jones persists. But according to his former opponent Jackson, Jones’s steadfast determination to fight Miocic may ultimately backfire on him.
“I think you will be the first one to beat him,” Jackson told Miocic on the JAXXON podcast. “I just feel like he might not have a chin, based off the way he fights. He makes it so hard for people to get in close enough to punch him. His whole style was putting his fingers in your eyes and kicking your knee back — keeping you away from him. He keeps you at his length where he wants you. You’re a taller guy and you’ve got longer arms than most people he fights. I don’t think he can do all that to you.”
Miocic agreed, telling Jackson he intends to wait as long as necessary to get the Jones fight, and that when it happens, he has exactly the plan to upset the former light heavyweight champion.
“One hundred percent,” Miocic said. “Also, too, just don’t let him dictate what he wants. That’s any fighter, not just Jon Jones. Don’t let them do what they want, because if you let them do what they wants, that’s the end of the road for you. You’re f*cked.”
And that’s what Jackson believes made the difference in his fight with Jones all those years ago. “Rampage” was Jones’s first light heavyweight title defense, back at UFC 135 in 2011. He was not especially competitive, losing by fourth-round rear-naked choke — something Jackson puts down to his own errors.
“That’s what happened to me,” Jackson said. “I got f*cked up in that fight. It was all my fault. I trained really hard for Jon Jones. That was the first fight I was overconfident, ‘No way is this kid going to beat me.’ I trained my ass off. I was in the best shape, like 99 percent, hardly no injuries. It was a good feeling.”
While nothing has been announced yet, the heavyweight champion recently revealed that he’s almost ready to return to action, saying he has a date in mind and a verbal agreement for his eventual clash with Miocic this year.
