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Jon Jones’ Heavyweight move has been discussed for over a decade, but it’s been just about three years since he made his decision to bulk up public. A lot of the focus has been on his physically development, as Jones has prioritized putting on muscle. However, there’s also the element of adapting his technical game to face the new challenge.
We’ve seen clips of Heavyweight Jones hitting mitts, but there’s been very little sparring footage available. It’s an unknown! Still, that hasn’t stopped online fight fans from judging Jones’ choice of sparring partners revealed in the Countdown to UFC 285 video. Introducing them as “300-pound beasts,” Jones reveals his sparring crew as UFC veterans Walt Harris, Maurice Greene, and Yorgan de Castro. Of the three, Harris is the only one who remains on the roster, and he hasn’t won a fight since 2019.
The fighting community is not at all impressed. Check out some of the reactions below:
So his team of “beasts” is:
-a guy who went 1-3 in the UFC, lost to Greg Hardy and got cut.
-maybe the worst fighter I’ve seen kickbox professionally, also lost to Hardy and got cut.
-a 13-10 dude who turns 40 this year, is still in the UFC BUT hasn’t won in 4 years. https://t.co/3zQqcLX2po— Lucas Bourdon (@lucas_bourdon) February 26, 2023
Green and De Castro are 2 of the worst HW’s ive seen
— Formerly Formerly Neutral (@ManOfShark) February 26, 2023
Anything to the fact that Jones brought in the likes of Yorgan De Castro and Mo Greene when he very likely could have gotten someone like Benjamin Adegbuyi?
Probably not. Mud sharpens iron, as they say. or wait, no https://t.co/da3VpzKr3O
— King Typo (@BoxingBusch) February 27, 2023
It’s an ego thing. He could easily bring in Glory champions, guys who are big, fast and move and strike like Gane. But he wants to be able to beat up all his training partners instead of actually get the real looks he needs.
— Asante Scamual (@midwestbmc) February 26, 2023
Jon Jones says Ciryl Gane beats up on “lesser opponents” in training while boasting about the “beasts” that Jones recruited for camp: Maurice Greene, Yorgan de Castro and Walt Harris. A combined 1-8 in their last nine UFC fights (via UFC Countdown) #UFC285
— Shakiel Mahjouri (@Shak_Fu) February 27, 2023
“Beating up lesser opponents” bro you’ve been literally doing the same with Walt Harris, Yorgan De Castro, Maurice Greene and Mayes pic.twitter.com/v8fDto7FNS
— Revival of Saint Sfm (@based_Sfm) February 26, 2023
In defense of Team “Bones,” there are not many men who can fight at all like Ciryl Gane — that’s why he’s so good! It’s hard to find top-notch Heavyweight sparring partners that are not ranked inside the UFC’s Top 10.
On the flip side of the equation, who is Gane training with to prepare for Jones? I don’t have the full MMA Factory roster and cannot name any of their Heavyweights aside from Alan Baudot, but Gane has flown in at least one elite Glory Light Heavyweight kickboxer, Imad Hadar, to help sharpen his stand up.
We’ll just have to wait until the main event of UFC 285 this Saturday night (March 4, 2023) from Las Vegas, Nevada to see whose preparation was superior.
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LIVE! Watch UFC 285 PPV On ESPN+ Here!
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION SUPER FIGHT! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sat., March 4, 2023, with one of the biggest fights in its history as No. 1-ranked Heavyweight contender, Ciryl Gane, and former Light Heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, collide in a “super” fight for the vacant undisputed Heavyweight title. In UFC 285’s pay-per-view (PPV) co-main event, women’s Flyweight roost-ruler, Valentina Shevchenko — UFC’s current longest-reigning champion — defends her 125-pound title against Mexico’s Alexa Grasso.
Insomnia
… It does kind of look like a certain struggling English “Gorilla.”
Francis Ngannou uses Jon Jones’ own words against him, which is not terribly hard to do given how often he contradicts himself.
Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury had Oscar De La Hoya HEATED!
Striker vs. wrestler, but their names are really similar!
I have no idea what this is called. All I can offer is that Urijah Faber teaches a counter to the rear waist lock that involves stepping behind the legs in similar fashion.
Shoutout Wiz Khalifa for being into Muay Thai with making it a whole public spectacle.
Slips, rips, and KO clips
Barez picked his shots well to follow up the knockdown and force the finish.
Perfect timing to track down his opponent’s attempt to circle out.
This is a man’s leg dying in front of us.
Random Land
A bunch of drivers crashing in a similar manner because they cannot follow basic signs.
Midnight Music: 30 years after its recording, legendary indie folk band Neutral Milk Hotel’s EP Ferris Wheel on Fire is on streaming services!
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.