ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — JON JONES was giddy coming into the Zia Power Programs health club one afternoon final summer season. Jones couldn’t wait to inform Jordan Chavez, his power and conditioning coach, the excellent news.
Jones had fought everything of his accolade-filled profession at gentle heavyweight — 205 kilos. Earlier than reducing to that weight for competitors, the person regarded by many as the best MMA fighter ever, walked round at about 230.
On that day, although, Jones was over the moon, telling Chavez he wakened weighing 263 kilos, two kilos from the heavyweight restrict.
“He was pumped,” Chavez informed ESPN. “Exhibits me an image and every thing of the size. And I used to be like, ‘Alright, nicely, we’re proper the place you needed to be.'”
Since relinquishing the UFC gentle heavyweight title in August 2020, Jones has been slowly, steadily bulking as much as tackle his subsequent problem: turning into the world’s heavyweight champion. Practically three years and greater than 30 kilos later, the time has lastly come.
Jones will struggle Ciryl Gane for the vacant UFC heavyweight title in the primary occasion of UFC 285 on Saturday in Las Vegas (10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV). With a victory, Jones would turn into simply the eighth fighter in UFC historical past to win undisputed titles in two weight courses, including to an inventory of achievements that frankly overshadows even the best of his friends.
Whereas many fighters getting ready for a title shot would bask within the pre-event limelight, there was an aura in Jones’ camp. He has performed only a few interviews and posted even fewer coaching movies on social media. Earlier than struggle week, no images of his new physique surfaced on-line. He and his coaches have adopted a “present, do not inform” perspective.
However these near Jones informed ESPN that the previous two-plus years have consisted of him consuming 5,000 energy per day, working his approach to deadlifting greater than 600 kilos and adapting the tenets of his MMA attributes — velocity, creativity and cardio — to a considerably heavier physique.
Jones has already completed greater than another fighter in MMA historical past. He has the longest unbeaten streak (18) and most title defenses (11, tied with Demetrious Johnson) in UFC. Jones has probably the most victories in UFC title fights (14), and his solely profession loss was a controversial disqualification in a 2009 match he was clearly dominating versus Matt Hamill.
“He’s the Michael Jordan, the LeBron James of blended martial arts,” mentioned Henry Cejudo, certainly one of Jones’ coaches and a former UFC double champion himself.
Jones grew to become the youngest fighter to carry a UFC title when he was 23, and he by no means dropped a championship within the cage. So why now, at age 35, is Jones looking for one other crown and extra glory when he is already lapped the sector statistically?
“I needed to problem myself,” Jones mentioned in an ESPN video. “I needed to dare to be nice and do one thing that I promised to the followers a very long time in the past. And now we’re right here.”
JONES AND UFC president Dana White did an internet question-and-answer session with followers in October 2012. White requested him a few potential transfer to heavyweight, which the UFC promoter had not essentially been in favor of earlier than that second.
“I am going to undoubtedly transfer as much as heavyweight,” Jones mentioned. “Nevertheless it’ll in all probability be round 2013. Perhaps on the finish of 2013.”
The concept of a change in weight class has been on Jones’ thoughts for over a decade. It simply by no means actually made sense till now. Jones was dominating the UFC gentle heavyweight division, beating seven males who had been previous or future UFC champions between 2011 and 2015. After that, he had a trio of suspensions for a felony hit-and-run arrest and a pair of doping violations (regardless of businesses and regulatory our bodies clearing him of intentional dishonest).
Jones was reinstated after 15 months from the second doping suspension to win again the UFC gentle heavyweight belt in a bout with Alexander Gustafsson in 2018. He reeled off three extra wins after that to push his file to 26-1. The competitors at 205 kilos was closing the gap, although. Or possibly Jones simply wasn’t as motivated for bouts towards Thiago Santos and Dominick Reyes, the latter his most up-to-date bout at UFC 247 on Feb. 8, 2020.
“I simply felt like I acquired to this place the place I felt like I wasn’t shedding to any of those guys,” Jones mentioned in a video interview with ESPN final month. “I felt just like the followers had been missing curiosity. I used to be beginning to struggle guys who had been comparatively unknown to most of the people and I simply needed to do one thing that intimidated me, one thing that acquired me up within the morning.”
Shortly after a slim unanimous determination win over Reyes (watch this struggle on ESPN+), Jones determined he would lastly make his transfer. He eyed fights with Stipe Miocic, probably the most profitable UFC heavyweight of all time, and terrifying knockout artist Francis Ngannou. After a number of months of haggling with the UFC over how a lot he’d make for a giant heavyweight struggle — together with asking for what “Deontay Wilder was paid,” per Dana White — Jones introduced in August 2020 that he could be vacating his UFC gentle heavyweight championship and formally entered the heavyweight division. Jones later employed former Golden Boy boxing head Richard Schaefer as an adviser to guide future contract negotiations.
On the time, Jones made it recognized that it will not be a fast course of. He could be affected person and pack on the kilos step by step earlier than coming into the Octagon towards males who can tip the scales at round 265 kilos, the heavyweight most. That concept was underscored when he watched Gustafsson, certainly one of his previous 205-pound rivals, make his UFC heavyweight debut in the summertime of 2020 towards former champ Fabricio Werdum. Gustafsson misplaced by way of submission within the first spherical.
“I do not assume [Gustafsson] did it the best approach,” Jones informed ESPN in a December 2020 interview. “Simply since you achieve some further kilos does not imply you are able to compete towards these boys that had been born that approach. You have to actually take your time, discover your physique, discover your ft, your new velocity, your new rhythm. After which go up there and play the sport.”
ONCE JONES RELINQUISHED the sunshine heavyweight title, he and his staff went to work. Greg Jackson, Jones’ head coach for 14 years, began learning tape on the champion and high contenders at heavyweight: Miocic (who held the belt then), Ngannou, Gane and Curtis Blaydes. Jackson additionally mentioned he watched British prospect Tom Aspinall, as a result of he believed Aspinall could possibly be on the high of the division when Jones was able to compete on the new weight.
“Quite a lot of that’s simply prep work,” Jackson mentioned. “It was simply concepts I used to be fascinated about it. … We had been simply seeing the way it went. I simply assume he wanted a brand new problem, one thing to get him up slightly extra.”
Initially, Chavez mentioned, the purpose was for the 6-foot-4 Jones to enter his first heavyweight coaching camp at 245 kilos. However by the point 2021 began, Jones was already at 240. The consuming and powerlifting continued, although, as Jones skilled with Jackson, hanging coach Brandon Gibson and others.
That was a departure from years previous when Jones did not prepare a lot, if in any respect, in between fights. Now, his coaches have mentioned it feels virtually like a two-plus-year coaching camp for UFC 285.
“I’d enable myself to get fats,” Jones mentioned in December 2020. “To coach now with no struggle scheduled, it is totally different. It exhibits maturity and it exhibits how a lot I actually wish to do that. I am attempting to vary my complete make-up. There are some guys which might be approach greater than me up there. I am simply always pushing. … I’ve to commit my complete life to this undertaking. I am dedicated.”
Jones ate a gradual weight loss plan of hen, floor beef and steak for over two years. Carbohydrates had been important, too. Jones mentioned consuming rice for breakfast was uncommon, and all of the meals consumption felt “tedious” and “like work.”
“Greatest factor with the quantity of [training] output he is giving on a given day, his carb consumption is considerably excessive versus [what] most individuals perceive, ‘Oh, keep away from carbs, keep away from carbs,'” Chavez mentioned. “I am like, ‘No, for what you are doing, you want all of the carbs you will get your arms on. I used to be like, ‘While you’re full, you in all probability nonetheless want one other serving.'”
Along with his MMA coaching, Jones would come to Zia Power Programs 4 days per week to carry. Chavez mentioned he used a conjugate technique — primarily variations of deadlifting, squats and bench press — with Jones to construct power and, simply as considerably, endurance.
Chavez mentioned that Jones maxed out within the deadlift at 645 kilos, however the coach was extra involved with what number of reps he may do at a excessive weight to realize that endurance. Chavez mentioned Jones can do 15 reps of 500 kilos within the deadlift. Jones acquired as much as almost 400 kilos on the bench, a powerful quantity for somebody with lengthy arms — an 84-inch attain. However extra necessary for Chavez was that Jones may bench 315 kilos 5 instances.
“I do know only a few people which have T-Rex arms that might try this, a lot much less somebody that has arms which might be longer than yours and mine put collectively to have the ability to achieve this,” mentioned Chavez, who has been working with Jones for eight years.
Jones’ squat acquired near 600 kilos, Chavez mentioned. Nevertheless it was his five-plus reps at 500 kilos within the squat that the coach needed greater than the larger quantity.
“The quantity of his absolute power is thru the roof, however his power endurance even blows the previous him out of the water,” Chavez mentioned.
As soon as Jones weighed into the 260s final summer season, he tapered off the bulking section of his metamorphosis. Jones mentioned he did not like how he moved whereas being that heavy, necessitating him to shed these extra kilos. Chavez mentioned Jones would doubtless enter the cage Saturday at 250 kilos.
“I really feel prefer it’s a really perfect weight,” Jones mentioned. “I’ve my endurance. I’ve my velocity, explosiveness. I nonetheless leap excessive and shoot on takedowns in a short time. No matter I acquired to do, you realize? I really feel good. I really feel like a heightened model of my gentle heavyweight self.”
JONES HAD MORE outside-the-cage points in September 2021. Simply hours after his iconic 2013 struggle with Gustafsson was inducted into the UFC Corridor of Fame, Jones was arrested in Las Vegas on a depend of home battery, a misdemeanor, and one depend of tampering with a police automobile, a felony. The home battery cost towards Jones was dropped, however Jones took a deal and pleaded “nolo contendre,” or no contest, to misdemeanor tampering with a police automobile.
Jones has but to remark immediately concerning the state of affairs. A couple of weeks after the incident, he posted on Instagram that he has “approach an excessive amount of trauma to eat alcohol, my mind merely cannot deal with it anymore” and “I’ll go away alcohol in my previous endlessly.”
The arrest brought about Jones to be thrown out of his JacksonWink MMA health club by co-head coach Mike Winkeljohn. Jackson, Gibson and others continued to coach Jones at an affiliate health club throughout city, Jackson’s MMA Acoma.
“I am nonetheless hoping all people will hug and make up and all people will get again collectively once more,” Jackson mentioned. “A naive hope possibly, however one I nonetheless have. Jon is my buddy. So, your mates make errors, they screw up. I definitely have screwed up. However that does not imply you flip your again in your buddies.”
Jones additionally made a number of journeys in 2022 to Battle Prepared MMA in Scottsdale, Arizona, to coach with the likes of Cejudo, his longtime coach Eric Albarracin, Santino DeFranco and Eddie Cha.
“These final three years, that is what Jon wanted,” Cejudo mentioned. “He did not must struggle for a championship. He wanted a resurrection to rekindle his love for martial arts. It will get boring if you win 14 consecutive title [fights]. No person in historical past has performed that. He wanted a break after which the most important problem he may get and that is why he is at heavyweight.”
In a video Cejudo posted on Instagram final week, Jones thanked him and the Battle Prepared coaches for taking him in.
“I had slightly time the place I used to be in a limbo,” Jones informed Cejudo and Albarracin. “When it wasn’t cool to be related to me, you guys had been among the first individuals to open the door and let me know that I at all times have a house in Arizona. And sincerely which means lots to me. I am going to always remember it.”
UFC VETERAN HEAVYWEIGHT Walt Harris was sparring with Jones at Jackson’s MMA Acoma two weeks in the past and acquired cracked with a giant proper hand. Jones apologized, however Harris shook it off and continued. Jones has a wrestling background and a fearsome kicking recreation. He is by no means been recognized for his boxing and has few knockouts together with his arms. That is likely to be altering, Harris mentioned.
“He is undoubtedly acquired the pop in his arms,” Harris mentioned. “And he has the flexibility to remain within the pocket and never get hit, which may be very, very, very spectacular. He throws the best punches on the proper time. He would not waste lots of punches.”
No video of that sequence between Jones and Harris can be posted, not less than not till after the struggle. What Jones seems like at 250 kilos and the way he strikes weren’t made public till struggle week. Jackson mentioned this Jones is an “improved” model, although he will not go into element on what which means, aside from joking that Jones has saved his creativity and dynamic actions whereas weighing “7,000 kilos.”
Heavyweight Jon Jones acquired some strikes 😅 #UFC285
(by way of @thebigticket205) pic.twitter.com/e01fDkvwFV
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 15, 2023
The lack of understanding, video or in any other case, is by design, Jones mentioned.
“I am a fan of the guide ‘The Artwork of Warfare’ and Solar Tzu talks about making your plans as darkish because the night time and if you strike, you strike just like the thunderbolt,” Jones mentioned. “And that is my plan. My plan is to let my work communicate for itself.”
Jones introduced Harris, a southpaw, into his camp to considerably mimic Gane. UFC veterans Maurice Greene and Yorgan DeCastro have additionally been sparring companions for Jones. Greene has been a Jones coaching companion for years.
Harris has expertise towards high-level heavyweights within the UFC and believes Jones “is one of the best on this division proper now.” Cardio was at all times a key to Jones’ recreation at gentle heavyweight and Harris mentioned that has not modified.
“Oh my God,” Harris mentioned. “It is ridiculous, bro. Like, he’ll do 5, six exhausting rounds and he desires to do two or three extra. He would not cease. He will get stronger the longer it goes, which is uncanny for anyone, not to mention for a heavyweight to have the ability to try this.”
Jones’s camp believes he’s considerably stronger to suit the burden class, too. Chavez mentioned he has seen Jones “ragdoll” 300-pound fighters in coaching. Jackson mentioned grappling with Jones now’s like “attempting to bounce round an iron pole.” Jones mentioned now he has a “100% success price” in taking coaching companions down, which he didn’t have at gentle heavyweight.
Jones mentioned he watched Gane’s loss to Ngannou at UFC 280 in January 2022 and had an “overwhelming feeling” that he was going to turn into the UFC heavyweight champion. Ngannou has since departed the UFC, scrapping the potential for an enormous cash struggle. However Jones stays undeterred.
Shifting as much as heavyweight was by no means concerning the opponent. Ngannou had not even debuted as a professional fighter when Jones first began speaking about combating as a heavyweight. It is a transfer of greater than a decade and virtually three years of transformation within the making.
“It is probably the most prestigious weight class,” Jones mentioned. “It means probably the most realizing that you simply’re one of many baddest males strolling the planet. It retains me actually excited and I am simply actually glad to be right here, residing my future and placing all my years of expertise and all of the years of exhausting work to the last word take a look at.”