Jon Jones already has idea who will walk away with the light heavyweight belt that was once his at UFC 210.
The former 205-pound UFC champion, who’s currently serving a one-year suspicion from USADA, believes current light heavyweight champ Daniel Cormier will defend his title and defeat Anthony Johnson in the rematch at Saturday's UFC 210, which takes place at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
“Do I think he [Johnson] beats DC?,” Jones told the UFC 210 media Friday in a press conference. “I think he has a very strong chance to do it, a puncher’s chance. But if I were to bet, I’d put my money on Daniel Cormier just because the last performance and it boils right down to what I was saying, you have to have the total package to be at a certain level of the sport and DC is closer to that level of having that complete game. So I think Anthony has a chance, but if I had to bet, I would definitely go with Cormier.”
Jones gives Johnson credit for his technical striking and impressive knockout power, but believes that the Combat Club product is a one-dimensional fighter.
“I feel like he’s [Johnson] a very one-dimensional fighter,” Jones explained. “And I know he has that wrestling base and once a wrestler, always a wrestler, but you know I think he’s pretty much fallen in love with his striking and his power. I really think that to beat a guy like me, you really have to whole game down, your jiu-jitsu, your takedown defense, your takedowns, the whole shebang, and I just don't feel like he's that fighter. He's extremely talented with God-given knockout power, he's got a great kickboxing coach, but this sport is mixed martial arts.”
With his dangerous striking and massive knockout power, Jones understands there’s a chance the challenger Johnson might go home with the belt at UFC 210. But that wouldn't bother him or make him feel like he has unfinished business with the Cormier, as he sees the Olympian — who many consider to be Jones biggest and most heated rival — as just like any other opponent who he’s already defeated in the past.
“I really don't feel like I have unfinished business with Cormier,” Jones said. “But I do feel like I do have unfinished business with Anthony Johnson. We've had quite a few fights that fell through. And Daniel Cormier, I beat him fare and square, I’m the only guy to ever beat him. So if anything, he has unfinished business with me. Daniel is no greater than any other person that I defeated, he just happened to be undefeated outside myself. So I just look at him like like he's Stephan Bonnar or whoever I’ve beaten in the past.”