Rashad Evans Explains What Will Cause Jon Jones Problems At Heavyweight

Rashad Evans knows Jon Jones is arguably the best fighter of all time but he says the heavyweight division could cause him some problems.

After Jones narrowly beat Thiago Santos and Dominick Reyes to defend his light heavyweight belt, he vacated the strap and planned a move to heavyweight. However, that hasn’t come to fruition yet due to stalled contract negotiations.

If Jon Jones does end up making his heavyweight debut, his former training partner and opponent in Evans believes the size and power will hinder Jones. Yet, he knows “Bones” is one of the smartest fighters ever so the IQ may lead him to greatness.

“Jon moving up, it’s going to be a continuation of the legacy of Jon Jones. Jon Jones is a phenomenal athlete. He’s a phenomenal fighter and his IQ inside the Octagon, it can’t be surpassed by anybody,” Evans said to TMZ. “So I expect him to carry that to the heavyweight division. The things that I think may give him some problems is the fact that these guys are big and they do hit harder. But for the most part, this is a great Jon Jones. Jon Jones can make an adjustment to anything.”

Jon Jones, Image Credit: Esther Lin, MMA Fighting

Rashad Evans says he hopes to see Jon Jones make his debut against Francis Ngannou soon. He knows that’s a very intriguing matchup and one that would answer a lot of questions about Bones and his status at heavyweight.

For now, however, both Jones and Ngannou are dealing with contract disputes with the UFC so it’s uncertain when either man will fight. But, if those two do end up fighting, there is no question it would be one of the biggest events of all time.

Do you agree with Rashad Evans that the size and power at heavyweight will be a factor against Jon Jones?

Cole Shelton
Cole Shelton is a full-time sports writer primarily focusing on MMA. He graduated from Sheridan College with a journalism degree in 2019.

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