Jon Jones answers if win against Ciryl Gane should catapult him to No.1 P4P position
Jon Jones has admitted he doesn't believe a win over Ciryl Gane will put him at the No.1 spot in the UFC's pound-for-pound rankings because he hasn't been active enough.
Jones will mark the end of his three-year hiatus from the UFC this weekend when he returns to face Ciryl Gane for the vacant heavyweight title at UFC 285. The bout will also be his debut in the 265-pound division as he attempts to stake his claim as the greatest fighter of all time.
In an interview with Fox Sports Australia this week, 'Bones' discussed the pound-for-pound rankings currently topped by Alexander Volkanovski. The former light heavyweight champion, who is No.10 on the list, was asked whether or not he thinks a victory over 'Bon Gamin' will return him to the top.
According to Jon Jones, Volkanovski and Islam Makhachev deserve to be atop the list, but he insists he's fighting to be the "best fighter ever," which is vastly different:
"I think it's the guys who have been fighting. I think Alex, Islam, these are the guys who have been fighting. I haven't been competing, they deserve to be the top fighters on the planet... I'm trying to fight to be the best fighter ever, that's two different things. When it comes to right now and who looks the best, I haven't competed yet so how could I have a problem with these guys being the top fighters on the planet."
Catch the interview here (3:50):
Jon Jones weighs in on Conor McGregor's UFC return
Last month, Dana White broke the news that Conor McGregor would be returning to the octagon after a two-year injury layoff.
The Irishman will coach against Michael Chandler on the latest season of 'The Ultimate Fighter', with the pair set to headline a pay-per-view sometime later this year.
During UFC 285's media day, Jon Jones was asked about the Irish star's return. 'Bones' seemed excited about the prospect:
"There's only one Conor McGregor. I love Conor. I love what he represents. He's big. He has a gigantic brand. In some sense, it's just as big as our sport. It's going to be great when he comes back. He's going to bring a whole new energy, even more fans. It's great for all of us. It's great for the sponsors. It's great for the UFC. I wish Conor all the best."
Jones added that he's "proud" of everything McGregor has accomplished:
"I love the way he's lived his life. I never thought, in my time, I'd see an MMA fighter with a [Lamborghini] yacht, but he's done it. I'm so proud of him."
Catch Jon Jones' comments here:
Jon Jones gave Conor McGregor his respect at the UFC 285 media day. https://t.co/vLvwuq72UF