Jon Jones delivers a heartfelt message to Henry Cejudo for training him when "it wasn't cool" to be associated with him
Jon Jones is all set to make a grand return to the octagon on March 4, 2023 at UFC 285. Jones will go up against the No.1 contender Ciryl Gane in his heavyweight debut to challenge for the vacant title that was left behind by Francis Ngannou.
Interestingly, Jones hasn't fought professionally since his controversial win against Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 back in 2020. He vacated his light heavyweight title shortly after the fight and has been training for a return ever since.
Furthermore, 'Bones' has found a training partner in Olympic gold medalist and former UFC champion Henry Cejudo. The two have trained together under coach Eric Albarracin in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
As the team concluded their preparations, Jon Jones gratefully addressed them for letting him into their space. Jones stated his heartfelt appreciation for Henry Cejudo and his team in his brief speech and opened up about his struggles:
“I want to say thank you to you guys for opening the doors to get me fight ready. I had a little time where obviously my team stuck with me but I had a little time where I was in a limbo and it wasn’t cool to be associated with me. You guys were some of the first people to open the door and let me know that I always had a home in Arizona. And sincerely, that means a lot to me, I’ll never forget it. I want to say thank you guys so much for that. Let’s get to work, gentlemen!”
Watch Jones' full comments and behind the scenes of his preparations in Cejudo's YouTube vlog below:
Michael Chiesa terms Ciryl Gane as the toughest opponent Jon Jones could face
Jon Jones' legacy and reputation in the light heavyweight division stands proudly above the rest of the roster. But at heavyweight, the challenges are heightened for the returning superstar, especially with Ciryl Gane's diverse skillset.
UFC welterweight and ESPN panelist Michael Chiesa highlighted the dynamic challenge that Gane poses for Jones in the upcoming UFC 285 main event. Chiesa spoke on the UFC Live segment and labeled upcoming opponent Ciryl Gane as the toughest fight for Jones in his career:
"Because, like I said, this is the toughest fight for Jon Jones right now at heavyweight because Ciryl Gane can do a lot of the same things. The elusiveness, the way he uses his weapons. Ciryl Gane uses his elbows as good as anybody at any weight class in the UFC. So, I think it's going to be tough for Jon to face somebody this similar to him 'cause he hasn't in his entire career. Name one person he's fought that has the diversity and the weapons that he possesses."
Watch Michael Chiesa's comments on YouTube: