“Training is going great. I started this training camp off already in great shape. I have the right people around me. I feel healthy, I’m already down to about 214, which is a little light for me but I feel great. I’m just playing the waiting game.”
“I’m there (at the top). I believe I’m that I’m there. I just haven’t had the opportunity to prove it. I grew up watching Shogun and I admire the fact that he was a champion at 23. But I feel as if it’s my time. I have trained really hard and when I joined this sport, my expectations were to be at the top. It’s an amazing place to be sitting right now.”
“Obviously there’s a lot of pressure and a lot of nerves but there’s also a quote that says there’s nothing wrong with having butterflies, as long as you can get those butterflies to fly in formation. So I’m getting my butterflies in formation and I feel as if I will be totally prepared to be one of the youngest UFC Light Heavyweight champions of all time.”
Mar 19th, live on Pay-per-view from Newark, N.J.:
Jon “Bones” Jones (12-1) [Num. 5] -225
Win Ryan Bader – Submission (Guillotine Choke) UFC 126
Win Vladimir Matyushenko – TKO (Elbows) UFC Versus 2
Win Brandon Vera – TKO (Elbows and Punches) UFC Versus 1
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (19-4) [Num. 1] +185
Win Lyoto Machida – KO (Punches) UFC 113
Loss Lyoto Machida – Decision (Unanimous) UFC 104
Win Chuck Liddell – TKO (Punches) UFC 97