Despite being one of the smaller UFC heavyweights, Stipe Miocic managed to rule the division for years as one of its best ever champions. On his 2019 title bout with Daniel Cormier, Miocic even weighed in at a career low 230.5 lbs. Those days are now over, says Chris Weidman.
With talks about a possible bout against Jon Jones, who has spent the last couple of years bulking up, Weidman says it’ll be a mistake for the former light heavyweight champion to assume he’ll be bigger and stronger than Miocic.
“I see Jon Jones really working to gain size and Stipe was smaller,” Weidman told The Schmo (transcript via MMA Mania). “I’ve trained with Stipe, he’s one of my boys, I was hanging out with him last night. Bro, he got big and he’s been doing it quietly. He’s like a solid 250 right now. Solid, 250, and whenever he decides to come back, he’s a problem.
“I don’t think Jon Jones wants that fight. If he thinks he’s gonna be going against a 225-pound Stipe, he’s wrong. He’s got a big strong boy that won’t stop coming forward and believes in himself and very well-rounded. He’s a different beast right now, I’m telling you.”
Miocic last fought in March 2021, when he lost his belt in a rematch against Francis Ngannou. With the current champion’s contract dispute and subsequent knee surgery, there’s been talk about a possible interim title bout against Jones that could happen next.
Miocic and Jones are both listed at the same 6-foot-4 height.
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