Jon Jones needs to feel like a ‘victim’ in order to compete to his full potential, according to an icon who challenged him for the light heavyweight title.
In his esteemed career, the reigning heavyweight King has cemented his status as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time.
Utilizing his remarkable fight IQ and phenomenal arsenal of strikes, the legend has stunned fans en route to conquering two-weight divisions.
However, it’s not just inside the cage that he generates headlines, but outside of it as well, with some of the interesting things he says.
WOW: Tom Aspinall praises Jon Jones and ‘super smart’ champion as he ranks UFC fighters
Chael Sonnen says Jon Jones likes to be a victim
On November 16, 2024, Stipe Miocic went head-to-head with Jon Jones for the UFC heavyweight championship.
In the lead-up to the bout, the former King of the division, who’s renowned as one of the nicest men in the sport, was rendered perplexed by something his opponent came out with.
Bizarrely, Jones branded an innocent comment made by Miocic, ‘offensive’, and subsequently sent him a harsh warning.
Ultimately, it was ‘Bones’ who won the fight and sent his rival into retirement.
In the aftermath, Miocic predicted Francis Ngannou would have too much for the man who had just beaten him.
However, Chael Sonnen believes that the former Golden Gloves boxing champion only said ‘The Predator’ would win because of how the two-division titleholder treated him.
In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, ‘The American Gangster’ said: “Between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou, Stipe went with Francis, he said Francis would’ve won. Do you believe Stipe gave the answer that he truly believes? Jon Jones got very nasty to Stipe.
“If you’re not aware that that is the process Jon goes through, you could get your feelings hurt. And I give Jon a full pass.
“Beating Jon almost takes a weird ingredient: a last-minute fight, a change of opponent.
“Jon’s confidence does grow over time. But Jon also likes to be a victim; he just likes that. ‘The side that I stand on is righteous’, thus needing to make his opponent a very bad guy.
“I don’t think Stipe has ever had somebody come at him like that before. What Jon was accusing him of, as a way to get himself into the right frame of mind, I think it offended him.
“Because of that offense, it has clouded the decision for Stipe to say that Francis beats him.”
Jon Jones will break heavyweight record set by Cain Velasquez if Tom Aspinall fight is delayed by six months
Jones’ run in his new division has been disappointing so far. While many wanted him to fight Ngannou for the vacant title, he ended up taking on Ciryl Gane.
And when most pleaded with him to defend the belt against Tom Aspinall, he ended up inside the cage with Miocic.
But regardless of whether people like it or not, the 37-year-old is on the cusp of making history.
In just six months, Jones will break a record set by Cain Velasquez.