Returning former UFC champion Jon Jones believes victory against Ciryl Gane next month will cement his place as the greatest of all time.
The American, widely considered the best UFC athlete in history, makes his long-awaited return after a three-year absence in the headline bout at UFC 285 on March 4.
Jones, whose lightweight title reign included 11 successful defences, moves up to heavyweight to take on Gane, the former interim champion, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Speaking on Unlocking the Cage with Jimmy Smith, Jones said his overall target is more than simply getting the victory and eventually reclaiming his position as the sport’s pound-for-pound No 1.
“Of course, I want to perform at the highest level possible,” Jones said. “I want to look great and not only do I want to win, I want to dominate.
“But, no, I’m not really thinking about the pressure of being pound-for-pound king. We all have our time of looking the absolute best in the world. I’m fighting for something that I believe is bigger, which is the greatest of all time – and I do believe a victory over Gane solidifies that.”
Now 35, Jones has not competed in the UFC since narrowly defeating Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 in February 2020, when he prevailed via a highly contentious unanimous decision. Jones then vacated his belt a few months later.
The former light heavyweight champion’s professional MMA record stands at 26-1 (20-1 in UFC), with the sole loss coming in December 2009. Gane, meanwhile, is 11-1 in MMA, and 8-1 in the UFC. He is coming off his third-round knockout of Tai Tuivasa in his home country in France last September.
On why he took such a lengthy break from the sport, Jones said: “I stopped studying footage as much, it started to feel more like another day at the office. The fear was gone. I didn’t really fear these guys.
“I wasn’t happy with my pay, either. I’m stuck fighting guys like Reyes – who had been dreaming of fighting me, probably since college, and was just relatively unknown to the general public.
"I just wanted more, I wanted to be nervous again. I wanted to have fear again. I think fear is healthy, and now we’re in this position. The heavyweight division has never been scarier – and I’m glad to be in the middle of it."
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