Ryan Bader on Jon Jones’ move to heavyweight: “I think he is going to do very well”
Bellator light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Ryan Bader expects Jon Jones to succeed in the UFC’s heavyweight division.
Bader knows a thing or two about fighting at both weight classes, plus he suffered a second-round submission loss to Jones at UFC 126 back in 2011. Jones vacated his UFC light-heavyweight strap on Monday, stating if he does return to the promotion it will be at heavyweight.
Just had a really positive conversation with @Ufc. Sounds like there will be negotiations for my next fight at heavy weight. All good news, the weight gaining process begins.
— BONY (@JonnyBones) August 17, 2020
Bader, who is coming off four-straight heavyweight bouts, is confident Jones can impact the division.
“I think he is going to do very well, obviously he should jump into a title contention fight or for the title.” Bader said during the Bellator 244 media day press conference on Wednesday, Aug. 19.
“You can’t discredit Jones, he is one of the best of all time, so going up to heavyweight, I don’t see a real big difference.”
Ryan Bader says speed will help Jones
After winning the Bellator light-heavyweight belt from Phil Davis back in 2017, Bader entered the Heavyweight World Grand Prix. He knocked out Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal in 15 seconds in the opening round at Bellator 199 in May 2018.
Bader then entered the semifinals, earning a unanimous decision against Matt Mitrione at Bellator 207 in October 2018. He advanced to the finals to take on Fedor Emelianenko at Bellator 214 in January 2019.
He will defend his light-heavyweight belt against Emelianenko’s protege Vadim Nemkov in the Bellator 244 headliner this Friday, Aug. 21. Bader finished Emelianenko in 35 seconds to win the heavyweight strap, becoming a dual champion for the promotion.
His first title defense against Cheick Kongo, ended in a no contest due to an accidental eye poke from Bader.
Bader is unbeaten in Bellator’s heavyweight division and proved he can do more than hang with the heavyweights. He expects Jones to have a similar fate.
“He is a bigger framed guy, he’s tall, he’s lanky, his length is going to cause a lot of problems. He’s a lot faster than a lot of these heavyweights,” Bader said. “One thing I realized going to heavyweight was my speed was definitely there, your cardio and all that kind of stuff comes with it.”
Current UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic defended his belt in the trilogy fight with Daniel Cormier at UFC 252 this past Saturday, Aug. 15. Dana White told media in the UFC 252 post-fight press conference, Francis Ngannou is next in line to challenge Miocic.
White’s announcement came a day before Jones declared a move to the heavyweight division.
