LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 03: UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones speaks to the media during the UFC 182 post fight press conference inside the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino on January 3, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Video: Jon Jones wrestling with J’Den Cox
Yesterday, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones tweeted a tease that he had wrestled with Olympic medalist J’Den Cox. Jones posted some video of the two champions sparring on his Instagram today in followup to that tweet.
I need some milk, J’den Cox just served me up some serious humble pie
— BONY (@JonnyBones) November 27, 2021
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Jones has been working on a move to heavyweight after dominating 205 for some time. It seems that Jon Jones is getting back to his wrestling roots in preparation for the eventual move. Funny enough, Cox gets a trip and the video shuts off just before the takedown is finished.
The training with J’Den Cox is a big deal for Jon Jones. Cox was the favorite to win the spot on Team USA before he missed weight at the trials losing his spot to Kyle Snyder. Snyder went on to win silver as he dropped his final match to Russia’s Abdulrashid Sadulaev. Many were mad that Cox did not get the chance to compete. Missing weight was due to a technicality with when he weighed in and the rule is often bent.
Jon Jones knows how good J’Den Cox is
Putting in time with J’Den Cox is a smart move for Jon Jones. Cox is elite at the World level in the wrestling community. His bronze in the 2016 Rio Olympics was only the beginning and Cox has only gotten better since then. After the Games, Cox moved up from 86 kilograms to 97 kilograms to challenge Snyder. But the botched cut saw those hopes dashed.
In 2018 and 2019, Cox took home gold at 92 kilograms, his first two World Championships. In 2017 he took home gold at 86 and also won bronze this year at 92 kilograms.
Jones bringing in a heavy hitter like Cox bodes well for Jon Jones. After teasing a bout with Jake Hager (something that hasn’t come to fruition yet), shows that Jones is taking grappling seriously in his heavyweight stint, something he made his name off of early in his UFC run.
Stay posted to My MMA News for all the latest surrounding Jon Jones and his eventual move to heavyweight. Thanks for reading.
