UFC News: Jon Jones Looks Past Anthony Johnson, Anticipates Superfight With Cain Velasquez

The Ultimate Fighting Championship, or UFC, reigning light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is scheduled to defend his title anew against Anthony “Rumble” Johnson on May 23 at UFC 187. Despite this, he is already considering the match after that and proclaims that a fight with heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will be right up his arsenal.

“I’ve entertained the thought of going to heavyweight so many times, and I think right now, with all due respect to Anthony, I believe I’ll win that fight and get into superfights and rematches. But if I do go to heavyweight, and when I do go to heavyweight, I do believe I have the skillset to beat Cain,” Jones told the media during the “UFC: Welcome to the Show” event.

The UFC held the event to promote the mixed martial arts promotional outfit’s slate of matches in the spring including the Jones-Johnson top biller. Instead of focusing on the upcoming match, reporters were more concerned in Jones would ever move up in weight given his considerable advantage in length and power in his current weight class. Jones entertained the subject and even went as far as saying that Velasquez is not the type of heavyweight who can out power and outweigh him, giving him a fair shot of winning. Even UFC President Dana White who was on hand to promote the fights, gave a nodding approval to Jones, of course on the condition that he takes care of his business with Johnson.

“Rumble” has been a great comeback story for the UFC. After corralling his past three fights through impressive fashion, the last one a shocking victory over hometown favourite Alexander Gustaffson in Stockholm Sweden, Johnson has solidified his claim to top contender status and has even some observers picking him as the man to finally end Jones’ reign. Rashad Evans, Jones' former training partner turned adversary, has been behind Johnson and is even proclaiming that the 30-year-old knockout artist has the power to stop Jones on his feet in the first two rounds.

Johnson, for his part, knows that he has to bulk up and rely on his punching power to complete an upset but that would entail going through the experience length and wrestling skills of the American champion. Jones, who was involved in cocaine-related controversy early in the year is a 3-to-1 favourite a full 2 months before the pay-per-view event.

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