Jones: I'm 'a stronger version of myself' at heavyweight

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones feels "awesome" as a heavyweight.

Out of action since February 2020, Jones spent the better part of the last three years preparing to move up by gaining weight, adding muscle, and adjusting his body composition in general. With his heavyweight debut - a vacant title fight against Ciryl Gane that will serve as the UFC 285 main event in Las Vegas - only days away, Jones said he is satisfied with how he looks and feels at a heavier weight.

"Honestly, I feel like a stronger version of myself," Jones told reporters Wednesday. "I'm not super lean. I don't have a mean six pack like I used to. That took me a while to get used to."

He added: "I feel like I'm performing really well. I've had some close knockouts this camp, knocking out other people. That's something that never happened in camp in the past. When I decide I want to get guys down to the ground, they go down. I have a pretty much 100% (takedown) rate in my training right now."

Jones was once notorious for not taking his training seriously, particularly before his first fight with Alexander Gustafsson in 2013. He said he has been more focused than ever before in these last three years, "living a total martial arts lifestyle for the very first time in my life."

Jones would walk around at 230 pounds when he fought at light heavyweight. He said the heaviest he got since announcing his move to heavyweight was 267 pounds three months ago. But he felt "a little more bloated" and didn't like his endurance. He said he'll weigh 245-250 pounds against Gane.

"I don't think I need to be overly big in this event," Jones said. "I just need to have the engine to carry me through the event. And I have the engine."

Jones and Gane will square off for the heavyweight title left vacant by Francis Ngannou, who parted ways with the UFC as a free agent in January.

Though Jones is impressed by Gane's striking ability, he doesn't see the Frenchman as much of a challenge. He believes that knockout artist Ngannou outworking and beating Gane by decision in their 2022 title bout says a lot.

"I feel like Ciryl is the most incomplete fighter in the top five right now," Jones said. "He has really good striking and he has really good footwork. But I've watched his fights. He got tired ... against Francis Ngannou. All that fancy footwork, him supposedly being the fastest heavyweight that we've ever seen - all that went away."

Jones added, "I just can't imagine (Gane) outworking me and he couldn't outwork Francis. I just can't see that happening."