Anthony Smith calls Curtis Blaydes as problem for Jon Jones in the heavyweight division


Anthony Smith calls Curtis Blaydes as problem for Jon Jones in the heavyweight division

Jon Jones

Curtis Blaydes

Light Heavyweight Champion (now former) Jon Jones recently vacated the belt to make a move up to Heavyweight division. Now there are talks about who will Jones face for his debut fight and who can be a threat to him.

In an interview with MMA Junkie, Anthony Smith was asked to present his views on Jones’ move to heavyweight and what problems he could face. Smith made a shocking reply. He said that Curtis Blaydes could emerge as a surprising name who could give Jon Jones’ problems.

Anthony Smith

In the top 10, Jon would beat a lot of those guys,” Smith told MMA Junkie. “I think you start getting into your Francis Ngannous, even Curtis Blaydes I think would give Jon some problems. Stipe obviously would give Jon lots of problems. So there’s a lot of interesting matchups up there, and to be fair, I think Francis Ngannou is probably one of the easier matchups for Jon Jones at heavyweight.”

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Smith further claimed that Francis Ngannou couldn’t be a problem for Jones. Smith explained that Ngannou was slow and highly predictable which won’t be a problem for Jones as he is best at not getting hit and picking him apart.

After the name of Curtis Blaydes, he also added Stipe Miocic as a problem for Jones. “I don’t think you can necessarily say that with Stipe and a guy like Curtis Blaydes, or someone like that, because Curtis is dangerous striking-wise obviously, but he’s going to be strong in the clinch and in those wrestling exchanges as well as Stipe,” he added.

Also Read: Israel Adesanya to follow Jon Jones to heavyweight; Says “it will happen when the time is right”

Who will Jon Jones face on his debut?

Jon Jones

Jon Jones debut fight isn’t announced yet but who he will be facing on his Heavyweight debut? Everyone will be ready to beat Jon Jones and become the first one to do so when his DQ loss excluded.

Dana White made it clear that Jones isn’t getting fight ahead of Francis. But Dana may give Jon Jones UFC Heavyweight Championship fight after Francis Ngannou face Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic.

Also Read: “He can’t keep up with us anymore” Dominick Reyes claims Jon Jones moved to heavyweight because of him