Walker rooting for Jones at heavyweight: ‘I hope he has a great debut’
Johnny Walker wishes Jon Jones the best in his move up to heavyweight.
No one’s quite sure what the future holds for Jon Jones, but it looks like the pound-for-pound No. 1 could be making a move up to heavyweight.
Jones initially teased of retirement, then a move up to heavyweight, after he officially vacated the UFC light heavyweight title earlier this week.
Just got off the phone with @Ufc, today I confirm that I’m vacating the light heavyweight championship. It’s officially up for grabs. It’s been an amazing journey, sincere thank you to all my competition, Ufc and most importantly you fans.
— BONY (@JonnyBones) August 17, 2020
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
If Jones does move up a weight class, fellow UFC light heavyweight Johnny Walker wishes the former two-time champion all the best.
“Jon Jones is a great athlete, one of the best of all-time,” Walker said in a recent interview with MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz. “He absolutely has the size, reach and strength to move up a weight class. I’m rooting for him, brother, because we depend on the success of all other athletes and their careers for us to continue fighting, right? I hope he has a great debut at heavyweight when he does fight again.”
Walker, who is scheduled to fight Ryan Spann at UFC Fight Night 178 next month, is also thinking of making a change in weight and admits ‘Bones’ would be his dream fight at heavyweight.
“I want to move up heavyweight in the future, too,” he said. “I just hope (Jones) doesn’t retire because one of the fights I want the most in my life is against him, right? But I can’t think about it now, I have to think about my career. I have to get back to the wins, slowly get back to deserving the place I was conquering.”
“I’ll fight Ryan Spann now, and then the next one. I don’t want big jumps. I’ll go slowly, fighting people according to the ranking. After Ryan Spann, maybe a top-10, nine, eight, and move up slowly. Working smarter and with no rush, because we can get there if we’re not in a hurry.”
Walker will look to snap his two-fight losing streak when he takes on Spann at UFC on ESPN+ 36 on Sept. 19 at a TBD location in Las Vegas, Nevada.