Jon Jones’ jiu-jitsu coach Roberto “Tussa” Alencar insists that Stipe Miocic deserves respect, and shouldn’t be neglected forward of UFC 309, however many of the pre-fight chatter in New York is centered round who would “Bones” face if he doesn’t retire this weekend at Madison Sq. Backyard.
Alencar feels that some followers have forgotten how nice Miocic is given his lengthy layoff since shedding to Francis Ngannou in March of 2021, however “the heavyweight GOAT” can upset Jones — and deserves respect for that.
“We will’t take into consideration [Tom] Aspinall or [Alex Pereira] ‘Poatan’ proper now,” Alencar stated. “We’re requested about it and we reply, however our focus is on Stipe. We respect the champion he’s. That is the combat we wished since day one. [Jones] went to heavyweight aiming at Stipe, the heavyweight GOAT. I imagine some followers need to see Jon’s downfall, and Stipe is able to profitable this combat on the ft and on the bottom. He’s confirmed that, knocking out loads of heavyweights and taking Francis down for 5 rounds. Stipe has a well-rounded sport, and we respect how harmful he’s.”
Jones has talked about a want to compete in “superfights” after UFC 309, and even instructed vacating the heavyweight belt to chase “enjoyable fights,” and his coach stated there’s no likelihood Jones locations his glove on the octagon to announce his retirement with a win over Miocic.
“It gained’t be the tip, until the UFC needs that,” Alencar stated. “If the UFC needs to do a superfight, he’s keen to entertain megafights. Francis in Abu Dhabi, which has a ton of cash and might do a megafight like that, or ‘Poatan’, who I imagine is a combat that pursuits Jon for the legacy.”
Ngannou just lately returned to blended martial arts after a brief and profitable — however winless — expertise in boxing and dismantled PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira inside one spherical in Saudi Arabia. Nonetheless, Alencar calls Pereira — the UFC gentle heavyweight king and former UFC middleweight and two-division GLORY champion — “extra harmful” than Ngannou.
“Francis has the boxing, ‘Poatan’ has the whole lot,” Alencar stated. “[Pereira] has the sharp boxing, he has the kicks, the flying knees and the whole lot else. I believe ‘Poatan’ has extra weapons than Francis. You’ll be able to sort of guess what Francis will do. He has the left hook and the fitting hand mixture, however ‘Poatan’ has the expertise on the ft. To me, he’s essentially the most harmful [than Ngannou and Aspinall], for positive, for being lighter and having that large knockout energy.”
On the bottom, nevertheless, “Tussa” sees the UFC interim titleholder as a trickier match-up.
“Within the jiu-jitsu space, Tom is [more dangerous] as a result of he has an aggressive jiu-jitsu and submissions,” Alencar stated. “I’m a fan of Alex for the whole lot he’s doing in his profession, however I imagine Tom Aspinall, along with his credentials… We all know ‘Poatan’ comes from a kickboxing background and is coaching laborious on his takedown and judo, I noticed a video of him coaching with Kayla Harrison, however for being heavier and youthful and having that have on the bottom, I believe that Tom Aspinall offers Jon extra work [on the ground].”
