Former NBA player James Johnson believes he can defeat MMA G.O.A.T. Jon Jones with just a year of training. Learn more about Johnson’s challenge and the likelihood of it happening.
| Topic | Summary |
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| Former NBA player James Johnson claims he can beat MMA G.O.A.T. Jon Jones with a year of training. | Johnson, a former NBA player and karate practitioner, confidently believes that his size and experience give him an edge over Jon Jones. However, his claims of an undefeated record in kickboxing and MMA have not been verified. History has shown that big guys often fall short in the world of MMA. Jon Jones, currently focused on his upcoming heavyweight title defense, may not be interested in accepting Johnson’s challenge. |
Former NBA Player Challenges Jon Jones
As the sport of mixed martial arts continues to grow, there seems to be no shortage of people from outside the game who believe they can hang with professional fighters. The latest addition to this list is former NBA player and Indiana Pacers forward James Johnson. In a recent podcast interview, Johnson boldly claimed that he could defeat MMA G.O.A.T. Jon Jones with just a year of training.
Size and Experience
Johnson, standing at an impressive 6 ft 7 in and weighing over 240 pounds, certainly has the physical attributes to make his claim intriguing. He also boasts a lifetime of karate practice, which he believes gives him an advantage over the UFC heavyweight champion.
The Challenge
While acknowledging Jones’ formidable wrestling skills, Johnson expressed confidence in his own standup game. However, he admitted that he would need a year to work on countering Jones’ ground game and defending against takedowns.
Unverified Records
Johnson further claimed to have an undefeated record of 20-0 in kickboxing and 7-0 in MMA. However, these records have not been independently verified.
History of Big Dudes Falling Short
It’s not uncommon for larger individuals to believe they can easily conquer the world of MMA, only to be humbled by the skill and experience of professional fighters. Influencer Bradley Martyn recently experienced this firsthand when he was embarrassed on the mats by former MadTV star Bryan Callen, who weighs a mere 155 pounds and is 56 years old.
Jon Jones’ Future
Currently focused on his upcoming heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic, Jones may not be interested in entertaining Johnson’s challenge. After solidifying his dominance in his new weight class, it’s possible that Jones will retire rather than face the next generation of heavyweights.
While we don’t expect Jones to accept Johnson’s challenge, we’ll be keeping an eye out for any late-night tweets that may shed light on his thoughts about this bold claim.
