“Conor McGregor Has Taught Me a Lesson” – Resurfaced Statement by Jon Jones on Irishman Sheds Light on Heavyweight Debutant’s Mentality Ahead of UFC 285

UFC superstar Conor McGregor and his role in the growth of the fight promotion has clearly been undeniable. The Irishman, owing to his talents on the mic and, of course, his elite fighting skills, almost single-handedly brought millions of eyeballs to the sport of mixed martial arts. And no doubt every fighter has gained something from the attention that ‘The Notorious’ was able to generate towards the sport. Although this does ring true for every athlete in the UFC, the more established fighters and the champions clearly seemed to have gained the most out of this.

This idea couldn’t have been explained any better by none other than former light heavyweight champ Jon Jones. The 35-year-old who is set to face Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in a matter of a few hours from now, had commended the Irishman’s influence in the sport way back in  2019. His interaction with the media ahead of UFC 235 can now serve as a peek into his mentality, which has eventually pushed him to become the highest-earning HW on the roster.

Jon Jones commended Conor McGregor for showing the importance of trash talking

Jones, while he spoke to the media before his fight against Anthony Smith, had mentioned how the Irishman’s arrival at the UFC made him realize that the promotion was willing to fork out big money if the fighter was himself capable of delivering.

“I think the UFC is really good at making things happen that the fans want and I think what they need to do is say, ‘Hey Bones, we’ve got some cha-ching for you.'” ‘Bones’ had claimed, pointing out that the UFC should show the money as well.

He then went on to praise McGregor. He even talked about how the former double champ had taught him a valuable lesson. “Conor McGregor has taught me a lesson. If they want to see it badly enough, they’ve got the money.”

Despite saying that he was well off financially; ‘Bones’ yet again had emphasized the Irishman’s role in getting bigger paydays for fighters.

“Financially, I’m doing alright. It’s just that Conor really introduced what talking can do and what asking can do.” He explained.

Jones set to be the highest-paid heavyweight on the roster after the fight against Ciryl Gane

McGregor and his influence clearly seemed to have played a huge role in Jones‘ career path following this. Now as the 35-year-old is headed into UFC 285, ‘Bones’ has clearly set himself up pretty well when it comes to his pay cheque.

As per reports, the former Light heavyweight champ will be bagging the biggest payday of his career once he sets foot inside the cage at UFC 285. Although the purse remains undisclosed; it has been rumored that the 35-year-old will be taking home close to $2 million as a guaranteed payout.

Read More: After Warning Brock Lesnar at UFC 214, Jon Jones Doubles Down on the “Financially” Lucrative Fight With WWE Star: “Brock, if You’re…”

Ultimately, Jones and his statement on McGregor is something that many fans will widely agree on. Love him or hate him, the Irishman surely has changed the game for the better and Jones’ old statements just serve as a reminder of his influence on the sport.

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