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“If Jon Grabbed Somebody, Forget It”: Hollywood Star Michael Jai White Drops the Truth Bomb of Grappling With Jon Jones

Published 06/08/2023, 8:37 AM EDT

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Jon Jones made a triumphant return to the Octagon after capturing the UFC heavyweight championship in his first-ever fight in the division. Hollywood action star Michael Jai White recently shared his thoughts on Jones’s performance against Ciryl Gane while also sharing a sparring story with ‘Bones’.

‘The Greatest of All Time’ Jones lived up to the hype of his UFC return. After three long years of inactivity, he came back with an impressive performance by submitting Ciryl Gane in the very first round of their fight. Let us see what Michael Jai White had to say about the fight.

Michael Jai White hails the grappling prowess of Jon Jones

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The ‘Blood and Bones’ star has no idea who can defeat Jon Jones after his impressive performance. During an interview posted on the ‘djvlad’ YouTube channel, he said, “I don’t know who’s gonna beat him.” Jones has defeated almost everybody he’s ever faced with a dominant display of striking and grappling. However, he only lost once, and that too, was via disqualification. 

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Michael Jai White thought that out of all the fighters, Ciryl Gane would have been the one to give ‘Bones’ his toughest fight. However, he was wrong. He said, “I feel like Ciryl Gane had the skills to be his hardest fight and you see how that turned out.” Furthermore, White claimed that it is hard for any fighter to escape once he’s caught by Jones in a grappling position. He added, “If Jon grabbed somebody, forget it.” Jon Jones showed his grappling strength when he defeated Gane at UFC 285.

White shares a sparring story with ‘Bones’

The Hollywood action star mentioned his experience sparring with Jon Jones. It was nothing like he had ever experienced in his life before as he claimed that ‘Bones’ was built like a tree. He said, “I tried to grapple with that dude. He’s like, trying to uproot a tree.”
It is a big compliment to the reigning UFC heavyweight champion considering how well respected Michael Jai White is in the martial arts community.

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Furthermore, White claimed that Jones is on another level as an MMA fighter. He believes that the UFC champion has a natural ability to pick out attacking positions. White said, “He’d see things from different angles and he moves with a natural ability.”

Additionally, he also mentioned that the reason for training with Jones was because he represented a higher echelon of fighters. White added, “That’s why I wanted to train and spar with him more than anybody because I was like, ‘That guy is on another level.

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The comments made by Michael Jai White on Jones’s caliber as a fighter isn’t surprising. Many fans and veterans of the sport share the same sentiment. However, Jon Jones mentioned earlier that he might consider hanging up his gloves after fighting Stipe Miocic. This is because of the lack of credible contenders. We will have to wait and see what follows.

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Written by:

Himanga Mahanta

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Himanga Mahanta is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. He has a passion for combat sports and a deep understanding of the intricacies of MMA. With his expertise and extensive knowledge, Himanga provides in-depth coverage of UFC events and fighters, bringing his readers closer to the action and the athletes they admire.
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Edited by:

Anuj Jacob