Jon Jones: I’ve grown a lot, and I noticed it
Sergio Non: How has training been going? Jon Jones: Training’s been going great. I can honestly say that it’s the…
Sergio Non: How has training been going?
Jon Jones: Training’s been going great. I can honestly say that it’s the best training camp I’ve ever had.
My nutrition has gotten better. My maturity level has changed a lot. My chemistry with my teammates has gotten even stronger. Everything is better than it was before.
SN: When you say your maturity has changed, what does that mean?
JJ: In the past, I would have a few nights where me and the guys would want to go out and hang out for awhile, come home a little late, feel sluggish in the morning. I don’t have any of those things any more.
Or eating the things that I shouldn’t be eating. Eating past a certain time at night. I stopped doing those type of things.
I’ve just matured a lot. I’ve grown a lot, and I noticed it. The way I push myself, and how serious I take game-planning. I just feel better.
I think I’m acting like a champion now instead of someone who wants to be a champion. I just expect more from myself, I guess.
SN: It sounds like this realization that you’ve had came with winning the belt, like, “Hey, I’m the champ, I need to act differently.” Is that a fair characterization?
JJ: Not necessarily act differently, but just stop playing games with myself. Stop being a nonsense individual.
I know that I try to work hard and I try to do the right things. But I actually just Tweeted this morning, a lot of times we all know in life the things that we need to do to take that next step and then do it better.
For example, the people that smoke cigarettes. They know that they will have more money; they’ll be more healthy; they’ll have better skin, better smell, better teeth; if they just quit smoking cigarettes. So why not quit, right?
I’m taking that same approach in my life as a martial artist. If I eat healthier, I can be better. If I practice this kick, or if I train five times a day instead of three, I can be better. If I take ice baths to recover and get massages, and try to keep my body hydrated, I can be better.
I guess I’m at a different level of realness with myself. I’m really, really trying to my potential.
SN: Even before this fight was announced, you made a point of saying that you and Rampage are very different individuals. Describe the differences in your personalities.
JJ: We’re just completely different people. The only similarity that we have is the color of our skin. Outside of that, there’s really nothing in common. Different ages, different backgrounds, different approaches of life. Different everything.
SN: When you say different approaches of life — can you give an example of something he might do that you would not?
JJ: I don’t think you would ever see me motorboat a reporter or hump a reporter or swear on TV or anything like that.
Rampage really doesn’t care how he’s perceived. He’ll say what he wants when he wants. For some people that works. I’m sure that’s why the fans love him so much.
But I think my level of awareness of representing yourself in a positive light is different than his.
Jon Jones fights Rampage Jackson at UFC 135 on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, Spike TV; 9 p.m. ET, pay-per-view) in Denver.