Liddell: I could still give Jones trouble
Chuck Liddell on Jon Jones: “I still think if he fought someone like me in my prime he would have a lot of trouble. The problem is he doesn’t hit hard enough to hurt me.”
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell, 46, appeared recently on The Fighter and The Kid podcast, and discussed former and perhaps future division champion Jon Jones, 28.
Jones was stripped of the title over legal issues, that have since been resolved. He fights new division champion Daniel Cormier on April 23 at UFC 197 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“We’ll see how he comes back,” said Liddell, as transcribed by David St. Martin for MMA Fighting. “He always shows up to fight. He’s good at winning fights. If he keeps beating everybody he’s the best right now. I still think if he fought someone like me in my prime he would have a lot of trouble.
“The problem is he doesn’t hit hard enough to hurt me and he’s not going to out-wrestle me. He’s not going to out-wrestle me and I hit too hard for him. I would catch him sooner or later. Styles make fights.”
“What he does really well, if you’ve got a guy that’s a great striker, he can out-wrestle them. If he’s got a guy who’s a wrestler, he can out-strike him, out-point him. For me? I’d be big trouble for him because if he could take me down he wouldn’t be able to keep me down, if he even got a takedown. I will hit him. I’ll put my hands on him. I could still give him trouble.”