Chael Sonnen explains why Curtis Blaydes is the hardest fight at heavyweight for Jon Jones

Chael Sonnen believes Curtis Blaydes is the toughest fight for Jon Jones at heavyweight.

For years now, the talk of Jones moving up to heavyweight has been prominent but the former UFC light heavyweight champion has made it known he is bulking up for his debut. When he will fight at heavyweight is still uncertain, but when he does it seems likely he will face Francis Ngannou or Stipe Miocic. However, for former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen, he thinks Curtis Blaydes is the toughest challenge for ‘Bones’ at heavyweight, not Miocic or Ngannou.

“I’ll tell you, the hardest fight, skill-wise for Jon Jones, easily the hardest fight, it’s Curtis Blaydes,” Sonnen told Morning Kombat (h/t MMAJunkie).

Although Chael Sonnen believes Jon Jones will fight Ngannou or Miocic as expected, he doesn’t understand why Curtis Blaydes isn’t in the conversation to face Jones. He believes Curtis Blaydes would be more than up for the challenge and is a fight Sonnen wants to see.

“I’ve never really seen a guy as willing as him,” Sonnen said. “He goes and fights Ngannou before we knew it was Ngannou. He then wants to do it again, gets slept in 30 seconds, (but) he flies to him to a completely different continent to do it again, and he’s begging to fight him a third time. Those are the kind of guys we usually like.”

When Jon Jones does return to the Octagon, it could be from a three year hiatus which is a concern for some. However, for Chael Sonnen, he says he has no concerns about that as he believes Jones will still be an elite-level fighter and will likely win the title.

“Yes, doggone he does (win a title), and probably two – he probably wins the interim and undisputed (heavyweight titles),” Sonnen said about Jones. “I’m largely going off rumors in the practice rooms, but campfire is really important. Henry Cejudo sees him. He’s in the practice room. He saw him with (Jiri) Prochazka, he saw him with these top guys, and Henry says he’s better now. That’s what he says.”

Do you agree with Chael Sonnen that Curtis Blaydes is the hardest fight for Jon Jones at heavyweight?