Midnight Mania! Shields: JBJ Could Transition To Boxing

Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Jon Jones is an undeniable talent. The youngest undisputed champion in UFC history picked up his title just three years into his professional career, dominating veteran talent with a fraction of their experience. More than a decade into his career, Jones has yet to truly taste defeat inside the Octagon.

But can he make the transition into boxing? Multiple-time boxing champion and Olympian, Claressa Shields, is in the process of moving from ring to her cage herself, and she’s spent time recently training with “Bones.” Based on her expertise, she believes that an athlete with Jones’ skill and dedicate could make the move to boxing even now.

“I can see Johnny Bones making a transition from MMA to boxing. Heavyweight boxing. That’s what I see. I don’t see WWE. To me, that’s more like a clown show, the WWE,” Shields said (transcription via BJPenn.com).

“Johnny Bones is a serious person especially when it comes to training and his teaching. We’ve had two classes where I spent countless hours with Johnny Bones and he was teaching me and breaking stuff down that looked so complex, but breaking it down into 1-2-3-4, breaking it down into steps from the beginning. So I look at him as a serious guy. So if I was to show (Jones) what I know in boxing and show me what he knows in MMA, I believe that when he learns these simple basics with his hands and how to stand. Aw man. I think he would be so freakin’ dangerous in boxing because he’s really just, inside that cage. I mean, we all seen it. He’s a dangerous guy.”

Jones has many strengths inside the cage, but historically boxing with similarly sized peers is an area he’s struggled more than anywhere else. However, boxing transition or not, there’s little doubt that working with a decorated puncher like Shields would help advance his skill.

Insomnia

An MMA/Christmas meme for everyone!

Also, this seems like more of a Black Friday celebration than Christmas, but AMC Fight Nights got festive!

Ben Askren takes a shot at Scott Coker! Bellator has been fairly lackluster (to me at least) in recent years, but they’re really building up their Light Heavyweight division to something special in 2021, so hope does still exist.

Speaking of “Funky” Ben …

“The weight cut penis is certainly nothing to gawk at.” -Eryk Anders.

Should it happen? Yes. Will it happen? Certainly not.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

It obviously helps that Vagabov’s opponent was hugely defensive, but he still put together some great combos from different ranges!

The legend drops a left hand-heavy combination:

Sometimes, flurrying forward doesn’t exactly payoff.

Random Land

Happy Holidays, y’all!

Midnight Music: This column will include a song from Phil Spector’s Christmas album each year for as long as I run it.

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.