5 bad matchups for Jon Jones at heavyweight

#4. Tom Aspinall

While Tom Aspinall has not been consistently tested against top five heavyweights, he ranks as a difficult opponent for Jon Jones due to stylistic and physical variables. Standing at 6'5" in height with a 78-inch reach, Aspinall closely matches the physical dimensions of Alexander Gustafsson, the toughest challenge of Jones' career. As in the previous entry, Jones struggles to wrestle opponents who are taller than him.

Furthermore, Aspinall's wrestling will trouble Jones. Alexander Gustafsson was the first fighter to take 'Bones' down inside the octagon, and it was for much of the same reason that Jones' wrestling was only effective against shorter foes. Jones relies on his length to widen his base enough that his opponents can't hook their arms behind his legs. Aspinall, however, can. Additionally, Jones' habit of throwing naked low kicks with no setup is ideal for the Englishman.

Most of Aspinall's takedowns come from timing his opponents when they throw naked low kicks. Once his opponent's kicking leg is airborne and they're standing on one foot, Aspinall dives in to upset their balance when their footing is weakest. Additionally, the Englishman's crisp and speedy boxing will stifle much of the former champion's striking offense with the exception of his kicks.

Jon Jones is at his most confident when his kicks neutralize his foes and force them to operate from a defensive shell. However, against opponents who actively prolong boxing exchanges over the top, he struggles due to his own boxing consisting of little more than 1-2 combinations and the odd potshot.

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#3. Curtis Blaydes

The most prominent wrestler in the heavyweight division, Curtis Blaydes is an athletic fighter gifted with the kind of frame to trouble Jon Jones, as is the case with every fighter on this list. Over 21 fights, Blaydes has only lost thrice. Of those losses, two were against reigning champion Francis Ngannou, while one came against Derrick Lewis. Blaydes' vulnerability is against counterpunchers who possess otherworldly knockout power.

This is due to his wrestling instincts interfering with his defensive striking. Blaydes uses exaggerated head movement that can be timed, especially when he's level changing. However, only powerful punchers can capitalize on this. Additionally, as a striker, 'Razor' is active with feints, rendering it more difficult for Jones to determine when to throw low kicks. It is Blaydes' wrestling, however, that will trouble Jones the most.

Beyond simply being large enough that Jon Jones will struggle to secure takedowns against him, Curtis Blaydes has styled his wrestling skillset to outwrestle foes larger than himself. As a result, Blaydes shoots in on the hips, sometimes wrapping his arms above his opponent's waist, closer to their upper back.

Since Jon Jones relies on widening his base as his primary means of takedown defense, Blaydes' grip being around the mid-to-upper back instead of around the legs or waist presents a threat that 'Bones' is not used to encountering inside the octagon. Furthermore, 'Razor' often cuts angles when doing so, which is what Alexander Gustafsson did to take Jones down for the first time in his career.