Blaydes: My wrestling gives me 'best chance' to beat Jones at heavyweight

Jon Jones has expressed interest in competing as a heavyweight, and Curtis Blaydes believes he can defeat the current 205-pound champion.

"I probably have the best chance of beating (Jones) because of my wrestling," Blaydes told theScore. "That's the safest place to be when you're fighting Jon Jones is in half-guard, guard or side control. Having his hands and elbows tied up means he can't hurt you and you're eating up the clock.

"I think any other heavyweight is going to be on their feet with him and he'd just eat (them) alive. He has the agility, speed, and distance on the feet. He destroys people. Your best chance is on the ground but how many heavyweights have the skill to put him on the ground? Not many."

Jones (25-1, NC) is set to defend his light heavyweight title against Dominick Reyes - Blaydes' friend and sporadic training partner - at UFC 247 in February.

Blaydes (12-2, NC), who's scheduled to face Junior dos Santos in the main event of UFC Raliegh on Jan. 25, predicts Jones will move up a division after his bout with Reyes in order to solidify his status as the greatest fighter of all time.

"One of the prerequisites of being the (greatest of all time) is that you can hang with anybody regardless of their weight class," the 28-year-old said. "That's how I view Jon Jones. I think he bumps up to heavyweight. That's an opportunity one day for me to get to prove and test my skills against arguably the greatest of all time."

Blaydes also believes he'd have a size advantage as a natural heavyweight in a potential matchup with Jones.

"He'd have to gain real weight to be a heavyweight. That's a commitment," Blaydes said. "We can't say that he's legitimately committing (to the division). I'll be heavier than him because I'm a legit heavyweight. He's not going to get in there in at 258 pounds - I doubt it."