Jon Jones: "It's about what I want and I want that belt."
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As time draws near for Jon Jones to face Brandon Vera, "Bones Jones" already has sights firmly fixed on the future.
One of the top young prospects in the UFC [Jones] will meet a crafty stand-up veteran [Vera] to headline UFC Live on Versus March 21. Jones views the veteran fighter as a stepping stone to bigger and better things down the road. Today, Vera is just a man standing in the way of his dreams.
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"I want to fulfill all of my goals," Jones told MMAWeekly.com. "I know what my goal is; I know what my dreams are. Brandon Vera, no matter what his situation is... I know what I want and he's in the way of that. So who cares how hard he's training, what's in his mind, is he in his prime or is he on his way down? It's about what I want and I want that belt. No one's gonna stop that. No one."
Jones (9-1) isn't worried about Vera's 11 career wins and dangerous reputation he brings with him into the Octagon.
"I have no doubt in my mind that I can beat Brandon Vera," said Jones. "At the end of the day, I just don't get this crazy fear or anything. I respect his game. I know he has tons more experience than me and he's been in the Octagon so many times, (there's) no doubt in my mind."
Jones suffered his lone career loss in his last outing, after being disqualified for using illegal elbows from the mount against Matt Hamill at The Ultimate Finale 10. It was a fight Jones had been dominating up until that point, however, he hasn't let the frustration of that loss slow him down.
"When you beat people that are supposedly better strikers or better jiu-jitsu or better wrestlers, it elevates you," Jones stated. "In order to be at the top, you gotta take down a great striker, you gotta take down a great wrestler, you gotta take down a great jiu-jitsu artist. (Lyoto) Machida, Shogun (Rua), all the top guys; these guys are really good at this stuff. If I can't beat a Brandon Vera, how you expect me to beat a Shogun or a Machida?"
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