James Johnson has been taking part in within the NBA ever for the reason that 2009/10 marketing campaign. As we speak, the 36-year-old is a part of the Pacers roster, however again when he was a child he recollects he would apply marital arts and has saved at it ever since. As his profession is intently coming to an finish, he believes he can beat probably the greatest fighters in UFC historical past.

On this week’s look within the “NBA Rookie Life with Ryan Hollins” podcast, the foward talked about his possibilities of making it professionally as a fighter.

“It’s one thing I’d actually like to do. ‘Until this present day, I’m coaching and having fun with it, attempting to get conditioning from one thing totally different than operating strains,” Johnson shared. “So far as that preventing goes, it’s one thing I actually would like to do. I’d take it very severely.”

James Johnson believes he may beat Jon Jones in a battle pic.twitter.com/floGAE4TWo

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This previous NBA marketing campaign, Johnson solely averaged 2.8 factors and 1.7 rebounds per match in Indiana. It appears he was most snug speaking about preventing than basketball, as he spoke with out hesitation about his favourite UFC star Jon ‘Bones’ Jones, in all probability probably the greatest heavyweights in historical past.

“I’d rock with Jones, clearly. He’s obtained that dawg in him, Jones Bones. He’s an all-around fighter to me. Once you have a look at a few of his approach, it’s so sharp. Simply the approach alone will minimize you,” the Pacers participant expressed.

He then talked about how he would fare if he would ever face Jones within the octagon. “The preventing sport is so packed, it’s arduous to weed out the most effective,” he added. “There’s a lot content material and YouTube content material on the market, it’s arduous to find out until you see them face-to-face in the event that they actually obtained that battle in them. I would wish a 12 months.”

Johnson obtained excited over the dialog, and went on to anticipate what sort of coaching he would wish to organize him for a battle in opposition to ‘Bones’.

“My standup sport is nice, however everyone knows Jones is a collegiate wrestler, actually good on the bottom, and that’s not my forte. I can get on the bottom, I can roll somewhat bit, rumble somewhat bit, however to his degree – I’d positively want a 12 months to work on counters and defenses in opposition to it so we are able to stand on our toes,” he defined.

Johnson is obvious on what are his attributes and which areas he ought to enhance if he was to confront the UFC star

The NBA veteran took the dialog very severely, nearly itemizing all the small print he’d want to organize for this hypothetical and bold encounter within the octagon.

“I like preventing in shut. I don’t even like to make use of the house, I like being shut,” Johnson mentioned. “I really feel like I generate extra energy in shut than make a large swing or a protracted swing, I really feel that takes without end. I believe I may beat him for actual. Like I mentioned, with a 12 months of coaching protection… I simply want floor protection.”

Within the video above, check out a few of Jon Jones’ highlights as a UFC legend. Do you assume Johnson may really beat him?

“He began studying how one can use your arms and your toes after faculty. I’ve been punching and kicking since I used to be 5, six years previous. The identical factor for me is the other factor for him as a result of he’s been wrestling for that lengthy, studying all his wrestling strikes and issues like that for that lengthy,” the Pacers foward analyzed his probabilities.