Georges St-Pierre has backed Jon Jones to succeed at heavyweight - but believes there are "great challenges ahead."

The ex-UFC light heavyweight champion is reportedly close to returning to the octagon after a long period of inactivity.

Jones has not fought since a unanimous decision win over Dominick Reyes, 32, in February 2020.

UFC legend St-Pierre is a big fan of Jones' fighting style but admits the 35-year-old faces a huge task to wrestle the UFC heavyweight title from Francis Ngannou's clutches.

READ MORE: Car Jitsu is the latest craze taking over the internet and it's absolutely wild

UFC News - Georges St-Pierre backs Jon Jones to succeed at heavyweight

Jon Jones is the former UFC light heavyweight champion

Jon Jones is regarded as the GOAT of UFC

“Jon Jones is known to be the best in the sport, but he never fought at heavyweight,” he said during a recent UFC fan Q&A per MMA Fighting. “It will be interesting how he will adapt to heavyweight.

"I’m confident that, after a long layoff, Jon Jones has all the skills to come back like he was when he had his reign at light heavyweight. I just don’t know how it’s going to play out.

“It’s one of these things that sometimes time can change the data, but there’s so many X factors that we don’t know. I’m very excited, it’s a great time to be a UFC fan, especially when I look at what is going on in the heavyweight division.”

READ MORE: Silva, Emelianenko, Johnson, no McGregor: Jon Jones' Mount Rushmore of MMA legends

UFC News - Georges St-Pierre provides update on Jon Jones

St-Pierre revealed he hasn't seen Jones for a while but when they last spoke he was looking in great shape.

“When I met Jon Jones the last time, it was a year ago and he put on a lot of weight,” he added. “He seemed very comfortable at that weight, so it led me to believe that he’s going to come back as good as he was in the light heavyweight division, except with more mass, more muscle mass.

"So I don’t know. As a fan, I want to see him like he was at light heavyweight and perhaps even better than he was, but he has great challenges ahead.

“He’s going to take on Stipe Miocic and then he’s got Francis next if everything goes according to plan for him. I don’t know how it’s going to play out, but I think as a UFC fan it’s going to be a very entertaining fight.”


You can keep up to date with all of the latest UFC News right here on GiveMeSport.