Junior dos Santos Reminds Everyone, Including Jon Jones, Who is the “Baddest Man on the Planet”

Junior dos Santos is not a fighter that backs down from challenges, and any fighter willing to step into the heavyweight division will find that out very quickly.

Through nine fights in the UFC, dos Santos has nine victories, with seven of those coming by way of knockout or TKO. In the two decisions he’s had, dos Santos has battered those opponents into a bloody pulp, leaving no doubt who was the victor when the final bell sounded.

Despite the path of destruction that dos Santos has left in his wake, he’s rarely mentioned in the mythical “pound-for-pound” discussion, but there’s one fight out there that could change all that… if it ever happens.

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has teased for months about potentially moving up to heavyweight, and stated recently he might even do so by the “end of 2013.” If that happens, Jones would then enter the peripheral vision of UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos, and that might be just the challenge he’s been looking for.

“People like to imagine a lot of things. Jon Jones is an amazing fighter. He’s really good, he’s so confident, and I like him a lot. He’s very nice with me; I’m nice with him,” dos Santos said about Jones recently.

Handshakes and smiles aside, dos Santos has no problem with Jones, but if he decides to take a trip into the heavyweight division, then the Brazilian will happily defend his turf. Then dos Santos will remind Jones just who really is the “baddest man on the planet.”

“I’ve got the heavyweight belt. There is just one baddest man on the planet, and I think I am this guy now. If he moves up to the heavyweight division, I would think about that fight,” said dos Santos.

“If they put him in front of me to challenge me, we’re going to fight. I will give my best.”

The next time the heavyweight champion will compete is at UFC 155 in a rematch against Cain Velasquez, the man he defeated to win the title. Following that, dos Santos will most likely come face-to-face with former Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem.

But if dos Santos can do to those two opponents what he’s already done in his last nine fights in the UFC, a superfight with Jon Jones might be just the kind of match-up the heavyweight champion would get excited about, and the timing would likely line up perfectly at the end of 2013.

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