Chuck Liddell thinks he’d give Jon Jones trouble were they to fight, Jones says Liddell should have “saved some chin”

UFC Hall of Famer and light heavyweight legend Chuck Liddell got some reaction from the returning Jon Jones this week, saying in an appearance on the Fighter and the Kid podcast this week that he thinks he’d be able to give him problems even in 2016.

“I still think that if he fought someone like me, in my prime, he would have a lot of trouble,” Liddell said (via FoxSports.com). “The problem is, he doesn’t hit hard enough to hurt me, he’s not going to out-wrestle me. He’s not going to out-wrestle me, and I hit too hard for him. I’m going to catch him at some point . . . I will hit him. I will put my hands on him.

“I could still give him trouble.”

That got Jones’ attention, and he had a few things to say himself when responding on Twitter.

Oh chuck..

— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) February 25, 2016

I know, I’ve noticed it over the years. I’ve always been nothing but nice to the guy https://t.co/tyRhmQa2ly

— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) February 25, 2016

Maybe he should’ve fought smarter and saved some chin https://t.co/aZGtrCwSLS

— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) February 25, 2016

Maybe, definitely wanted to be decent with him, sucks his hate is shifting things is this direction https://t.co/AMlzlTpssT

— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) February 25, 2016

Penick’s Analysis: The idea of a prime Jones vs. prime Liddell fight is one of those intriguing “what if” fight ideas that’s fun to think about, but completely meaningless. Liddell can say whatever he’d like about how that would go in 2016, but it’s been years already since he was forced out of the game because of a continued string of KO losses. Jones doesn’t have to concern himself with what Liddell thinks, even if he feels disappointed in the minor verbal shot.

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