Jon Jones Warned That Stepping Up To Heavyweight Division 'Will Not Be Easy'

UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic has fired a warning to Jon Jones and told him the step up in weight class will 'not be easy.'

Jones vacated the light heavyweight title last week and is set to make the highly-anticipated jump to heavyweight.

Francis Ngannou has claimed in the past that 'Bones' will have a smooth transition to the division thanks to his technique and fight IQ.

However, current champion Miocic told ESPN that Jones is taking a risk by facing harder hitting opponents.

"Listen, we're big boys with smaller gloves on," the 38-year-old begun.

"It just takes one (punch) I don't care if you don't hit hard you can still get caught I don't care who you are."

Miocic, who retained his title against longtime rival Daniel Cormier at UFC 252 earlier this month, continued: "I look at my first fight against DC.

"I've been hit with everything and didn't go down, but DC caught me with a shot I didn't see and I went down.

"So I don't think it will be that much easier especially when you have all that weight to worry about.

"It's not 205 and you got guys up to 265 if not bigger who don't cut weight."

He went on to add add that Jones' fluidity inside the octagon will serve him well as will his attention to detail.

"He's got great technique so it's definitely going to help him.

"He is very fluid in what he does.

"He has a great game plan every time he fights. It's a good thing to have a good plan every time you walk into a fight."