UFC 285: Trevin Jones Embracing Opportunity To Fight Former Champ

Las Vegas, NV – UFC bantamweight Trevin Jones will take a short-notice opportunity against Cody Garbrandt at UFC 285 on Saturday night and try to turn his luck around on the big stage.

“MMA man, MMA. I do believe I’ve been fighting some of the toughest guys. I do believe a lot of my fights entering the UFC where I was supposed to get big wins a lot of them fell off, and these guys are pulling out. UFC had no choice but just to throw me in the mix. That’s what I believe,” Jones told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.

Jones (13-9) did get some of the best the UFC has to offer at 135 pounds to start his stint in the promotion. With a three-fight losing streak currently on his record Jones was looking for a chance to turn it all around, and then Julio Arce pulled from his fight against Garbrandt.

Opportunity knocked.

“Cody lost his opponent, everyone’s saying the UFC’s trying to get you out of there right, so my manager hit me up He said Cody lost his opponent do you want me to throw your name in the mix? I said go ahead. I didn’t think anything of it,” Jones said.

“Coming off losses, Cody being a former champion, and now here we are.”

Facing a former champion has given this week a big fight feel for Jones.

“How many UFC champions have they had at 135. What, four, max? To get a chance to fight a former champion like…you’ve probably got like 80 guys on the roster, 90 guys on the roster. You don’t get to fight the former champions so this is definitely a major fight for me,” he said.

Former champion or not the result is never guaranteed in MMA and Jones knows he’s got to make the most of this opportunity.

“I’m prepared for this fight. Short notice, I’ve been training, I just have to get a lot of weight off. That’s the sort of thing I’ve been focused on, but I’ve been training. I went to Fortis MMA now so I’m hoping that’s going to be the difference,” said Jones.

“Got with coach, got a good game plan going, and I believe I’m ready for this fight.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Trevin Jones above. Jones faces Cody Gabrandt at UFC 285 on the main card this Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.