LAS VEGAS -- Jon Jones believes he is two wins away from being considered the greatest pound-for-pound fighter of all time.
In related news, he believes he is two wins away from a move to the heavyweight division.
The UFC light heavyweight champion has teased a jump in weight class before, but there was something different about him doing so again on Monday. For one, he sounded believable.
Jones, 27, has been asked about the topic for years, and his responses have varied. One month, he's seriously eyeing it. A few months later, he has no interest.
On Monday, he described two fights -- Daniel Cormier on Jan. 3 and a rematch against Alexander Gustafsson -- as "the race" he needs to finish. At that point, Jones says, he will have cleaned out the division, and it's difficult to argue his logic.
"I'm right around the corner," Jones said. "I need to finish the race, and the race, for me, is [Cormier] and Alexander.
"As far as being the greatest of all time, I think me beating Gustafsson and DC -- how do you argue that? The argument is just gone, you know what I mean? I do believe I have the best résumé in the sport's history. I don't think anyone has beaten as many [former] champions as I have. To go on what I've already done and beat DC and Gustafsson? I just think no matter who your favorite is, you can't deny I'm the best in the game."
Jones (20-1), whose eighth title defense against Cormier will headline UFC 182 in Las Vegas, admitted there will always be another challenge waiting in the wings but basically said anything at 205 beyond Cormier and Gustafsson would be unnecessary. Cormier (15-0) is undefeated, and Gustafsson (16-2) gave him his toughest fight in September 2013. Jones won via unanimous decision.
"I consider [the Gustafsson] fight a win, but it's not a win to others. Me beating Gustafsson and DC would be, 'OK, this dude beat the baddest dudes of the last 10 years. He's beat them all.'
"There's always going to be a new guy, right? You beat DC, Gustafsson -- now there's Anthony [Johnson]. Everybody wants to see me against Anthony. But I mean, after those two [Cormier and Gustafsson], I would consider the division cleared."
Gustafsson is scheduled to face Johnson (18-4) on Jan. 24 in Sweden. Jones acknowledged Gustafsson would have to win that fight for a rematch to mean as much.
Should Jones' plan come to fruition and he win those two fights, he says a superfight against heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez would be a "fight of his life."
"Those two fights and I would consider the division cleared and that's when you entertain superfights," Jones said. "I've been training with heavyweights for years now. I know I would do really good against them, and that would be the next chapter."
Jones, who walks around between fights near 230 pounds, said he would look to bulk up to a "strong" 235 pounds as a heavyweight.
One superfight Jones said he has no interest in is a bout against former middleweight champion and all-time great Anderson Silva (33-6), who is scheduled to return from a gruesome leg injury in January. The Brazilian will fight Nick Diaz at UFC 183 on Jan. 31 in Las Vegas.
A little more than one year ago, Jones vs. Silva was considered a marquee superfight, but that changed when Silva, 39, suffered back-to-back losses in 2013 to current champion Chris Weidman.
"I would never want to fight Anderson," Jones said. "I just don't want to fight the guy. I look up to him so much. I wouldn't want to be the guy to beat him, even though it's happened already. I wouldn't want to lose to him, and I wouldn't want to beat him.
"[Velasquez] would be a hell of a fight, man. It would be a fight of my life. That's what it's about, though. I've been in one of those fights where I'm bleeding and I'm exhausted and it's not fun to be a part of. The Gustafsson fight -- [that isn't] not fun. I'd be willing to do that for the right champion, though, and the fans."