Chael Sonnen expects Jon Jones to have a “very hard recovery” after they “took all his needles”

Chael Sonnen believes Jon Jones will be out for more than eight months.

Jones was set to defend his heavyweight title for the first time against Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 295 on Nov. 11 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It was a highly-anticipated fight, but on Tuesday night, it was revealed by UFC CEO Dana White that Jones tore his pec and would be out for eight months.

Although White said Jones would be eight months after also needing surgery, Chael Sonnen doesn’t think that timeframe is quite accurate. Instead, Sonnen believes without Jones being able to use steroids or other illegal drugs, it will take him much longer.

“Jon Jones, don’t forget they took all his needles, all the good stuff, so that’s going to be a very hard recovery at his age. It’s a guy that’s already sat for three years, a guy that hasn’t taken good care of himself. I wish Jon the best, I don’t want to kick him when he’s done,” Chael Sonnen said to The MacLife. “I’m trying to be very realistic and I think Jon can handle the business from me. Jon Jones is going to be out eight months in the best-case scenario, that’s going to put him at 37 years old to preserve a fight with what will then be a 42-and-a-half-year-old.”

As of right now, Jon Jones has yet to speak out on the injury, but Chael Sonnen thinks ‘Bones’ should have been stripped of his title as history shows. Sonnen points to Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill both losing their titles almost instantly after getting hurt, while Jones will get to sit on his for eight months, in the best-case scenario.

Jon Jones is coming off a first-round submission over Ciryl Gane back in March to win the vacant heavyweight title.