- Brandon Gibson of the Jackson Wink MMA gym talks about Tony Ferguson working out in the gym.
- Gibson also spoke about the transformation of Jon Jones to heavyweight.
One of the most notorious MMA gyms in the whole world is Jackson Wink in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The premier facility has been the home of numerous MMA stars over the years. Some of the most notable athletes to train there are Jon Jones, Holly Holms, Michelle Waterson, Donald Cerrone, and more. Now there is a new athlete joining the crew, UFC lightweight Tony Ferguson. Ferguson has had some trouble in his last few UFC outings and is looking for a change in training. He has announced his time spent at Jackson Wink and has posted pictures of his training with coach Brandon Gibson.
Gibson has been a coach at Jackson Wink since 2009. He is a striking coach and has worked with an A-list of UFC stars. He recently sat down with Submission Radio to discuss his newest pupal, Ferguson.
“Tony and I have been buddies for several years now. And we’ve always talked and seen each other on the road,” Gibson said. “And then last Sunday, he rolled into town, and we were able to get six, seven days worth of great work in over this past week. It was just so cool to have Tony and, you know, having any of the great champs brings us certain light and vibe, and aura to the gym. I just felt like everybody’s spirits were up, the mood was up and you got a great champ on the mat like Tony pushed and you everybody grinds a little harder. everybody shows up a little earlier, everybody gets a little more warmed up. And then it just made for a great atmosphere.”
Gibson went on to say that the move to Jackson Wink was not a done deal as Ferguson’s new home gym. He and his family live in California and although they may not be a permanent training center for “El Cucuy,” the door is always open.
“I think he’s, he’s just on a quest for knowledge, he wants to push himself, he wants to be surrounded by the best,” Gibson said. “He wants to push himself with coaches and find areas that he can improve on in his game, which, to me are all attributes that helped make him a champion.”
Coach Gibson spoke about Jon Jones’ speed at heavyweight
Gibson is also working hard with another man looking to make himself a champion again, Jon Jones. Jones has been out of competition since 2020 but has not stopped training. He is on a mission to return to the UFC at heavyweight and has been packing on the pounds for years to get ready. Recently a video was posted showing Jones hitting pads and fans began to worry that he lost some speed at his new heavier weight. Gibson addressed this as well.
“Well, we’re not trying to show our sharpest work right? Jon sometimes just likes to throw up a combination kind of let everybody see where he’s at. But we’re not going for a speed record or some power record right now,” he said. “All we care about is being ready when the bell rings on fight night. So I think it’s cool when he shares a little snippet of that, but I don’t let any fans critique Jon’s mitt work get to me at all, because I know how it feels. I know how fast he is. I know how focused and dedicated he’s been over the last two and a half years working towards this goal.”
Jones’ return to the UFC at heavyweight is not yet been determined. He has announced on several occasions that he is getting close to being ready but no date is set.
