Former pound-for-pound No.1 Jon Jones has backed fellow UFC star Conor McGregor to "move mountains" as he prepares to make his return to the cage next year.
McGregor has been sat on the sidelines since breaking his tibia in his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.
The Irishman had a titanium rod fitted in his injured leg and was forced to walk on crutches for weeks, but has now started to ease back into training.
He revealed during a Twitter Q&A he will likely return to full MMA sparring by April and will fight again shortly after that.
Jones has been poised to make his heavyweight debut since vacating his light heavyweight title last August.
And he's backed McGregor to win back his UFC lightweight title despite his horrifying injury earlier this year.
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"With the right team of people, absolutely, you can never count out someone like him. With all of his energy in the right place, that man could move mountains, he’s a closer," Jones wrote.
Jones was arrested on charges of domestic violence and felony injuring or disabling a vehicle in September. But the UFC star recently denied all charges and claimed to be 60 days sober following the incident.
He was booted out of his longtime JacksonWink gym after his arrest but has begun training at their affiliate gym in Albuquerque.
The former 205-pound ruler is targeting a fight against the winner of the heavyweight title fight between Francis Ngannou and interim champion Cyril Gane, which takes place at UFC 270 in January.
Meanwhile, McGregor - who finds himself at No.9 in the lightweight rankings - has been called out by the likes of Max Holloway and Michael Chandler for his octagon return.
Three of McGregor's last four UFC fights have ended in defeat, with his only win coming against Donald Cerrone last January.
UFC president Dana White admitted that McGregor is eager to get back in the cage and likened his eventual return to the cage to fictional character Rocky Balboa's story from Rocky 3.
"Yeah he's chomping at the bit to get back in there and compete again. But it's gonna be a while before he can put some torque on that leg," White told Jim Rome.
"For him to start training again in April is probably about right."
"I don't know, he obviously still has the desire to compete. You don't ever hear Conor going 'you know what, I just don't have the desire for this anymore."
"Yes, obviously he is very rich and he's training like Rocky in Rocky 3, but he still has the desire to compete and the desire to fight."
