Articles tagged as jone
Police Report From Jon Jones' Prior Run-In With The Law For Suspended License And 'Loss Of Traction'
As a follow-up to this weekend's story of UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones' arrest for driving while under the influence of alcohol, word began to leak of Jon having ran into some prior issues with the law while behind the wheel.
After seeing a report on Saturday of this incident, we awaited word from the Albuquerque Police Department and we now have confirmation that it was legitimate so we have provided a copy of the police report from a November 24, 2011 incident.
Jon was pulled over for flying around a corner in his car and losing traction. When the police ran his license, they realized it was suspended and, as a result, Jones' car was towed. The charges were dismissed in a March 8, 2012 trial (as pointed out by The MMA Corner).
Follow after the jump for more details and a PDF copy of the official police report.
From the report:
On 11/24/11 I observed a black Bentley turn Northbound on Jefferson NE from Westbound McCleod NE. The vehicle came around the corner sideways and tires squealing. The vehicle continued North at a high rate of speed and pulled into the Fantasy World parking lot. I conducted as traffic stop and contacted the driver, identified as Jonathan Jones. I ran Jones drivers license through MVD and it was suspended. I then ran his drivers license through NCIC and they confirmed his it was suspended. Jones was cited for loss of traction and suspended drivers license. Jones vehicle was towed from the scene.
PDF copy of the police report: Jon Jones November 2011 Police Report
Posted in: jon, jone, report, license, police
Read the full article at Bloody Elbow
Jon Jones Facebook apology: Bones 'sickened' by all the people trying to 'kick him while he's down'
Sorry, "Bones," but fame doesn't adhere to the unified rules of mixed martial arts (MMA).
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones is finding out the hard way, following his arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) back on May 19, 2012 in Binghamton, NY, what happens when you make a mistake under the scrutiny of the public microscope.
Especially when that mistake can have potentially life-threatening consequences.
Jones, who admits he "screwed up" and "gave leeway" to the haters, took to his official Facebook page earlier today (May 21) to apologize for "embarrassing" and "letting down" the people who have supported him before, during and after his recent run-in with the law.
Those comments (transcribed by Middle Easy) after the jump.
"Man I haven't added anyone new to my Facebook page in like three years and right now I'm so glad that I haven't. It has literally been sickening to have so many people try to kick me while I'm down. At the same time, I totally understand, I gave them the leeway to. I screwed up, big time. Just needed to say thank you to all you guys for being amazing friends/supporters.
Always having to deal with so many critics, haters and fickle mma fans, I almost forgot how strong of a home base I had (607 and people that knew me before I was a champion fighter). Although the hell that will come with this hasn't even started yet, I want you guys to know how much better you've all made me feel, not only about this situation but about life, everything. It's good to feel that people are there and care. With that being said, I felt I should apologize to you first.
I'm truly sorry to those of you that I may have embarrassed in any way, to those of you with kids that I may have let down. I will prove to them as well as to myself, that no matter what is happening in life, we can always work our way back and make things even better than before. Reading you guys uplifting comments was a great reminder for me to not give up on who I am or all the hateful people. I'm not gonna allow this situation to outweigh the positive. I love you guys right back and I promise to make things right. PS sorry about the terrible grammar :)"
While Jones had his fair share of haters prior to last weekend's arrest, part of the overwhelming backlash stems from his recent UFC sponsorship, where he told media members his new sponsorship deal was attributed to his squeaky-clean image, because he's not the type of person to get popped for driving while intoxicated (DWI).
Whoops.
In any event, Jones will have to work his way back into the good graces of the UFC brass and passionate fan base, which he can do starting with the build to his fight against Dan Henderson at the UFC 151 pay-per-view event on Sept. 1 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Well, the champ said he's sorry. Do you accept his apology?
More on his DUI arrest right here.
Posted in: ufc, guy, jone, right, people
Read the full article at MMA Mania
Jon Jones: “I screwed up, big time.”
UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones has released a detailed statement on his recent arrest for suspicion of DUI, shedding some light on his mindset in the wake of his one-car accident from this past weekend instead of leaving things up to interpretation. While the 24-year old champion did not speak about the specifics surrounding the actual crash his tone was certainly apologetic and laced with humility based on the support his fanbase has shown thus far throughout the ordeal.
“Man I haven’t added anyone new to my Facebook page in like three years and right now I’m so glad that I haven’t,” wrote Jones on the popular social networking outlet. “It has literally been sickening to have so many people try to kick me while I’m down. At the same time, I totally understand – I gave them the leeway to. I screwed up, big time. Just needed to say thank you to all you guys for being amazing friends/supporters.”
“Always having to deal with so many critics, haters and fickle MMA fans, I almost forgot how strong of a home base I had (607 and people that knew me before I was a champion fighter),” he continued. “Although the hell that will come with this hasn’t even started yet, I want you guys to know how much better you’ve all made me feel, not only about this situation but about life, everything. It’s good to feel that people are there and care. With that being said, I felt I should apologize to you first.”
“I’m truly sorry to those of you that I may have embarrassed in any way, to those of you with kids that I may have let down. I will prove to them as well as to myself that no matter what is happening in life, we can always work our way back and make things even better than before,” Jones concluded. “Reading you guys’ uplifting comments was a great reminder for me to not give up on who I am or all the hateful people. I’m not gonna allow this situation to outweigh the positive. I love you guys right back and I promise to make things right.”
Jones was booked Saturday morning at approximately 5:00 AM EST in an area near his New York home after crashing his Bentley into a utility pole and showing signs of intoxication at the scene. Little is known at this point regarding future punishment from the State or his bosses at the UFC.
Currently “Bones” is scheduled to defend his divisional title against Dan Henderson at UFC 151.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, time, guy, jone, people
Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain
Jon Jones: “It has literally been sickening to have so many people try to kick me while I’m down.”
Light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has broken the relative silence surrounding his arrest this past Saturday for suspicion of driving under the influence. The UFC star was picked up by police near his home in New York after driving his Bentley into a utility pole. He is not believed to have suffered any serious injuries in the wreck.
Jones surfaced with a message on Twitter over the weekend praising God before addressing things in more detail today by way of Facebook where he admitted he “screwed up, big time” and expressed appreciation to fans who have offered their support in the wake of his troubles.
The 24-year old also apologized to those he’d embarrassed as well as to children who look up to him as a role model.
Jones Booked for Driving Under the Influence
The full statement from Jones can be found below:
“Man I haven’t added anyone new to my Facebook page in like three years and right now I’m so glad that I haven’t. It has literally been sickening to have so many people try to kick me while I’m down. At the same time, I totally understand – I gave them the leeway to. I screwed up, big time. Just needed to say thank you to all you guys for being amazing friends/supporters.”
Always having to deal with so many critics, haters and fickle MMA fans, I almost forgot how strong of a home base I had (607 and people that knew me before I was a champion fighter). Although the hell that will come with this hasn’t even started yet, I want you guys to know how much better you’ve all made me feel, not only about this situation but about life, everything. It’s good to feel that people are there and care. With that being said, I felt I should apologize to you first.”
I’m truly sorry to those of you that I may have embarrassed in any way, to those of you with kids that I may have let down. I will prove to them as well as to myself that no matter what is happening in life, we can always work our way back and make things even better than before. Reading you guys’ uplifting comments was a great reminder for me to not give up on who I am or all the hateful people. I’m not gonna allow this situation to outweigh the positive. I love you guys right back and I promise to make things right.”
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: guy, jone, i ’m, people, ’m
Read the full article at Fighters.com
Jon Jones Releases Statement On His Personal Facebook Page
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones made a public statement via his personal Facebook page on Monday morning. This past weekend, “Bones” was charged on suspicion of DUI after sending his Bentley into a pole around 5 a.m. Below is the complete message from Jones’ page, which you have to be a confirmed friend of [...]
Posted in: jone, monday morning, page, statement, facebook page
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC Champ Jon Jones Posts Facebook Statement On DUI Arrest
UFC Light Heavyweight Jon Jones was arrested Saturday morning in Binghamton, New York on suspicion of Driving Under the Influence. He drove his Bentley into a telephone pole. Jones' mother bailed him out a few hours after the incident.
His manager Malki Kawa issued a statement in the immediate aftermath of the arrest:
"I can confirm that Jon Jones was arrested early this morning on suspicion of DUI. While the facts of this situation are still being gathered and situated, First Round Management fully supports Jon and we are asking for fans and media to respect the privacy of Jon and his family during this time."
Related Stories: Video: UFC Champ Jon Jones' Bentley After The DUI Wreck |Jon Jones Arrested on Suspicion of DUI, Suffers Minor Injuries
Jones has also issued a statement on his Facebook page and that's after the jump:
From Jones' Facebook page via MiddleEasy:
"Man I haven't added anyone new to my Facebook page in like three years and right now I'm so glad that I haven't. It has literally been sickening to have so many people try to kick me while I'm down. At the same time, I totally understand, I gave them the leeway to. I screwed up, big time. Just needed to say thank you to all you guys for being amazing friends/supporters.
Always having to deal with so many critics, haters and fickle mma fans, I almost forgot how strong of a home base I had (607 and people that knew me before I was a champion fighter). Although the hell that will come with this hasn't even started yet, I want you guys to know how much better you've all made me feel, not only about this situation but about life, everything. It's good to feel that people are there and care. With that being said, I felt I should apologize to you first.
I'm truly sorry to those of you that I may have embarrassed in any way, to those of you with kids that I may have let down. I will prove to them as well as to myself, that no matter what is happening in life, we can always work our way back and make things even better than before. Reading you guys uplifting comments was a great reminder for me to not give up on who I am or all the hateful people. I'm not gonna allow this situation to outweigh the positive. I love you guys right back and I promise to make things right. PS sorry about the terrible grammar :)"
Posted in: guy, jon, jone, facebook, facebook page
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones DUI arrest, car crash and latest news in review
For all the mixed martial arts (MMA) fans who went off the grid this weekend, first and and foremost, welcome back.
The good news is, former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar was not involved in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Over The Limit pay-per-view (PPV) event last night (May 20, 2012) in Raleigh, so you've been spared the weekly Brock watch.
The bad news is, the UFC's top star, Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, done messed up real good.
"Bones" was arrested on suspicion of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in the wee hours of Saturday morning (May 19), running his Bentley into a utility pole and putting the ZUFFA public relations center at DEFCON 2.
The Jones camp has released a statement in the wake of his recent charge, confirming the incident took place on the corner of Grand Blvd. and Helen Street in Binghamton, New York, as reported.
In case you missed any or all of what transpired, you can get yourself up to date with all the relevant links and info after the jump.
Jon Jones arrested on suspicion of DUI
Jones camp releases statement, asks for "privacy"
Video and pics of the crash scene
"Before" pics of the "Bones" Bentley
The quote that may come back to haunt the champion
Fans react to the news
Jones, who is the second UFC fighter in recent weeks to be arrested for DUI, is scheduled to fight Dan Henderson at the UFC 151 PPV event on Sept. 1 in Las Vegas, Nevada. His recent run-in with the law is not expected to jeopardize that appearance.
For more on that upcoming fight click here and stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more updates to the Jon Jones DUI story as they become available.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, news, dui
Read the full article at MMA Mania
Jon Jones apologizes for "screwing up" with DUI, slams "fickle MMA fans"
UFC Light Heavyweight champion, Jones "Bones" Jones, has released his first public statement following last weekend's DUI (driving under the influence) accident with his 2012 Bentley Continental.
Speaking via Facebook, Jones apoogized for the incident, but also took the opportunity to hit back at "fickle MMA fans".
Man I haven't added anyone new to my Facebook page in like three years and right now I'm so glad that I haven't. It has literally been sickening to have so many people try to kick me while I'm
Posted in: jone, i havent, facebook page, weekends dui, influence accident
Read the full article at Low Kick
Morning Report: Jon Jones Gets Arrested, Daniel Cormier Bulldozes to Strikeforce Grand Prix Title
Out of all the ruckus from this past weekend, three stories emerged to the forefront of discussion, with each one getting there for very different reasons. So since you're smart and you're already caught up on current events, let's skip the recaps and jump into what exactly made these stories so fascinating, while throwing a rating of their significance (from 1-to-10) in there for good measure.
Daniel Cormier's coming out party - 9/10: Last Friday we talked about how everything that could've gone wrong, did for the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, yet despite that, the final outcome came out strangely alright because Cormier vs. Barnett was such a pick ‘em for fight fans. Well, now that it's behind us, it'd be hard to call the tournament a rousing success, but the stunning arrival of Daniel Cormier almost gives us an argument.
Josh Barnett has a pretty damn impressive résumé, yet outside of a prime Cro Cop, no one has handled him like Cormier did on Saturday night. That's incredibly high praise for someone with just 10 pro fights (and a broken hand). Though outside of his physical gifts and Olympic prowess, the thing that impresses me most about Cormier is his fight IQ. The guy almost never makes a bad decision. For someone who's so new to the sport, it almost doesn't make sense.
I don't know where he stands in the grand scheme of things, but at this point, would you really feel comfortable betting against Cormier opposite any heavyweight not named Junior dos Santos, Alistair Overeem or Cain Velasquez? Here's hoping the UFC comes calling sooner, rather than waiting for this bizarre "plus-one."
Gilbert Melendez loses in victory - 7.5/10: Now, let me preface this by saying Josh Thomson is a very good fighter. I understand styles make fights, and maybe Thomson is the Juan Manuel Marquez to Gilbert Melendez's Manny Pacquiao. But when someone consistently complains about not getting his recognition as a top-2 fighter, yet fails to put away (let alone decisively beat) a guy who's barely sniffing the top-20, it probably isn't a good look.
Let's not forgot, this is twice-in-a-row now for Melendez. His December victory over Jorge Masvidal -- a guy who doesn't even make SB Nation's top-25 -- didn't exactly light the world on fire. I understand Gilbert is in a supremely tough spot, and he was going to lose no matter the result of Saturday night, but if "El Nino" is going to keep harping on a move to the UFC and invoking his claim to being the best in the world, at some point he needs to start showing it in the cage.
(One last thing: Strikeforce, please, please don't schedule Thomson-Melendez IV. Just throw in Pat Healy and be done with it. Thanks.)
Jon Jones arrested on suspicion of DUI - 5.5/10: Again, let me preface this by clearly stating, in no way am I condoning Jon Jones' actions. Like my colleague Mike Chiappetta already established, Jon made a stupid decision and he's going to have to pay the price for it. But in the grand scheme of things, that's exactly what it was -- a stupid decision.
The kid is 24 years old, and he's human. He's certainly not the first UFC fighter to make this mistake, and he sadly won't be the last. But truthfully, this became a bigger story because of the clunky cult of personality Jon Jones has crafted for himself. Similar to the Tiger Woods debacle, Jones preached a wholesome image, and to some, a holier-than-thou persona, and got caught doing something that completely spit in the face of everything we thought we knew about him.
It's a big deal on a minor scale, and some will undoubtedly use Jones' substantial lapse in judgment as fuel for the JON JONES IS FAKE brigade, but like always, let's at least get all the facts before the pitchforks come out.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier. Check out complete coverage of Saturday's Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix finale with results and fight recaps, reaction from the pros, video highlights, news on Cormier's hand injury, and a look from the day after.
Jon Jones arrested. UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after being involved in a car accident around 5 a.m. in Binghamton, N.Y. early Saturday morning. At this point little is known about the incident, though for Jones, it could be a chance to step up and show his true character.
Weekend fight results. Catch up on the rest of a busy fight weekend with results for The Ultimate Fighter Live and Bellator 69.
Faber to fight Barao. With Dominick Cruz out of the equation, Urijah Faber will fight upstart prospect Renan Barao for the UFC interim bantamweight strap at UFC 148. Barao's previous opponent, Ivan Menjivar, will instead fight Mike Easton on the same card.
Dan Quinn investigated for death threats toward Dana White. Former football-player-turned-professional-fighter Dan Quinn is under investigation for making (extremely creepy) death threats to UFC President Dana White after leaving a series of threatening messages on White's private voicemail.
MEDIA STEW
Tim Kennedy knows what you want to see and he's more than willing to give it to you. So with that being said, here's your daily "Afternoon Delight" Anchorman reenactment.
We can't show you any footage of Saturday night's Strikeforce card, but in case you missed it, Karl Amoussou and David Rickels absolutely threw down on Friday night at Bellator 69. Check out the fight and see if you agree with the controversial finish.
Three awesome things about this clip, in order of awesomeness: 1.) Gilbert Melendez's fiance mushing the crazed booing fan right in the face, 2.) Guy just doing circles in the beginning for no reason, 3.) Melendez trying to punk said booing fan, and it totally not working. (HT: MiddleEasy)
After careful deliberation, we've come to the conclusion that this may be the best UFC promo ever. (HT: Reddit)
MELENDEZ-THOMSON III: SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE
Thought Gilbert won 1st 3 rnds, Josh 4th, 5th either wayRT @NickJohnCody: @BrianStann How did you have it scored?
— Brian Stann (@BrianStann) May 20, 2012
Good fight.... Thought @THEREALPUNK had it. Maybe part 4 coming up though!!
— Gray Maynard (@GrayMaynard) May 20, 2012
Meh, coulda went either way. I thought it was a draw. #Strikeforce
— Jason High (@KCBanditMMA) May 20, 2012
Was a great fight, had Thompson win'n the last 3 rnds tho. Def could of went either way. Both tuff ass dudes that brought it for 25 min.
— Shane Roller (@shaneroller) May 20, 2012
POST-FIGHT POSTCARDS
Me and @cainmma last night now off to Vegas for his fight. twitter.com/dc_mma/status/…
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) May 20, 2012
@JoshLBarnett thanks for the scrap man. Ur a savage. Ur a true champ. See you soon. DC twitter.com/dc_mma/status/…
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) May 20, 2012
Helluva job last night brother @dc_mma. Great fight. You fought well and didn't let me get away w/any mistakes. Like a true champion.
— Josh Barnett (@JoshLBarnett) May 21, 2012
I fought hard, I fought to win, and never once quit. It's just what comes with battle. No sympathy, no regret. youtu.be/eq5CDEvwy6Q
— Josh Barnett (@JoshLBarnett) May 20, 2012
Here's what happened in the first :30...still threw it though. Of course that might not have so wise LOL. twitpic.com/9nc4yk
— Josh Barnett (@JoshLBarnett) May 20, 2012
FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD FIGHTER
WATCHED A MAN AT THE GAS STATION COUNT OUT $2.25 IN CHANGE FOR GAS. SO I FILLED HIS TANK FOR HIMHE HUGGED ME AND ASKED WHY- JUST CAUSE!#fb
— Pat Barry (@HypeOrDie) May 19, 2012
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced over the weekend (Friday, May 18, 2012 - Sunday, May 20, 2012):
- UFC 148: Urijah Faber (26-5) vs. Renan Barao (28-1) confirmed for interim bantamweight title
- UFC 148: Ivan Menjivar (24-8) vs. Mike Easton (12-1)
- UFC 148: Chad Mendes (11-1) vs. Cody McKenzie (13-2)
- UFC on FOX 4: Michihiro Omigawa (13-11-1) vs. Manny Gamburyan (11-7)
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today's Fanpost of the Day sees Halitosis call into question some of Joe Silva's recent decisions: Cody McKenzie vs. Chad Mendes and the UFC's Ruination of Fighters Through Mismatches
Yesterday we saw the news that shortly after his fight at UFC on Fuel 3, Cody McKenzie had signed the contract for his first featherweight fight in the UFC against Chad Mendes, a fighter coming off of a title shot where he was soundly beaten. McKenzie has one tool in his arsenal, one. The fact that he's in the UFC is shocking. The man should not be coming off a win over Marcus LeVesseur and go into a fight with a not so long ago title challenger. Whether or not you like Cody, it is agreeable through most of the fanbase that knows their stuff that this is a huge mismatch.
Now, does Cody have a path to victory? Sure. Is that path to victory foreseeable against a fighter who is better than him in every facet? Absolutely not.
I'm not completely opposed to far odds for a fighter. What I'm opposed to is a completely unfair mismatch that will most definitely not be one they can learn from. Cody gets nothing from this fight at all, other than his paycheck to show and maybe a pat on the back for taking the fight. What's more is he has the ability to improve himself now with the right team at Cesar Gracie's with the notorious Diaz brothers, and he had the chance to build up from the little momentum he has now. That chance is, beyond some lucky guillotine, gone.
Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, mdash, cormier
Read the full article at AOL Fanhouse
Does Jones arrest hurt Jones, UFC?
Jon Jones was arrested on suspicion of DUI in upstate New York early Saturday morning as it was first reported by TMZ. The arrest blemishes the Jon Jones brand as he was easily becoming the face for the UFC.
Jones’ manager, Malki Kawa released a statement in lieu of the arrest:
“I can confirm that Jon Jones was arrested early this morning on suspicion of DUI. ”While the facts of this situation are still being gathered and situated, First Round Management fully supports Jon and we are asking for fans and media to respect the privacy of Jon and his family during this time.”
Although Jones will go through the legal process to determine the facts surrounding the arrest, TMZ reports that Jones crashed his Bentley into a pole and was arrested at the scene. He was bailed out by his mother a couple hours later.
Payout Perspective:
Drinking and driving is a serious offense. While we might say that it was a mistake and a stupid thing to do, many innocent people have died due to drunk driving. With that being said, there have been many professional athletes that have overcome offenses like this (and even worse crimes) without it affecting their careers. Will it hurt Jones’ sponsorship opportunities? It certainly will take him off of any beer ads. How about the blue chip sponsors? Depending on the facts of the case and how Jones proceeds with this (legally and from a PR standpoint), it may be just a blip on his screen. Jones may still have a chance at sponsor deals but he may have to wait a while. If you look at Ray Lewis and Kobe Bryant, they have been able to overcome off the field/court issues to regain sponsors. Tiger Woods lost major sponsors and his play has not helped him recover from the misdeeds of a couple years ago.
To a lesser extent, the Jones arrest may hurt the UFC. TMZ’s main picture of Jones has him adorned in a UFC shirt. Jones is one of the faces of the UFC and a likable figure that sponsors could gravitate toward. Remember, he stopped a purse snatcher and then won the world title in the same day. There aren’t too many American fighters that the UFC could promote. Certainly GSP and Anderson Silva are draws but Jones is the only true big star coming from the US right now. Will it hurt the UFC’s quest for blue chip sponsors? While it could harm the potential for sponsors, I don’t think it would affect it in any way. It probably would have been a bigger deal if he tested positive for an illegal substance.
It would be in the best interest of Jones to accept responsibility and move forward. He could cut PSAs about his mistake and the perils of driving while under the influence. Not sure if the UFC really needs to punish Jones right now. It wouldn’t hurt to remind its fighters to be responsible when out and have a driver if they decide to have a little fun.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, sponsor, arrest
Read the full article at MMA PayoutJon Jones DUI car crash pic and video
The intersection of Grand Blvd. and Helen Street in Binghamton, N.Y., is where the squeaky-clean image of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones came to a crashing end over the weekend.
And the some.
Jones was arrested and charged with Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) shortly after he went toe-to-toe with a telephone pole in the early morning hours of Sat., May 19, 2012, and lost ... big time. The good news is that no major injuries were reported; however, the clean-cut, God-fearing mixed martial arts (MMA) sensation will likely take a huge hit in the court of public opinion before he even gets to tell his side of the story before a judge.
Indeed, the 24-year-old UFC poster boy -- and bourgeoning box office draw -- will have to endure many more stories like this one, as well as questions about what went wrong and, perhaps more important, who he "really" is because there are many fight fans who feel he's "fake."
You can bet your bippy that Rashad Evans is softly singing, "I told you so" somewhere in South Florida.
Indeed, this story and how Jones handles it moving forward (read his first official statement here), especially with another upcoming title defense planned for later this year against Dan Henderson looming on the horizon, will be real interesting to monitor and see how he handles the turmoil and adversity. It will likely be a major distraction inside and outside the Octagon, pushing him to the brink physically, emotionally and dare I say, spiritually, in the days, weeks and months ahead.
In my estimation, the real Jones will emerge at the end of this open-ended ordeal ... whenever that may be. But, like I said, this is just the start of a very long saga.
Check out video of the Jon Jones car crash that made the recent local WBNG evening news broadcast in upstate New York after the jump, as well as a pic of the unlucky telephone pole that he and his 2012 Bentley Continental GT (worth and estimated $190,000) nearly snapped in two:
For everything you need to know about Jones, his DUI arrest, upcoming fight and everything else under the sun be sure to check out our complete fighter archive right here.
Posted in: jon, jone, story, fight fans, telephone pole
Read the full article at MMA Mania
Lefko on MMA: Jones muckraked
The way the news broke about Jon Jones' arrest for alleged DUI is exactly the opposite of his heroic act 14 months ago.
Posted in: mma, jone, month, lefko, dui
Read the full article at sportsnet.ca
Jon Jones accident caught on tape!
submitted by killzy707 [link] [1 comment]
Posted in: jon, jone, killzy, accident, tape
Read the full article at RedditJon Jones Bentley after his crash
submitted by killzy707 [link] [1 comment]
Posted in: jon, jone, killzy, crash, bentley
Read the full article at RedditPhoto: UFC Champ Jon Jones' Bentley Before And After The DUI Wreck
UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones was arrested yesterday for suspicion of DUI after driving his Bentley into a telephone pole in Binghamton, NY. Jones is hardly the first MMA star to be arrested for DUI/DWI but he's probably the first to total a Bentley while doing it.
To the upper right you can see Jones' 2011 Bentley as it was -- a showroom show-stopper valued at around ~$180,000 -- pre-telephone pole. After the jump you can see the Bentley after Jones' improvised customization efforts.
Jones has defended his UFC belt three times since defeating Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 128 claim the title. He's since beaten Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Rashad Evans in title contests. He is expected to next face Dan Henderson in late Summer or early Fall.
There are no indications that Jones was injured in the wreck but it's entirely possible that he was and that could potentially delay his next title defense.
See the battered Bentley after the jump...
Photos via Mixedmartialarts.com
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, ufc belt, bentley
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones breaks silence following car crash
It wasn’t much, but UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones broke his silence late Saturday night following a difficult day for young star. Early Saturday morning police were called to investigate an accident in which Jones apparently drove his Bentley into a utility pole, causing plenty of damage. “Bones” was booked and sent to jail on a suspicion of DUI charge, being bailed out a few hours later by his mother.
While information continues to come in concerning just what happened, Jones took to his Twitter account to post a simple message.
“God is good,” was all Jones posted. The message came after plenty of pre-crash posts involving talk of gun purchases the champion had made after deciding to take up a new hobby.
Currently, Jones is scheduled to defend his title against Dan Henderson on September 1 at UFC 151 from Las Vegas. It remains to be seen if that match will still take place, or what the UFC will do – if anything – in response to the incident.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, las vegas, twitter account, utility pole
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainFor Jon Jones, A Stumbling Block, and a Chance to Show True Character
Drunk-driving isn't a stupid mistake; it's a stupid decision, one often made by otherwise intelligent people. We all know the potential risks and the real costs, so not much more needs to be said about that.Jon Jones will have a penalty to pay, if as the Broome County, New York Sheriff's Department alleges, he made this same stupid decision in the wee hours of Saturday morning. The UFC light-heavyweight champion may face jail time and a fine.All things considered, it could have been a lot worse. Thankfully, no one else was hurt, and he didn't suffer any injuries that will affect his career.
If in the end, it simply costs him a car (his Bentley was reportedly totaled), some sponsorship money, a fine and community service, he will have certainly dodged a bullet. But for a man who has been accused of artificially crafting a squeaky clean reputation, the damage goes beyond the tangible and the legal. He has dented his own good name.
In times of adversity, true character is revealed. You are among the many who thought him to be a "fraud"? You wanted to know about the "real" Jon Jones? Here you go.
There is no permanent hiding place from this. At some point, he will re-enter the public arena and talk about it, and maybe Jones and the army of skeptics can reach an understanding that he's parts revolutionary athlete and normal human, equally capable of temporary brilliance in a cage and like anyone else, momentary idiocy in real life.Jones' reputation has been one that many felt was a little too carefully cultivated. This has always puzzled me. Why shouldn't a professional athlete always try to put his best foot forward? There were plenty who called him a fake, as though all of us reveal every bit of ourselves to the world at all times. That's why it came as no surprise that some were downright celebratory at the news of his arrest, so desperate to be right that his image was a sham that they were willing to cheer another person's failure. Regardless of what Jones has said or done in the past, he has never claimed to be anything other than a human being, and any human is capable of having bad -- even terrible -- judgment from from time to time. Jones is 24 years old. He may have accomplished a lot at a young age; he may be a father, but he is still a young man. This does not excuse what he allegedly did. It is not a reason for it, either. It's just a realization that judgment is sometimes clouded by the seeming indestructibility of youth. It's no accident that according to government statistics, the highest percentage of drunk drivers are the ones from ages 21-24.Once you start getting a little older and have some time behind you, you realize that for many, youth is a time spent doing stupid things and hoping to survive. Luckily for him, he did. On the other hand, his life is about to get a lot less comfortable. He's going to have answer questions, he's going to get stares and the criticism? It's just getting started. Advertisers will most certainly not be pleased. His long-hoped-for deal with Nike? That's probably going to the back burner for the foreseeable future. How will he handle all that? It's always easy to smile and present yourself to the world when times are good. It's not so easy when the world is looking down their noses at you. Money can buy you a good lawyer, a PR team and a new Bentley, but it can't restore a reputation.Addressing those issues are ultimately up to Jones. So far, he's said little. His usually active Twitter account has been silent since early Friday evening except for a single Tweet reading "God is good." His Facebook page and website haven't been updated in days. The only words uttered by anyone connected to Jones have come from his management, simply confirming the arrest and offering their support.The UFC is unlikely to penalize him. UFC president Dana White didn't discipline featherweight Ross Pearson following his own recent DUI charges."I'm a realist," White said at the time. "You can't expect all these people to be perfect. I understand they're role models. They're human beings. They're going to make mistakes. I'm one of those guys that believes we're all going to make mistakes. It's how you handle it after you make that mistake that tells you who you really are."White will most certainly take the same approach with Jones. That means he's only going to face the Broome County courts, and the court of public opinion. In the former, he'll only need to have an understanding of the law. In the latter, he'll need the candid truth.
If you believe that Jones' reputation was a crock, then you should also believe the public backlash he's going to receive is just as important to him as his legal situation. His reputation is right now the only thing other than his car that was damaged by the incident. If you wanted a dent in the Jones' facade, you got one. If that is a cause for celebration for you, well, that just proves that you, too, are capable of stupid decisions. The rest of us will wait to see if the real Jon Jones steps up to show his true character.
Posted in: time, jone, jon jones, he, reputation
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones Delivers Brief Statement On His Twitter Account
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will have to answer for his actions on Saturday morning eventually. For now, the rising star has sent out a brief message via Twitter. God is good — Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 20, 2012 Early Saturday morning, Jones crashed his car into a pole and was charged with [...]
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, saturday morning, twitter god
Read the full article at MMA Convert
Jon Jones arrested for DUI
So Jon Jones decided it was a good idea to drive his Bentley while he was intoxicated, and yes, the Bentley was totaled.
But have no fear, Bones is still quite the family man; he was bailed out by his mother.
So via TMZ comes a video of Jones in police training earlier this year and, naturally, this was the same agency that arrested him. Cool video though.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, fear bones, family man, police training
Read the full article at Octagon Mania
Jon Jones' DUI arrest likely won't affect his MMA career, but how will the public react to him now? (Yahoo! Sports)
Jon Jones' UFC bosses likely won't punish him after he was charged with a DUI on Saturday, but fans may respond in a different manner.
Posted in: jon, jone, career, mma career, dui
Read the full article at Yahoo! Sports
UFC Champ Jon Jones Arrested for Suspicion of DUI
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was arrested early Saturday near his hometown in upstate New York on suspicion of DUI after wrecking his Bentley.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, dui, suspicion
Read the full article at Heavy MMA
UFC Champion Jon Jones Arrested on Suspicion of DUI
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was arrested on suspicion of DUI early Saturday morning in Binghampton, N.Y. Jones was arrested at 5;02 am ET after crashing his Bentley, there were no injuries. TMZ first reported the arrest.
In a statement to ESPN, Jones’s management had this to say:
“I can confirm that Jon Jones was arrested early this morning on suspicion of DUI. While the facts of this situation are still being gathered and situated, First Round Management fully supports Jon and we are asking for fans and media to respect the privacy of Jon and his family during this time.”
Jones is currently scheduled to face Dan Henderson on September 1 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
MMAFrenzy.com
Posted in: jon, jone, saturday morning, dui, suspicion
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyJon Jones camp releases statement on DUI arrest, more details on car crash
Just a short while ago, it was reported by the bloodhounds at TMZ that Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones crashed his car around 5:00 a.m. this morning in New York and he was subsequently arrested for DUI once police arrived on the scene.
After spending a few hours in the clink, he was bailed out by his mother.
As the day has worn on, more and more information has become available. In fact, Jones' manager, Malki Kawa, released the following statement not long ago:
"I can confirm that Jon Jones was arrested early this morning on suspicion of DUI. While the facts of this situation are still being gathered and situated, First Round Management fully supports Jon and we are asking for fans and media to respect the privacy of Jon and his family during this time."
MMAFighting.com also has a few more details from the Broome County Sheriff's Office, including the fact that Jones was arrested at approximately 5:02 a.m. after his car struck a pole. It was a single car accident and Jones suffered only "minor injuries."
The UFC has yet to release a statement on the matter. Jones is currently scheduled to defend his light heavyweight championship at UFC 151 on Sat., Sept. 1, 2012, against Dan Henderson.
For the initial report on Jones' DUI arrest click here.
Posted in: jon, jone, car, statement, dui
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC champion Jon Jones arrested for suspicion of DUI after crashing car
The reputation of UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones took a major hit earlier today when the 24-year old was arrested in New York on suspicion of DUI after crashing his Bentley into a utility pole. “Bones” is not believed to have suffered any damage in the crash other than that to his standing as the organization’s previously flawless poster-boy.
“While the facts of this situation are still being gathered and situated, First Round Management fully supports Jon and we are asking for fans and media to respect the privacy of Jon and his family during this time,” wrote Jones’ manager (Malki Kawa) in a statement circulated to media members.
TMZ Sports was first to report Jones’ situation. The fighter’s mother is reported to have bailed him out of jail after the incident.
UFC Makes Move to Sponsor Jones in Unprecedented Decision
Jones is slated to defend his divisional title against Dan Henderson in September. He was last seen outpointing rival Rashad Evans in a much-hyped meeting last month.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, decision jones, sponsor jones
Read the full article at Fighters.com
UFC Champ ‘Bones’ Jones Arrested on Suspicion of DUI in New York
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was arrested early Saturday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Posted in: ufc, jone, saturday morning, dui, suspicion
Read the full article at SherdogJon Jones arrested on DUI charges after crashing Bentley
Light heavyweight Jon Jones found himself locked in a cage early this morning though not the kind he’s accustomed to spending time in as an incredibly successful Mixed Martial Artist. The 24-year old UFC champion was arrested in New York after crashing his Bentley into a pole at approximately 5:00 AM EST and showing signs of driving under the influence.
TMZ Sports was first to report the story where it was also revealed Jones’ mother bailed him out of jail shortly after his incarceration. He is not believed to have suffered any injuries in the accident.
“I can confirm that Jon Jones was arrested early this morning on suspicion of DUI,” stated manager Malki Kawa in a prepared statement to media. “While the facts of this situation are still being gathered and situated, First Round Management fully supports Jon and we are asking for fans and media to respect the privacy of Jon and his family during this time.”
No comment has been issued by Jones at this point in time.
Jones is currently scheduled to face Dan Henderson at UFC 151 in Las Vegas on September 1. It is unlikely the bout will be changed or he will endure any internal punishment from the UFC based on the organization’s handling of similar situations.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, time, jon, jone, jon jones
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC Light Heavyweight Champ Jon Jones Totals Bentley, Arrested on Suspicion of DUI
Jon Jones’ fancy new Bentley he bought last October after defending his UFC light heavyweight championship against Rampage Jackson is fancy no more. According to TMZ, Jones totaled the Bentley when he crashed it into a pole early this morning in Binghamton, NY. To make matters worse, Jones was then arrested by the Broome County [...]
Posted in: jone, rampage jackson, bentley, tmz jones, binghamton ny
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC champ Jones arrested for apparent DUI
UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones was arrested early Saturday morning for an apparent DUI after crashing his Bentley in New York.
Posted in: ufc, jone, champion, saturday morning, dui
Read the full article at sportsnet.ca
BREAKING: UFC Champion Jon Jones Arrested on Suspicion of DUI
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was arrested in the early hours of Saturday morning on suspicion of DUI. TMZ first reported the incident, which was later confirmed to MMAWeekly.com by Jones’ manager, Malki Kawa. The initial report from TMZ, citing undisclosed law enforcement sources, alleged that “Jones was involved in an accident at around [...]
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Posted in: jone, saturday morning, bull, “ jones, dui tmz
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones Arrested on Suspicion of DUI in Upstate New York
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence early Saturday morning in upstate New York, his management team confirmed today, shortly after news of the arrest was reported by TMZ.com. According to the TMZ report, Jones was involved in a car accident at around 5 a.m. in Binghamton, N.Y., near his hometown of Ithaca. TMZ claims that Jones crashed his Bentley into a pole and was arrested on the scene, though those details were not confirmed by his management.
First Round Management, which represents Jones, sent out a statement confirming the arrest and asking for privacy on behalf of the fighter and his family. His manager, Malki Kawa, is quoted in the statement as saying:
"I can confirm that Jon Jones was arrested early this morning on suspicion of DUI. While the facts of this situation are still being gathered and situated, First Round Management fully supports Jon and we are asking for fans and media to respect the privacy of Jon and his family during this time."
There's no word yet as to whether Jones sustained any injuries in the incident, though TMZ reports that he was taken into custody by the Broome County Sheriff and released after his mother posted his bond.
Jones is expected to defend his title against former Strikeforce and Pride champion Dan Henderson at UFC 151 on September 1 in Las Vegas. There's no word yet on whether the arrest and the alleged car accident might interfere with those plans, and the UFC has yet to release a statement on the matter.
Jones last competed at UFC 145 in Atlanta, where he successfully defended his title against former UFC champion Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, car accident, round management
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC Champion Jon Jones Arrested For Driving Under The Influence
TMZ is reporting that UFC Light Heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, was arrested earlier this morning in Binghamton, New York for a DUI. TMZ also reports that Jones totaled his Bentley in the process when he crashed it into a pole. No word on the physical condition Jones is in, but presumably he is unharmed, and no one else was hurt as a result either.
Jones was released a few hours later, after his mother arrived to post bail.
Jones is expected to defend his title against Mixed Martial Arts legend Dan Henderson later this summer. This will be Jones' 4th defense of the title.
read more after the jump
Jones isn't the only fighter to have had DUI's in the past, with perhaps Chris Leben's troubles being the most notorious. Yes, Jones is young and prone to making mistakes at 24, but this isn't a valid excuse for an obvious breaking of the law where other lives can be at risk.
There's no need to be preachy on this topic, since 'Don't drink and drive' should be common sense in most modern cultures by now. Jones' case is is interesting though, since he's a former law student and tries his utmost to put out a squeaky clean, role model image, sometimes annoying fans when it can come across forced and unnatural at times.
Jones in hindsight also appears to have put his foot in his mouth, when he said this back in April regarding his UFC Sponsorship going into the Rashad Evans fight:
"We came up with a strategy to keep it clean and be sponsored by the UFC itself. I’m glad the UFC wanted to work with me as well, and I think that they trust that I’ll never make them look bad. You never have to worry about me with a DWI (driving while under the influence) or doing something crazy," Jones explained.
Expect Dana White to be on the defensive with the "He's young and makes mistakes, f--k you, internet idiots" play.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jones case, influence tmz, internet idiots
Read the full article at Bloody Elbow
UFC champion Jon Jones arrested on DUI charge, management 'still gathering facts'
One of the biggest and most marketable stars in the UFC has been arrested on suspicion of DUI.
Jon Jones, the UFC's reigning light-heavyweight champion, was arrested early this morning after crashing his Bentley in Binghamton, N.Y.
Jones' management team confirmed the arrest today but stated, "The facts of this situation are still being gathered and situated."
Posted in: ufc, jone, lightheavyweight champion, arrest today, gathering facts
Read the full article at MMA JunkieJon Jones arrested for DUI after totalling his Bentley
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Posted in: jone, jon jones, dui, bentley, khathaar
Read the full article at RedditUFC's Jon Jones arrested for DUI in New York after crashing car into a pole
Remember that sweet Bentley Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones was riding around in that reportedly cost $190,000 (pic after the jump)? Yeah, it's been totaled.
That's because "Bones" crashed it into a pole in the early morning hours today (Sat., May 19, 2012) in Binghamton, New York. But that's not even the worst part.
Once police arrived on the scene, Jones was arrested for driving under the influence. TMZ.com has the story:
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Jones was involved in an accident at around 5:00 AM in Binghamton, NY. We're told the car -- which Jones crashed into a pole -- was totaled and cops arrested Jones on the scene for DUI.
According to our sources, Jones was taken into custody by Broome County Sheriff and bailed out a few hours later ... by his mom. Jones is from nearby Ithaca.
This comes less than one month after Jones successfully defended his 205-pound title with a unanimous decision victory over former teammate Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta. His next fight is scheduled for Sept. 1 against Dan Henderson at UFC 151 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more on this story as it develops.
Posted in: ufc, jone, dan henderson, influence tmzcom, sources jones
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC Champ Jon Jones charged with DUI after accident
USA Today is reporting that Light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones crashed his Bentley into a telephone pole when he was driving while intoxicated early Saturday morning. No injuries were reported at the scene, so Jones should still be on track to defend his title against Dan Henderson, at UFC 151 on September 1 in Las Vegas.MMAweekly.com confirmed this with Malki Kawa, Jones’ manager, who said: “I can confirm that Jon Jones was arrested early this morning on suspicion of DUI. While the facts of
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, saturday morning, las vegasmmaweeklycom
Read the full article at Low KickJones vs. Hendo confirmed at UFC 151
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Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, hendo, dp
Read the full article at RedditVideo: Dan Henderson talks Jon Jones UFC 151 fight and much more
Dan Henderson has his date with destiny, or doom, depending on how you feel his upcoming fight against 205-pound champion Jon Jones on Labor Day weekend 2012 will turn out.
The former Pride FC and Strikeforce champion will attempt to do what no other former mixed martial arts (MMA) champion has been able to do to date, which is beat "Bones" in Denver, Colo., on Sept. 1, 2012. Mauricio Rua, Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans have all tried, but all have failed.
"Suga" was the only one of the bunch who took Jones the distance in their recent fight at UFC 145. And while he may have had more success than his predecessors, Henderson feels Evans -- who boasts perhaps the most dominating MMA wrestling today -- played right into the hands of his former training partner.
Check it out:
"The most surprising thing was what Rashad Evans didn't do, not what Jon Jones did do. It was more about what Rashad didn't attempt. In the first round he kind of mixed it up a little but, but he still didn't get offensive with his wrestling at all, didn't try to set it up, didn't try and control the fight with his wrestling.... With Jones trying to hit you in the face so much, there were definitely some opening where he could have capitalized, but Rashad didn't really try to. He fought Jon Jones' fight."
Henderson is an Olympic-level Greco Roman wrestler; however, he rarely applies his dominant trade in MMA fights. He certainly uses it in tie ups and along the cage, but Henderson shooting for takedowns or attempting throws just doesn't happen very often.
Perhaps that will change in the "Mile High City."
In addition to his upcoming fight with Jones, Henderson offers a UFC on Fuel TV 3 breakdown, UFC 146 thoughts, including the growth of Alistair Overeem, the origin of the "H-Bomb" and a whole lote more in this extensive conversation.
Check out part two of the extensive interview with Dan Henderson after the jump:
For more on the UFC 151 main event between Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson be sure to check out our complete fight archive right here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, henderson, didnt
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJones vs. Henderson at UFC 151 made official
UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones will take on Dan Henderson in the main event of UFC 151 on Sept 1 in Las Vegas.
Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, dan henderson, official
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC Quick Quote: Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone will fight anybody, including his teammates
"I still am, 100 percent (Rashad's friend). Every day, I would walk in and say, 'I'm team Rashad.' It was just like that, I wear everything on my sleeve, I say how it is and I talk right to people. I would tell Jon (Jones), 'I'm team Rashad, man. That's my boy, that's my brother.' And Jones is cool man, he is a cool dude. I have no hard feelings. I go out with him and hang all the time and I train with him. It's not like I would take his training and tell Rashad, I wouldn't go that far. But he is like, 'I respect the fact that you were friends with Rashad before you met me and that you're sticking by your boy, and I respect that.' As for me, I will fight anyone. I will fight anybody. I would fight Leonard (Garcia), and I live with him. Does that answer your question? I would fight Clay (Guida), and he will still be my boy. I mean, this is what we do, we're professionals and there is going to come a time when teammates are going to have to fight. That's just the way it goes."
-- Not one to ever back down from a good scrap, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Donald Cerrone give his thoughts on the age-old dilemma that sometimes arises in the sport if mixed martial arts (MMA) -- teammates fighting teammates. After seeing the fallout between Rashad Evans and current Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones first-hand, "Cowboy" says that should the time come that he has to face any one of his training partners, including best friend and housemate, Leonard Garcia, he will have no problem doing so. Cerrone also told Pro MMA Radio that regardless of the fact that former training partner Rashad Evans is no longer a part of Team Jackson-Winkeljohn Mixed Martial Arts, and Jon Jones is, he has no problems letting "Bones" know exactly who his alliance and ties are with. And those are with his friend, "Suga." Cerrone will look to get back on track as he takes on Jeremy Stephens at UFC on Fuel TV: "Korean Zombie vs. Poirier" on May 15, 2012, in Fairfax, Virginia.
Posted in: jone, rashad, cerrone, friend, teammate
Read the full article at MMA ManiaNot Everyone Was Completely Impressed By Jon Jones’ Performance Vs. Rashad Evans
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones earned a decision victory over Rashad Evans earlier this year. The win was the third title defense for “Bones,” with all three coming against former UFC champions. While from the outside-looking-in it might have appeared Jones had little trouble with his former training partner, not everyone saw it that [...]
Posted in: jone, title defense, rashad evans, decision victory, ufc champions
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones draws Dan Henderson on Labor Day Weekend
It looks like Jon Jones anticipated outing against legendary light heavyweight Dan Henderson has an official date!
According to UFC President Dana White (via Twitter), “Bones” will battle Henderson on September 1 in Las Vegas. Though the show does not have a numerical label yet the card is expected to be UFC 151.
When the 29-8 Henderson gets around to facing Jones he will have been out of action for ten months with his last bout coming this past November. However, his absence has been intentional rather than health-related as “Hendo” has been holding on to the title-shot he earned in that victory rather than risk it in the interim. The 41-year old icon is currently on a four-fight winning streak including victories over Renato Sobral, Fedor Emelianenko, and most recently Mauricio Rua.
Henderson Taking His Career Year-by-Year, Not Fight-by-Fight
Comparably, Jones is 16-1 with his only stumble involving an unnecessary disqualification. He has successfully defended the divisional title three times since winning it from Rua with all of the wins coming against former champions (Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson, and Rashad Evans).
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, henderson, las vegas
Read the full article at Fighters.comMorning Report: Dan Henderson Gets a Date With Destiny; MMA's Unexpected Cameo on 'The Daily Show'
Well, it's finally official. At just 41 years young, Dan Henderson is slated to fight 24-year-old phenom Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight strap.
Not surprisingly, Henderson opened as nearly a 6-to-1 underdog, and really, after watching Jones treat the upper echelon of 205 pounds like his own personal plaything, the argument could be made for the odds to be higher.
It's almost been a foregone conclusion Hendo will lose, but there's really an underrated storyline here that seems to be getting lost under the hype. Daniel Cormier recently touched on it when asked what Dan fighting a different champion, Junior dos Santos, would represent.
"It's just what he's done his whole career," Cormier said to MMA:30. "He's fought heavyweights, he's fought middleweights, he's fought 205-pounders, and if you look at his record, it's amazing. So Dan Henderson should be mentioned as one of the greatest fighters of all-time, if not the greatest fighter of all-time, but he's missing that UFC title. He has to be a UFC champion. I think if he is, Dan Henderson will universally be considered the best fighter of all-time."
Cormier has a point. Amid all of Henderson's many accomplishments, the sheen of a UFC belt is the one monstrous, glistening omission.
So really, the amount of legacy at stake for Hendo here is astounding. This one fight could potentially change everything. No one expects Henderson to win, but what happens if he somehow lands the mother-of-all-H-bombs, stuns the world one last time, defeats the undefeatable, and finally gets that elusive belt? Couldn't a very, very convincing case be made for Henderson to be the greatest MMA fighter of all time?
Of course, the overriding sentiment is that Jones will win handedly. But still, somewhere in the back of his mind, Hendo has to know this his last shot at UFC gold. And that kind of desperation can be a dangerous asset.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson. Jon Jones will defend his UFC light heavyweight strap against MMA legend Dan Henderson in the main event of UFC 151, scheduled for September 1, 2012 in Las Vegas, NV.
Dominick Cruz discusses 'devastating' knee injury. UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz revealed how he tore the ACL in his left knee, how long he expects to be out, and what he thinks about the UFC's decision to institute an interim title.
Ronda Rousey speaks to critics. Strikeforce bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey spoke about the influx of media attention she's received and why Dana White seems to be a big fan of hers, while offering some choice words for both her critics and upcoming opponent, Sarah Kaufman.
Chris Lytle loses Indiana State Senate election. Former UFC brawler Chris Lytle lost in his bid to reach the Indiana State Senate, finishing less than 2,000 votes short of eventual Republican nomination winner Mike Crider.
Bellator 68 predictions. Preview Friday night's Bellator 68 main card with analysis and predictions for Daniel Straus vs. Marlon Sandro, Marcos Galvao vs. Travis Marx, Carmelo Marrero vs. Seth Petruzelli, and Marius Zaromskis vs. Waachiim Spiritwolf.
MEDIA STEW
It's rare that MMA hits the airwaves on something as mainstream as Comedy Central's The Daily Show, but that's exactly what happened earlier this week. Though, it wasn't quite in the context you'd expect.
The Daily ShowGet More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook
Chael Sonnen rapping -- great thing or greatest thing?
And of course, your daily does of violence. Wait for the finish, it's totally worth it. (Around the 2:50 mark for the impatient.) So, about how long until we see someone bust this out in the cage? (HT: Reddit)
Katerina Pyle, the wife of UFC fighter Mike Pyle, reveals how she met her hubby, and it's pretty much the least romantic thing we've ever heard. (HT: MiddleEasy)
WHO EXACTLY IS THIS JOHN JONES FELLA
John Jones vs Dan Henderson for Jones UFC LHW title on Sept 1st in Las Vegas!!!!
— Dana White (@danawhite) May 10, 2012
BACK TO THE GRIND
My next fight will be against... j-lau.com/LR9JTC
— Joe Lauzon (@JoeLauzon) May 9, 2012
ALSO...
Mother's Day is this Sunday. #YouHaveBeenWarned
— Joe Lauzon (@JoeLauzon) May 9, 2012
EVGENI & VINNY
Douche Bigalow Fighting Gigalo and side kick shit-for-brains manager, where is today's stormfront of homophobia? #unemploymentisnotshameful
— evgeni kogan (@evgenikogan) May 9, 2012
@evgenikogan aka Fancy Boy talks about unemployment as if it was a fact. I'm following doing nothing but honoring a contract that I signed.
— Vinny Magalhaes (@VinnyMMA) May 9, 2012
@evgenikogan talks about unemployment, but he forgets that it was up to me to take his laughable offer when he made me one, and I didn't.
— Vinny Magalhaes (@VinnyMMA) May 9, 2012
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Wednesday, May 9, 2012):
- UFC 151: Jon Jones (16-1) vs. Dan Henderson (29-8) announced for September 1
- UFC on FOX 4: Joe Lauzon (21-7) vs. Terry Eitm (15-4)
- UFC on FOX 4: Matt Mitrione (5-1) vs. Rob Broughton (15-7-1)
- UFC on FOX 4: Oli Thompson (9-3) vs. Phil De Fries (8-1)
- Bellator 69: Shanon Slack (3-0) vs. Booker Arthur (2-1)
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today's Fanpost of the Day features Hobbie wistfully looking back at what could have been: The Sad Story of Fedor and the UFC Only Becomes Sadder in Hindsight
Anyone who was an MMA nerd back then remembers how insane the "Fedor is coming to the UFC" hype was. Sure, this was a news story that cropped up every few months or so (it still does, actually) but this time was special. The timing was perfect, the opportunity was there, and everything seemed set for the biggest signing in MMA history.
It never happened. Like something out of a Dr. Seuss story, White and company offered Fedor money. They offered M-1 exposure on their PPV broadcast. They offered him even more money. They offered to let him compete in Sambo tournaments. And did I mention they offered him a ton of money?
But still, Fedor would not eat those green eggs and ham, Sam I Am.
Now lots has been written about this failed business deal, by folks far more "in the know" than I. Still, reading over this news item, I couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy. There's so much to regret in the failed UFC/Fedor deal, and the passage of time has only added to the unbelievable sense of missed opportunity for Fedor.
Why do I say that? There's a few reasons, but chief among them are:
Fedor would have beaten Brock Lesnar
I know I know, there's nothing worse than some blogger stating that fighter X would "definitely" beat fighter Y, especially in a past-tense, completely hypothetical scenario.
But follow my logic here.
Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, henderson, dan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseCoach: Dan Henderson will put his hands on Jon Jones
"I don't hope for anything less than a knockout, but it's not easy on Hendo. He's putting his hands on him, buddy. If he didn't have this (reach) advantage things would be much simpler, even because he has many flaws on his defensive system. But there's no unbeatable reach you can't win with patience and calm. We're having him doing sparrings with guys the same size as Jones so that Dan get used to it. It's important not to rush things and want to punch him right away. We have to cut well the octagon,
Posted in: jone, dan, advantage things, hendo hes, rush things
Read the full article at Low KickUFC Quick Quote: Dan Henderson is going 'put his hands' on Jon Jones
"I don't hope for anything less than a knockout, but it's not easy on Hendo. He's putting his hands on him, buddy. If he didn't have this (reach) advantage things would be much simpler, even because he has many flaws on his defensive system. But there's no unbeatable reach you can't win with patience and calm. We're having him doing sparrings with guys the same size as Jones so that Dan get used to it. It's important not to rush things and want to punch him right away. We have to cut well the octagon, putting pressure but not rushing into things. We have to try to make the octagon small, leaving no space out for Jones to escape Henderson. We have to use a lot of flow, combine kicks, move the head and work on the reach."
-- The confidence runs high with Dan Henderson's boxing coach, Gustavo Pugliesi, who tells Tatame that the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight will indeed "put his hands" on the current 205-pound champion, Jon Jones, when the two meet at the recently-announced UFC 151 on Sept. 1, 2012. "Bones," who is aiming for his fourth consecutive title defense in 12 months, will definitely have his hands full with the wily veteran. The title fight will be Henderson's third chance at capturing UFC gold. The former PRIDE Welterweight and Middleweight champion came up short against Quinton Jackson at UFC 75 in a 205-pound title unification match, followed by his loss to Anderson Silva in their 185-pound title fight six months later. In a bout that embodies youth versus experience, Jones will most likely be on the lookout for the former Olympian's dangerous right hand, which has put the hurt on veterans such as Fedor Emelianenko, Rafael Cavalcante, Michael Bisping and Wanderlei Silva, among others. Jones, who has taking a few licks from the likes of Lyoto Machida and most recently Rashad Evans has proven he can take a shot, but will an "H-Bomb" be too much for him to handle? Remember: It's a game of inches.
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, henderson, hand
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones vs. Dan Henderson Title Fight Set for UFC 151
As expected, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will defend his title against Dan Henderson on September 1, 2012, in the main event of UFC 151.
The championship match-up, which will be Jones' first title defense in Las Vegas, was announced by UFC President Dana White via Twitter late Wednesday night.
Jones (16-1), of course, recently retained his title by dominating longtime rival Rashad Evans over the course of five rounds en route to a unanimous decision victory at UFC 145. The match marked the first time the 24-year-old reached the judges' scorecards since a 2009 victory over Stephan Bonnar.
Ultimately, Henderson serves as one of the final top-10 fighters in Jones' path, as the young champion has essentially cleaned out the 205-pound division in a span of 14 months after an unprecedented string of victories over Ryan Bader, Shogun Rua, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Evans.
However, at a spry 41 years old, Henderson (29-8) possesses one of the most celebrated résumés in mixed martial arts history, claiming multiple titles across weight classes while picking up notable wins over Fedor Emelianenko, Michael Bisping, Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
He last fought at UFC 139, besting Shogun Rua in a legendary war of attrition that many believed to be one of the greatest MMA fights of all time.
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, henderson, victory
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones vs. Dan Henderson set for September Showdown
Light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is set to take on former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Dan Henderson on September 1 in Las Vegas. UFC President Dana White announced the matchup via twitter.
While there is currently no event scheduled for September 1, the bout will likely headline UFC 151 with UFC 150 and UFC 152 already scheduled.
The matchup was originally planned for UFC 149 but the bout was scrapped after Jones needed more time to rest after his UFC 145 victory over Rashad Evans.
Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy for more on this developing story.
MMAFrenzy.com
Posted in: ufc, jone, september, heavyweight, rashad evans
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 151: Jon Jones vs Dan Henderson official for Sept. 1 in Las Vegas
Get ready for a Light Heavyweight delight this upcoming Labor Day weekend.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White just announced that his brightest star, Jon Jones, will defend his 205-pound title for the fourth time in 12 months when he collides with mixed martial arts (MMA) legend Dan Henderson on Sept. 1, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
No specific venue is known at this time. Nor were any other specific details announced; however, the super showdown will certainly headline the UFC 151 fight card.
Jones most recently toppled former Jackson's MMA stablemate Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Ga., on Apr. 21, 2012, earning a unanimous decision on the judges scorecards and perhaps the distinction as one of the greatest fighters of all time.
Sounds silly, considering "Bones" is just 24-years-young, but there is nothing silly about a dangerous man who has ripped through a Murderer's Row of former champions that includes Evans, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Mauricio Rua in devastating fashion.
Henderson, a former dual Pride FC champion and sure-fire Hall of Fame inductee, would be another major feather in a very crowded cap.
With a sensational, "Fight of the Year" performance in a win over the aforementioned Rua in Nov. 2011, Henderson punched his ticket to most likely his last championship fight inside the Octagon. He's already had two bites at the apple, back-to-back fights against Jackson in 2007 (Unanimous Decision) and then Anderson Silva in 2008 (Submission).
Henderson, who will be 42 years old by the time fight night rolls around, has won four consecutive fights, which includes victories over Fedor Emelianenko and Rafael Cavalcante, who he finished to win the Strikeforce 205-pound world title.
New Age vs. Old Guard, The Future vs. The Past, Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson: Who ya' got?
Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for the latest UFC 151 news, notes and the still-developing fight card.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, henderson
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 205-Pound Champ Jon Jones Vs. Dan Henderson Confirmed For September 1
Dana White confirmed on Twitter Wednesday night that UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones will face no. 1 contender Dan Henderson on Saturday, September 1st in Las Vegas, Nevada.
It will be the main event of what is expected to be UFC 151, one of two pay-per-views set for September.
@danawhiteDana White John Jones vs Dan Henderson for Jones UFC LHW title on Sept 1st in Las Vegas!!!! May 10 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply
The 24-year-old Jones (16-1) will be looking for the fourth successful defense of the title he won in March 2011 by defeating Mauricio Rua. He's won seven in a row, defeating rival Rashad Evans by unanimous decision several weeks ago at UFC 145.
Henderson (29-8) essentially earned the shot with a unanimous decision classic over Rua last November at UFC 139. Before that, he was the last Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion, taking the title from Rafael Cavalcante last March but never defending the gold. The 41-year-old has won four in a row and notably finished Fedor Emelianenko last July in Strikeforce.
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, henderson, dan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones-Dan Henderson For UFC Light Heavyweight Title Confirmed For September 1
Jon Jones will look to defend his UFC light heavyweight title for a fourth time when he steps inside the Octagon against another legend in Dan Henderson. UFC president Dana White confirmed on Twitter that Jones-Henderson will go down September 1 from Las Vegas. John Jones vs Dan Henderson for Jones UFC LHW title on [...]
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, september, henderson
Read the full article at MMA Convert'Bones' coach: Rashad Evans came 'within inches' of knocking out Jon Jones at UFC 145
After the dust settled in the main event between current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former training partner turned bitter rival, Rashad Evans, at UFC 145 on April 21, 2012, "Bones" had proved his dominance yet again, earning a unanimous decision victory over "Suga."
The win marked his seventh straight and third consecutive title defense since earning the 205-pound title in March 2011.
Though Evans undoubtedly gave the young star his toughest test to date, taking him to the unchartered waters of going a deep 25 minutes, the bout, for the most part, was a one-side affair. Jones used his reach to keep his foe at bay and fended off any offensive attacks from the former light heavyweight kingpin, never coming close to any danger.
At least, that's the way what it appeared to the untrained eye of the spectator.
According to Jones' striking coach, Mike Winkeljohn over at Jackson-Winkeljohn Mixed martial Arts in Albuquerque, N.M., Evans came "within inches" of turning his star pupil's lights out. He would know, after all, Winkeljohn did serve as Evans' striking coach during his rise to glory whilst he was a student of his down in the 505.
Make the jump to hear from "Wink" himself via Prickley Pair Studios:
"Jon stood to still too much and got hit by it (overhand right). Close to finishing the fight. It could have been, within inches, a little more snap of the hips to snap the chin down and cause that much more pain that would have put Jon out. So we got away with that one. And same thing with the head kick. The Sean Salmon head kick that I worked with Rashad on so much. Jon got right in that space, leaned in and Rashad kicked him in the head. Other than those two moments Jon pretty much owned the fight, and so I was really happy with that."
Winkeljohn also says that he had some nice words with his former student, Evans, after the bout, but things would not be the way they used to be, seeing that the competitor in Rashad is certain he will get another crack at dethroning Jones down the road.
Meanwhile, "Bones" will next face former PRIDE FC Middleweight and Welterweight champion and former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champion, Dan Henderson, later this year as he attempts to defends his title for the fourth time.
What say you, if Rashad nearly cleaned Jones' clock, what will a perfectly-placed "H-Bomb" from "Hendo" do to the young champ? Can Jones prove his resolve once again and show that he can eat a few shots from one of the most powerful punchers in the game today?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: jon, jone, light, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaVIDEO: Jon Jones – On the Brink, Part I
Go behind the scenes of UFC 145 with light heavyweight champion Jon Jones in this exclusive look from "UFC Ultimate Insider" on Fuel TV.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, heavyweight, champion
Read the full article at Heavy MMAJon Jones Vs. Dan Henderson Tentatively Scheduled For UFC 151 In September
It appears that UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will be meeting Dan Henderson on September 1st. The card hasn't been announced yet, but would likely be called UFC 151 based on currently scheduling. MMA Fighting relays the info:
UFC president Dana White said that the organization was targeting an early September date for the UFC light-heavyweight champion's next title defense, likely on Labor Day weekend.
That would put it exactly three weeks after UFC 150 in Denver and three weeks before UFC 152 in Toronto, which seems like a good fit. No location has been determined for the tentative card as of yet.
Related Stories: Jon Jones Vs. Dan Henderson Won't Happen At UFC 149, Likely August Or September | Jon Jones Opens As Huge Favorite Over Dan Henderson
Jones is coming off his third straight successful title defense, defeating Rashad Evans by unanimous decision at UFC 145 last month. Henderson hasn't competed since he picked up a narrow victory in a war with Mauricio "Shugun" Rua last November at UFC 139. He had been sitting out in hopes of getting a title shot, and it was granted shorty after Jones defeated Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, henderson, title defense
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones Has a Long Way to Go? How Good Can He Get?
Jon Jones "just annihilated every champ in the 205-pound division in UFC history, (but) he still has a lot to learn.” How good can he get?
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Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, ufc history, bull
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones vs. Dan Henderson tentatively targeted for Sept. 1, likely UFC 151
NEW YORK - Jon Jones' next title defense likely will come in early September.
Earlier this week, UFC president Dana White said the UFC's light-heavyweight champion is expected to meet No. 1 contender Dan Henderson on Labor Day weekend.
Although no event has been announced, that'd mean a possible Sept. 1 date, likely as UFC 151.
Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, dan, title defense
Read the full article at MMA JunkieFive Fast Questions With UFC Champion Jon Jones
Longtime readers of MMAmania.com know that Nostradumbass doesn't like to leave his basement very often.
But when the executives at Spike TV call and tell you they're holding Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 205-pound kingpin Jon Jones just for you, it's not the kind of opportunity you pass up.
Even if it means crossing the Hudson river.
"Bones" was good enough to give me a few minutes of his time following his appearance on Thursday night's (May 4, 2012) edition of "MMA Uncensored Live," the weekly mixed martial arts (MMA) show filmed inside the disemboweled TRL studio in the heart of Times Square.
Not much has changed.
I first met the lanky-but-lethal light heavyweight in early 2009, following his three round destruction of Ultimate Fighter (TUF) veteran Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94 in Las Vegas. When I asked him how it felt to go from six straight finishes to back-to-back decisions, he simply shrugged and conceded he was only at 10-15 percent of his true potential.
On Thursday night in Manhattan, he upgraded that estimate to 30 percent.
Even if his math is off by more than double that figure, it's still a frightening assessment from a champion who's close to cleaning out his division at just 24 years old.
Not that you'd ever notice.
Despite his newfound superstardom, Jones was still the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed phenom I first met in "Sin City." Even when the cameras were off and his manager was tugging at his sleeve, he was just as kind and affable the second time around.
It was certainly a far cry from getting trolled by "Rampage."
In addition to Iron Man being his favorite Avenger, here's what else Jones told me.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Reports surfaced earlier today that your title defense against Dan Henderson is being targeted for Sept. 1 at a location to be named. What can you tell me about those plans?
Jon Jones: "That's news to me. I haven't even spoken to Greg about the fight or coach Winkeljohn. None of my coaches, actually. They know that I just want to be with my family. I just bought my first house and I am doing a lot of work on the house. I've just been a little busy back in the real world."
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Is there an exit strategy for 205-pounds? Or does that come when the weight cut starts getting harder?
Jon Jones: "There isn't, there isn't. I think the strategy will be when I am simply starting to get too big or when there's not much competition left. The last weight cut was very easy. As I'm getting older, I am getting stronger which makes the cut slightly harder. But, I'm getting a lot more responsible, more mature, saying no to carbs and just making it easier for myself."
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): You're starting to change the way fighters approach sponsorships and personal branding. Is this a media persona or is what we see, what we get?
Jon Jones: "My personal brand is very important to me. That is something I think about quite often. I think that is why I do so much media. I think I put on a little bit of a media persona, but, that's who I am."
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): How does being sponsored by the UFC change your relationship with them as a promoter? Is there pressure now to act as an ambassador for MMA? You know, shake a lot of hands, kiss a lot of babies?
Jon Jones: "These guys let me live my life. I will come out whenever they ask me to do some type of media obligation, but at the same time, they understand that I work very hard for them and they give me my own space."
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Because your rise to power has unfolded so rapidly, both fans and the media are still getting to know you both as a 'person' and as a 'personality.' Do you think, based on some of the pre-fight hype in your last couple of bouts that you are, perhaps, misunderstood?
Jon Jones: "I think in some ways I am misunderstood and other ways, you know, people just don't know me. They don't know me personally, so it's hard to judge someone over, maybe, 300 hours worth of footage that they can find on me, of me talking. Outside of that, you got 300 hours of footage and then you have my fights, outside of that, they really don't know me. I have had a pretty consistent fan base and a pretty consistent group of haters. It's just, it is what it is. It comes with the territory of being a winner. Being a winner, you go under a lot of people's light and some is good some is bad. Either way, they know who you are, they check your tweets and all that. So whether they hate you or love you, they are still there."
They are still there, and so is Jones.
That means unless "Hendo" can land one of his patented "H-Bombs" later this year, or Alexander Gustafsson keeps on winning and earns himself a title shot, "Bones" to heavyweight is not only likely, it's necessary.
After all, if you're a king with no one to rule, it's time to seek out new lands to conquer. That's the next logical step for a fighter who wants to emulate Alexander the Great.
Unless Jones retires at 30 to go play baseball.
Posted in: jon, jone, lot, mmamaniacom, holland
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones: “I’m not worried about the H-Bomb.”
UFC light heavyweight Dan Henderson is known for a lot of things but none so much as “The H-Bomb”, his brutal overhand right known for leaving opponents like Michael Bisping and Wanderlei Silva gasping for air. However, Henderson’s next opponent – champion Jon Jones – isn’t necessarily concerned about getting blasted by the former Strikeforce/PRIDE title-holder’s best weapon.
“No, I’m not worried about the ‘H-Bomb,’” said Jones on this week’s edition of MMA Uncensored. “I fought Ryan Bader. He had an amazing overhand right. I think he won The Ultimate Fighter with that overhand right. Rashad Evans ended up knocking out Chuck Liddell with his overhand right. Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua had an awesome overhand right. I’m just not worried about it. It’s a single technique that I’m prepared for, extensively.”
“’Hendo’ actually has a good left hook, as well, so, I’m not worried about single strikes,” Jones concluded, understanding Henderson is dangerous for reasons beyond his trademark blow.
The 24-year old’s analytical approach to his adversaries comes from having seen some of his peers make the mistake of losing focus instead of appreciating all the possibilities at play. It was also likely influenced by eating a few stiff shots from Evans in their recent bout including one that “wobbled” him.
“You know, I have this thing where I don’t like to rush. I definitely don’t want to ever lose a fight by getting caught by a wild punch,” explained Jones. “There was a scenario where, Eddie Alvarez*, I think that’s who it was, where he like body shotted this one guy, then he ran up to him to try and finish the fight, and the last thing the guy hit him with, his last shot, and it ended up knocking out Eddie Alvarez. I think that’s who it was. That haunted me. I would never want something like that to happen to me. So, what I do is, I take my time and realize that I have 25 minutes to methodically pick someone apart.”
No date is set for Jones vs. Henderson though UFC President Dana White has come out to say the UFC is looking at September with a possible attachment to Labor Day Weekend.
* – Editor’s Note: Sounds like Scott Smith vs. Pete Sell, not an Alvarez fight
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/STRIKEFORCE
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, right, henderson
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones not worried about Dan Henderson's 'H-bomb,' prays for Rashad Evans and more
There's not much to say about Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, good or bad, that hasn't already been said.
"Bones" has been called many things, all the way from "arrogant" to "greatest of all time." After his win over former Jackson's MMA stablemate Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Ga., on Apr. 21, 2012, however, even Jones' staunchest detractors are starting to come around.
The 24-year-old prodigy has come about as close to cleaning out a division in record time as mixed martial arts (MMA) fans have seen in this recent era of the sport, which is saying something when you consider the list of big names he has run through in no short order.
But, in the world of hurt, no good deed goes unpunished.
His next order of business will be former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion and PRIDE legend Dan Henderson, in a fight that is still yet to be given an event and a date. During an appearance on Spike TV's "MMA Uncensored Live," Jones talked about his upcoming opponent, as well as his infamous overhand right.
No surprise, he's not really that worried:
"No, I'm not worried about the 'H-bomb.' I fought Ryan Bader. He had an amazing overhand right. I think he won The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) with that overhand right. Rashad Evans ended up knocking out Chuck Liddell with his overhand right. Mauricio 'Shogun' (Rua) had an awesome overhand right. I'm just not worried about it. It's a single technique that I'm prepared for, extensively. 'Hendo' actually has a good left hook, as well, so, I'm not worried about single strikes."
In the interview, Jones was asked about what might be next if he were able to knock off "Hendo." Specifically, he was questioned about the possibility of a "super fight" between either UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva or UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior dos Santos. He was asked who of the two he'd prefer to fight, if push came to shove.
Here's what he had to say:
"Man, well, you know, I wouldn't wanna fight either of them, because of the relationship that I have with those guys. They're pretty awesome guys. If I had to choose, I would probably go with dos Santos."
Following up on the question, Jones was asked about how he thinks a fight between he and "JDS" might go down. Perhaps having learned from his previous media faux pas with Evans, "Bones" was diplomatic in his response:
"I dunno. You know, he's not on my radar. Dan Henderson's the guy that I'm focused on, the most. He's still a ways away. But, I don't know how I would fight Junior. But, you know, I definitely don't want this to be taken as me calling him out, by any means. I'm a light heavyweight, and I'm fighting Dan Henderson."
Jones has been mentioned by some as being in the conversation of "greatest of all time." He believes it's a title he may one day deserve, but in the meantime, he plans on continuing to work as hard as he can and try to be deserving of his accolades:
"It's very flattering, and it's an honor to be considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. It's something that I'm working towards, so to be near that, already, it's something that's a blessing and an honor and it reminds me that I'm on the right track to be where I want to be. I live up to it by training hard and by not wasting my days and realizing that these are something that I'll never get back and to really give myself the best odds of that being true."
For now, Jones is quick to give the "greatest of all time" distinction to his buddy, "The Spider," but he also wanted to make it known that he's raised his own personal ceiling. It's not enough for him to be the greatest mixed martial artist of all time.
He wants his name to go down as a legendary overall combatant:
"The greatest of all time would have to be Anderson Silva. But, I'm starting to change my way of thinking, to not try to be one of the greatest martial artists or boxers of all time, (Muhammad) Ali or Anderson. I wanna be like 'Alexander the Great,' a guy who conquers and is fearless and who just love combat. That's the mindset that I'm trying to evolve myself to."
It may be tough for some people to consider Jones in the same breath as "Alexander the Great," or even Muhammad Ali, after he was unable to finish Evans in a five-round bout that went to the judges' scorecard. Jones defended his performance in his last fight, indicating his new-found respect for taking his time:
"You know, I have this thing where I don't like to rush. I definitely don't want to ever lose a fight by getting caught by a wild punch. There was a scenario where, Eddie Alvarez, I think that's who it was, where he like body shotted this one guy, then he ran up to him to try and finish the fight, and the last thing the guy hit him with, his last shot, and it ended up knocking out Eddie Alvarez. I think that's who it was. That haunted me. I would never want something like that to happen to me. So, what I do is, I take my time and realize that I have 25 minutes to methodically pick someone apart."
According to Jones, he hasn't talked to "Suga" since the two did battle last month. However, he does wish him well. He even hopes that there's still a chance they may be able to re-kindle their friendship, one day:
"I haven't talked to Rashad, but I definitely pray for him. I wonder how he's doing. I'm sure it's a lot to lose, especially to me. You know, it's a tough time in Rashad's life right now, so he's definitely in my thoughts and prayers. I'm sure he would have loved to beat me, but at the same time, I'm sure he remembers how easy it was for us to be friends. What's happened has already happened now, and hopefully, that friendship is still possible."
You would think that Jones would be quick to say his last fight was his toughest fight. It was his first non-finish. It was versus a fighter who he had trained with and who he knew intimately and was a bout that brought with it much emotional baggage. But if you guessed the opponent that Jones considers his toughest challenge is Evans, you'd be wrong:
"The toughest opponent, up to this point, would have to have been Stephan Bonnar. He pushed me to the limits. I hit him hard, and he kept coming with relentlessness."
Definitely interesting, but it's hard to argue that "The American Psycho" is one tough fighter.
Lastly, Jones talked about his game and his all-around skill set. Though he's known for his stand up and striking, his jiu-jitsu is an aspect that he continually works on in training. We just haven't seen much of it in the Octagon. Not yet, anyway:
"During my training camps, I work a lot on jiu jitsu. It really varies on the opponent that I go against. You know, if there's a guy who has really great takedowns, and he has something that he likes to do on top, or he has really terrible takedown defense, and he has something that he always does on bottom, I focus on specific positions. Like, for 'Shogun,' we realized that 'Shogun' had been taken down 16 out of 18 attempts, and he immediately goes to half guard, and he tries to go for a sweep. So, me knowing that, I realized the odds of taking down 'Shogun' were huge, and I worked on my half guard."
Maybe we'll get to see "Bones" working off his back in his next fight. After bludgeoning Evans' face for five rounds with standing elbows, it's hard to put anything past him at this point. He's full of surprises, and that's not a good thing if you're one of his opponents.
Posted in: fight, time, jone, he, im
Read the full article at MMA ManiaDana White Discusses Jon Jones' Future, Ronda Rousey and More
UFC president Dana White met the press after Thursday's UFC on FOX 3 pre-fight press conference, speaking his mind on topics such as Jon Jones going to heavyweight, Ronda Rousey's future, Gilbert Melendez and more.Check out the highlights of the scrum below.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, thursdays ufc, ronda
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones vs. Dan Henderson Targeted for September 1
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Posted in: jone, september, vs, dan, mattyblayze
Read the full article at RedditJon Jones vs. Dan Henderson Targeted for September 1
NEW YORK -- Jon Jones' murderer's row of opponents looks like it will resume again during the dog days of summer.On Thursday, UFC president Dana White said that the organization was targeting an early September date for the UFC light-heavyweight champion's next title defense, likely on Labor Day weekend.
The UFC currently has no September 1 show on its official schedule, but if and when it gets added, future Hall of Famer Dan Henderson is on deck in the challenger's role.
Jones (16-1) has so far successfully run the gauntlet of former champions thrown his way, smashing through Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Rashad Evans consecutively. Add in his February 2011 win over Ryan Bader, and he defeated five top 10 opponents in the span of 14 months.Jones' manager Malki Kawa recently told MMA Fighting that Jones preferred to take some time off after his recent stretch of activity, and that he was likely to be ready to fight again in August or September.
Meanwhile, Henderson (29-8) hasn't fought since last November, when he beat Rua in a fight many have called the greatest bout in MMA history. He's won seven of his last eight.
Posted in: ufc, jone, september, henderson, title defense
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseDan Henderson: “I am taking it year by year, not necessarily fight by fight.”
When Dan Henderson finally meets Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title he will be 42 years old meaning he was a senior in high school when Jones was still an infant. However, the wily veteran has no plans of slowing down in the near future as long as his body holds up, and when considering his recent success it’s hard to blame the former PRIDE/Strikeforce champion.
Henderson recently spoke about his approach to competition where he made it clear he expects to be taking to the cage in 2013 and beyond.
“I see myself fighting another couple years at least,” said Henderson in an interview with Fightlinker. “Right now I am taking it year by year, not necessarily fight by fight. I do feel as though I have a few good years left in me and I love to compete. I am training a lot smarter than I used to, I don’t beat my body up as bad as I used to.”
Jones Hopeful Henderson Will Avoid Trash-Talk
In Jones the 29-8 legend will take on an opponent unlike any he’s faced before, combining raw athletic ability with creative striking and technically sound grappling. It’s a match-up that clearly excites Henderson.
“It’ll probably be a more entertaining fight than if I had faced Rashad Evans. Evans would’ve looked to put me on my back and try to win the fight on the ground whereas Jones would be more apt to keep the fight standing,” admitted Henderson of Jones in comparison to the champ’s adversary two weeks ago at UFC 145. “I think the fans are happy that I will be facing Jones instead of Evans.”
No date has been set for Henderson’s shot at dethroning Jones though it seems late August or early September could be in line for the bout. “Hendo” is currently on a four-fight winning streak including success against Renato Sobral, Rafael Cavalcante, Fedor Emelianenko, and Mauricio Rua.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, henderson, year
Read the full article at Fighters.comManager says Jon Jones-Dan Henderson not happening at UFC 149
Malki Kawa, who knows the future of UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones almost better than anyone else, is fairly certain his fighter will not return to action this summer as many have speculated. As such, the likelihood of Jones defending his title against Dan Henderson in the main event of UFC 149 is highly unlikely.
“He will not be fighting in July,” said Kawa in a recent interview with MMAFighting. “It’s just probably a little too soon. There’s been no timetable yet, but July probably isn’t going to happen. Jon’s going to take a little time to himself, and then he’ll get back into it.”
Jones earned another successful title-defense by scoring a decision against Rashad Evans two weeks ago at UFC 145. The fight was the first “Bones” had gone the distance in after holding onto his belt in prompter fashion against ex-champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida.
Henderson has been sitting on the sidelines awaiting his shot at the young champion since defeating Mauricio “Shogun” Rua last year.
UFC President Dana White mentioned Jones-Henderson as a possibility for the card, but did say he had no idea if Jones would be ready to go again that quickly. Jones has said he would like to fight at least four times this year though it seems unlikely at this point.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, henderson, dan henderson
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145 Video: Jon Jones "On The Brink" Series From Ultimate Insider On Fuel TV
Jon Jones is a star in world of mixed martial arts. He is the dominant champion of the light heavyweight division on this planet and has battered every opponent he has faced. Most diligent followers of the sport already know this and respect his abilities, if not his personality or turn of phrases.
For those sitting on the fence or those not aware of Jones' capabilities and his compelling narrative of the rise to greatness, the UFC has decided to put together a series of videos to showcase all of that. The videos are shot and edited in much the same fashion as the Countdowns, with voiceover by Jones himself, slick editing and much training footage from his lead-up to UFC 145 and the bout against Rashad Evans. It is a well presented package - although with the idea of bolstering Jon Jones even further into the MMA stratosphere.
Without further ado, "On The Brink":
For those who have the bandwith and the time, it would be advisable to bump up the settings to at least 480p or 720p. Viewers from outside the United States may not be able to access the video here or directly through YouTube's site.
Related Links: Jon Jones Emerges As A Star With 700,000 PPV Buys For UFC 145 | Elbows In The UFC: Why Jon Jones Succeeded Where Shinya Aoki Failed
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, video
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowOn The Brink – Jon Jones (Video – Part 1)
Leading up to his fight with Rashad Evans at UFC 145, UFC Ultimate Insider went behind the scenes with UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
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Read the full article at MMA WeeklyIs Jon Jones fighting the greatest fighter of all-time in Dan Henderson?
Dan Henderson's 15 years in the 18-year-old sport of mixed martial arts render "Hendo" one of the 10 greatest mixed fighters of all-time.
As the 41-year-old MMA legend next prepares to challenge UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones - the youngest titleholder in octagon history - the question arises.
Is Jones facing the greatest of all-time?
Posted in: jone, jon jones, henderson, alltime, octagon history
Read the full article at MMA Junkie
Has The Alistair Overeem Workout Plan Influenced Our Expectations For Jon Jones?
Before the sweat had a chance to dry on Jon Jones' brow following his dominant performance against Rashad Evans, Dana White had already announced that the next challenger to his 205 pound throne would be Dan Henderson. By early next week, rumors were starting to spread that the fight would take place later this summer, at UFC 149 in Calgary. The UFC has shot those rumors down, instead stating that they would likely hold the fight in the early fall.
By this time, everyone is well aware that there are precious few challengers remaining for Jones at the light heavyweight weight limit. In fact, after Henderson, there is really no one else who fits the bill. Some will argue that Alexander Gustafsson will be ready by that time but he has yet to be booked into a fight following his victory over Thiago Silva at UFC on FUEL TV 2 earlier this month and he has exactly zero victories over top ten opponents in his current five fight win streak, leading me to believe that such talk is a little premature.
With this decided lack of challengers, most of the talk about Jones' future involves a move up to the heavyweight division, and soon. The move seems a foregone conclusion to such an extent that Dana White is already cautioning Jones against doing it too soon.
I have to admit that I'm a little surprised to hear such strong declarations about Jones' future. After all, there has been a grand total of zero UFC champions who have vacated the title in one division to pursue a second title in the weight class above.
Middleweight champion Anderson Silva has twice dipped his toes into the water at light heavyweight, both times destroying his opponents.
Yet Silva has refused to make the jump a permanent one despite going through a considerable stretch of less than stellar challengers, something very similar to what Jones could be facing should he defeat Henderson.
Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre has been long rumored to be on the verge of moving up to the middleweight division to challenge Silva in a highly anticipated superfight but he too has stayed at his natural home.
It's not only the champions who avoid this practice. Very few UFC fighters have ever moved up a weight class during a successful stretch in their career. Randy Couture, Dan Henderson and B.J. Penn are essentially the only fighters to have had success at two weight divisions in the UFC's history, although their situations are quite different than Jones':
Penn jumped between the 155 and 170 pound divisions and rarely cut weight for the fights at 170.
Henderson fought at 185 and 205 numerous times during his Pride and early UFC careers, and his story is similar to Penn's: Cut weight to get to 185, basically fought at 205 as a 205 pounder.
Couture fought at 205 and as a heavyweight, yet he rarely weighed in at more than 220 for his heavyweight tilts.
Trying to find a fighter that added a bunch of weight and moved up a division permanently during the prime of their career is pretty difficult, if not impossible.
So why are people so confident that Jones will just move on up in the next year or so? I believe that Alistair Overeem has a lot to do with it.
Overeem, of course, spent the majority of his career at light heavyweight before putting on a bunch of muscle in his late 20's, becoming a heavyweight and re-igniting his career.
Jones' size compares very favorably to that of Overeem, when the Dutchman was fighting at 205 pounds:
Jones is 6'4 with an 84.5 inch reach and cuts from about 225 pounds. Overeem is 6'5 with an 81 inch reach, and he also cut from about 225-230 pounds. It would be pretty reasonable to say that, all things being equal, Jones will follow a path similar to Overeem and end up in the heavyweight division.
Except not all things are equal.
Overeem has long been suspected of using performance enhancing substances to help him put on muscle. Since he signed with the UFC, he has been involved in two very suspicious situations relating to performance enhancers.
He failed to provide the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) with a urine sample in a timely fashion for a random drug screening in December of last year, prior to his UFC debut against Brock Lesnar. Overeem was granted a conditional license to fight Lesnar, one of the conditions being that he undergo two more random drug screenings within the next six months. One of those drug screenings took place following a press conference to promote UFC 146 in late March. Overeem failed the screening. His testosterone to epitestosterone ratio was reported as being 14:1, more than twice what the NSAC allows (6:1).
Overeem explained to the NSAC that the reason for his elevated ratio was an anti-inflammatory shot he was given to heal a rib injury. While the commission ultimately believed that Overeem did not intend to cheat, they still ruled that he could not apply for a license to fight in Nevada for a period of nine months.
Of course, none of this proves that Overeem used performance enhancers to gain all that weight. It simply makes it a lot more likely that he did.
And if he did, then should we really be sitting here, expecting Jon Jones to undergo a similar growth spurt?
I say no, we shouldn't.
Even more troubling is if Jones eventually does move up to heavyweight, will he be forced to answer the same questions that have been asked of Overeem?
It seems to me that it would be incredibly unfair if that was the case.
Posted in: ufc, overeem, jone, heavyweight, weight
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendJon Jones: “I really hope that Dan keeps it classy throughout this fight.”
After the overwhelming amount of hype leading up to Jon Jones’ successful title-defense against rival Rashad Evans at UFC 145 fans are likely ready for a break from “Bones” addressing matters unrelated to action in the Octagon. It turns out Jones is too.
The 24-year old champion recently reached out to his next opponent – Dan Henderson – in hopes of convincing him to avoid the smack and focus on the smackdown.
“I’m excited about Dan Henderson. He’s a great fighter,” began Jones on the 41-year old veteran in an interview with ESPN’s MMA Live before turning to the topic of trash-talk. “You know, I’ve gone through a lot with Rashad as far as all of the trash talking and I really hope Dan’s listening and I really hope that Dan keeps it classy throughout this fight. I respect him as an older man, I respect him as a warrior and I just hope he keeps it classy and (doesn’t) drag me through another trash-talking bout. Let’s stick to why we’re really here, let’s just fight.”
While “Hendo” may not necessarily be known for being a big talker he’s also comfortable speaking his mind and has already questioned Jones being a “genuine” person.
No date has been set for their fight.
Check out the full interview below:
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Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones Respects Dan Henderson, Hopes To Have No Issues In Pre-Fight Build
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has dealt with some of the best trash-talkers in the UFC’s light heavyweight division since securing the belt. After taking care of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and his “spy-gate” claims last year, Jones downed one-time-teammate Rashad Evans earlier this month. Now, as he prepares to face Dan Henderson later this [...]
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Read the full article at MMA ConvertRyan Bader vs Lyoto Machida fight booked for UFC on FOX 4 on Aug. 4 in Los Angeles
It's time to determine which Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight hopeful is a 205-pound title contender or just another pretender.
The world's leading mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion tonight (April 30, 2012) passed along a report via Twitter.com that indicates a fight between The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8 winner Ryan Bader against former division champion Lyoto Machida is on tap for UFC on Fox 4 this fall.
Bader is on a two-fight win streak after losing back-to-back bouts last year to Jon Jones and Tito Ortiz. Heading into the showdown with "Bones," Bader was considered to be among the brightest division prospects thanks to his powerful wrestling background and heavy hands.
With a recent three-round domination of former division champion, Quinton Jackson, in his most recent appearance at UFC 144, "Darth" is getting closer to regaining the juice that Jones squeezed dry back in Feb. 2011. And another solid performance over another former champion on national television will certainly get him one step closer to earning a rematch with Jones.
But, it's not going to be easy.
Machida, too, recently steered himself out of an uncharacteristic losing skid with a sensational front-kick knockout over Randy Couture back at UFC 129. Unfortunately, the taste of victory was short-lived because of an opportunity to challenge Jones for the belt he lost Mauricio Rua two years ago.
Jones ended the fight in dramatic fashion, wrapping his long arms around the throat of "The Dragon" in round two and securing a standing guillotine choke that put the Brazilian to sleep. It is certainly a memory that Machida would like to put in the rear-view mirror sooner rather than later. And there's no better way to do that than to get back inside the Octagon with a fighter who is equally as motivated to get back on top.
Nice match-making, fun fight.
UFC on Fox 4 is scheduled to take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sat., Aug. 4, 2012. Hector Lombard vs. Brian Stann and Joe Lauzon vs. Terry Etim are the only other bouts penciled in for the Fox fight card card at this time.
For the latest UFC on Fox 4 news and notes be sure to check out our complete event archive right here.
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Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Vs. Dan Henderson Won't Happen At UFC 149, Likely August Or September
For all those in Alberta that were still clinging to the hope that they'd get to see a UFC light heavyweight title fight at UFC 149 on July 21st in Calgary, you can officially kill any thought of that. Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson won't be taking place until later in the summer. Why? The champ won't be ready by July, according to his manager (via MMA Fighting):
Jones' manager Malki Kawa told MMA Fighting on Monday that the UFC light-heavyweight champion would not be available for the show, which is scheduled exactly three months to the day after Jones' five-round unanimous decision win over Rashad Evans at UFC 145.
"He will not be fighting in July," Kawa said. "It's just probably a little too soon. There's been no timetable yet but July probably isn't going to happen."
If that is indeed true, there are currently two candidates to host the fight - UFC 150 on August 11th, and the Toronto event on September 22nd. That event is presently labeled at UFC 152, but that could change (or the UFC is going to make UFC 151 a UK show). The UFC lightweight title bout between Ben Henderson and Frankie Edgar is penciled in for UFC 150 though, so at this point in time, September is looking like a more likely option.
Henderson turns 42 on August 24th.
Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, july, july kawa
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones Won’t Be Fighting at UFC 149
We knew before Jon Jones ever stepped into the cage against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 who his next opponent would be if he won: Dan Henderson.
Shortly after it was officially announced that Jones would be taking on Henderson his next time out, UFC president Dana White revealed that the two would likely be meeting at the impending UFC 149 event. Those plans no longer seem to be intact.
Jones’ manager, Malki Kawa, spoke with MMAFighting this week and revealed that his client won’t be ready to return to training in time to make the date for the UFC’s first Calgary-hosted fight card.
With the event scheduled for July 21, Jones would have just three months turnaround from his recent title defense over Rashad Evans. Jones battled his former rival for five rounds to earn a unanimous decision victory at UFC 145 earlier this month and would like to take more time than that to relax and recover.
Henderson has been on the sidelines waiting for a shot at either the middleweight or light heavyweight titles – whichever one opened up first – since November, when he earned a narrow unanimous decision over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 139.
MMAFrenzy.com
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Read the full article at MMA FrenzyDespite UFC 149 Rumors, Jon Jones' Return Unlikely Until August or September
In the immediate aftermath of Jon Jones' recent win over Rashad Evans, we quickly learned that his next title defense would come against decorated veteran Dan Henderson. While no timetable was cemented for the bout, UFC president Dana White said that the upcoming UFC 149 event in Calgary could be a possibility.One week later, though, we can rule out the July 21 event.
Jones' manager Malki Kawa told MMA Fighting on Monday that the UFC light-heavyweight champion would not be available for the show, which is scheduled exactly three months to the day after Jones' five-round unanimous decision win over Rashad Evans at UFC 145."He will not be fighting in July," Kawa said. "It's just probably a little too soon. There's been no timetable yet but July probably isn't going to happen."An August or September return is much more likely. Judging from the schedule, September seems like a more logical fit, since August's 11 UFC 150 card will probably host the lightweight title rematch between Ben Henderson and Frank Edgar. The UFC rarely puts two championship fights on one card.Meanwhile, a September 22 show has already been announced for Toronto's Air Canada Centre. That event has no announced or rumored fights.Jones has kept a busy schedule since the start of 2011 He's fought five top 10 contenders in the last 14 months, beating all of them, including four by stoppage.Kawa said that Jones intends to fight three times in 2012, but for now, the grinding schedule has understandably caused him to take a bit of a breather before preparing for Henderson, who may turn 42 before the fight takes place. His birthday is on August 24."Jon's going to take a little time to himself, and then he'll get back into it," Kawa said.
Posted in: ufc, jone, september, ben henderson, rashad evans
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones Pegged as Odds-On Favorite Over Hendo
It should come as no surprise that early estimates by oddsmakers have UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones cast as a sizeable favorite to win his next title defense.
The 24-year-old dynamo just defeated Rashad Evans by unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 145 and has already been matched up with Dan Henderson for his next title defense. The linemakers over at MMA Oddsbreakers have released early odds for the bout, with Jones sitting as the -565 favorite and Henderson the +385 underdog.
After stringing together a four-fight run in 2011 that many have called the most impressive single year in any athlete’s MMA career, Jones is poised to lord over the 205lbs division for many years to come. The prodigious young fighter has already knocked off veterans and former champions (and a couple of Hendo’s former Pride FC peers) Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Rashad Evans during his title run and will be looking to add Henderson’s name to that list.
At 41-years-old, Henderson is one of MMA’s few remaining elder statesmen who belongs fighting for a UFC title. A four-fight run in Strikeforce saw the Team Quest co-founder drop a decision to Jake Shields before knocking out Renato “Babalu” Sobral, Rafael Cavalcante (to capture the promotion’s light heavyweight title) and Fedor Emelianenko in succession. After returning to the UFC, Hendo waged a five round war with Shogun at UFC 139 that has been described as one of the best fights in MMA history.
The two are rumored to be facing off at UFC 149 on July 21 at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Posted in: ufc, mma, title, jone, henderson
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyJon Jones Opens As Huge Favorite Over Dan Henderson
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will be facing former Pride and Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson next, and some betting lines for the bout dropped today. To be honest, they're kind of shocking. Bookmaker opened things with a semi-normal line, but 5Dimes and SportBet quickly followed with ludicrous odds. Here are the three lines:
Bookmaker
5Dimes
SportBet
Jones
-565
-1125
-1043
Henderson
+385
+575
+657
I realize that Jones looks unbeatable at the moment with three title defenses under his belt, but two of those lines are amongst the most lopsided I've ever seen, especially for a UFC title fight. Henderson might be 41 years old but he has won four fights in a row, with the last two coming over Fedor Emelianenko and Mauricio Rua. He shouldn't be taken so lightly, by Jones or the oddsmakers.
The Jones vs. Henderson bout still doesn't have a home as of this moment. Dana White wanted to put it on UFC 149 on July 21st, but that doesn't seem likely now with Jose Aldo defending his UFC light heavyweight title against Erik Koch on the card. Could it be at UFC 150 on August 11th in Denver? We'll find out soon enough.
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Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones opens as heavy favorite over Dan Henderson - Do you agree?
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Read the full article at RedditOddsmakers place Jon Jones as overwhelming favorite versus Dan Henderson
News comes as no surprise that oddsmakers have Current UFC Light Heavyweight favorite as an early -565 betting favorite over his next next opponent, Dan Henderson. Jones comes in high off the heels of a three-fight title-defense streak, in which he bested a former UFC champ in every match. Victories over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Lyoto Machida, and finally Rashad Evans have started the debate over Jon Jones being the best Light Heavyweight ever, already. No one has been able to get inside the
Posted in: jone, jon jones, light heavyweight, rashad evans, ufc champ
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones opens as heavy favorite over Dan Henderson
After all the smoke had settled at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sat., April 21, 2012, at UFC 145, and Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones had successfully defended his title by soundly defeating the fighter who knew him best, Rashad Evans, one question rang out from mixed martial arts (MMA) fans everywhere.
Who can stop this man?
It's an impossible question to answer, though many will try. And it's the task of UFC matchmaker Joe Silva and promotion President Dana White to do their damnedest to find the best candidate for the job.
First up on the list is former Strikeforce Champion Dan Henderson, who will challenge Jones sometime this year, possibly at UFC 149 on July 21 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. With his monster right hand, wrestling pedigree, and uncanny ability to fend off Father Time, he's been given about as much chance as anyone else in the 205-pound division, at least by fans and pundits.
Oddsmakers? Now that's another story.
The MMAOddsbreakers show released its odds on the fight and Jones comes in as a whopping -565 favorite while Henderson limps in as a +385 underdog.
Quite frankly, it's amazing that a championship fight would favor one more over the other that heavily. It's truly a testament to how dominant "Bones" has been during his run competing inside the Octagon.
When examining all the reasons he's favored so heavily, it makes perfect sense. He's 24-years-old with a 16-1 career record. And that one loss was a disqualification due to his throwing illegal elbows. He was handily winning the fight beforehand.
Not only that, here are the names Jones has beaten once he reached the championship level -- Mauricio Rua (to win the title), Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans.
Are you kidding me?
Henderson is a formidable foe, no doubt, but he's 41-years-old and nearly died of exhaustion trying to finish "Shogun" last November, the same man Jones obliterated to take his place at the throne of the light heavyweight division.
Simply put, there's very little reason to believe "Hendo" will be the man to take the crown from the 205-pound king.
Anyone want to disagree?
Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, he, names jones
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Opens as Massive Favorite Over Dan Henderson
After beating four consecutive UFC champions, Jon Jones will look to add an all-time great to his resume when he faces Dan Henderson in his next title defense. That matchup is already locked in, according to UFC president Dana White. Still to come are the date and location, although he seemed to indicate that UFC 149 in Calgary was a possible.
According to the first odds released on the fight, Jones is a heavy favorite to beat the multi-time, multi-division champion.
In a line released by noted MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas, Jones is nearly a 6-to-1 favorite to defeat Henderson, with the number coming in at -565. Henderson is a +385 underdog.
Jones has been favored in all but the first two of his UFC fights. Since a UFC 100 victory over Jake O'Brien, he's always been the betting favorite, and often by a lopsided margin. Even when he stepped up to fight champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua on short notice, he was expected to win.
So far, he's come through to the tune of a 16-1 career record, with his only loss coming via disqualification after landing illegal downward elbow strikes in a fight against Matt Hamill that he was otherwise dominating. In defeating Rashad Evans at last weekend's UFC 145, he became the first man ever to defeat four former UFC champions (Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Rua were his other victims).
Henderson (29-8) may be the most decorate U.S. mixed martial artist ever, with wins over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Fedor Emelianenko, Wanderlei Silva and Rua, among others. He's won seven of his last eight fights, and was the reigning Strikeforce light-heavyweight champ when his contract expired and he left to rejoin the UFC. At 41, Henderson is bidding to become the second-oldest UFC champ ever, right behind his former teammate Randy Couture.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, henderson, dan henderson
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones Opens as Monstrous Favorite Over Dan Henderson
When Jon Jones next defends his UFC light heavyweight title against Dan Henderson he'll enter the fight not only as the favorite, but a huge favorite to boot.
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Read the full article at MMA WeeklyNFL draft 2012: UFCs Jon Jones reacts to Patriots picking Chandler Jones
Syracuse University defensive end Chandler Jones, brother of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, was selected by the New England Patriots with pick number 21 in the first round at last night's (April 26, 2012) National Football League (NFL) Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York, New York.
And "Bones," who shares his joy with the Ithaca Journal, couldn't be happier:
"Right now the kid is a broke college kid, but 24 hours from now he'll be more successful than me and Arthur put together."
Jones is referring to their older brother Arthur, a defensive end for the Baltimore Ravens, who also spends his downtime wrasslin' in the Ravens locker room. It should come as no surprise then, to learn they've been called "America's Most Athletic Family."
Find out why after the jump.
For a complete recap of the first round coverage of the 2012 NFL Draft click here.
Posted in: jone, draft, nfl, college kid, round coverage
Read the full article at MMA ManiaPatriots draft UFC champ Jones' brother
Chandler Jones, the brother of UFC champ Jon Jones, was taken with the 21st pick in Thursday's NFL draft by the New England Patriots, who traded up to get him.
Posted in: ufc, jone, brother, england patriots, patriot
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC official pushing for Jon Jones-Dan Henderson to take place at UFC 149
When Jose Aldo was removed from the UFC‘s July card in Canada, UFC President Dana White mentioned the possibility of Jon Jones defending his light heavyweight title against Dan Henderson as a replacement. While Jones is recently-removed from a five-round fight with Rashad Evans, he has mentioned wanting to fight four times this year and certainly didn’t absorb a ton of damage against Evans.
While nothing is official, UFC Director of Operations in Canada Tom Wright would be more than happy to have his country host Jones-Henderson.
“I would love to see that fight happen,” said Wright in a recent interview with the Toronto Sun. “Having Jon Jones defend his championship in Calgary against Dan Henderson – that would be a monster fight. It demonstrates we have an understanding and a respect for how knowledgeable the fight fans are in Alberta, and how important this market is for our business.”
Henderson earned his shot at the belt by defeating Mauricio “Shogun” Rua last year in addition to being the Strikeforce 205-pound champ prior to re-joining the UFC. “Hendo” has been out of action since his November meeting with Rua, patiently waiting for his championship opportunity.
If the bout materializes it will mark Jones’ second visit to Canada as champ since winning the belt. “Bones” defended the title last year in Toronto, choking out Lyoto Machida with a memorable Standing Guillotine Choke at UFC 140.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, jon jones, henderson
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainChandler Jones, Jon Jones’ Brother, Goes to Patriots in First Round of NFL Draft
Chandler Jones, younger brother of UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, will join older brother Arthur in the NFL. Chandler was the New England Patriots' first-round pick in Thursday's NFL Draft.
Posted in: jone, chandler, brother, nfl, england patriots
Read the full article at Heavy MMAMorning Report: Nick Diaz Sues the NSAC, Says He Would Fight Carlos Condit 'Immediately'
Last night Nick Diaz became the first mixed martial arts fighter in history to sue the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Now, on a scale of 1-to-10, my guess is that sentence wasn't nearly as surprising as it probably should've been. One of Bill Simmons' most popular sportswriting memes is the ‘Tyson Zone,' which signifies an athlete whose behavior becomes so outrageous, an individual would believe any story about the athlete, regardless of how odd it may seem. Well, if Diaz hadn't reached the Tyson Zone before yesterday, he certainly has now. (Say I told you Diaz went out, bought an elephant, got it high just 'cause, then pawned it at a thrift store. You'd believe me, ergo, Tyson Zone.)
Besides its audaciousness, this lawsuit is fascinating for three reasons:
1.) Diaz may actually have a very real, very legitimate case here. Under Nevada law, the commission is required to "determine the outcome through proceedings related to the order of a summary suspension within 45 days of the date of the suspension." Despite protests from Deputy Attorney General Chris Eccles that Diaz would not be heard until his medical marijuana card was produced, the lawsuit maintains that "Diaz and his lawyers made repeated attempts to reach the NSAC to obtain a formal hearing to finally adjudicate the NSAC's complaint without any response from Executive Director of the NSAC Keith Kizer." If that is indeed true, Diaz's case immediately becomes a very sharp thorn in the side of the NSAC.
2.) The precedent this could set has the potential to be resounding. While Diaz's case is an extremely centralized one, a victory would go a long way to shattering any remaining sense of invincibility that exists behind the commission. Diaz fought the law and Diaz won. That message cannot be overstated.
3.) On the same day his brother says Diaz just isn't that interested in fighting right now, Nick states in a sworn affidavit that he "would be prepared to compete against Mr. Condit or against any other opponent deemed suitable immediately." Now, even if the idea of Diaz referring to Carlos as Mr. Condit is laughable, the significance behind his words is clear. Diaz is still angry at how UFC 143 went down. He's far from retired. And he wants revenge.
When it comes down to it, as someone who personally loves watching the violence Diaz brings with him to the cage, isn't that really the most important part of all this?
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MEDIA STEW
This feels appropriate given the circumstances.
It's unbelievable, but this seems to be a video of Alistair Overeem visiting his testosterone-happy doctor, Hector Oscar Molina. Even Tra Telligman, the former fighter who Overeem says hooked him up with Molina, makes an appearance. (HT: MMA Mania)
Since his Overeem-dos Santos promo quickly became outdated, NickTheFace stepped up his game to pump out this Tarantino inspired Mir-dos Santos trailer.
Regardless of political affiliation, we can all appreciate this Chris Lytle campaign ad for his run to the Indiana State Senate. (HT: MiddleEasy)
That has to be the most boss warzone watch ever. Seriously, look at the size of that thing. Click for larger size. (HT: MiddleEasy)
BIG NIGHT FOR THE JONES'
Draft party at the semi-finished Bone Caveyfrog.us/65911z
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 27, 2012
Congratulations to the new New England Patriot @ChanJones99
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 27, 2012
Chandler Jones, Jon Jones' brother, went 1st round to the @Patriots. Im so pumped!!! Congrats Jones family!!!!
— Dana White (@danawhite) April 27, 2012
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Thursday, April 26, 2012):
- Bellator 68: Marcos Galvao (11-5-1) vs. Travis Marx (19-3)
- Bellator 68: Carmelo Marrero (14-5) vs. Seth Petruzelli (14-6)
- Bellator 68: Jacob Kirwan (9-4) vs. Don Carlo-Clauss (8-6)
- Bellator 68: Marcin Held (12-2) vs. Derrick Kennington (6-2)
- Bellator 68: Claudio Ledesma (6-2) vs. Anthony Leone (10-5)
- Bellator 68: Francois Ambang (1-3-1) vs. Gregory Milliard (2-2)
- Bellator 68: Jesus Martinez (6-2) vs. Aung La Nsang (9-7)
- Bellator 68: Eddie Fyvie (9-5) vs. Jeff Lentz (9-2-1)
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today's Fanpost of the Day is a heartfelt open letter from BE's benten20: Thank You MMA for everything: A letter of thanks
Most of the time we all joke around on here but every once in a while, someone posts a serious fanpost about themselves or some other serious matter. This fanpost is about what the sport of Mixed Martial Arts means to me and what is has done for me. For most of my school life in both elementary school and high school, I was bullied. Physical, verbal, and mental abuse which only got worse as the years progressed. It got so bad I felt i had to go a high school that was out of Brooklyn just to make sure no one from my old school would be there.
Turns out that being the short chunky kid who is not good at sports and is a nerd isn't the best combination for making friends. 9th and 10th grade were two of the worst years of my life as i was constantly picked on a belittled. I had my head slammed into a concrete wall, was thrown out of a moving van, pushed down a staircase and I'm leaving out the mental and verbal abuse. By 11th grade I hit my growth spurt and starting pumping iron. Towards the end of the year, people seemed to curiously stop picking on me. I began to think maybe things would change.
Turns out that didn't happen as there is always someone who's bigger and stronger. By 12th grade i was probably one of the bigger guys but this one guy made my life a living hell. He abused me and made me his rag doll nearly breaking my neck. He broke my phone and told me it was my fault for being in his way. Just for good measure he stole the only girl that i was ever close with. I figured it was just him but turns out lots of people had to join however they can as someone made a poll with the title: should Ben kill himself. By the time high school finished i had no confidence in anything I did. I was an empty shell who didn't care about life.
Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in Monday's post.
Posted in: bellator, diaz, jone, vs, school
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseNFL Draft 2012 results: Chandler Jones is New England Patriots first round pick
Many experts thought Syracuse University defensive end Chandler Jones wouldn't make it out of the first round and those who did were right.
That's because the brother of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Arthur Jones was selected by the New England Patriots with pick number 21 in the first round at tonight's (April 26, 2012) National Football League (NFL) Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York, New York.
The Patriots, who made it all the way to Super Bowl 46 this past February before losing to the New York Giants in heartbreaking fashion, coveted Jones tremendously, so much so that the team traded up to the number 21 pick to ensure it would able to draft him before another squad ripped him off the board.
Jones, a member of America's most successful athletic family, according to the UFC, shot up draft boards in the months since last season ended. And while he was originally projected as a third round pick, Mike Mayock of NFL.com had him going as earlier as number 19 to the Chicago Bears.
When the Bears went with Boise State linebacker Shea McClellin, it paved the way for New England to get on the phone and make a quick deal to move up to nab Jones. And considering how successful that franchise has been over the last decade, it's a pretty damn good spot to land.
Expect to hear plenty more on Chandler Jones in the near future.
For complete live first round coverage of the 2012 NFL Draft click here.
Posted in: jone, round, draft, york, england patriots
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 PPV buys estimated at 700,000 for 'Jones vs Evans' in Atlanta
Is Jon Jones a star?
If the estimated pay-per-view (PPV) numbers for last weekend's (April 21, 2012) UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" mixed martial arts (MMA) event that went down at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., are any indication, the answer would point to an absolute, "Yes!"
Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer reports that the event, which was headlined by the grudge match between Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and his former training partner Rashad Evans, pulled in a very impressive 700,000 PPV buys, up 200,000 from his headliner at UFC 140 opposite Lyoto Machida, solidifying Jones as the UFC's newest top draw.
With top PPV box office cash cow Brock Lesnar running back to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre riding the pine because of injury, UFC officials are smiling all the way to the bank. And, most likely, breathing a sigh of relief that it may have found a new honey hole.
Check out the complete UFC 145 PPV buy breakdown after the jump:
...the story was strong enough that early estimates of PPV numbers have topped 700,000 buys, by far the largest of Jones' career. The number was big for UFC, because they had not established a new young star who was a major consistent draw since the rise of Brock Lesnar, now retired, and Georges St. Pierre, out for most of the year. While the draw was in good part due to the storyline, the number was big enough to where it, combined with WrestleMania a few weeks ago, seems to contradict a lot of people's views of PPV as a dying industry. The big events, like this and WrestleMania, have done better than most expectations going in.
UFC 145 was focused solely on the main event between "Bones" and "Suga," and that was made ever so clear given the fact that the two combatants were the only two in attendance for the UFC 145 pre-fight press conference.
The promotion also pulled out all the stops when it came to marketing the fight, giving it the "Primetime" treatment, a "Countdown" show, and individualized promos for each fighter.
And it paid off ... big time.
Fans wondered why such a huge event was lacking in star power (no disrespect intended to the rest of the nights competitors, of course), but the card was not exactly "stacked" to the UFC's usual standards such as the case with upcoming events UFC 146 and UFC 148. After all, the co-main event was fast rising welterweight Rory MacDonald taking on a fighter who only had one UFC fight under his belt in Che Mills.
Perhaps it was all part of the plan.
The UFC was testing the waters to see just how much of a draw the 205-pound kingpin can be and he passed with flying colors. Let's remember Rashad Evans, though, who UFC President Dana White says is one of the most underrated fighters in the world, also played a major role in selling the fight. However, one would be hard pressed to argue that "Bones" wasn't the biggest factor.
Or would they?
Jeer him or cheer him, Jones is a legit star, perhaps the biggest in the UFC at the moment, and the proof, as they say, is in the buyrates.
Money talks.
Posted in: ufc, ppv, jone, event, number
Read the full article at MMA ManiaDanny Kelly of SB Nation's Seattle Seahawks blog "Field Gulls" talks about the sudden rise of...
Danny Kelly of SB Nation's Seattle Seahawks blog "Field Gulls" talks about the sudden rise of Chandler Jones to a possible #12 pick to Seattle:
"I do find it very peculiar that Chandler Jones is a guy I literally can't say I've ever seen mocked to the Seahawks in the first round, before about a day ago, but is now the pick for Mel Kiper (who, apparently at the last second, just changed his pick to Melvin Ingram, but the point stands), Todd McShay, and Danny O'Neil. To say Jones' rise has been meteoric might be an understatement. I'm sure that people that follow the draft very closely will point out it might have been more gradual, but regardless, he's not a guy we've talked about a ton so it does come as a surprise to me.
Now, in principle, I don't like the idea of my team taking a player that until just recently has been mostly mentioned in the 2nd round discussion, but as we saw last year with the selection of James Carpenter in the 1st and even Kris Durham in the 4th, the Seahawks go by their board and they go by their board and they go by their board. So, really, taking Jones at 12 wouldn't really go against the grain for what this front office has done in the past."
Go read their full analysis of the potential pick and Jones as a player.
Posted in: jone, danny, danny kelly, seahawk, chandler jones
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowNFL Draft 2012 prediction: Chandler Jones, UFC champ Jon Jones' brother, 'might be best defensive player in draft'
By now, mixed martial arts (MMA) fans know all about Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones. His run through the 205-pound division has produced one of the greatest calendar years in the history of the sport and it's already safe to wonder if the 24-year-old phenom is one of the best to ever put on a pair of gloves.
As impressive as that might sound, he's got an entire family of athletes, including his older brother, Arthur Jones, who plays defensive end for the Baltimore Ravens. You may or may not have heard much from him because he's not exactly blowing anyone's doors off in the National Football League (NFL).
Don't get me wrong, he's a fine player, but you're not going to see him in the Pro Bowl any time soon (if it's still around, anyway).
That may not be the case for Chandler Jones, however, yet another one of Jon's siblings who is poised to break into the NFL and make a big splash sooner rather than later. Or at least that's what NFL expert Mike Mayock predicts.
In his one and only mock draft for tonight's (April 26, 2012) live first round -- which MMAmania.com will have live ongoing coverage of right here -- Mayock has Jones projected to go number 19 overall. And if you fine Maniacs know anything about The General, that means Jones would be going to my beloved Chicago Bears.
But, it's not just that Jones would be going that early in the draft that makes Mayock's pick so interesting. It's the remarks he made to go along with it.
"The Bears cannot believe Chandler Jones has fallen to them. The general public might not know a lot about him, but my view is -- and I'll take a lot of heat for this -- three years from now, he might be the best defensive player to come out of this draft."
To see Mayock's complete first round mock draft click here.
For those who aren't aware, Mayock is an extremely well respected name in pro football circles, so for him to dish out such high praise, it's kind of a big deal.
Is it really possible that in three years, Jon Jones could be ruling the UFC while his brother Chandler is running wild in the NFL as the best defensive player to come out of tonight's draft?
We'll have to stay tuned for all that.
In the meantime, remember to check back here later tonight to see who your favorite team drafted with their first round selection. Unless, of course, you're a fan of the Atlanta Falcons or Oakland Raiders.
And here's a video released by UFC profiling the Jones family and how successful they've all been in athletics:
Posted in: ufc, jone, draft, nfl, mayock
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Emerges As A Star With 700,000 PPV Buys For UFC 145
There has been considerable hand-wringing in the MMA media that UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones had failed to emerge as a major star despite his awe-inspiring talent and colorful fighting style. And while there is still some reason to believe that he is not connecting with fans as a favorite, the early estimates of pay-per-view (PPV) buys for UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans indicate that Jones has emerged as a star who can sell PPVs.
Dave Meltzer reports on the numbers at the Wrestling Observer (subscription required):
...the story was strong enough that early estimates of PPV numbers have topped 700,000 buys, by far the largest of Jones' career. The number was big for UFC, because they had not established a new young star who was a major consistent draw since the rise of Brock Lesnar, now retired, and Georges St. Pierre, out for most of the year. While the draw was in good part due to the storyline, the number was big enough to where it, combined with WrestleMania a few weeks ago, seems to contradict a lot of people's views of PPV as a dying industry. The big events, like this and WrestleMania, have done better than most expectations going in.
Jones has only been headlining UFC PPVs since UFC 128 when he took the title from Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Here are the buy rate estimates for his career at the top of the card:
UFC 128 Shogun vs. Jones: 490,000 buys
UFC 135 Jones vs. Rampage: 520,000 buys
UFC 140 Jones vs. Machida: 485,000 buys
UFC 145 Jones vs. Evans: 700,000 buys
That's a pretty significant jump for Jones vs. Evans. Of course the feud with Rashad played a big factor and Evans is a proven draw when he's got a hot feud -- as the 1 million plus buys for UFC 114's Rashad vs. Rampage illustrates.
Jones is expected to face former Pride and Strikeforce champ Dan Henderson at UFC 149 in Calgary, Canada. My personal guess is that event will not match the UFC 145 numbers but should improve on the UFC 128, 135 and 140 numbers Jones pulled.
With UFC 146 featuring Heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos vs. Frank Mir and UFC 148 with Middleweight champ Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen the UFC should have a very strong late Spring/early Summer coming up.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, ppv, jone, vs, number
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowNFL Draft 2012 Mock Draft Experts Have Chandler Jones As Near Lock For First Round
Chandler Jones, younger brother of UFC champion Jon Jones, will enter the 2012 NFL draft tonight as an almost certain first round pick according to NFL experts. While it was just weeks ago that he was viewed as more of a third or fourth round pick, he has shot up draft boards as more teams have given him a closer look.
His selection will make him the third pro athlete in the Jones family, joining Jon and older brother Arthur, a defensive tackle in the NFL as well.
Here's where a sampling of experts see Chandler being drafted:
- Sports Illustrated - Pick 18 of Round 1 - San Diego Chargers - This is right about where I see a mini-run on pass rushers starting, and Jones may be the hottest name among them. Though he didn't crack my first round until the 4.0 version, in the first week of April, scouts say his game tapes have marked him a first-rounder all along. The Chargers are desperate for some edge pass-rush production in their front seven.
- NFL.com - Pick 19 of Round 1 - Chicago Bears - The general public might not know a lot about him, but my view is -- and I'll take a lot of heat for this -- three years from now, he might be the best defensive player to come out of this draft.
- Chicago Tribune - Pick 20 of Round 1 - Tennessee Titans - He has climbed the board this week. He could be a good complement to Kamerion Wimbley.
- Pro Football Talk - Pick 15 of Round 1 - Philadelphia Eagles - Teams are smitten with Jones’ length and non-stop motor.
Check out some video of Chandler after the jump...
Here's a video talking about Jones' pros and cons:
Chandler Jones' "Path to the Draft":
Posted in: jone, round, chandler, draft, nfl
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowGreat snapshot from Jones vs Evans this past Saturday..
submitted by tekprodfx16 [link] [8 comments]
Posted in: jone, tekprodfx, vs, evan, snapshot
Read the full article at RedditUFC 145 Salaries: Jones, Evans and Rothwell top payroll
MMA Junkie reports the salaries for UFC 145 as released by the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission. Jon Jones and Rashad Evans were at the top of the $1.2 million payroll.
Via MMA Junkie:
Champ Jon Jones: $400,000 (no win bonus)
def. Rashad Evans: $300,000
Rory MacDonald: $36,000 (includes $18,000 win bonus)
def. Che Mills: $8,000
Ben Rothwell: $104,000 (includes $52,000 win bonus)
def. Brendan Schaub: $14,000
Michael McDonald: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
def. Miguel Torres: $32,000
Eddie Yagin: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)
def. Mark Hominick: $17,000
Mark Bocek: $46,000 (includes $23,000 win bonus)
def. John Alessio: $10,000
Travis Browne: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)
def. Chad Griggs: $27,000
Matt Brown: $36,000 (includes $18,000 win bonus)
def. Stephen Thompson: $8,000
Anthony Njokuani: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)
def. John Makdessi: $12,000
Mac Danzig: $54,000 (includes $27,000 win bonus)
def. Efrain Escudero: $10,000
Chris Clements: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)
def. Keith Wisniewski: $10,000
Marcus Brimage: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
def. Maximo Blanco: $13,000
Payout Perspective:
It’s interesting that Ben Rothwell was third highest on the payroll. Also Efrain Escudero’s return to the UFC meant a pay cut from his TUF winner contract. “Wonderboy” was the only fighter making less than $10,000. A rather low payroll despite the fact that $700,000 of the payroll was dedicated to the main event.
Posted in: ufc, jone, rothwell, bonus, payroll
Read the full article at MMA PayoutUFC 145 Salaries: Jon Jones Pockets $400,000
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones topped the disclosed payroll for UFC 145, taking home $400,000 for the third straight defense of his belt according to figures released by the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission.
Jones' opponent and rival, former titleholder Rashad Evans, took home $300,000 in a losing effort.
Earnings dropped off dramatically behind the two championship headliners, as Ben Rothwell ($104,000), Mac Danzig ($54,000) and Mark Bocek ($46,000) led the charge for the rest of the card.
UFC 145 took place on April 21, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The complete UFC 145 payroll can be seen below, though it should be noted that these figures do not represent a fighter's total earnings, as a sponsorship money and discretionary post-fight bonuses are not publicly disclosed.
Additionally, Travis Browne, Ben Rothwell, Eddie Yagin and Mark Hominick each earned $65,000 in bonus money for their respective performances.
Main CardJon Jones ($400,000 + no win bonus) def. Rashad Evans ($300,000)Rory MacDonald ($18,000 + $18,000 = $36,000) def. Che Mills ($8,000) Ben Rothwell ($52,000 + $52,000 = $104,000) def. Brendan Schaub ($14,000) Michael McDonald ($8,000 + $8,000 = $16,000) def. Miguel Torres ($32,000)Eddie Yagin ($6,000 + $6,000 = $12,000) def. Mark Hominick ($17,000) Mark Bocek ($23,000 + $23,000 = $46,000) def. John Alessio ($10,000)
FX Preliminary CardTravis Browne ($12,000 + $12,000 = $24,000) def. Chad Griggs ($27,000)Matt Brown ($18,000 + $18,000 = $36,000) def. Stephen Thompson ($8,000)Anthony Njokuani ($12,000 + $12,000 = $24,000) def. John Makdessi ($12,000) Mac Danzig ($27,000 + $27,000 = $54,000) def. Efrain Escudero ($10,000)
Facebook Preliminary CardChris Clements ($6,000 + $6,000 = $12,000) def. Keith Wisniewski ($10,000)Marcus Brimage ($8,000 + $8,000 = $16,000) def. Maximo Blanco ($13,000)
Posted in: ufc, mark, jone, mark hominick, postfight bonuses
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones Takes Home Biggest Payday from UFC 145
Surprise, surprise: UFC light heavyweight champion Jonny “Bones” Jones took home the biggest paycheck of any fighter on the UFC 145 fight card, where he defended his title for the third time.
Jones added a cool $400,000 (disclosed) to his bank account, coming in just ahead of his opponent on the card, Rashad Evans, who earned $300,000 in a losing effort. MMAJunkie first reported the figures, as passed along by the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission.
Below is a full list of the fighter payouts from the event, which do not include any fight night bonuses, sponsorship income, “locker room” bonuses, etc.
Jon Jones ($400,000) defeated Rashad Evans ($300,000).
Rory MacDonald ($18k + $18k win bonus = $36,000) defeated Che Mills ($8,000).
Ben Rothwell ($52k + $52k win bonus = $104,000) defeated Brendan Schaub ($14,000).
Michael McDonald: ($8k + $8k win bonus = $16,000) defeated Miguel Torres ($32,000).
Eddie Yagin: ($6k + $6k win bonus = $12,000) defeated Mark Hominick ($17,000).
Mark Bocek ($23k + $23k win bonus = $46,000) defeated John Alessio ($10,000).
Travis Browne ($12k + $12k win bonus = $24,000) defeated Chad Griggs ($27,000).
Matt Brown ($18k + $18k win bonus = $36,000) defeated Stephen Thompson ($8,000).
Anthony Njokuani ($12k + $12k win bonus = $24,000) defeated John Makdessi $12,000).
Mac Danzig ($27k + $27k win bonus= $54,000) defeated Efrain Escudero ($10,000).
Chris Clements: ($6k + $6k win bonus = $12,000) defeated Keith Wisniewski ($10,000).
Marcus Brimage: ($8k + $8k win bonus = $16,000) defeated Maximo Blanco ($13,000).
Posted in: jone, jon jones, bonus, time jones, entertainment commission
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyJon Jones Says Alexander Gustafsson is Close to a Title Shot
UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones talks about Alexander Gustafsson's status as a 205-pound contender.
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Posted in: jone, jon jones, alexander gustafsson, gustafsson, bull
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145 Salaries: Jones, Evans, Rothwell Top List
The UFC 145 salaries finally came out today, courtesy of the Georgia State Athletic and Entertainment Commission. It's not really surprising that the two main event fighters, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones (400k) and Rashad Evans (300k), made the most coin. It's a little surprising to see who came in third - Ben Rothwell (104k). And it's even more surprising to see a co-main eventer making just $8,000 for a night's work (Che Mills). Total payroll was $1,231,000. You can catch the full list of salaries below the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Jon Jones: $400,000 (no win bonus)Rashad Evans: $300,000Rory MacDonald: $36,000 ($18,000 win bonus)Che Mills: $8,000Ben Rothwell: $104,000 ($52,000 win bonus)Brendan Schaub: $14,000Michael McDonald: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus)Miguel Torres: $32,000Eddie Yagin: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)Mark Hominick: $17,000Mark Bocek: $46,000 ($23,000 win bonus)John Alessio: $10,000Travis Browne: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus)Chad Griggs: $27,000Matt Brown: $36,000 ($18,000 win bonus)Stephen Thompson: $8,000Anthony Njokuani: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus)John Makdessi: $12,000Mac Danzig: $54,000 ($27,000 win bonus)Efrain Escudero: $10,000Chris Clements: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)Keith Wisniewski: $10,000Marcus Brimage: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus)Maximo Blanco: $13,000
Posted in: ufc, jone, rothwell, evan, entertainment commission
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 payouts and salaries: Jon Jones leads with event-high $400,000 payday
UFC 145 fighter payouts for those who competed at the "Jones vs. Evans" pay-per-view (PPV) event this past Saturday night (April 21, 2012) from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, were released earlier today by the Georgia State Athletic and Entertainment Commission.
As expected, headlining fighters Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans were the top earners of the night. "Bones" is now depositing $400,000 for taking home a unanimous decision victory over "Suga," who will be cashing his sweet check for $300,000 later this week.
Ben Rothwell had a "Big" payday for knocking out Brendan Schaub ($14,000) while Mac Danzig banked $56,000 by turning away Efrain Escudero. Mark Bocek was not far behind with $46,000, which he earned for getting rid of John Alessio ($10,000).
But that's not all.
The complete list of UFC 145 payouts and salaries (via MMA Weekly) after the jump.
Jon Jones: $400,000 (no win bonus)Rashad Evans: $300,000Jones def. Evans via unanimous decision
Rory MacDonald: $36,000 (includes $18,000 win bonus)Che Mills: $8,000MacDonald def. Mills via technical knockout
Ben Rothwell: $104,000 (includes $52,000 win bonus)Brendan Schaub: $14,000Rothwell def. Schaub via knockout
Michael McDonald: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)Miguel Torres: $32,000McDonald def. Torres via knockout
Eddie Yagin: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)Mark Hominick: $17,000Yagin def. Hominick via split decision
Mark Bocek: $46,000 (includes $23,000 win bonus)John Alessio: $10,000Bocek def. Alessio via unanimous decision
Travis Browne: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)Chad Griggs: $27,000Brown def. Griggs via submission
Matt Brown: $36,000 (includes $18,000 win bonus)Stephen Thompson: $8,000Brown def. Thompson via unanimous decision
Anthony Njokuani: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)John Makdessi: $12,000Njokuani def. Makdessi via unanimous decision
Mac Danzig: $54,000 (includes $27,000 win bonus)Efrain Escudero: $10,000Danzig def. Escudero via unanimous decision
Chris Clements: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)Keith Wisniewski: $10,000Clements def. Wisniewski via split decision
Marcus Brimage: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)Maximo Blanco: $13,000Brimage def. Blanco via split decision
The total disclosed payroll for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" was $1,241,000.
Keep in mind the salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments such as PPV bonuses, among others. It also does not include deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc.
For example, the UFC often hands out extra cash for "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night" and "Submission of the Night." To check out these figures for UFC 145 click here.
For complete UFC 145 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here.
Posted in: ufc, night, jone, decision, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJones earns $400K for UFC 145 win over Evans
Jon Jones earned $400,000 with no win bonus for his UFC 145 victory over Rashad Evans Saturday in Atlanta.
Posted in: ufc, jone, saturday, evan, bonus
Read the full article at sportsnet.caJon Jones tops list UFC 145 salaries with $400,000 paycheck
UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones didn’t just exit Atlanta with his title-reign intact and a victory over rival Rashad Evans at UFC 145 but also the evening’s largest paycheck after earning $400,000 for his successful showing. The figure was not affected by any bonuses based on his win or the manner in which it came.
Coming in second, fittingly perhaps, was Evans who made $300,000 for his hard-fought loss to Jones. The only other competitor to crack the six-figure mark was Ben Rothwell who came away with $169,000 in pay thanks to his Knockout of the Night performance against Brendan Schaub (who made a measly $14,000 by comparison).
Check out the full list of UFC 145 salaries below including event-specific bonuses:
Marcus Brimage: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) def. Maximo Blanco: $13,000
Chris Clements: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus) def. Keith Wisniewski: $10,000
Mac Danzig: $54,000 (includes $27,000 win bonus) def. Efrain Escudero: $10,000
Anthony Njokuani: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. John Makdessi: $12,000
Matt Brown: $36,000 (includes $18,000 win bonus) def. Stephen Thompson: $8,000
Travis Browne: $894,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus, $65,000 Submission of the Night bonus) def. Chad Griggs: $27,000
Mark Bocek: $46,000 (includes $23,000 win bonus) def. John Alessio: $10,000
Eddie Yagin: $77,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus, $65,000 Fight of the Night bonus) def. Mark Hominick: $82,000 (includes $65,000 Fight of the Night Bonus)
Michael McDonald: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) def. Miguel Torres: $32,000
Ben Rothwell: $169,000 (includes $52,000 win bonus, $65,000 Knockout of the Night bonus) def. Brendan Schaub: $14,000
Rory MacDonald: $36,000 (includes $18,000 win bonus) def. Che Mills: $8,000
Jon Jones: $400,000 (no win bonus) def. Rashad Evans: $300,000
(Figures represent payroll disclosed by the UFC/Georgia State Athletic and Entertainment Commission)
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, night, jone, bonus, night bonus
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainMMA Roundtable: Overeem's Future, Lombard's Debut, Hendo vs. Jones
For a UFC non-event week, there is plenty going on in the world of MMA, some of it good, some of it very bad. From Alistair Overeem's fighting future, to Hector Lombard's move to the UFC, to Dan Henderson's chances of unseating Jon Jones, several of the big names are making the news.
One name we won't be debating? Dr. Hector Oscar Molina, who wants us to believe that he knowingly injected a man he knew was a professional athlete with testosterone, and felt no need to tell said man about it. Worse yet, apparently he's not being held liable by this pro athlete, because, according to Overeem, there was no "ill will" in his actions.
While those two consider new careers in the bridge-selling business, Luke Thomas and I move on, gather around the old roundtable and get to some serious MMA questions.
1. After today's NSAC ruling, will the UFC cut Alistair Overeem?Thomas: If the UFC or more specifically Dana White had intentions of cutting Overeem, they'd likely have done it by now. It's not often White takes prolonged periods of time to deliberate those sorts of decisions. Typically he knows whether they're in or out. It's true in the case of Nate Marquardt he waited until the commission couldn't clear him to fight, but even then White knew that decision was the line in the sand. Either Marquardt was going to be cleared or he wasn't. If he wasn't, he was out. When he was out, we all received word rather quickly.The bigger question is probably, Should Overeem be cut? That one is significantly more difficult to tackle. That the UFC hasn't cut him yet tells you that letting go of Overeem is, in their minds, bad for their bottom line. Despite causing a fair number of bad headlines related to performance-enhancing drugs and dealing with regulatory issues in both of his proposed UFC fights, Overeem is still valuable to the company (and valuable to have so competitors may not have him). And given how borderline perfunctory yesterday's hearing was - the NSAC pleaded with Overeem to return to Nevada to fight! - he could be on a January 2013 card without much additional issue. In other words, despite the costs of doing business with Overeem, matters haven't reached a tipping point where the benefits no longer count. There's still gold in those hills and the UFC plans to mine it as long as they can.Chiappetta: Not only will they not cut Overeem, I wouldn't be surprised if his first fight back is a championship fight. Over the weekend, we had the chance to speak with UFC president Dana White about the Overeem issue. He voiced anger that Overeem put the promotion in this position, but he also said a decision about the situation was "not his call." In the past, White has always been very candid about the fact that he believes penalties handed down by state commissions are fairly strict. In some senses, Overeem will indeed pay the price for testing for an elevated T/E level. He lost out on a championship match, a huge payday, and he can't fight again until the final days of 2012 or perhaps after the new year. Since he last fought in December 2011, that will end up costing him an entire year of his prime. Since he turns 32 next month, that's no small thing.But Luke's point about Overeem's value will ultimately make the decision for them. They will not want to set him free, where he can go to a competitor, not when he still has value. In the end, keeping Overeem and restoring him to his prior spot in the heavyweight hierarchy is no different than what would happen in any other sport. When a player is suspended for drugs or PEDs, they usually return to their previous spot in the lineup. If they are important enough, the decision-makers may privately (or even publicly) shake their heads and sigh, but they will also ultimately put them back out there.2. Who should welcome Hector Lombard to UFC?Chiappetta: As far as I'm concerned, there's only one obvious answer here: Brian Stann. The two match up perfectly in several ways. For one, Stann is free; he's not tied up in any upcoming fight. For another, their styles will no doubt add up to a barnburner. For those who haven't seen him, Lombard usually competes with maximum aggression. That will play nicely with Stann's willingness to put his head down and slug it out. Both guys have huge KO power. Finally, they're both top 10 fighters.But the most important part of making the matchup is to set him on a path towards the championship quickly. Lombard is 34 years old, so he's not the type of guy who should sit around fighting marginal contenders. Either he's going to sink or swim at the top of the division, and a matchup against the respected and popular Stann will help to figure that out quickly. If he wins, he'll get instant respect from many in the UFC fan base who don't watch fights outside of the octagon. And if he loses, well, then those who've criticized the opponents he's mauled during a 25-fight unbeaten streak will have their bragging rights. Thomas: Stann's a good choice for all the reasons Mike mentions, but more so than anything else because of the timing. I doubt Lombard is overly eager to wait for Tim Boetsch and Michael Bisping to duke it out on July 7th so he can get the winner three months after that point. It'd be a huge layoff for him and as Mike rightly points out, the Cuban-born judoka is 34. If he's going to make waves in the UFC, he's going to make them now.Still, Stann is 1-1 in his last two fights. Lombard is unbeaten since 2006. Lombard hasn't faced the same sort of elite competition Stann has, but going unbeaten for as long as Lombard did is no easy feat. Plus, he enters the UFC as a now former champion from another organization. Bellator is not the same as Strikeforce was at its peak, but former PRIDE and Strikeforce champions have been jumped to the front of the contenders line when they've matriculated to the UFC. I'm not the biggest fan of making Lombard wait for a fight, but he deserves someone a tad higher in the rankings. I think that guy is Vitor Belfort.The fight would be fun for virtually all of the same reasons the Stann fight would be. Belfort is explosive, powerful, battle-tested and matches up against Lombard in an extraordinarily fan-friendly way. It's true Belfort has to get past Wanderlei Silva in late June, so it's not automatic Belfort is the guy and the timing isn't ideal. But a Belfort vs. Lombard fight would be unreal for the action it could deliver and the winner would arguably be next in line for a title shot. Let's follow existing precedent and give Lombard the kind of fight he deserves. By placing him across the Octagon from Belfort, you also please the fans and help further sort divisional hierarchy. That's probably enough of a reason to overlook the less than perfect timing.3. Does Dan Henderson have a better chance of defeating Jon Jones than Rashad Evans?Thomas: Generally, no. However, I would say Henderson has a better first round chance than Evans. I absolutely do not think Henderson can fight over the long haul with Jones or really any other elite light heavyweight. But there's also no denying he's a terror in the first five minutes (perhaps a little longer) of a fight. That isn't to say he has the absolute advantage over Jones in any portion or dimension of the fight, but Henderson's commitment to exchanging in the pocket and killer instinct is not something to be overlooked. Jones is hard to hurt. Even if you land on him, gathering momentum and landing valuable follow-up is an arduous task. The champion composes himself quickly and uses his reach as well as evasive maneuvers to gather himself. Henderson's got an uphill climb just as anyone else does in that regard, but he won't play the more thoughtful potshot game Evans did early in his bout with Jones. Henderson's going to get in Jones' face and try desperately to land his right hand made of lead. And if he does so successfully, he's going to blitzkrieg him until he lands it again and again.Admittedly, I find the overall chances of that working pretty slim, but I'll be more invested in the first round of Jones vs. Henderson than I was for Jones vs. Evans.Chiappetta: I don't think his chance of winning is any better or worse than Evans'. In one sense, he has an advantage over Evans as an opponent for Jones: his right hand. Anytime you have fight-ending, one-punch KO power, you have a legitimate chance to win. The thing about Hendo is that even when his opponents know it's coming, he has still shown a consistent ability to land it. The question, as Luke notes, is whether he can follow up with it and finish.In his most recent loss -- a decision to Jake Shields in 2010 -- Henderson crushed Shields with the right, nearly finished him there, and then had trouble staying off his back for the final 4+ rounds. That's the downside to Hendo that Evans doesn't have. When Henderson's opponents make up their mind to work inside and take him down, he's not as difficult to take down as his Olympic wrestling pedigree would suggest. According to FightMetric, 42 percent of attempts against him are successful. In his last fight with Mauricio Rua, for example, "Shogun" took him down on five of 10 tries. That doesn't sound like a recipe for success against Jones. It's going to be right hand or bust for Hendo.
Posted in: ufc, fight, lombard, overeem, jone
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145 Salaries: Jon Jones, Rashad Evans Top Payroll
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones defended his title and made $400,000 doing so Saturday at UFC 145 in Atlanta. His opponent, former champ Rashad Evans, earned $300,000 in the loss.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145 Jones vs. Evans Fighter Salaries: Jon Jones Tops the Payroll
The UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans fighter salaries were released by the Georgia State Athletic and Entertainment Commission on Wednesday, with Jon Jones, not surprisingly, topping the list.
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Posted in: jone, jon jones, bull, entertainment commission, georgia state
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145 salaries: Headliners Jones ($400K), Evans ($300K) earn top paydays
UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones ($400,000) and fellow headliner
Rashad Evans ($300,000) were the top earners at this past weekend's UFC
145 event.
They accounted for 56 percent of the event's $1,241,000 payroll.
MMAjunkie.com today requested and received the
list of official disclosed paydays from the Georgia Athletic and
Entertainment Commission.
Posted in: ufc, jone, event, headliner, payday
Read the full article at MMA JunkieChuck Liddell would entertain Octagon return for title fight versus Jon Jones
Chuck Liddell was one of the greatest champions in the history of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As the 205-pound strap owner, he defended his belt four consecutive times, during a two-plus year period where he went undefeated.
"The Iceman" was a pioneer, who held a cult-like following of mixed martial arts (MMA) fans who swore by his legend. Some of them even cut their hair like him, mimicking his trademark mohawk.
But "Father Time" caught up with Liddell, as he does, ever so cruelly, with us all.
During a three-year stretch, Liddell painfully dropped five of his last six fights; four of which came by way of (technical) knockout. It was hard to watch, and when UFC President Dana White finally forced him to hang up the eight-ounce gloves, there were few who objected to the decision.
Liddell recently did an interview with "UFC Tonight," where he discussed that decision, as well as what life is like for him after professional fighting. He's comfortable being a father, a businessman and a fight fan. He's in no hurry to step back into the Octagon, but there is one fight he'd seriously consider coming out of retirement for.
The answer may surprise you:
"The only thing that would even make me think about it is if they gave me a shot at the title. So, we'll see. For now? Yeah. Jon Jones. I don't wanna come back as a sideshow. It's just one of those things. It's not something I wanna do."
Liddell went on to comment about "Bones" and the current tear he's been on, as he continues to carve notches into his belt for every big name he puts down in the Light Heavyweight division.
Chuck was highly complimentary, but he was honest about the possibility of Jones eventually meeting his match:
"I'll never say never. Not in this sport. Anybody can lose at any time. If he keeps doing what he does, he's gonna be hard to beat if he keeps doing what he's doing. He follows his game plan. He trains hard. He keeps learning. He's young and he's athletic and a great athlete. He's a great guy. He's gonna be hard to beat, but I'm never gonna say no one's gonna beat him."
Finally, Liddell explained his thought process behind calling it quits, once and for all. It wasn't easy for him to walk away, and he believes he could have stuck around longer, if he'd wanted to and had made some changes. Ultimately, he just didn't feel like he'd enjoy fighting, if he had to make the necessary adjustments to his skill set:
"You know, it was a hard decision to make, to retire, but it wasn't like I couldn't compete with guys. I can't quite take a punch like I used to and I didn't wanna change my style. I could start wrestling and try to control guys, but then I still got the chance of getting hit hard. It just wasn't the way I wanted to fight. I fought so many years, and I wanted to go out fighting the way I like to fight: exciting and fun."
If we're being honest, we can all probably admit that there's basically zero chance that a Jon Jones vs. Chuck Liddell match up would ever happen, but if it did, would you pay to see it?
How about you "Iceman" fans? Would you like to see him get one more chance at a farewell victory, or should he stay retired, no matter what?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: fight, jone, way i, liddell, he
Read the full article at MMA Mania2012 NFL Draft: Chandler Jones Looking To Support UFC Claim Of Jones Family As 'Most Athletic In America'
In the lead up to UFC 145 and Jon Jones' title defense against Rashad Evans, the UFC sent out a press release calling Jones a member of "America's Most Athletic Family" and touting his family's accomplishments. Jon's older brother, Arthur, is a defensive tackle playing for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens while his younger brother, Chandler, is projected as a first or second round draft pick in this week's NFL draft.
To this point in their athletic careers, there's no doubt that Jon is leading the pack, having already become a UFC champion and arguably the best fighter in the history of mixed martial arts.
Arthur was taken in round 5 of the NFL draft, suffering a bit of a fall down the boards due to multiple injuries in college and some scouting concerns that his frame may have been a bit too small to play defensive tackle in a 4-3 defense (although possibly an ideal 3-4 option). Arthur played in two games in his 2010 rookie season, picking up no tackles, and fourteen games (with one start) in his second season. In 2011 he picked up 20 tackles, putting him 67th in the league for a defensive tackle.
Chandler is coming into this year's NFL draft, which starts tomorrow night with the first round, as a much hotter commodity than Arthur was when he came out of college. Chandler is being considered by many to be "more potential than production" meaning that, while his numbers were good, he is being coveted more because of his measurables and potential than dominance at the NCAA level. Don't be confused, Chandler did put up good numbers and was a quality NCAA player, but it's his athletic upside that bumped him up from a projected 4th round pick into first round discussions over the past month or so. He does have some concerns, having picked up a knee injury in college and most scouts note a tendency to play too upright without a consistent ability to get off the ball.
So with all that said, let's talk a little about this "most athletic family in America" claim...
Obviously, the claim is mostly UFC bluster, used to build up the Jon Jones story a bit. Arthur is a perfectly serviceable NFL roster player, unlikely to ever be a star but he could be a fairly reliable starter given the chance in the right system. Chandler projects as a starting defensive end but his lack of explosion off the ball is going to probably keep him from putting up the kind of sack numbers required to be a pro-bowl caliber player.
This lends itself to the argument that a pair of brothers who are two of the most successful quarterbacks in NFL history might have a claim to the sibling throne. I speak, of course, of Peyton and Eli Manning. Peyton's claim as arguably the best quarterback is supported by unbelievable statistical numbers and sustained success while Eli has two Super Bowl championships and spent 2011 putting together a phenomenal season.
Also in the sibling discussion would be Venus and Serena Williams. Serena ranks #4 and Venus #6 in all time WTA Grand Slam wins and they rank sixth and eleventh (first and third among active players) in overall title wins.
If we want to dip into the all-time discussion, I'd submit Jackie and Mack Robinson to the discussion. Mack was a former world record holder in the 200 meter sprint and picked up a silver medal in the 1936 Olympics and would be remembered as the fastest man of his time if not for Jessie Owens. Jackie broke the color barrier in baseball, an achievement which overshadows the fact that he was a phenomenal baseball player. Robinson could play almost any position on the field, could hit for a bit of power, was fast, hardly ever struck out while walking at a fairly high rate, hit for average well and had a mean streak. He was the perfect ballplayer.
And, if we're willing to extend past siblings into full families, I'd recommend the Matthews family. Clay Sr. played in the NFL, Clay Jr. ranks 16th in NFL history in games played with 278 and picked up four Pro Bowl selections, Clay III is in the NFL currently with a defensive player of the year award and three Pro Bowl selections, Bruce is one of the greatest offensive linemen in NFL history and a Hall of Fame inductee, Casey is a linebacker for the Eagles, Kevin is a center for the Titans, Jake and Mike are both playing for Texas A&M university. That's not too shabby for one family.
This is not to diminish the Jones family accomplishments. I just think it's an interesting discussion and, honestly, I just like to talk about sports. So cast your vote and defend your reasoning in the comments.
Posted in: jone, chandler, family, player, nfl
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowMMA Top 10 Rankings: Jon Jones Maintains Stranglehold on No. 1
With his win over Rashad Evans at UFC 145, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones maintains his stranglehold on the top spot at 205 pounds.
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Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad evans, bull
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyDana White wants Jon Jones to stay at 205 pounds, but heavyweight move might be real close
Four consecutive wins over former Light Heavyweight champions, three of whom were stopped inside the distance, and suddenly Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 205-pound kingpin, Jon Jones, is being hailed as the Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T.) among many mixed martial arts (MMA) fans.
"Bones" has ripped through the divisional cupboard, battering Mauricio Rua, submitting Quinton Jackson and leaving Lyoto Machida for dead in the build up to the biggest fight of the 24-year-old's professional career last weekend when he dominated his former friend and current arch enemy, Rashad Evans, in the UFC 145 main event en route to a unanimous decision victory.
Just writing that long-winded sentence is tiresome, much less having the skills and ability to accomplish it all in just 13 months.
UFC President Dana White is still reluctant to call him the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. That distinction, he contends, belongs to Middleweight champion Anderson Silva. "The Spider," however, hasn't breezed through a Murderer's Row of decorated fighters like Jones, which isn't to say he has accomplished any less throughout his legendary career.
Jones and Silva are both bad, bad men. There should be no argument there, and if there is, you can go bananas in the comments section below and make a fool out of yourself because this is a blog and that's the sort of thing that happens quite often around these parts.
Anyway, Jones is a special fighter whether you like him or feel the need to hate. And he's already got his next opponent lined up, Dan Henderson, and White hinted earlier today that he plans to ask his main event workhorse to headline another upcoming pay-per-view (PPV) event, UFC 149, which is slated for the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on July 21, 2012.
It will be great news for White and fight fans in the Great White North if Jones is amenable to yet another tight turnaround to fight yet another former champion. However, if he blitzes "Hendo" like he has most of the other top competition in the division, there isn't much intriguing depth leftover. In other words, Jones would have essentially cleaned out an entire division in less than 18 months.
And according to White, the next best option, which is a move up to Heavyweight, isn't something he would like to see Jones do at such a young age.
From the Ithaca Journal:
"Jon Jones is a physical specimen. The guy is huge at 205 pounds.... He can make 205. Once he cleans out a division and [expletive] starts getting a little old and stale, then maybe he makes that move to heavyweight. He’s 24 years old, and as he gets older, it’s going to be harder to cut that weight. It’s going to be harder to stay as lean as he is. If I was him, and I’m not his coach or advisor or anything, I’d wait until that naturally happens....You move up to heavyweight, and you've got Junior Dos Santos up there. Dude's got bombs in his hands. ... You've got some big serious dudes at heavyweights. It's a big jump. It's not going to be that fun at heavyweight."
White might not be eager to "advise" Jones on a move up to heavyweight, but he's really leaving him with no other options. Seriously, unless I'm missing something, Alexander Gustafsson is the only viable opponent who currently makes sense. And that doesn't even really make that much sense because "The Mauler" would only get the opportunity to challenge Jones because there is no one else left standing.
And neither would Gustafsson once Jones got done with him at these stages of their careers and development.
It's no secret that Evans is one of the shorter top light heavyweight fighters and Jones is among the tallest. However, Jones looked like Hong Man Choi circling around that Octagon in Atlanta, Ga., the other night, stalking "Suga" and slashing him with those crazy elbows. He even revealed prior to the showdown that he now walks around at 230 pounds.
Here's the convoluted bottom line: Jones will eventually graduate to heavyweight, but White doesn't want that to happen before his body does it naturally. Meanwhile, White is rushing him into a fight with Henderson this summer, but if he wins, the division for all intents and purposes is not just cleaned out, but sterilized.
There's a lesson, and perhaps a solution, in all of this, but I just can't put my finger on it. Perhaps Chael Sonnen can help at UFC 148 on July 7, 2012. Or, even his old friend from Team Quest, Henderson, can somehow delay the inevitable.
If not, I'm out of light heavyweight ideas for the future of Jon "Bones" Jones.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, heavyweight, move
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones vs. Dan Henderson Possibly Headlining UFC 149 in Calgary
With all the fluctuation between main events for UFC 147 and UFC 148, with Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen being moved to UFC 148, and Jose Aldo likely now headlining UFC 147, UFC President Dana White mentioned the possibility that Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson could be taking place at UFC 149 in July. UFC 149 takes place on July 21st from the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary.
At today’s press conference for Silva vs. Sonnen, White discussed multiple events, including UFC 149, which was expected to be headlined by Jose Aldo and a soon-to-be announced opponent. However, Aldo is likely going to be fighting at UFC 147, instead. With that, UFC 149 would be lacking of a main event. White mentioned that the recently announced matchup between Jones and Henderson is a possibility.
“Dan Henderson and Jon Jones could be a possibility,” said White. “Jones just fought his first five round fight, his hands are sore, all the things that go along with coming out of a fight like that. We’ve got to give him a few weeks to see how he feels, then we’ll figure out what the main event is going to be in Calgary. But that would be awesome. If we could make that fight, that would be great.”
Jones (16-1) defeated Rashad Evans this past weekend at UFC 145 in Atlanta. Following the event, Henderson was announced as his next opponent. This will be Jones’ fourth title defense since earning the title at UFC 128 in March 2011, where Jones defeated “Shogun” Rua. He has since defeated “Rampage” Jackson, Lyoto Machida, and Evans in the past year. This unprecedented string of title defenses, with all being former champions, has had Jones quickly rise up to the top of the pound-for-pound rankings.
He will take on Henderson (29-8), who returned to the UFC in November at UFC 139. He defeated “Shogun” Rua in a bout that has since been touted as one of the greatest fights of all-time. Henderson enjoyed an immensely successful 2011, earning the Strikeforce light heavyweight title, along with defeating legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko in July. Now he will take on Jones, who at 24 years old, is nearly half his age.
For complete coverage of UFC 149, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, event, henderson
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC's Dan Henderson On Jon Jones Failure To Connect With Fans
UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones is the undisputed #1 LHW in the world according to the USA TODAY/MMA Nation Consensus Rankings. He's also the most dominant LHW UFC champ since Chuck Liddell's reign ended in 2007 and yet fans are not flocking to the 24-year-old champ to the degree his accomplishments would seem to merit.
MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani asked Jones' next challenger, UFC, Pride and Strikeforce veteran Dan Henderson for his take on why Jones isn't clicking with fans. Henderson's reply was characteristically direct:
"I think it all has to do with being genuine and the fans sense that: when you are and when you're not. I'm pretty much who I am all the time and I don't know if they get that impression from him.
"His whole attitude sometimes. It's not completely not genuine," Henderson clarified. "But I think that's what the fans are turned off by."
"I don't know him personally, so I can't really say if it's genuine or not. It's just the impression that I think fans get."
UFC president Dana White today said that Jones vs. Henderson may headline UFC 149 in Calgary, Canada,
Video of the interview after the jump...
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, fan, i dont
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones vs Dan Henderson possible headliner for UFC 149 in Calgary
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones has already told the ZUFFA brass he wants to compete (at least) four times in 2012.
And with a possible title defense against Dan Henderson at UFC 149 on July 21 at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, "Bones" would be halfway there.
That's one possible scenario for the world's largest fight promotion, which is currently shuffling its existing fight cards to help fill the void left by its scheduling difficulties in Brazil. The rematch between Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen is no longer booked for UFC 147 in "Rio," and UFC President Dana White has already considered bringing Jose Aldo from his tentatively scheduled main event in Calgary to help add some star power to the tattered South American fight card.
That would leave the headlining bout available for the previously announced bout of "Jones vs. Henderson," an idea that White not only described as "possible," but "awesome" as well.
Nothing is official at this time, as Jones is still on the mend following a five round title defense against "Suga" Rashad Evans back on April 21 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
While the contest didn't bring about the violent finish some were expecting, it was still 25 minutes of combat, so the jury is still out on how soon the champion would be willing to get back inside the Octagon.
Stay tuned.
For more news and notes from today's UFC 148 press conference click here. To see what else is brewing for UFC 149 in Calgary click here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, henderson, calgary
Read the full article at MMA ManiaChamp Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson possible for UFC 149 in Calgary
With UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo likely off the card and headed to UFC 147 in Brazil, July's UFC 149 event in Calgary may still get a title fight.
At a press conference today in Rio de Janeiro, UFC president Dana White mentioned the possibility of light-heavyweight champ Jon Jones and Dan Henderson headlining UFC 149.
However, White said it'll depend on Jones' recovery following this past weekend's win over Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jone, title fight, dan henderson, jones recovery
Read the full article at MMA JunkieThe Forward Roll: UFC 145 Edition
In beating Rashad Evans at UFC 145, Jon Jones vanquished his fifth top 10 opponent since Feb. 2011. A summertime matchup with Dan Henderson could make it six within 18 months, a blistering pace of historic proportions. The bout with Henderson is confirmed, though a date likely won't be cemented for at least a few weeks.A good sign? Jones has experienced many of the best qualities exhibited by Henderson. Quinton Jackson represents danger in both hands, Mauricio Rua shows the same fearless aggression, Rashad Evans boasts quality MMA wrestling. None of it has been especially problematic for Jones, who has had barely a moment of trouble along the way.
Henderson will face many of the same problems as the rest of Jones' opponents. He's sized similarly as Evans, just 5-foot-11 with a 74-inch reach (Evans has a 75-inch reach). He's also nearing 42 years old (on August 24). No one discounts Henderson's chances of winning, but given Jones' ability to get opponents to play his game, it will be an uphill task. Jones has also shown a durable chin; against Evans, he ate a head kick with barely a stumble. That's a trait that will serve him well against the iron-fisted Hendo. At least we know what direction the top of the light-heavyweight division is headed. Now let's take a look at what might be next for some of the rest of UFC 145's participants.Rashad EvansEvans would be wise to consider a move to middleweight. Not because he can't hack it at 205; he's been criminally underrated there. But if his goal is to be No. 1, it's an easier road to a title shot at middleweight, where the top-line talent pool is a bit more shallow. That said, he seemed to indicate a preference to stay at light-heavyweight. That's his prerogative. His hand speed will continue to serve him well if he stays within the division, as I suspect he will.Prediction: He faces Shogun RuaRory MacDonaldThe UFC's matchmaking philosophy with MacDonald has been a bit unusual. After beating vet Mike Guymon his first fight, he got Carlos Condit. He nearly won that, but lost late in the third. Since then, his matchups went from the always tough Nate Diaz, who was then miscast as a lightweight, to durable journeyman Mike Pyle to little-known Che Mills. At 13-1, MacDonald is ready for the jump. He deserves a top 10 opponent, now. Prediction: He faces the winner of May 5's Johny Hendricks vs. Josh Koscheck fightMichael McDonaldMcDonald just turned 21 three months ago, and he's already closing in on the bantamweight top five after his crushing knockout of Miguel Torres. With the rapid ascension, Jones' record as youngest-ever UFC champion (23 years, 243 days) is also in danger. Now 4-0 in the octagon, McDonald is knocking on the door of a title shot. He'll still need at least 1-2 more wins though.Prediction: He faces Brian BowlesBen RothwellOver the weekend, I wrote that featherweight Eddie Yagin was the feel-good story of UFC 145 for his huge upset of Mark Hominick, but Rothwell deserves honorable mention for picking up his first win in nearly two years with a KO of Brendan Schaub. I would have liked to see Rothwell get offered a chance to fill in at UFC 146 against Roy Nelson, but that slot went to Gabriel Gonzaga. Let's not let time get in the way of it.Prediction: He faces the Nelson-Gonzaga winnerTravis BrowneAn athletic 6-foot-7 heavyweight with power, a chin, and he trains regularly with Jon Jones? This dude is getting downright scary. Given his skill set and durability, he is going to be a tough out going forward. He's definitely got the finisher's mentality, too. Nine career first-round stoppages, including seven that took less than 2:30 following his submission win over Chad Griggs. Prediction: If Mark Hunt beats Stefan Struve in May, Browne faces Hunt. If not, he welcomes Shane Carwin back to action in the late summer.Brendan SchaubAfter a four-fight win streak, Schaub has now lost two in a row, with both losses coming via knockout. Afterward, Schaub was introspective, saying in a FUEL post-fight interview that he might consider a move down to light-heavyweight. Considering he weighed in at 237 for UFC 145, it won't be an easy cut for him. But it is a doable cut. In an attempt to jumpstart his career, it might be worth the effort. His speed and quickness will follow him there, and he won't be facing the monsters he often saw at heavyweight (in KO losses to Rothwell and Nelson, he was out-weighed by more than 20 pounds).Prediction: Schaub tries out 205. The UFC should give him some time to make it there, so we'll project him for a fall return, say against the winner of July's Brandon Vera vs. James Te Huna matchup.
Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, evan, he
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones And The Lessons On Legacy Following UFC 145
After what felt like an eternity, the drought officially ended, and everyone's favorite arena for human cockfighting has returned. The MMA world is unique in its ability to keep turning even when absolutely nothing is happening. Ultimate Ball, Alistair Overeem, and Quinton Jackson insured that we were still able to laugh at, cry over, and lament what MMA has to offer (respectively).
For those bored by the activities replacing the absence of action on the octagon, thank your lucky stars for the new season of Game of Thrones, and The Raid which is still playing at select theatres near you. And thank your lucky stars for Jon 'Bones' Jones.
At this point it's clear to everyone that Jon Jones is better than his contemporaries. And by a wide margin. Count me in the minority who felt like there was absolutely nothing "disappointing" or "anticlimactic" about Jones' performance or the fight.
It was a brilliant display, made all the more impressive by the fact that Rashad Evans has come into his own as an elite fighter. He utilized his jab, threw standing elbows like overhand rights, and his arsenal of kicks seems to expand by the minute.
And yet for a fighter primed to be a star, observers speak of him like he's in limbo. We've heard this story before. Following Georges St. Pierre's dominating win over B.J. Penn at UFC 94, fans began to clamor for a move to MW for a superfight with Anderson Silva. At this point, it's a meme for all champions to consider moving up in weight once they've defended their belt as the list of challengers wane.
And so now Jones will hear plenty of whispers in his ear about moving up to HW.
Related Links: Is Jon Jones The Greatest Lightweight Ever? | Elbows In The UFC: Why Jon Jones Succeeded Where Shinya Aoki Failed | UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results And Post Fight Analysis
I'm not here to question Jones' legacy. But I would like to question how observers choose to define his legacy so early in his career. Mike Chiappetta is talking about Jones as a potential G.O.A.T contender at MMA Fighting. I don't take issue with the claim on its surface. Jones is absolutely on the path towards being a potential "GOAT".
But let's not predetermine his status. He's defended his belt three times, and has been champion for a full year. In contrast to some of the candidates for the greatest of all time status, Chuck Liddell reigned LHW for three years. Fedor's historic run lasted from 2003 until 2010. Anderson Silva began his career as a top WW only to win championship gold at MW in 2006, and hasn't lost since. Has Jones achieved an approximation of any of this?
If anyone's credentials transcend length of time as a factor in applying the term "greatness", it's certainly Jones. After all, he already has almost as many fights as Liddell had during his run. And compared to Fedor, his competition has been stellar across the board defeating four former champions at a time when being a former champion meant something.
But is that enough? Of course not. No reasonable person actually thinks Jones is already there. But reasonable people are itching to see him leave LHW for the greener, more well fed pastures of heavyweight mixed martial arts. In part because they feel like the writing is already on the wall.
But also because people want to see Jones challenged. I don't know where this comes from: that in order to be "challenged" you have to bite off more than you can chew. MMA fans can be a bitter bunch, and my own personal theory is that its tied to its unique history of seeing our favorite fighters stumble: every hero has been slain at some point. 'Fate better fight fair' is their mantra: if quiet and beloved heroes like Fedor and Wanderlei could fall, fate better make damn sure it will happen to the UFC's polarizing golden boy. Right?
Whatever the case, let Jones' legacy be defined by duration, and achievement. Observers may not have the patience for the former, but it's the only way to allow him to fulfill the lofty ambitions we all expect from him.
This to me, is one of the important factors in determining true greatness. "Of all time" is not just a string of words attached to the acronym, the "GOAT". It's a reference to being able to sustain dominance. The challenges a fighter faces aren't always the most obvious. This is especially true of the champions. We've seen plenty of champions lose as much to a well timed right hand as to complacency (Chuck Liddell and Takanori Gomi spring to mind).
"Know your limits master Wayne", a wise butler of a fictional crime fighter once said. The sky's the limit for Jones, but it doesn't mean it can't fall on him if he's not careful.
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Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, champion
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowDan Henderson: I Haven't Got Impression Jon Jones Is 'Genuine'
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Posted in: jone, tekprodfx, dan, impression, havent
Read the full article at RedditUFC Quick Quote: Dan Henderson says Jon Jones gives off a disingenuous impression
"I don't know, I think it all has to do with him being genuine. The fans sense when you are and you are not. I'm pretty much who I am all the time. I don't know if they get that impression from him. Not really, (if he gets the same impression from him) he was a little better after his fight with Rashad than he has been in the past, but I have not gotten that impression from him, no. His whole attitude, it's not completely not genuine, but I think that is what the fans are turned off by. I don't know him personally, so I can't say if it's genuine or not, it's just the impression that I think that is what the fans get."
-- One of the true mixed martial arts (MMA) legends of all time, Dan Henderson, shared his opinion today on "The MMA Hour" today (April 23, 2012) on the possible reason fans haven't yet embraced Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight, Jon Jones. Though he undoubtedly does have a strong fan base, "Bones" has often been met with criticism and boos from fans because of his confident attitude that many perceive to be flat out cocky. Not one to shy away from his confident attitude, Jones takes it all in stride, knowing that it is all simply part of the game. But is Jones genuine? "Hendo" seems to think that the fans can sense it, and when it comes to Jon, fans feel he is simply not. In fact, Jones is already preparing himself for the "haters" when he squares off against Henderson later this year. Genuine or not, Henderson will have a tall task if he hopes to be the one to end the very impressive run that the 205-pound kingpin is currently on --- seven straight wins with three consecutive title defenses. Jones latest victory came at the expense of former friend and training partner, Rashad Evans, this past weekend (April 21, 2012) at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia. Perhaps an "H-Bomb" can set him straight?
Posted in: jone, henderson, fan, impression, attitude
Read the full article at MMA ManiaDan Henderson: I Haven't Got Impression Jon Jones Is 'Genuine'
After defeating Rashad Evans at UFC 145, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones might be on the cusp of stardom. He's certainly closer now than ever before. Yet, the 24 year-old phenom is still polarizing to MMA fans. That is not a secret, of course, but the question is why? Why, despite unbelievable athletic accomplishments at such a young age, is the Endicott, New York native not clicking with some fans? Dan Henderson, Jones' next opponent, thinks he understands what's going on.
"I'm sure you can answer that question, too. Why do you suppose that is?", the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion rhetorically asked Ariel Helwani today on The MMA Hour.
When pressed further for his take, Henderson offered a theory. "I think it all has to do with being genuine and the fans sense that: when you are and when you're not. I'm pretty much who I am all the time and I don't know if they get that impression from him."
That may be what the fans are thinking, but what about Henderson himself? Does he get the impression Jones is genuine in his personal interactions with others? "Not really," Henderson confessed. "I think he was a little bit better after his fight with Rashad than he had been in the past, but I haven't got that impression from him, no."
Henderson isn't suggesting Jones is entirely putting on a public act. The top light heavyweight contender isn't exactly accusing Jones of being an actor. But if Henderson detects anything, it's that the polarizing effect the light heavyweight champion has on fans is as consequence of Jones having something manufactured about what he shows the public. "His whole attitude sometimes. It's not completely not genuine," Henderson clarified. "But I think that's what the fans are turned off by."
"I don't know him personally, so I can't really say if it's genuine or not. It's just the impression that I think fans get."
If he doesn't know for certain that Jones is sincere, there is one thing he seems very confident about. Namely, that Jones' fighting style is a good fit for him. No matter how dominant Jones is believed to be, Henderson isn't short on the belief that he has what it takes to be the first one to give Jones problems. "Everybody has holes in their game," he argued, "I just think he matches up style wise well with me."
For Henderson, it has to do with where he and Jones prefer to contest their bouts. "He's gonna stand and bang a little bit," he continued. "He gets in there and starts to throw some punches and then gets on the inside a little bit, too, and likes to get into the clinch. Those are places where I'm sure that our fight will go that I'm very comfortable with."
In the wake of Jones' victory over Evans, the considerable reach of Jones has become even more difficult for challengers to handle. If a former training partner and fighter with the speed of Evans can't get inside on Jones, some would suggest Henderson will have no easier of a time. The former Olympian, however, thinks solving that problem boils down to a mindset and one Evans lacked in his title fight on Saturday. "I think it all has to do with - you gotta commit to being offensive, throwing those punches - getting on the inside and staying outside that reach."
"I think Rashad definitely could've taken him down," Henderson suggested. "I don't think he really had too solid of a takedown attempts. Maybe one decent attempt, but he didn't set it up at all and Rashad usually does that pretty well. He did that real well against Phil Davis, but it's a little bit harder for him. He fights a lot better moving forward and he was moving back most of the fight."
Beyond a larger, more general perspective, Henderson wasn't ready to divulge any specific details about what he'll do when he gets his chance inside the Octagon with Jones. However, the former PRIDE middleweight champion clearly believes there is a blueprint to follow. And it shouldn't be too hard. For Henderson, he just has to do what he already does best.
"A lot of it is pressuring him, cutting him off," Henderson said. "A lot of times it's tough to do, tough to implement sometimes - to keep a guy always on the defense, keep pressuring him - but against some like Jon that should be the game plan."
Posted in: jone, henderson, fan, impression, i dont
Read the full article at AOL Fanhouse10 Awesome Action Photos from UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Take a look back at some of the best shots of the night from HeavyMMA shooter James Law, who was cageside for UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, action photos
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC Heavyweight Champion Junior Dos Santos Impressed With Jon Jones
A champion seems to always have respect for a fellow champion. UFC heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos expressed such remarks for UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones following Jones’ most recent victory over Rashad Evans at UFC 145. “Well guys about the UFC 145 main event I just think Jon Jones has once again proven [...]
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, champion, rashad evans
Read the full article at MMA ConvertReaction from the Action: “UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans”
Now what?
That has become the question following Jon Jones and his performances inside the Octagon. First it was the beatdown of “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128 last March. Even though he was fighting for the UFC light heavyweight title just six weeks after defeating Ryan Bader, Jones fought the Pride veteran, and dismantled him. Then it was “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135. Even though the fight went into the fourth round, Jones was rarely challenged by Jackson. Then came the third consecutive former champion in Lyoto Machida. This was supposed to be the test for Jones, as Machida brings a distinct style that fighters rarely see in mixed martial arts. Despite that, along with a solid first round from Machida, Jones was able mount a charge and choked “The Dragon” out in the next round.
Then came Saturday and the highly anticipated fight against former training partner Rashad Evans. The matchup was long expected, as Evans was the man the UFC brought into the cage following Jones’ last two wins. But due to injury and other circumstances, the grudge match took nearly a year to come to fruition.
Evans was expected to test Jones. The physical challenges were there, with Evans’ premier speed and wrestling; but Evans also brought the mental challenge, as the two trained together at Jackson’s MMA in New Mexico. That was evident in the matchup between the two, as they clearly respected each other throughout the 25 minutes spent inside the Octagon. But Jones still showed off many of the reasons why he is considered one of the greatest fighters in the world. Evan at 24-years old, Jones shows off more maturity and patience than he did a year ago. Match that with his length and versatility, it has come to the stage of wondering just how great he can become, and if anyone can challenge him in his current division.
Yes, Jones went to a decision for the first time since defeating Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94 in January 2009. But Evans did not test Jones for an extended amount of time. He landed a decent head kick in the first round, and clipped Jones with an overhand right in the third, but Jones was able to recover both times. Jones still landed the most effective strikes, and did so repeatedly. His forward elbows that he landed on Evans were clearly impacting him, and Jones was wise to continue using them throughout the match. Evans was able to survive those elbows and other strikes, but that should discount Jones’ performance.
That now transitions us to Jones’ next scheduled opponent, Dan Henderson. “Hendo” was named the next challenger at the press conference on Saturday by UFC President Dana White. Many fans and pundits have already stated that Henderson will present Jones his toughest challenge, but that is just continuing the pattern that has come to be after every one of Jones’ performances. Will Henderson actually prove those experts correct? That is to be determined, along with just how long Jones will remain at light heavyweight, given his first year as champion.
Biggest winner: Michael McDonald
After two solid performances in his first two UFC matches, the 21-year old from Washington has been one of the most impressive fighters in the entire organization in his last two matches. Coming into the matchup with Miguel Torres, McDonald was telling everyone that would listen just how confident he was going into the biggest matchup of his career. He put that confidence on display, knocking out the former WEC bantamweight champion in the first round. “Mayday” very well could be fighting for the title before he turns 23.
Biggest loser: Brendan Schaub
Losing to a former champion in his hometown is nothing to be ashamed of. That is something Schaub endured in losing to “Minotauro” Nogueira at UFC 134 in Brazil. Now eight months later, Schaub finds himself struggling to remain relevant thanks to the loss to Ben Rothwell on Saturday. Once considered a top prospect in the ever-changing heavyweight division, Schaub’s future has changed 180 degrees from just a year ago.
Also: Stephen Thompson
The touted Karate expert came into UFC 145 with a ton of hype, as he was touted as the best striker in the division, according to the division’s champion Georges St. Pierre. Unfortunately for Thompson, that all blew over thanks to Matt Brown. Speaking of which, it seemed Thompson and his takedown defense was that weak, as he looked like he fell down every time like he was blown over by the wind. That will have to be addressed for Thompson to hope to remain relevant in the UFC.
Biggest question: How soon will Rory MacDonald be fighting for the welterweight title?
Coming into the match, many fans were wondering “who is Che Mills?”. That question received the answer “oh, that guy that Rory MacDonald demolished” on Saturday. The training partner of Georges St. Pierre could find himself in the category of his teammate very soon, as the 22-year old has put on an impressive arsenal every time he has stepped in the cage. If he does, MacDonald has stated that he would rather move to middleweight before fighting his teammate. But MacDonald will be fighting for the title very soon, regardless of his friendship and partnership with St. Pierre.
Future matchups to make:
Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson: This matchup was announced on Saturday by Dana White, and will happen in late-summer or early-fall.
Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto Machida: The last two victims to Jones, Evans and Machida nearly rematched at UFC 133 in August. But that is when Machida infamously asked for “Anderson Silva money”. Now the two are both coming off of a loss, and will hope to remain in the upper echelon in their second matchup.
Rory MacDonald vs. Johny Hendricks/Josh Koscheck winner: Hendricks and Koscheck will square off in two weeks at UFC on Fox 3, and the winner of that matchup would be an excellent candidate to take on MacDonald. With Martin Kampmann vs. Jake Ellenberger touted as a number one contender’s bout, MacDonald and Hendricks/Koscheck will be fighting at least twice more before challenging for the title.
Ben Rothwell vs. Pat Barry/Lavar Johnson winner: Rothwell came back from being clipped by Brendan Schaub in the first round to knock out “The Hybrid”. Many pundits have discussed Rothwell replacing Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva against Roy Nelson next month, but Rothwell would be better served taking on the Barry/Johnson winner because…
Travis Browne vs. Roy Nelson: “Hapa” is closer to title relevancy than Rothwell is. If he is able to defeat Nelson, it would push Browne into the upper echelon of the heavyweight division. He mentioned that his extended training camp for Chad Griggs was grueling, so a four-week training camp will not be as much of a prolonged issue for him.
Michael McDonald vs. Brad Pickett: Both are coming off terrific wins over the last week, as Pickett defeated Damacio Page last week in Sweden. I mentioned Pickett as a good opponent for Brian Bowles, but this matchup works out even better, as the winner of this one could be a title contender by the end of 2012.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, matchup
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 145 Jones vs. Evans Fight Highights Video
Check out the fight highlights from Saturday's UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans in Atlanta.
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Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Highlights Video
Take a look back at some of the highlights from Saturday's UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans pay-per-view at Philips Arena in Atlanta.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, philips arena
Read the full article at Heavy MMAElbows in the UFC: Why Jon Jones Succeeded Where Shinya Aoki Failed
On a recent episode of The MMA Show, and in an article here on BloodyElbow, I predicted that Rashad Evans would not be allowed to get close enough to UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Jon Jones, to land his noted right hand. I asserted that Jones would use his front kicks to the knee, long punches, and brutal low kicks (made doubly effective by Rashad's side on stance) to pick Evans apart. All of these elements were present, but what I never saw coming (and neither did Rashad) was Jones' willingness to move into Rashad's punching range, in order to land short elbow strikes.
This unique strategy on Jones' part was probably the suggestion of either Greg Jackson or Mike Winkeljohn, and has seemed to defuse one of the main areas in which it was thought Jones could be beaten. It has long been assumed that, just as in boxing, if you crowd a man who owns a freakish reach advantage, he will be unable to strike effectively. By crowding a longer man in boxing, the shorter fighter can begin to work effectively in bursts between the range where his opponents punches are at their strongest and longest, and the range where his opponent can tie him up. The traditional boxing strategy has seemed to hold true through MMA's short life, Stefan Struve vs Junior Dos Santos is an excellent example of a longer man simply having nothing when a man with a shorter reach crowds him and relentlessly throws punches. Jones' success against Rashad, often by stepping in so close that he himself could not punch, has not only highlighted a new area of Jones' personal game, but also the criminal under-use of elbows in MMA as a whole.
Just a day before, however, Shinya Aoki, the Japanese grappling phenomenon whose stand up game has been steadily improving under the guidance of the elite Thai trainers at Evolve MMA, threw an incredibly ill advised lead elbow strike at Eddie Alvarez. Alvarez, a more than competent striker, moved back, allowing the short strike to miss, then jumped into range and countered through the wake of the failed elbow, dropping Aoki to his back and finishing him with a savage blitz of ground and pound.
The advantages of elbow strikes are very clear:
They are ungloved, and so deliver far more damage in a short area.
The forearm bones and point of the elbow have little meat over them, meaning that the collision is made almost entirely with bone, which is likely to open a cut.
They can be thrown quickly and at almost any angle; from above, below, spinning, slashing downward, 12 to 6 (though currently illegal, unless you are on your back, bizarrely), jumping, falling.
Why then, are elbows not used more readily in MMA? For that, we shall have to examine the hazards of attempting elbow strikes, and the ways in which successful exponents of elbow strikes have alleviated these dangers.
With that list of benefits, throwing elbow strikes should seem like a no brainer. Every MMA fighter and their mother should be storming out of their corner and winging elbows at their opponent. Unfortunately the dangers of throwing elbows are also manifold:
They are shorter than punches, substituting in for the shortest hook one can throw with power (that is, with your elbow bent at a right angle). A simple step backwards will eliminate the danger of the elbow.
When thrown with power, they require more commitment of the upper body than a punch does, and if missed they will leave you in an awkward position, such as Aoki found himself in the other night.
It is difficult to get in to elbowing range without being clinched.
Here, Shinya Aoki demonstrates the dangers of throwing an elbow when your opponent has room to back up. Notice how his over commitment to the motion also causes Aoki to be out of position when Alvarez throws his counter, and how Shinya would have been unlikely to land anyway because he did nothing about moving Alvarez's lead hand.
These dangers can all be alleviated by setting elbows up correctly. Firstly, many great elbow strikes in Muay Thai (the home of the elbow) are landed as both competitors are stepping in. One steps in with a punch or kick, and the other steps in with a counter elbow. This simple act of stepping in when one's opponent steps in is the foundation of all good offensive counter punching, and it is especially helpful in landing elbows. Anderson Silva notably used this strategy against a low kick from Chael Sonnen, countering with a beautiful over the top elbow (which is detailed in my book: Advanced Striking). The Muay Thai fighter, Nathan Corbett is also excellent at stepping in with an uppercut or over the top elbow when his opponent steps in. In fact, a Nathan Corbett highlight is a seminar in how to land hard elbow strikes.
NATHAN CARNAGE CORBETT HIGHLIGHT (via trentxr)
You will notice, in this highlight, how often Corbett lands his elbow strikes. Obviously Corbett's opponents don't WANT him to hit them, but they cannot get out of the way. He assures that they cannot move away in one of three ways:
Throwing the elbow as a counter to the opponent's forward motion (as already discussed)
Assuring that the opponent is backed up against the ropes.
Holding the opponent in a one handed clinch while he strikes them.
All of these methods can be utilized in MMA, and work against the cage is more prolonged and tolerated than clinching against the ropes is in Muay Thai. Even the weak striker, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira found success against the much larger, healthier, Frank Mir in their second match with elbows along the fence. Chuck Liddell, too, threw his first notable elbow inside the octagon against Wanderlei Silva when he had pushed the latter up against the cage, and it was responsible for the large cut on Silva's face that helped win Chuck the decision.
A final method, which is not present in Corbett's highlight reel, is the act of hand fighting. I have talked in some detail before about hand fighting from a striking perspective (in my articles on Hand Trapping, and in my Ultimate Southpaw Guide) but Jon Jones performance the other night illustrated it to great effect. Throughout the fight Jones could be seen to be reaching one or both hands forward to cover Rashad's, which is discourage in boxing, where the hands are the only weapons, but is a major part of both Karate and Muay Thai sparring.
In this still from the Jones - Evans title fight, one can clearly see Jones' covering both of Rashad's hands as early as the second round. A strategy which he utilized throughout the fight, this eliminated Rashad's ability to throw punches at Jones, and allowed Jones the opportunity to roll his own elbows over the top of Rashad's guard. Alistair Overeem is also well known for peforming this sort of hand trap, using it almost exclusively to land his step up knee strike or "Uberknee" against Brock Lesnar.
The absence of successful elbow strikes from almost every major MMA card has more to do with a lack of understanding by many MMA fighters of the strategy involved in landing an elbow. One can stand square on to an opponent, throw combinations of punches, and do fine. But if one takes the same "throw and hope" approach with elbows, it is very easy to miss and provide holes that even semi-capable strikers can counter into.
If more fighters note the importance of ensuring the opponent is either coming in or cannot back up when they attempt an elbow, and that his hands are occupied with hand fighting, we will see a great increase in the number of successful elbow strikes in MMA. I am sure that over the next couple of months we will see mediocre strikers attempt to imitate Jones' elbows as they did Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida's front kicks. A mistimed elbow strike, unlike a front kick thrown at random, places the aggressor in a terribly precarious position, however. Just ask Shinya Aoki or Urijah Faber.
Want to learn the techniques of Junior Dos Santos, Anderson Silva and Roy Jones Jr.? These and the techniques of 17 other elite strikers, are broken down in detailed photography in Jack Slack's new ebook Advanced Striking: Tactics of Kickboxing, Boxing and MMA Masters, which is out NOW!
Jack Slack blogs at his website www.fightsgoneby.com and can be found on Twitter @JackSlackMMA, and on his new Facebook Account.
Posted in: jone, opponent, strike, elbow, elbow strikes
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC Title Challenger Dan Henderson Looking To Fight Jon Jones In The Clinch
Dan Henderson has had one of the best mixed martial arts careers in the sport's short history and he'll look to cement his legacy when he challenges phenom Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title. Henderson possesses the savvy and powerful right hand to make it a long night for Jones but he knows the value of coming in with a gameplan.
Hendo spoke to USA Today about the upcoming fight and had the following to say about how he thinks he needs to fight Jones:
"You've really got to get inside and fight with him and end up in the clinch with him a lot," Henderson says. "Jones is better than most guys in the clinch. ... (But) that's where I'm most comfortable. At the same time I need to be real careful with catching one of those goofy elbows that he throws."
...
"Rashad's game should have been a little bit more mix it up from the outside and threaten more with takedowns and put Jones on his back," Henderson says. "Rashad fought Jon Jones' fight, not his own. ... I definitely saw (openings) that Rashad should have capitalized on."
We'll see if Dan is able to land one of his big right hands or dirty things up enough in the clinch to pull off the huge upset.
As for when the fight will take place?
Henderson is hoping that the UFC can throw it on the July 7 card, even though that may be a bit too soon for the UFC and Jones. But given the pace that the UFC has suggested they want Jon to fight at, it's possible they decide that yet another big summer main event is worth the quick turnaround.
While Jones was forced to go the full five rounds with Rashad, it's not like he took much damage in the fight. It's all about if he feels up to getting right back into the gym and prepping for another big test.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, henderson, rashad
Read the full article at Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 by the numbers and inside the box score
-The win for Jones was his 10th in the UFC. Jones moves to 10-1 in the UFC overall-Jones has now defended his UFC light heavyweight belt three times. The record for light heavyweight title defenses is give held by Tito Ortiz.-The fight with Evans broke an eight streak of Jones bouts that did not go to a judge's decision-Jones last four wins have all come versus former UFC light heavyweight champions-Jones last decision came versus Stephan Bonner at UFC 94 in January 2009-Jones has won seven straight fights-it was the first decision loss of Evans seven year career-With two losses in his career Evans has only lost to former UFC champions-In 19 career mma fights Evans has gone the distance 10 times-Evans has been in the main event in his last nine UFC fights dating back to UFC 78 in November 2007-Rory MacDonald now has 13 career MMA wins. 12 of those have come via stoppage or submission.-MacDonald is 4-1 in the UFC-MacDonald, now 22, was a MMA pro when he was 16 and signed by the UFC when he was 20 years old.-The loss for Che Mills snapped a five fight winning streak-Mills now has five career defeats, four by submission or decision. The loss to MacDonald was his first by ( T) KO- Per Compustrike Jones outlanded Evans 112-56 in total strikes, 52-12 in power strikes-FightMetric scored the Jones-Evans fight as a blowout. Jones was given a 400-134 FightMetric effectiveness score over Evans and a 50-44 ten point must system edge per the UFC's official stats. -Per Compustrike MacDonald outlanded Mills 58-12 in total strikes, 38-5 in power strikes.-Betting favorites went a mere 7-5 at UFC 145. The biggest upset of night came off Eddie Yagin's split decision over Mark Hominick. Yagin was a big underdog at +550-The UFC returned to Atlanta, Georgia and the Philips Arena with UFC 145. The promotion last held a show in downtown Atlanta in September 2008 with UFC 88. A main event of Rashad Evans versus Chuck Liddell headlined UFC 88. Below is a live gate and attendance comparsion between the two events. UFC 88Gate: 2.6 millionAttendance: 14,736 UFC 145Gate: 2.3 millionAttendance: 15,545
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, loss, evan
Read the full article at UltMMAUFC Quick Quote: Dan Henderson doesn't have a (expletive) chance of beating Jon Jones
"He doesn't have a fucking chance. Does anyone? Don Frye if he got off his lazy ass. I said this about a year ago about the same question. [Jones is] gonna run the gamut in the light heavyweight division until he goes to the heavyweight division. He's six four and twenty three years old so he can only stay at 205 for so long, so then age and gravity will kick in and he just won't be able to stay there. So until he moves up to heavy and has a hell of a fight against Junior Dos Santos no one will touch him. Dos Santos is going to run the heavyweight division until Jones gets there. No one can challenge Dos Santos just like no one can challenge Bones at light heavyweight."
Sorry, Hendo, but former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Tournament Champion Don Frye (via Middle Easy) doesn't think you have an effing chance of beating reigning 205-pound champion Jon Jones, who continued his divisional dominance by disposing of former titleholder Rashad Evans at UFC 145 last Saturday night (April 21, 2012) in Atlanta, Georgia. "Bones" is expected to welcome his latest challenger, Dan Henderson, in a light heavyweight showdown later this year. Is Don just saying what we're all thinking? Or has he simply had one too many BudFryezers before breakfast? Opinions, please.
Posted in: ufc, jone, heavyweight, year, doesnt
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC Champion Jon Jones Says Dan Henderson Will Be The Harder Puncher In Their Title Clash
Following his successful title defense against Rashad Evans at UFC 145, Jon Jones has immediately turned his attention to his next opponent. Dana White announced that Dan Henderson, coming off a dramatic win over Mauricio Rua in a spectacular fight, would be the man to get the next shot at Jones' title and it led to Jon hitting up Twitter with a question.
Jones asked his followers this about Henderson:
@JonnyBonesJon Bones Jones What's Dan Henderson's reach compared to Rashads? Apr 22 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply
When one fan saw fit to try to redirect the conversation from reach to power, Jones was very honest about the situation.
He didn't run from the fact that Hendo will have the power edge:
@JonnyBonesJon Bones Jones I would think he would be the harder Puncher "@MIKEYBFILTHMMA: Should be asking what's Jon Jones power compared to Hendo's @JonnyBones" Apr 22 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply
Henderson is much more plodding on the feet than Jones or Evans, but he has a somewhat freakish ability to always manage to find a way to land his right hand. It's no secret that he's looking to uncork the powerful right, but opponents still keep getting hit with it.
Jones should be able to work from the outside with success and avoid Henderson ever really connecting clean, but Henderson also has a great chin that will allow him to take the chance of eating a big shot in exchange for closing distance.
"Bones" deserves to be the heavy favorite coming in to the bout, but no one should ever put anything past Dan Henderson.
Posted in: jon, jone, henderson, dan henderson, dan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC champ Jones, challenger Henderson look forward to UFC clash
ATLANTA - Light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones neutralized his toughest opponent yet when he defeated former titleholder Rashad Evans early Sunday, but the next challenge won't get easier.
The UFC on Sunday confirmed that venerable star Dan Henderson will face Jones next. Henderson has been waiting for a title shot since beating ex-champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in a November.
Now, the two fighters discuss the upcoming matchup.
Posted in: ufc, title shot, jone, henderson, sunday
Read the full article at MMA JunkieJon Jones Says Gustafsson Isn't Quite Ready for Him, but 'Exudes Winning'
submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [1 comment]
Posted in: jone, jon jones, mattyblayze, isnt, gustafsson isnt
Read the full article at RedditRashad Evans: I hurt my foot in the second round, but my performance sucked
Rashad Evans elaborates on an injury he sustained during the second round of his championship bout versus Jon Jones on Saturday. He praised Jones for being difficult to take down, and thought he could have pressed the action a bit more. Evans vows to learn from this experiece and come back stronger, looking to face Jones for the title again someday. - courtesy of: fueltv.com:
Further Reading: UFC 145: Jon Jones reatians title with a dominant Unanimous Decision
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, evan, face jones, championship bout
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones Says Gustafsson Isn't Quite Ready For Him, but 'Exudes Winning'
In the eternal hunt for the "next" big thing, many have anointed the title on Sweden's Alexander Gustafsson, the 6-foot-5 striker who earned his biggest career victory by beating Thiago Silva at UFC on FUEL 2, just a week before UFC light-heayvweight divisional champ Jon Jones successfully defended his title.Jones has been one of the many impressed by the 25-year-old, though he doesn't feel he's quite ready for a title shot just yet.
"Alexander Gustfasson I think is pretty close to a title shot," he said last week. "I think if maybe he wins two more fights against some top guys like maybe Lyoto [Machida] or Rashad [Evans] or somebody who can push him in different categories. I would like to see him against a wrestler, and I would like to see him against a worthy striker, then a title shot would be very appropriate."
Gustafsson was never truly in the running to fight Jones next anyway, since Dan Henderson had been queued up as the next challenger for quite some time.As Gustafsson's risen up the ladder though, there have been increased comparisons between him and Jones. But while the 24-year-old champ is impressed by Gustafsson, he doesn't quite see a reflection of himself."I think the only similarity is that we’re both tall, and that’s it," he said. "We are completely different athletes. I have a wrestler-base where I shoot and throw from the clinch. I kick fast and accurate. He has really great boxing. I like his demeanor, though. He has some swagger. That kid has swagger. He exudes winning the second he steps in the cage. I realize that about him. But I think the kid has the potential to be a star. Sweden just loves him. And I saw that he just has 'it,' and I’m excited for him."Gustafsson's won five straight matches, including four via stoppage, leading to speculation that he and Jones could meet somewhere down the line, something that UFC president Dana White indirectly acknowledged when asked about it."There's a lot of things we could do in that weight division," he said. "It's always and always will be a fun division."
Posted in: ufc, title shot, title, jone, gustafsson
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones: “I’m not happy that I got hit so hard.”
After this past weekend’s performance against Rashad Evans at UFC 145, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones had plenty on his plate worth celebrating. The dynamic 24-year old picked up his seventh straight win since suffering a disqualification loss, including four straight against former UFC champions, and emerged victorious in a bout where the personal stakes were as high as the professional ones.
While the 16-1 Jones certainly felt some level of satisfaction in his showing against Evans, only moments removed from his success inside the Octagon the 205-pound king was busy analyzing his effort and looking for areas to improve in.
“It wasn’t necessarily about doing things I didn’t do when we were training (together),” explained a semi-satisfied Jones in an interview from the locker room with UFC cameras. “I just knew that I had grown a lot. I grew a lot. My game’s a lot different than it used to be. I just thought if I went out there, played the game the way I like to play it, be very versatile, that I would be okay.”
“But, he caught me a few good times. The guy hits hard, so can’t be doing that,” Jones continued, switching gears. “I try not to get hit in practice at all and I definitely don’t want to be taking big hits like that. Those things will slow your career down and I’m very young, I have a long time to go, so I’m not happy that I got hit so hard. But it was a learning experience for sure.”
Jones also mentioned he was glad to have finally experienced a full five-round fight as a means of gauging his cardio, though he didn’t necessarily seem sure how to react to the result.
“It was my first five-round fight and it felt like my cardio wasn’t an issue. Maybe it was an issue, I don’t know.”
Watch out the full interview with Jones below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, ’t, i ’m, ” jones
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainMonday Water Cooler — Looking Back at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
HeavyMMA's Duane Finley takes a look back at Saturday's UFC 145 card, from the big winners like Jon Jones and Michael McDonald to those who suffered big falls.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, michael mcdonald, monday water
Read the full article at Heavy MMAMorning Report: The Dizzying Backlash to Jon Jones’ Dominance
Jon Jones handled his business on Saturday night. But you already know that, and you don't need me to rehash it.
For those keeping score, at just 24 years old, Jones has now polished off four of the greatest light heavyweights in world -- all of whom are former champions -- like he was playing a video game with the difficulty set to rookie.
After a run like that, a backlash was not only inevitable, it was already brewing. But while dominant champions are always polarizing in their own right, the ticky-tack dissection of Bones has started to zero-in on confusing reasons. His reach is unfair. He doesn't belong in this division. He should be fighting at heavyweight.
Now, I try not to judge, but diminishing someone's accomplishments because you don't agree with their choice of weight class is an odd gripe. There's a reason weight classes exist. If you can make the weight, it's fair game. No one piles on Anderson Silva or Georges St. Pierre for cutting upwards of 20 pounds. No one lays into Jose Aldo for being such a massive featherweight that he was nearly hospitalized on film.
Every athlete has their own set of physical gifts. It would be foolish not to use them. Besides, imposing your size and reach is a skill in and of itself. Being longer than everyone doesn't mean anything if you don't know what to do with it. Just ask Stefan Struve.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
UFC 145 results and post-fight coverage. Now that the dust has settled, check out UFC 145 from every angle with fight results, post-fight interviews, bonuses, main event highlights, post-fight press conference video, exclusive photos and reactions from the pros.
Frank Mir replaces Alistair Overeem. After enduring weeks of heavyweight limbo, former UFC champ Frank Mir officially replaced Alistair Overeem opposite Junior dos Santos in the main event of UFC 146. UFC President Dana White cited scheduling pressure and a lack of confidence in Overeem's ability to gain licensure as the reasons behind his decision.
Weekend MMA results. Catch up on the rest of this weekend's MMA action with fight results for Bellator 66, The Ultimate Fighter Live and The Ultimate Fighter Brazil.
Hendo next for Jones. As expected, 41-year-old Dan Henderson is slated to challenge Jon Jones for the next defense of his UFC light heavyweight title.
White says BJ Penn will fight again. BJ Penn's career as an active fighter is not exactly over according to Dana White, who recently spoke to the 33-year-old former champ.
MEDIA STEW
So Junior dos Santos released this clip right after the Mir-Overeem switch was confirmed. But honestly, the champ's super zoomed-in, totally taken out of context quote says it all: "It's a good thing for me."
Eddie Alvarez and Shinya Aoki have now met twice for a whopping grand total of 3:46 of fight time. Here's the messy 2:14 from Friday night.
We can't show you a replay of Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, but if you have 17 minutes to spare, the spectacular brutality of Jon Jones vs. Shogun Rua is a pretty great alternative. (Click the image to watch.)
Just when you thought there haven't been any good post-fight melees lately, Maiquel Falcao and Andreas Spang go and do something like this.
TO THE VICTOR GOES THE SPOILS
It's only been one day and I'm already starting to miss the routine/grind. #Athletesproblems
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 22, 2012
I was 224lbs last night "@bartolini69: @JonnyBones how much do you weigh the night of the fight, 220-225?"
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 22, 2012
What's Dan Henderson's reach compared to Rashads?
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 22, 2012
I would think he would be the harder Puncher "@MIKEYBFILTHMMA: Should be asking what's Jon Jones power compared to Hendo's @JonnyBones"
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 22, 2012
HATERS GONNA HATE
Is anyone else starting to pay more attention to the people sitting cage side? #DoSomething
— Dan Hardy (@danhardymma) April 22, 2012
I know I've had a rough run lately but I wouldn't trade any of my fights for that performance. #ShowUpAndGetPaid
— Dan Hardy (@danhardymma) April 22, 2012
"@JAniol1 why u hatin'? - Because I will never get that 25 minutes back.
— Dan Hardy (@danhardymma) April 22, 2012
"@MisterKreger who are u talking about, these guys are champs, whereas you're a 0-4 gimmick. - Records are for DJ's, I come for a fight.
— Dan Hardy (@danhardymma) April 22, 2012
RAMPAGE JACKSON AKA RAP SUPERSTAR
@Rampage4real damn! Why didn't you bring me on on a track? You know I spit that hot fire. And I also can rap.
— Jason Mayhem Miller (@mayhemmiller) April 19, 2012
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced over the weekend (Friday, April 20, 2012 - Sunday, April 22, 2012):
- UFC 146: Alistair Overeem (36-11, 1 NC) out, Frank Mir (16-5) in against Junior dos Santos (14-1)
- UFC 146: Frank Mir (16-5) out, Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva (16-3) in against Cain Velasquez (9-1)
- Dan Henderson (29-8) confirmed as next opponent for Jon Jones (16-1)
- M-1 Global: Fedor Emelianenko (33-4) vs. Pedro Rizzo (19-9) announced for June 21
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today's Fanpost of the Day is a divisive conversation starter, courtesy of BE's SSreporters: Jon Jones: An Apology
I don't write post-event recaps. Today is no different. I'm here to apologize on behalf of Jon Jones for his disgraceful actions last night. They were out-of-order, unpopular with the fans, and he should really be ashamed of what he did over the span of 25 minutes against Rashad Evans. Jones is too busy getting fans, so I will apologize not just for his fight, but the last 13 months or so. I'm addressing this to the MMA fans who hate Jon Jones for whatever reason.
I'm sorry Jon Jones was too boring for you in his comfortable win over Rashad Evans. I'm sorry that he put a dent in the side Rashad's forehead that resembled a 1997 Nissan Altima being on the wrong-end of a head-on collision with a Ford Excursion. It was a 5-round decision so lopsided that anti-Jones fans out of spite gave a maximum of two rounds to Rashad on the basis of a head kick in the 1st and a right hand in the 3rd. Two judges gave Rashad one round as ammunition for anti-Jones brigades to say "HEY! Rashad took a round off of him, maybe Phil Davis can take 3!". I'm absolutely certain that the entertainment value of the fight would've improved tenfold if Jon Jones simply lost the fight. And not just any loss, a loss where he looks like he just started fighting last week and Rashad would have his way with him. Evans would have landed a right hook from hell and Jones would've dropped like a bag of sand, all whilst looking limper than your p***s at the sight of an orgy in Central Park consisting of nothing but hobos and senior citizens who look like Estelle Getty. Jones didn't oblige, and I am truly sorry.
There was no correct outcome for Jones that involved him winning. The decision win was blasphemous, a quick first round stoppage would've been an anti-climactic end to a heated feud, and any form of a brutal KO or submission would undoubtedly raise questions about how evil Jon Jones is that he would willingly put his former bestest friend in the world to sleep.
Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, rashad, april
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145 results recap: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans event wrap up from Atlanta
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returned to pay-per-view this past Saturday night (April 21, 2012) with UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans," featuring the continued dominance of Jon Jones as he skillfully maneuvered his way past his former teammate Rashad Evans.
Book closed.
Rory MacDonald impressed once again, giving fight fans a taste of what the future at welterweight looks like when he mauled Che Mills en route to a second round technical knockout stoppage victory.
And what's there to say about Ben Rothwell and his knockout of Brendan Schaub? Or Michael McDonald and his destruction of Miguel Torres?
In cased you missed any or all of it -- or just want to keep the discussion alive -- below are links to all the major storylines borne from Saturday night's event in Atlanta.
In we go.
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans"
Results and live fight coverage
Recap and morning after discussion
Post-fight press conference video
Bonuses and awards
Event photos gallery
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans fight metric report
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans fight video highlights
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills fight video highlights
Ben Rothwell vs. Brendan Schaub fight video highlights
"Prelims" results and recap
Fight recap: Mark Bocek outworks John Alessio for decision win
Fight recap: Eddie Yagin takes split decision over Mark Hominick
Fight recap: Michael McDonald crushes Miguel Torres
Fight recap: Ben Rothwell knocks Brendan Schaub out
Fight recap: Rory MacDonald stops Che Mills in the second round
Fight recap: Jon Jones defeats Rashad Evans to retain light heavyweight title
Fight review and analysis: Mark Bocek vs. John Alessio
Fight review and analysis: Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin
Fight review and analysis: Michael McDonald vs. Miguel Torres
Fight review and analysis: Ben Rothwell vs. Brendan Schaub
Fight review and analysis: Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Fight review and analysis: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
UFC 145 post-fight fallout
Big winners and lowly losers
Event report card
MMA Mania Matchmaker
What's next for Jon Jones? (Hint: His name starts with a "D" and ends with "an."
UFC 145 results paved the way to give the UFC 146 main card a face lift
Did UFC 145 show that the light heavyweight division has become stagnant?
Rashad Evans still doesn't like Jon Jones, thinks he'll fight him again
Confirmed: Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson is next
Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson is the intersection of the UFC's Route 205
Jon Jones has Dan Henderson in his sights after dominating Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans isn't moving to middleweight just yet but he's keeping his options open
Rashad Evans failed against Jon Jones with a wacky game plan
Meditations on Relative Importance Disparity
Travis Browne gets back on the heavyweight track with submission of Chad Griggs
Matt Brown proved that heart and experience still count for quite a bit after defeating upstart Stephen Thompson
That, my friends, should be enough to keep you talking -- at least for the time being. What gets your vote for the biggest story coming out of UFC 144?
Sound off, Maniacs.
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at MMA Mania
Dan Henderson breaks down what he needs to do to defeat Bones Jones
Let me go on record by stating if Dan Henderson defeats Jon Jones in his upcoming title fight, I will name my first born 'Hendo.' That is, if I decide to actually bring a human into a world devoid of cartridge-based videogame systems and Surge soft drinks. I think I'll hold off on the whole kid thing -- there's still a plethora of irresponsible and selfish activities I need to illegally engage in.
The fight you've always suspected will occur in the future is now a verified reality. During the UFC 145 post-fight press conference, Dana White confirmed Jon Jones' next opponent will be the 41-year-old potential GOAT, Hollywood Henderson. Yes, that was his real nickname back in the day. People also called Hendo 'Decision Dan,' not because he was involved in decisions, but because he was always on the raw end of a decision. Look at me, dropping knowledge like I knocked over a rack of encyclopedias.
Hendo sat down with USA Today shortly after UFC 145 to talk about his newly acquired title shot, break down what Rashad Evans did wrong against the champion, and above all else state exactly what he will do in his fight with Jon Jones.
"You've really got to get inside and fight with him and end up in the clinch with him a lot," said Henderson. "Jones is better than most guys in the clinch. ... (But) that's where I'm most comfortable. At the same time I need to be real careful with catching one of those goofy elbows that he throws."
"I look at my clinch as a little more active clinch, where I'm always looking for takedowns or different angles or strikes and things, (so) I don't really look to those guys for clinch knowledge. I think we have two different views on the clinch."
Hey, Dan Henderson wouldn't own ClinchGear if he wasn't really nasty with the clinch. There's no set date for Hendo vs. Bones, but we're assuming that it will happen on a television set near you.
Posted in: fight, jone, henderson, dan, hendo
Read the full article at Middle EasyJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans in pictures
submitted by easternamigo [link] [2 comments]
Posted in: jone, vs, picture, evan, easternamigo
Read the full article at RedditUFC 145 Results Recap: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans
In the main event at UFC 145, Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones successfully defended his title against former champion Rashad Evans. Jones took the fight via unanimous decision, with scores of 50-45, 49-46, and 49-46. This was the 3rd successful title defense for Jones and brought his record up to 16-1 overall. Evans loses for just the 2nd time in his career here, dropping to 17-2-1.
After all the pre-fight hype, there was a definite danger of this fight disappointing, and to many fans, that's exactly what happened. Rather than engage in a fast-paced shootout, both Jones and Evans approached the fight from a very strategic standpoint. While Evans had some success standing, Jones was able to use his jab and elbows to pick him apart over 5 rounds. It may not have been the flashiest version of Jon Jones, but it was one of the most dominant performances we've seen from the young champion.
What was the high spot of this fight?
Those elbows Jones used in round 2 were brutal. I loved his technique of using Rashad's hands to gauge distance and create openings. High-level stuff there.
Where do these guys go from here?
For Jones, the next fight is set - he'll face former Pride and Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson in his next title defense. That will be an interesting test as Jones faces Henderson's veteran smarts, and his bomb of a KO punch.
For Evans, it's harder to say. He's been chasing Jones for so long that it feels weird to think about him doing much else. I'd say he has two options - test up and comers, or face other highly ranked fighters in superfights. For the first option, I'd pair him with Ryan Bader, for the second, Mauricio Rua. I'd rather see the Shogun fight myself.
Watch it now, later or never?
Now. Setting aside the expectations, this was a great technical battle that showed Jones's continued evolution. He's a must watch fighter, and this was no exception.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans in the full entry.
UFC 145 Results: Is Jon Jones The Greatest Light Heavyweight Ever? - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Results: Matt Brown Derails The Stephen Thompson Hype Train - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Results: Njokuani Makes Emphatic Case For Muay Thai Over Taekwondo - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results - Best Photos Of The Night - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Results: Sunday Morning Perspective - T.P. Grant
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills Full Fight Video Highlights
UFC 145 Results: How Jon Jones Outstruck Rashad Evans - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Results: Winners And Losers - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Results - Jon Jones' Next Opponent Confirmed: Dan Henderson - Brent Brookhouse
Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Fight Video Highlights From UFC 145
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results And Post Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Post-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 157: UFC 145 Results Review - Matt Bishop
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, result, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowLooking into the future of the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones
Jon Jones has now dispatched the very best in his weight division within a span of only two years. He’s been faced with challenge after challenge, and continues to not only triumph, but to learn and grow from every experience both inside and outside the octagon. With every opponent came a different challenge physically, and a new lesson morally. With Shogun, he proved to himself and the world that he possesses the skills to fight fire with fire, and ended up defeating Shogun in his strongest area. He
Posted in: jone, challenge, weight division, fire, fight fire
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145: 'Jones vs Evans' video highlights for April 21 pay-per-view event
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" finally hit pay-per-view (PPV) airwaves this past Sat., April 21, 2012, from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, and featured UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones cruising past Rashad Evans to retain his 205-pound strap.
Those bragging rights must feel so good, too.
But they weren't the only two in action on the night's main card. Rory MacDonald earned yet another victory on his way to a welterweight title shot, overwhelming Che Mills en route to a second round technical knockout stoppage.
Ben Rothwell got back on track with a big knockout victory over Brendan Schaub in the first round of their heavyweight contest. Miguel Torres failed in his return to the Octagon, getting knocked clean out by Michael McDonald while Mark Hominick dropped his third in a row by losing a split decision to Eddie Yagin.
And don't forget Mark Bocek's gritty unanimous decision win over John Alessio.
You can catch highlights from all of the above after the jump. And for complete UFC 145 results, including round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action, click here and here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, brendan schaub, philips arena
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Results Recap: Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills
In the semi-main event at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans, two fighters billed as the future of the Welterweight division squared off. In the end, as expected, Rory MacDonald had little trouble dispatching of Che Mills. MacDonald ended the fight in the 2nd round via strikes on the ground. MacDonald is now 13-1 and on a 3 fight win streak, with his only loss coming against champion Carlos Condit. Mills drops to 14-5, 1-1 in the UFC.
Despite the promotion, this fight was clearly set up as a gimme for MacDonald, and that's how it played out. Mills had a bit of success early on, but the young Canadian fighter survived that early stand-up attack and quickly took control. From there, he methodically broke Mills down, controlling him on the mat. In round 2, he took dominant position, brought down the ground and pound, and that was it. Impressive work from MacDonald.
What was the high spot of this fight?
Pretty much the entire 2nd round. It was a great display of methodical ground control from MacDonald, and how to use control to build to a finish.
Where do these guys go from here?
MacDonald is riding a huge wave of hype, and rightly so. But it's time for him to step up and face a top 10 opponent. Based on the upcoming schedule, I'd like to see him against Jake Shields, which would both be a great test for MacDonald, and also an interesting question - would he do what GSP didn't and stop Shields?
Mills may have lost, but it wasn't terrible for him. He was clearly fighting above his level here and was not yet ready for this. Bring him back down to let him develop more outside of the top 25. I'd love to see him against Stephen Thompson next.
Watch it now, later or never?
Now. Rory MacDonald is something special, and it's time to watch him if you aren't already.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans in the full entry.
UFC 145 Results: Is Jon Jones The Greatest Light Heavyweight Ever? - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Results: Matt Brown Derails The Stephen Thompson Hype Train - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Results: Njokuani Makes Emphatic Case For Muay Thai Over Taekwondo - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results - Best Photos Of The Night - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Results: Sunday Morning Perspective - T.P. Grant
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills Full Fight Video Highlights
UFC 145 Results: How Jon Jones Outstruck Rashad Evans - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Results: Winners And Losers - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Results - Jon Jones' Next Opponent Confirmed: Dan Henderson - Brent Brookhouse
Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Fight Video Highlights From UFC 145
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results And Post Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Post-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 157: UFC 145 Results Review - Matt Bishop
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, vs, macdonald
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowDan Henderson: I will fight my fight against Jon Jones
Dan “Hendo” Henderson came out today with a few comments about his strategy to defeat Jon Jones for the UFC Light Heavyweight championship. Never one to beat around the bush, Henderson was frank in his discussion about the title fight at this weekend's UFC 145. While Jones did not finish the former champion Rashad Evans as he had three previous champions, he utilized accurate strikes to keep Evans well outside of his range. That is not the way to be successful against a fighter like Jon Jones
Posted in: jon, jone, henderson, title fight, bush henderson
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145 Results Recap: Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell
In a Heavyweight fight at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans, Big Ben Rothwell faced off with Brendan Schaub. After just over 1 minute of action, Rothwell was able to catch Schaub with a heavy combination and shut his lights off, winning via KO at 1:10 in round 1. The fight earned Rothwell the Knock Out of the Night bonus. Rothwell gets a much needed win here, bringing his UFC record up to 2-2, 32-8 overall. Schaub drops his 2nd straight, both by KO, and is now 8-3.
With both men coming in off of losses, and losses where they looked bad, this was a high stakes fight. Rothwell came in focused and somewhat slimmed up, and his determination seemed to carry him through. When Schaub got over-eager, Rothwell used nice counter striking to make him pay.
What was the high spot of this fight?
The shoot-out that led to the end clearly. Though I suspect the real lasting image of this fight will be an essentially unconscious Schaub blindly reaching out to pull Rothwell into guard.
Where do these guys go from here?
Rothwell finally capitalized on his pre-UFC reputation here, earning the big win he so desperately needed. Not sure how far he can go in the UFC, but I'm interested to see what is next for the veteran. I'd like to see him against fellow UFC 145 winner Travis Browne next.
I doubt Schaub will be cut here, but he's in a must-win situation for sure. Dave Herman seems like a good opponent at this stage.
Watch it now, later or never?
Now. It's short and features a great KO. Go for it.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans in the full entry.
UFC 145 Results: Is Jon Jones The Greatest Light Heavyweight Ever? - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Results: Matt Brown Derails The Stephen Thompson Hype Train - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Results: Njokuani Makes Emphatic Case For Muay Thai Over Taekwondo - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results - Best Photos Of The Night - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Results: Sunday Morning Perspective - T.P. Grant
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills Full Fight Video Highlights
UFC 145 Results: How Jon Jones Outstruck Rashad Evans - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Results: Winners And Losers - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Results - Jon Jones' Next Opponent Confirmed: Dan Henderson - Brent Brookhouse
Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Fight Video Highlights From UFC 145
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results And Post Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Post-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 157: UFC 145 Results Review - Matt Bishop
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, result, rothwell
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Results Recap: Michael McDonald Vs. Miguel Torres
In Bantamweight action at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans, former WEC Bantamweight champion Miguel Torres faced rising star Michael McDonald. McDonald proved that the hype behind him is well justified, knocking out the former champion in round 1. The 21 year old McDonald remains undefeated in the UFC at 4-0, 15-1 overall. Torres drops to 40-5, 2-2 in the UFC.
Since losing his WEC title, Torres has been working to evolve into a more studied, strategic fighter. And he's had good success with that transition so far. But here, McDonald put the pressure on, and it proved to be too much. McDonald's striking was the difference maker in this fight, as he aggressively outstruck Torres. In particular, his uppercuts looked great, really hurting the former champion.
What was the high spot of this fight?
Like I said, McDonald's uppercuts were fantastic, particularly in the fight ending combo.
Where do these guys go from here?
By defeating the former Bantamweight kingpin, McDonald throws his name into the mix of possible title contenders at 135. He's behind Urijah Faber and Renan Barao at the moment though. I'd love to see him face Brad Pickett to determine who is next in line.
For Torres, this was a tough loss. He's just never found that same swagger since losing the title a few years ago. People like to say he's just 31, but he's also got roughly 50 pro fights to his credit, many of them wars, and he's just not a top fighter anymore. He remains a good test for anyone though.
Watch it now, later or never?
Now. Very exciting short fight here that brought a new name into the Bantamweight mix.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans in the full entry.
UFC 145 Results: Is Jon Jones The Greatest Light Heavyweight Ever? - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Results: Matt Brown Derails The Stephen Thompson Hype Train - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Results: Njokuani Makes Emphatic Case For Muay Thai Over Taekwondo - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results - Best Photos Of The Night - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Results: Sunday Morning Perspective - T.P. Grant
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills Full Fight Video Highlights
UFC 145 Results: How Jon Jones Outstruck Rashad Evans - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Results: Winners And Losers - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Results - Jon Jones' Next Opponent Confirmed: Dan Henderson - Brent Brookhouse
Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Fight Video Highlights From UFC 145
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results And Post Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Post-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 157: UFC 145 Results Review - Matt Bishop
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, result, mcdonald
Read the full article at Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Musings
JONES TAKES IT TO ANOTHER LEVELUFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones answered any remaining critics with a virtuoso performance on Saturday night. He completely shut down arch nemesis Rashad Evans in every facet of the game. The win erased any doubt over the legitimacy of his championship reign.Remember that it was Evans, not Jones, who was originally supposed to face Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128 in Newark, New Jersey. When Evans injured himself, the UFC opted to substitute in Jones, rather than delay the championship bout until the rightful number one contender healed. That decision sparked controversy inside one of the most successful mixed martial arts teams in the world – Jackson-Winklejohn MMA – and ultimately left a cloud of doubt lingering over Jones’ reign.Jones not only cleared the skies with his win. He firmly placed himself in the middle of the vaunted pound-for-pound debate with fellow mega stars Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva. If one just considers fights since January 1, 2011, it is tough to argue that anyone other than Jones deserves to be considered the sport’s single best competitor.Let’s take a look at the comparables.During that span, Jones has five annihilation wins in five fights. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Shogun Rua, Lyoto Machida, and Rashad Evans were all reigning or former champions at the time they faced him. Yet, “Bones” Jones literally outclassed each of them, making it seem like they didn’t belong on the same level as him. Oh yes, before dispatching with all those elite stars, Jones thrashed then-undefeated star prospect Ryan Bader.GSP and Silva are also undefeated over the last 16-plus months. But the two have combined for only three fights during that period due to injuries. GSP’s lone victory was a decision win over Jake Shields, who arguably has been the best fighter in the world outside of the UFC for the past few years leading up to the GSP fight. While GSP’s win was impressive, it was just one win. Had the champion also faced and defeated Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit, then one could make a great case for GSP being the sport’s most accomplished fighter since January 1, 2011. One win isn’t enough.Silva only holds two victories during that span. He made former champion Vitor Belfort and perennial top contender Yushin Okami look amazingly ordinary in those two bouts. That in itself is an amazing feat. Add to the mix that Silva, who is currently in the midst of a 14 fight UFC winning streak, holds just about every UFC championship record imaginable, and it is tough to argue that anyone other than Silva deserves the top spot based on a complete body of work. But we aren’t looking at entire careers right now. We are just looking at the last 16 months. Nobody in the sport has accomplished more than Jones during that period. Nobody has faced tougher competition. And nobody has made more successful title defenses.2011 was undoubtedly the “Year of Jon Jones.” 2012 might not be any different.HENDO NEXT UP FOR THE CHAMPIt doesn’t take long for UFC officials to add a sobering dose of reality to a champion’s victory party. Dana White announced after Jones’ dominating win over his bitter rival that Dan Henderson will be up next. For those who don’t have a long memory, this is the same Dan Henderson who won the PRIDE 183-pound and 205-pound belts. He remains the only man in history to simultaneously reign over two divisions of a major fight promotion. This is the same Dan Henderson who savagely knocked out Fedor Emelianenko in a heavyweight bout. Yes, the same Fedor who was once thought to be the most dangerous man on the planet. It is the same Dan Henderson who represented the United States in two separate Olympic games. Anyone who thinks that his better days are behind him at 41 years old need only look back to UFC 139, where Hendo survived a back-and-forth war with former champion Shogun Rua in what many believe was the best fight in UFC history. We will break down the fight from every angle as it approaches, but Hendo might just be the toughest matchup for Jones so far in his illustrious career – at least on paper that seems to be the case. IS MACDONALD-GSP THE NEXT JONES-EVANS?Rory MacDonald won’t turn 23 years old until July 22. Yet, he is already a veteran of five UFC bouts. His only loss among them was a dramatic, come-from-behind win by Carlos Condit at UFC 115. Had he survived seven more seconds, he would be a perfect 5-0 right now, because he was ahead on two of the three scorecards at the time of the stoppage.Condit is the reigning interim UFC welterweight champion, just in case you forgot. That tells you just how good MacDonald really is. The question now is whether this guy is the future of a division currently ruled by his mentor and training partner Georges St-Pierre?Several youngsters have entered the UFC amidst tremendous hype. None more so than Vitor Belfort, who, at 19 years old, won a UFC heavyweight tournament. He instantly became one of the sport’s favorite sons. His lightning-fast hands, Gracie pedigree and good looks made him an instant star in the sport’s early years. Yet, it took Belfort seven more years before he finally won his first UFC title. And he wasn’t able to successfully defend it. Belfort has had a great career and remains one of the very best fighters in the sport, but he has never quite lived up to the tremendous hype that followed him during his early years.Jon Jones didn’t enter the UFC with the same wave of popular support as Belfort. Some could argue that he competed under the radar for his first several fights before finally getting everyone’s attention with his destruction of Brandon Vera two fights before capturing the 205-pound championship. There is little doubt that Jones has exceeded all but probably his own expectations at this early point in his career. Of course, the expectations for him now are through the proverbial roof. Unless he becomes the next Anderson Silva (or first Jon Jones), I’m not sure whether people will view him as fulfilling his destiny or not. That brings us to Rory MacDonald. This guy is definitely the real deal. His near-miss with Condit and win over Nate Diaz are vivid evidence of that truism. Expectations for him are building like those for few other 22-year-old fighters in the sport. I’m not so sure he will be able to live up to them any time soon.That isn’t by any means meant to be a knock on his skills. MacDonald has plenty of those. It is instead the reality of competing in a division that is currently ruled by an all-time great who remains squarely in the prime of his athletic career. GSP turns 31 next month.Unless GSP starts to decline due to injuries or accumulated cage mileage, it is tough to imagine anyone derailing his career in the short term. Condit certainly has a shot at it. Maybe Johny Hendricks and Nick Diaz, too. But none of those guys will be betting favorites against the champion. It is equally tough to imagine MacDonald staying out of the welterweight title picture during the next couple of years. So it seems that GSP and MacDonald two are on a collision course, much like Evans and Jones when the two were both training under the same roof. I know I’m getting way ahead of myself. GSP is currently recovering from an ACL tear and MacDonald is not yet considered a true welterweight contender. He’s also gone on the record saying that he won’t fight his training partner. But I have no doubt that GSP will be back as good as before and MacDonald will enter contender status by the end of the year or possibly early in 2013.So when the time comes…if the time comes…will GSP and MacDonald compete as teammates? Will one of them leave Zahabi MMA and Tristar Gym as their collision course starts to draw near? Those questions will make MacDonald’s rise through the division that much more interesting in the coming months and years, in my opinion.THE TIME IS NOW FOR BROWNEThe UFC heavyweight division is about as deep as it has ever been with guys like Junior dos Santos, Cain Velasquez, Frank Mir, Alistair Overeem, Mark Hunt, “Minotauro” Nogueira and others. The UFC now has the luxury of putting on non-title marquee matchups, just like it does in other divisions, to sort out the championship challenger queue. Travis Browne is ready for one of those marquee matchups.Five fights into his UFC career, Browne already owns a couple of bonus checks for Submission of the Night and Knockout of the Night. He also has a draw on his record against the well-respected Cheick Kongo – a fight that many believe he should have won. Still undefeated through 14 professional fights, “Hapa,” as he is known, is now ready for the big time.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, ’t, year
Read the full article at UFCUFC 145 Results Recap: Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio
In the UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans PPV opener, Lightweights Mark Bocek and John Alessio squared off. After 3 rounds, Bocek walked away the winner via unanimous decision, with scores of 30-27, 30-27, 29-28. He now improves his overall record to 11-4 and is on a 2 fight win streak. Alessio is now 0-4 in the UFC.
Veteran journeyman Alessio was a replacement for Matt Wiman here, and this ended up feeling like a somewhat thrown together fight. It wasn't bad, but in a night full of decisions, it didn't stand out either. Both men are technically sound, but Bocek seemed to do everything just a bit better than his more experienced opponent. A good win for the UFC veteran.
What was the high spot of this fight?
Honestly, there wasn't a real high spot. Bocek showed some good control in round 3, but nothing that really jumped out.
Where do these guys go from here?
Bocek wins, but it didn't do much for him. He's a solid middle of the road UFC Lightweight, and this won't break him out of that spot. He could face pretty much anyone in the division at the moment, though if Wiman is recovered, rescheduling that planned fight makes sense.
Alessio didn't look particularly bad, but it's hard to see how he fits into the UFC picture. He could get another low level fight as a thank you for stepping in to replace Wiman, but I suspect he won't be back.
Watch it now, later or never?
Never. Again, it wasn't bad, but there just wasn't anything of note going on here.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans in the full entry.
UFC 145 Results: Is Jon Jones The Greatest Light Heavyweight Ever? - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Results: Matt Brown Derails The Stephen Thompson Hype Train - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Results: Njokuani Makes Emphatic Case For Muay Thai Over Taekwondo - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results - Best Photos Of The Night - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Results: Sunday Morning Perspective - T.P. Grant
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills Full Fight Video Highlights
UFC 145 Results: How Jon Jones Outstruck Rashad Evans - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Results: Winners And Losers - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Results - Jon Jones' Next Opponent Confirmed: Dan Henderson - Brent Brookhouse
Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Fight Video Highlights From UFC 145
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results And Post Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Post-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 157: UFC 145 Results Review - Matt Bishop
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, result, vs
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Results Recap: Matt Brown Vs. Stephen Thompson
In the third televised bout of the preliminary card at UFC 145, Matt Brown overcame cardio issues and some heavy strikes to defeat karate prodigy Stephen Thompson by unanimous decision. The welterweight bout swayed back and forth with each fighter gaining brief advantages at times, but it was the grinder that prevailed. The scores were 30-27, 30-27 and 29-27 in favor of the Ohio native.
Brown started off doing what he does best - grinding away against the cage and looking for a takedown. Thompson was never given the room to implement his strong kicking game, but his heavy hands had Brown staggering at times, but Brown generally controlled the fight on the ground and busted Thompson open with damaging elbows. They both gassed late which didn't help things, but it was still a spirited if sloppy bout.
What was the high spot of this fight?
Brown's standing elbow that dropped Thompson in the second round.
Where do these guys go from here?
Brown's not going much of anywhere. He's the mid-level welterweight gatekeeper, and he'll continue to play that role. This was a big win for him though, and might help people see that records can be a bit deceiving sometimes. I'd actually like to see him fight Che Mills next.
This was a major step back for Wonderboy, but it was only his seventh pro fight. He definitely has to work on his takedown defense though, or he'll never be a factor in the wrestler-heavy welterweight division. He could maybe face the loser of the upcoming Hardy/Ludwig fight.
Watch it now, later or never?
Now. It was sloppy at times but a lot of fun.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 145 in the full entry.
UFC 145 Results: Rashad Evans Isn't Planning Move To Middleweight, But He Should - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Results: Is Jon Jones The Greatest Light Heavyweight Ever? - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Results: Matt Brown Derails The Stephen Thompson Hype Train - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Results: Njokuani Makes Emphatic Case For Muay Thai Over Taekwondo - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results - Best Photos Of The Night - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Results: Sunday Morning Perspective - T.P. Grant
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills Full Fight Video Highlights
UFC 145 Results: How Jon Jones Outstruck Rashad Evans - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Results: Winners And Losers - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Results - Jon Jones' Next Opponent Confirmed: Dan Henderson - Brent Brookhouse
Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Fight Video Highlights From UFC 145
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results And Post Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Post-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 157: UFC 145 Results Review - Matt Bishop
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, result, thompson
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowGreg Jackson Reflects on Jon Jones’ Win Over Rashad Evans at UFC 145
Jon Jones' coach Greg Jackson looks back on his prized pupil's unanimous decision victory over former student Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on Saturday night.
Posted in: jone, jackson, rashad evans, greg jackson, decision victory
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145 Results Recap: Maximo Blanco Vs. Marcus Brimage
In the first preliminary card bout of UFC 145, Marcus Brimage defeated Maximo Blanco by split decision. The featherweight bout was dull and plodding, with neither fighter taking many chances. Brimage won on two judge's scorecards with 30-27 and 29-28 scores, while Blanco took one 29-28 card. Despite the close scores, neither fighter will be getting much credit for the bout.
Brimage was the one coming forward for most of the fight, but both fighters threw more feints than strikes over the three rounds. Both fighters landed some nice kicks. Blanco looked for a few takedowns throughout the bout but they were mostly rebuffed by Brimage (he was down for about one second in the middle round). In the end, Brimage got credit for being the more aggressive of the two fighters, which isn't saying much.
What was the high spot of this fight?
The ridiculous tumbling session both men put on after the fight. If you have that much energy after (not) fighting for 15 minutes, that's sad.
Where do these guys go from here?
Brimage got the win, but it's not like he's going to be shooting to stardom after it. Still, he's 2-0 in the UFC now and will get a semi-interesting bout in the next few months. I'm not expecting much though, especially if he keeps fighting like that.
Blanco was a massive disappointment in his first UFC and featherweight bout, showing none of the aggression that became his calling card in Japan. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he got released after this one bout, and more than a few people are calling for it. He'll probably get another bout though. I won't make the mistake of being excited about it.
Watch it now, later or never?
Never. This bout was dreadful, and you can catch the Youtube video of the tumbling session about. It's the only thing worth watching.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 145 in the full entry.
UFC 145 Results: Rashad Evans Isn't Planning Move To Middleweight, But He Should - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Results: Is Jon Jones The Greatest Light Heavyweight Ever? - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Results: Matt Brown Derails The Stephen Thompson Hype Train - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Results: Njokuani Makes Emphatic Case For Muay Thai Over Taekwondo - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results - Best Photos Of The Night - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Results: Sunday Morning Perspective - T.P. Grant
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills Full Fight Video Highlights
UFC 145 Results: How Jon Jones Outstruck Rashad Evans - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Results: Winners And Losers - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Results - Jon Jones' Next Opponent Confirmed: Dan Henderson - Brent Brookhouse
Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Fight Video Highlights From UFC 145
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results And Post Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145 Post-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 157: UFC 145 Results Review - Matt Bishop
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, bout, brimage
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 results: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans event photos gallery from Atlanta
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" took place last night (Sat., April 21, 2012) from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, featuring Jon Jones successfully defending his light heavyweight championship with a five-round unanimous decision victory over former teammate Rashad Evans.
And that chapter is finally closed.
Rory MacDonald continued his assault on the 170-pound weight class, turning in yet another solid performance in the co-main event of the evening. "Ares" earned a second round stoppage of Che Mills after wiping the mat with the British brawler's "beautiful" face.
Other action on the card saw Ben Rothwell send Brendan Schaub to Never Never Land, Mark Bocek grappled his way past John Alessio, Michael McDonald murdered Miguel Torres, and Eddie Yagin earned a hard-fought split decision over Mark Hominick.
A photo gallery is available for your viewing pleasure after the jump. For complete results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here and here.
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Ben Rothwell vs. Brendan Schaub
Michael McDonald vs. Miguel Torres
Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin
Mark Bocek vs. John Alessio
Travis Browne vs. Chad Griggs
Matt Brown vs. Stephen Thompson
John Makdessi vs. Anthony Njokuani
Mac Danzig vs. Efrain Escudero
Keith Wisniewski vs. Chris Clements
Marcus Brimage vs. Maximo Blanco
Posted in: mark, jone, vs, rory macdonald, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans says his performance “sucked” against Jon Jones
Rashad Evans was a guest on the post-fight show on Fuel TV following Saturday’s loss to Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 145 where he evaluated his output in the Octagon. Evans was handed just his second career loss in the bout with “Bones” defending his light heavyweight title by securing a decision victory. The stumble snapped a four-fight winning streak for Evans.
“It sucked,” said Evans of his performance. “I didn’t get the job done, but it’s a lesson and you lean. It’s the fight business and this is what happens sometimes. I just have to do what I do, to come back stronger and keep my head up.”
“Suga” and Jones were former teammates, and you could see the tension between the two before they locked up inside the Octagon. However, following a few tough elbows to the face, Evans never seemed the same with the change also influenced by a potential injury he said he suffered in the second also hampering his abilities.
“I hurt my foot in the second round, so that messed up my mobility a little bit,” explained Evans, saying he also made a mistake by allowing Jones’ “range and stuff like that” to throw him off. The injury occurred when Jones checked a leg kick and Evans’ foot smacked into the champ’s knee.
Check out the full interview below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: jone, evan, career loss, face evans, octagon evans
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145: Payout Perspective
Welcome to another edition of Payout Perspective! This time the UFC hit Atlanta for UFC 145 where the much anticipated fight between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones took place.
Jones outclasses Evans
Did the fight live up to its expectations? Despite the hype, the outcome was never in doubt. Jon Jones dominated Rashad Evans to win via decision. Jones’ ability to utilize his reach and unique strikes did in Evans.
Both fighters received their share of boos from the crowd. It’s interesting to witness that folks hate Jones. Is it due to the perceived arrogance?
It appears that Jones is heading for a clash with Dan Henderson in a fight where most fans will be behind Henderson.
Next big thing?
Rory MacDonald may be the next dominant fighter in the sport. He dominated Che Mills to continue his ascent up the welterweight ladder. He is adamant that he’d never fight GSP if it came down to it. But, that scenario is down the line. We will definitely see more of him and he’s still very young.
Rothwell ends Schaub quickly
Honestly, I went out of the room during introductions and I came back and this fight was over. This was the second straight fight in which Schaub was knocked out. A good win for Rothwell who looked like he was in much better shape than his last fight against Mark Hunt.
Attendance and Gate
The UFC announced on Friday that 145 had sold out the Philips Arena. We’ll update the numbers once we recieve them.
Sponsorships
- The big news for UFC 145 was that headliner Jon Jones would sport UFC branded gear. As we noted, it appears that this will be a trend for the future. Frank Mir, who will take Alistair Overeem’s place at UFC 146, will be the next fighter to wear UFC gear.
As it turns out, MicroTech and Xyience were secondary logos on Jones’ UFC gear. Xyience had prominent space on the back side of Jones. In the end, is this new trend a conflict of interest?
Evans was sponsored by MMA clothing manufacturer Jaco. But, he also was sponsored by Bony Acai, MusclePharm and Corn Nuts. Three UFC Official Sponsors. Coincidentally, MusclePharm was a prime sponsor of the main event.
Frankly, we do not know the relationship between Official UFC Sponsors and what opportunities each gets in terms of signage/visibility at each event. So, it’s possible that the UFC placing its official sponsors on UFC branded fighters is a complementary piece to its existing partnership. It could also charge its official sponsors for being secondary marks on the UFC branded fighters. The UFC has indicated that branding fighters is a sign of the future. As we hypothesized, the UFC could be inching out other MMA sponsors from the fighters in the Octagon. As a result, there might be a time the UFC could entice more sponsors to become official UFC sponsors so that it could be on fight shorts or walkout shirts.
- Metro PCS, Dodge, RYU, US Marines and Corn Nuts all sponsored different portions of the night. Metro PCS sponsored the weigh-ins on Friday. MusclePharm sponsored the main event.
- Some new fight sponsors I noticed last night:
Kalapaki Joe’s – Its is a sports bar in Hawaii. Interesting that a sports bar with locations in the islands decided to sponsor UFC fighters. The good news is that one of its sponsored fighters was Rory MacDonald.
Square – Full disclosure. I actually use this device. It allows businesses to swipe credit cards remotely.
Majors Pharmacy – Mark Bocek’s sponsor on the back of his trunks. It was easy to see and it helped that Bocek had top position most of the fight.
Husky – Rashad Evans was sponsored by this company although after an internet search I could not find them. Always have your website with your logo folks. I seem to think that this is an industrial-type company but if any reader can help, I’d appreciate it.
- The UFC didn’t have its usual walkouts as the main and co-main events were the only walkouts shown. This is a new trend that may hurt sponsors in the end. As it turned out, with the KOs, there was some filler time between fights which could have been done with walkouts.
Bonuses
MMA Junkie reports that the bonuses for the night were $65,000 each.
Submission of the Night: Great ji-jitsu by Travis Browne to submit Chad Griggs.
KO of the Night: As I stated earlier, I missed the Rothwell-Schaub fight because it was so quick. But after rewinding, it was an impressive KO.
Fight of the Night: Eddie Yagin and Mark Hominick – Hominick included his customary pushups after the final bell rang. In return, Yagin did some situps. It was like they were completing a workout or something.
Pre-Fight Hype
The UFC Primetimes were pretty interesting but were hidden away on Friday night and with TUF Live as a lead-in. For all the efforts in promoting the fight, there were not enough opportunities to see a pretty good Primetime lead-in for the fight.
UFC Primetime Episode 1: 462,000 viewers
UFC Primetime Episode 2: 573,000 viewers
There was a lot of mainstream promotion for Jones-Evans. The two traded verbal jabs on ESPN, UFC 145 sponsored a segment of Sportscenter (and I thought Dana White said the network hated MMA and the UFC?), they made an appearance on the NBA on TNT’s post-game show featuring Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal and Jones was featured in the Wall Street Journal. The TNT appearance probably was due to the fact that the event was in Atlanta where TNT studios are located.
Mashable also had an article which featured the UFC’s social media strategy. In the article, it reports the UFC purchasing Promoted Tweets for UFC 145 which should increase trending visibility for the event. Despite paying for tweets, many UFC Fighters were trending topics last night on twitter organically.
The UFC is also starting to use Pinterest – which I still am not clear on how it works.
A criticism about the promotion of this card is the fact that not enough was done to promote the undercard. There was little time spent on MacDonald-Mills, Rothwell-Schaub or any of the other fights.
Post-UFC 145 Headline
- Henderson next for Jones: The only one real headline after the PPV. The young lion versus the old vet. Will Henderson have a chance against Jones? Can he pull a Randy Couture? Henderson packs more of a punch than Evans but will face the same reach disadvantages as Evans. Also, Jones’ conditioning is phenomenal and one need only look to the Rua slugfest at 139 to see that Henderson may be in trouble.
Odds and Ends
- If the UFC is coaching certain fighters in interviews, it must have talked to Michael McDonald when he said he was going to party after his fight, “But not with alcohol, with the sweets.” Ben Rothwell is another for thanking strangers, who he revealed were the fans of the UFC. Of course, I am joking about this. I was chastised on twitter about making light of McDonald. Now I know how Cage Potato feels.
- Che Mills had the best walkout music of the night. Too bad he faced Rory MacDonald.
- I had hoped that Rashad Evans would have come out with his Bill Gates Mug Shot T-Shirt (FighterXFashion has the backstory). The same one he wore after his knockout of Chuck Liddell at UFC 86 in Atlanta. Evans did walkout to the same music at 86.
- Anyone else think that the “Jones vs. Evans” lettering on the poster for UFC 145 was an odd choice?
Conclusion
In the end, the success of this PPV will hinge on the main event as the UFC put all of its marketing and promotional force behind the one fight. It received some good mainstream acknowledgment which should help. Also, Jones and Evans are great ambassadors for the sport. This was the first PPV in which you could see some tweeks which could be influenced by Fox. This included the elimination of walkout entrances of most fights except the main and co-main events. Venturing a guess as to the PPV buys, I would speculate we see somewhere in the 500K neighborhood.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, sponsor, evan
Read the full article at MMA PayoutHighlights from “UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans”(Video)
It may not have lived up to the hype (let’s be honest, could it have?), but the UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans fight card still delivered several intriguing fights and exciting finishes. Check out some highlights from the fight card below (from the UFC’s post-fight show on Fuel TV).
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Jon Jones retained his UFC light heavyweight championship over a five-rounder with rival Rashad Evans, defeating his former training partner via unanimous decision. Far from the epic barnburner many expected, this bout played out more like a chess match, with each man showing the other a ton of respect.
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Though he should have been fighting a more highly-ranked and well known opponent, rising Canadian welterweight Rory MacDonald once again proved he’s a force to be reckoned with by systematically dismantling the formidable Che Mills en route to a second-round TKO.
Ben Rothwell vs. Brendan Schaub
A svelte Ben Rothwell likely saved his job last night, rebounding from a stinker of a loss to Mark Hunt with a first round knockout over younger prospect Brendan Schaub. The win also earned Big Ben a Knockout of the Night bonus.
UFC 145 went down from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 145 Results: Rashad Evans Isn't Planning Move To Middleweight, But He Should
Rashad Evans has nothing to be ashamed of after his UFC 145 loss to Jon Jones. Jones has proven to be a wrecking ball while ascending to the pinnacle of the sport and, despite continued nonsense about Evans having a "weak chin," Jones was unable to put Evans away despite landing solid shots throughout five rounds.
Evans has made his mark at 205 over his time in the UFC, regardless of the losses to Lyoto Machida and Jones, Evans has proven to be one of the better light heavyweights the sport has ever seen. I don't imaging any future fight between Jones and Evans is going to play out much differently than what we witnessed last night.
Last night, Evans was asked about the loss and if it would push him out of the 205 pound division:
"I'm a 205-pounder," Evans said. "I've only lost twice and I lost to a good competitor ... But if an opportunity happens at 185, I'll take it. But I like 205, I'll just have to work my way back up and get back to a title shot."
I really hope someone can convince Evans that the move is the right thing to do at this point in his career.
Despite winning the Ultimate Fighter as a heavyweight, Evans is a small light heavyweight. While how something looks and how something actually is are often different, it doesn't look like cutting to middleweight would be that difficult for Rashad.
And, in an era where we're looking for championship level fighters (which Rashad is, mind you, just in a division with a freak of nature on top) to change divisions and fight each other, Rashad Evans moving to 185 and fighting Anderson Silva is a fight that seems all too possible.
Silva going to 205 to fight the huge Jones is asking an awful lot, same with Georges St. Pierre jumping to 185 to fight Silva. But Evans, a small 205'er, cutting to 185 and fighting Silva, a fairly big 185'er who has had success at 205, seems like it's a fight that would be contested on a pretty level playing field.
Evans' striking and wrestling presents a deeply intriguing challenge to Silva, while Silva's pinpoint striking accuracy, relationship with Machida and jiu-jitsu game off his back represent an equally interesting puzzle for Rashad. It's actually close to a perfect fight on paper.
And beyond the obvious fight with Silva, who wouldn't want to see Evans take on Mark Munoz, Chael Sonnen, Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva, Tim Boetsch and even a rematch with Michael Bisping now that both are completely different fighters from their first meeting?
Evans also represents a high level superstar that middleweight needs with Silva's retirement looming. Aside from Sonnen, there's no one really at 185 right now who has a superstar "aura." Evans is someone who can carry the division for years after Silva hangs up his gloves.
While I think directly after a fight is a hard time for a fighter to make big decisions about his future, here's hoping someone gets in Rashad's ear and convinces him that his brightest future is at 185 pounds.
Posted in: fight, jone, silva, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowDan Henderson confirmed as next opponent for Jon Jones
The match-up many already believed would happen was confirmed Saturday night when UFC President Dana White announced Dan Henderson will be the next opponent for light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Jones defended his belt in victorious fashion over Rashad Evans in the main event last night at UFC 145, giving him yet another title-win over a former champion.
Previously Jones topped Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Lyoto Machida, and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in championship bouts.
White confirmed Jones’ bout with Henderson could come sooner than expected with a summer date to being looked at. Henderson earned his shot by defeating Rua, the same person Jones took the belt from over a year ago, in addition to recently holding Strikeforce‘s equivalent championship and beating legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko prior to re-joining the UFC.
When asked for his take on Henderson, Jones labeled him as “a great opponent”.
“He’s a winner, and he has a huge fan base, so the haters will come out. He has extreme knockout power, and I’m excited to conquer,” explained Jones of the 41-year old icon.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, opponent, dan henderson
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145 Results: Is Jon Jones The Greatest Ever?
After his dominant performance against Rashad Evans at UFC 145, UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones has very nearly cleaned out the LHW division. Since taking the title from Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 128, Jones has beaten ex-champs Lyoto Machida, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and now Evans.
Jones has definitively established himself as the first dominant champion since Rampage Jackson took the title from Chuck Liddell in May 2007. During that interregnum, during which 5 men held the title, the LHW belt was only defended successfully twice and one of those wins was a very controversial decision.
With his 3rd successful title defense, Jones is now on the verge of joining a very exclusive club of UFC LHW champions. Only Jones, Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Frank Shamrock have defended the belt 4 times. Ortiz even managed a 5th defense.
Jones accomplishments have some, such as MMA Fighting's Mike Chiappetta already saying that Jones may be the Greatest of All Time.
We'll let Chiappetta make his case after the jump...SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
I'm not saying he's the best ever, not quite yet, but he's now in the conversation. He has to be, after vanquishing rival Rashad Evans at UFC 145. That's admittedly an absurd notion when you take into consideration the fact that he's just 24 years old and barely four years into his professional career, but the facts are the facts. In the last 13 months, he's beaten four straight former champions, four straight possible Hall of Famers in Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida and now, Evans.
Throw in his February 2011 win over Ryan Bader and he's beaten five top 10 opponents in the span of 14 months, an accomplishment likely unmatched not only in MMA, but in the history of combat sports. If he beats his next scheduled opponent Henderson -- another future Hall of Famer -- he will only be extending the most amazing run this sport has ever seen.
I'll look at this issue in greater depth this week, but for now I'll limit myself to saying that Jones' rivals at this point for greatest LHW of all time are: Frank Shamrock (4 title defenses, unified the division), Tito Ortiz (5 straight defenses), Chuck Liddell (4 title defenses), Wanderlei Silva (defended the Pride 205lb belt 5 times) and Shogun Rua (for his Pride MW GP tournament streak of 4 wins over top ranked competition).
What do you think? Where do you rank Jones in the GOAT sweepstakes?
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Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC champion Jon Jones sees win over Rashad Evans as learning experience
Last night Jon Jones went into the deepest waters of his career and stayed afloat, picking apart opponent Rashad Evans with slick striking and avoiding any takedown attempts thrown his way. However, as good as Jones looked in the main event at UFC 145, the 24-year old would be the first to tell you his performance was far from perfect.
Literally minutes removed from his decision win Jones was already analyzing the match-up and what he’d learned from the experience.
“I definitely answered a lot of questions in my own game. It was my first five-round fight and it felt like my cardio wasn’t an issue. Maybe it was an issue, I don’t know,” said Jones backstage in an interview with the UFC’s cameras.
“He caught me a few good times,” the 205-pound champion continued, pointing out an area he feels he has to improve in. “The guy hits hard, so can’t be doing that. I try not to get hit in practice at all and I definitely don’t want to be taking big hits like that. Those things will slow your career down and I’m very young, I have a long time to go, so I’m not happy that I got hit so hard. But it was a learning experience for sure.”
A Round-by-Round Look at Jones vs. Evans
Check out the full interview below where Jones also explains why beating a “lion” like Evans is a “major confidence booster”:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Read the full article at Fighters.comClosing the Book on UFC 145
ATLANTA -- The Jackson family civil war is over for now. Longtime pupil Rashad Evans won't be heading back to Albuquerque anytime soon, but there are signs that healing between the two sides has already begun.After ripping his former coach Greg Jackson in public for the decision to accept Jon Jones on his team -- a decision that ultimately led to Evans leaving the team -- Evans lost to Jon Jones at UFC 145. But among the first to console him for the defeat was Jackson.The two shared a moment after the fight which was not caught on camera, with Jackson walking over and whispering something in his former champion's ear, and Evans' seemingly accepting the peace offering.
More Coverage: UFC 145 Results | UFC News
The third member of the messy situation, Jones, more publicly offered an olive branch to Evans both before and after the fight. Less than an hour after it finished, he said that he hopes to regain Evans' friendship after over a year as bitter enemies."I still have a lot of thinking to do with the whole situation, but one thing I do want to get out of this is to rekindle a respect level and some type of communication with Rashad," he said. "Hopefully we can do that in private and work on that in the future. I do have tons of respect for Rashad, and I know he does respect me to some degree. There's a lot of emotion between us that can lead to a friendship."Evans didn't shut the door on it, saying he would need a while to let the whole situation sink in."I don't know," he said. "It takes some time for the lessons you learn in the situation to kick in. But like Jon was saying, you never know what happens in future. We were friends before, so you never know what could happen. We got some cool experiences we shared together. We'll see. We'll probably compete again one of these days, so we’ll keep it on a level where we can say 'What's up’ but beat the hell out of each other when we have to."MMA doesn't necessarily need sentimental endings to rivalries, but it's nice to hear the bad blood may be a thing of the past.
Other UFC 145 thoughts…- Jones often gets accused of arrogance, but he showed some candid vulnerability in the moments after the fight when he admitted that he had some actual fear about engaging Evans, which led to uncertainty about his approach to fight."I think i was a little intimidated at some points to just believe in my ability, speed and coordination. As a result, I didn't fight as clean as I would have liked to."- Travis Browne is becoming quite a beast. The 6-foot-7, 255-pounder smashed Chad Griggs before submitting him. It was an impressive performance, even in a fight he was supposed to win. Browne has showed an ability to integrate his impressive athleticism to go with his big power, and he's going to be a tough out as he continues to ascend up the UFC's heavyweight ladder.Maybe he'll get a chance to impress in the near future. UFC 146 has an empty slot for a heavyweight, and when asked if he'd be willing to fill it on short notice, he didn't hesitate."I'm ready," he said.- With his back against the wall, Ben Rothwell delivered. After losing two of his last three, Rothwell probably had his UFC career on the line against Brendan Schaub. In fact, he might have had his entire career on the line, as he said he might have retired with a loss. Instead, he came into the fight in the best physical condition he's been in years, withstood an early barrage, and finished Schaub early."It was all or nothing," he said. "I said it before the fight, that my first three performance in UFC -- one of them being a win -- were all very disappointing. I knew that I had so much more to show. I'm just very thankful that Dana White and Joe Silva were patient with me. [Saturday], they got to see why they brought me to the UFC."It may be hard to believe, but at 30 years old, Rothwell is only a year older than Schaub.- UFC 146 was a youth movement. Aside from 24-year-old Jones winning, 22-year-old Rory MacDonald and 21-year old Michael McDonald smashed their way to impressive victories over Che Mills and Miguel Torres, respectively.Rory is certainly a contender to watch at 170 while Michael could just be a win or so away from getting a bantamweight title shot.
- It appears Torres' run as one of the bantamweight division's best may have hit its end. He was violently knocked out, and couldn't walk out of the octagon on his own, requiring his cornermen to walk back to the locker room. The 31-year-old is just 3-3 in his last six fights, and he's been KO'd twice. It would be a long climb back to the top for him.
- UFC 145's feel-good story has to go to Eddie Yagin. The 33-year-old has been fairly unheralded throughout his career, but earned the biggest win of his life in a split-decision over former featherweight top contender Hominick. Yagin dropped Hominick twice during the fight, nearly finishing him before settling for a decision. He may be nowhere near the top 10, but he certainly created a moment he could savor no matter what his future holds.
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Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145 results recap: What's next for Jon Jones?
Our very own Sergio Hernandez stated that if Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones were to defeat Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia on Sat., April 21, 2012, he should be considered the greatest light heavyweight of all time. It's a difficult point to argue, especially in light of the fact that "Bones" took care of business to make the hypothetical situation a reality.
He's now won a dominant seven fights in a row, and if you discount his DQ loss to Matt Hamill (and you should), he's technically been perfect in all 17 of his pro mixed martial arts (MMA) fights.
Jones has run through the UFC's light heavyweight division like a tropical storm that none of the residents were prepared for. The sad thing is, his opponents all said they were ready to take him down off his high horse. In particular, his last three opponents, Evans, Lyoto Machida and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, all claimed to hold the key to unlocking the mystery that is Jon Jones.
The real question becomes: Can anyone beat this guy?
Jones is starting to look more and more like a legend. Every time he steps into the cage, he comes off a little bit more polished and well-rounded. His stand up game is flat out scary. He looks like a kid who has a toy that he's still learning to use.
Unfortunately for every other fighter in the world, that "toy" is his MMA skill set.
Even though we're only a day removed from his last fight, it's never too soon to look ahead to the future, especially considering the fact that it's entirely possible Jones could be back inside the Octagon in three short months at UFC 149 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Normally, we would use this space to speculate on the light heavyweight champion's next opponent. But we don't have to do that this time, thanks to UFC President Dana White announcing at the UFC 145 post-fight press conference that Jones will defend his title against Dan Henderson his next time out.
It's an intriguing match-up if for no other reason than the fact that we know "Hendo" has a bomb for a right hand. And if he lands that thing, "Bones" could find himself staring up at the lights.
But we've seen very little to make us believe that will happen other than the hope of Jones haters the world over that Henderson will be the guy to finally get the job done.
We'll find out in just a few months.
Until then, what are your thoughts on the match-up, Maniacs? Is Jones poised to continue his reign of terror on the light heavyweight division? Or will "Dangerous" Dan shock the world?
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, heavyweight, light
Read the full article at MMA ManiaVideo: Rashad Evans still doesn't like Jon Jones after UFC 145 loss, says 'we're going to fight again'
"[My performance] sucked. I didn't get the job done…. I allowed his range to kind of throw me off a little bit. I hurt my foot in the second round, so it kind of messed up my mobility a little bit…. It's something I've got to go back and work on…. I thought I could catch him off [grabbing the hands]. I couldn't and I should have stopped reaching for his hands. His elbows [laughs]. He kept catching me with those elbows. It's a lesson learned…. I still don't like him. He fought a good fight, I have respect for him as a fighter. I had respect for him as a fighter before, but I still … nah. I'll tell you what: We're going to fight again."
-- Rematch, anyone? Rashad Evans, who dropped a lopsided five-round unanimous decision to Jon Jones last night (April 21, 2012) in the UFC 145 main event from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., vows that he and "Bones" will run it back at some point in the future. "Suga" -- who claimed to have the winning Jones formula -- didn't do anything new when he finally got the opportunity to teach his former training partner, and current arch nemesis, a real-life lesson inside the Octagon. On the contrary, Jones did what he always does, setting the pace, keeping his distance and unleashing dynamic strikes. Especially the "Patty Cake" elbows in the second round, which -- along with an apparent foot injury in the same frame -- appeared to signal the beginning of the end for Evans. He did manage to last the full 25 minutes, which these days is an accomplishment, but doesn't take away anything positive from it. Evans is eager to work his way back up to a rematch, but does anyone think Evans -- who was the much smaller man in comparison -- have the size, skills and strategy to ensure a different result if he get another opportunity? To check out full Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans fight video highlights click here. And for all the latest news and notes on their Light Heavyweight showdown check out our complete fight archive right here.
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, jon jones, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans Gracious In Defeat, Pays Jon Jones His Due
UFC 145 didn't go Rashad Evans' way, but he's not crying over spilled milk. He's happy to pay credit where credit's due, and that's to his opponent Jon Jones.
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Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145: Jon Jones retains title with a dominant Unanimous Decision victory
Jon Jones remained the UFC Light Heavyweight champion, after defeating the former training partner "Suga" Rashad Evans via Unanimous Decision.
Jones was the dominant force throughout the fight, thanks to a good use of his reach advantage, and the unpredictability factor that was just too much for Rashad Evans. Jones tagged his opponent with strikes over and over again, once again proving that he's one TOP 3 best Pound-for-Pound fighters on the planet.
Jones' elbow strikes proved to be the deciding factor
Posted in: jone, poundforpound fighters, decision jones, unpredictability factor, fight thanks
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145 Aftermath: Who has the best chance to defeat Jon Jones, Hendo or Gustafsson?
Once again, Jon "Bones" Jones proved his superiority inside the Octagon, this time with a Unanimous Decision victory over Rashad Evans. Alexander "The Mauler" Gustafsson and Dan Henderson are expected to be next in line for the champ, but who has the best chance to dethrone "Bones"? Make your vote!
Posted in: jone, dan henderson, decision victory, mauler gustafsson, dethrone bones
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones UFC 145 Post-Fight Video Interview
Jon Jones talks about his UFC 145 unanimous decision victory over Rashad Evans just after the Saturday fight in Atlanta.
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, decision victory, saturday fight
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145 Results: Njokuani Makes Emphatic Case For Muay Thai Over Taekwondo
Going into the UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans fight card, there was quite a bit of excitement in certain quarters at the prospect of Lightweight strikers Anthony Njokuani vs. John Makdessi, a classic clash of styles. Njokuani is a text-book Muay Thai stylist who cleaves to what MMA fans think of as the fundamentals of good MMA striking. Makdessi is a Taekwondo/Shotokan Karate specialist whose unorthodox strikes had garnered him a fair bit of hype.
Related: Thompson, Makdessi, Njokuani And The Evolution Of Striking | John Makdessi Brings Taekwondo Kicks to the UFC | Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones?| UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection | The Techniques Of Jon Jones And Rashad Evans | Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones?
Fans were wondering if Makdessi's unusual style would be able to overcome Njokuani's Thai approach.
It's important to note that the 6'1" Njokuani brought a 75.5" reach to meet the 5'8" Makdessi and his 68" reach so it wasn't a pure test of styles.
But what we do know now is that Makdessi's TKD style didn't do much to help him overcome Njokuani's height and reach advantage. Njokuani was able to use his leg kicks to largely disable Makdessi's lead leg -- the leg that so much of Makdessi's arsenal depends on.
"It was good but I wish I got what I really wanted: a knockout or a submission. I'm tired of getting decisions, I'm disappointed in myself for that reason but happy I got the win," said Njokuani after the fight. "My leg kicks had to take out his legs because he relies on his legs so much. It was a great fight, he's a tough dude and he didn't go down."
Makdessi might want to consider cutting down to 145lbs and making the Featherweight limit after his second straight loss at 155lbs. He drops to 2-2 in the UFC and we've seen that he can be bullied by bigger strikers and grapplers in the Lightweight class.
Njokuani improves to 2-2 in the UFC and has a chance to establish himself as a long-term gatekeeper in the division, if not a contender.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jone, leg, njokuani, makdessi
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans Breaks Down His Performance Vs. Jon Jones By Saying “It Sucked”
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans talked with the post-fight UFC on FUEL TV crew following his loss to Jon Jones Saturday night at UFC 145. Evans was handed just his second loss in his career, as “Bones” used his elbows and height to keep “Suga” at bay. It sucked, I didn’t get the [...]
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, evan, postfight ufc
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Talks Victory Over Rashad Evans, Ready for Dan Henderson
Another win is in the books for UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones as he finished off his rivalry with former teammate Rashad Evans at UFC 145.
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Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones Still Has Work To Do At Light Heavyweight According To Dana White
The future for Jon Jones is likely at heavyweight. But, for now, the UFC light heavyweight champion still has work to do in the division. UFC president Dana White talked about the future of “Bones” following his win over Rashad Evans Saturday night in the main event of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans. Jon Jones [...]
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, heavyweight, light heavyweight
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results - 10 Best Photos Of The Night
UFC 145 is in the rear view mirror now, and while we're trying to figure out what it all means, we can look back on the great photos from the night's action. MMA Fighting's Esther Lin was in the arena doing her usual great work and captured some stunning images. The full gallery can be seen over at MMA Fighting.
Here are the ten best shots from the night's action.
Eddie Yagin's face seems to explode as he gets hit by Mark Hominick:
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Rashad Evans sliding into the cage before his fight with Jon Jones:
Rashad Evans connects with a punch on Jon Jones:
Jon Jones working ground and pound on Rashad Evans:
Rory MacDonald on the back of Che Mills:
Ben Rothwell KO's Brendan Schaub:
Travis Browne celebrates after submitting Chad Griggs:
Anthony Njokuani lands a kick to the head of John Makdessi:
Matt Brown pounds away on Stephen Thompson as Thopson is trapped in a mounted triangle:
Michael McDonald knocks out Miguel Torres:
Posted in: night, jone, rashad, evan, view mirror
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 results: Has the light heavyweight division become stagnant and boring?
When Anderson Silva stepped inside the Octagon against Patrick Cote at UFC 90, fans began brandishing their pitchforks and lighting their torches. The French-Canadian is a solid fighter with heavy hands and a rock-hard jaw but a viable title contender, he was not, no matter how many consecutive fights he had won.
The same was thought six months later when Thales Leites was pegged by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to challenge "The Spider." Both fights were dreadful affairs as it seemed even Silva himself believed the challengers weren't worthy enough to vie for his crown.
The seven rounds of action -- or inaction, as it were -- was enough for UFC President Dana White to book Silva in the weight class above the one which he was thoroughly dominating.
Two years ago, at UFC 111, the same complaints were being thrown around when welterweight kingpin Georges St. Pierre took on Dan Hardy, a Briton who held the reputation of being a knockout artist despite having only one stoppage in the UFC to his name.
He, like Cote and Leites before him, wasn't viewed as anything resembling a viable title contender and those feelings were justified when "Rush" absolutely trounced him over the course of 25 minutes. In fact, GSP's failure to finish "The Outlaw" shifted an avalanche of criticism onto him.
This level of domination has caused a talent gap between the titleholders and those who wish to dethrone them in the 185 and 170-pound divisions, often making title bouts -- and non-title bouts alike -- seem trite or meaningless. The same trend seems to be blossoming as well in the newly christened feather- and bantamweight divisions.
Has it already happened, without us realizing it, in the 205-pound weight class?
Mixed martial arts (MMA) fans would often joke when two middleweights were taking part in a number one contender's fight, they were actually fighting to determine who Silva would get to knock out next.
It's starting to feel the same when discussing Jon Jones' next opponent.
After Dan Henderson, the only top 10 opponents left for "Bones" are Forrest Griffin -- who has yet another date with Tito Ortiz this summer -- and greenhorns Phil Davis and Alexander Gustafsson. Perhaps the latter two, one day, will be ready to challenge for the title but it won't be any time soon. And Griffin seems more content with collecting a paycheck than adding to his legacy these days.
This seeming lack of competition removes drama and intrigue from not only Jones' title fights but also fights between top contenders in the division. If Gustafsson and Davis end up tangling in the future to decide the next challenger, what would it matter in the eyes of the fans' if they believe Jones would wreck either one anyway?
The UFC tried to solve this problem a couple different ways with Silva and St. Pierre. In the former's case, they had "The Spider" move up in weight and take on James Irvin and Griffin in showcase bouts. Irvin's knockout was expected but Silva's decimation of a former champion in The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) winner helped rally most fans around the idea of a full-time move to light heavyweight for the Brazilian.
In St. Pierre's case, the promotion brought in champions from Strikeforce in Jake Shields and Nick Diaz to challenge their 170-pound kingpin. Shields was felled, as "Rush's" previous opponents had been, and Diaz... well, that's an entirely different, convoluted story. Needless to say, the Stockton bad boy has been removed from contention -- and perhaps from the sport altogether -- while Carlos Condit is set to take on St. Pierre sometime in late 2012. Even so, the feeling GSP should move up to 185-pounds is stronger than ever.
Those moves became necessary when Silva and "Rush" both cleaned out their divisions and needed a fresh challenge. They became necessary when fighters like Cote, Leites and Hardy found themselves in five-round fights, one errant punch away from becoming champion.
The same is happening with Jones and the light heavyweight division.
Fans are already clamoring for "Bones" to bulk up and move to heavyweight lest we see title fights with the likes of Thiago Silva or rematches against fighters Jones has already wrecked. A shift beyond 205 pounds seems to be the only thing which would keep Jones' career fresh and exciting. Staying at light heavyweight and picking off challengers one by one would definitely cement his already almost assured legacy of being the best fighter ever in the division but Jones has repeatedly stated he wants to go down in MMA history as one of the greatest of all time.
To do so, he needs to leave the light heavyweight division because until he does, the weight class will be him, a huge chasm and then everybody else.
And that's just boring.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, silva, division
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans Won't Rule Out Move to Middleweight, But Likely to Stay at 205
ATLANTA -- Rashad Evans has long been considered a small light-heavyweight, but even after suffering his second career loss, he plans to stay there.That said, during the UFC 145 post-fight press conference, he opened the door a crack for a possible move to middleweight following his defeat at the hands of Jon Jones.
"I’m a 205-pounder," Evans said. "I’ve only lost twice and I lost to a good competitor … But if an opportunity happens at 185, I'll take it. But I like 205, I'll just have to work my way back up and get back to a title shot."Evans road back to a championship opportunity would figure to be shorter at middleweight, where he would be starting with a clean slate. In addition, due to division champion Anderson Silva's long reign, there is always a need for new contenders. Right now, while Chael Sonnen is on deck to face Silva, there's no clear-cut next challenger after him.In the light-heavyweight division, besides top contender Dan Henderson, there's veterans like Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Lyoto Machida, and rising younger fighters like Alexander Gustafsson and Ryan Bader trying to make the leap. It is simply a more crowded field.When asked about it the possibility of offering Evans a middleweight, UFC president Dana White said he had never considered the possibility."I honestly have never thought about it," he said. "We'll see what happens."White also might have offered Evans enough hope to stay at his longtime home as well, saying an eventual rematch between him and Jones could never be ruled out."Anything's possible," he said. "If they keep winning, absolutely."Evans' two career losses have both come in title fights. Besides losing to Jones, his other defeat was his championship loss to Lyoto Machida at UFC 98 in May 2009.
Posted in: ufc, jone, loss, middleweight, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones next fight against Dan Henderson the intersection on UFCs Route 205
After another dominant performance to make the third defense of the title he'd won just 13 months ago, Jon Jones was unmarked and unfazed, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight belt securely his.
And with a one-sided, five-round clinic over Rashad Evans in the UFC 145 main event last night (April 21, 2012) from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., it's apparent that Jones is well on his way to cleaning out the 205-pound division, at least in terms of the cadre of marketable challengers that comprised its elite when "Bones" was moving up the ranks.
Consider the list. A veritable Murderer's Row, or so it seemed, coming into 2011, when Jones was heading into his showdown with then-unbeaten Ryan Bader. Mauricio Rua had seemingly regained something of the potent killer that tore through the Pride ranks during the final months of the promotion. Lyoto Machida, recently dethroned by Rua, remained a vexing and difficult proposition for any fighter in the division. Quinton Jackson loomed as one of the best combinations of punching power and toughness in the game.
Jones steamrolled all of them in 2011, in addition to Bader, pretty much scuttling the division's elite in such one-sided fashion that a rematch with any would've been a hard sell.
Now, with Evans similarly dispatched -- and the sole moral take-away for Rashad is that he managed to go the distance, where Rua, Jackson and Machida could not -- Jones has turned the trick again. He's beating challengers so handily that he simultaneously demonstrated the gap between him and the next best available challenger, while making it pretty obvious that entertaining the notion of a rematch is on nobody's agenda.
That's the appeal of a tough, competitive championship fight, and the downside of a one-sided one that keeps happening over and over.
As it stands, the UFC light heavyweight division has one man left, at this point, to give Jones a fight that he hasn't failed to previously, and that's Dan Henderson. The veteran, the last of the stars from the late-90s to still compete at a world-class level, has as many of the tools you could reasonably ask for in creating a guy to beat Jones, whose evolving game and seemingly endless streak of inventiveness make him a terribly vexing proposition on the feet, backed by a shockingly dominating ability to plant people on the mat and dominate them with disdainful ease. Henderson's lightning-bolt right hand, outstanding wrestling and old-man savvy probably give him the best and most compelling shot at Jones as things stand now.
It's also the last of the 205-pound "old guard" for Jones to take on before the UFC has to readily build new contenders, or fall back on recycling rematches nobody particularly wants to see, at least not for competitive purposes.
You can already tell they're scrambling a bit to fill the gap, one Jones exacerbates with each recital, a kind of treatise on how much better he is than those who dare challenge him, as Mike Tyson once said, with their primitive skills. During Alexander Gustaffson's workmanlike, but unspectacular win over Thiago Silva in the UFC on Fuel TV 2 main event, announcer Mike Goldberg suggested Gustaffson was reminiscent of Jones given his slippery stand up style, height and reach.
It would have been laughable as a kind of passing hyperbole except for the fact that Gustaffson is nowhere near Jones' level technically, and he's not Jones when it comes to wrestling, which is pretty much saying someone fights like a prime Roy Jones, Jr. except for the fact that he doesn't have speed. I'm willing to excuse Goldie for the occasional venture into the improbable, but it was indicative of how the UFC is already scrambling to find someone to fill the gap.
Gustaffson's an interesting prospect with some good basic tools, but there is absolutely nothing he did against a faded, flat and post-steroids Silva that suggested he's anywhere ready for a top-five light-heavy, except if he manages to catch someone like Quinton Jackson on a blue period (an increasingly likely prospect, given Rampage's dissatisfaction with the UFC, and fighting in general).
Jones' wrestling is absolutely the key to everything he does, and why he's so successful, even though he barely used it against Evans. It creates a serious deterrence to getting close to him, which makes it impossible to close the gap because you're worried about takedowns. And unlike most lanky strikers, it's not like you can shoot in on the guy and take him down. Jones does the taking-down, thank you, with a kind of man-child leverage and strength that is humbling to opponents.
That's why Henderson is a pretty good choice as his next opponent.
Henderson has an iron chin, dogged patience, and the kind of one-shot power that is a fantastic equalizer. He's also been in a zillion wars, and would have the kind of mindset to absorb the likely beating he'd take early. Evans didn't quit Saturday night, but after tons of smack-talk, he parked his car halfway between trying hard enough to keep it quasi-interesting and stopping short of going out on his shield. Jones does that to people, and that's the compelling thing about Henderson.
He always wins or goes out on his shield.
Given the expanding gap between Jones' skill set -- which seems to add a freakishly clever move every fight, with jumping teep kicks displayed against Evans -- and everyone else's, it would be one hell of a closing act for Henderson, 41, to take on the torch-bearer who is clearly the wave of the next generation.
Jason Probst can be reached at twitter.com/jasonprobst or at Jason@jasonprobst.com
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, kind, henderson
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Results: Sunday Morning Perspective
The morning after UFC 145 has come and it is time to look back to reflect on what we have learned. On the whole this card will not go down as the best card of 2012 as the action ebbed at times, but it was a solid showing for the UFC that I think most fans walked away from mostly satisfied.
Clearly the story coming out that event down in Atlanta is the victory of Jon Jones. The hype for this fight was drawn out as injury and maneuvering postponed this fight for many months. While the fight didn't fully live up to fan exceptions it was Jon Jones who walked away the winner, in the very building were Rashad Evans ascended to the elite ranks of the Light Heavyweight division with his knockout of Chuck Liddell. With this victory Jon Jones is well on his way to being the best Light Heavyweight ever as in a short period of time he has beaten a whose who list of former champions at that weight. Jones has dispatched Maurcio Rua, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida and now Rashad Evans; leaving only the faded Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin as the former champions Jones hasn't faced.
It has already been announced that Jones will fight Dan Henderson next, the only fight left that makes sense for him at 205-pounds. If he wins Jones should move up to Heavyweight. Jones can test his wares at the next weight level and the Light Heavyweights sort themselves out. There are quality prospects that need time to develop fully in Alexander Gustafsson and Phil Davis, that would be stunted if they were thrown to Jones this year. And then, if in between one to two years from now, Rashad Evans is the Light Heavyweight Champion again and Jones is the Heavyweight Champion the UFC has a super fight rematch that would do insane Pay-Per-View buys.
Lets get into my take on UFC 145 after the jump...
UFC 145 Results: Winners and Losers
BN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Jon Jones' striking took a huge step forward last night. His hands were sharp and quick, throwing a very effective jab and straight right. His defensive hand fundamentals looked very solid. His hands were always up, and even when he was punching they returned properly to their positions and absorbed punches that otherwise could have caused trouble. Jones has always had good kicks, but those hard, straight punches give him another nasty weapon to use at range. At this point I think it is safe to say that Jones doesn't have knock out power in his hands but his shots clearly hurt as a few stiff punches from him convinced Rashad that he really didn't want to keep coming forward.
I know people hate the Jon Jones to Muhammad Ali comparisons that have been forced down our throats the last few weeks, but I'm going to compare Jones to a Heavyweight champion boxer. The hand fighting that Jones used to set up those nasty standing elbows reminded me of Jack Johnson, who liked to use to extend his long arms in a clinch to set up offense in a similar manor. Just another example of how this kid is just an innovator in the cage.
Rashad looked game for about two rounds, even after those elbows started landing, he connecting overhand with rights and even a head kick. Rashad looked like he belonged in the cage with Jones for those two rounds and clearly all the questions we can ask about Jones' chin have been answered, the kid can take a punch. In the third round, however Jones imposed is range and took that fight over. Once Rashdad got stuck at range he had very little to offer an improving Jones. And even when he tried to wrestle, Jones made great use of his length. Jones would get wrist control with his right arm and just push Rashad's arm away to the point where it was completely out of the action.
Enough about the main event, on to the under card. Rory MacDonald's grappling looked excellent against Che Mills, who the UFC broadcast team when out of their way to over sell. MacDonald passed guard easily, had excellent side control, good moves to mount and the back and finished the fight with nasty ground-and-pound. That said, MacDonald ate some very hard punches in that first round and seemed to dive in for a emergency takedown at one point. Good win, but I want to see MacDonald against somebody tougher on the feet and one the mat. This might be a job for B.J. Penn or Nick Diaz if either of them decided to come out of retirement.
Brendan Schaub is chinny, plain and simple. It happening once is getting caught, twice is a pattern and now a third time it is official, Schaub while being an athletic talent he just doesn't take a punch well. That pretty much caps his ability to be an impact heavyweight because, well, he doesn't respond well to impacts.
I'm actually excited to see Ben Rothwell fight again after that fight, he looked to be in great shape. I think the winner of Mark Hunt and Stefan Struve would be ideal.
Holy smokes did Michael McDonald blow the doors off of Miguel Torres! That is some crazy power. This kid is a fight away from fighting for a title, and rightfully so. I can't wait to see this kid in action yet.
Side note though, I know McDonald is young but he had serious ache on his back. While that in itself proves nothing, consider my eyebrows officially raised. I'm not convinced there is anything wrong but I also will not be surprised if a high T level comes up in any future drug tests for this kid.
Miguel Torres days as a contender are done. He will be a fantastic gatekeeper and action fighter as he has is still a very good fighter. But the division is changing quickly and there isn't a place for Torres in the title picture.
Eddie Yagin has some freaking hand speed. He was beating Hominick to the punch all night by simple virtue of throwing every punch as hard as he could. Yagin built up an early lead with hard strikes and then held on to it as he slowed down and Hominick started landing more.
Chad Griggs is not a UFC level fighter and Travis Browne trucked right over him. Griggs had some fun moments in Strikeforce but he just isn't skilled enough to hang with real heavyweights. Griggs seemed to have no clue how to defend the arm-triangle, pushing Browne to wrong side and then trying to punch his way out instead of attempting a real escape.
Stephen Thompson will learn a lot from his loss to Matt Brown, namely what he needs to adjust to succeed in MMA. First of all he needs to shore up his ground game, Thompson looked every bit a blue belt on the mat, making common beginner mistakes on the bottom against the much more experienced Matt Brown. And I know that Thompson is staying true to his karate roots, but he needs to keep his hands up. As Thompson got tired a gassed Matt Brown was able to put hands on his face, and based on that I can only conclude that other welterweight strikers like Nick Diaz, Carlos Condit, or Martin Kampmann would blast Thompson after one round. I still think Wonderboy has a future in the UFC but he needs to tweak his game.
Similar to the Jones/Evans fight, Anthony Njokuani's victory was seal by his efficient use of this hands. Njokuani kept John Makdessi at range and damaged him with hard, straight punches. While not the most exciting fight, this was a very interesting fight as there was a great deal of gamesmanship with angels and distance control.
While last night's card wasn't thrilling, it also wasn't bad. I'm glad I don't hear a chorus of world is ending overreactions by fans and media that a less than thrilling card used to generate. "How can we compete with other sports if it is this boring?!" and the like has not been heard thus far and this a good thing. MMA is here to stay and we can survive a card were the fights were as exciting as they were hyped up to be.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, punch, hand
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones
Post from the UG that I was thinking about: Jon Jones exposed As a fighter with an incredible frame who can generate tremendous leverage in grappling and striking, with the skill set of a b level fighter. His footwork is non existant, his kicks have no power, he under-utilizes the jab and cross instead opting for flashier and less effective techniques, his only strategy seems to be "stand in front of opponent, plant feet, and throw a hard shot or 2. He totally over reacts to everything coming his way and generally has no answer in the way of an effective counter. With that said, he does have his moments, like the one time he did a lean back and countered. Otherwise, skillwise he has a long ways to go and is nowhere near someone like Anderson Silva. If his skillset ever catches up with his physical gifts, he could be unstoppable at 205. Until then, the comparison to Ali needs to end, and while he could possibly beat A. Silva, I will not accept the argument that he is anywhere as skilled as Silva is. What Silva does in the ring is art. What Jones does is work, good work too, often great, but it's not art, and I don't buy into the hype. / To the forum members well versed in striking/grappling technique - what do you make of these statements? There's no doubt Jones is creative, talented and incredibly effective in the division he's fighting in now. But is that due to Silva/Aldo/GSP-esq skill, or more due to remarkable physical advantages over his opponents, which allow him to get away with his bag of tricks? Side kicks with the back leg to the knees. Hands in an opponents face as a simple distraction because there's not much they can do about it being there. Holding an opponents hands and delivering elbows which actually reach and connect because his arms are so damn long. These all depend on Jones significant reach and height advantage over most LHWs. Do you think Jones could fight the way he fights now, and dominate, if he grew some legs and fought HWs like Overeem, JDS, who wouldn't be at such a significant height and reach disadvantage? (crazily enough it there still would be a disadvantage, just not as dramatic) NOTE: Not hating on Jones, just looking for opinions of more experienced forum members. It is something to wonder - I mean, the guy is facing Hendo next. Hendo is a legend with bombs for hands and an iron chin and will that would give any fighter his size trouble. Incredibly skilled fighter. But against Jones, at a 13.5 inch reach disadvantage, he will be rendered powerless. Do these two really belong in the same division? submitted by red1392 [link] [29 comments]
Posted in: jone, way, silva, opponent, forum members
Read the full article at RedditUFC 145 post-fight press conference full video for 'Jones vs Evans' in Atlanta
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., is officially in the books after a solid night (April 21, 2012) of major mixed martial arts (MMA) fights.
In the UFC 145 main event of the evening, Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, was perhaps the most anticipated showdown of 2012. And after five rounds of actions, their personal score was ultimately settled by the ringside judges, who awarded "Bones" with a well-deserved unanimous decision.
As usual, the stars of the show came to dish the dirt on the event immediately afterward, including Jon Jones, Rashad Evans, Ben Rothwell, Michael McDonald, Travis Browne and Rory MacDonald, among others. Naturally, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White emceed the post-fight event wrap up show.
For complete UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here. To check out a complete UFC 145 results recap of the pay-per-view (PPV) main card click here. And for all the latest UFC 145 news and notes you can handle check out our complete event archive right here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, event, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Fight Night Photo Gallery
Go along for the ride as HeavyMMA shooter James Las takes you through his best shots from UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans, which took place Saturday in Atlanta.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, place saturday, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145 Results: How Jon Jones Outstruck Rashad Evans
UFC 145 is behind us and Jon Jones is still the UFC Light Heavyweight champion, having defeated Rashad Evans with relative ease. And he did so entirely on the strength of his stand-up. What we saw from Jon Jones Saturday night was a masterful performance of offensive striking. That offense came from his ability to both use sound fundamentals and creativity. Here's a quick look at just two of the best tools he used to outstrike Evans.
First up, Jones focused on fundamentals with his jab. Not since Georges St. Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck have we seen such an effective use of the jab in a fight. Jones has always been a fan of the jab (a wise choice as it accentuates his reach advantage), but against Evans he used it even more that in previous bouts. Jones was constantly bringing that jab out, and not just pawing with it, but snapping it for power. He also brought his hand back to position quickly after each jab instead of leaving it out of position - a bad habit that I noted in my breakdown of his striking, but one that he has obviously worked to improve. Behind that jab, Jones was able to land on Rashad, while keeping Evans uncomfortably outside of range.
To add to this jab, Jones used a bit of the creativity he is known for. No where was that more evident than in his use of traditional Muay Thai elbows in the 2nd round. Jones staggered Evans with an elbow early that round, then kept the focus on his elbows for the duration of the round. But instead of just throwing elbows, he used the Muay Thai technique of grabbing his opponent's hands and pushing them aside. This created openings and gave him the perfect range to sneak those elbows in. It's a beautiful technique that Jones imported perfectly from Muay Thai, and one we'll be discussing more later this week.
Related: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Fight Video Highlights From UFC 145 | UFC 145 Results - Jon Jones' Next Opponent Confirmed: Dan Henderson | UFC 145 Results: UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones Cruises To Decision Win Over Rashad Evans |UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones?
With this combination of new strikes and the basic jab, Jones took apart Rashad Evans, one of the best Light Heavyweight fighters in the world. The question now is, can any Light Heavyweight fighters defeat Jones on the feet? Given what we saw last night, I'm not sure they can.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, evan, jab
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 results recap from last night for 'Jones vs Evans' in Atlanta on April 21
You can hate me now, but I won't stop now ... Cause I can't stop now, you can hate me now....
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) staged perhaps the most anticipated main event fight in recent memory last night (Sat., April 21, 2012) from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans ripped the script from "Rocky 5," with "Suga" playing the role of veteran Rocky Balboa and "Bones" serving as the modern-day, real-life upstart Tommy Gunn, who sauntered onto the Jackson Winkeljohn MMA scene with all the best intentions, but "business" soon got in the way and the pair became enemies quicker than they forged a friendship.
The only thing missing in this real-life saga was the dramatic Hollywood ending.
As expected, at least as far as the oddsmakers are concerned, Jones retained his 205-pound title; however, he had to go the full 25-minute distance for the first time ever in his mixed martial arts (MMA) career to get it done. But, he didn't really have to put in too much of an effort because Evans, for the most part, let him play his dominant game.
That's right, Evans opted to keep the fight standing, which is where he had one Hail Mary right hand opportunity to win. He didn't close the distance, shoot for takedowns our beat up "Bones" along the cage with dirty boxing. On the contrary, he circled for essentially the entire fight, trying to avoid the Matrix-esque attack of his former training partner, while hoping to connect with one big, fight-ending shot.
Wing and a prayer, Maniacs. Unsurprisingly, it never came. And neither did the decisive finish, or back-and-forth emotional battle, which most fans had hoped would ensue heading into the showdown. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a snoozefest or a complete dud. It was just puzzling to see Evans -- who claimed he knew "Bones" inside-out -- implement a tired gameplan that we all know won't work.
Perhaps Dan Henderson can show Evans, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Mauricio Rua and the rest of the division how to solve the Jones enigma. He's fighting him next apparenty. And it will go a long way toward determining if Jones is really just so good that he makes great fighters look bad, or if he truly does have a weakness.
If he does, I have yet to see it. Swagga ...
Rory MacDonald, the heir apparent to 170-pound champion Georges St. Pierre, was featured in the co main event opposite Che Mills, a guy who could not advance beyond the elimination round in a recent season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). Mills ultimately lost to that season's winner James Wilks, and even went on to win his next five MMA bouts, but he had no business being locked inside a cage with "Ares."
Mills cames out strong and actually landed a nice clean shot along the cage; however, all it did was piss off MacDonald and make him realize that he was in a fight. And fight he did. MacDonald smashed Mills for the remaining 1.5 rounds, getting him in crucifix, taking his back, boxing his ears, threatening with submissions and basically doing whatever the hell he wanted.
In the end, Mills was far from "Beautiful."
Even though it was dreadful to hear ringside announcers Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg sing MacDonald's praises all night, the 22-year-old has unquestionable talent and skill. He's also got a violent mean streak, unleashing strikes with bad intentions that look (and sound) like they hurt.
A lot.
The only problem with last night's fight is that MacDonald proved he should only be involved in fights with other top contenders in the division. To be perfectly honest, his next fight should be a rematch against interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit, regardless of whether or not "The Natural Born Killer" wants to wait until the end of the year to fight "Rush."
It's a fight the fans will want to see, even if it sets up a Georges St. Pierre vs. Rory MacDonald nightmare scenario. That's good for business -- just ask Jones and Evans.
In the only Heavyweight bout on the pay-per-view (PPV) main card, Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell, was a showdown that most didn't expect to go the distance. Both men are big stand up fighters who prefer to sling leather until someone falls down.
And that's exactly what they did.
However, few likely expected it to last just 70 seconds, which was the official time once "Big Ben" connected with a powerful punch while in close. Schaub actually landed a nice spinning elbow that stunned Rothwell, but in his zeal to poor it on thick, he got clipped bad.
So bad, in fact, that he was soon on his back, knocked silly with his arms involuntarily clawing toward the rafters. It was a sad sight for a fighter who was once considered among the brightest prospects in the division. With two straight knockout losses, however, he'll have to get in the very back of the line.
In such an unforgiving sport, the smallest mistakes can have such massive repercussions.
Miguel Torres knows all about that.
Once regarded as perhaps the best pound-for-pound MMA fighter in the world not too long ago, Torres was trying to climb back up to the top of the Bantamweight ladder when he took on Michael McDonald, who is 10 years his junior. He was the wiser, more experienced former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) champion who was relying on a new training team, as well as fight approach, to earn him another opportunity to contend for a world title.
Not gonna happen. Not after last night, anyway.
"Mayday," who called Torres' new, more cautious approach to fighting as "horrible," connected with a powerful uppercut in the first round that had him out cold before the back of his head hit the canvas. Just in case that wasn't enough, McDonald was able to land two more unobstructed clean shots to the unconscious "Angel" before the referee could stop him.
McDonald was overjoyed with the sensational finish, as he should be, because Torres -- based on he previous track record and recent success -- was knocking on the door of a title shot. Now with four consecutive victories of his own inside the Octagon, don't be surprised to see McDonald next in another high-profile, meaningful fight.
He's earned it.
In other action, former number one Featherweight contender Mark Hominick attempted to steer himself out of a two-fight losing skid against Eddie Yagin, who was in search of his first UFC win ever. It was the boxer taking on the brawler, which, if nothing else, is a fun fight to watch.
Hominick, who was looking to rebound from a freak seven-second knockout loss to Chan-Sung Jung his last time out, did what he normally does, dancing, darting and dishing out tight strikes. Yagin, meanwhile, responded with looping, loud and large bombs that you could see coming from a mile away.
Well, all but two of them apparently.
Yagin dropped Hominick twice with two huge shots in separate rounds, hurting the resilient Canadian, but not enough to seal the deal. On the contrary, each time Hominick rose back to his feet and eventually picked up right where he left off with his robotic-like attack.
In the end, both fighters looked like hell. Hominick's eyes were swollen shut and Yagin's nose was busted bad. Blood coated them, as well as the canvas, after their 15-minute brawl expired. And because it was just that, a brawl, the judges sided with Yagin, awarding him the split decision.
Fair or foul? I say fun.
It's been nearly 12 years since John Alessio made his Octagon debut against Pat Miletich in a losing effort (submission) at the turn of the century. The Canadian has had two other opportunities to pick up a win inside the eight-walled cage since that time, but has come up short each time out.
Tonight, against fellow countryman Mark Bocek, "The Natural" -- who filled in for the injured Matt Wiman on short notice -- had yet another opportunity to crack into the UFC win column.
Didn't happen.
Bocek, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace, controlled a majority of the fight once he was able to get it to the ground, which was more often than not. Alessio attempted to keep the fight standing, where his best chance to win existed, but it just wasn't enough. Bocek would eat a few good shots and then eventually get a takedown, threaten with submissions and coast to a unanimous decision win on the judge scorecards.
It certainly wasn't the prettiest fight, but it was certainly an effective strategy. A strategy that has earned him back-to-back wins and three victories in his last four appearances. His lone loss during that span? None other than division champion Ben Henderson.
Not too shabby.
That's enough from us. Now it's your turn to discuss UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" in the comments section below.
What was Evans thinking? Is Henderson the man to defeat Jones? If not Condit, who should MacDonald fight next? Impressed by the new and improved Rothwell? How about those two first round knockouts!?!? Let's hear it, Maniacs.
Be sure to also check out our complete UFC 145 blow-by-blow coverage of the entire "Jones vs. Evans" event right here. Last, and certainly not least, check out our complete UFC 145 results recap of the Facebook/FX "Prelims" right here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, macdonald, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 results recap: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans fight review and analysis
The score was finally settled between former friends and teammates Jon Jones and Rashad Evans last night (April 21, 2012) with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight title on the line in the main event of UFC 145 from Atlanta, Georgia.
Evans was hoping his prior experience working with Jones would give him an advantage, and perhaps his familiarity helped "Suga" take Jones the full five round for the first time in his UFC career.
Jones entered the bout riding a tremendous wave of hype, being hailed as the next big thing and even being sponsored by the UFC clothing brand.
So did he live up to expectations last night in victory? And what happens next to both elite light heavyweights?Follow me after the jump for our Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans UFC 145 post-fight review and analysis. To watch Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans full fight video highlights from UFC 145 right now click here:
Jones was the aggressor, stalking Evans from the cage center throughout the fight while "Suga" was forced to play the outside game, constantly in danger of being backed into the fence. Despite Evans being in rough positions at times, he kept Jones at bay with his big right hand and some effective (although sloppy) leg kicks.
Evans even landed a pretty solid head kick in the first round, but the tide began to turn after that. Jones went to work, more effectively utilizing his range and unpredictability in the second, actually hurting "Suga" with a beautiful standing elbow which caught him completely off guard.
Jones' elbows were probably his most effective weapon throughout the fight and he didn't even have to spin to connect solidly with them. All he had to do was get relatively close and his lanky arms and technique did the rest.
After the third round, although he wasn't completely gassed, Evans was definitely tired. He had to gut check himself to make it to the end of the fight but in both the fourth and fifth rounds, he was pretty much no threat at all to the champion, Jones, who remained very fresh all the way to the final bell.
The champ was just too big, too strong and too long for Evans, despite the now-Imperial Athletics fighter's best efforts. In the end, Jones would win a unanimous decision taking four rounds on two judges' scorecards and five rounds on the other.
For Rashad Evans, he actually did several things very well. He landed some nice punches whenever Jones got too close on the inside to keep "Bones" at bay and he was pretty effective with his leg kicks whenever he threw them with power. I really liked that he brought back the head kicks for this fight as he actually found a home for them a few times and may have caught Jones off guard a bit. I would have liked to see him commit to his takedown attempts more in the fight, however. I know it would probably have been even more exhausting to attempt them, but it would have been worth it if he could have put Jones on his back or at least made him think a little bit more about what he could do.
Evans gave Jones his toughest test to date so he's not going to be dropping any spots in the rankings in my book. As long as he's still at light heavyweight, I want to see him against the best of the best. I'd love to see Evans face Mauricio Rua next if possible. If not, other options include Antonio Rogerio Nogueira or maybe even a rematch against Machida.
For Jon Jones, this fight further cemented the gap between him and the rest of the light heavyweights in the world. I still believe Evans is the second best at 205 pounds but Jones is just on another planet. He fought conservatively at times, but that's not the end of the world. Do I wish he would have taken a few more risks to try and finish the fight? Of course I do, but that doesn't mean it was the right decision to make. Jones had a ton of respect for Evans' power and he wasn't willing to drop his guard in an attempt to finish the fight. We saw what can happen if you do that twice this weekend with Brendan Schaub and Brian Rogers.
It's already been confirmed that he'll face Dan Henderson next, hoping to defend his title against one of the last legends remaining in the division. Jones was hit a few times pretty solidly by Rashad last night. It'll be interesting to see if he can survive if he eats the dreaded "H-Bomb."
For complete UFC 145 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here.
So what did you think, Maniacs?
Did the fight live up to the hype in the end? Could Jon Jones have done more here to get the finish? Is there anyone at 205 who can beat "Bones?"
Sound off!
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, round, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaAt 24, Jon Jones Moves Into G.O.A.T. Consideration
ATLANTA -- In debating the greatest fighter in MMA history, there is a very short list of candidates. Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Fedor Emelianenko, Randy Couture, Dan Henderson and Chuck Liddell comprise the most cited names.After Saturday night, you can add a new one to the list: Jon Jones.I'm not saying he's the best ever, not quite yet, but he's now in the conversation. He has to be, after vanquishing rival Rashad Evans at UFC 145. That's admittedly an absurd notion when you take into consideration the fact that he's just 24 years old and barely four years into his professional career, but the facts are the facts. In the last 13 months, he's beaten four straight former champions, four straight possible Hall of Famers in Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida and now, Evans.
Throw in his February 2011 win over Ryan Bader and he's beaten five top 10 opponents in the span of 14 months, an accomplishment likely unmatched not only in MMA, but in the history of combat sports. If he beats his next scheduled opponent Henderson -- another future Hall of Famer -- he will only be extending the most amazing run this sport has ever seen. Evans had walked into the main event with the feeling that he could capitalize on his pre-existing knowledge of Jones' game from their time together at Team Jackson-Winkeljohn. Known for being a slow starter, he actually came out with a strong first round, but it didn't last. By the time it was over, he admitted that Jones had stymied and confused him, just as he seems to do to everyone else. The way he put it, he was "out-slicked.""Jones definitely has a talent that is different than anybody else's," said Evans.Jones is also becoming the rarest of the rare when it comes to MMA: a crossover star. Before the fight, he got tweets of support from superstars like LeBron James and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Round-by-round updates from his fight aired live on ESPN's SportsCenter, in a first for the sport. Despite the mounting pressure, he delivered when it mattered, making his third consecutive title defense in a unanimous decision. While it wasn't his most dominant performance -- Evans became the first man to take him to a decision in his last nine fights -- it was still lopsided, as Evans only managed to take a single round on two judges' scorecards. According to stats provider FightMetric, Jones out-struck Evans by a count of 116-49, adding to the lopsided numbers seen in his other fights against top opposition. Against Machida, there was a count of 26-13. Against Jackson, it was 74-24, while against Rua, he out-struck him 102-11 in a performance that was MMA's equivalent of baseball's perfect game.Facing Evans, the big challenge was to shut down his vaunted wrestling attack. Evans had managed to take down every opponent he'd ever faced in fights he attempted takedowns, but against Jones, he put up a goose egg. Jones also authored all of the fight's biggest moments, particularly a crushing left elbow that staggered Evans along the cage. By the end, Jones' face was completely unmarked as if he hadn't even fought at all.Evans, meanwhile, had bruises and swelling on his face, and said his legs were hurting."I still got to go home and cry a little bit," Evans said.This is what Jones is reducing his opponents to. Rua battered, Jackson admitting he can't imagine anyone beating him, Machida choked unconscious. And now, Evans crying. He probably wasn't the first, and likely won't be the last.Jones still has work to do, though. He's young and adjusting. He's making improvements to his striking technique, he's learning to generate more power, and he's still growing his confidence. Amazingly, despite all his success, he admitted to being a little unsure of his approach to Evans. But with every success, there are lessons to be learned. Jones is a voracious viewer of fight video, and he dissects tape to make refinements in an attempt to reach his full potential. As long as he continues his work ethic and preparation, he just may chase down the "greatest" tag, which most believe belongs to his contemporary, Silva."It's tough to put anybody in the No. 1 spot as long as Anderson Silva is still undefeated, in my opinion," UFC president Dana White said.But Silva's pedestal is isn't out of Jones' acclaimed reach. Henderson is the only great active light-heavyweight Jones has yet to beat. If he gets by him, perhaps he makes the move to heavyweight, where he can cement his claim. Even if he doesn't, there's no doubt of where he is right now. He is the greatest phenomenon the UFC has seen since B.J. Penn, and no one has shown any inkling of how to solve his puzzle. Someday, someone might, but there's no denying what he's done so far. He's off to a historic start, one that puts him in conversation as the best ever. Whatever your view on Jones the person, Jones the fighter deserves his due as a singular talent, and so far, one of the best the sport has ever produced.
Posted in: fight, jone, sport, evan, he
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC Quick Quote: Rashad Evans staying at 205-pounds after Jon Jones loss but would entertain moving to middleweight
"No, I'm a 205-pounder. I've only lost twice and I lost to some good competitors. I mean, it would be nice if I won all my fights but it don't happen like that sometimes. If an opportunity happens at 185-pounds then I'll take it. But I like 205-pounds. I feel like I can work my way back up and get back to another title shot."
-- Rashad Evans came up short in his bid to dethrone Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 145 last night (Sat., April 21, 2012) at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, and because of that, he was quickly faced with questions at the post-fight press conference regarding his future in the 205-pound division. Like whether or not he has a future there at all. "Suga" was quick to dismiss the idea of a permanent move down to middleweight though he wouldn't rule it out altogether. After all, he's always been a bit undersized for a light heavyweight and with the champion of the weight class owning a dominant win over him, it would seem to make sense for "Suga" to drop 20 pounds and try his luck there. Anyone think Evans should stay where he is and try to work his way back to a rematch against Jones? Or should he drop down to middleweight and try to make a splash there? For a more detailed look at "Jones vs. Evans" click here. To watch the highlights of the bout click here. And for complete UFC 145 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.
Posted in: ufc, pound, jone, click, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 winners and losers from 'Jones vs Evans' PPV event last night (April 21) in Atlanta
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has done it again, bringing the heat to "Hotlanta" with an action-packed mixed martial arts (MMA) fight card in the form of UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" on Sat., Apr. 21, 2012.
The main event saw UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones close the book on his beef with Rashad Evans, once and for all, as he elbowed, kicked and even shouldered his way to victory with a dominant unanimous decision win in the main event of the evening.
The UFC 145 fight card also saw a pair of young phenoms, Michael McDonald and Rory MacDonald, display their progress as MMA fighters who should now undoubtedly be viewed as top contenders in their respective divisions. Veteran fighters also redeemed themselves from past shortcomings, while others all but sealed the deal on their departure from glory.
After the jump, we'll take a look at who emerged as the big winners and lowliest of losers from UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans:"
WINNERS:
Jon Jones -- Obviously, "Bones" has to be considered the weekend's biggest winner. Though he was unable to finish "Suga," fans need to remember just how tough a fighter he really is. And though Jones couldn't finish him, this was yet another fight that was never in doubt. It wasn't close, and if you say it was, you need to go back and watch it again.
Rory MacDonald -- He's 22, but he looks like he's been doing this forever. His opponent, Che Mills, is not tomato can, to say the least. With that said, "Rory Mac" ran all over him. After getting clipped early on, MacDonald made a concerted effort to get the fight to the ground, and he did so easily. It was a cakewalk from there on out, as he was able to carve up his face with dastardly elbows that had everyone in the crowd cringing. Mills' nickname was "Beautiful," coming into the fight. It'll be a while before he's able to wear that moniker proudly (and appropriately) again.
Ben Rothwell -- What a "get back on the map" win this was for "Big Ben." After switching camps and getting his physical conditioning in order, Rothwell was able to totally re-create himself. I gotta tell ya, "Rothwell 2.0" is a pretty scary sight to behold. He's in shape, which is bad news for the rest of the heavyweight division. His striking was always comparable to anyone at 265-pounds. Now that he's regained his focus, it will be very interesting to see where this all takes him.
Michael McDonald -- It was a big night for "Mayday," who made easy work with a first-round KO over former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) Bantamweight Champion Miguel Torres. The win makes it eight in a row now for McDonald who is really taking the MMA world by storm. Where is his ceiling? It's still hard to say, exactly, but it is going to be fun to find out.
Travis Browne -- After his win over UFC newcomer Chad Griggs, Browne went over to the camera and mouthed the words: "A submission? Are you kidding me? A submission?" That's what a lot of people were thinking. Browne showed his game is progressing, as he's always been someone who can stand and trade, but an evolved ground game would really help him move up the heavyweight ranks.
Mac Danzig -- I personally thought Danzig looked fantastic in his fight against Efrain Escudero. His stand up was so crisp and precise that Escudero simply could not keep up with him. It went to a decision, but don't get it twisted: this fight was extremely one-sided. I'm not sure what this says about Danzig, in the big scheme of things, but he looked much improved.
Mark Bocek -- Ok, so, it wasn't a finish and there were spots where his fight versus John Alessio looked like it could have gone either way. Regardless, Bocek fought a very smart fight and used his always phenomenal jiu-jitsu to control his opponent and get a respectable win. The victory makes it two in a row now for Bocek, who will leave this weekend with a bit of momentum.
LOSERS:
Rashad Evans -- I hate to pile on, but let's call a spade a spade. For months now, Evans has been trash talking, name calling and genuinely disrespecting Jon Jones both as a person and a champion. For five rounds, he did very little to back any of his big talk up. He was outmaneuvered in every aspect of the game. He didn't take his belt. He didn't knock him out. He didn't even get close to any of what he said he'd do. I feel a little bad for the guy, but he did this to himself.
Miguel Torres -- Let's get down to brass tacks: He looked awful against McDonald. I hate to say it, because Torres used to be such a fun fighter to watch, but the truth is that his career is winding down. He's a gatekeeper at best. The last time he beat someone we cared about was when he won a decision over Takeya Mizugaki in 2009. Unfortunately, he's more well-known for his ill-advised tweets, as well as his even more ill-advised haircut, than he is for his fighting prowess. Was that mean? It feels mean. Sometimes, the truth is mean.
Stephen Thompson -- I'll go on the record as saying I still love "Wonderboy." He's got a great upside, but his loss to Matt Brown exposed what may be the worst takedown defense in the history of the sport. He's still got time. He's young and still somewhat new to MMA, but those takedowns were slow and deliberate. I don't really have anything else to say on the matter. I'm not mad, just disappointed.
Maximo Blanco -- I used to love watching this guy fight in Japan. He was a stud, but I'm starting to think that's not ever going to translate to American cagefighting. He looked bad against Pat Healy in his fight before this one. He looked bad against Marcus Brimage. It's almost like someone stole his exlosiveness, and he hasn't been able to find it. He better find it quick, because another performance like this last one, and he won't be fighting on the Facebook prelims...he'll be watching them at home.
Fernando Yamasaki -- I really don't like this guy. For starters, he looks like "Bizarro Mario Yamasaki." It makes me feel like I'm in a weird alternate universe every time they announce him. Second, when they do announce him, he does that dumb "wings" motion with his hands. I'm about to watch two dudes beat the crap out of each other. I don't want to see you making shadow puppets. Lastly, he is one of an ever-growing number of referees who clearly doesn't understand MMA. He called for several stand ups in spots where the fighters were clearly active and working to progress. He should be suspended and forced to hang out with Kim Winslow for one full week. I'm tough, but I'm fair.
That's my list. Is it perfect? Probably not, but I always enjoy seeing how you Maniacs fill in the blanks in the comment section below. Don't disappoint me this time!
For complete UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" results, including blow-by-blow details of all the action click here and here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, he, im
Read the full article at MMA ManiaDana White: Dan Henderson is next for Jon Jones
After defeating Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145, Jon Jones has already learned the identity of his next opponent inside the Octagon. Multi-time champ and MMA legend, Dan Henderson, is next in line for "Bones", that's according to the UFC President Dana White, who confirmed the match-up during UFC 145 post-fight press conference.
The fight between Jon Jones and Dan Henderson is expected to take place later this year, most likely in August. This will be Jon Jones fourth title defense, after
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, dan henderson, bones thats
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145 results: 'Report Card' for 'Jones vs Evans' PPV event in Atlanta
With a one-sided decision win over challenger Rashad Evans, Jon Jones definitely settled the question of who the better fighter was Saturday night (April 21, 2012) in the UFC 145 main event from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. And with a steady if unspectacular showing, "Bones" reinforced the perception that he's one of the most difficult match ups in mixed martial arts (MMA).
With ever-more tools at his disposal, Jones' dizzying mix of punches, elbows and variations on technique left Evans largely in defensive mode for the five-round affair, though the challenger did connect on two occasions -- once with a solid right hand, the other with a flush kick to the head -- that seemed to get the champ's respect. But aside from those few bright spots, the bout resembled every other Jones fight since he stormed into the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 3.5 years and 11 fights ago.
It was total domination, albeit without a signature Jones finish.
In the co-main, Rory MacDonald steamrolled a game, but outmatched Che Mills en route to a second-round technical knockout. And in a Heavyweight upset, a renewed Ben Rothwell dispatched the favored Brendan Schaub with a rousing rally via knockout.
Here's a closer look at UFC 145 and report card for last night's competitors. Grades are given relative to prefight expectations, and how the performance affected their immediate career prospects:
Rory MacDonald: AMacDonald looked like every bit explosive, well-rounded machine that generated considerable hype in 2011 with impressive wins over Nate Diaz and Mike Pyle. After an iffy start, where Mills -- clearly looking to engage -- drilled him with a couple of clean shots, MacDonald immediately adjusted and took it to the mat, where his suffocating top control and pressure wore down "Beautiful."
In the second, MacDonald took down Mills again, delivering a punishing barrage of strikes en route to a lengthy beating and the stoppage. MacDonald, just 22, is a training partner and friend to champ Georges St. Pierre. When I interviewed him and trainer Firas Zahabi (who also trains GSP) last year, they both stated unequivocally that he would never fight St. Pierre. And the UFC has put MacDonald on something of a parallel track to similar rising contenders, such as Johny Hendricks and Jake Ellenberger, who got Jon Fitch and Jake Shields to test themselves against. After tonight, it's obvious that MacDonald needs someone who's a legit top ten Welterweight as his next opponent to really test him. Maybe even top five. It's crowded at 170 pounds, which might be an advantage in developing the talented Canadian, who turns a mere 23 in July. But, given St. Pierre's dominant run as champ, and MacDonald's inevitability, it's hard to see how these two won't meet in the coming year or two.
MacDonald's still filling out - he was a lightweight when he turned pro - and it's impressive how he can control and smash people. He has exceptionally heavy hands given the slightest openings on a grounded opponents, and his athleticism and seamless transitions are huge assets, as well.
So what's next?
Out of all available opponents, Diego Sanchez would be a logical next opponent. Sanchez has never been stopped at welterweight, and gave a credible effort in losing to contender Jake Ellenberger in February. It would also be interesting to see MacDonald pitted against someone like Diego, who'd push the pace and try and take the initiative - and it would be smart matchmaking, because win or lose, Sanchez is almost always in exciting fights.
Ben Rothwell: A-The journeyman heavyweight was truly on the bubble after his dreadful decision loss against Mark Hunt, which dropped him to 1-2 in the UFC. But with one left hook, "Big Ben" showed why heavyweights only need one shot, as he dropped the pouncing Schaub, who was moving in for the kill after apparently stunning Rothwell.
The win was the biggest of Ben's career, and his firmed-up physique showed he clearly put in serious work in the gym, transforming his frame. Rothwell is still something of crude heavy with his limited technique and athleticism, but experience goes a long way in working out of bad situations, and tonight was a perfect example of how a guy that's more of a fighter than an athlete beats an opponent who's the opposite.
Michael McDonald: AThe rising bantamweight product was brilliantly on point in a showdown against former WEC champ Miguel Torres, and showed stunning power in a nasty right uppercut that set up the wicked finish. Now 15-1, and 5-0 in the WEC and UFC, McDonald's a rising bantamweight contender in a division badly in need of fresh faces. After the Dominick Cruz-Urijah Faber rubber match, the UFC will need marketable contenders to usher in the next wave of challengers. Alongside uber-talented Renan Barao, aggressive sluggers like McDonald are the crest of that wave. Under-155ers often have bouts that resemble pillow fights, but a heavy-handed little guy is exceptionally viable in building a fan base. Mcdonald can bang and showed some real stones in standing with Torres, exploiting the opening perfectly, to boot.
Eddie Yagin: B+Gritty, gutty and persistent, Yagin pulled out a split decision over former title challenger Mark Hominick in a career-defining performance. Bloodied and swollen after Hominick lit him up in a rollicking second round, Yagin finished the show by taking the third round and winning a razor-thin split duke, 29-28 on all cards. An impressive showing for Yagin, who at 135 seems undersized and a tad too hittable, but he's exciting, and he had enough tonight to score an upset win.
Jon Jones: BEverybody's human, even Jones, whose 2011 was the most impressive calendar-year run in the history of the sport (just edging out Shogun Rua's tear through Pride in 2005). Somewhat restrained in his approach, Jones picked his spots and demonstrated an ever-evolving technical standup game, with added confidence in his hands, as he shot out punches, even turning jabs into punishing elbows on the largely-flummoxed Evans, who did land the occasional shot.
The bout going the distance was probably the product of two things: Evans' thumping right hand which got Jones' respect midway through the bout, and Jones' never going five rounds, which is now something he's got under his belt. It will serve him the next time he has to go deep. Going against him tonight, however, was his seeming disinterest in takedowns until late in the bout, where he basically arm-blasted Evans to the mat with a big-brotheresque shove. At times, Jones seems to technically superior to opponents that you'd think he's in a sparring session trying out new things, instead of defending his title. A finish would have been feasible if he'd taken Evans down earlier and punished him, but Jones was never in serious trouble, and his evolving game only spells bad news for future light-heavyweight challengers. After Dan Henderson, there's nobody that's world-class that Jones hasn't already stomped.
Mark Bocek: BThe reliable lightweight plugger scored a workmanlike decision win over John Alessio, using his quick transitions and takedowns to grind out a clear-cut victory on the cards. Bocek dominated throughout and secured his short-term future, at least, as a reliable measuring stick too good for lower-level 155ers, and a credible test for those looking to break into the top fifteen. It wasn't spectacular, but it wasn't boring, either.
Rashad Evans: C+To his credit, Evans went where no one has gone since Stephan Bonnar, making Jones work to a decision, and over five rounds, to boot. He took a steady, sustained pounding, but never mailed it in and gave up. He kept firing. But the problem was that his opportunities were few and far between, which is always a hassle with fighting Jones, whose reach and range skew every tactical option hopelessly against opponents. Evans did something that few light heavies will ever do - be standing at the end of the fight against Jones - and he showed some serious pluck and heart in a fight that never really got out of third gear. It's a tough loss for "Suga," but he did so much better than most of Bones' recent challengers that in a relative sense, Evans really doesn't drop too far in the ranks. Unless you're a completely biased Alexander Gustaffson fan.
Che Mills: C+Tough Brit took a terrible thumping against Rory MacDonald, but only after absorbing serious punishment in a brutal display of ground and pound from the dangerous "Ares." There aren't a lot of welterweights that can stand up to MacDonald's attack, and Mills lasted longer than most would have. However, his toughness and heart shown tonight outweigh the loss - the UFC will definitely keep him around for a while, either against midlevel competition to rebuild him or as a measuring stick against rising prospects.
Mark Hominick: DSince his epic stand in a five-round brawl with champ Jose Aldo, Hominick may be showing the signs of a long career. Coming into the bout after his stunning, eight-second KO loss to Chang Sung Jung, "The Machine" looked flat tonight, sucked into a life-or-death struggle to a split decision loss against the game but limited Eddie Yagin. Hominick couldn't sustain the breakneck pace that usually makes his standup up game one of the best in the featherweight division, and the accumulated punishment he's taken seems to have added up.
John Alessio: DDropping down to 155, Alessio's size and decent standup helped him give Bocek a few brief moments of trouble prior to his getting completely outworked on the ground. Alessio, who challenged Pat Miletich for the welterweight title in 2000, was a substitute for Matt Wiman and did his best, but age and the weight cut clearly left him outgunned against the quicker, wily Bocek.
Miguel Torres: FSlugging it out and firing back when hurt has created some of the most exciting moments in Torres' career, and some of his worst, as well. After getting cut and then reinstated by the UFC last year for inappropriate comments on his Twitter feed, the former WEC boss had a good matchup tonight. Vexed by wrestlers at times, Torres had a standup opponent who landed first and exploited the holes in his defense for a punishing first-round stoppage.
Brendan Schaub: FTonight was a disaster for Schaub, who slugged with an opponent whose sole chance to win was exactly that - a slugfest. After his crushing knockout loss against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, the once-surging Schaub was seen as a heavyweight prospect on the cusp of being a legit contender. Two knockout losses later, it's apparent that he's got some real adjustments to make. After stunning Rothwell, Schaub moved in for the finish, only to get finished himself by a glancing left hook that turned an imminent win (and a well-matched comeback opponent, at that, in Rothwell) into sudden defeat. It was no accident that the UFC picked Rothwell, an eminently hittable guy with limited wrestling, for Schaub's much-needed comeback win. After this loss, Schaub not only is in a must-win position, he'll be fighting heavyweights with the perception that he can't take a punch, which always bolsters the other guy's confidence, no matter how badly he's losing.
For complete UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, opponent, macdonald, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans says he will rematch Jon Jones in the future
Former UFC Light Heavyweight champion, Rashad Evans, looked back at his performance against Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia. Evans spoke about his mistakes during the fight, revealing that he hurt his leg in Round 2. When answering on a question about his animosity towards Jones, Evans admitted it's still there, claiming that he knows there will be a rematch in the future.
Further Reading: Full UFC 145
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans FULL Fight Video Highlights
Jon Jones and Rashad Evans have finally met inside the UFC Octagon. Reigning UFC Light Heavyweight champ demonstrated his superiority in every aspect of the game and during all five rounds, walking away with a clean Unanimous Decision victory. Rashad Evans now goes back to the drawing board, but promises - "I will fight Jon Jones again".
Further Reading: Full UFC 145
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, ufc octagon, evan
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145: Recap, results, and awards
UFC 145 Main Card results and recap:The grudge match between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones may have finally come to an end this evening as Jones handily defeated his arch-rival in a long and technically-fought bout. Both fighters seemed very confident in their timing early on, as Evans scored a few good punches and Jones threw his usual myriad of unpredictable kicks. While Evans did register a headkick of his own, he was wobbled repeatedly during the fight due to Jones' superior reach and striking
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, evan, card results, technicallyfought bout
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones vs Rashad Evans fight metric report from UFC 145 shows 'Bones' dominance
Not that you need any further proof of Jon Jones dominance over Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145 last night (Sat., April 21, 2012) at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, but here's the numerical evidence.
According to FightMetric.com, the official statistics provider of the UFC, Jones landed 116 total strikes (105 significant) to just 49 total (45 significant) from Evans. The more telling number, however, is the fact that of Rashad's 49 strikes landed, just 18 went to the head.
That distance is hard to close, especially now that "Bones" has become so proficient at using his considerable reach advantage.
The grappling game was nearly nonexistent. It's only notable for the fact that "Suga" failed to take his former teammate down, going 0-for-4 in takedown attempts throughout the five-round, 25-minute fight.
By the time all was said and done, Fight Metric had Jones winning by a score of 50-44 with an effectiveness score of 400 to Evans' 134. For a detailed explanation of Fight Metric's scoring methods click here.
More after the jump.
To read the full report from Fight Metric (and you should) click here.
For a more detailed breakdown of "Jones vs. Evans" click here. To watch highlights of the fight click here. And for complete UFC 145 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, click, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Dominates Rashad Evans, Retains Title at UFC 145
Jon Jones couldn't stop Rashad Evans the way he has past opponents, but he still dominated for five rounds for a unanimous decision win at UFC 145.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMADan Henderson Named Next Challenger for Champ Jon Jones
ATLANTA -- After beating four consecutive UFC champions, the road will not get any easier for current light-heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones.The 24-year-old star's next opponent will be multi-time, multi-division champion Dan Henderson, according to UFC president Dana White, who confirmed the pairing shortly after Jones topped Rashad Evans at UFC 145.
White didn't have a timetable for the fight's scheduling, but said UFC 149 in Calgary could be a possibility. "You know what? I feel great that I already have a mission," said Jones (16-1). " I'm going to work extremely hard to better myself. I did things that I could've done better. Dan Henderson is an awesome opponent. He’s a winner and he has a huge fan base. I'm sure the haters are going to come right away. I'm OK with it. There's going to be a lot of things to conquer in this fight. He has extreme knockout power. I don't know who hits harder between him or Rampage. He has extreme knockout power and I’m excited to conquer it."The 41-year-old Henderson has been sitting on the sidelines since last November, after beating Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in a match considered by many to be the best MMA fight in the sport's history.Henderson (29-8) was in attendance at the Philips Arena to watch Jones beat former teammate Evans. He has won seven of his last eight overall. If he beats Jones, he'll be the only man ever to win major championships in the UFC, Strikeforce and PRIDE.
Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, dan henderson, teammate evans
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145 Post Fight Interview – Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans reflects on his UFC 145 loss to light heavyweight kingpin and longtime rival Jon Jones.
Posted in: ufc, jone, loss, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145 Post Fight Interview – Jon Jones
Jon Jones talks about his title defence at tonight’s UFC 145 where he defeated longtime rival Rashad Evans via unanimous decision.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad evans, title defence
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145 Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Video Highlights
Video: Highlights: Evans – Jones Video highlights of the UFC 145 main event between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans via Fox Sports.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, video, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145 results: Jon Jones dominates Rashad Evans, has Dan Henderson in his sights
Four fights, four former champions, four victories for Jon Jones.
Tonight (April 21) when the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) rolled into Atlanta, "Bones" proved he was alone atop the light heavyweight mountain when he took apart his UFC 145 opponent, Rashad Evans, over the course of 25 minutes.
"Suga" found a measure of success in the opening round, taking the five minute period on two judges' scorecards but standing elbows in the second stanza changed the entire complexion of the fight.
As Jones' elbows cracked against his opponent's skull, the tide began to shift significantly in the champion's favor and in the following three rounds, he never looked back as he began to pull away from the challenger.
Evans, ranked as the number one 205-pounder after he defeated Forrest Griffin at UFC 92, marks the fourth such fighter "Bones" has defeated in as many fights. He yanked the title from Mauricio Rua's waist and then submitted both Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida, all in a 13 month period which could very well go down as the most impressive span of fights in mixed martial arts (MMA) history.
There doesn't seem to be anyone left to challenge the young champion.
Well, no one except a veteran with a bomb for a right hand.
Ever since his epic five-round war with "Shogun" at UFC 139, Dan Henderson has been waiting in the wings, holding out to score a title shot against either Jones or former rival Anderson Silva.
With "The Spider" being kept busy with Chael Sonnen and a light heavyweight division now bereft of challengers, it looks as if "Hendo" will be the latest former champion to match up against Jones.
In UFC and PRIDE Fighting Championship history, there have been -- aside from "Bones" -- 12 men to hold a light heavyweight title. Three -- Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture and Frank Shamrock -- are retired, and two -- Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva -- have dropped to 185-pounds. Two -- Tito Ortiz and Griffin -- are miles away from their heyday and will likely never get back into title contention while the aforementioned four have already lost to Jones.
Dan Henderson is the only one who remains.
Before UFC 145, I wrote that a win for Jones would make him the greatest light heavyweight of all time. He's only held the belt for 13 months but he's picked apart just about every other fighter who had it before him.
Who is left for him to beat?
After Henderson, perhaps Alexander Gustafsson? The Swede is good but still at least two or three fights away from being ready to challenge for Jones' crown.
"Bones" is simply on a level unmatched by any of his peers. He proved it at UFC 128. He proved it again at UFC 135 and UFC 140. And in case you didn't believe him the first three times, he shoved the proof in everyone's -- especially Evans' -- face tonight in Atlanta.
Just be thankful you don't have a welt on your forehead like "Suga" does.
Posted in: ufc, fight, title, jone, henderson
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Keeps Light Heavyweight Crown, Scores Unanimous Decision Over Rashad Evans at UFC 145
Jon Jones took a top-shelf fighter and made him look utterly ordinary. It has become a common practice for the 24-year-old champion.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, topshelf fighter
Read the full article at SherdogJon Jones Keeps Light Heavyweight Crown, Scores Unanimous Decision at UFC 145
Jon Jones took a top-shelf fighter and made him look utterly ordinary. It has become a common practice for the 24-year-old champion.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, practice, topshelf fighter
Read the full article at SherdogUFC President Confirms Dan Henderson Next In Line For Jon Jones
After Jon Jones’s decisive win over former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, UFC President Dana White made it no secret who the next contender is. And that’s former Olympian and PRIDE champion Dan Henderson.
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Posted in: jone, jon jones, dan henderson, ufc president, bull
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145 draws a reported 15,545 attendance for $2.2 million live gate
ATLANTA - Saturday's "UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans" event drew a reported
15,545 attendees to Atlanta's Philips Arena and generated a live gate of
$2.2 million.
UFC president Dana White revealed the figures at the evening's
post-event press conference, which MMAjunkie.com
attended.
Featuring a light heavyweight title contest between current champion Jon
Jones and former titleholder Rashad Evans, UFC 145 marked the company's
first trip to Georgia since UFC 88 in September 2008.
Posted in: ufc, gate, jone, evan, atlanta
Read the full article at MMA JunkieJones vs. Evans Fight Highlights
If you missed out on the year's biggest UFC grudge match, check out Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans fight highlights, via ESPN.
UFC 145 took place April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA. Reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones (16-1) defended his title against former training partner Rashad Evans (17-2-1) in the night's long-awaited main event. Catch the video highlights below.
For more on Bones' dominant victory, check out the play-by-play from MMA Fighting's own Shaun Al-Shatti.
Round 1: The Atlanta crowd is absolutely raucous right now. Herb Dean is the man overseeing tonight's championship fight. Jones avoids Evans' eyes in the staredown. It's on. Evans circles and Jones leaps in with a left to the body. Head kick nearly finds its mark for the champion. Evans pumps his jab but nothing lands clean. Jones lunges forward with a jumping side kick to the knee. Another head kick nearly lands for Jones. Evans backs away and regroups. Jones stalks into the pocket and wings a whizzes a wild left hand past his rival, followed by a missed superman punch and a pair of body kicks. Evans backs Jones up with a huge head kick. Jones may be hurt. Rashad storms forward but the champ regains his footing as the horn sounds. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Jones.
Round 2: Evans squatting low in his stance to open the second frame. Jones briefly engages the clinch and wings a left hook on the way out. Jones slips a wild right hand and counters with a front kick. Evans circles out of a flurry and taunts the champ as he walks away. Hard body shot from Rashad. Evans starting to open up with his strikes now. Jones senses it and closes the distance with a pair of hard standing elbows. Evans is dazed but Jones fails to follow up. Jones lands another massive elbow. He's starting to feel it now. Jones storms forward with a flying knee, left hook combo as the round comes to close. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Jones.
Round 3: Evans opens on the outside, looking to regroup. Big right hand lands clean for Evans. Jones retreats and gathers himself, pumping out his jab to maintain distance. Whenever Rashad presses forward he's doing well, but if he sits back Jones can pick him apart. Jones switches his stance and tosses out another jab. The champ is being the aggressor, flying in with a powerful elbow and just missing with a hard knee. Jones is stalking Evans now, and Evans seems to be unsure of himself. The champ engages the clinch but nothing comes out of it. Jones misses a switch kick at horn. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Jones.
Round 4: Rashad is on the defense now. Jones is fighting his fight, keeping the action at a distance and picking Evans apart with his jab. Jones leaps in, misses a shot and stuffs a takedown attempt. Rashad hesitates and reaches in for a double leg, but Jones repels it easily. Jones gets in tight and drops his hands right but Evans doesn't attack. Jones' pressure is unbelievable right now. Rashad unleashes a flurry but Jones slips it and grabs hold of his neck, looking for a choke. Jones doesn't have it locked in, though he gives Evans a knee to the body on the way out. Evans is starting to look tired. Jones shoots in for a power double at the horn. Evans sprawls and fights it off. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Jones.
Round 5: The pace picks up for the final five minutes. Jones opens up with his jab, followed by a thunderous body shot. The champ has his hands at his waist, taunting his rival. Another combination lands flush for Jones. Rashad misses wildly with a spinning back fist and Jones jumps in with a flying knee. Jones briefs clinches, throws a solid left hook then disengages. Bones flat out tosses Evans to the ground. He's looking to finish, but Rashad fights it off and stands. Thirty seconds left and Evans needs to do something desperate. Jones jumps in and pulls guard. Evans looking to land a big shot, but it's too little, too late. Jon Jones remains the UFC light heavyweight champion. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Jones.
Jon Jones def. Rashad Evans via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45).
Posted in: fight, jone, rashad, evan, kick
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145: Jones vs Evans Post Fight Thoughts and Recap
Tonight, the UFC finally returned to PPV after a 6 week hiatus. And they definitely returned in style. The feature bout, Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans has been building for about a year now and the UFC marketing machine has been seriously hyping up the drama between the two former teammates. The co-main event, Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills seemed specifically designed to highlight the skills of the rising prospect. Since the event was finalized it has received a fair amount of criticism about being top heavy. Despite that, I thought it was a highly enjoyable event overall after some lackluster prelims.
Mark Bocek vs. John Alessio
Throughout the fight Alessio looked out of his depth on the ground and Bocek made sure to take advantage of that weakness. Repeatedly, Bocek was able to secure relatively easy takedowns and punish Alessio once he got him to his back. Alessio had some success on the feet, but his inability to keep the fight standing led to a unanimous decision loss.
We really didn't see a lot here that showed anything new for either fighter. Alessio had been racking up wins on the regional circuit, but didn't show anything that indicates he'll have a successful run in the UFC. Bocek showed that he's a talented grappler, but we already knew that.
Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin
When this fight was announced it appeared to be a squash match to highlight Hominick's "elite striking" and if you only listened to the commentary you'd have thought it was a one sided victory for Mark. However, Yagin displayed legitimate power and solid technique in the first two rounds and looked like a he might finish Hominick in dramatic fashion on more than one occasion. Instead, he was able to score the upset victory via split decision despite a broken nose and blood coated face.
Personally, I was really impressed by Yagin here. Thoughout the fight he was able to counter Hominick's jab with a powerful left hook and rocked the former title challenger in both the first and second round. He obviously has cardio issues and paid for that in the 3rd, but, with that kind of power, he's going to be a hard fight for anyone in the Fetherweight division not named Jose Aldo. Hominick, on the other hand displayed some serious defensive issues in his striking and did not at all look like a future contender. He has solid technical striking skills, but lacks the power to seriously punish his opponents. He's good enough to keep his place in the UFC, but look for him to top out as a Kongo-esque gatekeeper to the elite of the division.
Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald
I think a lot of people were sleeping on this fight, but it delivered in spades. Miguel Torres has long been considered one of the top fighters in the Bantamweight division and was expected to return to the title picture with a win here. Apparently Mayday McDonald didn't get the memo. From the opening bell, McDonald looked like the crisper striker and was able to capitalize with two extremely powerful uppercuts leading to a TKO victory in the first round.
This was a huge fight for the future of the Bantamweight title picture. After a long streak of dominance, Dominick Cruz has been severely lacking in new challengers. Although not officially announced, this fight could very well indicate the champs next contender, if Cruz is able to defeat Urijah Faber again.
Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell
Time for me to eat some crow. In our predictions for the event I said:
Ben Rothwell has done absolutely nothing to impress me in any of his UFC performances.
Granted, that was true at the time but Rothwell had a great performance tonight. After eating a surprising spinning backfist from Schaub, Big Ben landed a knockout left hook in the ensuing flurry that should have led to The Hybrid's victory. He followed up the TKO win with a passionate speech that should have touched the heart of any MMA fan. Despite his less than impressive showing thus far, Ben Rothwell earned a fan in me tonight.
In spite of his first round stoppage tonight, I don't see this fight changing the opinion of many fans of Rothwell as a fighter. His skillset is still very limited and he's only going to earn wins against the lower tier of an already weak division. Same goes for Schaub who has demonstrated on three occasions now that his chin just can't stand up to heavyweight striking and he's too big to make Light Heavyweight. That said, being a recognizable TUF veteran, he's likely to get some favorable matchmaking and I expect him to stick around the UFC for a while.
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Like the Hominick-Yagin fight, this one seemed designed to give Rory another win. Unlike the Hominick fight, however, Ares rose to the occasion. After getting shook by a big shot from Mills early in the first round, Rory Mac secured a takedown and unleashed pure violence. He cut and battered Mills thoughout the first and finally put him out in the second.
Don't get me wrong, Rory MacDonald has been one of my favorite fighters since his incredible bout against Carlos Condit. But the comparisons to Georges St. Pierre and Jon Jones are premature. He still has provent himself against any of the elite wrestle boxers of the Welterweight division. I'm glad the UFC has decided to take it a little slower with his development, but it's time for him to take a step up in competition against a different style of fighter.
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Lacking the finish, this fight went pretty much as I expected it to. Jon Jones dominated the striking and Evans was completely unable to establish any sort of meaningful offense. Aside from a single solid head kick in the first round, Evans looked completely ineffective throughout the fight. He had the same trouble all of Jones's opponents have had in not being able to get inside the reach advantage. For 25 minutes Jones landed more significant strikes and completely negated whatever gameplan Rashad came in to the fight with.
Rashad Evans was the last hope of Jon Jones detractors. The champion has taken the best shots of the hardest hitters in the division and made the best wrestlers look impotent. At the post-fight press conference tonight, Dana White confirmed Dan Henderson as Bones next challenger, but I see no reason to expect an upset there. Jon Jones will dontinue to rules the Light Heavyweight division until he runs into a powerful striker that can get past his reach and deny his takedowns from the clinch. Gustafsson is his worst stylistic matchup right now, but he has not faced an offensive wrestler since his loss to Phil Davis.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, division
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendUFC 145 Fight Card: Pros React to Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Just like that, a year worth of hype is behind us.
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones defeated former friend and training partner Rashad Evans via unanimous decision at UFC 145 on Saturday night at the sold-out Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA, putting to bed a rivalry that had become one of the UFC's most prevalent storylines since the pair's notorious split.
While it may not have been as spectacular of a performance as we're used to seeing from the champ, it was an unquestionably dominant one that left many of Jones' contemporaries flooding to Twitter to sing his praises and wonder aloud if he would ever stumble. (Also, Dan Hardy apparently wasn't impressed. So there's that.)
Another test for @jonnybones and another test passed with flying colors. He looked great tonight congrats
— Chuck Liddell (@ChuckLiddell) April 22, 2012
Congratulation to bones for fighting like a true champion tonight good job champ
— Melvin Guillard (@Young__Assassin) April 22, 2012
I know I've had a rough run lately but I wouldn't trade any of my fights for that performance. #ShowUpAndGetPaid
— Dan Hardy (@danhardymma) April 22, 2012
"@JAniol1 why u hatin'? - Because I will never get that 25 minutes back.
— Dan Hardy (@danhardymma) April 22, 2012
"@MisterKreger who are u talking about, these guys are champs, whereas you're a 0-4 gimmick. - Records are for DJ's, I come for a fight.
— Dan Hardy (@danhardymma) April 22, 2012
Congrats to my teammates @JonnyBones & @travisbrowneMMA & all of @JacksonsMMA for a huge night tonight!
— Clay Guida (@clayguida) April 22, 2012
I see a major hole!!!! Lol....if u a true combat student, you would see it too.
— King Mo (@KingMoFH) April 22, 2012
Very sad, @SugaRashadEvans is a very good guy...
— Antonio Pezao Silva (@BigfootSilva) April 22, 2012
Finally water under the bridge! Way too long and drawn out. Hope they can move forward after this @JonnyBones @SugaRashadEvans
— Tyron T-Wood Woodley (@TWooodley) April 22, 2012
Those elbows are a game changer! #UFC145
— Joe Lauzon (@JoeLauzon) April 22, 2012
Rashad has been fighting like a counter fighter. Not what u want to do against the tall, technical striker. Jones variety = on point.
— Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) April 22, 2012
Jones fought very well but Rashad had his opportunities to capitalize. Always easier watching from outside the cage tho. Two great fighters!
— Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) April 22, 2012
I guess the only thing left to see is Jon bones vs Anderson silva
— Brad Tavares (@BradTavares) April 22, 2012
sigh.........well who's next for the light heavy weight title guy? great job @SugaRashadEvans
— Nam Phan (@NamPhanMMA) April 22, 2012
Don't understand the constant boos for jones. Clear winner! #fb #ufc145
— Sarah Kaufman (@mmasarah) April 22, 2012
Rashad has the worst game plan ever #UFC145
— Patrick Healy (@BamBamHealy) April 22, 2012
Yo if Tyron Spong was tellin me not to back up I probably wouldn't..... #UFC145
— Jason High (@KCBanditMMA) April 22, 2012
STAY OFF THE FENCE. #UFC145
— Jason High (@KCBanditMMA) April 22, 2012
Congrats to @JonnyBones for the victory tonight! Was a Badass #UFC145! I can't wait till its my turn!!!
— Tony Ferguson (@TonyFergusonXT) April 22, 2012
Love the fact jones looked to finish the whole time. Even in round 5 Very entertaining fight. Jones wins! great @Ufc card u gotta love it!
— Justin Edwards (@FastEddyMma) April 22, 2012
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad, mdash, april
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145: Jon Jones puts an End to Rivalry With Evans
In the main event of UFC 145 Jon Jones successfully defended his light heavyweight title and put an end to the long heated rivalry between him and Rashad Evans.
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Posted in: ufc, jone, end, evan, bull
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Joes post-UFC 145 Interview
Shortly afterr his decisive victory over nemesis Rashad Evans on Saturday night, Jon Jones had some humble words to say, and even showed respect for his opponent's boxing and wrestling skillset. Admitting to being tagged, with some hard shots from Rashad Evans, Jones rpomised to come back as an improved fighter.He was also very gracious to his fans on the
Posted in: jon, jone, rashad, evan, opponents boxing
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145 results: Jon Jones next fight will be against Dan Henderson
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones successfully defended his title with a unanimous decision win over Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145 last night (Sat., April 21, 2012) from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
And now we know, officially, who is next victim opponent will be.
UFC President Dana White confirmed at the UFC 145 post-fight press conference that Dan Henderson will be given the title shot he was promised. No event, date or location for the bout was announced.
"Hendo" has been patiently waiting in the wings for his crack at the crown, having last competed at UFC 139 on Nov. 19, 2011. He defeated Mauricio Rua that night in one of the greatest fights in mixed martial arts (MMA) history, the very first five-round non-title main event to be contested inside the Octagon.
The win earned him the right to challenge for either the middleweight or light heavyweight title. He confessed his preference to go after Jones and now that Evans is out of the way and no other credible challenger even exists at present time, the path is clear.
Now the big question -- does Henderson have a legitimate chance at winning the fight?
Posted in: ufc, fight, title, jone, event
Read the full article at MMA ManiaDana White Confirms Dan Henderson Will Be the Next Challenger for Jon Jones
While it is not a surprise, UFC President Dana White announced at the UFC 145 post-fight press conference that Jon Jones’ next title defense will be against Dan Henderson. White stated that he informed Henderson prior to the fight between Jones and Rashad Evans that he would face off against the winner.
Henderson, the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, has waited for this opportunity since returning to the UFC at UFC 139 in November. “Hendo” defeated “Shogun” Rua in one of the greatest MMA fights of all-time. Despite being offered possible opponents in non-title fights since that win, Henderson has turned those matchups down, instead waiting for the title shot.
He enjoyed arguably the most successful year of his career in 2011, at 41 years old. He fought for and won the Strikeforce light heavyweight title against “Feijao” Cavalcante in March, knocking out the Brazilian in the third round. He then moved up to heavyweight to take on the legendary Fedor Emelianenko. Henderson knocked him out in the first round in stunning fashion, becoming the first fighter to ever knock the Russian down and then knock him out. Then he concluded the year in the classic five-round fight with “Shogun” Rua at UFC 139, where Henderson and Rua had a back-and-forth battle for the duration of the entire fight.
Now Henderson will look to continue that momentum into 2012 as he will take on Jones, who had an even more impressive 2011, defeating Ryan Bader, Rua, “Rampage” Jackson, and Lyoto Machida all within eleven months.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, henderson, dan henderson
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyDana White Confirms Dan Henderson Will Face Jon Jones Next
During tonight’s pre-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White confirmed that Dan Henderson was promised the winner of tonight’s main event between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. When asked about what he thinks about the bout Jon Jones said this: Dan Henderson is a great opponent. He’s a winner, and he has a huge fan [...]
Posted in: jone, jon jones, dan henderson, dan, rashad evans
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Fight Video Highlights From UFC 145
Jon Jones beat Rashad Evans by unanimous decision to retain his UFC light heavyweight championship at UFC 145. While it may not have lived up to the expectations of many for being sold as a grudge match, it's another notch in the belt of the great Jones.
Video is after the jump.
Here's how Bloody Elbow described the first round of action in the live blog:
They do touch gloves at the intro and both men drop to the three point stance before the opening bell. Jones walking forward. Jones to the body, Rashad with a counter but nothing really there. Head kick by Jones just misses. Knee by Jones after a missed punch by Rashad. Jumping side kick t the knee attempt by Jones. Big punches by Rashad land, nice combination. Head kick by Jones, right hand follow-up. Leg kick by Jones now. Halfway through the first round and Rashad lands a short right. Jab by Jones lands hard. Big left by Jones gets in. Leg kick by Evans. Body kick doubled up by Jones, he looks crisp early. Evans still not quite figuring out the range of the fight. Leg kick by Evans, left hook by Jones. Right hand by Evans, body shot by Jones. Head kick by Jones and Jon is hurt. Interesting first round, 10-9 Evans, but that head kick was a serious moment.
You can read the whole fight description here.
The video:
Posted in: jone, rashad, head, evan, kick
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Main Card Recap: Jones Retains Title, MacDonald Crushes Mills; Rothwell, McDonald, Yagin, and Bocek all Victorious
While the main event certainly did not provide the amount of electricity in the prefight hype, or in the clouds of Atlanta, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones used his superior striking and reach to control Rashad Evans for the majority of their five-round bout. In the co-main event, Rory MacDonald survived early trouble to batter Che Mills to the point his face was a bloody swollen mess.
In other action, Ben Rothwell survived an early scare to put away Brendan Schaub, while Michael McDonald, Eddie Yagin, and Mark Bocek also notched victories in their respective bouts.
Jones Pummels Evans
The “dark and stormy night” horror story cliche proved true for Rashad Evans as no matter how much hatred he held for his former training partner, he was never able mount much offense outside of a headkick early in the fight.
Evans’s nightmare was perhaps the worst in the second round, as Jones pummeled the former champion with brutal elbows that left a nasty welt on the side of Evans face. After that round, Evans only showed flashes of meaningful offense and Jones picked Rashad apart from range and stuffed his takedowns.
Jones showed an impressive array of striking techniques throughout the fight and kept coming from multiple angles that frustrated the smaller Evans.
After the fight, a dejected Evans went and shook hands with Jones and also embraced his former coach and mentor, Greg Jackson.
MacDonald Batters Mills, Insists on More Time To Develop
Rory MacDonald had to overcome an early scare as Che Mills connected a hard shot early that forced MacDonald to get the fight to the ground in a hurry. From that point on the fight was all MacDonald, as he battered Mills for the remainder of the first round and until a referee’s stoppage in the second.
After the fight, a very humble MacDonald insisted his opponent was much better than advertised and stated that he wants to start proving himself against the top fighters in the division.
Rothwell Comes From Behind to Knockout Schaub
Big Ben Rothwell proved tonight that sometimes he is most dangerous when he is fighting for survival. The big man found himself reeling as Schaub closed in for the kill. After being clipped by another Schaub cross, a wild Rothwell left hook found its mark and floored Schaub cold. When Schaub came to, he had no clue what happened.
McDonald Floors Torres
Michael McDonald showed impressive poise against a very game Miguel Torres tonight in Atlanta. The two fighters exchanged strikes before McDonald landed a blistering uppercut to jab to uppercut combo that separated Torres from consciousness. The impressive win vaults the young fighter into definite contender status.
Yagin Victorious Over Hominick
For Mark Hominick, it was too little too late, as a dominant third round was unable to make up for two rounds in which he was floored by the wild and powerful shots of Eddie Yagin. While Hominick recovered from both knockdowns in each round, he was unable to do enough to convince the judges he had recovered enough to win the round.
Hominick did his best work in the third, as he staggered an exhausted Yagin with a barrage of strikes. Yagin showed heart however and held off the former number one contender.
Bocek Cruises Past Alessio
Mark Bocek’s ground game proved too much for veteran fighter, and late replacement, John Alessio. While Alessio gave it everything he had, Bocek was just that much better from start to finish in the bout.
Full Results
Main Card
Jon Jones def. Rashad Evans via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45)
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Rory MacDonald def. Che Mills via TKO (strikes) at 2:20 of Round 2
Ben Rothwell def. Brendan Schaub via TKO (punches) at 1:10 of Round 1
Michael McDonald def. Miguel Torres via knockout (uppercut) at 3:18 of Round 1
Eddie Yagin def. Mark Hominick via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Mark Bocek def. John Alessio via unanimous decision (30-27,29-28,30-27)
FX Preliminary Card
Travis Browne def. Chad Griggs via submission (arm-triangle) at 2:29 of Round 1
Matt Brown def. Stephen Thompson via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-27, 30-27)
Anthony Njokuani def. John Makdessi via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,30-27)
Mac Danzig def. Efrain Escudero via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Facebook Card
Chris Clements def. Keith Wisniewski via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Marcus Brimage def. Maximo Blanco via split decision (28-29,30-27, 29-28)
Posted in: jone, round, decision, macdonald, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyFollowing UFC 145, Dan Henderson up next for champ Jon Jones
ATLANTA - As expected Dan Henderson is getting the next shot at UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones' title.
UFC president Dana White confirmed the plans after Saturday's UFC 145 event, where Jones scored a decision victory over Rashad Evans for his third consecutive title defense.
"We told Dan Henderson he would fight the winner of this fight, yes," White said.
Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, dan henderson, dan
Read the full article at MMA JunkieUFC 145 Results - Jon Jones' Next Opponent Confirmed: Dan Henderson
In the wake of the UFC 145 main event that saw Jon Jones dominate Rashad Evans en route to a unanimous decision title defense, the obvious question was "who's next?" Dana White confirmed that at the post-fight press conference.
Ariel Helwani tweeted out the news:
@arielhelwaniAriel Helwani Dana confirms Hendo is next for Jones. Apr 22 via Echofon Favorite Retweet Reply
Dan Henderson is coming off an amazing win in his last fight against Mauricio Rua. That fight was one of the best in the history of the UFC and was just the latest in a string of great wins for Henderson that included going up to heavyweight and knocking out the great Fedor Emelianenko.
Henderson has been waiting patiently for his title show and now he'll get what he wanted and take on the best fighter in the sport. Can he pull off the huge upset and cement his spot as one of the best fighters the sport has ever seen?
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, henderson, title show
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones vs Rashad Evans full fight video highlights from UFC 145 last night (April 21) in Atlanta
Jon Jones defeats Rashad Evans via unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 145 last night (Sat., April 21, 2012) at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, to retain his light heavyweight championship. "Bones" asserted himself as one of the best mixed martial artists in the game today with yet another dominant performance and another victory over a former champion, his fourth in a row. If there's a single 205-pound fighter on the planet who can beat him, I can't wait to see it. For a more detailed look at "Jones vs. Evans" click here and for complete UFC 145 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.
Posted in: ufc, night, jone, i cant, blowbyblow coverage
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Results And Post Fight Analysis
Jon Jones beating Rashad Evans and doing it with relative ease speaks to just how truly great Jones is as a professional fighter. For a fighter of his age to come into a fight against Rashad Evans, one of the greatest light heavyweights the sport has ever seen, at UFC 145 and win every round proves that he's a special kind of fighter. In fact, with wins over Evans, Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson and Mauricio Rua, Jones' resume is arguably the best of any 205 pound fighter in the history of the sport.
But the truth is, this felt lacking. I'm not saying that to be negative, although I'm sure that's how people will take it.
This felt like when MMA fans tune into a heavily hyped boxing PPV only to get something like Floyd Mayweather against Shane Mosley, a rather boring and by-the-numbers affair. It was a letdown. This was supposed to be special, instead it felt like two guys just going through the motions. Jon Jones was the better fighter coming in to the fight, I don't know that there were too many who truly doubted that. It just felt like the inevitable playing out with flashes of brilliance but mostly just the better fighter being better.
It certainly didn't feel like the end to a huge grudge match and that kind of satisfaction can't be underrated. Liddell vs. Ortiz, Ortiz vs. Shamrock, the great UFC rivalries felt like they had that cathartic moment, this just happened and ended.
Full card thoughts after the jump...
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
The UFC delivers such a strong product that I think we've all gotten a little spoiled. The card as a whole fell flat, but this was always supposed to be about Jones vs. Evans. So the lackluster undercard not being held up by a true blowoff to this huge feud only makes the weak undercard feel worse.
I thought Joe Rogan turned in one of his strongest performances in recent memory tonight, using smart analogies, delivering simple information and not getting as hung up as he tends to on minute (and unimportant) technical details that distract from the action. Goldberg on the other had? Awful. When he said that it Chris Clements was "throwing a punch like driving a car" I had no clue what the hell he meant. And that was just one of many stumbles for Mike.
Che Mills is talented enough in the stand-up but he never stood a realistic chance. No matter how hard Rogan tried to prop him up as an "elite, elite fighter" the truth was that he was there to be the guy Rory MacDonald beat up. Mills landed a bit on the feet at the start of their fight, but in the end Rory got takedowns whenever he wanted and absolutely demolished the overmatched Mills. MacDonald is a rare talent and is going to make some huge waves in his career. Along with Jones and Alexander Gustafsson, he's a huge part of the future of this sport.
Ben Rothwell knocked Brendan Schaub out in a fashion so violent it shut off all but the instinctual animal part of Schaub's brail as Brendan lay prone on the ground flailing his arms and legs while clearly out. It was a shocking upset, but Rothwell deserves all the credit in the world for not giving up on his career and really dedicating himself to his training. He looks like a new man and is a threat to knock out any man.
Michael McDonald is a legitimate title contender at 135 pounds. He starched Miguel Torres and it really showed how good McDonald can be when he attacks and doesn't sit back fighting passively. I'd pay to watch McDonald challenge for the title tomorrow if asked.
Mark Hominick's career as a title level fighter is basically over. After his brutal KO and then losing to Eddie Yagin, a guy he was supposed to run though, he just doesn't look like the guy who "has it" anymore.
Mark Bocek is pretty damn good. He's not a top tier kind of guy, but he's going to beat guys like John Alessio all day, every day.
Travis Browne needs to be fighting better talent. I'm still not sure what I think about him beyond that he has a lot of upside. Going from fights against Cheick Kongo and Stefan Struve to Rob Broughton and Chad Griggs isn't really allowing anyone to learn much about Browne as a fighter.
Pretty much everyone's worries about Stephen Thompson came true. He fought well, but Matt Brown was just too gritty and too well rounded for Thompson at this stage in his development. A little more takedown defense and a better ground game and Thompson can run through people, but he's not there yet.
Anthony Njokuani and John Makdessi didn't deliver to the extent people wanted, but I thought it was a very interesting fight. Njokuani is always interesting to watch, I wish he'd throw his jab more, he has a great one. Makdessi just had no real solution to the problems Makdessi presented.
Posted in: fight, guy, jone, fighter, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones is the light heavyweight end boss and you couldn't beat him even if you were using a game genie
Rashad Evans just took Jon Jones went to his first five round decision, but don't be fooled, Bones just about dominated Suga for twenty five minutes in the octagon tonight. This guy makes everyone in the cage look small. No one can beat him at 205. No one. I want the distance from his elbow to his fist measured to see if Bones' 'elbow jabs' are equidistant to a 'normal' light heavyweights total reach. You could place an army of nerds on the task of marrying an Action Replay and a Game Genie and even then you couldn't create an offspring that could defeat the Jon Jones end boss. Never. Even with 99 continues. It's impossible. Rashad Evans had nothing on Bones, and now we see that Bones can take a punch and go the distance.
But...There is an H-Bomb :
Now it's official: Dana just announced Jon Jones Vs. Dan Henderson This comes straight from the post fight presser:
Does the man who defeated Fedor have anything for Bones?
Does anyone in the light heavyweight division have anything for Bones?
[Source]
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, heavyweight, bone
Read the full article at Middle EasyUFC 145 results: Rashad Evans fails against Jon Jones with wacky game plan
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" is in the books from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, and one of the biggest grudge matches in the history of mixed martial arts (MMA) has come and gone. Or at least they told us it was one of the biggest ever.
In the main event of the evening, UFC Light Heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones maintained his spot at the throne by cruising to a decision victory over his former teammate, training partner, and friend, Rashad Evans. It was a five-round affair that, more than anything, truly drove home the fact that Jones just might be untouchable at 205-pounds.
However, there's something else worth mentioning here: Evans seemingly fought with the exact game plan he said he couldn't if he wanted to win.
Previous opponents of Jonny "Bones" all ran into a similar problem when trying to figure him out, and Evans quickly realized the same after just a few minutes in the Octagon with him. He's just too long. Too lanky. His limbs are like missiles and they can launch from a range that's nearly impossible to prepare for.
We know this because Evans had seen it. He had sparred with Jones before. Maybe now we can definitively say that sparring with someone isn't anything close to exchanging actual punches with bad intentions behind them. Or maybe Jones is just so damn good it didn't matter what Rashad did.
But it was curious to say the least that "Suga" stayed at a perfect distance for Jones to score points with push kicks, leg kicks, head kicks, spinning side kicks, Nike kicks, every kick you can think of and even a few that you can't. Evans also committed to so few takedown attempts they're not even worth remembering.
At times it felt like Evans was trying to recreate his infamous knockout of Chuck Liddell in the very same building at UFC 88 in 2008. He let Jones push him against the fence and tried like hell to land a big overhand right. But once he connected with it and the champion shrugged it off like it was nothing, no adjustments were made.
It was as though Evans accepted the inevitable. In a way, I guess he did.
And now fight fans and pundits will have to do the same. Bad game plan, poor execution, whatever it may have been, Jonny "Bones" Jones is simply the better fighter. Better than Evans, better than the rest of his weight class (by a mile) and maybe better than everyone in every other weight class, too.
For a detailed recap of the "Jones vs. Evans" showdown click here and for complete UFC 145 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, weight class, game plan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJones wins decision over Evans to retain title
Jon Jones used his reach advantage to take a unanimous decision over Rashad Evans on Saturday and retain his UFC light heavyweight title.
Posted in: title, jone, decision, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at sportsnet.ca
Jones vs. Evans Official UFC Statistics
UFC 145 - Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, official, evan
Read the full article at Fight Metric
UFC 145: Jon Jones does what Jon Jones does (plus a few big underdogs win)
UFC's three card line-ups for March & April shows.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, card lineups
Read the full article at Fight OpinionUFC 145 Results: Jon Jones Retains Belt in Decision Win Over Rashad Evans
ATLANTA -- Shogun. Rampage. Lyoto. Rashad.
Jon Jones successfully navigated the murderer's row of opposition, adding former training partner and friend Rashad Evans to his resume with a unanimous decision win in the UFC 145 main event at Philips Arena. The champ won by scores of 50-45, 49-46, 49-46.
More Coverage: UFC 145 Results | UFC News
"It's definitely my most satisfying victory," Jones said afterward. "I did a lot of things I didn't plan. I didn't want to make any mistakes. I didn't feel the cleanest, but who I beat, it was very important to me."
The two fought a measured first. Jones took the center of the cage and walked Evans around the perimeter, keeping him at distance. Evans had trouble navigating the space, getting punished with a hard knee his first time wading forward. But he seemed to find the distance as the round wore on, and had his moment late as he landed a head kick that backed Jones up. Jones was never really in any trouble though, and landed a hard left of his own at the closing horn.
Jones buckled him with an uppercut early in the second, but Evans bounced back quickly as he maintained his movement. Jones calmly followed him around and closed the distance with elbows. Evans got rocked with a right hand against the fence but he initiated a clinch, giving him recovery time. But Jones kept on with his attack, utilizing a series of standing elbows as a serious weapon. Jones also hurt Evans in the final seconds with a left hook that punctuated a dominant round.
Evans showed his resolve in the third, landing his best punch of the fight, an overhand right that scored, but Jones took it without much issue. Jones wobbled Evans again with a flying knee midway through. Soon after, he scored with a body kick as Evans appeared to start to tire.
The entire first three rounds were fought standing, but Evans finally attempted to bring Jones to the mat in the fourth. Jones, however, stuffed the attempt, as well as a follow-up moments later. Evans shot in again a minute later, and Jones latched on to his neck and fired a knee to the body before Evans could pull away.
Though he was cruising towards a win, Jones didn't slow up in the last round, hurting the challenger with a crisp right. His varied offense continued but he didn't come close to putting him away. Jones scored his first takedown in the final minute, landing one strike but Evans was able to pop up and escape further trouble. Jones pulled guard in the final few seconds, but Evans landed a few strikes to close it out.
"He was pretty crafty and tricky, stuff like that," Evans said. "Give him props, he kept me on my toes.
The 24-year-old champ is now 16-1 following his third successful title defense. Evans is 17-2-1.
Posted in: ufc, jone, round, evan, didnt
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145 Results: UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones Cruises To Decision Win Over Rashad Evans
Jon Jones wasn't able to finish Rashad Evans, but he controlled a large portion of the bout and easily picked up a unanimous decision victory in the main event of UFC 145. Rashad was able to get his licks in on occasion, but Jones landed stiff shots that staggered Rashad multiple times in the bout and Rashad was never really in it. His elbows were particularly effective. The judges had it 49-46, 49-46, and 50-45 for Jones, who defended his UFC light heavyweight title for the third time. Both fighters gave each other props in their post-fight interviews.Jones opened the bout with a body shot. It was Bones coming forward early, and he threw a big head kick. Rashad waded inside, but ate a good knee for his troubles. Jones missed with a looping right, and Rashad responded with two straight punches. Jones landed a head kick and a looping right, along with a leg kick. Jones again went back to the head kick, and landed a nice jab. Jones landed a left hook, but Rashad responded with a leg kick. Jones was definitely the one with more offense over the first four minutes of the fight. Jones returned to the jab and left hook, and once again Rashad responded with a leg kick. Evans landed a head kick of his own, and Jones backed off. Jones looked for a flying knee but missed, and Jones ended the first stanza with a right hook.
Evans landed a few punches inside early in the second, but Jones staggered him with a left. Rashad landed a nice left, and caught Jones with a kick while Jones as wading in. Jones strafed Rashad with an elbow, and another one, which briefly dropped Evans. He popped up and clinched. Jones held him against the fence and landed a knee to the thigh, then strafed him with yet another elbow. Jones threw a head kick, while Evans looked to land to the body. Jones went back to the elbows and found success. Rashad was still there though, and landed a nice right hook. Jones looked for a flying knee with 10 seconds to go, and the fighters exchanged punches to finish the second round.
Rashad landed a big overhand right thirty seconds into the third, which backed Jones off for a second. He responded with a right hook of his own. Both fighters swung and missed with right hooks. Jones was finally able to connect with a flush kick. The pace of the first half of this round was a bit slower than the second. Jones wobbled Rashad again with a kick and looked for a flying knee, but Rashad responded well. The fighters traded in the pocket a bit, with neither one getting a real advantage. Jones started to land more body and leg kicks. Evans shot in for a takedown, but it was easily stuffed by Bones. Evans connected with a nice body shot near the end of the round.
The pace continued to be a bit slower in the fourth, with each fighter not connecting on much over the first minute. Jones looked for a spinning elbow but Evans was well out of the way. Jones landed a few jabs and some leg kicks. Jones caught a leg kick and hit Evans with a right hook. Evans went for a takedown, but was easily rebuffed. Jones dropped his hands to see what Rashad would do, but he didn't do anything. Jones started hopping around and changed stances, and once again stuffed a takedown attempt. He briefly thought about a guillotine, but let it go. Rashad looked for the home run right hand, but couldn't connect. Jones started throwing shoulder checks in the clinch, which was odd.
Rashad landed a leg kick while Jones danced around the outside to open the fifth and final round. Jones backed Evans against the cage, then landed a big right. Rashad tried to throw, but Jones was out of range before he could ever come close to connecting. Jones winged the right again, but this time Rashad ducked out of the way. Rashad went for a spinning backfist, but it wasn't close. Jones hit a jumping knee and worked Evans against the cage. They clinched up and heard some boos from the crowd. Jones landed a left hook when they finally separate. Jones went back to the clinch shoulder checks, then threw Evans to the ground. Jones couldn't capitalize though, and Evans popped up. Evans attacked in the last thirty seconds, but Jones inexplicably pulled guard with 10 seconds to go. The bout ended with Evans trying to land punches on the ground unsuccessfully.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: jone, right, rashad, evan, kick
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 results: Jon Jones defeats Rashad Evans to retain light heavyweight title
After over a year's worth of build and a massive amount of hype along the way, the rivalry between UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and his former friend and training partner, Rashad Evans, culminated inside the Octagon at tonight's (Sat., April 21, 2012) UFC 145 event at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
And the champion is here to stay.
Jonny "Bones" may have proved tonight, without a shadow of a doubt, that he's the toughest light heavyweight in the world today. His long limbs kept Evans at bay throughout the duration of the fight. They also allowed him to score points where his opponent could not.
Evans showed flashes of offense that looked as though it could turn the tide in his favor but Jones all too often shrugged off big overhand right punches that landed clean on his chin.
By the time it was over, Jones had earned a unanimous decision victory to defend his 205-pound title and firmly establish himself as the very best in the world at his weight.
Who can beat this man?
Jones opened to the body early and fell. Rashad failed to capitalize, though, and remained at a distance. He clearly wanted to stay away from Jones' long limbs, though he wasn't doing a great job of it. Jabs, too. Evans first jump in was unsuccessful.
Evans, interestingly, stayed at the distance he said others were mistaken to. Despite this, he was doing well to avoid a lot of the champion's offense, which included plenty of kicks, low, high, and everything in between.
Patience was the name of the game, mostly. Both men were fighting smart. Jones was scoring with shots that weren't doing a lot of damage, simply because he was the only one able to land from so far away. Evans was failing to get inside and it was showing.
Late in the round, Evans landed a head kick that looked to stagger Jones. This led to a failed takedown attempt to end the frame.
Whew. So intense.
They opened round two the same as round one, patient as ever. A clinch led to a short elbow from Jones but nothing too big. The exchanges didn't favor either man throughout the beginning of the frame. Evans started taunting here, as he easily slid away from "Bones'" offense.
Jones continued to press forward but Evans was solid in his timing. Jones' started landing elbows, though, and one of them rocked Rashad and had him woozy against the fence. This led to a clinch, where Jones maintained the status quo.
Once they reset, Rashad appeared to be okay. Jones kept coming with the elbows, though, and they were landing. Evans had no answer for them, either.
A flying knee and a left hook from Jones had Rashad shaky to end the round and it appeared to be a matter of time before the champion asserted his will. It was a very bad round for the challenger.
Total momentum shift.
Evans gained some of his confidence back with a big right hand early but Jones seemed to shake it off well enough. "Suga" tried to keep the pressure on, however, just as his corner was shouting for him to. He started backing off a bit, though, and it allowed the champ to recover.
Suddenly we were back to Jones pushing Evans against the fence and Rashad circling around.
Not much going mid-way through the third after a dominant second round for Jones. Another flying knee into an elbow from Jones and Evans looked hurt ... again. He answered back with an overhand right but Jones proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that his chin could hold up.
Through three, it still looked like Jones fight to lose.
They tied up a bit more in the fourth round but once again, Jones proved too difficult to get to the floor. Granted, Evans didn't look too committed to the takedown but Jones was shrugging them off like he was playing with his children.
It was a game of control and Jones had it all.
Evans looked helpless by this point, swinging and missing while Jones was relaxed and confident in his approach, all while staying aggressive and keeping the pressure on.
Jones even landed a few shoulder strikes. That's right, I said shoulder strikes.
Headed to round five, it was clear Evans needed a stoppage to win the fight. He didn't look confident in the corner. He jut looked tired and worn.
Evans came out looking far more fresh than in previous rounds. He had the urgency, he just needed to find a way to translate it into effective offense. Unfortunately, that's not what happened.
Jones continued to push forward and played his game. Which is what it looked like, too. Jones was a kid with a controller, playing his game and having fun throwing whatever he wanted to throw and knowing his former teammate couldn't do a damn thing about it.
By the time it was over, all was clear. Jon Jones is the best in the world at 205-pounds, and maybe beyond.
Remember, too, to check out MMAmania.com's complete round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of UFC 145 by clicking here.
Posted in: jone, round, rashad, game, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Results
ATLANTA -- They're tired of talking about it, you're tired of reading about and I'm tired of writing about it. Thankfully, Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans is finally here. As intriguing as all the pre-fight bickering was, everyone's ready to move on to the actual fisticuffs. The exhausting build-up should at least lead into a quality UFC 145 main event. Jones was installed as and remains a sizable favorite, as much as 6-to-1, according to some oddsmakers, but that number is a bit out-of-whack with reality.Evans has not been a fan favorite for most of his career, and partly because of it, he's suffered when it's come to receiving credit for his accomplishments. In today's modern MMA world of extreme weight-cutting, Evans should probably be a middleweight. There's little doubt he could make 185, but he's just never made the move because he didn't have to. He's beaten Chuck Liddell and Quinton Jackson and Tito Ortiz, and someday, maybe he will get the credit he deserves. Maybe it will come if he beats Jones on Saturday.
That will be, quite literally, a tall order.At 6-foot-4, Jones will have a five-inch height advantage on Evans, and a ridiculous reach advantage of nearly 10 inches. Because of that, Evans will have some distance to navigate.He's said several interesting things this week, but one of the most interesting things he said was that Jones doesn't necessarily use that reach well. "As a tall fighter, he doesn't fight tall," he said on Thursday. "He gives away his height a lot with his stance. In MMA, you do want to give away your height to an extent, but he does it a lot. He doesn't fight long and rangy. I'm sure that's something that Mike Winkeljohn and those guys have been working on him with, but as of his last few fights, he doesn't fight like a tall fighter."That goes against almost everything you hear about Jones. Even though he's not the type of fighter to pump out the jab repeatedly, he does throw a lot of front kicks, which serve the same purpose of keeping an opponent at distance. Perhaps Evans simply sees something that others don't. Years ago, when Randy Couture fought Tim Sylvia as a huge underdog, he spoke with the same kind of certainty about the same aspect, and he went out and demolished Sylvia after flooring him with his very first punch.But Jones is a different kind of beast to slay. It's not that he's unbeatable, it's just that he offers so many problems to solve that it becomes too much until his opponent drowns. He lands 52 percent of his strikes. He doesn't get hit much. He's so far proven impossible to take down, and he seems to take down whoever he wants.On the other hand, Evans doesn't go into this fight with any sort of awe for Jones, because he's had first-hand experience against him. Even if that version of Jones isn't the same as the one he'll face on Saturday, it was close enough to give Evans confidence, whether it's in specific positions or the totality of the fight.The biggest problem for Evans to solve will be getting inside. He noted during fight week that Jones tends to confuse opponents by throwing a lot of different looks at them. He'll switch from southpaw to orthodox. He'll target the body then the head. He'll throw spinning punches and elbows. He disguises his takedowns. All of that leaves the guy standing across from in the mode of reactionary rather than aggressor.According to Evans, when that happens, the fight speeds up. Your mind has to start processing things instead of simply reacting to them. And that's dangerous. So how would he combat that? He'd want to strike first. He'd want to be the initiator. He'd want to put Jones into a position of adversity to see if he'll break.This is not a fight he'll want to fight outside for long distances. Expect him to try to clinch and work Jones against the fence, hoping to sap him of some of his energy. Evans does good work in that position, and it takes some of Jones' best attributes away. But getting inside for the clinch won't be an easy task. Jones has manhandled most of the opposition that's dared to wade inside, taking them down, where his ground and pound has become nearly an automatic finish. Evans probably trusts his wrestling to stand up more than Jones' previous opponents, so he'll no doubt go for this position.If they do stand from the outside, it's Evans' power and speed against Jones' versatility. Evans doesn't historically attack the legs with kicks. He's more of a headhunter. Take for instance his most recent fight against Phil Davis, when he landed just one kick among his 106 scoring strikes, according to FightMetric. He did the same thing against Thiago Silva in 2010, with only two of his landed strikes going to the legs. Jackson had some success against Jones with kicks, so it will be interesting to see if Evans sprinkles this element into his offense.The true X-factor, though, is Jones' power. The only knock on him is the lack of one-punch knockout power, but rest assured it's coming. His technique is getting better, and he's growing into his body. He briefly wobbled both Jackson and Machida. Sometime soon, he's going to start flooring his opponents with single blows. Does that start on Saturday? Maybe. Evans has been historically underrated for everything he's accomplished, and a win over Jones would be his most impressive, because it would undoubtedly come against a champion in his prime. But in my opinion, the obstacles are just too many. Evans may have some success with the early clinch, but Jones will adjust, and eventually turn it into a takedown. Evans isn't going to get overwhelmed on the ground. He's too competent there, but things are going to get uncomfortable for him if he repeatedly finds himself in the disadvantageous position. He said himself that Jones gets in opponents' minds with his diverse attacks, and it's the same thing he'll face as his normal wrestling advantage is negated. In the end, Jones beats his fourth straight former UFC light-heavyweight champ, this time by fourth-round TKO.
Posted in: fight, jone, hell, evan, he
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Main Card Live Blog
Catch all the main card action from UFC 145 in Atlanta right here at HeavyMMA with live coverage starting at 10 p.m. Eastern, including the main event between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, card, card action, atlanta right
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145: With a win against Rashad Evans, Jon Jones becomes the greatest light heavyweight of all time
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones recently said Tito Ortiz was the greatest 205-pound fighter of all time.
"The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" has many different accomplishments he can hang his trademarked flaming beanie on but that may not be one of them. He was the face of the promotion during the "Dark Ages," a period where nearly every single cable and satellite carrier dropped UFC events from its programming. His style of fighting and personality gave the company the star it needed to survive those turbulent times.
Ortiz's career has spanned a decade and a half during which he found himself opposite legends in the sports and stars in the making. Names like Ken Shamrock, Randy Couture, Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva and Rashad Evans litter his fight résumé.
He holds a record five light heavyweight title defenses, one more than Frank Shamrock and Chuck Liddell, both of whom are regarded as two of the best fighters to ever step foot inside the Octagon and three more than "Bones" himself. But a closer look at these defenses reveal Ortiz was a great fighter but not the greatest.
After tonight's (April 21) UFC 145 main event, the honor may very well go to Jones.
Revisionist history can be bothersome but bear with me for a moment.
Ortiz won the light heavyweight title from a before-his-prime Wanderlei Silva in 2000. Had the fight taken place three years later, it would have been much more impressive but at the time, "The Axe Murderer" hadn't come into his own. Ortiz's first defense would come against natural middleweight Yuki Kondo blown up to 205-pounds to challenge for the title in his native country.
"The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" then put his belt on the line against Evan Tanner and thoroughly trounced him. There's nothing I can take away from this victory. Tanner had an unblemished UFC record at the time and had only lost twice in over two dozen mixed martial arts (MMA) bouts going into his fight with Ortiz. The next title defense for the champion was a farce, however, as he took on Elvis Sinosic. A barely over .500 fighter, the Aussie was granted a five rounder against Ortiz after pulling off a surprising submission victory over Jeremy Horn.
The next two title defenses would come against Vladimir Matyushenko -- a late replacement for Vitor Belfort -- and Ken Shamrock -- who at 38 years old was well past his prime -- two bouts which fall victim to extenuating circumstances.
Fast forward nearly a decade and Jon Jones is experiencing a similar level of domination in the light heavyweight division albeit against much tougher competition.
Jones won the belt from Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 after "Shogun" had knocked out the once thought to be unbeatable Lyoto Machida. Rua, who in 2005, walked through the PRIDE Fighting Championships grand prix and took out Quinton Jackson, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Alistair Overeem and Ricardo Arona. "Bones" battered him for two and a half rounds before the fight was stopped.
Next up for the Greg Jackson product was Jackson who was the first man to become the undisputed number one light heavyweight in the world after unifying his UFC title with Dan Henderson's strap from PRIDE at UFC 75. Jones dominated "Rampage," barely allowing the Memphis native to land a single punch. And then last December, Machida got his second crack at the title but fell short when Jones choked him unconscious at the end of the second round.
And tonight, it's Rashad Evans. Four opponents, all of which were at one point recognized as the best 205-pound fighter in the world.
Should Jones win tonight, there's no doubt who the greatest light heavyweight of all time is.
Could there even be any doubt he is the greatest fighter period?
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, ortiz, heavyweight
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Live Results
After countless clashes in the media the time has finally arrived for UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones and top contender Rashad Evans to stop talking and start fighting! The former teammates will settle their personal score tonight at UFC 145 when Jones puts his title on the line against the 17-1-1 Evans in hopes of racking up yet another victory over a man who previously held the belt.
Other fights scheduled for this evening’s event include sensational welterweight Rory MacDonald mixing it up with rising Brit Che Mills, as well as Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald and Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell.
A Look at the Latest Episode of UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans
As always, Fighters.com will be watching things from the opening bell until the close of the curtain, reporting results back to readers as things go down in Atlanta. Prelims start at 7:00 PM EST on Facebook then head to FX at 8:00 PM EST before the PPV pairings come into play at 10:00 PM EST.
A full list of UFC 145 winners/losers can be found below:
Keith Wisniewski vs. Chris Clements
Marcus Brimage vs. Maximo Blanco
Travis Browne vs. Chad Griggs
Matt Brown vs. Stephen Thompson
John Makdessi vs. Anthony Njokuani
Mac Danzig vs. Efrain Escudero
Mark Bocek vs. John Alessio
Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin
Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald
Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
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Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, pm, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans
At UFC 145, the UFC's big rivalry finally gets settled as Jon Jones (15-1; 9-1 UFC) faces Rashad Evans (17-1-1; 12-1-1 UFC). The UFC 145 main event is for Jones's UFC Light Heavyweight title, and will be his 3rd defense of the belt. The USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings currently have Jones ranked at #1 in the Light Heavyweight division and Evans close behind him at #3. The PPV card begins Saturday, April 21 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
What to say about the history behind this fight? The details leading up to this title defense have been well documented. This highly personal battle began when both men were training under Greg Jackson in Albuquerque. Jackson's fighters have long been hesitant to fight each other, and when Jones said he would be willing to fight Evans, it led to a huge rift between the two. Now, Evans has left Jackson's to train at Imperial Athletics under Mike van Arsdale, and the war of words between the two has been intense. There is a lot of baggage each man brings to this fight, and it's clear this is a win that means much more than just the title.
How do these two stack up?
Jones: 24 years old | 6'4" | 84.5" reachEvans: 32 years old | 5'11" | 75" reach
What have these two done recently?
Jones: W - Lyoto Machida (Sub) | W - Quinton Jackson (Sub) | W - Mauricio Rua (TKO)Evans: W - Phil Davis (UD) | W - Tito Ortiz (TKO) | W - Quinton Jackson (UD)
How did these two get here?
Jon "Bones" Jones steps into this fight as one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world and arguably the face of the UFC today. He is coming off a spectacular 2011 that rivals any fighter in the history of the sport for best single year. During that year, he broke out of the pack of Light Heavyweight contenders by defeating Ryan Bader, won the title from Shogun Rua, then defended it twice against Rampage and Lyoto. And all 4 men he completely shut down, with only Lyoto having any margin of success. He's quickly placed himself right alongside Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre as a fighter who just feels unbeatable right now. While his attitude rubs a lot of the people the wrong way, I can't see how you can deny his amazing talent.
Suga Rashad Evans is a former Light Heavyweight champion whose path back to the title has been arduous. After losing the belt to Machida (the first loss of Rashad's career), he's been frustrated by injuries to himself and his opponents, and myriad delays. Finally, after going 4-0 since that title loss, he's back to reclaim the title. Evans is a fighter who has shown great evolution in his career, and his recent time training with the likes of Tyrone Spong has showed that continued growth. He's now a very strong striker who is superb at using his strikes to set up his wrestling.
Why should you care?
Are you serious? This is THE money fight for the UFC right now. Huge personal issues, plus two very interestingly matched up fighters. If you are not pumped for this fight, get pumped. Right now.
More UFC 145 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Jones vs. Evans Primetime – Episode 3 (Full Video)
If you missed it, or just want to rewatch, check out the third and final episode of UFC 145 Primetime, taking a behind the scenes look at the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans rivalry.
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Posted in: jone, vs, primetime, bull, rewatch check
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills
In a Welterweight clash at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans, Rory MacDonald (12-1, 3-1 UFC) meets Che Mills (14-4(1); 1-0 UFC). This is the semi-main event of the evening. MacDonald is currently ranked as the #12 Welterweight in the world according to the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings, while Mills is unranked. The PPV card begins Saturday, April 21 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
The UFC promotion for this fight has built it up as a battle between two future stars of the company. That kind of build is accurate for MacDonald, who has looked stellar in his latest fights. But for Mills, who is only in his 2nd UFC fight, it feels a bit exaggerated. This is definitely a fight between two rising talents - but the gap between MacDonald and Mills at the moment is pretty significant.
How do these two stack up?
MacDonald: 22 years old | 6'0" | 76.5" reachMills: 29 years old | 6'0"
What have these two done recently?
MacDonald: W - Mike Pyle (TKO) | W - Nate Diaz (UD) | L - Carlos Condit (TKO)Mills: W - Chris Cope (TKO) | W - Marcio Cesar (KO) | W - Magomed Shikhshabekov (UD)
How did these two get here?
Canada's Rory MacDonald has quickly climbed the ranks of the Welterweight division since his UFC debut in 2010. After a loss to Carlos Condit at UFC 115 (in a fight where MacDonald had the future champ in some real trouble), MacDonald came back strong with an absolute domination over Nate Diaz. He looked good again against Pyle, but has been sidelined with injury since that August win. A training partner of Georges St. Pierre at TriStar Gym, MacDonald already has received a lot of comparisons to his pound for pound great teammate. He's one of the most hyped UFC fighters right now, which means he has a lot to live up to every time he fights.
Che Mills is an English fighter who made his official UFC debut last year, defeating Chris Cope in a 40 second KO of the Night performance at UFC 138. He also made an appearance on season 9 of The Ultimate Fighter, losing in the qualifying round. Mills has made his name fighting mainly in the UK for organizations like Cage Rage and Bamma, where he holds wins over Marius Zaromskis and Jake Hecht. He's currently on a 5 fight win streak.
Why should you care?
With due respect to Mills, you should care because the hype about MacDonald is true - this 21 year old could indeed be the future of the Welterweight division. If you haven't already, get on board now. And if Mills pulls off the upset? Then he inherits that momentum and hype.
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection
More UFC 145 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, macdonald, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell
The UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans card will feature Heavyweight action as Brendan Schaub (8-2; 4-2 UFC) faces Ben Rothwell (31-8; 1-2 UFC). This is the fourth of six fights on the main PPV card. Schaub is currently ranked as the #12 Heavyweight in the world according to the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings; Rothwell is unranked. The PPV card begins Saturday, April 21 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
This is the lone Heavyweight fight on the card and is an important fight for both men. This is a battle between two fighters who have the potential to make an impact in the UFC, but are now coming off of losses. Back to back losses would be bad for either man, and for Rothwell in particular, dropping to 1-3 in the UFC would be a disaster. It will be interesting to see if both bring a greater degree of urgency into Saturday's fight.
How do these two stack up?
Schaub: 29 years old | 6'4" | 79.5" reachRothwell: 30 years old | 6'5" | 80" reach
What have these two done recently?
Schaub: L - Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (KO) | W - Mirko Filipovic (KO) | W - Gabriel Gonzaga (UD)Rothwell: L - Mark Hunt (UD) | W - Gilbert Yvel (UD) | L - Cain Velasquez (TKO)
How did these two get here?
Brendan "The Hybrd" Schaub comes to the UFC through The Ultimate Fighter, where he was on season 10. There, he made the finals before being knocked out by Roy Nelson. Coming into the UFC with a small 4-0 record, Schaub quickly showed that he was a legit talent in the Heavyweight division with 4 straight wins after the Nelson loss. Last summer, he was defeated by Big Nog in a highly emotional fight for many fans. Now, he's in the same position Ryan Bader found himself in after the Tito Ortiz loss - trying to remind everyone that he is a contender and that this loss was just a fluke.
Big Ben Rothwell came into the UFC as a well traveled and decorated veteran. A former IFL champion and product of the Miletich Fighting System, Rothwell had nearly 40 fights to his credit before entering the UFC, including a win over Nelson. But he's struggled in the UFC, going 1-2 and looking pretty bad in his last fight against Mark Hunt. Rothwell was, for years, one of the better unsigned Heavyweights, but it seems like he may have come to the UFC too late in his career to make a real run. I imagine he is fighting for his job here.
Why should you care?
There's always some appeal to the Heavyweights, no matter what. And both of these guys are tough. But make no mistake, this could get ugly.
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection
More UFC 145 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones: “He’s gonna have some serious soul searching to do after this fight.”
After nearly a year in the making the curtain is only a few hours away from dropping on UFC 145, a card headlined by one of the most-hyped bouts in UFC history with light heavyweight champion Jon Jones taking on former teammate (and former title-holder) Rashad Evans. Each is on an impressive winning streak and is out to cement a legacy, as well as a personal score, in the highly anticipated tilt.
On the latest episode of UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans cameras caught up with the talented 205ers during the final build towards their fight including their arrival last week in Atlanta. Jones also made some interesting comments on Evans during the show, expressing concern about how Evans will respond when he comes up short in tonight’s fight.
“I just look at Rashad as being a lost soul. He’s said a lot and he’s disrespected me a lot. It seems like this whole camp he’s been more obsessed with trying to win over fans than trying to win this fight,” explained Jones. “I think him winning this belt is all he has left. And he’s not getting that either so he’s gonna have some serious soul searching to do after this fight.”
Check out the full episode below:
A Look at UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans (Episode 1)
A Look at UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans (Episode 2)
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, episode, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald
In what should be an exciting fight at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans, former WEC Bantamweight champion Miguel Torres (40-4; 2-1 UFC) faces Michael McDonald (14-1; 3-0 UFC). This Bantamweight fight is the third of six fights on the main PPV card. The USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings currently have Torres ranked as the #6 Bantamweight in the world, with McDonald just below him at #8. The PPV card begins Saturday, April 21 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
While Torres may have more name recognition to many fans, this is a very well put together and even match-up. It's always nice to see two fighters so close in the rankings meet up, and these two compliment each other's skills nicely. It's also to some degree an example of the classic old guard vs. new guard match. Torres seems to be settling into a high-end gatekeeper kind of role, while McDonald is an exciting young prospect looking to break through into the upper echelon. This fight should tell us quite a lot about where each man stands.
How do these two stack up?
Torres: 31 years old | 5'9" | 76" reachMcDonald: 21 years old | 5'8" | 70" reach
What have these two done recently?
Torres: W - Nick Pace (UD ) | L - Demetrious Johnson (UD) | W - Antonio Banuelos (UD)
McDonald: W - Alex Soto (KO) | W - Chris Cariaso (SD) | W - Edwin Figueroa (UD)
How did these two get here?
Miguel Torres is the former WEC Bantamweight champion. During his title run there, from 2008 through early 2009, he was considered one of the top pound for pound fighters in the world. But since his 2009 title loss to Brian Bowles, he's struggled to find his footing, going 3-2 since that loss. He's also worked on reinventing himself as a more tactical fighter, to mixed results. Where does he sit in the Bantamweight division today? He's still clearly near the top, but his days as a title contender may be done. As I said, he's sliding into the veteran gatekeeper role - those who defeat him (Johnson, Benavidez) move on to title shots. Could that be McDonald's fate?
Michael "Mayday" McDonald came up through the California scene. He had one fight (a win over Clint Godfrey) in the WEC before it merged with the UFC. He's now on an impressive 7 fight win streak that includes a KO of the Night performance in his last fight against Soto. McDonald is gaining momentum, but he hasn't yet had that signature break-out moment. This could certainly be a coming out party for him, but it's also a decided step up in competition for the 21 year old.
Why should you care?
Veteran vs. young lion fights always get me interested, plus these are two incredibly exciting fighters. And, while he ha lost a step, I'm still a huge Torres mark, what can I say?
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection
More UFC 145 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, torre
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans complete 'Primetime' video series
It's been over a year since Jon Jones won the UFC light heavyweight championship from Mauricio Rua and began this long journey to a showdown against his former teammate and training partner, Rashad Evans.
Both have won multiple fights in the meantime. "Bones" defended his title twice by submitting both Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida while "Suga" ran through Tito Ortiz and Phil Davis. All just to set up tonight's (Sat., April 21, 2012) mega main event for UFC 145 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Jones is a big favorite, around 4-to-1, actually, but Evans has done his best to convince fans he's got far more to offer than than the oddsmakers are giving him credit for.
But how can we determine as much? Well, UFC cameras went deep behind-the-scenes to get a look at how both men are preparing for the fight of their lives with a three-part "Primetime" series that aired on FX.
To read detailed recaps of episodes one, two, and three click here, here, and here. To simply watch all three shows, take the jump.
Episode one:
Episode two:
Episode three:
Remember, too, that MMAmania.com will deliver up-to-the-minute results and live fight coverage, including round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of all the UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" action before, during and after the event RIGHT HERE.
Posted in: ufc, jone, episode, evan, philips arena
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin
UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans features Featherweight action as former #1 contender Mark Hominick (20-10; 3-2 UFC) faces Eddie Yagin (15-5-1; 0-1 UFC). This is the second of six fights on the UFC 145 PPV card. Hominick is currently ranked as the #13 Featherweight in the world according to the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings, with Yagin unranked. The PPV card begins Saturday, April 21 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
With due respect to Yagin, I think the story of this fight is all about Hominick. The proud Canadian fighter will be competing in his home country for the third straight time. He's lost his past two UFC fights, both in front of Canadian crowds. He's also fighting without long-time mentor Shawn Tompkins for just the 2nd time. There's a lot of pressure on Hominick here, and the question is - will he thrive under that pressure, or will it prove to be too much?
How do these two stack up?
Hominick: 29 years old | 5'8" | 68.5" reachYagin: 33 years old | 5'7"
What have these two done recently?
Hominick: L - Chan Sung Jung (KO) | L - Jose Aldo (UD) | W - George Roop (TKO)Yagin: L - Junior Assuncao (UD) | W - Joe Soto (Sub) | W - Joe Neri (TKO)
How did these two get here?
Mark "The Machine" Hominick is one of the finest technical strikers in all of MMA. He's had a long career fighting all over the world and using the superb kickboxing skills honed under coach Shawn Tompkins to great success. His greatest fame came last year when he challenged Jose Aldo for the UFC Featherweight title at UFC 129, losing a good fight but showing a ton of heart. After that fight, Tompkins, both his mentor and very close friend, died. Fighting without Tompkins in his corner, Hominick was upset by Chan Sung Jung in a 7 second KO at UFC 140. With back to back losses, he needs a win here.
Eddie Yagin has been a pro fighter for 11 years. He spent the majority of his early career fighting on the regional scene in his home in Hawaii. A few years ago, he made the move to the California scene and began training with Alliance MMA. In 2011 he scored the biggest win of his career, defeating former Bellator champion Joe Soto to become the Tachi Palace Fights Featherweight champion. Before he could defend that belt, he was signed by the UFC, where he lost his debut against Junior Assuncao at UFC 135.
Why should you care?
Plain and simple, because you want to know if Mark Hominick is back. When he's on, he is one of the most exciting strikers in the sport, and that's something I hope to see Saturday night.
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection
More UFC 145 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, hominick, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio
The UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans PPV card kicks off with Lightweight division action. Mark Bocek (10-4; 6-4 UFC) will welcome veteran John Alessio (34-14; 0-3) back to the UFC. Neither man is currently ranked in the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings. The PPV card begins Saturday, April 21 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
Alessio is stepping in as a replacement here for the injured Matt Wiman. Wiman vs. Bocek was an intriguing battle between two UFC Lightweight division stalwarts, both coming off wins. However, with Wiman injured, we get Alessio stepping in and presenting a very different story. The 14 year veteran of the sport will provide a different kind of challenge for the less experienced Bocek.
How do these two stack up?
Bocek: 30 years old | 5'9" | 75" reachAlessio: 32 years old | 5'9"
What have these two done recently?
Bocek: W - Nik Lentz (UD) | L - Ben Henderson (UD) | W - Dustin Hazelett (Sub)Alessio: W - Ryan Healy (UD) | W - Luiz Firmino (UD) | W - Shawn Fitzsimmons (Sub)
How did these two get here?
Mark Bocek has been a fixture of the UFC Lightweight division for some time. Since making his UFC debut in 2007, he's faced many of the division's elite, including Frankie Edgar, Jim Miller, and Ben Henderson. That tough schedule has led to a 6-4 UFC record, but Bocek is a very tough challenge for anyone. He's the kind of fighter who will give any opponent trouble, but he has not yet been able to get that big win or go on a real run to break free from the pack at 155 pounds.
John Alessio made his pro MMA debut back in 1998. With nearly 50 pro fights to his credit, he's done it all in MMA, competing for the UFC, Pride, WEC, Dream, and many more. He has an interesting UFC career as well. Alessio made his UFC debut way back at UFC 26, challenging Pat Miletich for the UFC Welterweight title. After losing that fight, he did not return to the Octagon until 2006 when he lost a close decision to the then undefeated Diego Sanchez in a fight where Alessio gave Sanchez a suprsising amount of trouble. He lost once more in the UFC to Thiago Alves, and has been fighting elsewhere ever since. He's currently riding a 10-1 streak that includes wins over Chris Clements and War Machine, and a loss to Siyar Bahadurzada.
Why should you care?
These are two pros, and you can expect this to be a very solid technical fight.
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection
More UFC 145 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, bocek
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowBreaking It Down: UFC 145 (MAIN CARD)
Now that we’ve had a few moments to go over the preliminary card, it’s time to look at the six fight main card. With Jon Jones-Rashad Evans headlining, as well as some pivotal bantamweight and welterweight bouts, fight fans are sure to be treated to one hell of an awesome night of fights, so call your cable providers or go to your local watering hole ASAP and get ready for some “LA VIOLENCIA!!!!!”
Mark Bocek (10-4) vs. John Alessio (34-14)
Bocek is a damn good lightweight. Say what you will about his inconsistencies, but Bocek has only lost to some of the top lightweights in the world. No big deal. His grappling prowess is guaranteed to give fits to anyone in the division. His opponent, the returning Alessio, enters on short notice but should be more than prepared. The Canadian fighter is ready for action and looking to make a big statement upon his return. Unfortunately for Alessio, I don’t think he’ll fare quite as well as he hopes. Bocek is legit, Alessio has trouble with serious grapplers, and he’s going to end up tapping out to something.
Winner – Mark Bocek defeats John Alessio via Submission Round 2
Mark Hominick (20-10) vs. Eddie Yagin (15-5-1)
Hominick needs to get back on track following a devastating knockout loss back at UFC 140 in Toronto. The Canadian featherweight contender is on the long road back to the top, and in an ever-improving division such as the featherweight class, he needs to make some definitive statements. With guts, heart, and determination, Yagin is a hard guy to be matched up against. He’s absolutely tenacious, very skilled, and won’t lay down for anyone. However, I think “The Machine” has his number, and although I don’t expect a stoppage, I certainly expect the “Team Tompkins” fighter to beat up Yagin, probably badly.
Winner – Mark Hominick defeats Eddie Yagin via Unanimous Decision
Miguel Torres (40-4) vs. Michael McDonald (14-1)
Torres makes his return to the octagon after being briefly fired for his rape surprise-van joke. The one time pound-for-pound contender, who has embraced a bit of a more safe fighting style as of late, still has the skills required to cause problems for anyone and his only loss in recent memory, to Demetrious Johnson, is a fight he very well could have won. McDonald is often overlooked in the bantamweight division. Still incredibly young, the powerful and well-rounded fighter, who is always improving, looks for a key win here to propel himself to a potential title shot later in the year. While the sky is the limit for McDonald, I think Torres will use his experience and incredible gameplanning to give McDonald a scrap and win a close decision.
Winner – Miguel Torres defeats Michael McDonald via Split Decision
Ben Rothwell (31-8) vs. Brendan Schaub (8-2)
“Ben Rothwell, you absolutely suck.” Whoa, sorry, I think the ghost of Chael Sonnen overcame me for a second there. Rothwell is back to have a solid five minutes and suck air for another ten. While he used to be a highly-touted heavyweight, he doesn’t really offer too much to an already shallow division. Schaub may never be a champion in the UFC, but he’s an incredibly athletic and improving fighter. With almost all of his fights, win or lose, ending by knockout, it’s no doubt that Schaub puts on exciting fights. I expect this fight doesn’t fit that criteria though. Rothwell will gas, Schaub won’t be able to finish, and this is going to get UGLY.
Winner – Brendan Schaub defeats Ben Rothwell via Unanimous Decision
Rory MacDonald (12-1) vs. Che Mills (14-4)
MacDonald makes his long awaited return after eight months away from the cage. The Tri-Star prospect and training partner of welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre is definitely just a short time away from being a champion in whatever division he chooses to fight in. I am more confident in his abilities than I am of even someone like “Bones” Jones. His opponent, Mills, probably shouldn’t be in this fight. Everyone, including Rory, has underestimated the Brit and honestly it’s a fair assessment. It kind of feels like Mills is being thrown to the wolves. I can’t say too much else about that.
Winner – Rory MacDonald defeats Che Mills via Submission Round 1
Jon Jones (15-1) vs. Rashad Evans (17-1-1)
Here is where I get weird. Jones comes into this bout on a hot streak. The light heavyweight champion has made relatively short work of everyone who has stood before him, and the hype is definitely justified. Evans finally gets his shot at the belt after so many false starts, but I think the wait has done him well. While the feud has cooled off, he and Jones have been constantly improving, and we will see them at their best tonight.
Call me crazy, but I’m confident “Suga” ‘Shad is going to beat Jones. Jon is better – way better even – on his feet. However, he is distracted mentally, incredibly cocky, and likely not fully prepared for what Evans brings to this fight. Rashad dominated Phil Davis with ease, including outwrestling arguably the best 205-pound wrestler in MMA. He can go 25 full minutes, he can dominate on the ground, and his hand speed is insane when he lets loose. I think Rashad is going to mix limited striking with takedown after takedown, and from there he will hold the lanky Jones down and go to work on him. As the fight goes on, a frustrated and gassed Jones will get taken down with more ease, end up more humbled, and come back stronger than ever. This will not be his special night.
Winner – Rashad Evans defeats Jon Jones via Unanimous Decision
I’ve done enough talking and writing, you’ve done enough reading, so go get some fresh air and get back in time for those darned fights. Tune in to see the main card at 10:00 PM EST on PPV.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: fight, jone, ’t, winner, defeat
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Travis Browne Vs. Chad Griggs
Who would have even considered this bout one year ago? One was chilling in Strikeforce, making his mark with with nasty sideburns and improbable victories. The other was coming off a brutal draw in one of the most boring fights ever. These guys are ready to throw down in Atlanta though. Travis Browne (12-0-1, 3-0-1 UFC) meets Chad Griggs (11-1, 0-0 UFC).
Browne is currently sitting at number 15 in the heavyweight division on the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, while Griggs is unranked. Browne's probably not going to move up much with a win, but Griggs would probably make his way onto the board if he can become the first man to beat Hapa. This heavyweight UFC 145 bout is the sixth and final fight on the preliminary card and the featured bout of the televised portion of the vent, and will air live on FX. The FX broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
How do these two stack up?
Browne: 29 years old | 6'7" | 78" reachGriggs: 33 years old | 6'3" | 73" reach
What have these two done recently?
Browne: W - Rob Broughton (UD) | W - Stefan Struve (KO) | D - Cheick KongoGriggs: W - Valentijn Overeem (SUB) | W - Gian Villante (TKO) | W - Bobby Lashley (TKO)
How did these two get here?
Travis "Hapa" Browne started his career with nine straight wins (the last coming over Dick Delaware) before he was signed by the UFC. He debuted at the TUF 10 Finale, stopping James McSweeney in the first round. His next bout was the aforementioned snoozefest with Cheick Kongo where Kongo kept grabbing his shorts. That went to a draw. He made up for it in his next bout with Stefan Struve, nailing him with a superman punch and folding him in half matrix-style. His last bout was against Rob Broughton at UFC 135, where he picked up a decision victory.
Chad "The Gravedigger" Griggs is the guilty pleasure of the heavyweight division. He was brought into Strikeforce to be fodder for Bobby Lashley. But Lashley got tired, and Griggs won. Then he went bonzo gonzo on Gian Villante, and knocked him out. Then he made Alistair Overeem's brother tap to strikes in just over two minutes. Then he was UFC-bound! Rejoice! The Gravedigger is here!
Why should you care?
Two men. Four fists. A bunch of tattoos. Terrible mutton chops. This bout has CHAD GRIGGS in it people. That's all you need to know!
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection
You can catch more UFC 145 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, browne, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 fight card: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans fight prediction, preview and breakdown
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight belt is on the line when Rashad Evans makes one of the longest-delayed attempts to regain a world championship when he takes on division champion Jon Jones in the UFC 145 main event later TONIGHT (April 21, 2012) at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Initially slated to face Mauricio Rua in March 2011, the injured Evans was replaced by then-teammate Jones, whose victory and two subsequent defenses rounded out a year of four wins (he'd submitted Ryan Bader in February), which was the most impressive in the history of mixed martial arts (MMA) outside of Rua's tear through Pride in 2005.
There are many things about Jones that make him a difficult match up for any 205-pound fighter in the sport, or that ever lived. His length skews every obvious tactic in the book, whether it's standing -- where he pecks, swats and pokes from impossibly long distance -- or grappling -- where those endless limbs avail him to submission that simply don't exist in other guys' repertoires. Jones' size allows him to do things that you can't deal with, and the scariest thing is that he's still improving.
Against Quinton Jackson last fall, Jones was eerily calm while picking apart Jackson, and remained patient as the uber-strong "Rampage" stuffed his initial takedown attempts, piling up points en route to a fourth round takedown and submission win.
Evans' thirst for revenge on Jones -- for glaringly childish reasons we will detail in a minute -- is based on the fact that they were "teammates" and the implication is that Jones somehow swerved into his lane and took his title shot. Or something like that. Whatever it is, it smacks of egoism and sour grapes, and the fact that they trained together early in Jones' career and Evans apparently got the better of him (as he should have, given Jones' inexperience) is reason enough for some fans and pundits to think Jones has Evans in his head.
And it's this line of thinking that will lead you to understand the reason people like me make fun of fans and writers like that, because history shows that the guy in Jones' position almost usually wins. Jones' improvement in recent bouts is the most impressive thing in his ever-expanding arsenal. His comfort in the stand up game his improved his overall striking beyond that of most light-heavies, and Evans' quickness will have to be exceptionally good in this fight for him to be competitive, because he's not going to outwrestle "Bones" nor wait around and make something happen without eating some shots.
Follow me after the jump for a complete breakdown of the UFC 145 fight between Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans:
The Breakdown
It's understandable that the UFC has to fall back on hackneyed promotional angles to pump a fight, but this one is plain getting old. You can't turn the channel without seeing some promo hearing Rashad kvetch, "We were friends, and then Jones betrayed me," or, "I'm going to get that belt back," or "Jon Jones borrowed lawn tools and didn't return them."
Enough already.
It's as though this is the first pair of fighters in the history of combat sports that trained together, competed in the same weight division, and crossed paths.
We get it. You don't like each other.
In related news, Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell had a pact that they would never fight, which "Iceman" broke, mostly because when he made the pact they were on the phone after a long day of training together (Tito couldn't take the body shots), and when Tito insisted Chuck promise they'd always be pals and never fight, Liddell answered into the phone "Of course," but he was doing it through a sock puppet that looked like Bas Rutten dressed as Keith Hackney. The obvious deduction? The pact didn't count! Tito never knew this, of course, which is precisely the reason Evans is so mad at Jones.
The Pick
Evans' best asset is his ability to game plan and execute, constantly sticking to what works while minimizing his weaknesses. However, Jones' ability to dictate standing and to take the fight to the mat seemingly at will are huge stumbling blocks for any opponent.
If there's a possible flaw in Jones' style, it's someone who can punish him with leg kicks. But, even that may be a reach, as Jones adjusted after a competitive opening round against Lyoto Machida and simply decimated the former champ with an eye-popping standing choke after taking a couple shots to start the bout.
Evans will come into this bout with a lot of emotion, but Jones will look to prove that he isn't the green, inexperienced kid Evans trained with when the two were teammates. "Bones" will be too long and dictate the range standing, and Evans might land a shot or two, especially with his fast right hand, which stretched Chuck Liddell.
However, Jones' ability to control the fight with so many weapons standing is what makes him so unpredictable. You never know where he's going to come from and that in itself forms a kind of operational paralysis. Throw in his outstanding takedowns, and the fact that the best of the light heavyweight division's efforts against him have meant one lost round in his career (the first against Machida).
Jones is a different breed of fighter. The next level. Evans will get picked apart standing and Jones will wear him down, then change gears in the second and takedown Evans, scoring ground and pound. Evans' heart and wiliness will carry him through the third, but in the fourth, he'll be ready for the taking as Jones puts him on his back and cinches home a fight-ending submission for the win.
Jones via decision
Be sure to join MMAmania.com this evening for LIVE, detailed UFC 145 results of all the "Jones vs. Evans" pay-per-view (PPV) action. It will include blow-by-blow coverage of the Facebook video stream, FX "Prelims" bouts, and of course, the PPV broadcast. We'll start RIGHT HERE at around 7:00 p.m. ET and carry straight on through early Sunday morning.
See you later!
Jason Probst can be reached at twitter.com/jasonprobst or jasonprobst@gmail.com
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, shot, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Why MMA Needs The Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Rivalry
The UFC is in a bit of a funk. For the last two years it seems like the UFC has been snake-bit with not a month going by without some injury, scandal or other issue ruining a major fight. While the UFC did get its historic breakthrough on to broadcast television with the Fox deal and has been doing very well on the free TV front, their pay-per-view numbers have been down on average. In the aftermath of UFC 100 it seemed that every major UFC show would be in the neighborhood of a million buys. But since Brock Lesnar lost his heavyweight title the UFC has struggled to break that one million buys ceiling again and they've seen a dip in the average numbers for their PPV shows.
The means to reverse these fortunes is now before UFC with Jon Jones and Rashad Evans and UFC 145. A great rivalry creates huge amounts of interest and the UFC has made very effective use of rivalries in the past. And historically speaking no weight-class has benefited the UFC when it has had an intriguing rivalry more than Light Heavyweight.
Related
Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? | UFC 145 Photos: Jon Jones Trains For Rashad Evans | Rashad Evans Getting Pointers From Roy Jones, Jr. Ahead Of Jon Jones Fight | The Techniques Of Jon Jones And Rashad Evans | Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking of Jon Jones| Staff Predictions
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
The first time the UFC sold over 100,000 buys was UFC 40 that featured the first installment of Ken Shamrock vs. Tito Ortiz, which was the first major rivalry for the UFC. The fight was hyped based on the personal clashes between Ortiz and Shamrock and did a ground-breaking 150,000 buys.
This upswing created by Ortiz/Shamrock made Ortiz a star, and pushed his match up with Randy Couture into 90,000 buy range. And even Ortiz's loss to Couture didn't take away from the dramatic build up to his match with former friend and training partner Chuck Liddell. Their friendship turned sour story broke the 100,000 buy rate for the second time. UFC 48 and UFC 51 both broke that barrier also and it is no accident that those cards featured Shamrock and Ortiz.
UFC 52 featured the rematch between Couture and Liddell, and with the help of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter that became the first show to break 200,000 buys. This process of rivalries breaking buy rate records is repeated over and over again through the history of the UFC. The rematch between Ortiz and Shamrock did a, at the time, staggering 775,000 buys. The culmination of this being the dramatic UFC 100 show down between Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir which brought in 1.6 million PPV buys.
The UFC is searching for a way out of their recent downturn and a rivalry of the caliber that Jones and Evans have building right now could be their answer. Now clearly Jones and Evans have the back story to create interest, a friends gone wrong story even better than Liddell and Ortiz. Their back and forth in the lead up has been gold, now all that is required an exciting fight.
The lead up to Rashad Evans vs Quinton "Rampage" Jackson created similar pre-fight buzz and many fans were excited, but when the fight fizzled the backlash by fans was extreme. The event did an excellent buy rate, but the image of both fighters was damaged in the eyes of fans. So much so that a rematch between the two has almost never been brought up as the public has lost all taste for this match up.
The hype has built for Jones and Evans and it will certainly do a strong buy rate for the UFC, but it will be nothing compared to a well timed rematch between these two if the first fight is sufficiently entertaining. If both fighters come in and fight to the best of their abilities it should be a fantastic fight, and it is unlikely, no matter what happens in that cage, that the personal issues between these two men will be resolved. A well timed rematch between these two after a competitive first fight could break new ground for the UFC in terms of PPV, or if they were to put it on Fox, bring new levels of viewership to their product. And if Evans were to win the title tonight, I'd image it would only serve to increase the interest in a rematch.
It is certain the UFC will continue to prosper and grow, regardless of the outcome of this title fight. But this is a chance for the UFC to take a giant leap forward in their growth.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jon, jone, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Matt Brown Vs. Stephen Thompson
The grizzled veteran vs. the new hotness. One guy is perfectly content to push you against the cage or take you down and maul you. The other can kick your head off in a split second. Who will win this battle of differing styles? Matt Brown (13-11, 6-5 UFC) meets Stephen Thompson (6-0, 1-0 UFC).
Neither fighter is currently ranked at welterweight in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, but Wonderboy could be one day. A win over Brown isn't going to be enough right now though. This welterweight UFC 145 bout is the fifth bout of the preliminary card and the third of four televised fights that will air on FX. The FX broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
How do these two stack up?
Brown: 31 years old | 6'0" | 76" reachThompson: 29 years old | 6'0" | 75" reach
What have these two done recently?
Brown: W - Chris Cope (TKO) | L - Seth Baczynski (SUB) | W - John Howard (UD) Thompson: W - Dan Stittgen (KO) | W - Patrick Mandio (UD) | W - William Kuhn (UD)
How did these two get here?
Matt "The Immortal" Brown had been a pro for three years with an average record of 7-6 when he was selected as a contestant for The Ultimate Fighter 7. Brown lost in the quarter-finals to eventual winner Amir Sadollah, but picked up a win at the Finale to stay put in the organization. He's been pretty up-and-down since then, putting together a three-fight winning streak but following it up with a three-fight losing streak. He has won two of his last three, most recently defeating Chris Cope by TKO at UFC 143.
Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson is a karate prodigy. He went 63-0 as a kickboxer (amateur and pro) and made the switch over to MMA in 2010. He picked up five straight wins and earned a shot in the UFC, where he amazed folks with his awesome head-kick knockout of Dan Stittgen at UFC 143. He holds a variety of striking black belts and is a blue belt in BJJ under Carlos NMachado (his brother-in-law).
Why should you care?
Can Wonderboy pick up another sick KO, this time against a guy that's never been stopped by strikes in his career? That's worth caring about. Honest.
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection
You can catch more UFC 145 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jone, video, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans: "Jon Jones Is Going Down In Round Two. No One Can Whoop Me!"
submitted by BreakfastGuru [link] [5 comments]
Posted in: jon, jone, round, evan, breakfastguru
Read the full article at RedditVideo: UFC 145's Jon Jones and Rashad Evans breakdown Shaq vs Charles Barkley NBA fights
The promotion for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans," which takes place tonight (Sat., April 21, 2012) live from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on pay-per-view (PPV) has been heavy this past week as we count down the hours until the big event.
The show's headliners, UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and number one contender Rashad Evans, have been making the media rounds from ESPN Sportscenter all the way to TNT's Inside the NBA.
In the above video, the two elite mixed martial artists (MMA) chat with former NBA greats Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley. Or, rather, they help break down a few of the fights the two found themselves involved in throughout their illustrious hardwood careers. That includes a couple showdowns against each other.
O'Neal has long flirted with the idea of moving to MMA, most notably challenging Hong Man Choi to a match. He's also said he would be more than willing to toss Jose Canseco around a cage. Hell, even UFC President Dana White said he would bring Shaq on board with the UFC, though not as an active fighter, of course.
Judging by his form in his NBA fights, he wouldn't last long anyway.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, nba
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: John Makdessi Vs. Anthony Njokuani
Karate/Taekowndo vs. Muay Thai. Both of these guys are known for their excellent skills on the feet, and this lightweight UFC 145 bout should be full of fireworks.John Makdessi (9-1, 2-1 UFC) meets Anthony Njokauni (14-6. 1 NC, 1-2 UFC). Makdessi came in two pounds over the lightweight limit and will forfeit 20% of his purse to Njokuani.
Neither fighter is currently ranked at lightweight in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, and this bout isn't going to change that. Still though, either guy has the ability to put together a solid win streak and they could grace the rankings one day in the near future. This lightweight UFC 145 bout is the fourth fight on the preliminary card and second of the televised portion of the vent, and will air live on FX. The FX broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
How do these two stack up?
Makdessi: 26 years old | 5'8" | 68" reachNjokuani: 32 years old | 6'1" | 75.5" reach
What have these two done recently?
Makdessi: L - Dennis Hallman (SUB) | W - Kyle Watson (KO) | W - Pat Audinwood (UD) Njokuani: L - Danny Castillo (SD) | W - Andre Winner (UD) | L - Edson Barboza (UD)
How did these two get here?
John "The Bull" Makdessi started out on the Canadian circuit and picked up seven straight wins before earning an invitation to the UFC. He defeated Pat "Awesomely Awesome" Audinwood by decision at UFC 124, then picked up one of the knockouts of the year at UFC 129 when he clocked Kyle Watson with a spinning backfist in the third round. He came back at UFC 140, but was submitted by wily veteran Dennis Hallman. He'll look to rebound from the first loss of his career with a win over the rangy Njokuani.
Anthony "The African Assassin" Njokuani was a longtime member of the WEC lightweight division, where he went 4-3 and picked up three knockout of the night bonuses in his two-year tenure. He came over to the UFC in the merger and met fellow striker Edson Barboza at UFC 128. He lost by unanimous decision, but picked up a fight of the night bonus. Njokuani rebounded from the loss with a unanimous decision over Andre Winner, but dropped a close split-decision to Danny Castillo at UFC 141. He'll look even his UFC record with a win here.
Why should you care?
This has the potential to win the fight of the night bonus. Both of these guys are perfectly willing to stand and trade, and it should be fun.
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection
You can catch more UFC 145 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Mac Danzig Vs. Efrain Escudero
Ultimate Fighter winners have competed against each other before, but generally not with their jobs on the line. Both of these guys are 1-2 in their last 3 and could be fighting for their UFC careers in the first FX bout at UFC 145. TUF 6 winner Mac Danzig (20-9-1, 4-5 UFC) meets TUF 8 winner Efrain Escudero (18-4, 3-3 UFC).
Neither fighter is currently ranked in the top 25 at lightweight in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, though Mac does get some votes and sits in the # 32 position this month. This lightweight UFC 145 bout is the third fight on the preliminary card and first of the televised portion of the vent, and will air live on FX. The FX broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
How do these two stack up?
Danzig: 32 years old | 5'8" | 70" reachEscudero: 26 years old | 5'9" | 71" reach
What have these two done recently?
Danzig: L - Matt Wiman (UD) | W - Joe Stevenson (KO) | L - Matt Wiman (SUB) Escudero: L - Jacob Volkmann (UD) | W - Cesar Avila (SUB) | L - Mike Rio (UD)
How did these two get here?
Mac Danzig has been a pro fighter for 11 years, but first rose to fame as a cast member of The Ultimate Fighter 6. He cruised through the show and defeated Tommy Speer in the finals, then submitted fellow UFC 145 fighter Mark Bocek in his next bout. He fell on some hard times after that though, going just 2-5 in his next seven bouts. His lone bright spot in the past two years was a brutal knockout of Joe Stevenson at UFC 124. He is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Matt Wiman at UFC on Versus 6.
Efrain "Hecho En Mexico" Escudero defeated Philippe Nover to win the Ultimate Fighter 8, but he was been pretty uneven since taking home the UFC contract. He went 2-2 in his next four bouts and missed weight for a bout with Charles Oliveira. He was submitted by Oliveira and released from the promotion. Escudero managed to go 5-1 outside the organization and was brought back as a late replacement against Jacob Volkmann at UFC 141, but dropped a unanimous decision. He desperately needs a win to keep plying his trade in the octagon.
Why should you care?
Both guys are skilled fighters and it should be a good tactical battle.
YUFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection
You can catch more UFC 145 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jone, fighter, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 fight card: Predictions, preview and a complete guide to 'Jones vs Evans' in Atlanta
For fans of mixed martial arts, this past week has been a slow crawl of steadily rising anticipation for tonight's "Jones vs. Evans" event, going down at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
UFC 145 will feature a light heavyweight championship bout pitting titleholder Jon Jones putting his 205-pound gold on the line against his former friend and training partner, "Suga" Rashad Evans.
In the co-main event, rising welterweight contender Rory MacDonald will go head on against British bomber Che Mills.
It's been a flurry of non-stop news, analysis, quotes, predictions and previews for the past week and it's certainly understandable if you missed out on a few stories.
But don't worry, Maniacs, we've got you covered.
In cased you missed any or all of it — or just want to keep the discussion alive — below are links to all the major storylines heading into tonight's broadcast.
In we go:
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans"
Fight card and line-up
Results and live fight coverage
UFC 145 predictions and previews:
Predictions from the myth himself, Nostradumbass
"Prelims" preview and predictions part one
"Prelims" preview and predictions part two
Fight preview: Mark Bocek vs. John Alessio
Fight preview: Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin
Fight preview: Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald
Fight preview: Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell
Fight preview: Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Fight preview: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
UFC 145 press conferences:
Pre-fight press conference
Press conference video
Press conference staredown pics
Tired and deflated: Jon Jones and Rashad Evans rivalry falls flat at press conference
UFC 145 weigh-ins:
Weigh-in results
Weigh-in video
Weigh-in staredown pics
Weigh-in photos gallery
UFC 145 news:
How to watch the event
Event poster
Conference call
Open workouts photos gallery
Open workouts videos
Latest odds and betting guide
Beermania: UFC 145 edition
Exclusive interview with Chad Griggs part one
Exclusive interview with Chad Griggs part two
Exclusive interview with John Alessio
UFC 145 editorials:
History in the Making: Jon Jones chokes out Rampage Jackson at UFC 135
History in the Making: Jon Jones chokes Lyoto Machida unconscious at UFC 140
History in the Making: Rashad Evans and Rampage Jackson finally collide at UFC 114
Once Jon Jones stopped wild partying and immature things, real problems with Rashad Evans started
Greg Jackson: It's my responsibility and duty to corner Jon Jones against Rashad Evans
Dana White rips business man Greg Jackson for bungling the Jon Jones-Rashad Evans situation
Jon Jones is defending the honor of Greg Jackson's gym against Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans really thought Dana White bet $500,000 on Jon Jones to win their fight
How did Jon Jones go from 210 to 230 pounds for Rashad Evans fight
Jon Jones: Rashad Evans can't break me mentally
Jon Jones: Rashad Evans doesn't have my number; he doesn't even have my area code
Jon Jones thinks he's going to exploit Rashad Evans' weak chin
Jon Jones can't wait to put Rashad Evans out of his misery
Photo: Jon Jones is a 220-pound war machine
Photo: Jon Jones UFC sponsored fight gear for Rashad Evans fight
Rashad Evans reacts to the UFC sponsoring Jon Jones for their fight
No one in sports is unbeatable, including Jon Jones
Rashad Evans would rather beat Jon Jones ass than be his friend for life
Improved Rashad Evans vows to take the title from Jon Jones
Beating up Jon Jones is more important to Rashad Evans than winning another title
Great expectations: Jon Jones, Rashad Evans, and the UFC 145 main event
Every UFC light heavyweight champion in history predicts Jones vs. Evans
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans feud gets uncomfortably intense on Ultimate Insider
Rashad Evans hopes to cement his legacy with win over Jon Jones
Rory MacDonald 2.0 wants a quick finish of Che Mills
Che Mills is ready to beat Rory MacDonald and shock the world
Brendan Schaub expects his coming out party against Ben Rothwell
Miguel Torres is no longer going to Leonard Garcia every fight
Michael McDonald had to fight his church pastor before fighting Miguel Torres
Miguel Torres is going to show Michael McDonald what's up
Mark Hominick out to remind fans who he is against Eddie Yagin
Mark Hominick is still one of the best in the featherweight division
Mark Bocek warns John Alessio to 'be careful what you wish for'
Mac Danzig isn't trying to change the world with his vegan diet
UFC 145 videos:
Dana White video blog episode one
Countdown to UFC 145
Primetime episode one
Primetime episode two
Primetime episode three
Ultimate Insider Counterpunch
Extended video preview
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans promo
Rashad Evans promo: The Payback
Pros make their predictions for Jones vs. Evans
Jones vs. Evans 'Lionheart' video parody
Jon Jones knocks out a sparring partner
Rashad Evans: It feels like the UFC doesn't want me to be champion
Jon Jones trains matrix style for Rashad Evans fight
Chuck Liddell says the odds for Jones vs. Evans are ridiculous
Rashad Evans mobbed in Puerto Rico to promote UFC 145 with boxing legend Felix Trinidad
Brendan Schaub promises 'Fight of the Night' performance against Ben Rothwell
That, my friends, should be enough to keep you talking -- at least for the time being.
I'd ask what the biggest story heading into this event has been but we all know damn well what that is and it's all going to play itself out tonight, live on pay-per-view.
Enjoy the show, Maniacs.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Live Results And Play-By-Play For Pay-Per-View
As with every major show, Bloody Elbow will be here to bring you live results, play by play and commentary for UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans. Our live coverage will start with the two fights on the Facebook prelim stream (roughly 7:15 p.m. ET) to the prelim card on FX (8 p.m. ET) and through the PPV main card (10 p.m. ET) so make sure to make Bloody Elbow your home for this event.
This post will cover live results and thoughts for the PPV main card.
The evening's main event sees Jon Jones step into the cage to take on arch-enemy Rashad Evans in a bout for Jones' light heavyweight championship. Welterweights Rory MacDonald and Che Mills meet in the evening's co-main event. Brendan Schaub and Ben Rothwell clash in a heavyweight battle. Former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres returns to the UFC to take on Michael McDonald. Former featherweight title contender Mark Hominick fights Eddie Yagin and lightweights Mark Bocek and John Alessio step into the cage to round out the card.
Make sure to come back during the event and share your thoughts as the event goes down.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jone, event, card, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Fight Day Interview: The Real Jon Jones
Jon Jones discusses his road to success and his journey as a son, brother, and fighter in this interview with Heavy.com’s Fight Day. Part I An introduction to the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion of the world Jon “Bones” Jones. We take a journey to Jon’s hometown of Binghamton, New York where we learn about his [...]
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, interview, son brother
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Chris Clements Vs. Keith Wisniewski
A 36-year-old Canadian with a Taekwondo black belt and a four-fight winning streak will stand on one side of the octagon. An American with 42 fights under his belt will be looking for his first UFC win on the other side. Chris Clements (10-4, 0-0 UFC) meets Keith Wisniewski (28-13-1, 0-2 UFC).
Neither fighter is currently ranked at welterweight in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, and like the last bout, neither fighter is going to be considered anytime soon. This welterweight UFC 145 bout is the second fight on the preliminary card, and will be streamed live on Facebook. The Facebook stream begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
How do these two stack up?
Clements: 36 years old | 5'10" | Unknown reachWisniewski: 30 years old | 5'11" | Unknown reach
What have these two done recently?
Clements: W - Rich Clementi (TKO) | W - Travis Briere (TKO) | W - Jonathan Goulet (KO) Wisniewski: L - Josh Neer (TKO) | W - Chris Wilson (UD) | W - Randy Crawford (KO)
How did these two get here?
Chris "The Menace" Clements didn't start training MMA until he was 26 years old. He turned pro in 2005 and was a staple of the Montreal-based TKO promotion in 2006-07. He competed once in the IFL but dropped his bout to Rory Markham. After two years away from the sport, he returned in late 2009 and has gone 5-1 since then, including four straight wins over the likes of Jonathan Goulet and most recently Rich Clementi. All 10 of his wins have come by form of knockout.
Keith "The Polish Connection" Wisniewski has been a pro fighter for 14 years. He got his first shot in the UFC back in 2005 against Nick Thompson, but dropped a decision. A six-fight winning streak from 2008-11 earned him another shot at UFC on Versus 6 against Josh Neer, but he was finished in the third-round by TKO. He'll look for his first big-league victory here against Clements.
Why should you care?
Two guys are going to punch each other in the face a lot. If you can't find it in your heart to care about that, you're dead to me.
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection
You can catch more UFC 145 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Dissection
The sizzling main course of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans is a grudge match between former training partners for the UFC light-heavyweight championship. Unparalleled phenom Jon Jones will defend the strap against former title-holder Rashad Evans this Saturday night on pay-per-view.
So ... the MMA sewing circle is gushing over Jon "Bones" Jones (15-1), and for good reason. From a flat-out performance standpoint, he's sniped off 3 legendary light-heavyweights, all former champions, who have anchored down the top-5 world rankings for the last few years. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua was callously unseated from the throne with a spearing body punch and follow-up knee for a 3rd-round TKO at UFC 128. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson was pelted with mile-long kicks and punches before succumbing to a 4th-round rear-naked choke. Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida was engulfed in a cocoon-like clinch and choked unconscious with a 2nd-round, Gable-grip guillotine.
Bodies fell. Jones smiled. Cameras flashed.
But of course, as with any superstar in any sport, the hysteria goes beyond the numbers. A fighter hasn't been branded with this level of invincible mystique since the great Fedor Emelianenko, who also had a psuedo-defeat by cut that was disdained like Jones' only stain on the carpet; a No Contest ruling against Matt Hamill for illegal elbows in a contest he dominated with rag-dolling clinch throws. But -- quick! -- answer this question: when have we seen Jones in trouble or struggling? Unlike Emelianenko, there is no instance of in-ring roller-skating after a Kazuyuki Fujita punch nor a suspicious, side-mount kimura attempt from K-1 kickboxer Mark Hunt.
More UFC 145 Dissections MacDonald vs. Mills | Schaub vs. Rothwell | Torres vs. McDonald | Hominick vs. Yagin Preliminary Card Dissection
Barring a round that Stephan Bonnar arguably eked out in their 2009 meeting at UFC 94, the gleaming example of Jones' mortality is the first frame of his last outing, which most penciled in as a 10-9 for Machida. Now, it's no simple task to replicate the style of someone who basically emerged from the womb in a classic Shotokan horse stance but, against Jones, Machida's evasive hocus-pocus and mythical karate tomfoolery was not at play.
Instead, Machida whittled his elaborate arsenal down to a basic boxing array and relied on straight, fast and well-timed punches. What makes Rashad "Suga" Evans (14-1) an interesting challenge for Jones is that his lightning-quick boxing prowess is the aspect he's improved the most and now stands as his best weapon. The former MSU wrestler and TUF winner has harnessed his raw instincts and athleticism into a fine-tuned and functional medley of fluid boxing and formidable wrestling. The role Machida assumed against Jones is standard operating procedure for Evans, who will also be fueled by an unamicable split with Greg Jackson and a seething desire to knock Jones off the pedestal he's been placed on.
Complete analysis in the full entry.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Appearing as an unknown and drastically under-sized heavyweight on TUF 2, Rashad's god-given talent for fighting was obvious. Billed as a wrestler, Evans wreaked havoc on the heavyweight giants with superior agility, an unmatchable pace and unrefined but highly effective striking. He dropped down to light-heavyweight after defeating 4 opponents to clench the TUF title but immediately faced criticism for his purported inability to finish (all TUF wins were by decision).
Those cries heightened to a pitch when Evans registered more decision wins (Stephan Bonnar, Sam Hoger), then were muffled slightly by back-to-back stoppages (Jason Lambert by TKO, Sean Salmon by head-kick KO) and, later, disappeared altogether after Evans beheaded Chuck Liddell with a scorching overhand right and blasted out Forrest Griffin with ground-and-pound to become champion. A Machida straight-left made for an ephemeral tenure at the top, which was Rashad's first and only loss, yet Evans has gathered up 4-straight victories to earn another crack at championship gold.
The Match Up Parameters
Distance and Range
Motion and Angles to Address Distance and Range
Who Leads Exchanges and Dictates the Pace
The bullets above are my prioritized list of crucial dynamics. Since there's no need to reinvent the wheel, the analyses on the striking of Jones and Evans written by Fraser Coffeen and Jack Slack (below) will be the frame of reference for the match-up mechanics.
UFC 145: Just How Good Is the Striking of Jon Jones? -- by Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand with Jon Jones? -- by Jack Slack
Distance and Range
To answer Mr. Slack's query about Evans being able to stand with Jones, he probably doesn't have a choice in the matter because of distance. While both competitors have a wrestling background, their striking accounts for the bulk of their offense, yet both excel at setting up their grappling with strikes and threatening with takedowns to create striking opportunities.
I cannot over-emphasize how integral Jon Jones' 84.5" reach length is, which is almost incomprehensible. To put that in perspective -- the tallest fighter in the UFC, the ultra-gangly Stefan Struve who stands an inch shy of 7'0" tall, falls a half-inch short at 84". In a sport where a fraction of an inch can make the difference between a missed punch, a grazing blow that opens a cut, a knockdown or a knockout, 5" is a monumental advantage, and the length of Jones also facilitates his kicks, clinch (leverage), takedowns and submissions.
These go-go-gadget proportions equate to a nightmare for an opponent trying to get inside, as Jones can cover almost a half-foot of extra range and buys more time to react defensively. In plain terms, to inflict damage or mount any sort of viable offense, a fighter must be in contact-range to do so. This is where everyone but Machida has floundered, and Jones eventually made an intelligent range-adjustment by locking horns with Machida and using -- here it is again -- his height, length and leverage in the clinch to finagle the guillotine choke.
Rashad clocks in with an average to stubby reach length of 75", meaning that, in round numbers, Jones will get an additional 5" extension with either hand. This disparity looms as the biggest riddle for Rashad to solve, which Jack Slack keenly notes in his observation of Rashad's distinctly closed fighting stance.
"To compensate for this lack of reach, Rashad often chooses to stand from a particularly side on stance - just as the Diaz brothers and BJ Penn opt to. This lengthens his jab, but also means that the back of his lead leg is especially vulnerable to low kicks."
The photo to the right (by Esther Lin for MMAFighting) depicts Rashad's closed stance. As mentioned by Jack Slack: you can see how his lead leg protrudes forward and makes an ideal target for leg kicks, how he'll get increased travel on his jab and decreased travel on his right cross.
Compared to a more traditional or open stance, this picture also shows how Rashad's chin is protected well by tucking it behind the left shoulder. Evans formulates a pretty sound straight-on attack like this and, though he doesn't rely heavily on lateral motion, he's crafty with faking or committing to dropping levels for takedowns. So, while Jones will scurry out his corner with one hand on the mat, swing from the upper-right to the lower-left of the pocket with body shots or just throw a plethora of wacky angles at his opponent, Rashad's motion is more simplified and deliberate, consisting of quick, straight punches with the element of surprise takedowns thrown in.
With distance and range going to Jones by default due to his stature, the onus is on Rashad to carve out a pathway through the forest of Jones' long limbs -- if he stays on the fringe, he's within Jones' striking range but outside of his own. That leads us to the pivotal factor of the motion and angles that each competitor employs to set up their offense.
Motion and Angles to Address Distance and Range
Rashad's stance is simply not conducive to a range-fighting scenario. While a popular recommendation is to target his extended lead leg with low kicks, Rashad has become adept at opening his stance and exploding forward to plunge his powerful right cross or pouncing with a takedown attempt to counter the incoming kick. I expect Rashad to be coiled and ready to spring with either technique if Jones swings any kicks from the fringe.
If he decides to lead the exchanges, the gameplan he unhinged Rampage with will likely ensue. Evans capitalized on his hand-speed, agility and dual-pronged wrestle-boxing attack better than ever before. Though it's worth mentioning that Rampage is known for his flat-footed stance, Evans wisely baited him with takedown attempts to lower his hands in anticipation of defending the level drop before coming back high with heated flurries. Conversely, when Rashad settled in with a series of striking onslaughts, Rampage was focused on defending punches in an upright stance and subsequently blind-sided by power-doubles.
... Jones's motion tends to leave a few defensive openings. His motion straight back opens him up for a straight forward blitzing attack, which is what Machida used so effectively in round 1. Evans has shown this type of attack before, such as when he dropped Rampage, so it is something for Jones to watch for Saturday night.
For defense, I would say Jones's primary tactic is maintaining range. He's superb at using his range to keep fighters from getting in too close. When they do get close, he either brings his hands up and moves away to reset, or secures the clinch and takes them down. It's rare that a fighter has been able to get inside on Jones and continue striking. However, if a fighter could achieve that position (a huge if), they could find themselves in a nice spot to inflict some damage on the champion.
Fraser Coffeen astutely recognizes a danger-zone for Jones within the motion and angles he employs for the range, though his concerns are when breaking engagements and retreating to the comfort of his distance. Jones has performed some footwork no-no's by consistently crossing his feet and retreating in a straight line. The latter is the real hazard, as Machida found the mark with charging combinations by measuring the depth of Jones' predictable pattern backwards.
With Rashad having a striking style that caters to frenetic bursts of in-and-out striking, which is how Machida deciphered the range puzzle, he might not even have to stress about the perils of shrinking the gap if he lays back, lets Jones lead the exchanges and counter-strikes when Jones comes to him.
Who Leads Exchanges and Dictates the Pace
The fighters who came at Jones full-force had no luck. In his earlier performances, Jones cemented how devastating his clinch-work is by tossing around the likes of Stephan Bonnar, Andre Gusmao and Matt Hamill. Then, when his clinch was firmly established and his opponents were a little hesitant to tie up, Jones hovered to the floor to upend savvy wrestlers Vladimir Matyushenko and Ryan Bader with low-level takedowns.
Lately, Jones has been content to handle his business standing and lead the exchanges. It seems like he wants to make a strong statement against Rashad and has grown more and more confident with his striking, so I expect the same tonight. Jones could play a mind game with Rashad by hanging back and waiting for to initiate, but I suspect that Rashad will insist on assuming the counter-striking role. On the same token, Rashad could have the element of surprise by vaulting out of his corner and putting it on Jones with a touch of recklessness, or even alternating between the two varying speeds.
To summarize, in a battle that will be so largely dictated by range and distance, it's hard not to side with the longer fighter who excels at range-fighting over the short-limbed competitor who's struggled with it. Plus, Jones has more options if one singular range isn't working for him and can launch straight-on attacks with quick boxing or maneuver into the clinch to pour on strikes and submission attempts. Rashad will not have that luxury.
My Prediction: Jon Jones by submission.
Poll
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Jones
Evans
33 votes | Results
Posted in: jone, rashad, evan, machida, range
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: Jon Jones, Rashad Evans Spar With Shaq, Charles Barkley
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans visited the set of TNT's Inside The NBA late this week, giving feedback on some NBA brawls featuring Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal.
Some highlights from the eight minute video:
Evans explained what MMA is. Standing next to O'Neal, it was incredible how much he towered over him.
Barkley asked about both guys' excitement level 48 hours after the fight.
Kenny Smith inquired how much of going into a fight is technique and how much is anger. Jones says he doesn't believe in fighting out of anger.
Jones joked about challenging O'Neal, which prompted the big guy to show off his jab, cross and yes, his Superman punch.
Jones and Evans reviewed clips of an O'Neal/Barkley brawl from back in their playing days, Barkley vs. Bill Laimbeer and O'Neal throwing a punch at a Chicago Bulls player.
Barkley talked about hanging out with Georges St. Pierre recently and O'Neal gave a shoutout to Dana White and the Fertitta brothers.
There was zero animosity between Evans and Jones.
You can watch the eight-minute video here.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: jone, evan, barkley, oneal, anger jones
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Fight Card Primer: Maximo Blanco Vs. Marcus Brimage
On one side of the cage, you have a guy that earned a rep as a ferocious finisher in Japan. On the other side, you have a TUF 14 vet looking for his second win in the UFC. Venezuelan Maximo Blanco (8-3-1, 1 NC, 0-0 UFC) meets Marcus Brimage (4-1, 1-0 UFC).
Neither fighter is currently ranked at featherweight in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, and neither is likely to even be considered with a win in this bout. This featherweight UFC 145 bout is the first fight on the preliminary card, and will be streamed live on Facebook. The Facebook stream begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
How do these two stack up?
Blanco: 28 years old | 5'7" | 70" reachBrimage: 27 years old | 5'4" | 71" reach
What have these two done recently?
Blanco: L - Pat Healy (SUB) | W - Won Sik Park (UD) | W - Kiuma Kunioku (KO) Brimage: W - Stephen Bass (UD) | W - Kyle Bradley (TKO) | L - Joey Camacho (SUB)
How did these two get here?
Maximo "Maxi" Blanco is a former lightweight King of Pancrase that earned a lot of attention when he was fighting for the Sengoku organization. He reeled off six straight wins in Japan (5 by KO/TKO) and eventually signed with Strikeforce when Sengoku (who was actually sponsoring him) went out of business. He made his North American debut against the rugged Pat Healy, who bullied him around the cage and eventually submitted him in the third round. Immediately after the fight, his manager announced Blanco's intentions to drop 145 and move to the UFC. He did just that, and will make his debut in the opening bout tonight.
Marcus Brimage started out on the southern regional circuit and was a competitor on BET's Iron Ring. The ATT member was then selected to be on TUF 14 (he was picked for TUF 8 as well, but couldn't compete due to injuries). He won his bout to get into the house, but was submitted by Bryan Caraway in the quarter-finals. He rebounded at the TUF 14 Finale with a decision win over Stephen Bass, and will look to go 2-0 in the UFC with a win over Blanco.
Why should you care?
This is going to be a firefight to kick off the night. Blanco is violence personified, and it's gonna be good.
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection
You can catch more UFC 145 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Rory MacDonald Vs. Che Mills Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Dana White Vlog Part 1 - Kid Nate
Video: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic - Kid Nate
UFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones 205, Evans 204 - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Chris Clements Talks Debut Against Wisniewski - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Renato Laranja Gives His Fight Predictions - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Brendan Schaub Vs. Ben Rothwell Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?' - Anton Tabuena
Bloody Elbow's UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Event Poster - Anton Tabuena
UFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson Discuss Main Event - Tim Burke
UFC 145 Video: Matt Brown Tells Luke Thomas All About Prepping For Stephen Thompson - Kid Nate
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Miguel Torres Vs. Michael McDonald Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 145: Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson Talks Sophomore Outing Against Matt Brown - Steph Daniels
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Hominick Vs. Eddie Yagin Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo? - Bloody Elbow
UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Mark Bocek Vs. John Alessio Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? - Jack Slack
UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans - Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
Is Jones Vs. Evans Actually Personal? - Fraser Coffeen
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, blanco
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones and Rashad Evans Both Predict a Knockout Victory (Video)
It’s finally here, as today is the day. One of the most anticipated fights of the year in Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans goes down tonight at UFC 145. While dozens of fans and pundits have posted their predictions, we finally got a chance to hear how the fighters themselves feel the fight will play out.
Jones, who stated he feels “Evans has the weakest chin of any guy I’ve fought since 2010″, predicts a knockout victory over Evans.
Meanwhile, Evans feels the fight will play out in similar fashion, but that Jones will be the one that gets knocked out.
Watch the entire event unfold tonight, to determine both the correct prediction and who will leave Philips Arena as UFC light heavyweight champion. Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy, which will have complete coverage of the entire event.
Posted in: fight, jone, evan, knockout victory, philips arena
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Live Results and Play-by-Play
UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans live results and play-by-play on Saturday, April 21 in Atlanta. The main event features Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans.
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Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Quick Results
UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans quick results on Saturday, April 21 in Atlanta. The main event features Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans.
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Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145 'Primetime' video for 'Jones vs Evans' on FX (Episode 3)
In cased you missed any or all of it last night (April 20, 2012), here is the final of three episodes of the "all access" behind-the-scenes look at the UFC 145 main event between Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans.
To watch the first and second episodes of UFC 145 "Primetime" click here and here.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and FX collaborated for the latest "Primetime" series, which follows former Light Heavyweight champion Rashad Evans and reigning 205-pound division kingpin Jon Jones as they prepare to settle their score in the UFC 145 main event at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., later this evening (April 21, 2012).
That's right, Maniacs, we're almost there.
In episode three, the producers emphasize the exhausting toll that the media and marketing responsibilities have exacted on "Bones" and "Suga." Training, for the most part, is in the can and the final week is filled to the brim with wall-to-wall interviews, appearances, press conferences and other responsibilities that have both men clearly spent.
The good news is all that ends tonight when the former friend and training partners step inside the Octagon tonight in the UFC 145 main event to settle their score once and fore all.
Can't wait.
To check out the live reactions to the third and final episode of UFC 145 "Primetime" check out our live discussion thread from last night right here. For more on UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" be sure to hit up our event archive right here. To check out the latest UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" fight card and rumors click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, event, episode, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Officially Sold Out in Atlanta
The UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans card officially is a sell-out at the Philips Arena in Atlanta.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, philips arena
Read the full article at Heavy MMAJon Jones is good at many things, but it appears that dunking a basketball is not one of them
Yesterday afternoon the UFC released some flash quotes and deemed Jon Jones and his brothers 'America's most athletic family'. While that might have some truth to it as both of Jones' brothers are footall players-big brother Art plays pro football with the Baltimore Ravens and younger brother Chandler is currently a Syracuse Orangeman headed for the pro draft next week. Even as athletic as these guys might be Jones says he was always "the skinny kid with no co-ordination" of the three brothers. If all we ever saw was Jon displaying his athleticism in the Octagon there is no way we could ever believe that statement. He is just too skilled and smooth when he fights to imagine him being clumsy or uncoordinated. But this week while Jones was in Atlanta he hung out with Al Horford from the Atlanta Hawks and it is evident that dunking a basketball is not going to make Jon's list of 'stuff I'm really awesome at'. Hey he might not be good at dunking but at least he us showing off some buff arms and rocking skinny jeans while he tries. Check out Jon's awkward attempt at dunking in this video:
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, brother, dunking
Read the full article at Middle EasyUFC 145 tickets sold out for Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans in Atlanta
Last-minute Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fight fans might be punching themselves in their faces right now for not acting sooner.
The world's leading mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion recently announced that tickets for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" in Atlanta, Ga., this evening (April 21, 2012) are sold out. That means about 18,000 will pack the the Philips Arena to watch UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones defend his 205-pound world title against former division kingpin Rashad Evans in the UFC 145 main event.
It's likely the driving force behind the smashing box office success. Here's how the UFC described it in an official press release:
Perhaps no fight in recent memory has had as much buzz as the long-awaited Jones vs Evans title bout, which sees two former friends and training partners collide for the UFC’s 205lbs championship.
The Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans showdown is the crown jewel of a six-fight pay-per-view (PPV) main card, which also features a co main event clash between Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills. To check out the latest UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" fight card click here.
UFC 145 tickets can still likely be purchased through StubHub.com, which often has seats available even if the event is "sold out". CraigsList.com is also another solid option. However, UFC 145 will also be available to watch on PPV at 10 p.m. ET tonight.
In fact, MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., April 21), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV). The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 7 p.m. ET with the "Prelims" bouts on FX/Facebook.
For all the latest and greatest news and notes for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" click here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 fight card: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans main event preview
Two of the best Light Heavyweights in the world will finally meet tonight (April 21, 2012) when Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 205-pound king Jon Jones looks to defend his title against former division champion Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Jones is the new poster boy of the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, being featured in extensive marketing campaigns after he defeated a trio of UFC champions in 2011. A victory over Evans would cement his status as the without-a-doubt best light heavyweight on Earth and potentially even the best fighter pound-for-pound in the sport.
Evans has been aching for this fight ever since Jones stated he'd be willing to fight him. He's been delayed time and time again by unfortunate injuries, but after handing Phil Davis his first career loss this past January, he's finally healthy and ready to try and reclaim the title from his heated rival.
Can Jones put a stamp on his complete and utter domination of the UFC light heavyweight division? Will Evans' personal insults and trash talk get into Jones' head? What's the key to victory for both men tomorrow night?
Let's find out:
Jon Jones
Record: 15-1 overall, 9-1 in the UFC
Key Wins: Lyoto Machida (UFC 140), Quinton Jackson (UFC 135), Mauricio Rua (UFC 128)
Key Losses: None
How he got here: Jon Jones' path from can't-miss prospect to world champion has been very fast. Just five months into his professional MMA career, he was already 6-0 and making his UFC debut in place of an injured Tomasz Drwal at UFC 87. He defeated his opponent, Andre Gusmao via decision but his star turn didn't truly take place until his next fight against Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94 in which he showcased a diverse array of attacks and all kinds of slams and throws.
"Bones'" star continued to brighten as he began finishing his opponents in increasingly impressive fashion, smashing tough light heavyweights Brandon Vera and Vladimir Matyushenko in the first round. After handing Ryan Bader the first loss of his career in another two round destruction, Jones was offered a title shot in place of his injured teammate Rashad Evans.
The young gun took it to the champ, smashing "Shogun" over the course of three rounds and stopping him to become the youngest titleholder in UFC history. If there were any doubts at all about his ability to be a long-reigning champion, Jones answered them in September and then December with a four round thrashing of former champion "Rampage" Jackson and then a second round technical submission of Lyoto Machida.
Jones will be looking to close the book on his feud with Rashad Evans tomorrow night.
How he gets it done: Jones has a plethora of weapons and he's capable of finishing a fight by multiple means. The best plan of attack, at least at first, will be to keep his distance to a point where he can still snap his jab against Evans, who's ridiculously smaller than him and has a much shorter reach. The further he can keep Evans away from him, the easier it will be to avoid Evans' takedowns and lunging efforts to land inside hooks.
Jones is capable of utilizing all kinds of tricky attacks like spinning elbows and more, but I doubt he throws too many because they could leave him open to potential counter takedowns from Evans.
If "Bones" really wants to hurt Evans, the best plan of attack is to wear him down, frustrate him with his reach. If he wants to close the distance at all, he should initiate a clinch where his elbows are especially dangerous and he can utilize his strong Greco Roman background.
If Jones can score a takedown, Evans is going to be in trouble as he has some of the most lethal elbows in the business and his ground game has been improving by leaps and bounds. There aren't many men who can choke Lyoto Machida unconscious. If he can wrap up Evans with his long reach, he could put "Suga" in serious trouble.
Rashad Evans
Record: 17-1-1 overall, 12-1-1 in the UFC
Key Wins: Quinton Jackson (UFC 114), Phil Davis (UFC on FOX 2), Forrest Griffin (UFC 92)
Key Losses: Lyoto Machida (UFC 98)
How he got here: After a respectable career wrestling at Michigan State, Rashad Evans, under the wing of former UFC tournament champion Dan Severn, won his first five professional fights. This earned him an opportunity to compete on season two of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF).
Despite fighting at a weight class heavier than normal, Evans tore through the heavyweights on the show, eventually working his way to the finale where he earned a split decision victory over the significantly larger Brad Imes to become The Ultimate Fighter season two champion.
After some less than dominant split and majority decision victories over Sam Hoger and Stephan Bonnar, Evans finally found his groove, earning a technical knockout (TKO) over Jason Lambert with ground and pound and then scoring one of the UFC's all time nastiest finishes with the head kick knockout of Sean Salmon.
Evans would go on to have his now infamous draw with Tito Ortiz and would follow it up by defeating Michael Bisping via decision, sending him to the middleweight division. The victory would earn "Suga" a number one contender match against former champion Chuck Liddell and one massive overhand right would change his life forever, flooring Liddell, earning "Knockout of the Year," and earning him his first title shot against champion Forrest Griffin.
After a shaky first couple rounds against Griffin at UFC 92, Evans took advantage of a slip, pounced and pummeled his way to victory to take the title and standing atop the division. His title reign would be short, though, halted by Lyoto Machida in his first defense just five months later.
Since losing the championship, Evans has rebounded nicely by defeating Thiago Silva and "Rampage" Jackson via decision, but an ill-advised choice to sit on the sidelines and wait for Mauricio Rua's knee to recover cost him badly. After nine months on the sidelines, "Suga" injured his knee while training and had to watch teammate Jon Jones crush "Shogun" and win the belt he'd had his eyes on for over a year.
Evans smashed Tito Ortiz and Phil Davis in the interim and now he's finally getting his shot at Jones.
How he gets it done: Evans' secret weapon ever since losing his title was going back to his roots in the wrestling department. He was able to utilize it very effectively against Thiago Silva, Quinton Jackson and most recently against former national champion Phil Davis.
That's not to say Evans doesn't have power. His ferocious knockouts of Liddell, Salmon and his title victory over Griffin should be a testament to that. He was also the only person in the UFC thus far that has really hurt "Rampage" Jackson in the stand-up, landing a huge right hand in the opening minute of their grudge match.
Expect "Suga" to dance around Jones early, utilizing his speed and movement and looking to land the power. The key for Evans is to get Jones to second guess. He needs to throw his hands when Jones is expecting a takedown and then shoot when Jones is expecting punches.
If Rashad can take Jones down, he needs to not only keep him down, but also to try and score some damage with strikes. He's not going to go for submissions, he just needs to keep Jones on his back and keep punching him. He could potentially score a TKO or win three rounds if he can be effective.
Fight X-Factor: The biggest X-Factor for this fight is how much both men have improved since they last trained together. It was a little over a year ago when Evans moved to Florida to train with the Blackzilians and Jones remained at Jackson's. Since then, Jones has looked better and better each time out, adding more to his game in each fight and he's finished three straight former champions.
Evans has also looked better, his shots look stronger and his conditioning has improved, but will that be enough compared to all the different weapons that Jones has added to his game? Both men were pretty even when Evans left in March, but whoever has displayed the most growth is going to be victorious. It looks like Jones, but we won't find out until they step into the cage together.
Bottom Line: This fight is going to be terrific. There's heat buried deep as both have been feuding and there's potential someone could lose their composure. This fight could be all kinds of amazing as Jones is a "must-see" talent whenever he steps into the cage. Evans will either be trying to stop him with strikes or stifle him with takedowns so if Evans is effective, he could definitely slow the bout down. Regardless, I'm expecting some serious highlights in this fight at some point.
Who will come out on top at UFC 145? Tell us your predictions in the comments below!
Poll
Who will walk out of the Octagon with the UFC light heavyweight title tomorrow night?
Jon Jones
Rashad Evans
0 votes | Results
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, champion, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaHistory in the Making: Jon Jones chokes Lyoto Machida unconscious at UFC 140
He won the belt in brutal fashion and defended it for the first time in an equally dominant regard. Two former number one light heavyweights stood in front of him and they each were stopped, one by punches and the other by submission.
Jon Jones went through a trial by fire when he stepped inside the Octagon against Mauricio Rua and Quinton Jackson, one after the other, and emerged with nary a nick or bruise.
In doing so, he became the youngest champion in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) history and one of only a handful of men to successfully defend the 205-pound title, the pinnacle achievement in a division that had become a game of musical chairs since Chuck Liddell lost the belt in 2007.
"Bones" looked to retain his title against Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, yet another match up against a former champion and universally recognized number one Light Heavyweight. In Jackson, Jones simply needed to avoid the PRIDE Fighting Championship veteran's heavy hands. "The Dragon" was a different beast altogether. Mixing karate, judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu with a little sumo thrown in for good measure, Machida is just about the picture perfect example of what mixed martial arts (MMA) can be.
We'll take a look at this fight on the eve of UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans," an event in which former teammates (Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans) collide and a grudge looks to be brought to an end.
Let's go:
Jones momentarily repeats his behavior from his previous fight with Jackson, almost crawling towards his opponent. He straightens out seconds later and begins stalking his opponent, perhaps playing right into Machida's gameplan.
The two fighters begin trading leg kicks with Jones adding a couple to the front of "The Dragon's" knee as he had against "Shogun" and "Rampage." Unsportsmanlike? Possibly. Legal? Absolutely.
A solid kick to the body for the challenger lands with a smack and he immediately tries to follow it up with a punching combination but can't get close enough to the lanky champion. A huge overhand right from Jones misses and "The Dragon" opens up with a flurry. The champion then begins to walk Machida down and throws a leg kick which the challenger counters perfectly.
A left straight from the challenger finds its way to Jones' jaw and "Bones" staggers back as the crowd erupts. Machida pounces but the champion recovers quickly and soon squares up against his opponent. Machida lands another solid body kick and as the opening round ends, many are wondering if the young prodigy has finally met his match.
The second stanza opens and "Bones" immediately takes the center of the Octagon as he did five minutes prior. The two light heavyweights trade leg kicks while Jones also unsuccessfully throws a spinning kick to the body and a kick aimed directly at Machida's head.
The champion and his challenger stand in front of each other, both almost waiting for the other to make the slightest mistake. They both move their hands around, slide their feet on the canvas and subtly shift their body in hopes of forcing the other to open themselves up to a possible killing blow.
The young champion throws a body kick which "The Dragon" catches and counters upon, following it up with a flurry of strikes, almost none of which connect with any consequence. Despite this, Jones continues to hold the center of the Octagon, unwilling to let the challenger dictate the pace of the fight.
Jones connects with a solid punch but Machida fails to react. Seconds later, "Bones" shoots in for a takedown which the challenger seems to defend. A slight adjustment from the champion and Machida is dumped onto his back. Many fighters have been in this position before, against the mat with Jones on top of them, and each bears the scars of the champion's almost deadly elbow strikes.
"The Dragon" is no different.
One swing of Jones' arms and his machete-like elbow slices Machida open and the canvas begins to turn a crimson red. The fight is momentarily stopped to allow a doctor to check the tiny chasm on the challenger's forehead and upon restart, the former champion is able to work his way off the cage and back to the center of the Octagon.
In an absolutely beautiful display of technical striking, Jones raises his leg causing "The Dragon" to think a leg kick is coming his way. Machida had done well and scored points countering the leg kick and was hoping to do so again. Instead, "Bones" put into place the gameplan that Rashad Evans was hoping to do when he faced off against Machida:
Counter the counter.
As the challenger comes forward with his strike, a left straight from Jones barrels its way into Machida's jaw and the former champion nearly faceplants onto the mat. As Jones lifts up his opponent, he throws a knee to the skull as he wraps his arms around "The Dragon's" neck.
Try as he might, the challenger is unable to escape the modified guillotine submission and seconds later, the oxygen supply to his brain is cut off and he passes out. As the referee breaks the hold to end the fight, Machida is unceremoniously dumped onto the canvas by the champion like a sack of potatoes.
Tomorrow (April 21, 2012), Jones takes on his third consecutive former champion in Evans. This bout is different from his previous three, however. There is bad blood between the two former teammates and a lot of trash talk has been thrown around in the months leading up to the bout.
Can Evans become the second two-time light heavyweight champion in UFC history? Or will Jones make it a clean sweep -- three for three -- on former champions?
We'll find out soon enough.
Posted in: jone, challenger, champion, kick, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaThe Downes Side: UFC 145 Predictions
That’s right everyone, another weekend with TUF Live and a UFC event means another double dose of Danny Boy Downes! Even though Sweden may not take kindly to people who don’t like Filmjölk, it treated me fairly well as I went 4-2 in my predictions. That, and I was able to haul these bad boys back from the wedding shower. As a side note, I’ll take getting punched in the face in a cage over opening gifts in front of a room full of women anytime.Speaking of which, it seems that the awkwardness/disdain between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones has subsided for UFC 145. The two were downright cordial at the presser earlier this week. If these two can put differences aside maybe there’s hope for Chael Sonnen and Anderson Silva.... okay, you're right, that's ridiculous.Mark Bocek vs John AlessioThe main card kicks off with a lightweight contest between Mark Bocek (10-4) and John Alessio (34-14). Bocek earned a unanimous decision victory at UFC 140 against Nik Lentz, but is mostly known for his superb grappling ability where the majority of his victories (7 to be exact) have come via submission. A great all-around talent, Alessio has won 10 of his last 11 fights (losing only to Siyar Bahadurzada a year ago) and returns to the UFC for the first time since losing to Thiago Alves in 2006. Fun fact: that was the same year Big Momma’s House 2 skyrocketed to success. Alessio is no slouch on the ground, but he has a significant advantage standing up. As long as he sticks to straight punches and doesn’t overcommit, he could squeeze out a decision victory. Much like Big Momma’s House 2, though, that sounds better on paper (Martin Lawrence + Fatsuit = genius). Bocek will be able to get his takedowns, control position and get the decision from the judges. Now if you’ll excuse me, I'm going to watch some good 2006 movies like this and this.Mark Hominick vs. Eddie YaginNext we drop down to featherweight for Mark Hominick (20-10) vs. Eddie “The Filipino Phenom” Yagin (15-5). A former no. 1 contender, Hominick is currently on an uncharacteristic losing streak and Chan Sung Jung dropped him in 7 seconds in December. Yagin's 15 wins are evenly distributed between KOs, submissions and decisions, and now he's looking to get that first UFC win after losing in his debut at UFC 135. Mark Hominick is one of the best, most technical strikers in MMA. People are trying to make his loss to the Korean Zombie bigger than what it really was -- an aberration from a stellar career. Saying he has a glass jaw from one fight is like saying I wasn’t cool growing up because I played the flute in the school band. 1) Hominick was still standing after his fight against Jose Aldo and 2) Remember Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull? He’s all types of cool. Yagin gets KO’d in the second.Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonaldWe then get the much anticipated return of Miguel Torres (40-4) as he takes on Michael “Mayday” McDonald (14-1). On top of the bantamweight division for a long time, Torres has had difficulty as of late going 3-3 in his last few bouts. McDonald, on the other hand, hasn’t lost since 2009 and is taking a big jump up in competition as he searches for his fourth UFC win.At first glance, McDonald takes this all day. He’s younger, stronger and a rising star in the division. At first glance, people thought the Compact Disc was the pinnacle of music technology. Am I saying that McDonald is going to be obsolete in a few years? No. Am I saying that I still use my Discman? Maybe. Do I pray that McDonald comes out to “I Keep Forgettin”? You know it! Torres has the experience and is hungry for a win and takes this by decision.Brendan Schaub vs. Ben RothwellThe next fight is a heavyweight bout between Brendan “The Hybrid” Schaub and Ben Rothwell. Runner-up on season ten of The Ultimate Fighter, “The Hybrid” is looking to rebound after getting KO’d by Big Nog in August. Ben “Hybrid of a Viking and Roy Nelson” Rothwell is looking for redemption after his loss to Mark Hunt at UFC 135 in Denver proved that heavyweights should not be allowed to fight at elevation. Atlanta is only 1050 feet (that’s 320m for my metric system friends) above sea level, so this one shouldn’t be too bad.Full disclosure: I’ve trained and hung out with Ben Rothwell here in Wisconsin, so I’m not exactly an unbiased observer. Normally in this case I throw the predicting job to my Grandma Murphy, but she’s currently recovering from a broken hip (this is actually a true statement). In lieu of that I’ll leave you with a fun anecdote. When he was a teenager, Ben Rothwell once jumped a guy working behind the counter at a Taco Bell who he felt was insulting him. While there may not be any video evidence of this occurrence, I imagine it looked something like this. Rory MacDonald vs. Che MillsThe co-main event of the evening pits Rory “Ares” MacDonald (12-1) against “Beautiful” Che Mills (14-4). Coming off a TKO victory against Mike Pyle, MacDonald hails from Kelowna. At first I thought it was a Hawaiian Island but it’s actually in British Columbia. There are similarities, though, seeing that both places grow things. Hawaii has macadamia nuts, pineapples, coffee, and guavas while British Columbia grows marijuana. Mills was born in Gloucester, England which....uh.....has the largest ice cream factory in Europe (hey, they all can’t be winners). He made his UFC debut with a 40-second TKO win that earned him a co-main shot against the Canadian kid they're calling the next GSP.Before injuring his knee in November, MacDonald was one of the fastest-rising stars in the division, and I expect him to continue that momentum. Mills is strong striker with an excellent clinch. Unfortunately, his attempts to utilize the clinch will allow MacDonald to get close, get the takedown and deliver the punishing ground and pound we saw him use in his fight against Pyle. MacDonald via TKO in the 1st. Jon Jones vs. Rashad EvansThat brings us to the main event of the evening. Rashad Evans has won four straight since losing to Lyoto Machida (his only loss) and people still aren’t giving him the respect he deserves, which further cements him as the lunch lady of MMA. Jon Jones has experienced a meteoric rise in the UFC en route to becoming the light heavyweight champion and undefeated. Well, except for that whole illegal elbow thing, but I’m pretty sure that’s like my cousin Lindsay’s police record as a minor -- it’ll get expunged after a few years. When the Evans vs Jones hype was coming around the first time, I had Jones. That is, until Rashad’s fight against Phil Davis made me a believer. Now, Phil Davis isn’t at Jon Jones’ level, but he’s still an excellent fighter. Plus, I honestly believe the fact that they trained together gives Rashad an advantage in the sense that he doesn’t give into the mythos of Jon Jones. This will be a close, back and forth fight. It’ll be a technical chess match. Jones will tag him, but not with anything devastating. Rashad will utilize his footwork and speed to avoid getting caught with big shots and eventually get in to put the champ on his back. Here too there won’t be particularly devastating strikes, but it will be enough for Rashad to get the split decision win and take the title back.Well, that wraps up another edition of the Downes Side. Be sure to follow me on Twitter @dannyboydownes, my blog and catch me live blogging the fights tonight here. Also, feel free to leave comments, musings, questions or post your deepest darkest secrets. I promise to respond and not judge you (maybe). Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a nice new chip and dip bowl that needs to be used.
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Read the full article at UFCJBJ W5 - Jones Beats Another Former Champ - UFC 145 Main Event Results
ATLANTA, April 22 - One of the UFC’s most bitter feuds saw Jon Jones pushed five rounds for the first time in his career Saturday night at Philips Arena, but friend-turned-enemy Rashad Evans was unable to overcome the 205-pound champ’s massive reach advantage, wicked elbows and relentless plethora of kicks in the UFC 145 main event.Jones, widely anointed as the skyrocketing sport’s Superman of sorts, did not steamroll his former sparring partner as many had expected. Rounds one and two were at times riveting and very competitive, but Jones was noticeably busier over the final three rounds to cinch the unanimous decision by scores of 49-46, 49-46, and 50-45. “Yeah, this was definitely my most satisfying victory,” the 24-year-old champ said. “I felt like my striking was a little more elementary (than usual), I just didn’t want to make a lot of mistakes.” Yet Jones (16-1) noted that the bout played out much different than their training sessions, before Evans departed Greg Jackson’s team over a year ago amid turmoil over teammates fighting teammates.“It felt completely different,” Jones said. “You saw tonight I threw a lot of elbows. I would never do that to a sparring partner … and I think my wrestling has definitely improved a lot. I had a goal to finish this fight and I didn’t. Hats off to Rashad. That’s the first time I’ve gone five rounds so I learned some things there, too.” After the final horn had sounded neither champ nor challenger shook hands or exchanged verbal pleasantries that would indicate the simmering tensions are squashed. But there was respect in the comments they gave to commentator Joe Rogan. “I give him props; he was creative and kept me on my toes, so I got to give it to him,” said 32-year-old Evans, the former UFC light heavyweight champ who fell to 22-2-1. “He had those sneaky elbows that kept getting in on me.”
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Read the full article at UFCUFC 145 Results: Jones vs. Evans
MMA Fighting has UFC 145 results for all of the Jones vs. Evans fight card April 21, plus live UFC coverage from Atlanta, live blogs of all the fights and live UFC 145 twitter updates.In the main event, Jon Jones will defend his UFC light heavyweight title against former teammate and champion Rashad Evans.
Check out the full UFC 145 results below.
Main CardJon Jones vs. Rashad EvansRory MacDonald vs. Che MillsBrendan Schaub vs. Ben RothwellMiguel Torres vs. Michael McDonaldMark Hominick vs. Eddie YaginMark Bocek vs. John AlessioUndercardTravis Browne vs. Chad GriggsMatt Brown vs. Stephen ThompsonJohn Makdessi vs. Anthony NjokuaniMac Danzig vs. Efrain EscuderoKeith Wisniewski vs. Chris ClementsMarcus Brimage vs. Maximo Blanco
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Read the full article at AOL FanhouseVideo: Jon Jones and Rashad Evans full segment on NBA on TNT
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Read the full article at RedditUFC 145 Pre-Fight Interviews – Jon Jones
MMAFighting’s Luke Thomas catches up with UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones on the eve of his bout with longtime rival Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145. For more clips like this, check out MMAFighting.com.
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Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Weigh-in Photos
Check out our UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans weigh-in photo gallery by MMAWeekly.com's Jeff Cain.
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Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Weigh-In Results
Jon Jones and Rashad Evans came face-to-face for the final time before they step inside the Octagon Saturday in the main event of UFC 145 when both fighters stepped on the stage to weigh-in and hit their desired marks meaning the title-fight is official. Jones, the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion, came in right at 205, while Evans tipped the scale at 204.
The two men had to be separated after they squared off, igniting a large ovation from the crowd.
Only one fighter – John Makdessi – missed weight. Makdessi will surrender 20% of his purse to Anthony Njokuani after coming in at 158 for their meeting at lightweight.
Check out video the Jones-Evans incident below followed by complete results from the weigh-ins:
Prelims(Facebook):
Keith Wisniewski (170.5 lbs) vs. Chris Clements (169 lbs)
Marcus Brimage (145 lbs) vs. Maximo Blanco (146 lbs)
Prelims (FX):
Travis Browne (250 lbs) vs. Chad Griggs (228 lbs)
Matt Brown (171 lbs) vs. Stephen Thompson (171 lbs)
John Makdessi (158 lbs) vs. Anthony Njokuani (156 lbs)
Mac Danzig (155 lbs) vs. Efrain Escudero (156 lbs)
Main Card (PPV):
Mark Bocek (155 lbs) vs. John Alessio (155.5 lbs)
Mark Hominick (145.5 lbs) vs. Eddie Yagin (144.5 lbs)
Miguel Torres (135.5 lbs) vs. Michael McDonald (135 lbs)
Brendan Schaub (237 lbs) vs. Ben Rothwell (263 lbs)
Rory MacDonald (169.5 lbs) vs. Che Mills (170 lbs)
Jon Jones (205 lbs) vs. Rashad Evans (204 lbs)
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145 Jones v. Evans Weigh-ins Heat Up (Video)
Check out the UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans weigh-in video. Things got a little heated when Jon Jones and Rashad Evans squared off after stepping off the scale.
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Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145 Jones vs Evans Weigh-In
UFC 145 Notes and Quotes
ATLANTA -- This has been a different kind of fight week. For one thing it’s about 24 hours before showtime and UFC president Dana White is not here. That’s not the norm, but it might be going forward due to White’s participation in TUF: Live. He’s usually the UFC’s No. 1 hype man, and whether you like him or not, the event feels just a little bit smaller when he’s not around.That said, UFC 145’s main event still feels big. It's generated serious buzz, but no clear fan favorite. Both Rashad Evans and Jon Jones received their fair share of boos at Friday’s weigh-ins. Evans certainly got a bit more applause, but it sounds like the kind of crowd that could be swayed by seeing something spectacular on fight night. The fight and the fans are both there for the taking. Around Atlanta, there are "Jones vs. Evans" signs on street lights. Around the sports world, others are taking notice. LeBron James tweeted Jones earlier this week, putting his stamp on him as an athletic star. Meanwhile, the NFL Network has a camera crew following Jones and his family around during fight week for a draft day feature on Jon’s brother Arthur, while Rashad Evans went to the TNT studios this week and visited with Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley. Suffice it to say, this is a big deal for the UFC, for Jones, and Evans.
There's been plenty said, and we've rounded up some of the best quotes from the week to take you into fight night.
Rashad Evans, on when his relationship with Jones started to change:"Jon was like a super-eager happy kid. Like, super excited about everything. First time I met him was at the UFC Expo. And then Greg told him he was going to train with us for his camp. And he was like, 'Oh man, I’m so excited to be part of the team,' to the point I was like, 'OK, I get it. Back up a little.' He was an excited kid. He carried that enthusiasm for a while but then people started to get in his ear. And I think that’s when things started to get to him because he’s not a very confident person. I know he’s not. He says all those things but he’s very insecure."Jon Jones, on when his relationship with Evans started to change:"I think the real problem started when I realized I had the opportunity to do something and I really focused my life and focused my dedication to the sport. I used to go out and party and do immature things, and I think that’s what he’s talking about when he says you guys don’t know things about me. Yeah, I go out and drink every once in a while. I’m 24. So I think he looked at how wild I used to be as someone who could never compete with him and get on that level with him. And I think he realized once I dedicated myself to martial arts and changed my personal life and private life. I changed a lot. He knows that I’m not the kid I used to be. And I think that’s when the real problem came. He realized that OK, this kid actually could become something special here. And that’s when the problem truly came."Greg Jackson, on Evans' assertion that Jackson could no longer focus on him because of his many commitments:"It’s both yes and no. I’m always focused on my fighters and always focused on the team. I don’t have the luxury of focusing on one guy. That’s why we have a lot of coaches there. Because the team shares. We give and we take, and I have responsibility to a lot of people. So, yes, I still focused on Rashad, but yes, I still focused on the team."Georges St-Pierre, on watching former teammate Evans fight current teammate Jones:"It’s hard to say who will win. It’s hard for me. It happens all the time, I have two guys that I know fighting each other. It’s happened before. It’s entertaining because of all the emotion involved, but it’s hard. I wish them both good luck."Travis Browne, on whether, as some suggest, Jones should be fighting at heavyweight:"Why? He’s doing so good at light-heavyweight, why move up to heavyweight? He’s cutting weight so easily. It’s not like he has a hard cut and it affects him in his fights. Stay at light-heavyweight."Rory MacDonald, on whether another teammate vs. teammate rivalry is lingering with him and St-Pierre:"Me and Georges are teammates and friends, so it’s not going to get to that point of Rashad and Jones. I understand people want to see that drama, but I’m not big into drama. Me and Georges will work together and hopefully he retires or moves up or whatever. I’ll wait my turn."Che Mills, on whether the fight with MacDonald is too much, too soon:"No, definitely not. When you first hear, you get some nerves. He’s a good guy. But at the same time, it’s the UFC. What else are you here for?"Stephen Thompson, on Matt Brown's style as an opponent:"He’s an aggressive guy. He comes straight forward, which is alright for me. But we’ll see if he wants to stand there and bang. I know he’s a banger, but something tells me he’s going to want to take it to the ground."Matt Brown, on whether he'll actually want to take it to the ground:"I’m probably as worried if not more worried about his ground game than I am his standup. Because I’ve seen his standup. I’ve watched a bunch of his kickboxing matches. I’ve watched his MMA fights. I’ve seen his standup. I know what he’s going to try to do. His ground game? I have no g------ clue. Who knows? He could be Rickson Gracie on the mat. Try to take him down and you end up twisted up like a pretzel."Miguel Torres, on his new style"People say, ‘Oh, Miguel shouldn’t have changed his game. Miguel abandoned his old ways.’ My old ways were reckless. It’s easy to judge without you being in that situation. I didn’t know what was wrong because it was working. And I haven’t totally changed everything. I’m trying to adapt the new style to the old style, and it takes time."Michael McDonald, on Torres' new style:"I think he’s a little less aggressive, and honestly I think that’s a mistake. He had, what, like a 30-fight win streak while being aggressive? And he got knocked out once? I think that got him a whole lot farther than changing his style did. I think you should stick to what got you where you here."
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Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones to Rashad Evans: “I Can’t Wait to Knock You Out” (Video)
At this week’s UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans pre-fight press conference, it appeared as though the fight card’s main eventers had gotten over their supremely-hyped feud, which has been steeping for the past year.
No matter. Jones and Evans make for an intriguing style match up without any ill-will and their shared past as training partners is still an x-factor worth paying some mind to. Except that, maybe we shouldn’t mistake their docile behavior at the presser as an indication that there won’t be any heat going into this fight.
They may not be as wrapped up in it as they were when the situation was fresh, but Jones and Evans have made it clear that what they need to settle won’t be settled until they step into the cage. Being tired of dissecting their feud for the media doesn’t change that.
The above video, in which Jones tells Evans that he can’t wait to knock him out, was captured during a break between interviews, where the two were still connected through the same feed. Nothing fake there.
The two also showed some intensity during today’s weigh-ins, getting in each other’s faces and forcing Joe Silva to separate them. These are professional fighters who operate with tactics and strategy, so if you’re expecting a gutter brawl, you’ll probably be let down. Still, don’t get lulled into thinking there isn’t anything personal left going into this fight. Both men will be out to prove something tomorrow night.
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Read the full article at MMA FrenzyVideo: Complete UFC 145 Weigh Ins And Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Stare-Down Pic
Everyone has weighed in for UFC 145 and we've got the complete video featuring all the fighters making weight -- or not. Light Heavyweight champ Jon Jones and his challenger Rashad Evans both made the 205lb limit. Evans came in at one pound under and Jones right on the dot.
UFC Lightweight John Makdessi didn't make weight and had to give up 20% of his purse to his opponent. Makdessi came in at 158lbs, 3 pounds over the divisional limit.
Complete weigh-in results after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Main Card:
Jon Jones (205) vs. Rashad Evans (204)Rory MacDonald (169.5) vs. Che Mills (170)Ben Rothwell (263) vs. Brendan Schaub (237)Michael McDonald (135) vs. Miguel Torres (135.5)Mark Hominick (145.5) vs. Eddie Yagin (144.5)John Alessio (155.5) vs. Mark Bocek (155)Preliminary Card:
Travis Browne (250) vs. Chad Griggs (228)Matt Brown (171) vs. Stephen Thompson (171)John Makdessi (158*) vs. Anthony Njokuani (156)Mac Danzig (155) vs. Efrain Escudero (156)Chris Clements (169) vs. Keith Wisniewski (170.5)Maximo Blanco (145) vs. Marcus Brimage (145)
*Makdessi was two pounds over, and will give up 20% of his purse
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Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Weigh Ins Staredown GIF
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Read the full article at RedditFull UFC 145 weigh-in video for 'Jones vs Evans' in Atlanta
The UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" weigh-in event took place earlier today (Fri., April 20, 2012) from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, where all 24 competitors tipped the scale to make their respective bouts official for tomorrow's mixed martial arts (MMA) event.
In the video above, the first fighter steps on the scale around the 8:00 mark.
Jon Jones (205) and Rashad Evans (204) are finally set to settle their differences inside the Octagon after more than a year of build and pre-fight hype. They'll hook 'em up in the main event with the light heavyweight championship on the line. In addition, Rory MacDonald will battle Che Mills in the co-headlining fight of the evening.
For complete UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" weigh in results click here and for staredowns click here.
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Read the full article at MMA ManiaAthletics runs deep in the Jones family
With two high-football football players as brothers, UFC champion Jon Jones' family has quite an athletic bond.
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Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC 145 Weigh-In Results: Jones vs. Evans
ATLANTA - In one of the most emotionally charged UFC event weigh-ins in recent memory, both UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans made weight, making their UFC 145 title match official.
Jones checked in at the division's championship limit of 205 pounds, while Evans was one pound lighter. The reaction from the live crowd at the Fox Theatre was mixed but loud for both, with Evans receiving slightly more support from the crowd. The audience was loud enough to mostly drown out both fighters as they gave their final pre-fight comments to announcer Joe Rogan.
After weighing in, the two went forehead-to-forehead and had to be separated. As they were backed away from each other, Evans barked at Jones, while the champion stared him down. Meanwhile, their cornermen Art Jones (for Jones) and Tyrone Spong (for Evans) got into the act as well, yelling from afar. After Evans addressed the crowd, he pounded his chest while screaming towards the crowd and at Jones.
The champion responded by saying he was ready to "tear some hearts out."
Co-main event fighters Rory MacDonald and Che Mills had no problem hitting the mark, with Mills weighing 170 and the intense MacDonald just one-half pound lighter.
Heavyweight Brendan Schaub will have to overcome a 26-pound disadvantage in his fight with Ben Rothwell, who hit 263 on the scale, while Schaub was 237. That was a slightly larger differential faced by Chad Griggs, who at 228, was 22 pounds lighter than 250-pound Travis Browne.
John Makdessi was the only fighter to miss weight, checking in at 158 for his lightweight fight with Anthony Njokuani (156). Makdessi elected to forfeit 20 percent of his purse rather than attempt to cut the final two pounds.
UFC president Dana White was not present for the event, staying in Las Vegas for the night's edition of TUF Live.
Main CardJon Jones (205) vs. Rashad Evans (204) Rory MacDonald (169.5) vs. Che Mills (170)Brendan Schaub (237) vs. Ben Rothwell (263)Miguel Torres (135.5) vs. Michael McDonald (135)Mark Hominick (145.5) vs. Eddie Yagin (144.5)Mark Bocek (155) vs. John Alessio (155.5) Preliminary Card Travis Browne (250) vs. Chad Griggs (228)Matt Brown (171) vs. Stephen Thompson (171) John Makdessi (158) vs. Anthony Njokuani (156)Mac Danzig (155) vs. Efrain Escudero (156)Keith Wisniewski (170.5) vs. Chris Clements (169)Maximo Blanco (146) vs. Marcus Brimage (145)
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Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Weigh-in Results; Rivalry Heats Back Up
Full UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans weigh-in results from Atlanta, where Jon Jones and Rashad Evans got a little heated after stepping off the scale.
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Read the full article at MMA WeeklyRivals Jon Jones, Rashad Evans Official for UFC 145 Title Tilt
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and onetime titleholder Rashad Evans have been at odds with one another for more than a year. In a matter of hours, the former friends and teammates will have nothing left to separate them
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Read the full article at SherdogUFC 145 Judo Chop: Just How Good Is The Striking Of Jon Jones?
We are fast approaching one of the most anticipated UFC fights in years as Jon Jones and Rashad Evans finally meet at UFC 145. Given the history between these two friends turned enemies, it's only natural that most of the pre-fight discussion has been focused on the narrative behind their fight. And make no mistake, it's a great and compelling story. But that story is only half of what makes this such a great fight. The other half is what will take place inside the Octagon Saturday night. Because these aren't just rivals, they're also two of the finest fighters in the world.
And so here, we'll focus not on the rivalry, but on the techniques. Specifically, the stand-up techniques of the champion Jon Jones. Be sure to read the excellent analysis of Rashad Evans's stand-up done earlier this week by Jack Slack to get the other side.
Related: Can Rashad Evans Stand With Jon Jones? | UFC 145 Photos: Jon Jones Trains For Rashad Evans | Rashad Evans Getting Pointers From Roy Jones, Jr. Ahead Of Jon Jones Fight | The Techniques Of Jon Jones And Rashad Evans
In 2011, Jones established himself as one of the pound for pound greats in MMA today - a Silva/GSP-esque undefeatable phenom. Yet there are some detractors who say that he is not as good as the hype may always indicate. And those detractors generally point to his stand-up game, which some view as using flash and reach in place of solid technique. Here then, we'll break down Jones's stand-up and see what we can learn. We'll look at the following areas:
Footwork
Defensive movement and positioning
Offense
Let's see if we can find a crack in Jones's armor that Evans can exploit Saturday night.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Before we dive in, let me just say that I am not someone who sees MMA striking as being necessarily the exact mirror of pure boxing, Muay Thai, or K-1 striking. MMA fighters have different needs in their stand-up, so comparing their technique to the technique used by a Manny Pacquiao is not entirely fair. But there's still room for improvement in the striking of many MMA fighters, and Jon Jones is no exception.
Footwork
This is not an area where Jones shines. He tends to be flat-footed, which can slow down his movement. There's a plus to that as it helps him maintain cardio by keeping his legs more relaxed, but against Machida that slowness caused by keeping his feet planted allowed him to get caught a few times.
Jones also tends to switch stances often, moving freely between orthodox and southpaw stance. This has good advantages as it opens up his offense and keep his opponent guessing. That ability to confuse his opponent is one of his greatest striking strengths, which we'll address more when discussing his offense. While he likes to use the southpaw stance, he doesn't always use it to his best advantage. When one fighter is standing southpaw and the other orthodox, the way to gain the dominant position is to move your lead foot to the outside of your opponent's. That gives you more options and more power in your strikes. Jones does not do this, and yields the dominant position to his opponent when in southpaw. Small, but a mistake.
Along those same lines, Jones tends to overuse forward and backward movement on his feet, rather than coming in at angles. Compare him to a fighter like Frankie Edgar and you'll see a huge difference. Edgar will come in from the side and move off to the side when evading. Jones often comes straight in, and moves straight back. His significant reach advantage lets him get away with this. but it's not the best use of movement.
Overall, I would characterize his footwork as passable, but in need of some improvement. He makes it work, but focus on improving it could strengthen his game.
Defense
Lyoto Machida gets inside and connects on Jon Jones at UFC 140. Photo by Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
As mentioned above, Jones's motion tends to leave a few defensive openings. His motion straight back opens him up for a straight forward blitzing attack, which is what Machida used so effectively in round 1. Evans has shown this type of attack before, such as when he dropped Rampage, so it is something for Jones to watch for Saturday night.
For defense, I would say Jones's primary tactic is maintaining range. He's superb at using his range to keep fighters from getting in too close. When they do get close, he either brings his hands up and moves away to reset, or secures the clinch and takes them down. It's rare that a fighter has been able to get inside on Jones and continue striking. However, if a fighter could achieve that position (a huge if), they could find themselves in a nice spot to inflict some damage on the champion.
Jones doesn't use a lot of head or body movement to slip strikes, which leaves him a bit exposed. He also has a tendency to lower his level and bring his head down when he starts to get hit, which is a bad habit for any fighter, but particularly unfortunate for a taller fighter like Jones. By bringing his head down, he nullifies his height advantage, giving his opponent an opening.
Finally, he uses a lot of hand movement from the Anderson Silva style, but that can leave his chin exposed. He also tends to not bring his hands back to their defensive position quickly after throwing a punch. Again, this keeps his chin exposed, and a well-timed counter-puncher (Machida) can capitalize on those small gaps.
Defensively, as in his footwork, Jones has gotten by, but could use some tightening up. In particular, the dropping of his head and hands in defense is a concern, and whenever he does finally lose, I suspect that will be the culprit.
Offense
Jon Jones uses his range with a front kick on Rampage Jackson at UFC 135. Photo by Esther Lin, MMA Fighting.
I've spent a lot of time pointing out some flaws in Jones's game, so here's the chance to state the obvious: despite any technical flaws in footwork and defense, Jon Jones is a very dangerous striker. And that danger comes from his offensive output.
Jones has a natural gift in his reach, but it's his use of proper technique that allows him to best capitalize on that reach. He's done a great job building his game around this asset - teeps, jabs, and big head kicks are major weapons for Jones. That head kick in particular shows fantastic use of range as he really extends on it. All of these strikes push his opponent back and out of their attacking range, while allowing Jones to continue his own assault.
As his career has progressed Jones has evolved from more single shots to combos. Starting with the Shogun fight, we've seen him mix strikes together much more effectively. But he is still deliberate with those shots, choosing each punch and kick carefully. He's not a fast paced, 3-4 strike combo kind of fighter, instead selecting each successive strike to follow up on the previous one and thread its way through an opponent's defense.
For both his leg kicks and head kicks, Jones tends to at times sacrifice power for speed. He'll throw kicks very quickly without fully turning over his hips. This allows him to get the kick off fast, but doesn't do as much damage. In his recent fights, we've seen that his striking is more about accumulated damage rather than the single flash KO, and this style of speed over power plays to that.
And of course, his strikes are incredibly varied. He has an absolutely huge arsenal of knees, kicks, elbows, punches, plus a seemingly endless capacity to bring in new strikes, all of which keeps his opponents guessing.
Offensively, Jones's striking is up there among the best in the UFC. He uses his reach to perfection, and has built a great game based on slowly breaking his opponent down.
Overall
In the end, the good from that offense significantly outweighs the bad from the defense and footwork. I think it's fair to characterize Jones as a very skilled striker. But he's also a striker with real, tangible flaws. So far, only Lyoto Machida had any success using those flaws to his advantage, and Machida is the best technical striker in the division. And he still ended the fight unconscious.
Does this mean Jones is unbeatable? No it does not. But it does mean that anyone looking to beat him will have to exploit those holes perfectly, while surviving the offensive onslaught. It's not an easy task. Is Rashad Evans up for it? I suspect not, but I look forward to finding out.
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Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Weigh-In Results
Well, it is now official. UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and No. 1 contender Rashad Evans each weighed in successfully Friday afternoon, making their title contest at UFC 145 Saturday night official. Jones will be looking to defend his title for a third time, having already defeated former champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto [...]
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Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145: Jones Vs Evans Head Kick Legend Staff Picks
Here are the UFC 145: Jones Vs Evans staff picks. We start off with the undercard this time around, as there are some pretty interesting fights taking place, including former TUF champions Mac Danzig and Efrain Escudero doing battle, as well as John Makdessi and Anthony Njokuani getting together for what should be an elite striking battle. Let us know who you are picking in the comments sections!
Marcus Brimage vs Maximo BlancoEarl - Marcus Brimage is an awesome dude. We have learned that he loves BBWs, getting "white girl wasted", DragonballZ and farting on camera during intense pre-fight promos. I am going to be sad to see him get absolutely trucked here by Maximo. Maximo Blanco, KO, Round 1.Elliot - I actually really like Marcus’ striking, it’s fluid, technical, and he puts together good combos that have good snap. As much of a powerhouse Maxi is, I don’t think he should try to trade with Brimage here. If he puts Marcus onto his heels, and asserts his takedowns, then I see this being very one sided. Although I know Blanco likes to brawl, I think he will bully Marcus around for an eventual TKO or decision.Patrick - Brimage has potential: he’s both a total character and a fun offensive striker. Blanco, however, is on another level. Brimage is the guy who knew nothing about basic techniques from the guard nine months ago, so there’s no way he’ll be able to deal with Blanco’s top game; I think Maxi gets him down and punishes him. Blanco by TKO, Round 2.Cory - I have no reason to go against the grain here. Brimage has done some decent things in his stint on TUF, but not enough to convince me that he can hang with someone with the rugged power of Blanco. Blanco - TKOLuke - I thought of a couple of reasons to go against the grain here. First reason: Blanco has fought all but one of his fights overseas in Japan. He lost the one he didn’t. Second reason: Blanco is dropping down to featherweight for the first time in his career. I’m also not too high on Blanco’s strength of schedule over in Japan. Of course, Brimage hasn’t done too much in the professional world of mixed martial arts himself and as Patrick noted, he doesn’t have much of a ground game. I think he’ll wind up on his back any time he gets any momentum going but, since he’s fighting in his backyard, he should get to the judges scorecards. Blanco, Unanimous decision.Keith Wisniewski vs. Chris ClementsEarl - Clements is a striker with massive power who has finished all 10 of his victories via KO/TKO. Three of his four losses are via submission and I think "The Polish Connection" has the veteran savvy to weather the storm, drag this one to the mat and get the tap. Keith Wisniewski, Submission, Round 2Elliot - I only know Wisniewkski as the guy who Josh Neer mauled with elbows and then choked the hell out of. I have no knowledge of Chris Clements, other than that fightfinder tells me he stopped Clementi and Goulet recently. It looks like Clements loses by submission more than Wisniewkski loses by knockout, so I will copy the nobleman of Montclair, and say The Wis™ takes a submission win.Patrick - Clements is a significant favorite: Wisniewski is hittable, and Clements hits really, really hard. I’m not confident in this pick, but I’ll say Clements by TKO, Round 2.Cory - I’m with Patrick on this one for mostly the same reasons. It’s nice that the UFC is bringing back an old vet to give him one last shot at some glory, but I think that Wis drops his UFC record to 0-3 and is gone likely for good. Clements - TKOLuke - Wisneiwski didn’t look so great against Josh Neer, but then again, Neer is a very good and complete fighter who poses multiple risks. Clements is primarily a power striker, making this a scarier but likely easier proposition for Wisniewski. If he gets caught, well, he gets caught, but I’m on the same page as Earl and Elliot are. Wisniewski, Submission, Round 2.Mac Danzig vs. Efrain EscuderoEarl - Mac Danzig is 4-5 in the UFC (counting his awful loss to Matt Wiman via Yves Lavigne stoppage) and Escudero is just the kind of guy to allow him to even up his record. Efrain gets his walking papers after this one. Again. Mac Danzig, Unanimous Decision.Elliot - I’ll never forget seeing Danzig doing jedi training at Xtreme Couture, with a pole tied to his head, shadowboxing with a tennis ball attached to a string at the end of the pole. Mac is a true gym rat, and although he may not be the most physically gifted athlete, he has certainly maximized his abilities in a way that Escudero never has. Maybe Efrain has a reason for his weight problems, maybe he’s every bit as dedicated as Danzig... but I doubt it. And although Efrain is probably more naturally talented- hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. Danzig takes a decision, or perhaps a late sub.Patrick - A semi-interesting battle of lower-tier gatekeepers. I doubt this fight gets finished either way, but I think Danzig’s cardio will give him the edge late to take a Unanimous Decision.Cory - Efrain has done very little over the course of his career that has made me think he will be anything but a journeyman. None of his wins have been terribly impressive, and all of his losses were fairly convincing. Mac Danzig is kind of the same way, and I wouldn’t be too upset if both of them were cut after this, but I think Danzig does enough. Danzig - Decision.Luke - Neither of these guys have turned out to be much of anything after they won their respective seasons of The Ultimate Fighter. Danzig, who won season six, has been better than Escudero, the season eight winner. Mac has fought a higher level of competition, having gone up against Clay Guida and Jim Miller, two of the division's current contenders. He even holds a submission victory over Mark Bocek. As for Escudero, well, he struggled to a 2-2 record in his first go-round with the promotion and was cut after failing to make weight in his losing effort against Charles Oliveira. He went 5-1 outside the promotion, including victories over current TUF competitors Mike Rio and Jeremy Larsen. He returned to the UFC and lost a reasonably close decision to Jakob Volkmann in his last fight. This fight will probably come down to the wrestling of Escudero. If he can get Danzig down, he wins. I don’t think he can. Danzig, Unanimous decision.John Makdessi vs. Anthony NjokuaniEarl - After giving both guys matchups with grapplers in their previous outings and watching them both lose, Joe Silva wised up and decided to have these two strikers face each other. This one should be an exciting FOTN candidate if it goes the distance and is an easy KOTN candidate if it doesn’t. Anthony Njokuani, Unanimous Decision.Elliot - Should be a great fight, however- Mak already looks like he should be fighting at 145, and Njokuani is flippin huge for a lightweight. That said- Anthony has shown himself susceptible to the spinning attacks Makdessi is so very proficient with (the spinning wheel kick Barbosa hit him with; the spinning backfist Jewtuszko KO’d him with), which makes this fight very interesting. I will go against my better judgement, and give the exciting new prospect in John Makdessi the edge here, winning a decision, or perhaps drilling Njokuani with a spinning attack for the (T)KO finish.Patrick - For all of Njokuani's flaws - and there are many - his Muay Thai is absolutely top-notch. I think that Makdessi's an exciting prospect, but his future has to be at 145; I just don't see him closing the range against the much taller Njokuani, and he has zero track record of successfully implementing an alternative gameplan. Still, Njokuani is hittable, so there is a possibility that Makdessi will land one of his huge spinning strikes. I’ll take Njokuani by close Unanimous Decision.Cory - This is kind of a toss-up to me. Both fighters have their upsides, but I’ll play a hunch and say Makdessi takes the decision based upon some of the reasoning that Elliot mentioned.. Makdessi - Decision.Luke - Both men have been showing very impressive striking in their time inside the Octagon, but what makes this match up so intriguing is their backgrounds. Makdessi is a Taekwondo guy, while Njokuani comes from the Muay Thai school. In my mind this fight will be decided by the ability of Makdessi to close the distance, as he’s quite a bit smaller than Njokuani. Makdessi has shown a fairly dynamic attack with his use of side kicks and, as the other staff members have mentioned, spinning strikes. I believe it will be dynamic enough to get him on the inside. Will he be able to get a finish? I don’t think so. Makdessi, Unanimous decision.Matt Brown vs. Stephen ThompsonEarl - Matt Brown got his groove back by wrecking Chris Cope in his last outing. Nobody has ever defeated Matt Brown by KO/TKO but Stephen Thompson is an elite striker who has all the ability to do it. Dan Stittgen was just a warm up for Wonderboy. Don’t blink. Stephen Thompson, KO, Round 1.Elliot - I don’t think Thompson will be the first man to KO the ridiculously tough Matt Brown, but I think Stephen Thompson will be able to land the better shots throughout and outduel Brown to a decision.Patrick - Thompson isn’t quite the uber-prospect he’s being made out to be, though his striking is absurdly good. He’ll eventually be beaten by one of the many wrestlers inhabiting the top echelon of the division, but Brown isn’t the guy to do it. Thompson by dominant Unanimous Decision.Cory - I kind of want to say Brown, as he’s a tough grinder that stands a good shot at dragging this into quicksand, but how can I pick against Wonderboy when he’s so much fun? Wonderboy - TKOLuke - I think Patrick is on the right track, but I actually think Matt Brown is going to be the one to put a stop to the Wonderboy hoopla real quick. We’ve seen a ton of strikers come into the Octagon, win a fight or two with magnificent striking, only to lose to a mediocre gatekeeper who has a passable ground game. Wonderboy supposedly has a ground game, but I’m not buying it until I see him use it. You know what else has me down on Thompson’s chances? Matt Brown is a tough son of a gun, who himself has struggled with ground fighting. The opportunity to "pay it forward" and show Thompson what the UFC is really all about is something that I believe Brown will relish. Brown, Unanimous decision.Travis Browne vs. Chad GriggsEarl - The best sideburns in the business make their UFC debut and find themselves pitted against a gigantic man in Travis Browne. Browne may not be a top level HW (yet) but he is far superior to the jabronis Griggs was defeating in Strikeforce. This one should be dominant. Travis Browne, KO, Round 1.Elliot - Griggs is a puffed up light heavyweight, and although he’s tough as all hell, and very likeable, he is outmatched here. Travis Browne will beat Chad up something fierce, en route to a lopsided decision.Patrick - I’ll go one further, Elliot, and say that Griggs is downright lovable. Unfortunately, Browne is a monster with slick movement, great athleticism, and huge power. Browne by dominant decision.Cory - Yea, I can’t think of a reason to pick Griggs either. I like him, but he’s got very few avenues to win here. Browne - KOLuke - Browne has been equal parts awe-inspiring (his stoppages of James McSweeney and Stefan Struve) and disappointing (his draw with Cheick Kongo and his decision over Rob Broughton) in his Octagon career. Still, he’s a monster of a man and training at Jackson’s MMA should have improved him a lot since his last bout back in September. Griggs is a heavyweight Chris Lytle; fights fires outside the ring, fights inside the ring with the workmanlike ethic that such a day job provides. Like Lytle though, he has his limitations and I think Browne is a little bit much for him. If Browne is on his game, easy TKO victory. If not, he’ll struggle to a unanimous decision. I’m gonna go with the TKO. Browne, TKO, Round 1.Mark Bocek vs. John AlessioEarl - Alessio is making his return to the Octagon against submission specialist Mark Bocek who is coming off a victory of Nik Lentz. Alessio is coming in on fairly short notice but it is now or never for him to make a run in the big leagues and I say he seizes the opportunity. John Alessio, Unanimous Decision.Elliot - Alessio is a cool dude, and I took a few MMA classes under him at Xtreme Couture, so it pains me to say this, but Bocek has him beat here. He is the superior grappler, and has improved his striking to the point where Alessio won’t have a huge edge over him there. Bocek takes a decision, or late submission.Patrick - I’m glad to see Alessio back in the big show - he’s certainly earned it - but this is a bad matchup for him: Alessio tends to get subbed, and Bocek has a nasty submission game. Bocek by submission, round 3.Cory - This is indeed a rough matchup for Alessio here. Bocek wins this 4 out of 5 times I think. Bocek - Submission.Luke - A couple of Canadians going at it in this bout, with Alessio coming off a victory over a guy who reminds me of Bocek, Ryan Healy. Alessio is somewhat of a smooth operator who likes to use technical striking and slick grappling to get the job done. Bocek, like Healy, is a grinder extraordinaire who was able to win a unanimous decision over Nik Lentz despite spending much of the fight in a guillotine submission hold. Bocek simply got the takedown, defended the submission, prevented Lentz from doing much else, and happily got the judges nod. Not the most exciting way to win to be sure, but fairly effective. It’s been a long time since Bocek fought a "strike first" opponent, and the opportunity to showcase his offensive jiu jitsu is something he should welcome. Bocek, Submission, Round 1.Mark Hominick vs. Eddie YaginEarl - Squash match. Hominick, TKO, Round 2.Elliot - Hominick was obviously not in the right mindset for the fight with Jung. Yagin hasn’t impressed me much, and has been stopped by much lesser fighters than Hominick. Earl has it right- this will be a blowout. Hominick stops him with strikes.Patrick - Watching Hominick ply his technical kickboxing against infinitely less-skilled opponents is always a pleasure. Gamblers, don’t be seduced by the gaudy +450 line on Yagin: you’ll be wasting your money. Hominick by TKO, Round 1.Cory - I mean wow. Did Eddie do something to upset Joe Silva? Not too many rougher welcomes into the UFC rougher than Jr. Assuncao followed by Mark Hominick. Hominick - Pain.Luke - To put it simply, if Yagin wins, everyone in the UFC organization, from Lo Fer down to the mail room staff, is going to be very surprised. Squash match indeed. Hominick, TKO, Round 1.Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonaldEarl - Fresh off RapeVanGate, Miguel Torres has got himself back in the UFC against a young man who has been on a gravy train with biscuit wheels. Mayday has absurd power and is very aggressive in his attack. I wish McDonald was fighting the 4 years ago version of Miguel Torres. Nevertheless, this will be the biggest win of his career. Michael McDonald, TKO, Round 2.Elliot - This isn’t as much of a blowout for McDonald as some people are making it out to be. Torres has had trouble with powerhouse wrestlers, which Mayday is not. When Torres decides to, he controls range extremely well with a telephone pole of a jab, and sharp kicks. This is important because the two things that McDonald had trouble with in his very close fight with Chris Cariaso were getting kicked, and Cariaso’s guard submissions (another thing Torres excels at). I think McDonald will take the decision, but it will be close, and Torres will have his moments.Patrick - Razor-close fight. Elliot’s breakdown is spot-on: Mayday can certainly be hit, and it’s imperative that he close the distance. I think he’s aggressive enough to do just that. McDonald by Unanimous Decision.Cory - Fine, I’ll be that guy who roots for Miguel Torres. Torres - SubmissionLuke - I don’t even think this fight is that close. Torres is going to win and kick off a run at the title. Renan Barao should get the next shot at the 135 pound title, and Torres will need one more win after this one to solidify himself as the next guy in line. McDonald is young and he hasn’t faced anyone that I would consider good just yet. For his first big fight to be against a former champion who is looking to both redeem himself in the eyes of his bosses and put himself into the title picture is simply too much, too soon. Torres, Unanimous decision.Brendan Schaub vs. Ben RothwellEarl - Brendan’s chin will be in question for the rest of his career and his win over Cro Cop was less than impressive. I see him winning this but it will not be spectacular. Brendan Schaub via plodding UD.Chris - Ben Rothwell has done absolutely nothing to impress me in any of his UFC performances. Schaub is by no means a top level heavyweight, but Big Ben shouldn’t give him much trouble here. However, the only time Ben’s been stopped in the UFC was by Cain Valesquez as he was in the process of standing up against the fence. Schaub shouldn’t struggle too much in taking the decision, but expect this fight to get really ugly in the second and not get better before the final bell sounds. Brendan Schaub by DecisionElliot - I expect Rothwell to be in better shape in this fight, and not fighting in Denver should really make a difference for him here. That said, Schaub is harder/ better/ faster/ stronger than Big Ben in pretty much every aspect... the only thing Ben has on Schaub is a titanium chin. I will follow suit and say Schaub takes the decision.Patrick - Rothwell is... not that great. He has a distinct tendency to get hit by anyone and everyone he fights, and Schaub hits pretty hard; he also has a poor track record against faster and more athletic opponents (Arlovski, Velasquez, etc.), a category to which Schaub definitely belongs. Still, Rothwell's a tough guy. Schaub by Unanimous Decision.Cory - There’s not much else to be said that hasn’t been covered already. I can see Rothwell putting the dangadadang on Schaub, and I’m kind of rooting for it to happen, but I think it’s unlikely. Schaub - DecisionLuke - I’m probably going to watch this card at a house party, which means that I’ll have an excuse not to watch this fight. I’ll just watch Schaub/Gonzaga if I really feel the need to see what happened. Schaub, Unanimous decision.Rory MacDonald vs. Che MillsEarl - Squash match No. 2 - Rory MacDonald, Submission, Round 1.Chris - I’m with Earl on this one. No reason for The Waterboy to lose this one (No, Rory, you can’t just change your nickname) Rory MacDonald - TKO Round 1Elliot - Che’s only chance is to get Rory into a slugfest, which he and Zahabi are too smart for. Rory can take Mills down basically at will here, and from there it will be slaughter. MacDonald via first round stoppage from strikes or submission.Patrick - I highly doubt Mills will be able to stuff MacDonald’s powerful and creative takedowns. Once he’s down, there's no way Mills can deal with MacDonald's top game. The Waterboy, TKO Round 1. Cory - If Rory somehow manages to lose this one, I will consider dunking a hat in ketchup and eating it live on cam. This is his fight to lose and everyone knows it. RMac - TKOLuke - Rory MacDonald is a great young fighter, who has already had his "eye opening moment" against Carlos Condit, and now it’s time to start his first run at the belt. Che Mills is a tough nut to crack, but so was Mike Pyle, who MacDonald put out with savage ground and pound from the top position. MacDonald will announce himself as one of the top 10 welterweights in the world tomorrow. MacDonald, TKO, Round 1.Jon Jones vs. Rashad EvansEarl - After an eternity of hype, injuries, petulant "no, you are" back and forth bickering and 2 of Jon Jones’ special nights being ruined these two will finally fight. Jon’s freakish length and wrestling background should be the keys for him to get through this fight. Rashad’s head movement is far too predictable and overrated. He may get a couple takedowns early and might win the first, possibly even the second round as well but once Jon gets his timing down it is going to be Stanky Leg 2.0....and STILL your Light Heavyweight Overlord, Jon Jones via Massive Elbows TKO, Round 3.Chris - My first thought on this fight is that it’s about 9 months too late and the UFC is trying to drown us in the drama that would have been capturing last summer. At this point, I just want the fight to be over. Fortunately for me, I don’t think the main event is going to last too long. Considering his dominating performances against Tito Ortiz and Phil Davis, many fans are looking toward Rashad as the one to push Jon Jones to his limits. I just don’t see any way he’s going to pull that off. Jones has shown no weaknesses that would allow Rashad to implement his strengths. Jones by Submission - Round 3Elliot - Rashad isn’t being given the credit he deserves. He has the wrestling to stuff Jon better than Page did, the foot and hand speed to get to Jon’s chin like Lyoto did, and the knowledge of Jon’s game to not get surprised by anything big. That said, JJ has the vastly broader repertoire, and should be able to disarm Rashad on the feet, do damage in the clinch, and get the better of the wrestling exchanges to get on top and let loose with those ridiculous elbows, en route to a Jones decision. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Rashad win a round or two, though.Patrick - There are two significant variables in this fight: first, Rashad's ability to use his movement to get inside, and second, Jones' clinch work. As for the first, I don't give Rashad much of a chance to land hard punches on Bones. He had trouble getting inside on Phil Davis, who doesn't use his length nearly as effectively as Jones: Rashad landed only eight power strikes on Mr. Wonderful at range the entire fight. As to the second major variable, if and when Jones gets ahold of him the clinch will be a nightmare for Rashad against the taller and probably stronger Jones. Rashad does have ways of winning this fight, by utilizing his superior footwork to take good angles, consistently moving in and then well out of range, throwing on the exit from the clinch, and grabbing opportunistic takedowns through caught kicks and the like. Unfortunately, he has absolutely zero margin for error, and at some point, Bones will land a big strike or put Rashad on his back and either get the ground and pound stoppage or a submission. I’ll take Jones by TKO, Round 4.Cory - I kind of want to write a novella about this, but my better sense is telling me that you’ve heard it all already. There are too many things working against Rashad Evans in this fight for me to pick him. Jones’ phenomenal reach advantage and the way he uses it. Jones’ infinitely more diverse striking attack. Jones’ outstanding wrestling in the clinch. Jones’ weight advantage. Jones’ submission game.Rashad has a puncher’s chance here. He’s got solid power and he transitions beautifully from striking to wrestling. There’s just too many things not to like. A number of the fighters that he’s finished (Forrest, Liddell, Ortiz) all ended up having chins and bodies that we look at as suspect. For example, Forrest is credited with being "rugged and durable" from the Bonnar fight, but that’s because Bonnar isn’t that hard of a hitter. The Evans KO was the third of five (T)KO’s that FoGriff has had, so it isn’t like that was his first time in la la land.As a fan, Jon Jones is rapidly turning into an Anderson Silva. I watch not just to see him win, but what new and exciting way will he win next. He was the first guy since Kazushi Sakuraba to submit Rampage. The first person to submit Machida. The first guy to TKO Shogun (not including the arm break against Coleman). As a fan, Rashad is one of the fighters I don’t care much for. The "suck my dick" tap he did to Forrest was disgusting sportsmanship. I hate his tedious wrestling style - HE HAS ZERO SUBMISSION ATTEMPTS IN HIS UFC CAREER! HE TOOK THIAGO SILVA DOWN EIGHT TIMES AND THREW THREE PUNCHES ON THE GROUND! Ugh. Yea, I’ll go with Bone Jones - SubmissionLuke - I think it’s pretty clear by now that I think this is going to be one of the all time great fights. I see it going back and forth, with both men having takedown success. Jon Jones has never gone to a fifth round, and I’d love to see he and Evans begrudgingly acknowledge each other before the start of a fifth round that will determine the winner of the match. Jones, Unanimous decision.
Posted in: fight, jone, round, tko, submission
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendFight Day: Greg Jackson UFC 145 Pre-Fight Interview
HeavyMMA's Megan Olivi talks to Greg Jackson, Jon Jones' head trainer and the former trainer of Rashad Evans. Jones and Evans meet Saturday for the UFC 145 light heavyweight title at Philips Arena in...
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, trainer, philips arena
Read the full article at Heavy MMAWatch the UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Weigh-ins Live at 4 p.m. Eastern
Watch the UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans weigh-ins live from Atlanta here at HeavyMMA on Friday at 4 p.m. Eastern.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, weighin
Read the full article at Heavy MMAHow Jon Jones went from 210 to 230 pounds for his UFC 145 title fight against Rashad Evans
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 205-pound number one contender Rashad Evans talks a lot about the advantages he had over reigning division champion Jon Jones while they trained together at Jackson's MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
"Bones" has a simple explanation.
When the lanky-but-lethal light heavyweight first joined the world's largest fight promotion, he walked around at 210 pounds. Fast-forward to his UFC 145 title fight against Evans on April 21, 2012 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, which spans 10 fights inside the Octagon, and Jones now walks around as high as 230 pounds.
And as he tells MMA Fighting, Evans will notice the difference right away.
"In the past, one of Rashad's main advantages over me was that he was more seasoned and a lot more stronger than I was. When I first joined the UFC, I never really cut weight, I came in extremely thin. Walking around at 213, 210. Now I walk around at almost 230 at times. I'm just a lot more mature in my body and physical strength. I think that's gonna be a huge difference for him and he's gonna feel it right away."
Hear more from "Bones" on why Evans has "no advantages" from training with him, after the jump.
For more on Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans epic grudge match click here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, pound, jone, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Staff Picks And Predictions
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Brent Brookhouse: As a big Rashad Evans fan, there's no doubt that I'll be rooting for him. But I think Jones is too much here. He's too long for Rashad to reliably win the striking game, his wrestling will be too good for Rashad to outwrestle him and even if Rashad does get a takedown, I don't think he's going to be aggressive enough to go for a finish before it's back on the feet with Jon taking back over. Basically, I'm worried Rashad has nothing more than a home run swing chance here. Jon Jones by TKO, round 4.
Anton Tabuena: As a fan I will be rooting for Evans and will be hoping he lands that big punch, or is able to control position on the ground. Although as much as I want to see that, my head tells me that's less likely to happen. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm picking Jon Jones by Late Submission.
T.P. Grant: Oh man, I can't wait for this fight. Not just for the back story but for the match up of styles. Both are excellent wrestlers, Jones is fantastic in the clinch with a hybrid greco-judo attack while Evans works a relentless attack on the legs. I think Evans presents a lot of interesting problems for Jones with his fantastic ability to mix striking and wrestling together. Evans presents the best chance we've seen to put Jones on his back. If Evans had shown any interest in submission offense I might even be tempted to pick him, but I'm done picking against Jones. He keeps Evans on the outside and hurts him on the feet. After a few rounds of striking and counter wrestler, Jones will take Evans down and lock on a submission. Jon Jones by Submission, Round 4.
Tim Burke: I'm thoroughly bored with this fight by now. Many can look at the long lead-up and say it adds to the allure. Not me. This fight never really interested me, and nothing they've said has made it interesting. Jones is MMA 4.0. Evans is still updating at 2.5.11. The sub idea is ridiculous to me considering Rashad's grappling pedigree (which is highly underrated), but his chin ain't iron. Bone is gonna get to it. Jon Jones by TKO, round 3.
Jack Slack: This one seems pretty cut and paste to me. Jones will establish methodical kicks and long punches and brutalise Rashad throughout this match up. Rashad does not have the head movement to keep attacking in and out, and Jones will catch him with a heavy counter sooner or later. Rashad's one hope in this fight is to close the distance immediately. When I say immediately, I mean swarm on top of Jones when Jones does his predictable crawl to the centre of the octagon. Jones has received so much hype in recent weeks that he is essentially carrying the UFC brand, in this fight he is even being sponsored by the company. Add to this the premature and borderline foolish comparisons to Muhammad Ali, and you have a man who has never been hurt and is carrying the weight and expectations of a great many people on his shoulders. A well timed punch to the jaw could break Jones mentally for the entire fight. Most likely though, Rashad is going to get push kicked to the knee for a couple of rounds, before having the theories around his own chin tested. Jones, TKO, Round 3
Fraser Coffeen: There's this weird part of me that keeps wanting to pick Rashad here. But the problem I keep coming back to is, how? How does Rashad win? I don't see him consistently taking Jones down and controlling him on the mat, and I don't see him outpointing Jones on the feet. Rashad is a smart fighter, but I think there's a skill gap here he can't overcome. Jon Jones by submission, round 4
David Castillo: I think Rashad Evans will make it a tentative fight early on, try to clinch, get in close, and do anything to avoid Jones at range, but I can't think of a single scenario in which he's able to instigate any sort of offense. If he keeps it on the feet, he gets destroyed. If he gets taken down, he gets destroyed. He can't play defense because Jones stalks well and being defensive won't do him any favors with that reach disadvantage. I personally think Evans put on a brilliant, calculated performance against Davis. And so I feel like he's a live dog, but Jones is every bit as good as the UFC says he is, unwise comparisons be damned. Jon Jones by TKO, round 2.
Dallas Winston: Jones has offered only tiny shreds of vulnerability to analyze, but the dynamic that makes sense for Rashad is what Machida was able to do in the 1st. Jones is an unbelievably unorthodox and creative striker, yet Machida found success with simple, patient and frighteningly quick counter punching. Rashad has always been fast for a 205er and I'd say his biggest improvement is the way he's developed his footwork and hand speed to complement his wrestle-boxing approach. I expect Rashad to stay coiled like a spring and then explode with a flurry of cracking lefts and rights when Jones commits to distance strikes. Rashad has the most formidable combination of footwork, wrestling and striking that Jones has ever encountered. Still, the champ's jaw-dropping length, diversity and momentum are too hard to pick against. Jon Jones by submission (D'arce perhaps?).
Staff picking Jones: Brookhouse, Grant, Anton, Jack, Stephie, Fraser, David, Tim, DallasStaff picking Evans: KJ, Thapa
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Brent Brookhouse: Che Mills has good power, he'll beat a lot of C and B level talents in the UFC, but Rory MacDonald is not that guy. MacDonald has run through better guys than Che and I expect him to do it again. Rory MacDonald by TKO, round 1.
Anton Tabuena: Contrary to what they've been saying during the build up, Che Mills is not "an elite elite fighter". He's a talented fighter, but he's taking a gigantic step up in competition and I don't think he's on the level of MacDonald. This will end up looking like a complete showcase fight for MacDonald, introducing him to the thousands and thousands of new fans buying the card for the main event. Rory MacDonald by Domination.
T.P. Grant: A future title challenger, MacDonald is rising very quickly. Very skilled and physically gifted fighter at just 22-years-old, MacDonald has future title contender written all over him. Mills on the other hand was eliminated from Ultimate Fighter UK vs US in the preliminary round. MacDonald all day. Rory MacDonald by TKO, Round 2.
Tim Burke: Bottom line - Che's not that good. He's a mid-level UFC welterweight at best, riding a sick KO into the only co-main event bout he'll ever see in the big leagues. Rory is a monster in every sense of the word, and I'll be waving my Canadian flag while he feasts on the mismatch Joe Silva set up. Rory MacDonald by submission, round 2.
Jack Slack: Che Mills is an exciting prospect, but stands far too upright at all times. Rory MacDonald is a competent striker, as he proved against Carlos Condit, but I doubt he'll severely hurt Mills by taking advantage of this in their fight. More likely he is going to take advantage of Mills' rigid posture by taking him to the ground and submitting the Englishman. MacDonald, Submission, Round 2
David Castillo: Che Mills is a decent enough fighter. Rory is a certified blue chip prospect. Do the math. Mills has a decent enough chance on the feet, but Rory is more than capable, and I expect this one to end quickly enough. Rory MacDonald by TKO, round 2.
Dallas Winston: Considering MacDonald's only loss was to the current interim champion in a fight where he dominated the first rounds and literally lost in the last few seconds, there's not too many welters I'd pick to beat him. The way he's matured into in an A-level fighter at such a young age is quite remarkable. Rory MacDonald by submission.
Staff picking MacDonald: Brookhouse, Grant, Anton, Jack, Stephie, Fraser, David, Tim, Thapa, DallasStaff picking Mills: KJ
Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell
Brent Brookhouse: Picking Rothwell would be an insane overcorrection of expectations following Schaub's being KO'ed by Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Nogueira crushed Mir with a punch also and had him about out, he's been sitting down on his power more and not looking for a ground fight. I don't think Schaub's chin is outstanding, but I don't see a reason to treat him like he's made of glass either. He's certainly better than Rothwell, who has looked pretty horrible in his UFC run. Brendan Schaub by lopsided decision.
Anton Tabuena: Rothwell can turn this into an ugly fight tilting the odds a bit closer to his favor, but even then, I still think Schaub is likely to win. It could be a complete blowout, or a grueling bout, but I just don't see many avenues that Rothwell can win. Brendan Schaub by TKO.
T.P. Grant: Schaub's still a pretty solid heavyweight prospect despite his knockout loss to the slightly larger Nogueira brother and Rothwell is a decent gatekeeper test for him. Rothwell's wins most come from being decently well rounded, but he doesn't seem like he will give Schaub much trouble. Schaub's biggest problems have come against heavy handed punchers and while Rothwell does have pretty solid striking, I don't think he'll be able to keep up with Schaub. I expect the Hybrid to be on his bike and use his jab to keep Rothwell on the outside. As the fight wears on Rothwell will fade and one of Schaub's heavy punches will find a home. Brendan Schaub by TKO, Round 3.
Tim Burke: I hate fights like this. Logic says that Schaub owns Rothwell across the board and Big Ben will have nothing for him. But the bitter fight fan in me wants Ben to turn Schaub's lights out and brush his shoulder off afterwards. I have to keep up with Dallas and Fraser (sounds like a crappy lawfirm) though, so I'll go with the safe pick. Brendan Schaub by decision.
Jack Slack: I am going to go against the grain here. Both fighters are pretty average in most areas, with massive shortfalls in others. In Rothwell's case it is an obvious lack of technique in his area of strength, brawling, and a seeming inability to fight for more than 2 rounds without almost collapsing from exhaustion. He does however have a big punch and a granite jaw. Brendan Schaub, on the other hand, has perhaps the most suspect chin in the UFC's heavyweight division. Getting knocked out by Roy Nelson is no shame on a man's chin, but by Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira? Nogueira's only KO up to that point was over the barely 185lbs Sanae Kikuta. That's pretty indicative of Schaub's poor capacity to take a punch. Schaub takes the lead early, connecting big punches, then gets clipped and covers against the cage before being stopped again. Rothwell, KO, Round 3
Fraser Coffeen: I'm not sold on Schaub's power or his ability to survive being hit. But Rothwell has looked increasingly lethargic lately. Schaub should be able to use speed and movement to avoid Rothwell at first, then pick him apart slowly. Also, I have a sneaky suspicion this is going to suck. Brendan Schaub by decision
David Castillo: I don't think much of Schaub, but he's capable, fast, and infinitely more polished than Rothwell, who seems to be deteriorating at an exponential rate. The Rothwell that fought Arlovski might stand a good chance, but we're far removed from that universe, and so are Ben's chances against the moderately competent Schaub. Brendan Schaub by Decision.
Dallas Winston: Schaub has phenomenal size and athleticism for a heavyweight, along with tight and powerful boxing. Big Ben used to have comparable agility and either overpower quicker opponents or rely on quickness against powerful opponents. The only time we've seen the Rothwell of old was in the first 5-minutes against Yvel, but he came out flat in the 2nd and 3rd and was swept (and close to being finished). I'd give him a better chance if his punching power didn't deteriorate along with his cardio. He could catch Schaub or hop on his back in a transition, but I expect a competitive, back-and-forth 1st round before Schaub takes over. Brendan Schaub by decision.
Staff picking Rothwell: JackStaff picking Schaub: Brookhouse, KJ, Grant, Anton, Stephie, Fraser, David, Tim, Thapa, Dallas
Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald
Brent Brookhouse: McDonald is very good, but I feel like Torres is going to be a bit too tough and too savvy for him. Even the new "patient" Torres tends to allow himself to get caught up in slugfests in moments where he gets hit so we may see a bit of slugging, but I think he can still win the majority of the fight standing. I think it's important to remember what Torres was able to do against the better Johnson when someone tried to outwrestle him. Torres just is a little bit too good here. Miguel Torres by decision.
Anton Tabuena: I am absolutely stoked for this fight. Some people think this is one of those "hot young prospect vs. old dog" bouts, but considering that he already has almost 50 fights on his 12 year career, Torres is still relatively young. It could go either way, but I think Torres can win his 4th straight bout (we won against Johnson) and finally get a title shot on that terrific stylistic matchup against Cruz, or that long overdue super-fight against Faber. Miguel Torres by Submission.
T.P. Grant: This has fun scrap written all over it. Torres' style has gone through a transformation from brawler to aggressive yet intelligent and McDonald seems like the kind of fighter to indulge him in the kind of high paced fight Torres thrives in. I think McDonald could win this fight as Torres does get reckless and he does have better wrestling, but Torres is very dangerous both on the feet and off his back. I think at some point the action will hit the mat and Torres will take the back. Miguel Torres by Submission, Round 1.
Tim Burke: I'm the biggest Mayday fan in all the land, so don't look at me for an objective opinion. But this fight looks kinda weird to me - I honestly think the new Miguel Torres can't hang with McDonald. The old Torres that attacked with reckless abandon could, because as good as he is, Mayday's a bit gunshy at times. But the new Torres looks for the W rather than the finish, and that plays right into McDonald's hands. Sorry Miggy. Michael McDonald by decision.
Fraser Coffeen: Torres is not the world beater he once was, but the only guys that beat him are next in line for title shots, and that's not where I see McDonald just yet. But if he drags Torres into a wild scrap, I think McDonald is crisp enough to take him out. I'll go with the young gun here. Michael McDonald, TKO, round 2
David Castillo: If this were for the WEC title, Torres takes an upset loss, but since his maturation, he's learned to avoid brawling, and those instincts will serve him well against the heavy handed McDonald. I'm not as high on McDonald as others, in part because I haven't found him that impressive against unimpressive competition. But he's obviously got a ton of upside. Still, expect Torres to stick the jab in his face, and work the clinch if McDonald starts firing. Miguel Torres by decision.
Dallas Winston: Toughest call on the card. Mayday is a unique talent with the speed and footwork to cause fits, but Torres has a freakish reach length and the edge with intelligence and experience. This should be a range game, with Torres keeping McDonald on the fringe with a spearing jab and circling into open space and McDonald looking to shrink the gap to fire quick combos or shoot doubles. The length and more proven BJJ/Muay Thai medley of Torres should prevail in a Fight of the Night barn-burner.
Staff picking McDonald: KJ, Stephie, Fraser, TimStaff picking Torres: Brookhouse, Grant, Anton, David, Thapa, Dallas
Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin
Brent Brookhouse: Yagin is in there to play punching bag. Hominick is going to be upset ater his last loss and will be looking to prove a point. I think he does so and then some. Mark Hominick by KO, round 1.
T.P. Grant: Hominick is on a two fight slide and this fight seems tailor made to get him back in the W column. Yagin is a game fighter, but Hominick should be another level. The death of Shawn Tompkins hit Hominick hard, as did Chan-Sung Jung's fist, but he has had time pull things together and get focused. Mark Hominick by TKO, Round 3.
Tim Burke: Eddie Yagin might be the laziest fighter in the UFC. The UFC wanted Hominick to recover from that terrible Zombie murder death kill, and they picked the perfect opponent. Yagin will sit there and take everything Hominick has to offer, which is a lot. He's tough as hell though, so we'll hear a final bell. Mark Hominick by decision.
Fraser Coffeen: There's just no reason for Yagin to win here unless Hominick is still really struggling to find his footing after Tompkins's death. Trouble is, that might indeed be the case. As a huge Hominick fan, I'm going to hope it's not, and that he finds his form here. Hominick should dissect him for 15. Mark Hominick, decision
David Castillo: Hominick has always been prone to the odd, embarrassing loss, but Eddie Yagin isn't good enough to catch Mark even on his worst day. Mark Hominick by TKO, round 3.
Dallas Winston: This is close to a gimme as you'll get in the UFC. Yagin is unquestionably durable and tough with legit power in his counters. Hominick will have to use his speed and technique to flit in and out without eating a monster right hand. Some of his techniques, like the wheeling left hook to the body, leave Hominick's chin dangerously exposed but he should cruise to a decision as long as he doesn't underestimate Yagin. Mark Hominick by decision.
Staff picking Hominick: Brookhouse, KJ, Grant, Anton, Stephie, Fraser, David, Tim, Thapa, DallasStaff picking Yagin:
Mark Bocek vs. John Alessio
Brent Brookhouse: It's just a question of if Alessio can get through the fight without being finished. I'll go ahead and give him the benefit of the doubt. Mark Bocek by decision.
Anton Tabuena: Pass, Pass, Choke. Mark Bocek by Submission.
T.P. Grant: Bocek's grappling has made huge strides in recent years and is one of the best on the mat at lightweight. Alessio has recently dropped down and is a well rounded fighter. Alessio is something of a jack of all trades, master of none. Bocek is no stranger to dealing with welterweights descending a weight class and I think he takes this one. Mark Bocek by Submission, Round 2.
Tim Burke: John Alessio is from Vancouver Island. This would normally be a default backing. But...sorry John. Mark Bocek's big grappling advantage over you is big. I'm leaning soulless ginger. Mark Bocek by decision.
Fraser Coffeen: Alessio is one of those fighters who is fine, not great at anything, and at his prime just barely UFC caliber. Now that prime has passed, and he's going to struggle to hang in there I think. Mark Bocek, decision
David Castillo: I think Bocek is one of the more underrated fighters in MMA. His grappling is elite, he knows how to apply it well even against opponents he should be outmatched by (like Miller), and he's fairly durable despite the terrible stoppage to Edgar. Alessio is simply a less talented Bocek. Mark Bocek by submission, round 2.
Dallas Winston: I've been on the fence about this one and further tempted to pick Alessio just because no one else is giving him his due respect. People are quick to note his 7 submission losses and pick the BJJ black belt, but 5 of those catches were in his first 12 fights and against the likes of a prime Pat Miletich, Joe Doerksen (33 sub wins) and Egan Inoue (subbed Doerksen). His only 2 sub losses since are to BJJ world champ Andre Galvao and interim champ Carlos Condit. Alessio also shut down Diego Sanchez's takedowns better than anyone else (Sanchez was 1 for 16) and Bocek, while still capable with takedowns, is not a natural wrestler. Hell ... I've talked myself into it. John Alessio by decision.
Staff picking Alessio: DallasStaff picking Bocek: Brookhouse, Grant, KJ, Stephie, Fraser, David, Tim, Thapa
Travis Browne vs. Chad Griggs
Brent Brookhouse: I gotta be me and pick an upset sometime and I think this is a good fight for it. Browne seems to have a bit of trouble with opponents who display much tenacity. He should have lost to Kongo if Kongo wouldn't have been stupid and got a point taken for fouls that weren't helping him a ton. He KO'ed Struve which was a good win but didn't prove a ton aside from having power and then the Broughton fight was an absolute embarrassing mess for Browne. Altitude in Colorado had something to do with that, but I think Griggs may be able to survive early and take over as Browne fades in round 2 and finish him in the third. I'm absolutely going out on a limb here, but Chad Griggs by TKO, round 3.
T.P. Grant: Browne is an up and coming heavyweight who actually might have some skills. Griggs is a scrappy dude no doubts but his most impressive career performance came from allowing Bobby Lashley to tire himself out from mount. I'll go with Browne. Travis Browne by TKO, Round 2.
Tim Burke: I think it's hilarious that people are riding some sideburns and insane dreams long enough to give Chad Griggs a chance here. He's gonna get tooled by a massive HW with much better skills. I want Strikeforce guys to succeed as much as anyone, but this is a terrible matchup for him. Hapa in the house. Travis Browne by TKO, round 2.
David Castillo: Chad Griggs will get smashed here. Browne still gets too tentative for my liking, but the reach and the power will be too much for a guy who is already prone to slugging. This isn't a Strikeforce tournament reserve bout. Which is where Griggs belongs (and I don't mean that in a negative way). Travis Browne by TKO, round 3.
Dallas Winston: I'll admit to under-rating Griggs in the past. The guy is a hard-nosed brawler with a big heart. Though Browne looked flat in his last outing, I think his striking is too clean and diverse for Griggs and he can always fall back on his solid ground game, which he hasn't shown a lot of in the UFC. Travis Browne by submission.
Staff picking Browne: Grant, KJ, Anton, Fraser, David, Tim, DallasStaff picking Griggs: Brookhouse, Stephie, Thapa
Matt Brown vs. Stephen Thompson
Brent Brookhouse: Bad fight for Thompson. I want him to win because I think he has more upside and is a lot of fun to watch, but Brown is too much for him. Brown is going to push him into the cage, work in the clinch, get takedowns and eventually finish him with a submission. Matt Brown by submission, round 2.
Anton Tabuena: Karate! Thompson by TKO.
T.P. Grant: This is a fun match. The karate kid vs a muay thai brawler, speed vs power, technique vs brawn all of these and more will be used to describe this fight. Just looking at the fight, it seems Brown is the type to beat Thompson. That is how MMA works, the gritty muay thai guys beat up finesse traditional martial arts based strikers, right? Not this time, I may be drinking the kool aid but I feel like Thompson brings the right skills and attitude to succeed in MMA. I think at some point we see some of Thompson's vaunted ground game. Stephen Thompson by Submission, Round 3.
Fraser Coffeen: The stand-up fan in me demands that I pick Thompson, and I am happy to oblige. Brown is a guy who has never impressed me much. I think he actually does have the tools to grind Thompson out, but he'll get pulled into a stand-up war, which he'll lose. Stephen Thompson, KO, round 2
David Castillo: The problem with Matt Brown is that he's crafty veteran in a journeyman's body. He's got a fairly diverse set of skills, and yet he often falters to bad mistakes, and average cardio. Thompson is an athlete, and the athlete usually wins. Especially athletes who happen to apply traditional martial arts into mixed martial arts seemlessly. Stephen Thompson by TKO, round 2.
Tim Burke: I'm going out on the "incomplete fighter" limb here. Matt Brown isn't just the next victim for Wonderboy to me. Brown's not gettin' his head kicked off. I'd be surprised if he even had to block one, because he'll be too busy working the fight against the cage or on the ground. Matt Brown is 13-11, and everyone looks at his record and sees failure. I see a terrible style matchup for Stephen Thompson, and I'm going with Brown for the first time ever. Matt Brown by decision.
Dallas Winston: Um, does everyone realize that Brown has never lost via strikes? I'm as excited for Wonderboy as anyone but it's crazy for him to be such a drastic favorite over one of the toughest S.O.B.'s at 170 while still being entirely unproven at the UFC level. Brown, "The American Kazushi Sakuraba", will push Thompson in every aspect that an inexperienced and one-dimensional newcomer struggles with. Matt Brown by submission.
Staff picking Brown: Brookhouse, Tim, DallasStaff picking Thompson: Grant, KJ, Anton, Stephie, Fraser, David, Thapa
John Makdessi vs. Anthony Njokuani
Brent Brookhouse: Njokuani is awesome. Anthony Njokuani by TKO, round 2.
Anton Tabuena: Taekwondo! John Makdessi by TKO.
T.P. Grant: Njokuani fought Edson Barbosa, another Taekwondo based striker to a stand still, but I think Makdessi is a little more controlled in his approach. That might play into Njokuani's hands but I think Makdessi out-strikes him. John Makdessi by Decision.
Tim Burke: Love the matchup. I'm tempted to take Njokauni if I thought it'd be a straight standup fight. But Makdessi is a more well-rounded fighter despite the loss to Hallman. I just think Makdessi has more options. John Makdessi by decision.
Fraser Coffeen: This fight is awesome. Njokuani has shown that he's game to get in there and exchange with the skilled strikers, and that description fits Makdessi nicely. Hallman showed that Makdessi's ground game is a major liability at the moment, and he needs to tighten that up to progress his UFC career much. But Njokuani is not the man to test it. John Makdessi via decision
David Castillo: Difficult matchup to pick in part because Njokuani has the power to put Makdessi away, but I think John is more polished, and makes less mistakes. He should be able to land just a few more punches and kicks, and once he gets comfortable, Anthony will be less willing to pull the trigger, as he's shown in the past. John Makdessi by decision.
Dallas Winston: Makdessi is cleaner with his technique and has a bunch of tricks up his sleeve. Makdessi wins an artsy-fartsy kickboxing match but I think Njokuani will take him out of his element with clinching, close-quarters brawling and perhaps even a few takedowns. I'm hoping for some Makdessi hook-kick brilliance but logic steers me otherwise. Anthony Njokuani by decision.
Staff picking Makdessi: Grant, KJ, Fraser, Tim, DavidStaff picking Njokuani: Brookhouse, Stephie, Thapa, Dallas
Mac Danzig vs. Efrain Escudero
Brent Brookhouse: Close fight but I have to give the slight edge to Danzig in his abiity to control the fight a bit more than Escudero. Mac Danzig by decision.
T.P. Grant: Two TUF champions in a match where the loser likely is out of the UFC. Escudero was actually having a fairly decent post TUF run until he was cut for missing weight. He fought his way back into the UFC and it has become pretty clear that the guys who beat Escudero are superior grapplers. I don't think Danzig is going to be able to stop Escudero's takedowns and I don't think he'll be able to tap Danzig. Either Escudero wrestles his way to a win or Danzig wins from the clinch or off his back. I lean Escudero. Efrain Escudero by Decision.
Tim Burke: I want to have faith in Mac. He's friends with Tucker Max, after all. But I don't, at least in this bout. Efrain has some major flaws, but he's faster than Mac and if he can stay off his back, it's his fight to win. Efrain Escudero by decision.
Fraser Coffeen: Two fairly seasoned fighters here; both with good all around games. I see Danzig being able to hit just a bit harder, control the ground just a bit better, which should sneak him by with the win. Mac Danzig via decision
David Castillo: Escudero's strength might be a factor early on, but I like Danzig in this one. He's more well rounded, and craftier, and even though Efrain has the ability to control him on top, I don't see him doing it with any consistency. Mac Danzig by decision.
Dallas Winston: I think Mac is a lock here. He's highly technical everywhere and has better stand up and BJJ with much heavier hands. Escudero is the better wrestler but I don't think he can keep Mac there. Mac Danzig by submission.
Staff picking Danzig: Brookhouse, KJ, Anton, Stephie, Fraser, Thapa, David, DallasStaff picking Escudero: Grant, Tim
Chris Clements vs. Keith Wisniewski
Brent Brookhouse: Given that Clements is making his UFC debut, I doubt he's in a loser leaves town situation. Wisniewski isn't a bad fighter, but Clements has really huge power so I'm going to go with him to score the knockout and get KO of the Night honors. Chris Clements by KO, round 1.
T.P. Grant: Two MMA veterans fighting in what is likely an another loser leaves town match. Wisniewski is likely best known as the guy Shinya Aoki put an Aikido standing armlock on and UFC newcomer Clements isn't much known to fans at all. Nothing seems to really give either guy an edge, I'll take Clements as he seems to be somewhat on the rise. Chris Clements by Decision.
Tim Burke: Meh. Wisniewski has a helluva chin, but Clements is Canadian. I think it'll be fun, but it'll end with a Canadian getting his hand raised. Chris Clements by decision.
Fraser Coffeen: Wisniewski has been around forever, and is your classic low level journeyman fighter. Which I respect, don't get me wrong. But I'm also not inclined to pick that person. Clements has wins over similar (and superior) journeymen in Clementi and Goulet, so he gets my nod here. Chris Clements by TKO, round 1
Dallas Winston: Clements should be a crowd-pleasing animal. He has monster stand up and, despite having a beefy chin and a serious experience advantage, I don't think Wisniewski can keep him at bay. Chris Clements by TKO.
Staff picking Clements: Brookhouse, Grant, Stephie, Fraser, Tim, Thapa, David, DallasStaff picking Wisniewski: Anton
Maximo Blanco vs. Marcus Brimage
T.P. Grant: A regular slobber-knocker to start things off, both guys are hyper aggressive on the feet. Blanco started out as a high school wrestler but he has made his bones as a striker and Brimage has a strong aversion to ground work. While my inner child loves the homage Brimage pays to martial arts cartoons in his inspiration, I think Blanco's experience and take down ability carries this fight. Maximo Blanco by TKP, Round 3.
Fraser Coffeen: I've been a big fan of Maxi since his Pancrase days. How can you not? The man is a whirling dervish of crazy, with fun (if raw) fight skills and some wild finishes to his credit. The loss to Healy was a bummer, but that's his only real loss since his 3rd pro fight. If he can avoid being DQ'd (which is, admittedly, a legitimate concern), he should stampede through Brimage here and earn a Paul Harris-esque place in the hearts of UFC fans. Maximo Blanco via KO of the Night, round 1
Tim Burke: Blanco worries me. He's a killer on the feet, but was carefully fed people that wouldn't put him on his back in Sengoku (because they were sponsoring him). Healy was clearly too big for him, and that was an easy fight to call. But a 145 TUF failure? I think Maxi will just go Tazmanian Devil nutso on him and be the perfect curtain jerker. Maximo Blanco by epic KO, round 1.
David Castillo: Blanco should have an easy, though highly active time with Brimage. It's the perfect fight for him since Marcus won't have the strength to put him down, or keep Maximo's back against the cage. Maximo Blanco by TKO, round 2.
Dallas Winston: I have no idea which Sengoku fighters could have possibly put Maxi on his back. He's a Pan-Am medalist in freestyle with violent striking who will unleash hell on earth as a featherweight. He's never been KO'd and I can't fathom Brimage taking him down or subbing him. Maxi Blanco by TKO.
Staff picking Blanco: Brookhouse, Grant, KJ, Anton, Stephie, Fraser, Tim, Thapa, David, DallasStaff picking Brimage:
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Read the full article at Bloody Elbow‘UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans’ Episode 3 Airs Friday at 11 p.m. Eastern
"UFC Primetime" airs its final of three episodes Friday at 11 p.m. Eastern on FX documenting the buildup to the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans clash at UFC 145.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, primetime, episodes friday
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145 'Primetime' LIVE discussion thread for 'Jones vs Evans' on FX Channel (Episode 3)
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns with its "Primetime" preview show for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans," featuring a behind-the-scenes look as current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones prepares to defend his strap against former division kingpin Rashad Evans on Saturday night (April 21, 2012) live from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Episode three premiers TONIGHT (Fri., April 20, 2012) at 11 p.m. ET on the FX Channel immediately following The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15, so be sure to stick around and talk, complain, whine, boast -- whatever it is you do -- about the program in the comments section below.
If you missed episodes one and two you can watch them both in their entirety here and here.
"Bones" is currently hovering around the -500 mark on most of the major betting sites, compared to the +400 underdog line for "Suga," his former friend and training partner under Greg Jackson in Albuquerque, New Mexico. UFC 145 will mark the culmination of their feud, which began back in 2010 prior to the UFC 128 pay-per-view (PPV) event.
A video preview of their "Primetime" rivalry after the jump.
For more on UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, video preview, evan, primetime
Read the full article at MMA ManiaFriday Link Club: Previewing Jones vs. Evans
After a year of suspense, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans finally end their bitter feud this Saturday in the main event of UFC 145. Greg Jackson Accepts Role In Evans-Jones Feud | FightLine ‘UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans’ Complete Betting Odds | 5thRound If You Were Jon Jones You’d Be Cocky Too | Bleacher Report [...]
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145 Jones vs. Evans live weigh-in results and preview videos
UFC 145 Jones vs. EvansAtlanta, GAJon Jones () vs. Rashad Evans ()Rory MacDonald () vs. Che Mills ()Ben Rothwell () vs. Brendan Schaub ()Michael McDonald () vs. Miguel Torres ()Mark Hominick () vs. Eddie Yagin ()John Alessio () vs. Mark Bocek ()Travis Browne () vs. Chad Griggs ()Matt Brown () vs. Stephen Thompson ()John Makdessi () vs. Anthony Njokuani ()Mac Danzig () vs. Efrain Escudero ()Chris Clements () vs. Keith Wisniewski ()Maximo Blanco () vs. Marcus Brimage ()Weigh-ins for UFC take place at Atlanta's Fox Theatre and begin at 4:00 PM EST (1:00 PM PST). Jon Jones (15-1) vs. Rashad Evans (17-1-1)
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, weighin results
Read the full article at UltMMAJon Jones can use UFC 145 as a catalyst to become a major superstar (Yahoo! Sports)
At just 24, Jon Jones already has some of the world's biggest companies interested in him, which could ultimately be a boon for UFC.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, superstar
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsUFC 145 Main Event Breakdown: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
ATLANTA -- They're tired of talking about it, you're tired of reading about and I'm tired of writing about it. Thankfully, Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans is finally here. As intriguing as all the pre-fight bickering was, everyone's ready to move on to the actual fisticuffs. The exhausting build-up should at least lead into a quality UFC 145 main event. Jones was installed as and remains a sizable favorite, as much as 6-to-1, according to some oddsmakers, but that number is a bit out-of-whack with reality.Evans has not been a fan favorite for most of his career, and partly because of it, he's suffered when it's come to receiving credit for his accomplishments. In today's modern MMA world of extreme weight-cutting, Evans should probably be a middleweight. There's little doubt he could make 185, but he's just never made the move because he didn't have to. He's beaten Chuck Liddell and Quinton Jackson and Tito Ortiz, and someday, maybe he will get the credit he deserves. Maybe it will come if he beats Jones on Saturday.
That will be, quite literally, a tall order.At 6-foot-4, Jones will have a five-inch height advantage on Evans, and a ridiculous reach advantage of nearly 10 inches. Because of that, Evans will have some distance to navigate.He's said several interesting things this week, but one of the most interesting things he said was that Jones doesn't necessarily use that reach well. "As a tall fighter, he doesn't fight tall," he said on Thursday. "He gives away his height a lot with his stance. In MMA, you do want to give away your height to an extent, but he does it a lot. He doesn't fight long and rangy. I'm sure that's something that Mike Winkeljohn and those guys have been working on him with, but as of his last few fights, he doesn't fight like a tall fighter."That goes against almost everything you hear about Jones. Even though he's not the type of fighter to pump out the jab repeatedly, he does throw a lot of front kicks, which serve the same purpose of keeping an opponent at distance. Perhaps Evans simply sees something that others don't. Years ago, when Randy Couture fought Tito Sylvia as a huge underdog, he spoke with the same kind of certainty about the same aspect, and he went out and demolished Sylvia after flooring him with his very first punch.But Jones is a different kind of beast to slay. It's not that he's unbeatable, it's just that he offers so many problems to solve that it becomes too much until his opponent drowns. He lands 52 percent of his strikes. He doesn't get hit much. He's so far proven impossible to take down, and he seems to take down whoever he wants.On the other hand, Evans doesn't go into this fight with any sort of awe for Jones, because he's had first-hand experience against him. Even if that version of Jones isn't the same as the one he'll face on Saturday, it was close enough to give Evans confidence, whether it's in specific positions or the totality of the fight.The biggest problem for Evans to solve will be getting inside. He noted during fight week that Jones tends to confuse opponents by throwing a lot of different looks at them. He'll switch from southpaw to orthodox. He'll target the body then the head. He'll throw spinning punches and elbows. He disguises his takedowns. All of that leaves the guy standing across from in the mode of reactionary rather than aggressor.According to Evans, when that happens, the fight speeds up. Your mind has to start processing things instead of simply reacting to them. And that's dangerous. So how would he combat that? He'd want to strike first. He'd want to be the initiator. He'd want to put Jones into a position of adversity to see if he'll break.This is not a fight he'll want to fight outside for long distances. Expect him to try to clinch and work Jones against the fence, hoping to sap him of some of his energy. Evans does good work in that position, and it takes some of Jones' best attributes away. But getting inside for the clinch won't be an easy task. Jones has manhandled most of the opposition that's dared to wade inside, taking them down, where his ground and pound has become nearly an automatic finish. Evans probably trusts his wrestling to stand up more than Jones' previous opponents, so he'll no doubt go for this position.If they do stand from the outside, it's Evans' power and speed against Jones' versatility. Evans doesn't historically attack the legs with kicks. He's more of a headhunter. Take for instance his most recent fight against Phil Davis, when he landed just one kick among his 106 scoring strikes, according to FightMetric. He did the same thing against Thiago Silva in 2010, with only two of his landed strikes going to the legs. Jackson had some success against Jones with kicks, so it will be interesting to see if Evans sprinkles this element into his offense.The true X-factor, though, is Jones' power. The only knock on him is the lack of one-punch knockout power, but rest assured it's coming. His technique is getting better, and he's growing into his body. He briefly wobbled both Jackson and Machida. Sometime soon, he's going to start flooring his opponents with single blows. Does that start on Saturday? Maybe. Evans has been historically underrated for everything he's accomplished, and a win over Jones would be his most impressive, because it would undoubtedly come against a champion in his prime. But in my opinion, the obstacles are just too many. Evans may have some success with the early clinch, but Jones will adjust, and eventually turn it into a takedown. Evans isn't going to get overwhelmed on the ground. He's too competent there, but things are going to get uncomfortable for him if he repeatedly finds himself in the disadvantageous position. He said himself that Jones gets in opponents' minds with his diverse attacks, and it's the same thing he'll face as his normal wrestling advantage is negated. In the end, Jones beats his fourth straight former UFC light-heavyweight champ, this time by fourth-round TKO.
Posted in: fight, jone, hell, evan, he
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145 weigh in results and video LIVE from Atlanta for 'Jones vs. Evans'
The official weigh in event for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" is set to take place later this afternoon (Fri., April 20, 2012) live from the Phillips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 4 p.m. ET.
As usual, MMAmania.com will provide up-to-the-second coverage of the UFC 145 weigh-ins below, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they conclude. For your convenience, we've also embedded a live video feed of the UFC 145 weigh in event in the extended entry below, which means that you can watch all the scale-tipping action unfold right here in real-time.
UFC 145 will be headlined by a Light Heavyweight championship showdown that's been a long time coming, as Jon Jones will defend his 205-pound world title against former division kingpin Rashad Evans. Also on tap is a Welterweight match up that pits rising star Rory MacDonald against British banger Che Mills, while Heavyweight head hunters Brendan Schaub and Ben Rothwell are also scheduled to collide on the pay-per-view (PPV) main card.
Check out complete UFC 145 weigh in results, as well as the live video feed from Atlanta, after the jump:
UFC 145 WEIGH IN RESULTS
205 lbs.: UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones () vs. Rashad Evans ()170 lbs.: Rory MacDonald () vs. Che Mills ()265 lbs.: Brendan Schaub () vs. Ben Rothwell ()135 lbs.: Miguel Torres () vs. Michael McDonald ()145 lbs.: Mark Hominick () vs. Eddie Yagin ()155 lbs.: Mark Bocek () vs. John Alessio ()265 lbs.: Travis Browne () vs. Chad Griggs ()170 lbs.: Stephen Thompson () vs. Matt Brown ()155 lbs.: Anthony Njokuani () vs. John Makdessi ()155 lbs.: Mac Danzig () vs. Efrain Escudero ()170 lbs.: Keith Wisniewski () vs. Chris Clements ()145 lbs.: Maximo Blanco () vs. Marcus Brimage ()
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE, detailed UFC 145 results of all the "Jones vs. Evans" PPV action tomorrow night (April 21, 2012). It will include blow-by-blow coverage of the Facebook video stream, FX "Prelims" bouts, and of course, the PPV broadcast. We'll start RIGHT HERE at around 7:00 p.m. ET and carry straight on through early Sunday morning.
For all the latest news and notes on UFC 145 be sure to hit up our event archive right here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, lb, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaMorning Report: From Amateur to UFC in Three Months - A Jon Jones Video Timeline
Flash back to April 11, 2008. Jon Jones is a 20-year-old kid preparing for his professional debut at a sleepy show in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Forward three months and six profoundly violent finishes later, "Bones" is on the receiving end of a phone call to replace Tomasz Drwal against undefeated prospect Andre Gusmao two weeks out from UFC 87.
No matter how many times it's repeated, that timeline is absolutely absurd. Show me a kid out there that just picked up a basketball and could be talented enough to play for the Miami Heat in August. Go ahead, I'll wait. Bonus points if he's under the American legal drinking age.
So while Jones readies for the first defining moment of his young career tomorrow, it seems appropriate to look back at the lanky guy who ran roughshod over the entire northeast, playing the game he loved and emulating the men he saw on television. Knowing what we know now, flashes of what Jones would eventually become are all over this footage.
Also, his nickname used to be Sexual Chocolate.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
UFC 145 open workouts. From Rashad Evans to Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson, the MMA Fighting team was in Atlanta, talking to the top fighters on Saturday's UFC 145 fight card and checking out the open workouts.
Georges St-Pierre to return to training in two months. UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre expects to resume MMA training in two months and opened the door for a move to middleweight if teammate Rory MacDonald becomes the No. 1 contender within the next few years.
Dana White UFC 145 video blog. Take a behind-the-scenes look at last Saturday's Swedish event, UFC on FUEL 2: Gustafsson vs. Silva, with the first edition of Dana White's UFC 145 video blogs.
Shinya Aoki out to prove Eddie Alvarez victory wasn't luck. DREAM lightweight champion Shinya Aoki is determined to prove luck had nothing to do with his 2008 victory over Eddie Alvarez in advance of their Bellator 66 rematch.
NSAC won't hear from Nick Diaz on April 24. The Nevada State Athletic Commission issued a statement refusing to hear Nick Diaz's case on April 24th until the existence of a medical marijuana card can be provided.
MEDIA STEW
This is where it all started. Jonathan Dwight Jones, future UFC champion, enters the cage for the first time against Brad "The Barroom Brawler" Bernard to a quiet reception in Foxborough. He may be just 20 years old, but certain aspects of his fighting style are already unmistakable, both good and bad. (By the way, Bernard would never fight again. Though neither would we after this.)
Just seven days later, Jones is back in action against Carlos Eduardo. This would be Jones' longest pre-UFC fight, so it remains a fascinating retrospective of a kid still putting everything together. The flashy offense, the confidence bordering on cockiness, the staunch takedown defense, and the obvious Anderson Silva influences are all on display here.
Three more weeks pass and Jon has already picked up another win -- a 75-second guillotine finish over Anthony Pina. Now he meets Ryan Verrett, an unlucky man sporting a 1-3 record, at a cramped show in Connecticut. So if you're keeping track, Bones has been a professional fighter for almost four weeks, is already 3-0, and is about to earn the fastest knockout of his career. This kid's going places.
Another month goes by and Jones notches a 36-second win over Parker Porter, before meeting Moyses Gabin in his final fight on the regional scene. And it would be a fitting sendoff. After a surprisingly back-and-forth brawl, Jones exits the cage with the USKBA light heavyweight strap around his waist. Less than a month later, he's in Minneapolis for UFC 87.
Elsewhere, Anderson Silva posed for this picture and referred to himself as a metrosexual.
(Photo via Globo)
BRON'S ABOARD THE JONES WAGON
Hey I really appreciate having your support @KingJames. Striving for greatness. Keep inspiring.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 19, 2012
MAYBE?
@SUGARRAYLEONARD "thanks for the kind words..coming from you maybe I should fight again..you just made my day!"
— BJ PENN (@bjpenndotcom) April 19, 2012
KEEPING IT LOOSE
I'm gonna make weight 2morrow but I don't know about my neck! Look at him doing interviews yesterday! Lol instagr.am/p/JnG_BWE1IX/
— Rashad Evans (@SugaRashadEvans) April 19, 2012
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Thursday, April 19, 2012):
N/A
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today's Fanpost of the Day is a money-making main card preview by BE's jim-ma UFC 145: Looking For Upsets
Hominick vs Yagin
Mark Hominick is an overwhelming favourite in this fight, having fought for the title just two fights ago, he has the ability to win with knockouts and submissions. In his fight with Jose Aldo he showed an ability to score grinding take downs too. He fights Eddie Yagin who is yet to score a win in the UFC. The only thing that points to an upset here is that in Hominick's last outing he was knocked out in seven seconds. That was as a result of coming in horrendously careless against Chan Sung Jung and I doubt he would make that mistake again. Yagin is no match for the Canadian on the feet and should not be able to take him down. There is always the chance of a big punch getting through or a submission opportunity being taken, but I doubt it will happen.
Upsettability: 1/5
Bocek vs Alessio
Mark Bocek is the big favourite in this contest at around 4-1. The Brazilian Ju Jutsu black belt has been in the UFC for ages and fought against some of its toughest fighters. John Alessio has been there too, having fought in the UFC and WEC between 2006 and 2008. Four years later, he has won 10 of his last 11 fights and finally gets the call to return to the UFC, as a replacement for the injured Matt Wiman. I suppose the odds are stacked in Bocek's favour because he has been fighting tougher opponents in recent years and has the ability to control where the fight happens. That being said, Alessio is a dangerous fighter both standing and on the mat and it is by no means a stretch that he might snatch a submission or a knockout. Bocek's the favourite, but there's plenty of chance of an upset here.
Upsettability: 3/5
Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in Monday's post.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, month, april
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145 Weigh-In Video And Coverage
Bloody Elbow will be providing live video and updates when all 24 fighters on the card step on the scale at today's UFC 145 weigh-ins live in Atlanta, GA. You can catch a live Youtube stream of the weigh-ins below the jump or if that doesn't work for some reason, you can view it over at MMA Fighting. The weigh-ins begin at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
The main event is a long-awaited showdown for the UFC light heavyweight title between former training partners Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. Both fighters will have to make the light heavyweight title bout limit of 205 pounds.
Join us and share your thoughts as the weigh-ins unfold.
Main Card:
Jon Jones vs. Rashad EvansRory MacDonald vs. Che MillsBen Rothwell vs. Brendan SchaubMichael McDonald vs. Miguel TorresMark Hominick vs. Eddie YaginJohn Alessio vs. Mark BocekPreliminary Card:
Travis Browne vs. Chad GriggsMatt Brown vs. Stephen ThompsonJohn Makdessi vs. Anthony NjokuaniMac Danzig vs. Efrain EscuderoChris Clements vs. Keith WisniewskiMaximo Blanco vs. Marcus Brimage
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
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Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, card, weighin
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Video: Jon Jones, 'How Would You Define Me?'
The Ultimate Fighting Championship has just released another top notch promotional video for UFC 145. This was was focused on Jon Jones, and I have to admit, these are the types of videos that can go a long way with getting casuals interested.
Related: Bloody Elbow's UFC 145 Event Poster | UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Predictions From The Top Asian MMA Fighters
Don't just take my word for it though, watch it below:
"I am UFC Light Heavyweight Champion of the world. How would you define me?"
HT: BE Reader Darkotto23
After the jump, check out the other top promotional materials from UFC 145.
Here's a quick list of all the excellent promotional videos they've churned out for UFC 145:
- UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans With Another Impersonation of His Mom
- UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans Vs. Jon Jones Preview - 'The Payback'
- UFC 145 Jon Jones Trailer: "Believe Your Eyes"
- PART 1 - Jon Jones And Rashad Evans Get Heated On 'Ultimate Insider'
- PART 2 - Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans - The War Of Words Continues On Ultimate Insider
- Episode 1 UFC 145 Primetime Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans
- Episode 2 UFC 145 Primetime Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans
- Video: Countdown To UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, video, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowLatest UFC/MMA news and notes from around the web for the week of April 15, 2012
Welcome, Maniacs, to the weekly series where we help you catch up on some of the original reporting done by other sites in the vast MMA landscape. Like UFC champions Anderson Silva and Jon Jones pictured above, we can all "get along."
Teaming up with MMA sites like Low Kick, Fightline, Fight Opinion and The Fight Nerd, we'll provide an opportunity for all MMA fans to read some fresh and original voices in the sport.
This week, The Fight Nerd reviews the new MMA documentary Fightville, Fight Opinion reveals three of UFC's psychological moments this past week and Fightline interviews Rory MacDonald.
The full list of links is after the jump.
- Looking back at UFC on Fuel 2: The fan experience (LowKick)
""European fans in general, are very passionate about Mixed Martial Arts. They are loyal to this sport, and would follow the fighters wherever. As noted by Marshall Zelaznik, they would have no problem attending an event at midnight. When it comes to international UFC events, there are a lot of variables, such as TV deals, time difference, suitable arenas, local regulatory systems."
- A review of the MMA documentary: Fightville (The Fight Nerd)
As both a movie and a learning experience, Fightville succeeds on so many levels that it's difficult to list them all. Perhaps the best part of the documentary is that it has something to offer everybody.
- Three revealing psychological UFC moments (Fight Opinion)
While the focus is in Atlanta this weekend, there have been three interesting & curious events that have taken place in Zuffaland that I think reveal the current psychology of the company. All of them may not interest you, but I think at least one of the three will be revealing to you for your own reasons.
- Jones clothing deal could be sign of the future (MMA Payout)
Interesting news came out last week when it was announced that Jon Jones would be wearing UFC branded gear for his fight this Saturday night. The UFC tells the USA Today that there will be more fighters wearing UFC gear in the octagon.
- Rebellion Radio with Jade Bryce and Tony Ferguson (MMA Convert)
- Interview with UFC 145 welterweight Rory MacDonald (Fightline)
Rory MacDonald talks not knowing much about his UFC 145 opponent, training with Georges St. Pierre and Kenny Florian and more
- Randy Couture breaks down Jones/Evans (Five Ounces of Pain)
"The favorite is probably Jones because of his range and he is so athletic with such a dynamic striking style. Rashad has the tools and the skillset to make it a tough fight for Jones, but he has to make it a wrestling match and take him down at every opportunity."
- UFC 145 complete betting odds (5thRound)
There's plenty of hype surrounding "UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans," but if you were to ask the Gambling Gods, there's no point in ordering Saturday's pay-per-view broadcast.
Posted in: ufc, fight, mma, jone, jon jones
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans LowKick.com Staff Predictions
None of the staff picks Rashad Evans to defeat Jon Jones this weekend. It's all "Bones", mostly via TKO.
Posted in: jon, jone, rashad evans, evan, staff
Read the full article at Low KickGeorges St-Pierre Breaks Down Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans UFC 145 Main Event (Video)
Check out GSP's championship breakdown on the UFC 145 fight between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJones-UFC clothing deal could be sign of future
Interesting news came out last week when it was announced that Jon Jones would be wearing UFC branded gear for his fight this Saturday night. The UFC tells the USA Today that there will be more fighters wearing UFC gear in the octagon.
Jones’s former sponsor, Form Athletics, went under, leaving Jones available to any sponsor. While there was speculation that Nike may be a sponsor (and still may in the future), Jones will sport UFC-branded gear which is already for sale on the UFC.com web site.
via FighterXFashion
Lorenzo Fertitta spoke to USA Today (via MMA Junkie):
To give you a little bit of background, I was going through the process of renegotiating with Jon and his management team on his fight contract. One of the things they brought up was that Jon was at a point where he didn’t necessarily want to sign contracts with some of these smaller, what I’ll call, T-shirt companies that you historically see in UFC, whether it be Tapout or MMA Elite or any of these other guys.
His aspirations (were) that he wanted to be signed by a Nike or an Adidas or an Under Armour, somebody like that. The reality is, those opportunities don’t present themselves to Jon right now, and that’s why I suggested, “Hey look, we’ve got this performance line of gear. Let us send it to you. You can test it. You can try it out. If you like it, then you can wear it in your next couple of fights.”
Fertitta added that the deal with Jones is non-exclusive so he’d be able to sign with another company if the opportunity presented itself.
Payout Perspective:
This is an interesting development for the UFC as no fighter this high profile has worn UFC profile gear. In recent memory, Gilbert Yvel (in his last UFC fight before being let go) and Tiequan Zhang wore UFC apparel in their fights. The article indicates Urijah Faber, Clay Guida and Phil Davis among others that have worn UFC gear but not necessarily during fights.
From another perspective, what becomes of the UFC sponsorship fee? It would seem that the UFC sponsored clothing deals would negate any gains from the fees. Is the UFC inching out sponsors to own the clothing business? Or, will a Nike or Under Armour partner with the UFC to become an official sponsor? Thus, we may see something like the NFL or NBA with an official clothing sponsor. Or, does this seem like a move to the WWE merchandise model–will we see no other fighter sponsors aside from the UFC? It could mean that all sponsorship opportunities would be filtered through the UFC.
As for the Jones deal, was it smart for him to take the deal with the UFC rather than with another apparel company/sponsor? It’s likely that Jones may have left money on the table to perhaps appease the UFC. While his aspirations are Nike or Adidas, it wasn’t in the cards this time around. But, he may have made more money with a “one-off” deal with other sponsors.
As an aside, the media gets another “uneducated” shout out as the UFC tries to clarify for us that despite only one of the two fighters is represented by the UFC in the main event, it does not show favoritism to the UFC sponsored fighter. This is in response to those claiming that the UFC is favoring Jones in the fight due to this new deal.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, deal, sponsor
Read the full article at MMA PayoutJones clothing deal could be sign of future
Interesting news came out last week when it was announced that Jon Jones would be wearing UFC branded gear for his fight this Saturday night. The UFC tells the USA Today that there will be more fighters wearing UFC gear in the octagon.
Jones’s former sponsor, Form Athletics, went under, leaving Jones available to any sponsor. While there was speculation that Nike may be a sponsor (and still may in the future), Jones will sport UFC-branded gear which is already for sale on the UFC.com web site.
via FighterXFashion
Lorenzo Fertitta spoke to USA Today (via MMA Junkie):
To give you a little bit of background, I was going through the process of renegotiating with Jon and his management team on his fight contract. One of the things they brought up was that Jon was at a point where he didn’t necessarily want to sign contracts with some of these smaller, what I’ll call, T-shirt companies that you historically see in UFC, whether it be Tapout or MMA Elite or any of these other guys.
His aspirations (were) that he wanted to be signed by a Nike or an Adidas or an Under Armour, somebody like that. The reality is, those opportunities don’t present themselves to Jon right now, and that’s why I suggested, “Hey look, we’ve got this performance line of gear. Let us send it to you. You can test it. You can try it out. If you like it, then you can wear it in your next couple of fights.”
Fertitta added that the deal with Jones is non-exclusive so he’d be able to sign with another company if the opportunity presented itself.
Payout Perspective:
This is an interesting development for the UFC as no fighter this high profile has worn UFC profile gear. In recent memory, Gilbert Yvel (in his last UFC fight before being let go) and Tiequan Zhang wore UFC apparel in their fights. The article indicates Urijah Faber, Clay Guida and Phil Davis among others that have worn UFC gear but not necessarily during fights.
From another perspective, what becomes of the UFC sponsorship fee? It would seem that the UFC sponsored clothing deals would negate any gains from the fees. Is the UFC inching out sponsors to own the clothing business? Or, will a Nike or Under Armour partner with the UFC to become an official sponsor? Thus, we may see something like the NFL or NBA with an official clothing sponsor. Or, does this seem like a move to the WWE merchandise model–will we see no other fighter sponsors aside from the UFC? It could mean that all sponsorship opportunities would be filtered through the UFC.
As for the Jones deal, was it smart for him to take the deal with the UFC rather than with another apparel company/sponsor? It’s likely that Jones may have left money on the table to perhaps appease the UFC. While his aspirations are Nike or Adidas, it wasn’t in the cards this time around. But, he may have made more money with a “one-off” deal with other sponsors.
As an aside, the media gets another “uneducated” shout out as the UFC tries to clarify for us that despite only one of the two fighters is represented by the UFC in the main event, it does not show favoritism to the UFC sponsored fighter. This is in response to those claiming that the UFC is favoring Jones in the fight due to this new deal.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, deal, sponsor
Read the full article at MMA PayoutRashad Evans - Living for The Moment
Rashad Evans was always the young gun – flashy, fast, powerful, able to leap tall buildings in a single…you get the picture. He’s not that guy anymore. The skill is still there, the power and the speed seemingly undiminished. But at 32, he’s the old man compared to his opponent in the main event of UFC 145 this Saturday night, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.Evans knows what he brings to the Octagon this weekend, so you get the impression that such talk doesn’t bother him, but watching his alternatively intense then bemused looks in the lead-up to the bout show a former phenom that has settled into the role of wily veteran. You may think you know what he’s thinking or planning, but you really don’t. And even after countless interviews to promote one of the organization’s biggest bouts this year, he has yet to show his cards.That’s something that only comes with time and experience, and Evans has both on his side. It wasn’t the case when he held the title, when his consecutive knockouts of Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin forecast a long reign that ultimately ended in his first defense against Lyoto Machida in 2009. Four wins later, it remains the only loss of his pro career, and that’s with good reason, as he’s learned from the mistakes he made when he was on top.“One thing about it is that I just control the people around me and not let them make a big production out of everything, and that’s what happens sometimes,” said Evans. “When you get to a certain position, everybody wants to help you, but they really want to help themselves in a sense. So by helping you, they’re really helping themselves. Everybody has a bit of advice, everybody has a new way you could do this, everybody has a new way you can get better, and I don’t know everything and I don’t claim to, and I find great enjoyment learning, so I can learn anything from somebody, but at the same time, you gotta tune it down a little bit and cut down on the noise, because if you get too much coming in at one time, it’s gonna become a distraction, and it doesn’t help you at all.”If there’s one thing surrounding Evans’ opponent, Jones, in the last few weeks, it’s been plenty of noise. The phenom from Endicott, New York is seemingly everywhere, and while he appears to be taking everything in with a certain level of grace, Evans showed that same poise when he was holding the belt, and look what happened in the Octagon and behind the scenes. So when Evans talks about Jones and what he expects to happen if he doesn’t keep everything together physically and mentally under the intense pressure and scrutiny he’s under, it bears listening to. Yet while Evans hopes to precipitate that fall from grace by taking the belt from his former training partner this weekend, when asked if he would feel some empathy for Jones should that fall happen, “Suga” says he would.“I can say that, and I’ll say that to him,” he said. “Because honestly, as much as I want to destroy him and beat him and shock the world and prove who I am, a part of me goes out to him because I know he’s setting himself up for a fall and I don’t know if he can take it. He’s wrapped himself up in a lot of falsehoods and I don’t know if it’s because he’s young, but he really can’t see the fall coming. And when I say this, I don’t want to make it seem like with everything in life you always have to be like ‘oh, I can’t do this because I’m gonna fall.’ No, you can reach for the stars, but you have to understand a fall for what it really is. And there’s usually a lesson to be learned every single time you gotta take a step back, and if you can find a lesson, you can become stronger from that fall. But if you don’t understand it for what it is and you don’t accept the fact that it’s going to happen, when it does happen, your denial about it makes sure you don’t grow from it. I don’t know if he’s gonna be able to handle that part, and I wish for him to because honestly, I like Jon in some ways and I developed a relationship with him when I was training with him, so a part of me roots for him and hopes that he does well in life and stuff like that, but he’s delusional sometimes.”Some would say that’s a necessary evil for all fighters, to lie to themselves and say getting punched, kicked, and choked doesn’t hurt, and that all that pain is only in their mind and not in their aching limbs. Evans agrees…to a certain extent.“I think you need to be delusional sometimes, but sometimes you gotta be rational,” he explains. “I think what happens is that when you become too delusional in life, you lose touch with reality and that’s bad. You have to keep at least one anchor close to land, just in case you gotta pull yourself back to shore. You don’t want to be way out there and get a hole in your boat and be shipwrecked and not know how to get back, because that’s when fools get crazy. They get too far away from reality.”And for all the trash talk and bad feelings surrounding this fight, Evans is grounded in reality. When he says he’s going to beat Jones, it’s not out of arrogance but in a belief in his skills and his training. And when he assesses the champion, he doesn’t dismiss him as a young, wet behind the ears, kid. He knows what “Bones” brings to the table, and he’s prepared accordingly.“From the first time I trained with Jon, I knew he was gonna be really good,” said Evans. “I never knew how fast he was gonna be good because somebody can be good in the practice room but really not good in the fight. So when I saw that his mental game was just as good as his physical game, I knew there was no rate on how fast he could go because he actually believes a lot of the stuff that he says, and I’ll tell you what, belief is 99.9% of it. If you believe, you can go really far with this just on belief alone.”It’s a surprising admission from Evans, considering that his eight year pro career has proven him to be a master of the mental game. With one comment, one gesture, or one move, he can take an opponent out of his element and play him like a video game. He’s done it for years, and in the lead-up to the fight, he’s poked and prodded Jones to find the weak spot and get in his head. Jones looks to have weathered that storm nicely, but with the exception of pre-fight pushing or jawing matches (none of which have happened here), the true winner of the mental chess match only shows up on fight night. So expect Evans to continue to try and work his magic every minute until that bell rings.“When you’re able to make somebody go somewhere mentally where they haven’t gone before, that’s always a good thing because with that, you get a new reaction and a new way, and it’s gonna be interesting to see how he (Jones) handles that,” said Evans. “He’s gonna try and divorce himself from all the feelings that he has towards me and towards the situation and try to make it like a normal fight. But with the added pressure and everyone around, it definitely has to seep in a little bit. He feels like he’s fighting for the honor of Jackson’s gym, and he’s here to defend his master, Greg Jackson. And I’m sure Greg is putting things in his head like oh man, you’ve gotta beat Rashad because Rashad has said this about me, and I offended Greg, so I think that Greg is now wanting to see me get beat.”If anything has been made clear throughout the year long buildup to this fight, it’s that Evans’ true animosity may not be with Jones, but with Jackson, his former coach. And deep down, that animosity may hide a deeper hurt about how things played out when Evans and the Jackson’s MMA team split after Jones won the 205-pound belt in 2011.“It (the split) just lets me know what people are about sometimes,” said Evans. “People are about their best interests, and Greg is no different. At one point, we came up together. If it wasn’t for the fighters out of his gym, nobody would even know who Greg Jackson is. He would just be a guy in Albuquerque who has pretty good jiu-jitsu and pretty good MMA, and another guy who had a gym. It was the fighters that actually got him known, and through what he showed us and through what we experienced together, we created something that the world is talking about, and other fighters sought him out to be a part of the team. So when he looks to destroy me, he’s destroying a piece of himself because without me, he wouldn’t be. Without Keith Jardine, he wouldn’t be, without Georges St-Pierre, he wouldn’t be, without Diego Sanchez, Joey Villasenor, or Nate Marquardt, he wouldn’t be. We were the guys who made Greg Jackson the guy who people wanted to come to.”At this point, a day removed from the big fight, Evans is talked out. He was talked out weeks ago, as his days were filled with questions about his sparring sessions with Jones, their former friendship, and every intriguing angle revolving around this match of 25 minutes or less.“I’m so tired of it I can’t even go on Twitter or any social networks because that’s all everybody’s talking about,” he said. “That’s good to an extent that everybody’s talking about it, but I can’t escape it. If I post a picture of me doing something else, somebody would say something like ‘oh, you should be training for Jon Jones.’ They must think I just sit in the gym and train 24/7 and do nothing but that, and only break to go and eat, and when I eat, I only eat salads.”Evans laughed, finding a spark of humor in the midst of the madness. He’s been here before, comparing it to another long-simmering grudge match, with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Evans made it through that process painlessly, winning the 2010 bout via decision and putting that feud in his rearview mirror. It showed a lot about how far he had come since the Machida fight, and in subsequent wins over Tito Ortiz and Phil Davis, he also showed off his versatility and finishing power (against Ortiz) and his ability to go five rounds for the first time (against Davis).So he’s ready for the dynamic Jones and whatever he brings to the Octagon. Sure, Evans is older now, but he’s also wiser, and with that wisdom comes the realization that nothing lasts forever, so that when you get your time to shine, you need to make the most of it.“Right now, this is my moment in time to embrace this and enjoy it for what it is because the truth of the matter is, it won’t be like this always,” he said. “These fights are few and far between, so when you get an opportunity like this, you just gotta enjoy it. So whenever I find myself getting frustrated, I just try to enjoy it because before you know it, it will be all over with, I’ll be an old man telling a story about when I fought Jon Jones. (Laughs) I understand what can happen in a fight of this magnitude and what can happen when you get caught up too fast with everything around you and how it can drain you and really make the fight bigger than what it is. What this fight comes down to is that this is a guy that I know very well, this is a guy I used to train with, and this is just another sparring session after we haven’t faced each other in a long time. So it’s gonna be interesting.”
Posted in: fight, time, jone, ’t, evan
Read the full article at UFCJon Jones - Daring to be Himself
Jon Jones hasn’t broken. You may have expected him to. You couldn’t fathom that a kid who became the youngest champion in UFC history in March of last year could keep it together under some of the most intense scrutiny a mixed martial artist has received in this era. Chuck Liddell? He was already well-established in life and his career when fame hit. Brock Lesnar? The WWE prepared him for dealing with anything his time in the public eye would entail. Jones? How could a 24-year old possibly take a sport on his shoulders and maintain his poise when so many were trying to take him down, while at the same time putting the pressure of linking his name with the likes of Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee on his back?But he made it. After taking a championship fight with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua on six weeks’ notice and winning that fight at 23, Jones defended his title with submission wins over two more legit stars in former titleholders Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida, capping off a year in which he went 4-0 with four finishes, foiled a robbery attempt on the day of the Rua fight, and went from being “the next big thing” to “the big thing.”On Saturday, he faces another challenge in a bout against a former training partner in former world champ Rashad Evans. The lead-up to the bout has been heated, not surprising given the way Evans split from the Jackson’s MMA camp where the two first became friends, and it’s tested Jones’ resolve in an entirely new situation. Sure, Rampage trash talked Jones a bit leading up to their bout, but it was nothing like this. The exchanges between the two have been very personal, and while Jones wasn’t drained by the process, he has grown tired of the barbs.“I’m not tired of talking about Rashad,” he said a couple weeks ago. “I’m tired of the whole drama of the fight. I can talk about Rashad all day; it’s a part of the fight game and you gotta talk. But the drama part of it is getting old, like him calling me fake but really never having a real reason why I’m fake. It’s kinda lame now. It’s like ‘come up with something new, bro. Talk about my skill set, but don’t keep calling me fake and then when I ask you why I’m fake, you’ve got no reason. Or when I ask him why I’m cocky and he says ‘oh, because you believe in yourself and you think you’re not gonna lose.’ That’s corny. I’m the champion and I do believe in myself. Come up with a good one at least.”Jones could address that last comment to the fans who have opened fire on him ever since he began tearing through the light heavyweight division. Many mistook his confidence for cockiness, when all he was doing was stating what every fighter should state: that on fight night, he had every intention and every belief that he was going to win. Eventually, he started to win over the doubters.“On my Twitter page and stuff, and when people talk to me in person, they always say ‘Jon, I think you have a great attitude,’ and I think it’s the attitude of a winner,” he said. “Your extreme confidence is your biggest weapon. It’s nerve racking to your opponent when you know that the guy you’re facing feels no fear for you. There’s respect obviously, a hundred percent, because I train all day, every day and study all day. If I didn’t respect the fact that I could lose the fight, then I wouldn’t train. Cockiness is ‘I don’t have to train, I’m already the champ.’ That’s cockiness, that’s silliness. But what I have is extreme faith and I think a lot of people are starting to get it.”And Jones is starting to get it too. At first, he would take unwarranted criticism to heart, whether it came from the fans or the media, and while superstar athletes in other sports are largely insulated from dealing directly with their fanbase and from most in-depth queries from the press, in MMA, the fighters are ultra-accessible to the media and regularly interacting with their fans. So watching Jones adjust to life in the spotlight has been a fascinating process, not just for us on the outside, but for the champion himself. And he’s learned plenty in just a little over a year.“There are several different things that I learned from being where I’m at,” he said. “One of the things I’ve learned is how different people’s minds work. You can say one thing and some people love it and some people truly hate you for it. So being in the position that I’m in, I’ve learned how diverse the world truly is, and how many different mindsets there are. It’s something that can’t be caught in a college course, being in the public eye and having hundreds of thousands of people that you can talk to every day through Twitter or Facebook. I’ve also learned to have skin like an armadillo. You really got to let things roll off your shoulder. I’ve heard it all and none of it bothers me anymore. And the biggest thing is that I’ve kept my team close to me. I’ve kept the people who I felt really cared about me and loved me really close to me to the point where we’re not a team anymore – we’re a legitimate family, and that’s been awesome, and I think that’s the biggest reason why I haven’t gone crazy with how fast things have moved in my life, and why I’ve been able to control it.”Having life outside the Octagon under control has allowed Jones to focus on everything he needs to do to keep the belt inside of it. And while Evans is a decided underdog according to oddsmakers heading into Atlanta’s Philips Arena, Jones is well aware that he will have one of his stiffest challenges to date when he looks to retain his crown for the third time.“What I’m most excited for in this fight is to prove that I learned more training with him than he learned training with me,” said Jones, 15-1, but when he makes a statement like that, it’s not really one hundred percent truthful, because if you really want to see what gets “Bones” the most excited, just bring up the topic of wrestling. It’s a trigger that has been drawing a fevered reaction ever since his 2009 bout with Matt Hamill. In the lead up to that fight (which was Jones’ only loss, albeit via disqualification), some said that the up and comer was going to have some difficulty with the wrestling of “The Hammer.” All that did was fire Jones up to prove those naysayers wrong, and he did just that, regardless of the end result.In the weeks and months leading up to Saturday’s UFC 145 main event, the same talk has been whispered, with the former Michigan State Spartan, Evans, expected to be the first man with the wrestling skill to put the former JUCO national champion, Jones, on his back. Just a mention of it and the Endicott, New York native will bristle, but all you’re doing is releasing him for chapter and verse about what is obviously his favorite aspect of MMA. So Jon, do you have the same mindset heading into this fight, wrestling wise, as you did before the Hamill bout?“It’s the same mindset,” said Jones. “The difference is, with (Evans’ last opponent, former NCAA Division I champ) Phil Davis and Rashad, they had these huge egos and they made it more of a wrestling focus to the point where they were both probably going to wrestling practice every day. My difference is that I have a ‘screw that’ attitude. The attitude is, say his wrestling may be better than mine. I want to believe ‘screw that,’ I’m not gonna allow you to take me down. And if you do take me down, I’m gonna get right back to my feet and come right back at you. It’s not like if you take me down I’m pinned and the match is over. No. If you get me down, I’m gonna get back to my feet and we’re gonna have to fight. And I’m not gonna go down easy. I’m gonna make him work for every takedown he may possibly get. And I think between my youth, work ethic, and cardio, I think him trying to take me down could be his downfall because I refuse to be outworked. “But the ‘screw that’ attitude is that I’m gonna take him down as well, and I’ll never give anybody a clear advantage in martial arts to where I’ll sit here and say ‘oh man, he’s a black belt, so I’d better stay off the ground with him because I’ll get tapped out.’ Or I’ll never say ‘oh man, Shogun and Rampage are so amazing at kickboxing and boxing that I’m intimidated and I better stay away and not strike with them at all.’ Or I’ll never say ‘Rashad Evans has a great double leg, so I better stand real low and purposely try not to get taken down the whole time.’ No, I’m gonna go out there and put it all on the line and maybe he’ll get me down or maybe he won’t. Maybe I’ll get him down or maybe I won’t. But I totally think that I have some of the best wrestling in the light heavyweight division, and I’m gonna back up those words and prove it. In this fight, there will not be a wrestling mismatch. You will not see Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis. I will not be dominated in the wrestling category. I have a lot of pride in my wrestling and I believe that I could have been a great Division I national champion just like Phil Davis was. I just never had the opportunity to prove it.”That was because Jones left school to get a job when his girlfriend got pregnant with the couple’s first child, a responsible act that should let you know all you need to when it comes to his character. Yet while everything obviously worked out pretty well for Jones and his young family, as he soon discovered fighting, there is still that ‘what if’ in the back of his head when it comes to wrestling, and every time he gets the chance to face off with someone who may be more accomplished on paper, he gets even more amped up.“When I had to drop out of school, I felt like such a failure,” said Jones. “I felt like I didn’t finish the mission. At the time, being a Division I national wrestling champ was my biggest goal and aspiration. And because I dropped out of school, I never got to finish that goal. So becoming a UFC world champion really filled that void and proved to me that I can be at the highest level. And that’s why wrestling Jake O’Brien meant so much to me, because he went to Purdue. That’s why wrestling Ryan Bader meant so much to me, because he went to Arizona State. To prove to myself that I could compete with Division I level wrestlers, it really tickles me and it really gives me an extra edge. In this fight, I’m gonna prove that not only am I a better mixed martial artist than Rashad, but I believe that I’m a better wrestler. And not only do I know that I’m better at Greco than him, but I feel as if I’m better collegiately, and I’m gonna prove it.”Jones laughs, knowing that he just issued an impassioned soliloquy on wrestling and its meaning to him both in his life and in this fight. And at that moment, you know that he isn’t cocky. He’s just a young man on top of the world and on top of his sport, and he’s talking from the heart. And just like one of his former opponents, Brandon Vera, once told me, if you make bold statements, you have to then take responsibility for them. Jon Jones is on board with that.“You’ll look really silly if you say all these things and you can’t back it up,” he said. “And a big thing is, I never really offend my opponent. You don’t hear me going out and saying things about him. I’m not putting anyone else down. I’m saying that I believe that I’m gonna win in there, I believe that maybe he had a better wrestling career than me, but that I’m gonna work hard and train hard on my defense and not even be taken down. It’s all positive reinforcement and reassurance, it forces you to fulfill your own prophecy through hard work and training, and that’s a powerful, powerful thing.”
Posted in: fight, jone, ’t, i ’m, ’m
Read the full article at UFC"Octagon of Excellence" Award to Honor McNair High School Wrestling Mustangs
Las Vegas, NV -- The Ultimate Fighting Championship® will recognize Atlanta’s 2012 McNair High School wrestling program for their accomplishments with an “Octagon of Excellence™” award, which includes a $10,000 grant. The grant will assist the Dekalb County Wrestling Champions with the purchase of uniforms, mats and travel to tournaments for the upcoming season.The “Octagon of Excellence™” award was created by the UFC® to recognize individuals or groups that have excelled in their chosen sport, profession or school. In addition to being named Dekalb County Wrestling Champions for the first time in their school history, the Mustangs also had a number of wrestlers qualify for the state championships. Dr. James Jones, the school’s principal, will also be recognized for increasing the graduation rate at McNair high school from thirty percent in 2003 to over seventy percent in 2009.The award and check presentation will take place prior to the weigh-ins for UFC® 145: Jones vs. Evans at Fox Theatre on Friday, April 20 at 3 p.m. Official weigh-ins begin at 4 p.m. and will be streamed live at http://www.UFC.com. The entire wrestling team and Principal Jones will be in attendance. The event is free and open to the public. UFC®145: JONES vs. EVANS will be available live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on UFC.TV, iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, and in Canada on BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada. In the night’s main event, reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones defends his title against the former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans. Plus, young prospects Rory MacDonald, Miguel Torres, Brendan Schaub, Michael McDonald and Mark Hominick are also scheduled to compete on the six-fight main card.
Posted in: ufc, jone, pm, school, dekalb county
Read the full article at UFCAmerica's Most Athletic Family - Jones Brothers' Bond
Las Vegas, Nevada – With a pro football player, a college football standout about to be drafted to thepros, and the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion of the world, proud parents Arthur and Camille Jones of Endicott, New York, may have the most athletic sons in America. “The Jones brothers are three guys who are very competitive, but we have a bond that can never be broken,” said youngest brother Chandler, a 6ft 5inch, 265lbs defensive end for the Syracuse Orangemen who will be drafted into the pros next week. “We’re real passionate about everything we do and we bring out the best in each other,” said big brother Arthur, a 6ft 3inch, 311lbs defensive end for the Baltimore Ravens. “I was the skinny kid with no co-ordination,” said 6ft 3inch middle brother Jon, who defends his UFC 205lbs title tomorrow against No.1 contender Rashad Evans on Pay-Per-View. “Both my brothers were always great at football but when I wore the helmet and pads, I looked so skinny with these long legs poking out they called me “Bones”. But I found my calling in the UFC, and on Saturday night in Atlanta, both my brothers will be Octagonside to see “Bones” Jones do his thing.” For rights-free video of the Jones brothers helping Jon prepare for this weekend’s big fight, click here for 50second and 3minute versions of film: http://on.ufc.com/HYl2cy UFC®145 will be available live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on UFC.TV, iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, and in Canada on BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for Standard Definition and $54.99 US/$59.99 CAN for High Definition. For more information or current fight news, visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change. About Ultimate Fighting Championship®Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, and with offices in London, England, Toronto, Canada and Beijing, China, UFC® produces more than 30 live events annually and is the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. In 2011, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group. The agreement includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, with additional fight cards and thousands of hours of programming broadcast on FOX properties FX and FUEL TV. This includes the longest-running sports realityshow on television, The Ultimate Fighter®, which now air on FX in an exciting new live format. In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 149 countries and territories, to nearly one billion homes worldwide, in 20 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions. The UFC also connects with tens of millions offans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with over two million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs, an internationally distributed magazine, the best-selling UFC Undisputed® video game franchise distributed byTHQ, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Clubaffinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, and articulated action figures.
Posted in: ufc, jone, fox, event, brother
Read the full article at UFCHistory in the Making: Jon Jones chokes out Rampage Jackson in dominant fashion at UFC 135
The last time Quinton Jackson entered the Octagon as the challenger for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title, he stood opposite Chuck Liddell, one of the greatest champions to ever grace the cage.
"The Iceman" had run roughshod over the division, knocking out each and every fighter they put inside the cage to go against him. He was almost universally ranked as the top light heavyweight in the world and looked to cement the status with a victory over "Rampage."
The two titans had met once before, during PRIDE Fighting Championships' 2003 grand prix, and Jackson walked away the victor that night. At UFC 71, it took "Rampage" less than two minutes to replicate the result. Over his decade plus long career, the Memphis native had been there, done that in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA). He was quite the polar opposite of the man he faced off against at UFC 135.
Jon Jones rocketed to the top of the MMA world through a series of brutal wins, one so much so it ended in a disqualification loss for him. When he choked out fellow rising prospect Ryan Bader in early 2011, he jumped at the chance to face off against Mauricio Rua in a title bout six weeks later.
He beat and pounded on "Shogun" for nearly 13 minutes before the fight was stopped and at 23 years of age, "Bones" became the youngest UFC champion in history. Impressive, yes, but winning the belt is one thing while defending it in the shark-filled tank that is the 205-pound division is something else entirely. He got his first opportunity to prove himself against a former champion in Jackson.
Before "Bones" steps inside the cage this weekend (April 21) against Rashad Evans at UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans," we'll take a look at the young prodigy's first title defense, a dominant display against a formidable foe which helped prove that, yes, this kid is for real.
Let's dive in.
Jones begins the fight by almost crawling towards his opponent, nearly keeping both knees and one hand on the mat at all times. Eventually Jackson gets close enough for Jones to shoot in for a takedown. The champion grabs hold of his opponent and bullies him against the cage where he proceeds to punch Jackson's ribs, knee his thighs and stomp his feet.
They break and reset in the center of the Octagon where Jones immediately throws a front kick to keep Jackson at bay. A leg kick swings Jackson's lower limb backwards and everyone quickly realizes "Rampage" has learned nothing from his loss to Forrest Griffin. They clinch up again and Jones nearly tosses the challenger to the mat with what seems like the utmost of ease.
Kicks are the name of the game in the first five minutes. To the chest and face, against the thighs and to the front of the knee all land for the champion and the round ends with Jackson throwing punch after punch, each hitting nothing but the air between him and his opponent.
The second round opens with more of the same from "Bones" until one kick is caught. Jackson forces the champion against the cage but the much larger fighter is able to work his way off the chain-link and back to the center of the Octagon. From there, he continues to pick "Rampage" apart with leg kicks, a strategy for which the challenger has absolutely no answer for.
For as poorly as Jackson is doing in the stand-up exchanges, he's doing remarkably well when defending the champion's takedown attempts. Any time Jones tries to get the fight to the mat, "Rampage" is able to foil him. This lasts until 90 seconds into the third round when "Bones" finally gets his opponent on his back, landing in side mount and then almost immediately exploding into full mount. To his credit, the former champion weathers the elbows Jones throws his way and gets back to his feet.
A front kick from the champion snaps Jackson's head back and as the seconds tick away in the round, the fact that Jackson's only triumph in the bout has been a defensive maneuver and he has landed little to no offense in 15 minutes becomes startlingly clear.
The first championship round begins with Jackson taking the center of the Octagon but a hook from the champion rattles him. A kick from Jones goes high and the two clinch up, jockeying for position until "Bones" shoves his opponent against the cage. "Rampage" attempts to turn away and Jones takes his back and it's only a matter of seconds before the champion's anaconda-like arms wraps themselves around Jackson's neck.
One thing which can't be dismissed was the mental warfare "Bones" waged on his opponent. In the opening round, he ragdolled Jackson to the mat. At the end of the second, Jones pulled guard as if to tell "Rampage" the bout would go wherever he wanted and in the third, a last second takedown attempt ended with the champion literally lifting Jackson up and shrugging the Memphis native of his shoulders.
Physically and mentally, Jones decimated "Rampage" and proved he belonged at the top of the 205 pound mountain.
Can he do the same this weekend against Evans?
Posted in: rampage, jone, jackson, champion, cage
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Video: Open Workouts Footage Featuring Jones, Evans, And Many More
As you've probably noticed by now, MMA Fighting's Luke Thomas is in Atlanta for UFC 145. Today was the open workouts for the event, and they were able to capture a ton of footage. UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, challenger Rashad Evans, co-main eventer Rory MacDonald, bantamweight foes Michael "Mayday" McDonald and Miguel Torres, and preliminary card welterweights Matt Brown (Luke's twin) and Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson are all featured in the video after the jump. Thompson, who is well-known for his karate, gets some extra footage which is quite impressive. Check it out.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Main Card:
Jon Jones vs. Rashad EvansRory MacDonald vs. Che MillsBen Rothwell vs. Brendan SchaubMichael McDonald vs. Miguel TorresMark Hominick vs. Eddie YaginJohn Alessio vs. Mark BocekPreliminary Card:
Travis Browne vs. Chad GriggsMatt Brown vs. Stephen ThompsonJohn Makdessi vs. Anthony NjokuaniMac Danzig vs. Efrain EscuderoChris Clements vs. Keith WisniewskiMaximo Blanco vs. Marcus Brimage
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, workouts footage
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowDana White Calls Out Greg Jackson For Problems Between Jones, Evans
Dana White has always been a big fan of keeping teammates from fighting teammates. Wait, no he hasn’t. During a recent interview with Yahoo! Sports’ Cagewriter, the UFC president called out trainer Greg Jackson for his decision-making that ultimately led to the fallout between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. Jones and [...]
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, ufc president, greg jackson
Read the full article at MMA ConvertRandy Couture: Dan Henderson and Chael Sonnen have the tools to beat Jon Jones
Rashad Evans will get his chance to not only exact some sort of "payback" against former sparring partner Jon Jones this weekend (April 21, 2012) at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Ga., he will also look to be the first fighter to solve the enigma that is the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight champion.
During Jones' three-year tenure with the world's leading mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, nine men have tried -- including three former world champions -- and nine men have failed to hand the New Yorker his first loss. Of course, Matt Hamill has a win over "Bones," though it was because of a "disqualification" from illegal elbows delivered by the 205-pound kingpin.
Essentially, no one has yet to really defeat the young champion, and Evans, for one, would love nothing more that to be the first to defeat him.
However, should "Suga" come up short in his bid to dethrone Jones, former UFC Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight champion, Randy Couture, has a few select people in mind who he feels posses the tools and skillset to hand Jones his first true defeat.
Check out what "The Natural" told Five Ounces Of Pain, including his thoughts on the overblown drama between Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans:
"I really don't have a prediction and I could make a case for either fighter winning the bout. The favorite is probably Jones because of his range and he is so athletic with such a dynamic striking style. Rashad has the tools and the skill set to make it a tough fight for Jones, but he has to make it a wrestling match and take him down at every opportunity. That's not the style we tend to see out of Evans since he landed that head kick on Sean Salmon. Being a stand-up fighter is not a great style match-up when you are facing a guy like Jones. The question is can Rashad formulate a game plan and make Jon wrestle with him? If he can do that he certainly has the ability he can win the fight, but I question he'll be able to do that for a five round fight. The rage and hatred thing it's overblown, Rashad has taken that road with other opponents. Yes they were training partners and there is some rhetoric going back and forth, but I'm not sure how heartfelt any of that really is. I think because they were training together they need to put it on a level so they can beat the hell out of each other. At the end of the day they will pick each other up and say great fight win or lose. This isn't like Tito (Ortiz) and Ken (Shamrock) or Tito and Chuck (Liddell) where they really hate each other (though) they were close at one point."
Who does the UFC Hall of Famer feel can defeat Jones?
"I think a fighter like Dan Henderson or even Chael Sonnen who is a very big 185-pounder and used to compete as a light heavyweight with strong wrestling. They have to take him out of his comfort zone and take away his reach advantage. There is no longer in the division and maybe not in the sport as far as Jones reach. His takedown defense is good and he has very good wrestling. He has very unorthodox striking which makes him very dangerous. I think you have to use the fence, use your wrestling and force him to fight your fight. Either one of those guys can do that."
Henderson is currently set to receive the next title shot at 205-pounds, so he will be a very eager viewer the showdown in "Hotlanta" this weekend.
Sonnen, meanwhile, has his hands full with 185-pound champion Anderson Silva at UFC 147, which is currently without a date and a location. However, should Sonnen ever get the opportunity to face off against Jones, he has a simple blueprint:
Substance over style.
How about it Manaics, do you agree with Couture's picks as to who can give the reigning 205-pound champion fits inside the Octagon? If not, then who do you see as the one to defeat the young phenom if Evans fails to do so this weekend?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, champion, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones: Rashad Evans 'Insulted Me Way Too Early'
ATLANTA - At the UFC 145 open workouts, UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones talked about his training before the fight, his cardio and beard, what advantages Rashad Evans has over him, and if his former teammate got into his head with all the pre-fight trash talk in the video below.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, evan, prefight trash
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145 open media workout photos gallery for 'Jones vs Evans' in Atlanta
MMA Fighting photo phenom, Esther Lin, was on the scene at the Georgia State University Gym in Atlanta, Ga., earlier today to shoot several of the notable fighters who will compete on the UFC 145: "Jones vs Evans" main card for the event's open media workouts.
Naturally, the two men who will collide in the main event of the evening, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, were on the scene to promote their highly-anticipated Light Heavyweight clash, as well as work up one of the last few real sweats prior to fight night (April 21, 2012) at the nearby Philips Arena.
Surging Welterweight contender Rory MacDonald and his opponent in the co-featured fight of the night, Che Mills, were also on hand, as well as Bantamweight brawlers Miguel Torres and Michael McDonald.
That's not all. In fact, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 170-pound champion, Georges St. Pierre, also made a cameo.
Check out more great pics from the UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" open media workout after the jump, courtesy of the incomparable Esther LIn:
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald
Matt Brown vs. Stephen Thompson
Georges St. Pierre
Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., April 21), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV). The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 7 p.m. ET with the "Prelims" bouts on FX/Facebook.
For all the latest and greatest news and notes for UFC 145 click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, media workout
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Video: Pre-Fight Interviews
ATLANTA -- Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans spoke to MMA Fighting today about why professional boxers like Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones, Jr. seem to gravitate to him, how he responds to Jon Jones' claims that Evans has a weak chin or that he may not be in his physical prime, why the pain he felt from the divorce of his now ex-wife was worse in previous fights and if a win over Jones on Saturday validates that he's not only a better fighter than Jones, but also the decision to leave the Greg Jackson camp.
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, bernard hopkins, saturday validates
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseGreg Jackson’s Study of Civil War Helped Him Decide to Corner Jon Jones
Greg Jackson had wanted to stay out of it, but eventually he decided to corner Jon Jones for his light heavyweight title defense Saturday at UFC 145 against former teammate Rashad Evans.
Posted in: jon, jone, jackson, greg, corner
Read the full article at SherdogUFC 145 Jon Jones Open Workout Scrum
Jones & Evans: Face-to-Face
Jon Jones and Rashad Evans join Hazel Mae to discuss their upcoming fight at UFC 145 and their relationship, or lack there of.
Posted in: ufc, jone, relationship, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at sportsnet.caJones & Evans: face-to-face ahead of UFC 145
Rashad Evans calls Jon Jones "whack." Jones says he isn't in MMA to make friends. The two UFC 145 headliners join Sportsnet's Hazel Mae to discuss their much-anticipated fight Saturday.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, saturday, evan
Read the full article at sportsnet.caJon Jones vs Rashad Evans UFC 145 open media workout videos and observations
The Ancient Romans were big on divinity. In an uncertain world threatened by war, famine, pestilence and natural disaster, reading omens to predict the future was a critical function of government. The preferred method was to beat a bull to death, spill its entrails, and divine the will of the gods by scrutinizing the steaming pile of ordure and bullshit that resulted.
Predicting mixed martial arts (MMA) matches is a very similar science. Generally speaking, one examines a lot of bullshit, sees what one wants to see, and comes to a conclusion. The freshest and most recent deposit of forecasting material comes from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) pre-fight open workouts. At these events, the fighters' past performances become moot, and their actual pre-fight form, orientation and condition is revealed.
Today, UFC 145 main event fighters Jon Jones and Rashad Evans hit the mitts, worked up sweats and participated in one of the final pre-fight rituals before they step inside the Octagon at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on Saturday night (April 21, 2012) and wage war like modern-day gladiators.
What do you see? As one well-versed in rootling through bullshit, I will help you with a few pointers as we watch the UFC 145 open media workouts videos for Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans:
Rashad Evans (3.5 minutes):
Observations:
Crisp, sharp punches
Stable, wide stance
Poised, calm and deliberate
No kicks
No grappling
Some misses in striking defense
Apparently good cardio
Jon Jones (8 minutes): Observations:
Starts workout with multiple front snap kicks
Typical long, slow punches
Deliberately switches stance between orthodox and southpaw
Practices roundhouse kicks with both legs
Falls into typical slow, deliberate rhythm
Grapples with tree stump
Plenty of shooting for doubles and singles
Follows up single with roundhouse kick to head
Having peered deep into the omens, savored the aroma and divined the patterns, I have seen the future. And you? Within the bullshit, what do YOU see?
If your crystal ball is blurry and needs a little friendly assistance, be sure to check out the latest UFC 145 odds and betting guide for "Jones vs. Evans" right here. And to check out our complete UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" event archive for all the latest news and notes click here.
Poll
The Ending That I Foresee Is
Bones Wins by Decision
Bones Wins by KO/TKO
Rashad Wins by Decision
Rashad Wins by KO/TKO
Bones Wins by Submission
Rashad Wins by Submission
20 votes | Results
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad, workout, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaOnce Jon Jones stopped 'wild' partying and 'immature things,' real problems with Rashad Evans started
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight number one contender, Rashad Evans, insists that reigning division champion, Jon Jones, is a fake and a fraud, with an image that will lead you to believe he's something he's not. After all, having a scandalous personal life is not an uncommon theme in the world of sports.
Just ask Tiger Woods.
"Bones," who will put his 205-pound strap on the line against "Suga" at UFC 145 this Saturday night (April 21, 2012) at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, tells media members at yesterday's pre-fight press conference (via MMA Interviews) he's no longer the "immature" party animal he was when they first started training together at Jackson's MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
"When I came to Jackson's, I don't think Rashad looked at me as someone that could ever compete with him. He welcomed me whole-heartedly, that's been well documented. He lies and says he never wanted me to be there. Maybe he did mention to Greg that he didn't think it was the best idea, who knows, but when he was there he treated me well and I treated him well. He definitely made me feel comfortable. I think where the real problem started, was when I realized I had an opportunity to do something and I really focused my life and focused my dedication to the sport. I used to go out and party and do a lot of immature things and I think that's what he's talking about when he says you guys don't know things about me. Yeah, I go out and drink every once in awhile, I'm 24. I think he looks at how wild I used to be as someone who could never compete with him or get on that level with him. Once he realized I dedicated my life to martial arts and completely changed my personal and my private life, I've changed a lot about my private life and he knows that, he knows that I'm not the kid I used to be, I think that's when the real problems came. He realized that 'okay this kid can really do something special here,' and that's when the problems really came."
Jones elaborates on his old (and new) lifestyle after the jump.
For more on the UFC 145 grudge match between Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans click here.
Posted in: jone, life, problem, he, that
Read the full article at MMA ManiaGreg Jackson Contends Jon Jones Has Underrated Fight IQ
ATLANTA -- MMA trainer and coach Greg Jackson spoke to MMA Fighting today at the UFC 145 pre-fight open workouts. Jackson expressed surprise at the levels reached by some of the vitriolic personal attacks he received, discussed Rashad Evans' physical capabilities as he enters his thirties, contrasted the wrestling styles of Evans and Jon Jones, discussed how he and his camp manage Jones' training as he grows in size and tried to make sense of why Jones' fight IQ is underrated.
Posted in: jone, jackson, jon jones, rashad evans, workouts jackson
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Open Workouts Exclusive Photo Gallery
Check out our exclusive photo gallery from Thursday's UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans media workouts at Georgia State University from HeavyMMA photographer James Law.
Posted in: jone, vs, workout, photo, photo gallery
Read the full article at Heavy MMARashad Evans Discusses Emotionally Moving On From Pain of Divorce
ATLANTA -- Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans spoke to MMA Fighting today about why professional boxers like Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones, Jr. seem to gravitate to him, how he responds to Jon Jones' claims that Evans has a weak chin or that he may not be in his physical prime, why the pain he felt from the divorce of his now ex-wife was worse in previous fights and if a win over Jones on Saturday validates that he's not only a better fighter than Jones, but also the decision to leave the Greg Jackson camp.
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, evan, bernard hopkins, saturday validates
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseRandy Couture thinks Chael Sonnen could beat Jon Jones
Few folks in MMA have the insight and intellect of Randy Couture, a UFC Hall of Famer who held championships in multiple divisions and was a key component of the UFC’s rise over the past decade. His analysis is typically spot on and has been welcomed inside the announce booth on countless occasions.
However, Couture’s latest assessment may leave some fans scratching their heads, as “The Natural” listed Chael Sonnen as one of a select group of people who could potentially dethrone light heavyweight champion Jon Jones if Rashad Evans doesn’t do so first this weekend at UFC 145.
After breaking down Saturday night’s title-fight in an interview with Five Ounces of Pain, saying he could see either man winning, Couture continued by offering his take on what other competitors might pose problems for Jones.
“I think a fighter like Dan Henderson or even Chael Sonnen who is a very big 185-pounder and used to compete as a light heavyweight with strong wrestling,” explained Couture. “They have to take him out of his comfort zone and take away his reach advantage. There is no longer in the division and maybe not in the sport as far as Jones reach. His takedown defense is good and he has very good wrestling. He has very unorthodox striking which makes him very dangerous. I think you have to use the fence, use your wrestling and force him to fight your fight. Either one of those guys can do that.”
Couture Breaks Down MMA’s Top 10 Pound-for-Pound Fighters
While Sonnen’s next fight is scheduled to involve middleweight champ Anderson Silva and he is not known to be in contention for the light heavyweight belt, Henderson has been essentially guaranteed a shot at the winner of Evans-Jones barring some set of unforeseen circumstances.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: ufc, jone, chael sonnen, sonnen, sonnen ’s
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin And Wrestling
With UFC 145 just days away, Jon Jones spoke to the media following the press conference for his main event title defense against Rashad Evans. During the conversation, Jones had a lot to say about Evans and the weaknesses that he will be able to exploit.
Here's the video courtesy of MMA FIghting:
Quotes after the jump...
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
On Evans' chin:
"When I watch my first fights I used to flail. Everything's flail-y, and I realize the power of flexing your abdominals when you try to strike and things like that. I definitely feel as though I'm hitting harder, and I'm excited. I wobbled Rampage [Jackson] a little bit when I hit him, and I wobbled Lyoto [Machida] when I hit him, and I think out of all those guys, Rashad has the weakest chin. I think he has the weakest chin of anyone I've fought since 2010, and I think I'm going to exploit that."
On Rashad's wrestling:
"Rashad being a wrestler, I'm sure it will affect his psychology being on his back," he said. "People don't realize, Rashad was not a Division I national wrestling champion. He's been taken down on numerous occasions. Michael Bisping got him down, I think. And Michael Bisping is not a wrestler. So, I worked a lot on my takedowns. I'm not going to be a victim to his takedowns. He needs to worry about my takedowns, too. So I've worked a lot of different shots"
Posted in: jone, rashad, evan, im, chin
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowVideo of Jon Jones knocking out sparring partner in 'Proving Ground' documentary
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, as filmed in the last year's Jackson's Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) documentary "The Proving Ground," does some proving of his own -- by knocking out his sparring partner inside the cage.
In the above outtake, "Bones" doesn't let a little thing like an unconscious teammate stop him from training; however, because as his coach explains, you gotta finish the round, even if there's some involuntarily planking going on next to you. (Though he probably should have checked on him to "get some fans.")
The question is, can Jones replicate this kind of performance this weekend?
That's where he'll defend his 205-pound title against Rashad Evans, who knows a thing or two about mixing it up with Jones in Albuquerque. They're scheduled to main event UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" on April 21, 2012 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
To get all the gory details on their epic grudge match click here.
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, philips arena, years jacksons, weekend thats
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: The Jones vs. Evans Hype Video Collection
Watch 10 "hype" videos for the UFC 145 main event between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans all in one place here at HeavyMMA.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145 Judo Chop: How Much Of Jon Jones' MMA Take Downs Are Greco And How Much Are Judo?
Ever since UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones burst into the consciousness of MMA fans by sending Stephan Bonnar flying over and over again at UFC 94, there has been a great deal of confusion as to how much of Jones' MMA take down game derives from his collegiate Greco-Roman wrestling background and how much he picked up "watching Judo on YouTube" as Jones claims.
We asked wrestling Coach Mike Riordan and Dan Pedersen aka JudoNerd, our community judo expert to look at some of Jones' fights and comment on the possible origins of his flashy throws and take downs.
Related Articles: Jon Jones Career Part 1 |The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 2 | Jon Jones' Greco-Roman And Judo Clinic On Stephan Bonnar | Jon Jones Front Chancery Chokes Lyoto Machida Unconscious | The Flaws of Jon Jones | Jon Jones Unleashes the Salaverry on Vladimir Matyushenko | Spinning Elbow To Guillotine With Jon Jones
Admittedly it's impossible for even a fighter to know exactly where he picked up any given technique in a life time of training, watching fights, watching martial arts movies, reading books, and improvising in the cage. Keeping that in mind we asked our experts to limit their discussion of Jones' approach to how the various moves would be described by a practitioner of that discipline.
Dan and Mike take it away after the jump...
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Dan Pedersen, aka JudoNerd shared his thoughts on Jones' use of Judo techniques:
With Jones you have a guy who has trained Greco-Roman (and therefore has a great base in upper body clinch throws without a gi). So he is obviously primed to learn Judo in the context of MMA, since the off-balancing techniques are so similar between the two sports.
On top of that, you have a guy with ridiculously long legs.
The throws he uses that look like Judo (e.g., his Osoto Gari on Matt Hamill, his Harai Goshi and De Ashi Barai on Stephan Bonner) are all basically foot sweeps and leg attacks. You never see Jones going for hip tosses like Ronda Rousey, or Seoi Nage like Karo Parisyan.
He uses leg techniques, which, in Judo, are the tall man's game. When you have that much of a reach advantage with your lead leg-your attacking leg-you can dispense with all that "lower your hips and get under them" stuff. No more hip tosses or dropping for doubles and singles... just keep the clinch, move them off balance, and use that attacking leg to sweep or throw.
With his Greco background, his long legs, and his creativity, I don't think it was very hard for Jones to incorporate these throws. The hardest part of Judo is the movement in the clinch, and he had been working that exclusively for years.
Now Coach Riordan goes in-depth on the uses of Jones style techniques in amateur wrestling. Take it away Mike:
The first techniques presented for analysis are the foot sweep and hip toss Jones hit in his fight with Stephan Bonnar. I invite the reader to keep the link open in a smaller window while reading the relevant section. My impression is that wrestling uses far less subtle terminology than judo when naming these types of techniques. In wrestling, any move where the foot extends to knock an opponent's foot of the mat is called a foot sweep. Most moves where a hip swivel displaces a leg and propels a throw are called hip tosses. This is true even with throws where the leg is displaced via a reaping motion with the thrower's leg. Applying wrestling nomenclature as best I can, I would call the two moves depicted in the link above a foot sweep and hip toss, perhaps there are better wrestling names available.
Footsweeps occur in wrestling, though they are far from a staple. Usually, they come as a result of some judo background or because it is something a wrestler may have simply "figured out" throughout years on a mat.
One of the most famous wrestling foot sweeps ever succesfully executed in wrestling is this gem in the 2003, 165 pound NCAA finals where Illinois' Matt Lackey secured his national title against Lehigh's Troy Letters (FUN FACT: Troy made a brief appearance on MTV's "True Life: I'm a College Wrestler").
Lackey performed this technique in other matches, but never with such dramatic effect. This is less a foot sweep and more kicking a guy's legs out from under him, however, this is no mean feat when dealing with an elite wrestler in a stance. Lackey somehow times this perfectly for a spectacular takedown.
More similar to the Jones footsweep is the technique demonstrated to the right. This is the Oklahoma State University wrestling room, and the intrepid sweeper pictured is current collegiate superstar, Jordan Oliver. Witnessing this move in high level practice rooms is not uncommon though you rarely see it in an actual match. The move is essentially a reverse lateral drop, where a throw is executed from over/unders toward the under-hook side. The thrower grabs the lat with his under-hook hand and pulls his opponent's leg over an outstretched foot, instigating a trip. Jones pulled Bonnar over his foot in a similar manner but his right hand up and pushes on the head. I don't often see this hand placement on this particular technique in wrestling which suggests that Jones' sweep here is more reflective of judo.
I am far from an expert, but I always imagine throwing techniques that involve a leg "reaping" out another leg as paradigmatically judo throws. These sorts of throws do pop-up in wrestling, though somewhat rarely.
This sweet throw is Minnesota's Dylan Ness throwing Iowa's Mike Kelly. The situation starts off with Ness in trouble as Mike Kelly seems to have a snake throw locked in. Kelly is going to attempt to yank up on Ness's chin while hipping in, putting Dylan on his back. Unfortunately for Kelly, Ness incredibly resourceful; he maintains the whizzer, pushes Kelly's hips away and steps across to reap Kelly's leg. This results in a visually appealing throw.
Throws like this in wrestling are the exception rather than the rule and I beleive that Jones' hip tosses above and below are more the products of Judo. My opinion is based, once again on hand placement. In the Bonnar throw, he rests his hand almost lightly on Bonnar's right arm before throwing him. This is distinctly unwrestler-ish. Wrestlers, at least American wrestlers, are taught to always place their hand heavily on an opponent and if they are touching an arm they are usually pulling it in by hooking around the tricep or pushing it away with their arm extended.
Jones is doing neither here, and this is fairly alien to someone used to watching wrestling.
To the right is another hip toss from Jones's pre-UFC days. In my mind, the telltale sign of this hip toss being more of a pure judo throw is that Jones pulls his opponent tight using the wrist. Wrestling, for the most part, teaches that throwing handles should be as close to an opponent's trunk as possible and thus you see most wrestling throws involve grabbing the tricep or latissimus dorsi in attempts to anchor the throw.
The following link shows Jones's attempted arm spin, and supplex against Bonnar. The arm spin is a wrestling move and one I feel is greatly underutilized in the sport of scholastic wrestling though it is far more common in freestyle and in Greco. This gif depicts what may be the finest arm spin ever hit.
This is Eldar Kurtanidze of Georgia throwing Iran's Ali Reza Heidari in the world finals. The name of the game when hitting this move is a quick and complete body rotation by the thrower with the opponents arm pulled extremely tightly around the body. Notice that when Eldar relinquishes the body lock his right hand quickly slides to Heidari's tricep and begins pulling it tight before his left arm comes underneath and finishes the job. Jones' attempt, above, fails, but I am pretty sure this is how he envisioned the move playing out in his head.
The supplex, as performed by Jones on Bonnar is, as far as I know, a pure wrestling move and practiced by all Greco wrestlers. The most impressive part is that Jones was able to get the necessary hip pop to arch him over almost instantaneously. This is aided by his grip slipping up to the chest in a sort of "high-gut" position. Hitting the move instantly is a key in an MMA match and I'll explain why.
To the right is Garrett Lowney supplexing his Russian opponent, former world champ Gogi Koguashvili. Notice that Lowney first lifts Gogi off the mat and loads him up on his hips by taking some small backsteps; this ensures the high amplitude of the throw. Gogi could simply stick his foot back and hook Lowney's calf with his toe to defuse the move, but this is illegal in Greco where leg to leg contact is outlawed, therefore Lowney is free to lift away. Jones does not have this luxury, however, as Bonnar could conceivably hook his leg, therefore a more spontaneous throw is required.
The salto from double overhooks is primarily a Greco move. Throwing from double overs favors a taller man as it requires the thrower to both have his arms over his opponent's arms while loading his hips under his opponents hips. Jones hits this move nicely, keeping the arms tight under the armpits and getting great hip pop. His opponent does him a favor by pressuring hard into him and providing all the momentum needed to complete the technique.
In high level Greco matches, wrestlers are mindful not to push in recklessly and therefore momentum must be manufactured by the thrower. In this GIF, Olympic champion, and one time K-1 competitor, Karen Gaber does just that while back arching American R.C. Johnson by taking tiny backsteps mid-throw.
Mike Riordan is a high school wrestling coach, unsuccessful division one collegiate wrestler, and student of the sport of wrestling. He is a part time contributor to Bloody Elbow on matters of collegiate and Olympic wrestling.
Posted in: jone, leg, move, hip, judo
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: Dana White Uses Rashad Evans Vs. Jon Jones As Proof Jackson's MMA Is Not 'Family'
Greg Jackson and Jackson's MMA have been one of the biggest camps at the center of the teammates not fighting teammates thing. The idea that fighters are "family" or "teammates" who shouldn't fight each other has long bothered UFC president Dana White and he's taken the opportunity to try to prove what nonsense the idea that fighters are family is in the wake of the fallout between Jon Jones, Jackson's MMA and Rashad Evans.
Here's the quote from Yahoo's Cagewriter:
"There is one thing that is an absolute fact, and no matter how often Greg Jackson pumps that family [expletive], Greg Jackson is a [expletive] businessman," White told Cagewriter. "The more top guys he brings in, the more money he makes. There's nothing wrong with Greg Jackson, but he's a [expletive] businessman. Some of these fighters, who ought to know better but don't listen to that [expletive] and don't take it for the crock of [expletive] that it is. These guys need to make the decision where they train based on where they think they'll get the best work and develop the best, and not on this [expletive] crazy idea that you're becoming a part of a family.
"Greg Jackson [expletive] told Rashad this wouldn't happen, that they're family and all that other [expletive], but look what is going on now. Look and see who is at Jackson's and who is not. Train where you think it's going to be best for you and if that's Jackson's, that's fine. Just don't buy into this family [expletive] because there's nothing to it. This is the fight business, not the friend business."
Rashad trained at Jackson's for most of his career, becoming one of the gym's most successful fighters. Despite being somewhat uncomfortable with Jon Jones starting to train at the gym, an arrangement was made that then "friends" Jones and Evans would never fight each other. With Evans gunning to win back his light heavyweight title, Jones made statements that if Rashad was champion, he'd be content to keep dominating without the belt.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Of course, once Evans was hurt and Jones was offered his title shot, Jones took it, won the title and made the statement that set everything into motion by claiming he'd be willing to fight Rashad if that's what the UFC asked him to do.
The subsequent fallout saw Evans leave Jackson's but Greg Jackson continued to say that he wouldn't corner against Rashad given their history. That, of course, quickly changed and led to Dana's above statement.
The idea that fighters should be creating bonds that prevent the best fights from being made is a bit crazy to me. I understand the idea of training with someone every day and becoming friends may make you wary of fighting them. But, ultimately your best career decision is to look out for yourself.
For all the flack boxing gets for "the best fights not happening," as someone who follows both sports very closely, I can name more legitimately good fights that didn't happen in MMA than boxing over the past ten years. And the biggest reason for a lot of them were "oh, those guys won't fight, they train together." Be it Jackson's, AKA or any other big camp there were a lot of appropriate fights for guys.
This is a business and no one is going to remember the fights you didn't have because some coach sold the idea that you're a "family." The sooner fighters start looking out for themselves a bit more than worrying about hurting other fighters' feelings, the better off the sport will be.
Posted in: fight, jone, jackson, family, expletive
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Highlights
Host Jon Anik sat down with champ Jon Jones and challenger Rashad Evans in Atlanta yesterday to talk the feud one last time before the two enter the cage Saturday night.
Posted in: jon, jone, challenger, champ, atlanta yesterday
Read the full article at Heavy MMARashad Evans 'threw a fit' over CagePotato caption, really thought Dana White bet $500,000 on Jon Jones to win at UFC 145
submitted by tekprodfx16 [link] [comment]
Posted in: jone, tekprodfx, jon jones, rashad evans, cagepotato caption
Read the full article at RedditUFC 145 Tweet of the Day: Georges St. Pierre Talks Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans
Georges St. Pierre is on good terms with both UFC 145 competitors, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. He has said in the past that the rivalry was a bit of an "awkward situation" for him, and today, the UFC welterweight champion talked about the highly anticipated bout on twitter. He was careful to remain neutral though, as he didn't exactly pick sides:
@GeorgesStPierreGeorges St-Pierre So, @UFC 145's main event: Who's your favourite to win it? Apr 18 via web Favorite Retweet Reply
@GeorgesStPierreGeorges St-Pierre I've trained with Rashad and Jon and all I can say is that any small mistake will carry a hefty price, either way. Apr 19 via web Favorite Retweet Reply
Related: UFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Predictions From The Top Asian MMA Fighters
Here's what GSP said several months ago when the relationship between Evans and Jones started to get sour:
"It's a pretty weird situation right now. I was in Albuquerque not too long ago and both guys were there. And unfortunately Rashad got hurt and I was there when it happened. I don't know what to say. Me, I would not fight a friend but it happens sometimes that I have two friends that are fighting each other. It's kind of an awkward situation."
Since he's stuck in the middle of a feud with both fighters who he's on good terms with, I can't really blame St. Pierre for feeling a bit awkward and being reserved on his UFC 145 prediction.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans Confident in Letting Instincts Guide Him in Jon Jones Fight
ATLANTA -- On Wednesday afternoon, someone asked Rashad Evans what his best advantage over Jon Jones is. Evans' face lit up, as though he was about to offer up a secret he'd been wanting to share."You're going to laugh when I say this, but it's that I'm small," he said. "I'm smaller than him so I have the size advantage. I'm going to be all over him, like a little spider monkey."
Yes, he's small alright. Jones is 6-foot-4, Evans is 5-foot-11. Jones has an 84.5-inch reach, and Evans has a 75-inch reach. That's a lot of distance to navigate, but Evans is confident he can do it, because he's done it before. Ah yes, this is where the part about practice comes in. The part about which one got the better of the other back when they were teammates. About whether Jones was just a young kid learning on the fly or someone who was a threat from the beginning.
The truth is out there somewhere, but only they know it.Evans speaks with the confidence of a veteran, one with not only past success in the octagon, but past success against his UFC 145 opponent, Jones. But according to him, it's not simply about what he knows he can do, it's about what Jones knows, too. How they stacked up against each other two years ago isn't really important in the grand scheme of things because it's so long ago. But it is important in the mental edge it has offered, which is to say that it's really important.This is especially true when it comes to wrestling, the stylistic base for both."For the most part he can say what he wants to say, but it's going to be different for him because he knows that I can take him down," Evans said. "Before, he could never even imagine somebody taking him down because they didn't. But he knows I can because I have."It's a fact. I can take him down," he continued. "He understands that so he's got to fight with the idea that 'OK, I've got to be careful because this guy could take me down because he has before.'"That's not to say that Evans is going to be hellbent on the takedown. In fact, he says he's going into the fight without any concrete idea of how to approach his attack. Instead, he wants to be in the moment, to let his instincts guide him. The way he explained it, when he's at his best, he doesn't think at all. He simply reacts. And because his brain isn't consciously processing anything, the action in front of him slows down. "I don't even know what I'm going to do," he said. Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm just going to out there and fight, let it just hang out, just be raw, let it come to me. I can't sit here and say my mind set is made up to do one thing because I know Jon is one of those athletes that's going to come out there and try to make me think. That's what Jon does really good. He makes fighters think. When you do make a fighter think, that's when you're able to attack. He gets guys thinking, gets them puzzled, and then he's able to do his game plan and gets them doing whatever he wants to do. My goal is to go out there and not think at all. Just react and see what happens."A reactionary style is one that is fairly dependent on speed. Evans essentially acknowledged this by offering that in this fight "timing is everything." The transitions from striking to wrestling are the gray areas that will determine his success or failure. And speed is often diminished with age.
Evans isn't exactly an old man, but at 32, he's eight years Jones' elder. Jones made reference to that while talking about scouting film on Evans. He mentioned that he had watched Evans' last bout against Phil Davis around 65 times, studying his guard passes, setups and other tendencies. That's exactly the opposite approach that Evans has taken. Evans does not want to think at all; Jones can't have enough information. But he also made reference to Evans' age by noting he had watched tape of him "in his prime, and I've watched his fights that he's fighting now." Does that mean he believes Evans is no longer in his prime? Jones took a long pause and simply said, "I don't know."Evans smiled and shook his head at that, but the truth might come on Saturday, when his veteran fight instincts must be at their sharpest to overcome Jones' youthful aggressiveness and creativity.
Posted in: fight, jone, evan, he, im
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseMorning Report: Jon Jones and Rashad Evans Play Nice, But Can You Blame Them?
If you tuned into the UFC 145 pre-fight presser yesterday, you probably tuned in with a certain expectation. After all, a year-plus of outrageous smack talk has finally led us to this moment. Jones vs. Evans, tensions are high, it's about to go down. Right?
Well, not exactly. Instead of bringing the fireworks, both the champ and the challenger seemed to be just as tired of talking as we are of listening. In fact, not only were the accusations and arguments kept to a minimum, there were moments when both men seemed to be genuinely enjoying each other's company. Rashad's a winner. Jon's grown into a man. Rashad dresses nice. After being inundated with spite for so long, the friendliness was almost bizarre to watch.
But who can really blame them? They both said it themselves, it's hard to keep this up for a year. After you rehash the same story 4,000 times, the animosity loses its edge. And honestly, does it even matter at this point? Almost everybody taking time out of their day to watch a press conference is already going to buy the fight regardless.
Besides, Jon Jones does have a point. Rashad is a pretty snappy dresser.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
UFC 145 pre-fight press conference. Catch up on all the action from yesterday's UFC 145 pre-fight press conference with video highlights and exclusive photos, interviews with Jon Jones and Blackzilian head coach Mike Van Arsdale, plus Rashad Evans' surprising take on his split with Greg Jackson.
UFC 145 predictions. Luke Thomas offers predictions and analysis for the six UFC 145 pay-per-view fights in advance of Saturday's big event.
Hector Lombard offered UFC contract. Bellator middleweight champion Hector Lombard has officially been offered a multi-fight UFC contract. Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney retains the right to match the contract and will make his final decision within the upcoming week, according to a report from Sherdog.
UFC 145 dissections. Preview Saturday's entire preliminary card along with a primetime lightweight tilt, Mark Bocek vs. John Alessio, with Dallas Winston's comprehensive UFC 145 fight breakdowns.
Bellator 66 preview and predictions. Not to be forgotten, check out an in-depth preview of tomorrow night's heavily-anticipated rematch between DREAM lightweight champion Shinya Aoki and former Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez.
MEDIA STEW
Last year a Jackson's MMA documentary, Proving Grounds, was released, but that's not what the clip below is about. No, this is actually a newly-released outtake from 2009, in which Mr. Jon Jones semi-accidentally destroys a hippie teammate. And it's awesome. (HT: Middle Easy)
After watching Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar rehash their favorite Rogan & Goldy moments while discussing the finer points of preparing kangaroo meat, we've come to the conclusion that this needs to be a real show. Like, right now.
So we'll admit, we really have no idea what Rashad is saying in this interview. But seriously guys, just look how happy he is! (Props to @snazzjohngenius for the find.)
If we're being honest with ourselves, the coaches' arguments are really the best part of The Ultimate Fighter. And with doozy lines like, "You've had four title fights, you've lost all of them," and, "Go get in your grandpa's Mercedes and go home," we'd have to say Dominick Cruz wins this round.
Meanwhile, in TUF Brazil:
(via Reddit)
ALMOST TIME
Me @ the press conference.. If I answer one more Jon Jones question I'm gonna punch him in the face!!! Lol instagr.am/p/JklE1kE1LJ/
— Rashad Evans (@SugaRashadEvans) April 18, 2012
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Wednesday, April 18, 2012):
- UFC on FOX 3: Johnny Bedford (18-9-1) out, Roland Delorme (7-1) in against Nick Denis (11-2)
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today's Fanpost of the Day is a surprising flip of the script by Bloody Elbow's Dustinovsky: Evans is Closer to Ali Than Jones
If either of the fighters in the upcoming UFC Light Heavyweight title bout bears a significant resemblance to Muhammad Ali, historically speaking, it is Rashad Evans. The parallels between the main event of UFC 145 and Ali vs. Foreman in Rumble in the Jungle in 1974 are actually a little startling. Evans is in place as Ali, Jones as Foreman.
Rashad Evans is 32, the same age as Ali when he stepped in the ring against George Foreman, fighting an undefeated 24 year old champion in Jones who most view as virtually unbeatable (I'm ignoring Jones' technical loss to Hamill). Foreman, likewise, was 25 when he met Ali in Zaire. He'd never lost or come anywhere close, having brutally cleaned out the entire heavyweight division with shocking efficiency; he was 40-0 with 38 knockouts. He had recently blitzed Joe Frazier to win the heavyweight belt, knocking the champ down 6 times in less than 2 rounds. No one could remember anyone like Foreman, except maybe Sonny Liston (who Ali defeated at 22 to get the belt, but was a huge underdog going into that fight as well). Foreman had also demolished Ken Norton in a similar fashion for another 2nd round knockout of a former champ who had previously defeated Ali.
Ali, meanwhile, went to Africa as a former champ of quickly advancing age who everyone thought was certain to lose. Some feared for his safety against Foreman. At that time he had just two losses in his career. Evans, similarly, has only a single loss going into UFC 145.
Jones' merciless finishes of Rua, Machida, and to a lesser extent Jackson line up beautifully with the historical context of Foreman quickly blasting a series of foes which Evans either lost to or did not finish. Like Evans, Ali's only losses came from men who the current champ had easily destroyed. What I mean is, the inconsistent method of what we lovingly call MMA Math helps us all to see now what people saw in 1974, that the new champ was a stud the level of which an older former champ could not hope to match, and we got there by comparing common opponents. If anything, Ali had performed worse against his common opponents with Foreman than Evans has against his common opponents with Jones.
Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.
Posted in: ufc, jone, ali, evan, foreman
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones plans to exploit Rashad Evans’ “weak” chin
Three of light heavyweight champion Jon Jones’ nine wins inside the Octagon have been the result of a strike-based stoppage. However, none in the bunch have involved a clean knockout, each instead coming after the affected individual absorbed enough damage to merit a referee intervening.
When Jones defends his title against Rashad Evans this weekend at UFC 145 he’s hoping to change that trend by rendering his rival into a puddle of goo on the canvas with one well-placed, powerful shot. It’s a goal “Bones” believes he can achieve based in part on possessing the pure ability to do so but also due to the delicate nature of Evans’ jaw.
“I definitely feel as though I’m hitting harder, and I’m excited. I wobbled “Rampage” (Quinton Jackson) a little bit when I hit him, and I wobbled Lyoto Machida when I hit him, and I think out of all those guys, Rashad has the weakest chin. I think he has the weakest chin of anyone I’ve fought since 2010, and I think I’m going to exploit that,” said Jones in an interview with MMAFighting.
The padding on Evans’ off-switch isn’t the only thing Jones views as being weak when it comes to his former teammate. In fact, Jones isn’t necessarily worried about Evans’ wrestling either given Evans’ past inability to finish opponents off. More than half of the Ultimate Fighter winner’s triumphs have come by way of decision.
The Latest Episode of UFC Primetime Chronicling Lives of Jones-Evans
“I’m not afraid of Rashad’s ground game. If anything, he should be afraid of mine,” explained Jones. “When I take people down, they open up. There’s blood. My elbows, I’m realizing, they do work. Rashad doesn’t do anything but kill the clock.”
Fans can see if Jones lives up to his word when the two tussle on PPV when the broadcast starts Saturday night at 10:00 PM EST.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: jone, rashad, evan, evans ’, mine ”
Read the full article at Fighters.comRandy Couture weighs in on Jon Jones-Rashad Evans feud
With UFC 145 on the horizon everyone has been voicing their thoughts on the main event which will see former teammates Rashad Evans and Jon Jones battle one another for Jones’ light heavyweight title – who will win, how will they win, and was Jones wrong for seemingly breaking the vow he and Rashad made never to fight one another. Many wonder whether or not Evans will be able to control his emotions and not allow his them to get the better of him. It’s one of the hottest topics to hit MMA in a long time and one Randy Couture was eager to talk about in a recent conversation with Five Ounces of Pain.
“I really don’t have a prediction and I could make a case for either fighter winning the bout,” admitted Couture. “The favorite is probably Jones because of his range and he is so athletic with such a dynamic striking style. Rashad has the tools and the skillset to make it a tough fight for Jones, but he has to make it a wrestling match and take him down at every opportunity. That’s not the style we tend to see out of Evans since he landed that headkick on Sean Salmon. Being a stand-up fighter is not a great style match-up when you are facing a guy like Jones.”
“The question is can Rashad formulate a gameplan and make Jon wrestle with him? If he can do that he certainly has the ability he can win the fight, but I question he’ll be able to do that for a five round fight,” continued Couture. “The rage and hatred thing it’s overblown, Rashad has taken that road with other opponents. Yes they were training partners and there is some rhetoric going back and forth, but I’m not sure how heartfelt any of that really is. I think because they were training together they need to put it on a level so they can beat the hell out of each other. At the end of the day they will pick each other up and say great fight win or lose. This isn’t like Tito (Ortiz) and Ken (Shamrock) or Tito and Chuck (Liddell) where they really hate each other (though) they were close at one point.”
If by chance Evans isn’t the one legitimately defeat Jones for the first time in his career, the next question becomes one relating to whether or not anyone out there can. Essentially, what skills does that fighter have to possess to finally derail the Jones Express that has been running roughshod over the UFC light heavyweight division since his debut in August of 2008?
“I think a fighter like Dan Henderson or even Chael Sonnen who is a very big 185-pounder and used to compete as a light heavyweight with strong wrestling,” replied Couture to the topic. “They have to take him out of his comfort zone and take away his reach advantage. There is no longer in the division and maybe not in the sport as far as Jones reach. His takedown defense is good and he has very good wrestling. He has very unorthodox striking which makes him very dangerous. I think you have to use the fence, use your wrestling and force him to fight your fight. Either one of those guys can do that.”
As chance would have it, Henderson is in line for a shot at the light heavyweight title, possibly setting up the very fight Couture sees as being troublesome for Jones. Of course, “Bones” has to get by Evans first this weekend before it truly matters.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: fight, jone, heavyweight, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Predictions From The Top Asian MMA Fighters
A few months ago during the lead up to that mammoth Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem bout, I asked the several key figures in Asian MMA to make UFC predictions. Several CEO's, owners and promoters from the largest organizations in the continent made time off their busy schedules, to roll up their sleeves and participate in a simple feature where they get to give their picks on the sport that they love.
Now with UFC 145 approaching, I asked the most popular fighters in the region to do the same and give their predictions for the main event. They may be some of the biggest stars in the region, but they are also big fans of the sport, so here are their thoughts on the light heavyweight title bout between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans:
Felipe Enomoto (6-4), ONE Fighting Championship: My pick would be Jon Jones, because this guy is getting better every time he fights, and his style will be too funky for Rashad. I think even though Rashad probably knows Jones' weaknesses, he will not be able to capitalize on them because Jon is developing his fighting skills so fast. The weakness that Rashad knows of will probably not even be there anymore when they meet in the cage. I would say TKO, round 3 in favor of Jones (but I'm almost never right with predicting other peoples fights)
Mark Striegl (9-0), DARE Championship: I know everybody thinks Jones is unstoppable, but I believe that anyone can be beaten in this game. I think that Evans has the athleticism to really test Jones and make him work. Also, Evans tends to do exceptionally well when he's pressured and has his back against the wall, like when he went against Chuck Liddell. I see Rashad Evans winning via Unanimous Decision or by a late stoppage.
Eduard Folayang (11-2), ONE FC Star and URCC Champion: I think Jon Jones will win the fight because he is a complete fighter with a high level of skills.
Adrian Pang (19-8), Former Legend FC Lightweight Champion: I have never been one for predictions as in the fight game, anyone can win on any given night! Jones has his youth & unorthodox skills, while Evans has his strong wrestling & new fight camp, so will be interesting to see the outcome. I guess will depend on Rashad's chin whether he can keep taking it to Jones consistently! My prediction is, the fans will win! (laughs)
Phil Baroni (14-14) UFC and PRIDE vet, SFL Commentator who last fought for ONE FC: I think the Jones vs. Evans fight is going to be super tough to call. Is Jones really as good as he has looked? Evans will be a huge test. He looked great against Tito. It's the best I've seen him look, and was loose and relaxed like a real seasoned pro. I was very Impressed the way he out wrestled and blew through Davis on taken downs in his last fight.
I think this is by far Evans toughest test. Evans is strong, hits hard and can wrestle his ass off. Can Jones with his unique unorthodox high amplitude striking stop Evans' solid boxing? Can Jones surprising and aggressive submission game catch Evans in between transitions the way he did Machida? I say no, and I'm going with the upset. Evans by TKO late in the fourth, by out-working Jones, making him wrestle and work hard. Jones has just made it look to easy and maybe I'm just jealous? Big right hand hurts a spent Jones late in the 4th, Evans G and P's for the TKO win, with Jones complaining the stoppage was early. Rashad Evans by TKO.
Justin Cruz (18-4), PXC and URCC Bantamweight Champion: Jon Jones has better all around game. He's very big for his weight class and he's a very athletic fighter. I predict Jon Jones will be the winner by 3rd round TKO.
Will Chope (9-5), of Phuket Top Team / Team Buffet, last fought at DARE Championship: Jon Jones, hands down, is going to win this fight. He is going to tear Rashad up. Rashad won't be able to get a take down and I honestly can see a TKO victory in the 1st Round. Hope to see bones land some nasty elbows. Jon Jones by TKO.
Tristan Arenal (4-2), PXC contender: I think Jon Jones will win. He's just too strong. Rashad Evans has a chance only because they used to train together. He might have an idea of Jon Jones' kryptonite, but Jon Jones has proved he's just at another level. Jon Jones by 3rd round TKO.
Geje Eustaquio (3-1), ONE Fighting Championship: I think Jon Jones will win by TKO.
Pros who picked Evans: Striegl, BaroniPros who picked Jones: Enomoto, Folayang, Cruz, Chope, Arenal, EustaquioPros who couldn't decide: Pang
After the jump, these fighters make the case on why you should watch Asian MMA.
Follow me on twitter -- @antontabuena
Why should UFC fans watch Asian MMA?
Felipe Enomoto (6-4), ONE Fighting Championship: Why? Because Asian MMA is exciting. Especially ONE FC because the rules of soccer kicks, elbows and knees on the ground makes fights you will not see, if you only watch UFC. So be open-minded ,otherwise you miss out on some great action from Asia!
Mark Striegl (9-0), DARE Championship: Asia is a very exciting place to be right now with a booming economic growth alongside an explosion of interest in MMA. As a result, a number of Asian MMA promotions have emerged over the last few years. Simply put, there's a lot going on here right now. Being the birthplace of martial arts, Asia has provided the foundation for modern MMA. There's so much history here and there's much more history to be made!
...Also, people should check out Team Buffet because we have a lot of fun.
Eduard Folayang (11-1), ONE FC Star and URCC Champion: UFC fans should watch Asian MMA and the fights from Team Lakay because Asian fighters have a unique way of putting a good show in the ring.
Adrian Pang (19-8), Former Legend FC Lightweight Champion: Asian MMA is ever exploding in popularity and talent. Asia has such a large population & a long history of martial arts, so it is inevitable that it will produce a champion in the UFC as it has in many other organizations thus far. Legend Fighting Championship is a promotion where each of my opponents have been harder than the last. They really give to the sport and care for the fighters. The professionalism shown by them is second to none, and I have fought for many promotions in my 11-year career. I feel Legend Fighting Championship will continue to be the pinnacle of Asian MMA, and I look forward to being part of their success with the fights/wars I have performed for them so far.
Phil Baroni (14-14) UFC and PRIDE vet, SFL Commentator who last fought for ONE FC: I think fans should watch Asian MMA because the fights are exciting. Guys are fighting to finish more often than not. Guys aren't scared to lose their jobs as much as they are in the UFC. Fighters are going for it more. The tactics and styles aren't as much wrestling and decision seeking as often as they are in the American MMA. Fighters seem to be letting it all hang out and not fighting not to lose more in Asian MMA.
Justin Cruz (18-4), PXC and URCC Bantamweight Champion: UFC fans should watch PXC so they can have a feel of what kind of MMA talent there is in the pacific region. Also to see new up and coming talent who may possibly reach the UFC level of MMA, since the PXC is one of the only MMA show in Asia producing UFC caliber fighters.
Will Chope (9-5), of Phuket Top Team / Team Buffet, last fought at DARE Championship: UFC fans should definitely take interest in Asian MMA! Asian MMA is always exciting, where there is a perfect balance of spectacle and sport. You will always see a show. Road FC and ONE FC both have soccer kicks and knees to the head allowed, and as a striker I love it. Another org to look out for is the URCC with their two 10 minute rounds! How awesome is that? Very rare in URCC you ever see a decision. There are countless other awesome orgs to take interest in as well. Dare's 1 Million Dollars Tournament, Gods FC first league where 8 teams from 8 Major Asian Cities fight for the rights to claim their team is supreme, and also Legend FC where the best ethnic Asiana-Oceania fighters shine.
At the end of the day you have to ask yourself, are you a fan of MMA or are you just a fan of solely the UFC. If you are the first then you need to check out the vastness of Asian MMA.
Tristan Arenal (4-2), PXC contender: UFC fans should watch Asian MMA as well as the PXC promotion, because there are a lot of great fighters that no one has seen yet. PXC for example, gives opportunities to future stars in Asia, that one day will make it the UFC. Nothing better than watching a fighters career from the beginning. There are a lot of untapped resources in Asia as well as the Philippines that people need to know about.
Geje Eustaquio (3-1), ONE Fighting Championship: Fans should watch Asian MMA simply because it is one of the reasons why the UFC has come to this point (PRIDE). Today there are also many dedicated, skilled and talented Asian fighters that show spectacular and impressive performances in the sport of MMA. Also, UFC fans should keep an eye out for Team Lakay, which is one of the most promising teams across South East Asia as they can go along and excel on all the aspects of MMA.
Pros who think you should watch Asian MMA: All of them.
Posted in: ufc, mma, jone, evan, asian
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Weigh-In Video and Results (Friday, 4PM EST)
UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones and the title challenger Rashad Evans will step on the scales at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, as part of the official weigh-in procedure ahead of this weekend's stacked fight card. The event is headlined by Jones vs. Evans fight, co-main event is the Welterweight collision between two up and comers Rory MacDonald and Che Mills.
Also on the card, Ben Rothwell faces Brendan Schaub, Miguel Torres makes his first appearance since the "rape tweet", fighting
Posted in: jone, evan, che mills, atlanta georgia, philips arena
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones ‘Enjoying the Process’ Leading Up to UFC 145
Jon Jones said all the hype and buildup to his UFC 145 fight with Rashad Evans hasn't been much of a distraction. Instead, he's taking it as it comes.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, he, process ’
Read the full article at Heavy MMARashad Evans doesn't mind being the bad guy; he just wants to beat Jon Jones at UFC 145 (Yahoo! Sports)
Underdog Rashad Evans will have to do everything right to defeat his nemesis Jones, but some believe he can do it.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, evan, everything right, nemesis jones
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsThe Blueprint - Rashad Evans
On Saturday night, Rashad Evans will set out to accomplish something that no other fighter has accomplished. Defeat Jon Jones.Yeah, yeah, I know Matt Hamill technically owns a win over Jones via disqualification. If you watched that fight, you also know that Jones completely dominated him and was seconds away from scoring a TKO win before the illegal 12-to-6 elbows. The illegal blows did not even cause the stoppage, as Hamill was unable to continue due to a shoulder injury.So nobody has had any true measure of success against Jones yet in his career. But Rashad Evans isn’t just another fighter. He is a former champion with but a single loss on his own record. He holds stoppage wins over UFC legends Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. And, most importantly, he has spent untold hours in the gym training and sparring with Jones.That last fact is undoubtedly the most critical in terms of Evans’ chance at scoring an upset win. In fact, it may actually give him the edge, if you believe people who have witnessed those sparring sessions.Everyone who faces Jones in combat struggles to deal with his length and striking creativity, primarily because it is impossible to replicate in sparring sessions, which leaves his opponents unprepared come fight time. Most also struggle with his offensive wrestling due to his tremendous Greco-Roman base. And nobody has ever taken him down in a fight. As a result, nobody has been able to defeat him.Evans doesn’t fall into either of those categories. He is very familiar with Jones’ length and striking creativity because they have competed in standup-only and full MMA sparring sessions on many occasions. Even though Evans could not find a sparring partner to replicate Jones’ standup skills during this training camp, that doesn’t erase the historical knowledge base he has from all of the sessions at Greg Jackson’s MMA academy.Evans is also, arguably, the better wrestler of the two, whether we are talking straight wrestling or wrestling for MMA. Granted, Jones has the best takedown success ratio in UFC light heavyweight history. But Evans has taken down each and every opponent who he has attempted to take down inside the Octagon, and he also has the most successful takedowns in UFC history, across all weight classes.More importantly, though, Evans has taken Jones down in practice—many times. Word out of Albuquerque has always been that once Evans takes him down, Jones can’t work back to his feet and definitely doesn’t have the submission game from the guard to pose much of a threat to Evans. Undoubtedly, someone out there is incredulously ranting like Allen Iverson circa 2002. “I know it’s important, I honestly do but we’re talking about practice. We’re talking about practice man. We’re talking about practice. We’re talking about practice. We’re not talking about the game. We’re talking about practice.” That is the abridged version.Yes, we are talking about practice, not actual competition. Yet, unlike with the Iverson situation, where he was defending his decision to skip practice, we are talking about the outcome of two guys who are ultra competitive sparring. That is certainly relevant data when breaking down the fight. It may not be outcome determinative data, but it is relevant data nonetheless.Jones will absolutely be a different fighter come “go time” than he was in the training cage. So will Evans. Jones has definitely grown as a fighter since his rift with Evans ended their friendship and training partner status. So has Evans. Jones will have some new wrinkles added to his game – new combinations that he likely never attempted full speed in sparring with Evans, particularly spinning kicks or any sort of strike with his heel or elbow that could injure his then-friend. Evans will have to deal with those as a matter of first impression, but he has probably seen just about everything else.Evans knows what he has to do to win on Saturday night. He needs to get inside of Jones’ long strikes, whether by pressing the action or slipping and countering. The former will force Jones to fight while moving backwards. That is a tough way for anyone to win because it is nearly impossible to throw any sort of strike with authority (unless your name is Chuck Liddell) while retreating. The latter opens the door for Evans’ overhand right, one of the most effective weapons against taller fighters and also his money punch.Evans also needs to try and bait Jones into over committing on his power shots. Taunts will help with that. These guys don’t like each other. If Evans is having some success on the feet and starts to taunt Jones, the champion will likely react by swinging for the fences. That opens the door for Evans to change levels and get the fight to the ground.Once on the ground, Evans can really do damage. Opponents don’t easily escape Evans’ top control, so he will be able to wear down the champion and curry favor with the judges, once he scores a takedown. That will be big because Jones isn’t used to fighting from behind.If I was cornering Evans, I don’t think I would want him to spend much time in the clinch with Jones. Sure, that is a great position to sap some energy from an opponent. But Jones is likely the better Greco guy, so it may allow him to score a throw-style takedown. I don’t know if he can do that to Evans. But nobody else has been able to do much to prevent it in the past.I would only advise fighting in the clinch if Evans was confident about the position due to their training history together. These guys know in the back of their minds who the better clinch fighter is. For that matter, they know who is the better striker, wrestler, Monopoly player and just about everything else. The fact that Evans has campaigned so hard for this fight suggests to me that he truly believes that he will win on Saturday night. Unless he is totally delusional, that confidence has to be the result of their sparring sessions, which, again, is noteworthy data.Will Evans pull it off? I don’t know. I think the Evans of the past – the ultra-confident homerun hitter who feasted on foes with his unbelievably fast fists – has the best chance to defeat Jones. The problem is I don’t think that Evans exists any more. We haven’t seen him since his loss to Lyoto Machida. Every time Evans faces someone with any kind of fistic power, it seems as if he is wondering if the knockout punch is just moments away.Luckily for Evans, Jones doesn’t have true one-punch knockout power. If he does, we certainly haven’t seen it yet. Maybe the Evans of old will resurface. Maybe, just maybe, it will be the same Rashad Evans who obliterated Liddell and destroyed Forrest Griffin. If that guy truly doesn’t exist anymore, then Evans needs to do just what he has done in basically each fight since losing to Machida – use calculated strikes to set up takedowns and control the action from the ground. I don’t know if he can take down Jon Jones, but I certainly wouldn’t put it past him. Not by a mile.At the end of the day, I think this fight is much closer than most believe. He certainly has a much better chance than the massive betting line suggests. If I had to pick a winner, my gut leans towards Jones, but for some reason, my head leans towards Evans.How is that for sitting on the fence?QUICK FACTSRashad Evans• 32 years old• 5’11, 205 lbs• 74.5-inch reach• 22-1-1 overall • 4-1 in last 5 fights• 8-1-1 in last 10 fights• 4-1-1 against 5 current or former UFC champions• 41.7% of UFC wins by TKO/KO• 58.3% of UFC wins by decision• No UFC wins by submission• Lone professional loss by knockout• Former UFC light heavyweight champion• 147-day reign as champion; no successful title defenses• Former heavyweight winner on The Ultimate Fighter• Fight of the Night (TKO2 over Tito Ortiz at UFC 133)• Fight of the Night (TKO3 over Forrest Griffin to win UFC light heavyweight championship at UFC 92)• Knockout of the Night (KO2 over Chuck Liddell at UFC 88)• Knockout of the Night (KO2 over Sean Salmon at UFC Fight Night: Evans vs Salmon)• Current layoff is 84 days• Longest layoff of career is 434 days
Posted in: ufc, jone, ’t, evan, •nbspnbsp
Read the full article at UFCUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Press Conference Highlights Video
On Wednesday, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and challenger Rashad Evans came face to face one more time ahead of their highly anticipated UFC 145 showdown.
Posted in: ufc, jone, conference, face, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyLatest UFC 145 odds and betting guide for 'Jones vs. Evans' in Atlanta
Rashad Evans: "I bet a fiddle of gold against your soul because I think I'm better than you!"Jon Jones: "I'll take your bet, your gonna regret because I'm the best that's ever been!"
Fire on the mountain, run Maniacs, run. That's because If the devil does decide to come back to Georgia, this weekend (April 21, 2012) at the Philips Arena is as good a time as any.
After handily disposing of former champions Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight titleholder Jon Jones has a chance to settle an old score in the UFC 145 main event when he finally collides with former training partner Rashad Evans.
For "Suga," this will mark his first bid at reclaiming the 205-pound belt that he lost to the aforementioned Machida back in 2009.
In other pay-per-view (PPV) main card action, ultra mixed martial arts (MMA) prospects Rory MacDonald and Michael McDonald will make their long-awaited 2012 debuts, taking on the dangerous Miguel Torres and Che Mills, respectively.
And speaking of sin and vice, where there's violence, there's money to be made. Just ask good 'ole Charlie Daniels.
Join us after the break for an in-depth look at the odds behind UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" as we examine the betting lines for the upcoming MMA match ups this weekend in "Hotlanta:"
UFC 145 Odds for the Under Card:
Maximo Blanco (-325) vs. Marcus Brimage (+250)Travis Browne (-250) vs. Chad Griggs (+195)Mac Danzig (-190) vs. Efrain Escudero (+155)Chris Clements (-230) vs. Keith Wisniewski (+180)Anthony Njokuani (-200) vs. John Makdessi (+160)Stephen Thompson (-300) vs. Matt Brown (+230)
Thoughts: While there aren’t as many truly absurd lines as I’d like, there is one that strikes me as one big bargain: Njokuani at -200.
I’m as big a Makdessi fan as anyone, but the flashiness of his striking and the awesomeness of the Kyle Watson knockout have masked a serious flaw in his style: For someone nicknamed "The Bull," Makdessi is too damn passive. It was obvious from the first minute of their fight that Watson had absolutely nothing to offer him on the feet, but Makdessi didn’t throw anything with heat until that spinning backfist. He also really should have put away Pat Audinwood, but apparently couldn’t be arsed. Frankly speaking, this will get him decapitated by Njokuani, who enjoys a significant height advantage and has the skills to hang with the likes of Edson Barboza standing.
Therefore, use Njokuani as the cornerstone of your parlays.
There’s not much else that stands out to me on the under card, although a pittance on Brown wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world, considering his enormous experience advantage over Thompson and the latter’s unproven ground game. Stick Blanco in a parlay, tool, because he is going to make an absolute mess of Brimage.
UFC 145 Odds for the Main Card:
Mark Bocek (-450) vs. John Alessio (+325)Mark Hominick (-600) vs. Eddie Yagin (+400)Brendan Schaub (-275) vs. Ben Rothwell (+215)Rory MacDonald (-500) vs. Che Mills (+350)Miguel Torres (-120) vs. Michael McDonald (-110)Jon Jones (-450) vs. Rashad Evans (+325)
Thoughts: Not the most stacked card we’ve ever seen, but still one that deserves some scrutiny.
Alessio’s recent run has definitely been impressive, but he’s got too much going against him for me to recommend betting on him, while the odds are too skewed toward Bocek to make much of a profit on him. Alessio has only two fights at Lightweight and less than a month’s notice to prepare for one of the nastiest grapplers in the division.
Just leave this one alone.
If it wasn’t for the fact that Hominick got absolutely pasted last time out, I’d be questioning Joe Silva’s sanity and wondering which of his family members Yagin had crossed to deserve such a fate. Even so, despite his upset of Joe Soto, Yagin doesn’t have any outstanding skill he can bring to bear against the striking prowess of Hominick, having lost every other time he’s stepped up in competition. To make matters worse, Hominick is three inches taller and has faced and beaten much better than Yagin in the past. If you’re feeling lucky enough to put the necessary dosh down, Hominick’s as close to a lock as you’re likely to find in the next few events.
I’ll readily admit that Schaub’s jaw is pretty awful, but even -275 seems way too generous toward Rothwell. Yes, the latter is big, hits hard and can wrestle, but his cardio is God-awful and his only win in the UFC was dangerously close to being a stoppage loss. Unless he finds some way to wipeout Schaub inside the first five minutes, he’s going to be on the wrong end of one hell of a beating.
And I consider that likely enough to merit putting some money down on "The Hybrid."
While I’m somewhat concerned about ring rust on MacDonald’s part, there’s very little to convince me that he won’t snuff out Mills regardless. Che’s striking is nasty, but he doesn’t really offer "Ares" anything he hasn’t seen before, while Che has yet to face anyone with the sort of versatility that MacDonald brings to the table. He’s still dangerous enough for me to advise you to stay away, though, as the amount of money you’d need to make a solid profit on MacDonald is a bit more than I’d recommend risking.
I’ll readily admit McDonald’s prowess and grant that Torres’s last couple of fights have been stinkers, but I’m really digging that -120 line on the latter. Perhaps I’m being nitpicky, but I haven’t really been impressed with McDonald’s UFC efforts. You could definitely make a case that Chris Cariaso beat him and he was less-than-fantastic against Edwin Figueroa, who I consider the single worst fighter on the UFC roster. Sure, his crushing of Soto was impressive, but Soto was making his UFC debut on short notice with a grand total of six fights on his record. Torres has thrice the amount of fights as McDonald and his only recent losses were to the best of the best at 135 pounds.
Put some money down on "Angel."
I want Jones to lose this fight very much. I respect him as a fighter and acknowledge his abilities, I do not like him as a person. That doesn’t make me dumb enough to recommend betting against him, however. Evans is fast, has very good wrestling and legitimate power in his right hand, but he’s also five inches shorter than Jones and somewhat fragile. Ten or $20 on Rashad as a value bet wouldn’t be a terrible idea, but I’m just going to stay away from this one.
UFC 145 Best Bets:
Parlay: Brendan Schaub and Miguel Torres -- Bet $40 to make $60
Parlay: Maximo Blanco and Anthony Njokuani -- Bet $65 to make $62.50
Parlay: Anthony Njokuani and Matt Brown -- Bet $20 to make $79
(To go somewhat off-script: Shinya Aoki is a steal at +190 Friday night at Bellator 66. Just sayin.')
Can Jones make his third straight defense? Will Evans defy the odds and retake the title? Will they have to use a broom or a vacuum cleaner to remove what’s left of Maximo Blanco’s first UFC victim from the Octagon?
We'll finally find out this Saturday night. Same punch-time, same punch-channel.
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver live UFC 145 results this Saturday, which is as good a place as any to talk about all the action inside the Octagon, as well as what you've got riding on the sportsbook.
See you then, Maniacs.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, bet
Read the full article at MMA ManiaVideo: Countdown To UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans
The Countdown to UFC 145 aired last night on Fuel (and will re-air five more times on the next work leading up to the card on Saturday), but if you want catch the video online, here it is. The show is only a half-hour long due to the Primetime series already covering the main event. The first half of the episode still focuses on Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, but the second half gives a deeper look into the co-main event, Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills.
Related: UFC 145 Primetime Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans - Episode 1 | UFC 145 Primetime Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans, Episode 2
You can check out the Countdown video below the jump.
Main Card:Jon Jones vs. Rashad EvansRory MacDonald vs. Che MillsBen Rothwell vs. Brendan SchaubMichael McDonald vs. Miguel TorresMark Hominick vs. Eddie YaginJohn Alessio vs. Mark BocekPreliminary Card:Travis Browne vs. Chad GriggsMatt Brown vs. Stephen ThompsonJohn Makdessi vs. Anthony NjokuaniMac Danzig vs. Efrain EscuderoChris Clements vs. Keith WisniewskiMaximo Blanco vs. Marcus Brimage
SBN Coverage of UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jone, video, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowTired and deflated: Jon Jones and Rashad Evans rivalry falls flat at UFC 145 press conference just days before title fight
The considerable hype for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans," which takes place this Sat., April 21, 2012, from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., is close to reaching its apex. That's because we're just days away from the event and Jon Jones finally stepping inside the Octagon to defend his light heavyweight championship against Rashad Evans, a man he used to call a friend, a man he used to train with at Greg Jackson's gym down in New Mexico.
We're in the home stretch now, with just the weigh-ins left to make the fight officially official. That and a short period of time is all that remains between one of the most heavily hyped match-ups in years. And when I say heavily hyped, I mean it.
The UFC put all its marketing muscle behind this showdown, one they hope will deliver in spades. They took us behind the scenes with "Primetime" specials, a full "Countdown" to the big night, and even put them opposite each other on "Ultimate Insider" to light the fuse and watch the fireworks display that surely followed.
And while I won't necessarily argue with the strategy -- I'm certainly not in a position to tell UFC how to operate its business -- it's had a few adverse effects on the two participants, who have spent the better part of the last few months in front of cameras and doing media while trying to prepare for the biggest fight of their respective lives.
They're tired. Gassed. Fatigued. Whatever you want to call it, they're feeling it. This was never more evident than at the pre-fight press conference that took place earlier today. The UFC thought a change of format was in order for this mega match-up, choosing to have Jon Anik sit in as a mediator and run the show, while Jones and Evans sat next to him, similar to they're interview on "Ultimate Insider."
It sounded great in theory, but wasn't so hot in practice.
Evans admitted to being tired of it all. Media is a part of the job, sure, but he's done so much of it that now that they're in the home stretch, arguably the most important time to promote the pay-per-view, he simply doesn't have the energy to jaw back-and-forth with his former teammate. He just wants to punch him.
"We've talked about this to death," Evans commented. "When you talk about something over and over again, it kind of loses a little bit of the emotion behind it. You kind of just make peace with a lot of things. We've been going back and forth, we've been saying this and saying that. It's just been a long process. We're both just tired."
For his part, Jones agreed. "The steam has been taken off for the most part," he said. "On my end, it's time to play the game."
That's all well and good, of course. We fans just want to see the fight, too. But those tuning into the press conference expected so much more than what they were given, it felt like the entire feud was deflated. Here are two men who have spent the better part of the past year and a half running each other down at every turn and now they're sitting across from each other just days away from clashing inside a cage and they're playing nice?
It was an interestingly unfortunate turn of events. As MMA journalist Jon Luther put it, "I'm not a hateful person. Really, I'm not. But this UFC presser is in serious need of some pure, unadulterated hate from both guys."
But, it never came. Jones made a few snide remarks, notably tossing a subtle steroid accusation Evans' way. But Rashad never took the bait, too tired from the 48 rounds of verbal sparring he's already engaged in throughout the last year.
It's impossible to blame either man for their demeanor at the press conference. But it's not wrong to feel disappointed in the turning of the tide. I'm completely fine with fighters playing nice, too.
Just wait until after the fight.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, theyre
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 press conference video highlights for 'Jones vs Evans' on April 18
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) today (April 18, 2012) held its special one-on-one pre-fight press conference to help promote the upcoming UFC 145 pay-per-view (PPV) event headlined by a light heavyweight title fight featuring former training partners and bitter rivals Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans.
If you missed the staredown between "Bones" and "Suga" from earlier today then click here to see what all the fuss is about. Those of you who are video impaired can read the notes from our press conference live blog by clicking here.
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" goes down on Saturday night (April 21, 2012) from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, and will also feature a welterweight match-up pitting rising star Rory MacDonald against British banger Che Mills. Heavyweights Brendan Schaub and Ben Rothwell are also scheduled to collide.
Get up to speed on all the happenings for UFC 145 by checking out our comprehensive news archive right here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, conference, vs, welterweight matchup
Read the full article at MMA ManiaAs Fight Nears, Jon Jones Questions Rashad Evans' Chin and Wrestling
ATLANTA -- Proving that his unpredictability goes past what he does in the cage, UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones threw many observers for a loop on Wednesday when he was asked about his toughest UFC fight to date. This is a man who fought three former champions within a seven-month span in 2011, yet his answer was none of them.So who was it? The durable and crafty veteran Stephan Bonnar. As Jones explained, when he fought Bonnar, he was still so new to the game that Bonnar could exploit his defense. On the flip side, Jones connected many times but couldn't manage to put him away. As he tells it, his punching power wasn't quite where it needed to be then as he was still growing into his lanky frame. But that's changing, and quickly. The power, he says, is coming. And because of it, he has designs on Rashad Evans' chin as a target.
"I feel stronger and my technique's getting better and cleaner," he said during a UFC 145 press interview. "When I watch my first fights I used to flail. Everything's flail-y, and I realize the power of flexing your abdominals when you try to strike and things like that. I definitely feel as though I'm hitting harder, and I'm excited. I wobbled Rampage [Jackson] a little bit when I hit him, and I wobbled Lyoto [Machida] when I hit him, and I think out of all those guys, Rashad has the weakest chin. I think he has the weakest chin of anyone I've fought since 2010, and I think I'm going to exploit that."Evans has only been KO'd once in his career, in his loss to Machida in 2009. But he's had a couple of shaky moments since, getting rattled by both Thiago Silva and Jackson in fights. But the champion's doubt in his challenger didn't end there. He also took aim at his base skill set, wrestling. While Evans has undoubtedly broadened his focus over the years to include a dangerous standup game, much of his success stems from the takedown or its implied threat. According to FightMetric, Evans has 48 takedowns in 14 career bouts, and has successfully taken down opponents on 55 percent of his attempts. But Jones, who was a junior college national champion and a high-level Division I recruit before dropping out of school to pursue MMA, has announced his own intention to challenge Evans where he's best."Rashad being a wrestler, I'm sure it will affect his psychology being on his back," he said. "People don't realize, Rashad was not a Division I national wrestling champion. He's been taken down on numerous occasions. Michael Bisping got him down, I think. And Michael Bisping is not a wrestler. So, I worked a lot on my takedowns. I'm not going to be a victim to his takedowns. He needs to worry about my takedowns, too. So I've worked a lot of different shots." Notably and recently, however, Evans out-wrestled former Division I national champion Phil Davis during their UFC on FOX 2 headliner, a fight that got Evans here to face Jones. But Jones said he was not impressed by the ground game that led Evans to the win."I'm not afraid of Rashad's ground game. If anything, he should be afraid of mine," he said. "When I take people down, they open up. There's blood. My elbows, I'm realizing, they do work. Rashad doesn't do anything but kill the clock."
Posted in: jone, champion, rashad, evan, im
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Talks Ronda Rousey, Greg Jackson, and Rashad Evans’ Ground Game
Following the UFC 145 pre-fight press conference, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones took time to answer additional questions from the media including speaking about Ronda Rousey, Greg Jackson and Rashad Evans' ground game.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, ground, ronda
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyWatch Jon Jones one punch KO a dread wearing hipster guy during a sparring session
Today at the UFC 145 press conference Jon Jones said he realizes he has both a "big fan base and a big hate base" and he is content with that. That makes him a whole lot like a hipster. Hipsters have a pretty big fan and hate base themselves and they don't really care either way-they are going to keep being hipsters. And Jon Jones is going to keep being Jon Jones whether he has a strong hate base or not. This video shot back in 2009 during a sparring session and the filming of a documentary released last February called "Proving Grounds" -was just released today and it will really make you hipster hating people happy. This was shot before Jon amazed us all with those nasty elbows to Matt Hammil's brow and in the video you can hear his coaches referring to him as a 'rule changer'. So far it seems like their consensus has proved correct. He's been an unorthodox style fighter and beaten people many never expected him to beat. Watch him in the beginning stages of creating the Bones Jones we know now, as he KO's the rastafarian power right of his sparring partners dreads in one massive and perfectly placed punch. Enjoy!
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, hipster, base
Read the full article at Middle EasyULTMMA Podcast Episode 22: Gambling expert Luca Fury and Pro MMA Radio's Larry Pepe discuss every angle of UFC 145
Podcast Powered By Podbean Topics covered in this episode-Who wins Jon Jones or Rashad Evans? -How much have Jones and Evans changed over the course of the last 12 months? - When the cage door shuts, how can Jones win and how can Evans pull the upset? - What potential outcome of the Jones-Evans fight will satisfy the UFC fans? -Plus fight picks and analysis for all the UFC 145 main card bouts *Subscribe to our podcast through iTunes or search "ULTMMA" in the iTunes app
Posted in: ufc, jone, podcast, evan, jonesevans fight
Read the full article at UltMMAJon Jones Defends Greg Jackson's Character, Contribution to Fighters on Team
ATLANTA -- As part of the post-UFC 145 press conference media scrum, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones sat down with the media to discuss a variety of topics related to his upcoming fight with Rashad Evans. In this highlight video, Jones strongly defends the character of coach Greg Jackson and what he gives to fighters on the team, talks taking nutrition seriously, discusses mastering being content with discomfort, details how much he's worked on his game on bottom and much more.
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, discomfort details, team talks, video jones
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Pre-Fight Press Conference Photo Gallery
It was the calm before the storm Wednesday at the pre-fight press conference for Saturday's UFC 145 main event between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans – and HeavyMMA photographer James Law was there to...
Posted in: jone, jon jones, conference, prefight, storm wednesday
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145 Photos: Jon Jones Trains For Rashad Evans
UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones returns to action on Saturday against bitter rival and former training partner Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia's Philips Arena.
The 24-year-old Jones is making his third title defense since beating Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and taking the title at UFC 128 last year. Jones defeated Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 135 and Lyoto Machida at UFC 140.
Related: Jones Vs. Evans Stare Down And Pre-Fight Press Conference Gallery | UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video | UFC 145: Rashad Evans Trains With Roy Jones, Jr.
Jones' former teammate Rashad Evans has been a thorn in his side since Jones accepted the title shot against Rua. Evans had been scheduled to fight Rua for the title at UFC 128, in fact he'd been waiting for Rua to recover from ACL surgery since UFC 114 but then Evans himself fell injured shortly before the fight.
Jones was notified of the opportunity to fight for the title in the Octagon at UFC 126 after he beat Ryan Bader. Shortly thereafter he expressed some willingness to face Rashad Evans should the UFC demand it and the feud was on.
Sherdog's Dave Mandel was allowed into a Jones' training session and took the pics you'll find after the jump... SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Photos by Dave Mandel for Sherdog. See the rest of the gallery.
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Jon Jones Scrum
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, scrum
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones: Don't compare Alexander Gustafsson to me just because we're both tall, it's inappropriate
Comparisons in the sports world seemingly pop up every day.
When Kobe Bryant entered the NBA, he was immediately compared to the greatest to ever play the game, Michael Jordan. Sydney Crosby started drawing comparisons to all time hockey great Wayne Gretzky the second he made his NHL debut. It seems that the second any potential is seen, the comparisons start to pour in. Some may be well deserved and some may be too far-fetched.
The world of mixed martial arts (MMA) is no different.
Most recently, fast rising Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight contender Alexander Gustafsson has been drawing early comparisons to another 205-stalwart, current division champion Jon Jones.
Winner of five straight, the young Swede continued his rise up the ladder by defeating Thiago Silva this past weekend (April 14, 2012) at UFC on Fuel TV 2 in Stockholm, Sweden, picking part the grizzled veteran over 15 minutes of action, inching him closer to a title shot.
Jones, on the other hand, has yet to show any signs of slowing down his momentum, running through MMA legends en route to a very impressive early championship reign. He will undoubtedly have one of his toughest tests to date as he finally takes on former training partner Rashad Evans this weekend (April 21, 2012) at UFC 145.
But what makes them similar?
Is it that their individual fighting styles mirror one another? Is it that they are both in their mid 20's and are on very respective winning streaks? Is it that they each only have one blemish on their records? Or is it because they are the two tallest 205-pounders fighting at the highest level?
Speaking at today's (April 18, 2012) UFC 145 press conference, Jones says that the comparisons at this point in their careers is not an appropriate thing for people to be doing, but does feel that the young contender is close to earning a title shot.
"Alexander Gustafsson is close to a title shot. I think if he wins two more fights against like, Lyoto or Evans, I'd like to see him with another wrestler. I don't think it is appropriate to be comparing us. The only thing we have similar is that we are both tall. Were different fighters, I kick fast, I'm good in the clinch and accurate and he has great boxing."
Though the current 205-pound kingpin doesn't think the comparisons are warranted, he does, in fact, appreciate "The Mauler's" swagger and confidence, something "Bones" is not a stranger to himself:
"I like his swagger though, he exudes winning when he steps in the cage, he has the potential to be a star, he just has it."
A fight between the two lanky light heavyweights isn't far-fetched and would make for an intriguing match-up, considering that Jones, for the first time in a long time, will not have a distinct height and weight advantage come fight night.
Gustafsson has been on a tear as of late and could be one impressive win away from his chance at vying for UFC gold. However, Jones has his hands full with "Suga" in Atlanta and a loss for "Bones" could derail any future championship showdown with Gustafsson.
For now, the two young athletes will continue on with their respective careers and if all the stars align, we could one day see them staring at one another across the Octagon, and will get the chance to show that they truly are two different fighters.
What's your take, do you feel that the comparisons between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson are warranted? Are there really so many similarities between the two, or are they two completely different animals in their own right?
Thoughts?
Posted in: ufc, jone, alexander gustafsson, gustafsson, comparison
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jon Jones Has The Coaches Who Taught Rashad Evans To Fight
Saturday's UFC 145 Light Heavyweight title fight between champ Jon Jones and challenger Rashad Evans isn't just the biggest MMA fight so far this year, it's also a deeply personal grudge match. Much of that tension has arisen because of their shared experience training under coach Greg Jackson in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Evans trained under Jackson from 2005 until last year when he left the camp in a huff over Jon Jones' ascension to the top of the UFC heap and Jones' stated willingness to fight Evans. Now Greg Jackson has agreed to corner Jones.
Related Stories: Evans Says Jackson Brought In Jones 'For Greg' Not The Team | Jones' Coach Winkeljohn On Convincing Jackson To Corner Against Evans | Jones Confirms That Jackson Will Corner Him Against Evans
Jones spoke to MMA Fighting's Ben Fowlkes about the advantage he has working with the men who coached Evans for more than 5 years. Those quotes are after the jump...SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
"I have the coaches that taught him how to fight. They taught him the guard passes he uses, the ground-and-pound system that he uses, the punches that he used to throw and the combinations. I mean, it almost seems not fair sometimes," Jones told MMA Fighting.
"We know his psychology. We know what makes him tired. We know everything about him. He's in trouble.
"What people don't realize is, Rashad says, ‘I trained with Jon and I have his number.' But that's a crazy thing for him to say, because I trained with him, and one thing all my fans know is that I'm not just a good fighter, I'm also a smart fighter. If he truly believes that I don't remember every training practice we ever had, what I landed and what I did well against him, he surely must remember that. He should be nervous. I've done great against fighters I've never trained with before. I mean, I fought [Lyoto] Machida when I'd never fought a karate fighter before, and I beat him in a karate match. So Rashad thinking that the time we spent together wasn't extremely beneficial to me, I think he's crazy," said Jones.
Posted in: fight, jone, jackson, fighter, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowHow do you see Jones vs Evans going?
I feel like Evans' best strategy will be to hold Jones against the fence and work from there. Also, I expect him to try and take him down off the fence and try some ground and pound holding him against the fence. I see this strategy working somewhat, but Jones will eventually be able to adjust and stop getting put against the fence. From there, Jones will be able to keep his distance and work the jab to keep Evans at distance. I think Jones will be successful in some takedowns and will punish with some of his old fashion elbows from the top, but Evans will be able to work his way out of those. Overall, I don't see either of them being finished, with Evans controlling some of the match against the fence, but it will be Jones who wins the striking match and will do more damage from the ground. Jones wins 4 of the 5 rounds. Just my meaningless prediction, how about you? submitted by afkobaya [link] [5 comments]
Posted in: jone, fence, evan, work, i dont
Read the full article at RedditUFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Stare Down Photo And Pre-Fight Press Conference Gallery
Pictured above is the intense stare down between UFC 145 headliners, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, during today's pre-fight press conference.
Jones has been known for not looking his opponent in the eye, and the champion has explained his reasoning in the past, stating that it's to mess with his opponent:
"If you look really closely at my past fights, I never actually look into the guy’s eyes. Nor do I do it at weigh-ins. At weigh-ins normally I just look off into the audience and it kind of plays a little mind game on my opponents a lot of times. They don’t really know how to react to that."
"As far as when I’m in the Octagon, I’m always looking at the opponent’s body when I’m standing there. I’m big on not fighting an opponent’s name, his credentials, his past fights, his face. I fight the body and when I’m standing across and I’m looking at his body, I’m really just humanizing the guy, and looking at imperfection in his physique or… You know there’s a quote that says, ‘If a guy looks soft in the mid-section, usually he is soft in the mid-section.’ So I’m just humanizing the opponent. That’s what I’m doing.
This time, he made an exception for his former teammate turned rival, as he obliged to maintain eye contact with Evans through out the face-off.
Related: UFC 145 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video | UFC 145: Rashad Evans Trains With Roy Jones, Jr.
Check out the video of the stare down, along with a few more photos from the presser after the jump.
You can view the complete gallery from the very talented Esther Lin here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, opponent, evan, irsquom
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowBitterness Aside, It’s Time for Jon Jones and Rashad Evans to Play the Game
All the talk of a crumbling friendship has lost its luster for Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, now it's time for them to step into the Octagon and fight.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad evans, ’s time, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyVideo-UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans Episode 2
Countdown to UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans (Video)
Take behind-the-scenes look at Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, as well as Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills, in this full video of "Countdown to UFC 145."
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, countdown
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyRashad Evans Anxious for Talk to Cease, Ready for UFC 145 Fight With Jon Jones
It's been a long, strange road to UFC 145. But Saturday in Atlanta, Rashad Evans finally gets his shot at Jon Jones, his former friend and training partner.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMAAgent for UFC 145 headliner Jon Jones 'talking to three of the four major shoe companies'
Fast-moving, long-leaping and plenty of stopping power.
Sound like anyone you know? According to the tagline, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones was born to wear a pair of Zips, but he probably wouldn't be caught dead at Stride Rite -- even if it is located next to the Cinnabon at your local mall.
No matter.
"Bones" is dreaming of a Nike sponsorship, according to comments he made at last week's conference call to help promote his UFC 145 title defense against Rashad Evans on April 21, 2012 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Here's the good news.
His agent, Malki Kawa, told The MMA Show with Mauro Ranallo he's already "talking to three of the four major shoe companies," and confirmed that "one of them is the one with the big check mark."
Those comments after the jump.
"I was approached by very major sponsor in MMA and all the minor ones. We looked at all the deals, but there’s there other opportunities outside MMA. If I had entered into a deal with any of these companies I would have derailed the goal of getting Jon Jones sponsored by one of the major shoe companies. I’m talking to three of the four major shoe companies right now. One of them is the one with the big check mark, but Adidas is the second biggest company. I’m talking to them all."
The Jones camp obviously has its sights set on bigger and better things, which could explain why they balked at mixed martial arts (MMA) tee shirt and apparel companies looking to fill the void left by FORM Athletics, who went up in smoke earlier this year.
Your services are no longer required.
That's because "Bones" is now sponsored by the UFC, the very company that employs him. And those Zuffa dollars should keep his pockets lined until he locks up that major shoe deal his agent is working on somewhere down the road.
See what the champ's current clothing line looks like right here.
Posted in: ufc, mma, jone, company, shoe
Read the full article at MMA ManiaKenny Florian offers thoughts on how Rashad Evans can beat Jon Jones at UFC 145
Kenny Florian is turning himself into one of the top announcers and analysts in all of MMA. His background in the sport, along with his calm demeanor Octagon-side, have Florian making more and more appearances on TV.
As an analyst on UFC Tonight Florian was asked to break down what Rashad Evans needs to do to defeat light heavyweight champion Jon Jones when the two meet this Saturday night in the main event at UFC 145.
“Evans could be the Joe Frazier to (Jones’) Muhammad Ali. He has the power to take down Jones,” Florian said, continuing, “If he can get inside of him, he has the takedown ability. He has to get in there and do it quick; he can’t make it a technical fight. He has to keep moving his head. He has the power in his hands and feet to get inside and to eventually break Jon Jones.”
Florian also believes Evans has won the verbal war, saying, “Evans has been beating Jones verbally for the last six weeks. That can really get into your head.”
:Ken Flo” also sees experience playing a role in that, as a former champion, Evans knows what it takes to secure the belt. He also knows what it feels like to lose it, something Jones has yet to taste.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, florian, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Stand with Jon Jones?
Through the build up to the UFC 145 grudge match between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, one factor has been continually thrown around as the key to this fight, Rashad Evans' chin. Some insist that it is so weak that he could donate it to a Jewish wedding. Others point to his only being knocked out once in his entire career, during which he has fought heavyweights, and insist that his chin cannot be as bad as it is commonly believed to be. The chin (here meaning a man's ability to take a punch) is a vague and abstract concept. It is also one which I, and most others, cannot address with any definitive science. The merits and flaws of Rashad Evans' striking, however, are a different matter - and herein we shall address them. And be sure to check back later this week for Fraser Coffeen's breakdown of the striking of Jon Jones.
Before we start, let us establish the obvious. Rashad Evans hits very, very hard. He staggered the iron jawed Quinton Rampage Jackson, and was the first man to knock Chuck Liddell legitimately unconscious with one punch (to a point where Chuck wasn't even attempting to defend himself). Heavy hands, however, do not a great striker make. It is fairly safe to assume that Rashad possesses the power to knock Jon Jones out. Plenty of light heavyweights do. Getting close enough to Jon Jones to do so is Rashad Evans' greatest problem.
Evans cannot shoot in on Jones from range. While this would fly against a lesser opponent, it will get Rashad hurt if he attempts it here. Therefore, Rashad will be looking to strike with Jones, with the ultimate goal of either knocking him out, or of taking him down and blanketing him.
The three key weaknesses in Rashad Evans' stand up game are:
His side on stance.
His difficulty working at distance.
His ineffectual head movement.
Stance
Rashad is not a big light heavyweight, he might not even be a particularly big middleweight if he chose to cut to 185lbs. At just 5'11", he carries a 75 inch reach. Against Jones this reach disadvantage will be even more pronounced due to the height disparity - Rashad will be forced to punch upward, and his favoring of circular punches over linear ones will mean that he needs to be almost chest to chest with Jones to connect.
Photo by Nat Arem
To compensate for this lack of reach, Rashad often chooses to stand from a particularly side on stance - just as the Diaz brothers and BJ Penn opt to. This lengthens his jab, but also means that the back of his lead leg is especially vulnerable to low kicks. These often cut into the hamstring, the most tender part of the upper leg.
While most men are uncomfortable kicking against Rashad Evans due to his stellar wrestling pedigree, Lyoto Machida found a great deal of success with kicks against Evans. Lyoto, fighting southpaw, could not use his rear leg to punish Rashad's turned in lead leg, but was able to use short kicks to the calf with his leading, right leg to break Rashad's balance several times throughout the fight. This illustrated another disadvantage of having the lead foot turned in; it is easier to have one's foot kicked out from under oneself.
Rashad often stands so side on that he needs to take an enormous lunging step outward, like that of Babe Ruth, in order to throw his right hand. A quick look at the Liddell fight reveals how stunted his right hand is by his stance. Liddell was caught rushing in to throw a right uppercut without set up or distraction (a self destructive striking strategy) and still Rashad was only able to reach with the inside of his fist and fingers, rather than a solid punching surface. Obviously he knocked Liddell out, but Jones will not be that close even if he chooses the same ill-advised lead right uppercut.
Photo by Martin McNeil of ESPN.
Distance
Rashad's speed is an enormous asset, and this really showed against one dimensional brawler, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson. Jackson's only assets at this stage in his career are his powerful hooks, having abandoned his wrestling and ground and pound almost entirely. Rashad was able to run rings around Quinton Jackson by bouncing around, exploding in, and following through to a takedown with beautiful set pieces. The sequence in which Rashad threw a left hook, followed by a weave under Jackson's counter hook combined with Evans' own right hook to the body, into a running takedown, was a marvel to behold. The only men with comparably brilliant and varied set ups for their takedowns from long range are UFC welterweight champion, Georges St. Pierre, and a 2003 - 2008 era Fedor Emelianenko.
Against opponents whose intention it is to fight at long range, Rashad struggles. It took Evans three rounds of eating punches from Forrest Griffin (one of the lightest punchers in MMA) before Evans managed to chase Griffin down. Against Machida, who was waiting for Rashad to attack, Rashad looked tentative throughout the fight as Lyoto moved straight backward from all of the techniques in Rashad's limited arsenal of strikes. Rashad's side on stance meant that he could only lead with his jab, making Lyoto's counter simply a matter of reflex, rather than thought.
Against Jones, Rashad will be forced to deal with great distance again. But where Machida simply kicked into this distance, and could not punch without closing the range, the enormous distance which Rashad has to navigate against Jones will see him under fire from punches the entire time. Jon Jones' length is his most obvious asset in the stand up - his technique being slightly above average at best - but his understanding of how to use this reach is unparalleled. A quick look at a Jon Jones fight will show how rarely his opponent comes close enough to throw a punch without Jon hitting them first. Jones uses low kicks, jabs, and even the very controversial Jackson's MMA favorite, the push kick with the sole of the foot against the opponent's knee joint.
Put simply, Jon Jones fights how Stefan Struve should fight. One has all the kickboxing pedigree in the world yet routinely gets knocked about by men who are half his size, and one is largely untouchable. Rashad's vulnerability to low kicks will hurt him if he stays in the open, and closing the distance from a side on stance will certainly be difficult.
Head Movement
Rashad Evans, in the head movement department, suffers from the same affliction that Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir do. Evans' head movement looks good, but is almost entirely ornamental. A prime example would be his fight with Lyoto Machida. Immediately before getting knocked down, Rashad bobbled his head around several times, then stood bolt upright as he lunged in with his actual attack. Lyoto was not even looking at Evans as he threw his counter, knowing that Evans' head would stay in position.
The same happened against brawlers, Thiago Silva and Rampage Jackson. When Rashad was able to run in and out, he landed heavy shots and took them down. Then he stood on the outside, wiggled his head about, stopped, and got caught with a big punch by both men.
Jon Jones has proven capable of exploiting holes in an opponent's offense. Against Machida he switched stances, knowing that he could land a rear hand hook against Machida's unguarded right side. It is pretty safe to assume that Jones will look to counter Rashad's weak head movement on offense.
Photo by ERNEST DOROSZUK/QMI AGENCY
Rashad's Keys to Victory Against Jones
This is a terrible stylistic match up for Rashad Evans. It's not as terrible as Jones was for Rampage, the latter being a shade of his PRIDE era self. Jackson's game had quite literally devolved to using only hooks, and his 73" reach was even more lacking than Rashad's will be. Rashad's best bet is to knock Jones out early or get him to the floor and lay on him. Jones is an excellent wrestler, so Rashad will be forced to take the initiative by striking with Jones.
Evans has enormous power and speed in his punches, so a knockout is never truly off of the cards. But closing the distance will prove tough, and his striking didn't look that crisp technically even against Tito Ortiz. If Rashad gets stuck on the outside he will be kicked into a bruised mess. If he runs in without moving his head, as he is wont to do, he will get hurt and likely finished. Really, Rashad needs to do exactly what he did against Rampage; spring around and get to Jones' chin as early as possible. Jones has not been hurt yet in the octagon, and his opponents have all given him time to establish his game and work methodically. If Rashad can land a good blow on him early, we may see Jones mentally collapse due to lack of experience of adversity.
Finally, a potential wild card in this fight is that even Rampage Jackson, as averse to kicking as BJ Penn, found some success in kicking Jones' gangly legs. If Rashad continued to work Jones' legs, which have little muscle to serve as a shock absorber, he may be able to stop Jones kicking and moving so freely, and make him stand as still as Thiago Silva and Quinton Jackson did.
Want to learn the techniques of Junior Dos Santos, Anderson Silva and Roy Jones Jr.? These and the techniques of 17 other elite strikers, are broken down in detailed photography in Jack Slack's new ebook Advanced Striking: Tactics of Kickboxing, Boxing and MMA Masters, which is out NOW!
Jack Slack blogs at his website www.fightsgoneby.com and can be found on Twitter @JackSlackMMA.
Posted in: jon, jone, jackson, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Predictions
This is the one we've all been waiting for and this time the phraise is not a marketing gimmick. The mixed martial arts world will witness one of the greatest rivalries in the sport's history move into action this weekend as UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones defends his title against former champion, friend and training partner Rashad Evans. By most accounts, Jones is the favorite to win, but many believe Evans has just the right tools and knowledge to recapture lost glory. Is it true Evans has 'Jones' number'? Does Jones have too many advantages to really have his belt taken?
I'll attempt to answer these questions with these predictions about UFC 145.
What: UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Where: Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
When: Saturday, the Facebook preliminary starts at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, the four-fight FX card starts at 8 and the seven-fight pay-per-view card starts at 10.
Predictions on the six pay-per-view fights below.
Rashad Evans vs. Jon Jones
As I discussed previously, there's really no way to look at this match-up and not conclude Jones has significant advantages. Then again, it's also hard to conclude Evans is incapable of meeting the task at hand. If Evans is to win, it will be because he was able to successfully wrestle Jones to the floor, hold position and score damage on top. If Jones is to win, it'll be because he was able to strike at range, defend the takedown or execute the takedown himself. Evans has never been submitted, but Jones' adaptive submission prowess cannot be overlooked.
I'm fairly confident in the Jones pick. Evans has his work cut out for him. But don't forget what happened the last time Rashad Evans went to Atlanta for a fight and everyone counted him out. He was +200 underdog against Chuck Liddell and he's up to +400 this time out, but this is MMA. Stranger things have happened.
Pick: Jones
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Let's be frank: it's hard to see a way where Mills wins on Saturday. Not impossible, of course, but hard. He does have respectable striking, good hand speed and underrated experience, but skills win fights and MacDonald can't be touched in that regard. Short of an errant punch he doesn't see or a freak accident, this is McDonald's fight to lose. In fact, picking MacDonald is probably the only rational choice. I can see him striking with Mills, but if he decides to use ground and pound instead, Mills doesn't have the skill set to keep up.
Pick: MacDonald
Ben Rothwell vs. Brendan Schaub
This fight is an interesting one for both competitors, but for slightly different reasons. Both fighters are coming off of losses, but both are trying to achieve different objectives. For Rothwell, it's about proving he can still compete at this level. His last fight against Mark Hunt was not particularly impressive, to say the least. Roth is extraordinarily tough and very difficult to put away, but the question is whether he's got the skills offensively to be a competitor at this level of the fight game.
Schaub, by contrast, is trying to get his contendership back on track. He lost in devastating fashion to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 134 and needs to prove the loss didn't mentally scar him. In addition, by beating a fighter on the bubble like Roth, he can begin to climb his way back up the heavyweight ladder. Schaub's boxing should do the trick as I just don't see Rothwell doing enough to really give Schaub too much trouble.
Pick: Schaub
Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald
This is the toughest bout on the card to call if you have no stake in either fighter. Torres is extremely accomplished, possesses an excellent guard - one that has added potent sweeps to the arsenal - and respectable outside boxing. McDonald is a tough, strong athlete with excellent power, good wrestling and a well-rounded skill set altogether. Who prevails here? Could McDonald take Torres down and do enough in the judges eyes to work a points-based decision like Demetrious Johnson? Or is McDonald going to show he still has flaws in his game and lose scrambles to the more experienced Torres? There's a strong case to be made for either fighter. For me, until I see McDonald beat someone at this level of the game, I'm going to have to side with experience. But I'm not doing it confidently. This fight will say a lot about both competitors when it's over.
Pick: Torres
Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin
Hominick is a -700 favorite over Yagin. Those are the sorts of odds Manny Pacquiao takes into fights, if you're looking to see what a blowout this should be. Perhaps I'm discounting Yagin unfairly and he'll prove to be the Juan Manuel Marquez to Hominck's Pacquiao, but I doubt it. Yagin has a nice guillotine, but probably not nice enough to stop the relatively submission savvy Canadian. And on the feet it isn't much of a contest. Yes, Hominick got starched by a much less effective striker in Chan Sung Jung, but I doubt lightning will strike twice in a bottle.
Pick: Hominick
John Alessio vs. Mark Bocek
This fight is strange because it pits two of the most technical fighters around with contrasting styles against one another, but I wonder what the enjoyment factor might be. Alessio has terribly underrated takedown defense and is very strong defensively (for the most part). Bocek, though, is the type of fighter to press an opponent into the cage and work tirelessly for the takedown until he gets it. In other words, I see Alessio on the defensive for much of this bout and not able to do much of his own. Bocek could submit him - he is the better submission grappler by far - but it's probably going to take a while if he does. This one could very easily go the distance.
Pick: Bocek
Posted in: fight, jone, vs, evan, mcdonald
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Pre-Fight Press Conference (LIVE at 1PM EST)
It's about time! Jon Jones and Rashad Evans will finally go face to face, as part of the official UFC 145 pre-fight press conference from Atlanta, Georgia. The event will take place at the Piedmont Room of Park Tavern, with Jon Jones, Rashad Evans, UFC President Dana White, and other UFC 145 participants sharing their thoughts ahead of this weekend's highly-anticipated fight card.
The press conference will start at 1PM EST. LIVE YouTube stream is available here, on
Posted in: ufc, jone, press conference, park tavern, piedmont room
Read the full article at Low KickPic: Jon Jones is a 220-pound 'War Machine'
Step off, Koppenhaver, there's a new "War Machine" on Twitter.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones shows off his "Bones" to his Twitter followers just a few days before his epic showdown against former division champion and current number one contender Rashad Evans.
If you're just waking up from a coma or started following the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) within the last hour or so, you can find out what all the hubbub is about in the "Countdown to UFC 145" preview special right here.
And, in case any of you diehard MMA fans missed out on the UFC "Primetime" special for this weekend's title fight, which goes down on April 21, 2012 from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, you can watch parts one and two here and here.
Or, you can just ogle the champ's physique for the next few days until we find out if it will be sweet enough to sour "Suga" in "The Peach State." Is this pic, in which Jones refers to himself as a "220-pound War Wachine," doing anything to alter your pre-fight predictions?
More on the UFC 145 extravaganza right here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, war machine, war, philips arena
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans, Jon Jones show softer sides on recent UFC Primetime special
Contrary to popular belief it turns out there is more to Rashad Evans and Jon Jones than each being a former teammate of the other who has a personal stake in their April 21 title-fight at UFC 145. Shocking, isn’t it?
In fact, outside of their rivalry Jones and Evans are human beings like the rest of us, though obviously a pair of individuals with extraordinary athletic talent, competitive drive, and the mental tenacity to test themselves inside the Octagon. While each may be fueled by the history with one another, as well as the involvement of the sweetest prize in the sport, the light heavyweights will also be fighting for their families this weekend.
The topic of those most dear to them came up on last Friday night’s episode of UFC Primetime where Evans started inducing viewers’ sniffles by explaining the difficulty in being away from his home to train in Florida.
“I always wanna be there for my kids and to not be there is hard. And I just hope that all the fighting and everything, it pays off and it helps them in their lives, because it’s all I really have,” said Evans, fighting back tears before recollecting himself later to explain, “No matter what you have going on in your life, it doesn’t matter, because when you step out there into the Octagon you better be ready to fight. Because your opponent…he doesn’t care. He’s trying to get paid. He’s trying to get paid off you. So what are you gonna do about it?”
Jones also narrowly avoided waterworks when discussing the death of an older sister who had impacted his life greatly and whose memory he hopes to honor on a daily basis.
Check out the complete video below (with plenty of non-sappy stuff too):
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, ’t, evan, ufc primetime
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans Episode 2
The second episode of UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans. The series follows both Jon Jones and Rashad Evans as they prepare to face off at UFC 145 for the UFC light heavyweight title.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145: Rashad Evans Getting Pointers From Roy Jones, Jr. Ahead Of Jon Jones Fight
Rashad Evans is no stranger to being around other famous athletes. If it's not Victoria Azarenka, it's Tito Trinidad or Michael Irvin or Bernard Hopkins. The latest turn sees Rashad getting some boxing lessons from none other than Ring Magazine's "Fighter of the Decade" for the 1990's, Roy Jones, Jr.
Here's video of Rashad working with Roy and talking about the experience (Roy part starts at roughly 5:25):
Rashad had this to say about the experience:
"One of the biggest things of my life that has happened to this date is that someone like Roy (Jones, Jr.) came in and gave me some pointers, and some advice," said Evans. "Boxing and MMA is different in some respect, but at the same time, you can pick up little jewels that he is putting out there. This has become like Ali and Frazer training camp, wherever everybody is sitting and watching you, and watching....it is crazy."
Rashad clearly isn't training with Roy full-time or anything, and that's probably not a bad thing. Roy is a guy who had phenomenal physical gifts and never seemed like a guy who'd be any good at training anyone. Likely because of that superstar "this was easy for you, why can't you do it?" mentality that affects most superstars who try to move to coaching.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
As for Roy, this is as close to a big fight as he's getting (other than his occasional gigs doing commentary work for HBO boxing fights). As my pro sports hero growing up, it's not exactly my favorite thing to write, but his career has become a sham over nearly the last decade. From the once incredible talent to a guy who fights Max Alexander in front of nobody in Atlanta.
Jones' most recent "appearance" was in Russia before the main event fight of Denis Lebedev vs Shawn Cox. Jones wasn't there to fight though, he was there to rap. ...or rather, to lip-sync his rap.
Seriously:
I don't begrudge Roy his right to earn a living and keep fighting. But I long for the day when he retires and gets his well deserved trip to the hall of fame.
Posted in: fight, jone, rashad, evan, roy
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowMorning Report: Jon Jones' Overlooked Advantage and Alistair Overeem's Reasonable Defense
Rashad Evans has a leg up on Jon Jones because they used to be training partners. By now, it's the catch phrase of UFC 145.
But we've gotten so wrapped up in this idea, that the relatively large counter-point staring us right in the face had, for all intents and purposes, been ignored until the young champ brought it up yesterday. You see, the advantage goes both ways. Actually, it may tip more so to Jones' favor than Rashad's.
Consider this. If these two men were as close of friends as we've been led to believe, considering the rather large age gap between them, it isn't too far of a leap to think the relationship was something akin to that of a little brother/big brother. (You can sometimes still see shades of it when the two are in the same room.) And with Jones as supremely raw as he was, Rashad would have been an instrumental figure in his maturation as a fighter. Someone to emulate, and through that emulation, someone to dissect.
Their whole messy divorce happened a little over a year ago, and honestly, Rashad Evans a year ago probably isn't too different from Rashad Evans now. But Jon Jones a year ago, that fighter isn't even in the same stratosphere as Jon Jones now. That's the thing. Jones' growth has been so ridiculous, the idea that he couldn't have pieced together a strategy to defeat the man he dissected so intimately is somewhat ingenuous, especially considering the coaches that helped build that man are on Jones' side now. Of course, this is all just speculation, but we'll see if Rashad's trump card is really as one-sided as we've been led to believe.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Jon Jones: preparing for with Evans' coaches 'almost seems not fair.' Jon Jones flipped the script on his UFC 145 title bout against Rashad Evans, stating that it was almost unfair to be training with the coaches that taught Evans how to fight.
Alistair Overeem's manager says he has 'reasonable explanation' for failed test. Glenn Robinson, the primary manager to Alistair Overeem, said he feels very confident his client will be fighting Junior dos Santos on May 26 and that Overeem has a reasonable explanation as to why his testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio was so far off-base. The NSAC's hearing is slated for next Tuesday.
UFC, FOX content sharing spotlight with Floyd Mayweather. Similar to UFC on FOX 1, May 5's UFC on FOX 3 broadcast is scheduled to take place the same night as a blockbuster boxing draw -- Floyd Mayweather vs. Miguel Cotto -- though according to UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, FOX doesn't mind sharing the national spotlight.
UFC demands retraction from CagePotato. The UFC and Dana White served a demand for retraction to the website CagePotato regarding a satirical quote attributed to White in an April 14 article. CagePotato promptly issued a statement retracting the offending caption, however when asked if the dispute had been squashed, White responded, "not even close."
Valentijn Overeem would be 'surprised' if brother needed TRT. Valentijn Overeem admitted he would be surprised if his younger brother needed testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for medical reasons, and if that were indeed the case, he would most likely be aware of the issue.
MEDIA STEW
There's certainly worse ways to spend your work day than watching Rashad Evans proclaim, "I want to change Jon Jones' life," on the second episode of UFC 145 Primetime.
Right before Rashad Evans made his debut on TUF 2, back when he was a one-dimensional rookie to the game, "Suga" roared through the Gladiator Challenge Light Heavyweight Tournament. His unfortunate first victim: Mr. Bryan Pardoe.
How did the Naval Academy help shape Brian Stann into such a gentlemanly beast? "The All-American" explains in the debut edition of SB Nation's "Core of Sports" series.
You've seen Rocky, right? Yeah, translate that into a film about MMA and you might see something like this fight. The Homer Simpson defense never fails. (HT: Reddit)
The latest secret weapon against Jon Jones: Rashad has been sparring with legendary boxing champion Roy Jones Jr. (HT: MMA Mania, via Authentic Sports Management)
TWEET OF THE YEAR
Who's the dick that stole my pants today at training? #underweardriving #wtfinstagr.am/p/JfrAktpTEn/
— Josh Koscheck (@JoshKoscheck) April 16, 2012
BONES IS READY
220lb war machine twitter.com/JonnyBones/sta…
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 17, 2012
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Tuesday, April 17, 2012):
- UFC on FOX 3: Darren Uyenoyama (7-3) out, Tim Elliott (8-2-1) in against John Dodson (12-5)
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today's Fanpost of the Day is a superbly comprehensive breakdown by BE's Luke Nelson: UFC 145: Can Rashad Evans Influence Jon Jones Into "Skipping To His Lou" And Crucial Mistakes?
At the highest levels of combat, the athletic abilities are often so even that they do not play a large role in the fight. Of course there are exceptions to this; Georges St. Pierre stands out as a fighter whose natural athleticism is nearly impossible to overcome. Brock Lesnar was thought to be of a similar ilk and indeed he was able to rely on his physical gifts to destroy men like Heath Herring and Frank Mir, much more technical fighters than himself. When he came up against fighters who could either offset his wrestling with their own, or had an equal amount of brute strength, he was exposed as a mediocre fighter, unable to influence his opponent in any way.
On the opposite side of this coin is Anderson Silva, a fighter who is so in tune with his opponents that fans have openly wondered if he is proof that we are indeed living in some an artificially constructed reality. The diversity of the attacks with which Silva has beaten his various opponents is truly spectacular. How can one fighter use so many different methods to such a great degree of success? To put it simply, Silva knows where his opponent is going to be before they are there. This isn't to say it is a simple task; it took years and years of training for Silva to reach the level that he is at, but it is the most critical element to his success.
This ability to seemingly "control" your opponent was alluded to by Rashad Evans during the first of two Fuel TV "Ultimate Insider: Counterpunch" segments that he and Jon Jones appeared on last week. During the confrontational clip, Evans and Jones discussed how they themselves saw their fight (the headlining match at this weekend's UFC 145) going and towards the end of his comments, Evans declared:
"When you're in there with me, I can get you to skip to my lou. And you will skip to my lou. You're gonna do exactly what I want you to do."
Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones Is the Favorite, but the Smart Money Is on Rashad Evans
The main event at UFC 145 will feature a true grudge match as light heavyweight champion Jon Jones defends his title against his his former friend and teammate Rashad Evans.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Low KickVideo: "The Real Jon Jones"
Jon Jones opens up on on his family upbringing, thoughts on religion, and outlook in this insightful video. Drawing from an athletic family with two NFL players as brothers, Jones details his compelling past in sports. An interesting look at the human side of a seemingly invincible champion, Jones steers away from the usual smack talk he has been engaging in with Rashad Evans. He also addresses the discussion of being the best mixed martial artist of all time, saying that he has a long way to go to
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, family, nfl players, champion jones
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145 Primetime Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans, Episode 2
The production team behind the Ultimate Fighting Championship has just released the second episode of UFC Primetime which features the UFC 145 grudge match between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. Here is their description of the show:
Watch the evolution of Jon Jones and Rashad Evans' rivalry, then go inside training camps as they prepare to meet again.... this time as opponents.
Related: UFC 145 Primetime Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans - Episode 1
This second episode aired on April 13th on FX, but it took them until now to release the video on Youtube. You can catch the first episode at the link above, and the third and final episode will air on FX on April 20th. Here's the video:
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Main Card:Jon Jones vs. Rashad EvansRory MacDonald vs. Che MillsBen Rothwell vs. Brendan SchaubMichael McDonald vs. Miguel TorresMark Hominick vs. Eddie YaginJohn Alessio vs. Mark BocekPreliminary Card:Travis Browne vs. Chad GriggsMatt Brown vs. Stephen ThompsonJohn Makdessi vs. Anthony NjokuaniMac Danzig vs. Efrain EscuderoChris Clements vs. Keith WisniewskiMaximo Blanco vs. Marcus Brimage
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, episode, rashad
Read the full article at Bloody Elbow'Countdown' to UFC 145 full video for 'Jones vs Evans' from FUEL TV
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) aired its traditional "Countdown" preview show for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" on FUEL TV earlier tonight (April 17, 2012), which featured a behind-the-scenes look as current Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones prepares to defend his strap against former 205-pound division kingpin -- and now bitter rival -- Rashad Evans this Saturday night (April 21, 2012) at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
To check out immediate reactions to the 30-minute special be sure to check out our live UFC 145 "Countdown" discussion thread right here.
The "Countdown" to UFC 145 video special also features a closer look at the co-main event, a Welterweight showdown between rising star Rory MacDonald surging British prospect Che Mills.
Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the pay-per-view (PPV) main card action on fight night, which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET. The latest quick updates of the "Prelims" under card action will begin to flow earlier than that around 7 p.m. ET.
For more on UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" be sure to hit up our event archive right here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, fuel tv, evan, card action
Read the full article at MMA ManiaTough test for Bones
Greg Jackson says that Jon "Bones" Jones' upcoming matchup against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 will be Jones' toughest test to date.
Posted in: jone, jackson, test, rashad evans, bone
Read the full article at sportsnet.caGreat Expectations: Jon Jones, Rashad Evans and the UFC 145 main event
Great expectations.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and his real-life antagonist, Rashad Evans, will step inside the Octagon on Saturday night (April 21, 2012) in the UFC 145 main event and finally let their fists, rather than their lips, fly.
God willing.
And to hear them tell it, it's not going to be just an ordinary mixed martial arts (MMA) match. On the contrary, "Bones" and "Suga" will crawl into the eight-walled cage at the Philips Arena, squat in their corners -- maybe even tweak their nipples -- and then charge into battle. More than one year of emotion, trash talk and anger will fuel their duel, with the momentum for each fighter swinging like a pendulum for a jaw-dropping 25 minutes or until one man can no longer continue.
UFC President Dana White will grin and giggle. Fans will leap from their seats and foolishly embrace. MMAmania.com servers will crash and I will get an instant raise.
These, Maniacs, are the great expectations that weigh heavy on the shoulders of Jones and Evans as we head into this weekend. And we didn't manufacture them, but rather the personal rift between the former "friends" and training partners at Jackson-WinkleJohn MMA -- now sworn enemies -- has been rammed down our throats at every turn.
I can recite the tumultuous timeline in my sleep if required. However, it isn't.
That's because the UFC has put all its marketing muscle behind this showdown, taking us behind the scenes with slick "Primetime" specials, giving us a "Countdown" to their date with destiny and watching them squirm on the set of "Ultimate Insider."
Hell, the UFC even made the odd decision to sponsor Jones during the fight. I'm not exactly sure what that means, but it's significant for no other reason than it's never happened before.
For more than one full year, since Jones stepped in to replace Evans and then defeated Maurício Rua at UFC 128 to win the 205-pound crown, we've been inundated with an endless stream of noise. That's all it is to me at this point: Noise. I doubt I'm alone. And I doubt I'm not the only one who will settle, at a minimum, for a fight that ends definitively without controversy.
I'll live without the label of, "Instant Classic." I couldn't care less if Jones and Evans bob, weave, juke and jive for 10 minutes, so long as it doesn't devolve into a point fight. And if Jones pulls off a Matrix-esque move that turns out Evans' lights quicker than a crazy pee-guzzling cat named Lyoto Machida, I'll take that, too.
Anything more than that and I'll consider it gravy, baby.
The incessant build up has been too much and too often. The rivalry has been way too overblown and too overanalyzed. The backstory too Hollywood and too contrived. I get the entertainment angle, the promotional one, too. I think I get it all, to be honest. I've had to see and hear all the "noise" every day for 13 months, which is much more than the average casual fan, I know.
Maybe I'm jaded. Perhaps tired. Whatever.
But, don't get it twisted: Jon Jones, Rashad Evans and the one world they share, as well as the two that they don't, have done a masterful job of building up this fight. The UFC also deserves an ice pop. I can't wait to watch Jon Jones fight Rashad Evans, and vice-versa. Hell, I might even get goose bumps before the start of a fight for the first time since I don't even know when.
The expectations, however, are just too great.
#Greatnessis.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, im
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones' manager says sponsorship doesn't show UFC bias, major deal looming
UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones has quickly become one of the biggest
superstars in the world's largest MMA promotion, and the UFC is going to
capitalize on that popularity by branding its logo all over Jones and
his team during UFC 145 fight-week events.
Some MMA pundits have been critical of the decision, suggesting the UFC is showing favoritism toward Jones with the move.
Jones' manager, Malki Kawa, insists that's simply not true. In fact, he
believes Jones' opponent, Rashad Evans, likely could have earned the
same deal should he have wanted.
Posted in: ufc, jone, deal, mma promotion, mma pundits
Read the full article at MMA JunkieBrydon on Jones vs. Evans: Love lost
Rashad Evans has some fond memories of training with Jon Jones, but they're ancient history now ahead of UFC 145.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, brydon, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at sportsnet.caFormer Champs Predict Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Fight at UFC 145
Former UFC light heavyweight champs, from Frank Shamrock to Shogun Rua, Chuck Liddell to Randy Couture, predict Saturday's UFC 145 fight between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, jon jones, champ
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145: What Did Rashad Evans Mean When He Told Jon Jones "You Will Skip To My Lou"?
When we as fight fans analyze an upcoming mixed martial arts fight in an attempt to pick a winner, there are a lot of different ways to come to whatever conclusion we come to.
Of course everyone knows about MMAth, in which you compare the combatants results against a mutual opponent. This method is usually derided by educated observers as wholly unreliable, and statistically it is, yet it is almost always brought up by someone during the lead up to the fight (and enthusiastically discussed in great detail by all parties).
Another quick and easy method of pre-fight evaluation is to look at the two fighter's skillsets in an attempt to determine where the fight will take place. This is a much more respected methodology and it is easy to see why: Grapplers (wrestlers in particular), are almost universally able to dictate where their fights will take place, if they are going up against a striker or less talented grappler. If they want to have a stand up fight, they will use their grappling savvy to avoid going to the ground. If they want to have a ground fight, they will use their grappling savvy to bring the fight to the mat.
Where you can run into some problems with this method is when the two combatants come from a different grappling base: It's not always clear in fights between a Brazilian jiu jitsu fighter and an American wrestler which fighter will have the grappling edge. Making this method even more challenging is when you have two strikers facing one another. We don't always know how good a striker is on the ground game until/unless they are forced to use it, making it nearly impossible to make an educated prediction with this method.
If we want to go even more in-depth, we will discuss and evaluate what individual techniques the two fighters use. Are they combination strikers or do they go for power shots? Do they shoot power doubles or stick to single leg takedowns? This can help us in matches like Brian Stann vs Alessio Sakara, a bout that took place at last weekend's UFC on FUEL TV 2. Stann is a power puncher, and Sakara has had some trouble when he gets hit with big strikes. Sure enough, Stann connected with powerful shots early in the fight and went on to score a TKO victory.These methods are useful ways of looking at a fight but it seems to me there is one more level of evaluating a fight (and fighters), which is, essentially, how successful a fighter is at influencing his opponent to move as he sees fit. Jack Slack, one of the premier striking experts in the MMA blog-o-sphere and Mike Riordan, a new addition to the SB Nation ranks over at Bloody Elbow, specializing in wrestling, recently gave us great examples of this kind of evaluation.
Fight Like Dos Santos: The Right Body Straight. (Jack Slack)
A Theory On Successful Wrestling Translating To Successful MMA Wrestling (Mike Riordan)
In Slack's post, he details how Junior Dos Santos used body attacks in his title fight with Cain Velasquez at the first UFC on FOX show to influence Cain to drop his hands. When he did drop his hands, Dos Santos was able to land an overhand right, sending Velasquez to the mat and giving Junior the UFC heavyweight title.
Riordan takes us inside the world of wrestling set-ups, showcasing numerous examples of wrestlers taking what seems to be a stale-mate position and using it to their advantage.
This ability to make your opponent do what you want them to do is, to me, what separates the greatest fighters from their peers. One of my all time favorite fighters is Bas Rutten. The main reason for this is the clarity with which he is able to describe his fighting experiences. If you've never seen this video of his fight with Jason Delucia, it's a must watch. It's special because Rutten provides a running commentary of the fight, giving us some incredible insight into how he approaches a fight and how he chooses to attack Delucia:
At the highest levels of combat, the athletic abilities are often so even that they do not play a large role in the fight. Of course there are exceptions to this; Georges St. Pierre stands out as a fighter whose natural athleticism is nearly impossible to overcome. Brock Lesnar was thought to be of a similar ilk and indeed he was able to rely on his physical gifts to destroy men like Heath Herring and Frank Mir, much more technical fighters than himself. When he came up against fighters who could either offset his wrestling with their own, or had an equal amount of brute strength, he was exposed as a mediocre fighter, unable to influence his opponent in any way.
On the opposite side of this coin is Anderson Silva, a fighter who is so in tune with his opponents that fans have openly wondered if he is proof that we are indeed living in some an artificially constructed reality. The diversity of the attacks with which Silva has beaten his various opponents is truly spectacular. How can one fighter use so many different methods to such a great degree of success? To put it simply, Silva knows where his opponent is going to be before they are there. This isn't to say it is a simple task; it took years and years of training for Silva to reach the level that he is at, but it is the most critical element to his success.
This ability to seemingly "control" your opponent was alluded to by Rashad Evans during the first of two Fuel TV "Ultimate Insider: Counterpunch" segments that he and Jon Jones appeared on last week. During the confrontational clip, Evans and Jones discussed how they themselves saw their fight (the headlining match at this weekend's UFC 145) going and towards the end of his comments, Evans declared:
When you're in there with me, I can get you to skip to my lou. And you will skip to my lou. You're gonna do exactly what I want you to do.
During the extensive pre-fight trash talk that has gone on between Jones and Evans, one of the oft-repeated refrains from Evans is that he's been in the cage with Jones before, (the two sparred together for months as teammates and training partners at Jackson's MMA) and as such he knows what to do to beat him.
And why shouldn't Evans feel this way? After all, he isn't really a physically dominant fighter. He's quick, to be sure, but for a light heavyweight he's rather small. He hasn't shown himself to be beastly strong for his size either, so he has been forced to earn his victories through technical superiority and that ability to influence his opponents into making the mistakes he wants them to make.
Jones on the other hand, for all the physical comparisons we draw to Anderson Silva, (they do indeed have very similar body types) more closely resembles an earlier version of Georges St. Pierre, before the welterweight champion toned down his aggression on the feet: He intelligently uses his physical superiority to dominate his opponents.
Silva is a master of quick strike offense. He spends much of the early part of a fight calculating his opponents timing, judging their reaction to his feints and movements. When he has figured out how best to attack, the fight usually ends soon after.
Jones is much more methodical in his approach. He prefers to get an early takedown, sowing seeds of doubt in his opponents mind. He plays a patient striking game, using his kicks to wear opponents out before he opens up with a more diverse striking attack. He almost always ends up taking the fight back to the ground before he looks for the finish. He is improving his striking at a rapid pace, but for the most part the danger in his game is predicated on his ability to take the fight to the mat. I'm not blessed with enough technical know-how to be able to say this with certainty, but I believe that his wrestling prowess is more about his physical traits than his ability to influence his opponents into mistakes.
When you set aside all the talk, all the fluff associated with the friends turned enemies promotion of this fight, what makes this fight between Evans and Jones so intriguing (and what would make a fight between Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre so intriguing) is the differing approaches that the two men bring to the cage.
The former champion Evans, who has overcome for his lack of physical dominance by forcing every one of his opponents save one (Lyoto Machida) "skip to his lou".
The current champion Jones, who has imposed his physical dominance so easily on every man he's ever faced.
Will Evans be able to coerce Jones into making critical mistakes? If he can, will he be able to capitalize? Will Jones be able to impose his physical dominance on Evans? If he can't, will he be able to adjust?
What if we see a little bit of both? Who is best equipped to deal with partial success and in turn, partial failure?
I wrote last week that this fight was a super-fight. The claim was challenged by some who believed that Jones was simply too good for Evans. Despite some solid arguments supporting this idea, I still don't believe that it is the case. I believe this fight will be one of those special bouts that will be remembered long after it has been fought.
I guess we'll soon see.
Posted in: fight, jone, fighter, opponent, evan
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendRashad Evans, “Georgia on my Mind” (Video)
Without a doubt, Rashad Evans has been in big fights before.
His star-making turn against Chuck Liddell, his massively hyped grudge match with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson – Suga is no stranger to the spotlight. Even still, his upcoming UFC 145 blockbuster tilt against Jon Jones has brought with it a level of hype and media attention that caught even the seasoned Evans off guard.
That’s not to say that the former champ isn’t taking the whole thing in stride, though. In fact, the swarm around him seems to have granted Evans some perspective on living in the moment, enjoying what he’s got while he’s got it. The light heavyweight battler’s management team, Authentic Sports Management, released a promo video entitled “Georgia on my Mind” that gives insight into Evans training and mental state ahead of his date with Jones in Atlanta.
“On April 21, you guys can expect one hell of a fight,” said Evans. “Me vs. Jon Jones. And it’s a fight that’s built upon so much emotion and so much promise of what could have been a great relationship or a great teammate, but it wasn’t. I’m gonna go in there and I’m gonna win. I’m gonna win and I’m gonna fight hard and I’m gonna love every second of it.
“I’m gonna love every moment that I have leading up to it. I’m gonna appreciate everything. Because, before you know it, this will be just a memory and you guys won’t be cheering for me no more. My time will pass. So, I’m gonna enjoy this moment. I’m gonna have fun and I’m gonna put on a great performance. And I wanna thank you for making me who I am today.”
Posted in: fight, jone, evan, moment, sports management
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyThe Real Jon Jones: The Early Years, Part Two
We learn how family tragedy and religion has shaped Jon as a person and as a fighter. We also take a peek into the early career of Jon "Bones" Jones and the events that lead up to him becoming the...
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, family tragedy, years part
Read the full article at Heavy MMAThe Real Jon Jones: Road to the Top, Part Three
A more insightful look into the career of Jon "Bones" Jones, including the possibility of him becoming the Greatest Fighter of all time and what it would take for that to become a reality.
Posted in: jon, jone, fighter, career, possibility
Read the full article at Heavy MMAVideo: Chuck Liddell calls Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans odds 'ridiculous' for UFC 145 title fight
"The opening line is five, six-to-one? I think it's ridiculous. Jones is facing a different style of fighter than he's fought recently. Jones is used to controlling where the fight is, if it's on the feet or on the ground. He's gonna have a real hard time with this one. It's gonna be a good test for him. I like both guys but it's definitely not a five-to-one fight. It's gonna be fun to watch."
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones opened as a -600 favorite for his upcoming 205-pound title defense against longtime nemesis Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145 this Saturday night (April 21, 2012) at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Former division champion Chuck Liddell (via Fight Hub TV), who knows a thing or two about the power of Evans, having been knocked out by "Suga" back in 2008, finds those odds "ridiculous." Anyone out there disagree? Let's hear your wagers for this weekend's title fight.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, ground hes
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones' UFC-Sponsored Walkout Gear - UFC 145 Snapshot of the Day
On his UFC 145, UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones will not only get paid to fight Rashad Evans on the main event, he will also be taking home big bucks from the UFC sponsorship deal he just landed.
He will be decked in UFC gear from head to toe, and today, his sponsored gear for the event has been released. Pictured above is Jon Jones' walkout shirt, and his fight shorts.
Related: UFC 145: UFC Sponsors Jon Jones, Rashad Evans Reacts | UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Van Damme Style Promo | PART 2: Jon Jones and Rashad Evans Get Heated On Ultimate Insider
Check out his weigh-in shirt and his cornermen's outfits after the jump.
Here is what Jones will be wearing at the weigh-ins:
And here is what his cornermen will be wearing on UFC 145:
The whole Jon Jones collection can be seen (and purchased) on the UFC Store.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowA timeline of Jones vs. Evans history, feud
Here is a timeline of the history between UFC 145 headliners Jon Jones and Rashad Evans and their ongoing feud, to be settled Saturday.
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, evan, timeline, feud
Read the full article at sportsnet.caPic: Rashad Evans sparring with Roy Jones Jr. in preparation for his UFC 145 title fight against...
Pic: Rashad Evans sparring with Roy Jones Jr. in preparation for his UFC 145 title fight against Jon Jones on April 21 in Atlanta, Georgia. “One of the biggest things of my life that has happened to this date is that someone like Roy (Jones, Jr.) came in and gave me some pointers, and some advice,” said Evans. “Boxing and MMA is different in some respect, but at the same time, you can pick up little jewels that he is putting out there. This has become like Ali and Frazer training camp, wherever everybody is sitting and watching you, and watching….it is crazy.”
Props: Authentic Sports Management
Posted in: jone, evan, roy, jr, crazyrdquo props
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones: “We know everything about (Rashad Evans). He’s in trouble.”
During the build towards a September title-defense, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was accused of having a spy in opponent Quinton Jackson’s camp who was reporting back with inside information on his training. While Jackson’s accusations were unfounded, when it comes to his upcoming bout with Rashad Evans there’s no question Jones will enter the Octagon with intimate knowledge of his adversary thanks to insight gleaned from Evans’ former coaches.
However, there’s nothing underhanded about the process this time around. Evans not only decided to depart Greg Jackson’s gym, where Jones still calls home, but has questioned the integrity of instructors at the renowned training center. And, to hear Jones tell it, Evans was never much of a teammate to begin with.
“He’s never gone to a team dinner. He never went out and said, ‘Hey, let me buy these other guys a drink because I can afford it.’ It was not like that. He just had ‘Cowboy’ (Donald Cerrone) and basically the guys who had money in the bank and could hang with him, dress with him, and look good standing next to him at the club. That’s not a team member,” said Jones in an interview with MMAFighting, adding Evans completely ignored a number of the people at Jackson’s MMA.
Now, when they meet on April 21 for Jones’ belt, “Bones” will have an ace in the hole with Jackson, Mike Winkeljohn, and others in his corner who are extremely familiar with what Evans has to offer based on his years in New Mexico.
“I have the coaches that taught him how to fight. They taught him the guard passes he uses, the ground-and-pound system that he uses, the punches that he used to throw and the combinations. I mean, it almost seems not fair sometimes,” confessed Jones. “He always talks down about Greg Jackson now and he always talks crap about our team, by saying our team was just commercial and we’re overrated. But all those insults have really made it almost personal for our coaches. We know his psychology. We know what makes him tired. We know everything about him. He’s in trouble.”
Jones-Evans will serve as the headliner this Saturday night at UFC 145. Each man has only lost a single time in his career though Jones’ involved an unnecessary disqualification while Evans was finished cleanly by Lyoto Machida. Jones has won six straight since the stumble with “Suga” ‘Shad stringing together four consecutive victories.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: jone, jackson, team, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145: Former Rashad Evans Opponents Chuck Liddell And Phil Davis Talk Jon Jones
UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones is heavily favored by the odds-makers, sponsored by the UFC and expected by most fans to handily beat former champ Rashad Evans. Evans is smaller, older, has a less flashy style and UFC fans have seen him lose before, something they've never seen happen to Jones.
But some of the most informed observers are refusing to see this as a gimme for Jones. Former champion Chuck Liddell and possible future champion Phil Davis, both of whom lost badly to Evans, think it's a very open question as to which fighter will be the better man on Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia.
We'll hear from Liddell and Davis after the jump...
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
MMA Weekly talked to Chuck LIddell about the fight:
"I think that's ridiculous. 5 to 1, and 6 to 1, I mean, Jon's been great, he's doing great, and he's going to keep getting better, but this is a fight styles wise that's a tougher fight for him than the ones he's had.
"He likes to control the distance, control where the fight was, whether it was standing or on the ground, and I think he'll have a harder time doing that with Rashad."
Davis was on HDNet's Inside MMA (via MMA Mania) and gave his thoughts on Jones:
"You know, I tend to shy away from answers like this, just because everyone is so skillful in their own regard. I definitely think he's a very talented champion, but just to be the best in the world says a lot about it. I don't think he's necessarily any better than any of the other champions. But that's just from a competitor's standpoint. I'm sure the fans would say something different.
"I think up until Jones became the champion, a lot of people thought, 'Oh, this is just another young guy.' And, they went out to, basically, to really beat him. Whereas, if you take away the people fighting Georges St. Pierre, it's very tactical, it's not necessarily -- everyone is in it to beat him, don't get me wrong, but a lot of times, it's a slower pace. It's very methodical. It's not going for the kill. Which, I feel Jones has had as his advantage that people are coming right at him. It's easy to meet a fight head on. But a lot of times, guys are just looking to choose shots and, you know, pot shots whenever they can. It's a lot tougher, and I think he'll get that now that people realize that he's a force to be reckoned with in the division."
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, champion, he
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: Is Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Actually Personal?
The most personal battle in the history of the UFC.
That's the idea the UFC is using to sell this weekend's Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans mega-fight at UFC 145. And it's a good sell. These two have a complex history, from good friends (or maybe not, depending on who you ask) and teammates to possible grudging opponents to bitter rivals - it's a nearly Shakespearean tale of betrayal, broken friendships, and the hatred it has created. In short, it's the perfect kind of story to sell a fight.
So why is it leaving a bit of a bad taste in my mouth?
Don't get me wrong - I'm very excited for the fight. But there is something about the promotion that concerns me, and that concern is this: we've heard it all before.
This idea of "this time it's personal" has been brought out by the UFC time and again lately. In fact, this will mark the 3rd of Rashad's last 4 fights that were built around this personal dislike. The Tito Ortiz rematch was personal, the Rampage showdown was personal - only Phil Davis escaped that treatment, and even then, the build was about how Rashad needed to get through Davis to fight Jones because, wait for it, it was personal.
Related: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans - The War Of Words Continues On PART 2 Of Ultimate Insider | PART 1 - Jon Jones And Rashad Evans Get Heated On 'Ultimate Insider'
So it's a selling point we have heard too much. But that's not the biggest concern. The biggest concern is that it's also a lie.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Too many fighters have, post-fight, pulled the rug out from under this idea of a genuine and personal dislike. How many times have we heard a supposedly bitter rivalry end with one man stating that it was all just to sell tickets? Remember the antagonism between Josh Koscheck and Georges St. Pierre before UFC 124? Koscheck did an excellent job building up a personal rivalry before that fight, Then when it was over, GSP said it was all to sell tickets and that Kos was a nice guy, Kos acted all humbled and thanked the Canadian crowd, and everyone was happy.
The problem is, those sort of moves undercut the credibility of future rivalries. So now, when we have Jon Jones and Rashad Evans engaging in an actual personal battle, not a "it's for tickets" personal battle, we end up asking ourselves - really? Do they really dislike each other, or is this another ruse? And that's not a good attitude for the UFC to develop among their fans.
Saturday night, I don't expect a pleasant hug and an admission that these are two good friends. But then again, I've been burned before. And I'm sure I will be again. And every time I get burned, my faith in the UFC promotional machine wavers just a bit more.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowThe Real Jon Jones: Part 1
Twenty-four year old Jon “Bones” Jones is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. In 2008, he made his UFC debut and has been on the rise ever since. Jon discusses his road to success...
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, ufc debut, road
Read the full article at Heavy MMAPics: Jon Jones UFC-sponsored fight gear revealed for Rashad Evans title match
Jon Jones has been sponsored by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
What does that mean, exactly? Well, in addition to paying him for his services inside the Octagon, like his UFC 145 title fight against Rashad Evans on April 21 in Atlanta, Georgia, he'll also get a sizable check for wearing exclusive UFC merchandise based on his name, image and likeness.
"Bones" explains the decision on last week's conference call:
"I've had a goal of being sponsored by Nike for many, many years. And part of our strategy to try to make that happen one day is to not be a billboard, and not just be sponsored by TapouT one week, and Affliction one week, and then MusclePharm next week, and all these random companies. If you realize, I try to look for relationships with companies, long lasting relationships with companies. So a part of my brand is to keep it clean. Less is more in my opinion."
You can get a closer look at his new threads, available exclusively at the UFC store in advance of this weekend's title defense, after the jump.
UFC 145 Jon Jones Walkout Lateral Sports Top:
The UFC 145 Jon Jones Electric Fight Short:
UFC 145 Jon Jones Cornerman T-shirt:
UFC 145 Jon Jones Promoter Track Jacket:
See the entire collection here.
The UFC clearly has a vested interest in Jones as he heads into his UFC 145 title fight against Evans. Anyone think this extra pressure will affect "Bones" in any way? Or is it just business as usual?
More on UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" right here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, title, jon, jone
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jon Jones Bloody Elbow Rewind - UFC 87 And 94
It's easy for people to claim that Jon Jones came into the UFC as a can't miss prospect expected to run through the likes of Andre Gusmao in his UFC 87 debut. That wasn't exactly the case, in fact, many people had Gusmao as the bigger prospect coming into the event. Gusmao was 5-0 to Jones' 6-0 but Andre had fought on the bigger stage of the IFL while Jones was a late replacement. Come fight time Jones was as high an underdog as +190.
Press Connects ran a piece about Jones at the time of his signing (which has since faded into the ether):
Jones likens graduation from Battle Cage Xtreme to the UFC to stepping up from modified football to an NFL tryout. [Trainer Ryan] Ciotoli said Jones has signed a four-fight contract with the UFC. Saturday's bout, Jones said, will be worth $5,000, a sum to be doubled if he wins. Additional income comes in the form of an apparel deal he's signed with a leading MMA outfitter.
Jones said he last tasted defeat in an athletic contest during his sophomore year in college, a 4-3 wrestling setback absorbed from a top-ranked Iowa State opponent. Given the step up in class, is he prepared to deal with a loss?
"I don't even like to visualize myself losing. It's not even in my mind," he said.
"But all the best fighters in the world have at least one loss on their record. Some people say you're not tough until you get your butt kicked. If I were to (lose), I'm sure I would grow by it, make me realize even more how hard I have to train and how much I need to learn."
...
"I think it's good for me. I'm the underdog, the guy from Upstate New York who not a lot of people know about yet," he said.
Ciotoli, for one, has great confidence in his man.
"He's unbelievable. So athletic, great personality, and he's got a great mind for it," he said of Jones. "I've never heard of anybody getting to the UFC at this stage of his career; he's been fighting professionally for just three months. It's like a guy entering boxing and he's fighting in MSG (Madison Square Garden) right off the bat -- it just doesn't happen.
"I doubt I'll ever have a guy do that again."
Jones would go on to dominate the fight while Gusmao claimed to have been struck by the infamous "Octagon jitters."
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Jones would then be moved into a much more high-profile fight as he was given a shot against Ultimate Fighter season one finalist and fan favorite, Stephan Bonnar. Again, revisionism has led to some people acting as though Jones was expected to steamroll Bonnar. Instead, Jones once again entered the cage as much as a +160 underdog.
On the Bloody Elbow staff picks for UFC 94, I was one of the 6 our of 8 of us who picked Bonnar to win:
Luke Thomas: Jones is a serious prospect, but Bonnar is probably a little too much here. Bonnar is willing to exchange with Jones, but has better technical skills and a toughness that allows him to stand tall in the pocket. Jones can get by on mixing it up with takedowns, but I suspect Jones will resort to his somewhat reckless, low percentage, off-balancing tactics which will allow Bonnar to take over. Jones does well, but this is too strong.Bonnar, by TKO, round 3.Kid Nate: Bonnar should take this, but his injury was serious and you never know how well a figher has recovered and if he'll be in top shape (see Rua, Shogun). Jones is a very promising talent but he's very young and very raw. Bonnar should be more than polished enough both standing and at the jiu jitsu game to take advantage of Jones' inexperience. Bonnar by decision.Brent Brookhouse: Anyone sleeping on Bonnar 2.0 is going to get a big wake-up call. He's going to box circles around Jones and at some point put the fight on the ground and get the submission. Stephan Bonnar by submission, round 2.Michael Rome: Lots of people on the Jon Jones bandwagon, and who can blame them? He's real exciting to watch. Even so, I think he will be completely outclassed by Bonnar, who has been training boxing at Mayweather's gym, and reportedly is in great shape. Bonnar kind of has a second lease on life, he needs to win this fight, and I think he will. Stephan Bonnar via TKO, round 3.Michael Fagan: Lots of questions coming into this. How has Bonnar's injury healed? Will Jones inexperience show or does will his creative striking and good Greco be enough to defeat the infinite gatekeeper? I have a feeling Bonnar may just be too big, but I'm rooting for Jones. Stephan Bonnar by decision.Cannon Jacques: This is a tough call. Bonnar is a tough, well-rounded fighter who hasn't fought in a good while. Jones is an athletic young gun who is largely untested. I think Jones can keep it standing and use his athleticism to make Bonnar pay. Jones by TKO, round 2.Chris Nelson: I picked Jones to upset Andre Gusmao in his UFC debut (*brushes dirt off shoulder*) but it's much harder to throw support behind him this time. Bonnar has a distinct edge in the experience department (eight years fighting professionally vs. Jones' one), submission game (though Jones has arguably better wrestling), and, allegedly, has improved his boxing by leaps and bounds since his injury. Nonetheless, I can't ignore the rust factor with Bonnar and my gut is going toward Jones again, wild spinning back-elbows and all. Jon Jones by Decision.Nick Thomas: Will Bonnar come in with ring rust? Is Jones too inexperienced? We'll find out. I think Bonnar will take this to the ground and dominate Jones. Bonnar by submission.
Jones won, surviving a three round battle that he dominated early but did tire late. I summed up his potential in my post fight wrap up piece:
Jon Jones - The man simply proved me wrong. I thought that Bonnar would survive an early flurry and catch the younger Jones as he overextended and gassed out. He did gas but he had built up a very big lead and Bonnar kept clinching in the 3rd round when he clearly was catching the tired "Bones" with strikes. Why he chose to do that, I don't know. But I can't take anything away from Jones. For as young as he is, his skill level and potential is amazing.
Jones' performance was so solid that it led to Mike Rome calling for Jon as a potential man to face Lyoto Machida all the way back in February of 2009.
And, of course, there was Nate's Judo Chop of Jones' phenomenal wrestling.
We'll continue our rewind looking back at articles written about Jones throughout his UFC career as we creep closer to the biggest fight of his pro career when he meets Rashad Evans at UFC 145.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, bonnar, he
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowThe Best of Jon Jones: Exclusive UFC 145 Pre-Fight Photo Gallery
Take a look at some of the photographic highlights of UFC light heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones over the last year or so from HeavyMMA shooter James Law.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, champion
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145 Judo Chop: The Techniques Of Jon Jones And Rashad Evans
As we gear up for the Light Heavyweight championship fight between champ Jon Jones and challenger Rashad Evans at UFC 145 I wanted to look back at the work we've done in the past analyzing the techniques of both athletes. Both men are consummate mixed martial artists and both come from a collegiate wrestling background but that's where the similarity ends.
Jones is a super-athletic freak of nature and a deeply unorthodox fighter who's assembled a unique fighting style that builds on his Greco-Roman base and incorporates lots of freestyle wrestling and Judo takedowns and unconventional strikes that make great use of his immense 84" reach. His use of spinning strikes, front kicks and big knees to the face make him a very feared striker as well as a dangerous grappler. Here are our looks at Jones' techniques:
Jon Jones Front Chancery Chokes Lyoto Machida Unconscious
The Flaws of Jon Jones
Shogun Rua's Half Guard Game and How Jon Jones Shut It Down
Jon Jones Unleashes the Salaverry on Vladimir Matyushenko
The Integrated Game of Jon Jones
Jon Jones' Greco-Roman And Judo Clinic On Stephan Bonnar
The Judo Chops of Jon Jones
Rashad Evans, whole unquestionably a gifted athlete, by contrast is someone who has built a less shockingly unorthodox game (although his striking is very unique and built on some deeply unconventional footwork) that relies less obviously on flashy techniques. Where Evans excels is at the transition from striking to take downs.
Striking to Take Downs With Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans Uses Punches To Set Up Take Downs Against Rampage Jackson
Take a look and let us know how you expect these techniques to come to bear this Saturday in the main event.SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones: Preparing for Rashad Evans With Coaches Who Taught Him 'Almost Seems Not Fair'
Jon Jones has had enough of hearing about how he ruined the team. The UFC light heavyweight champ has had enough of Rashad Evans going off in interviews about this cocky kid who came to Albuquerque and drove a wedge between Evans and his coaches at Greg Jackson’s gym. He’s had enough of Evans acting like he was the perfect teammate, pulling people aside for heart-to-heart talks intent on maintaining team unity. That might make for a pleasant story, Jones said in a recent phone interview, but it isn’t the whole truth."There were people at Greg Jackson’s gym that he never even said hi to," Jones said of Evans. He may mourn the loss of the original team now -- what Evans refers to as the "Jackson Five" -- but when he was there he was only interested in hanging out with "the elites," according to Jones."He’s never gone to a team dinner," said Jones. "He never went out and said, ‘Hey, let me buy these other guys a drink because I can afford it.’ It was not like that. He just had [Donald] ‘Cowboy’ [Cerrone], and basically the guys who had money in the bank and could hang with him, dress with him, and look good standing next to him at the club. That’s not a team member."
To hear Jones tell it, this is a big reason why the Jackson’s MMA coaching apparatus -- especially Jackson himself and striking coach Mike Winkeljohn -- have stuck with the champ leading up to his fight with his former teammate at UFC 145 on April 21. It’s because "I’m a true team member, not just one of those stars," Jones said. "That’s why they love me like a brother."In the lead-up to the fight we’ve heard a lot about the time Jones and Evans spent in the gym together. Both men are guilty of telling the sparring tales that usually stay behind closed doors, and Evans has insisted that it’s what he learned while on the mats with Jones that will give him an edge in the fight.But that door swings both ways, Jones pointed out, and what Evans seems to be forgetting is that when he left Albuquerque, he left his original MMA mentors behind."I have the coaches that taught him how to fight," said Jones. "They taught him the guard passes he uses, the ground-and-pound system that he uses, the punches that he used to throw and the combinations. I mean, it almost seems not fair sometimes."On Evans’ end, the split with the Jackson’s MMA team was a bitter one. He declared himself "done" with Jackson and his gym after accepting the fight with Jones following a very public falling out, and he’s since claimed that Jackson’s willingness to corner Jones against a former student "speaks volumes about his character."Comments like that haven’t gone unnoticed by Jones or his coaches, and that’s given the training for this fight a very different feel, according to the champ."He always talks down about Greg Jackson now and he always talks crap about our team, by saying our team was just commercial and we’re overrated. But all those insults have really made it almost personal for our coaches. We know his psychology. We know what makes him tired. We know everything about him. He’s in trouble."It’s the same with their sparring sessions, Jones said. Evans thinks he figured out how to beat Jones during those days in the gym together? That’s fine. Jones learned a thing or two from them as well."What people don’t realize is, Rashad says, ‘I trained with Jon and I have his number.’ But that’s a crazy thing for him to say, because I trained with him, and one thing all my fans know is that I’m not just a good fighter, I’m also a smart fighter. If he truly believes that I don’t remember every training practice we ever had, what I landed and what I did well against him, he surely must remember that. He should be nervous. I’ve done great against fighters I’ve never trained with before. I mean, I fought [Lyoto] Machida when I’d never fought a karate fighter before, and I beat him in a karate match. So Rashad thinking that the time we spent together wasn’t extremely beneficial to me, I think he’s crazy."The personal back-and-forth has already given this fight a different flavor. Jones admitted he had a hard time getting up for his title defense against Machida, but going against Evans is a different story since he’s "glad people think that this is the guy who’s going to beat me. That gets me pumped up."But beyond being an intense rivalry, it’s also a fight that may come to define both men once it’s over. For Evans, it could easily be the last real shot at UFC gold. For Jones, it’s a chance to further solidify himself as a UFC great for the modern era. He’s already the youngest champ in UFC history -- an honor he described as "kind of cool" -- but in many ways, he said, "I feel like I really haven’t done anything. Not compared to Matt Hughes, guys like that. I haven’t done anything. I think there’s more, and I’d be sad if I didn’t achieve more."He’s already knocked off several former champs in dominant fashion, but this will mark the first time he has to face a former friend and teammate. Is he psychologically strong enough for that, many fans wonder. Can he use Evans’ words as motivation without letting them get to him? Can he separate Evans the opponent from Evans the person?"I look at Rashad as someone who wants to embarrass me on national television," said Jones. "That alone inspires me to get my butt up early in the morning and late at night and train harder than him. Because who wants to get knocked out and have that on everyone’s DVR? I don’t."
Posted in: fight, jone, team, coach, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseVideos of the Day - UFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Van Damme Style Promo, Poirier Takes On Zombie Apocalypse
Enjoy your morning coffee with a few MMA promos made to lighten up your mood. On this first clip, the makers of that UFC 140 Karate Kid promo brings us a UFC 145 spoof trailer set to a Jean-Claude Van Damme theme:
Jon Jones squares off against Rashad Evans in the 1990 Jean-Claude Van Damme film, "Lionheart" (aka Full Contact/A.W.O.L/Wrong Bet).
Related: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans - The War Of Words Continues On PART 2 Of Ultimate Insider | PART 1 - Jon Jones And Rashad Evans Get Heated On 'Ultimate Insider' | UFC 145 Fight Card: Jones Vs. Evans | UFC 145 Primetime Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans | UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Gets Another Muhammad Ali Reference
After the jump, an interesting UFC on Fuel TV 3 trailer where Dustin Poirier takes on a Zombie Apocalypse.
Fightville made a unique promo for Dustin Poirier and his upcoming UFC on Fuel bout against Chan Sung Jung. Check it out below:
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, promo, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowMorning Report: Jones vs. Evans Gets Heated, Dustin Poirier Fights Off Zombie Apocalypse
There's been so many minor blips in the lengthy saga of Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, it's getting harder to not tune out and just wait until Saturday.
Yesterday, Rashad handled the latest mini-drama about as well as he could when he hesitantly pulled out the ‘it is what it is' defense in regards to the UFC heaving their sponsorship dollars behind Jon Jones at UFC 145. Of course, that's pretty much the only thing "Suga" could have said without throwing his employers under the bus, but it was the shrewd combination of reluctance and resentment that made the answer intriguing.
While the sponsorship in and of itself is certainly nothing to get up in arms about, the general public consensus seems to be a reluctant, ‘well, this isn't a big deal, but it's still a little off,' which is pretty on-point. To draw a parallel from another sport, if the NBA Finals featured the Lakers vs. Celtics, and NBA Commissioner David Stern randomly threw his weight behind LA, people would look at the situation a little cock-eyed. At the end of the day, favoritism is never a good look if it's coming from the top.
It's clear the UFC wants Jon Jones to reach the GSP/Silva/Lesnar level of marketability, and a win on Saturday would go a long way in making that a reality. But to do it so publicly, and in the face of another legitimate star who also has a track record of being the perfect company man, is somewhat odd. Again, it's not the end of the world, but it's got to be a little off-putting if you're Rashad.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Rashad Evans unbothered by UFC sponsoring Jon Jones. A reluctant Rashad Evans offered up the 'it is what it is' defense while discussing the UFC's surprising sponsorship of Jon Jones at UFC 145.
The MMA Hour. Ariel Helwani returned with another lively edition of The MMA Hour, featuring Chuck Liddell, Rashad Evans, Pat Miletich, Siyar Bahadurzada, Dustin Poirier, Tim Credeur, Michael McDonald and Frank Trigg.
Nate Marquardt expects Woodley fight to be for Strikeforce title. Former UFC pariah Nate Marquardt revealed that his May 19th Strikeforce debut against Tyron Woodley is expected to a five-round title fight for the promotion's vacant welterweight strap.
Former UFC champs break down Jones vs. Evans. From Frank Shamrock to Shogun Rua, each past UFC light heavyweight champion took their stab at analyzing Saturday's massive UFC 145 title fight. As an added bonus, Chuck Liddell, the most dominant 205-pound champ in UFC history, gave his take on how he would have fought Jon Jones back in the day.
Muay Thai legend Buakaw trains jiu jitsu. Storied Muay Thai champion Buakaw Por. Pramuk recently began training jiu jitsu under black belt Adam Kayoom in Thailand, leading to speculation of a possible transition to MMA.
MEDIA STEW
How better for Dustin Poirier to prepare for a potential No. 1 contender bout against "The Korean Zombie" than by brushing up on his undead-smashing skills for this latest Fightville promo? (HT: MMA Mania)
If you missed out on the Bellator 65 undercard last Friday, you definitely need to check out former champ Lyman Good's 13-second romp over LeVon Maynard.
Throughout all the Jones-Evans pre-fight mud-slinging, the very end of this clip is the first legit time we can remember hearing Bones bust out his biggest trump card.
What kind of boredom comes from an isolated house filled with 16 testosterone-fueled dudes? The best kind.
OUCH!
@thefightweek @benaskren when ambien can't sleep it takes Ben Askren. The most boring fighter in MMA history. I would rather watch flys fuck
— Dana White (@danawhite) April 16, 2012
LETS DRAG FITCH INTO THIS
@joshuahchalfant Ben makes Fitch look like Wanderlei Silva!!!
— Dana White (@danawhite) April 16, 2012
WELL ALLOW ME TO RETORT
@danawhite glad you know my name now.Before I was just the bushy haired wrestler.
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) April 16, 2012
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Friday, April 13, 2012 - Sunday, April 15, 2012):
- Bellator 71: Roger Hollett (13-3) vs. Attila Vegh (24-4-2)
- Bellator 71: Richard Hale (18-4-1) vs. Beau Tribolet (7-1)
- Bellator 71: Travis Wiuff (66-14) vs. TBA
- Bellator 71: Marcus Vanttinen (21-3) vs. Philipe Lins (5-0)
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today's Fanpost of the Day is really just a not-so-subtle way for BE's Dave Strummer to clown us all: 10 Signs You Are an MMA Hipster
"Hipster" is an enigmatic appelation. Part of the problem is that one of the core requirements for being a hipster is that you must categorically deny that you are a hipster. Indeed, calling yourself a hipster is -- ironically enough -- one of the only proven ways to demonstrate that you aren't one.
As the name has worked its way deeper into our lexicon, it's not enough just to be a hipster anymore. You've got music hipsters, film hipsters, book hipsters, and of course, MMA hipsters. Since -- as we've already discussed -- self-awareness is paradoxically impossible for those afflicted with this 21st Century malady, I thought I'd put together this helpful list of 10 signs that you, or someone you know, may be an MMA hipster.
10) You can make a convincing, passionate case for a non-Zuffa fighter being the best in the world in one of the UFC's established weight classes (give yourself a bonus point if that fighter is Japanese).
9) You un-ironically refer to the majority of MMA fans as the "The Just Bleed Crowd."
8) You have a "favorite submission" (give yourself a bonus point if it ends in "-plata").
Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.
Posted in: ufc, mma, jone, vs, hipster
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseThe Blueprint - Jon Jones
He is, by most accounts, the chosen one.Just 24 years old, Jon Jones is the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion. He became the youngest man to ever win UFC gold when he defeated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua 13 months ago. And he has seemed pretty close to unbeatable in two fights that followed – one-sided submission wins over former champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida.On Saturday night, he faces former friend and training partner turned bitter rival, Rashad Evans. With all the press attention and continued questions about their falling out, it is likely that this will be the most emotional fight of Jones’ career. He claims otherwise. He tells anyone who will listen that Evans is just another opponent. But both of those are far from the truth. Extremely far from the truth.Jones wants this win as badly as any in his career to date. I guarantee it. That, in and of itself, could pose a problem. Jones has to be very careful not to fight from emotion, but instead to remain calm, cool and calculating, like he has in each of his previous 16 professional fights.Forget knockouts. Forget trying to hurt Evans. Just fight like it is any other fight. Otherwise, he is playing right into his opponent’s game plan because over aggressiveness on the feet opens the door for takedowns, and that is the one area that Jones wants to avoid at all costs.Keep in mind that Evans’ main focus in this fight will likely be to take Jones to the ground. He reportedly had success in keeping him there during their training sessions at Greg Jackson’s academy. Word out of Albuquerque is that Jones struggled to work back to his feet against Evans, who has one of the better top control games in the division. It is likely, therefore, that Evans will come out looking to do whatever he can to get the fight to the ground to bring back that sense of déjà vu from their prior training sessions. That is when Evans will be his most confident and Jones will be at his most vulnerable. Of course, that isn’t the only reason for Jones not to go nuts on the feet. Evans also has homerun power. I know he hasn’t shown it much in recent fights, but this guy has the speed and power to leave Jones or anyone else lying in an unconscious heap in the Octagon with a single punch. Jones knows that. He also knows that he enjoys the technical standup advantage, as well as nearly a 10-inch reach advantage, which means avoiding any unnecessary phone booth exchanges in order to minimize the odds of eating a fight-ending counter or otherwise getting taken down.So, how does that play out in practice?Simple. Jones should do exactly what he does in every fight – control the distance with the jab, whether from the orthodox or southpaw stance. The champion has one of the best jabs in the division. He fires it with tremendous speed and accuracy without a hitch or anything else that tips it off. And he throws it equally well from either stance, which is almost unheard of in mixed martial arts.Jones can potshot Evans with the jab from a safe distance due to his height and reach advantages. Continuous focus on his footwork to keep changing angles off the jab is also critical because it further reduces Evans timing the jab with a counter or duck-under takedown attempt.Continual movement is critical because Evans has a slight speed advantage in this fight. His hands are about as fast as they come. The way to counter speed is with movement and a jackhammer jab, whereas the jab in isolation leads to getting countered. Anyone who watched Alexander Gustafsson batter Thiago Silva knows what I’m talking about. That was a perfect display on how to frustrate an opponent with a stick-and-move strategy. Silva, who is the more powerful striker of the two, was left completely baffled by Gustafsson’s movement and potshotting attack. Gustafsson ate counters the few times he stood still to admire his work. Jones needs to keep that in mind.Single jabs aren’t enough, though. Jones needs to double up on the jab from time to time, as well as firing good one-two combinations followed by a cleanup leg kick. That will keep Evans guessing, and a fighter who is guessing is a fighter who doesn’t confidently pull the trigger, if he pulls it at all.As Evans’ frustration builds, Jones can start to mix in his crazy, highlight reel strikes. You know, spinning backfists and elbows, the occasional flying knee or spinning kick, or anything else that strikes his fancy. He needs to be careful about unleashing those too early because those strikes open the door for takedowns, other than maybe spinning backfists.Similarly, Jones should forget about lead leg kicks. Those are too dangerous in terms of takedown opportunities, particularly early in the fight. Finishing counters with leg kicks, on the other hand, is a tremendous way to start hammering away at Evans’ explosiveness, but the kick must immediately follow the right hand to avoid creating openings for counters.The one thing I’m not sure of, as I sit here and write this breakdown, is what Jones should do if Evans is able to sneak inside and initiate a clinch. Should he defend and retreat? Should he fight the clinch battle and look to use his unbelievable in-fighting game to further batter his foe? Or, should he look for a judo or Greco throw?Conventional wisdom suggests that Jones shouldn’t engage Evans where he is the strongest, which is the wrestling realm. But I thought the same thing when Jones fought Brandon Vera, a tremendous wrestler in his own right, and Matt Hamill. I wonder if either Vera or Hamill can match Evans’ MMA-style wrestling? I’m inclined to argue that Evans is the best MMA-focused wrestler in the division. He has proven that time and time again with his ability to take down just about anyone, and certainly stuff takedowns from everyone.But Jones is an athletic freak. He continually shocks me when he fights. He hasn’t been outwrestled yet in his career. What makes anyone think that Evans will be able to pull that off?I honestly don’t know. What I do know is that both Jones and Evans have a sense as to how the wrestling battle will unfold thanks to their history as training partners. Jones knows if he can neutralize Evans’ wrestling. Evans knows, too. I must admit, however, that I don’t know.Unless Jones knows for sure that he can win the takedown battle, I think he is best served fighting at a distance, just like he did with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and how Gustafsson did with Silva (though for other reasons). If he does that, he will present Evans with an exceedingly difficult riddle to solve. If he does that and remains focused on not creating unnecessary openings, I think he is the favorite to win.But nobody can count out a guy like Rashad Evans. He is a former champion in his own right and still one of the very best fighters in the world, one who is fully capable of putting a momentary halt to the Jon Jones saga. That is why this is must-see TV.QUICK FACTS:Jon Jones• 24 years old• 6’4, 205 lbs• 84.5-inch reach• 15-1 overall • Six fight winning streak• Lone UFC loss was a DQ for illegal elbow strikes to Matt Hamill in a fight Jones was dominating• Reigning UFC light heavyweight champion• Two successful defenses so far• 3-0 against current or former champions – all three wins inside the distance• Last eight fights ended inside the distance• 53.3% of wins by KO/TKO • 33.3% of wins by submission • 13.4% of wins by decision • Fight of the Night (SUB2 over Lyoto Machida at UFC 140; SUB2 over Quinton Jackson at UFC 135)• Knockout of the Night (TKO1 over Brandon Vera at UFC Live: Vera vs Jones)• Submission of the Night (SUB2 over Ryan Bader at UFC 126)• Current layoff is 133 days • Longest layoff of career is 188 days
Posted in: fight, jone, evan, jab, •nbspnbsp
Read the full article at UFCPhil Davis calls Jon Jones 'very talented,' but not better than other UFC champions
Remember when people used to compare Ultimate Fighting Championship Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and fellow 205-pounder Phil Davis to each other?
It's hard to fathom now, but it happened not too long ago, and the comparisons were serious. Both guys had athletic, rangy builds. Both were great wrestlers. Both were young prospects who were riding a giant wave of momentum.
But, within the past year, their careers have started to branch in different directions. Jones is now a champion, and not just that, but decidedly so. He's beaten a "Who's Who" of mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters and made it look easy in the process.
Davis hasn't exactly fallen off the map. He still has only one loss on his professional record. However, in the 12 months that "Bones" was essentially ascending to his throne, "Mr. Wonderful" won a decision victory that didn't exactly set the word on fire, and he was dominated for five rounds in a decision loss to Rashad Evans at UFC on Fox 2 in Chicago, Illinois, on Jan. 28, 2012.
Davis was a guest on HDNet's "Inside MMA," where he evaluated Jones' status as a UFC champion:
"You know, I tend to shy away from answers like this, just because everyone is so skillful in their own regard. I definitely think he's a very talented champion, but just to be the best in the world says a lot about it. I don't think he's necessarily any better than any of the other champions. But that's just from a competitor's standpoint. I'm sure the fans would say something different."
One could call that stance a case of "sour grapes." Jones has what Davis wanted and still wants. He has the fame, the attention and the belt.
According to Davis, he's not trying to take anything away from Jones. He thinks he's a great fighter, he's just not sure he's held the belt long enough to be compared to the likes of Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre.
He may have a point:
"I think up until Jones became the champion, a lot of people thought, 'Oh, this is just another young guy.' And, they went out to, basically, to really beat him. Whereas, if you take away the people fighting Georges St. Pierre, it's very tactical, it's not necessarily -- everyone is in it to beat him, don't get me wrong, but a lot of times, it's a slower pace. It's very methodical. It's not going for the kill. Which, I feel Jones has had as his advantage that people are coming right at him. It's easy to meet a fight head on. But a lot of times, guys are just looking to choose shots and, you know, pot shots whenever they can. It's a lot tougher, and I think he'll get that now that people realize that he's a force to be reckoned with in the division."
Davis has been out of action since his loss to Evans, which has given him time to contemplate his shortcomings and how he needs to upgrade. As far as he's concerned, the loss was a blessing in disguise:
"That loss was good for me. Sometimes, you don't know where you're at, until you have a loss. Now I know where I'm at, and it gave me a lot to improve on. It's a great starting point to go next with where I wanna improve, to get to the belt."
For now, no opponent or event has been named for Davis, but he believes fans will get to see him again as early as this summer:
"In a hypothetical world, I would fight someone, definitely before the end of the summer. Probably sometime this summer. But, until you get bout contracts, there's plenty of room for change. Nothing's ever for sure."
Any of you Maniacs feel like playing matchmaker? Who would you like to see "Mr Wonderful" square off against in his Octagon return?
Posted in: jone, loss, champion, davi, he
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans reacts to UFC sponsorship of Jon Jones
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight champion, Rashad Evans, feels that his employers might be showing some signs of favoring current 205-pound kingpin, Jon Jones, heading into their upcoming title fight this weekend (April 21, 2012) at UFC 145 from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
And who could blame him, with the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion making the questionable decision to sponsor "Bones" exclusively for the high-profile, emotionally-charged clash.
Jones, who will head into the main event fight with the UFC being his one and only sponsor, is the first fighter to ever be outright sponsored by the promotion.
So how did all of this come about? It's simple, in a non-conflict of interest kind of way.
"Bones" does not want to be a walking billboard when he heads into the Octagon to show the MMA world his skills, as well as the fact that the promotion views him as a good "company guy." Add it all up and it's apparently a match made in MMA sponsorship heaven.
At least that's what Jones stated during last week's UFC 145 conference-call:
"For this fight, I have a goal, I've had a goal of being sponsored by Nike for many, many years. Part of our strategy to try and make that happen one day is to not be a billboard, and not just be sponsored by TapouT one week, and Affliction one week, and then MusclePharm next week, and all these random companies. If you realize, I try to look for relationships with companies, long lasting relationships with companies. So a part of my brand is to keep it clean. Less is more in my opinion. When Form Athletics went down pretty much every company in the business was looking for an opportunity to work with me, and I was really honored just to be wanted like that. I thought it was really awesome, it was a real honor. We came up with a strategy to keep it clean and be sponsored by the UFC itself. I'm glad the UFC wanted to work with me as well, and I think that they trust that I'll never make them look bad. You never have to worry about me with a DWI (driving while under the influence) or doing something crazy. I think I'm a good company guy. The UFC asks me to do anything and I always do it, and I never tell them no for anything. I've had to do more marketing than any other fighter because I say no to absolutely nothing. I don't think most champs are like that. I think they realized I'm a company guy and they decided to sponsor me. They put in the deal that if any mainstream companies come after this win that they will let me go, and I think that's awesome."
Evans took the news all in stride. He was not flustered, opting instead to take the high road and offer an indifferent response. "Suga" mentioned on "The MMA Hour" earlier today (April 16, 2012) that the sponsorship won't affect the outcome of the fight; however, he does feel that the UFC might be showing some favoritism.
Check it out:
"I guess it is what it is. It seems they got their guy that they're going to get behind, I guess. I can't really say too much about that. I just got to go in there and do what I need to do. I can't really worry about that. I can't really worry about who they favor or who they may like. It doesn't change anything. If they're sponsoring him, it may seem that way (that UFC is favoring Jones). But you know, honestly, it doesn't matter if they favor him or not. They have guys they want to get behind, so if they want to get behind him, that's on them. It doesn't bother me though."
With all the build up and marketing poured into building the hype around this fight, it's certainly odd that the promotion made a first-of-its-kind decision to draw a line in the sand and back one fighter over another.
Unless, of course, it's much ado about nothing and will be the rule, rather than the exception, when a major marquee pay-per-view (PPV) event draws near.
But, don't expect Chael Sonnen to get similar treatment against Anderson Silva when the bitter enemies collide in the UFC 147 main event in Brazil this summer.
Just sayin.'
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, i cant, company
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: UFC Sponsors Jon Jones, Rashad Evans Reacts
UFC Light Heavyweight champ Jon Jones isn't just going to be representing himself, his hometown and his family at UFC 145 against Rashad Evans, he'll also be representing the UFC as a clotheshorse. That is the UFC will be Jones' official apparel sponsor at the bout.
To my knowledge this is the first time a UFC fighter has entered into an official sponsorship arrangement with the promotion.
"For this fight, I have a goal, I've had a goal of being sponsored by Nike for many, many years. Part of our strategy to try and make that happen one day is to not be a billboard, and not just be sponsored by TapouT one week, and Affliction one week, and then MusclePharm next week, and all these random companies," said Jones to MMA Weekly.
He had been sponsored by Form Athletics but that company went under in late 2011, creating this opportunity. More from Jones about the deal and Rashad Evans' response after the jump:
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Jones talking to Damon Martin:
"When Form Athletics went down pretty much every company in the business was looking for an opportunity to work with me, and I was really honored just to be wanted like that. I thought it was really awesome, it was a real honor.
"We came up with a strategy to keep it clean and be sponsored by the UFC itself. I'm glad the UFC wanted to work with me as well, and I think that they trust that I'll never make them look bad. You never have to worry about me with a DWI (driving while under the influence) or doing something crazy.
"I think I'm a good company guy. The UFC asks me to do anything and I always do it, and I never tell them no for anything. I've had to do more marketing than any other fighter because I say no to absolutely nothing. I don't think most champs are like that."
"I think they realized I'm a company guy and they decided to sponsor me. They put in the deal that if any mainstream companies come after this win that they will let me go, and I think that's awesome."
Rashad Evans was on The MMA Hour today and told Ariel Helwani:
"I guess it is what it is," he said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "It seems they got their guy that they're going to get behind, I guess. I can't really say too much about that. I just got to go in there and do what I need to do. I can't really worry about that. I can't really worry about who they favor or who they may like. It doesn't change anything.
"If they're sponsoring him, it may seem that (the UFC is favoring Jones). But you know, honestly, it doesn't matter if they favor him or not. They have guys they want to get behind, so if they want to get behind him, that's on them. It doesn't bother me though."
The most interesting aspect of this story IMO is the fact that Jones isn't quite high profile enough yet to get the blue chip sponsor he'd like to have (something UFC welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre did with Under Armour a while back) and that the UFC is willing to invest in their champion until he is able to land that mega-sponsor.
Posted in: ufc, jone, i cant, evan, company
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans ‘UFC Ultimate Insider’: Counterpunch, Part 2
Rashad Evans and his arch rival, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, square off verbally before their UFC 145 main event in Part 2 of their "Counterpunch" segment on "UFC Ultimate Insider" on...
Posted in: ufc, jone, insider, counterpunch, counterpunch segment
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell Breaks Down Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Chuck Liddell knows a thing or two about rivalries. Over the course of his legendary fighting career, "The Iceman" staged rematches with five different men, including a UFC 66 title defense against former training partner Tito Ortiz that emerged as box-office gold for the fledging Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Of course, by now Liddell has trading in all the cuts and bruises for the plushy perks of retirement. But with UFC 145 right around the corner, many, including Ortiz, have begun comparing Jon Jones and Rashad Evans' heavy-anticipated grudge match to that fabled UFC 66 clash.
While the parallels are certainly there -- a title bout matching-up former friends and teammates turned enemies -- Liddell's relationship with Ortiz was vastly different than Evans' split with Jackson-Winkeljohn. In fact, the former champ says he wouldn't have had any problems if his coach brought a promising 205-pounder into camp back in the day.
"If (a teammate) can beat me, they can beat me," Liddell said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "It is what it is. They deserve to fight me then. I'm not going to hold back some guy that's in my camp if he wants to fight me. That's not my thing.
"It's just a personal choice and a personal opinion, but I think eventually, hey you guys are going at it, then go out and have two beers together afterwards. Go out there and prove who's best that day, and go out and be friends again."
Obviously, by now it's clear both Evans and Jones see the issue a little differently. An oft-repeated axiom says to always fight with a clear mind and never let emotion cloud your judgment. Yet throughout the lead-up to UFC 145, emotions have run higher than they have for any light heavyweight title defense in years, leading some to speculate if it'll ultimately be a detriment to either competitor.
But Liddell had a few wars of words of his own back in day, and the way he sees it, making things personal wasn't ever a bad call.
"I think that helps for me," Liddell admitted with a chuckle.
"Some guys are better when they don't like the guy. For me, it helps me train. ... I say it all the time, but it makes it a lot easier when there's that back-of-your-mind motivation that ‘I do not like this guy. There's no way I want to let this guy beat me, so I'm going to be in the best shape I can be in.' I think (Jones and Evans) have got that."
Still, when it comes down to it, all the verbal sparring and pre-packed sound bytes are just noise to Liddell, and he isn't much interested in that. No, for the former champ, there's a much more fascinating -- and baffling -- sub-plot to UFC 145's main event.
"What's interesting about this fight is that the (betting) line is 6-to-1, which is shocking to me, because I don't think it's that kind of fight," Liddell explained.
"For Rashad, you've trained with a guy. You've worked with him. There's none of that ‘oh, he's unbeatable' kind of thing that's been out there in the press about Jon Jones.
"Even if it was a long time ago, if Rashad was getting the better of him in (training) ... sometimes that's in the back of your head when you go into a fight. Even if you're a different fighter now and you've gotten a lot better, it's still in the back of your head that this guy used to beat me and I haven't messed with him since."
For that very reason, Liddell is hesitant to commit to an official prediction for Jones vs. Evans, instead calling the long-awaited title tilt a "pick ‘em."
But regardless, you can be sure of one thing. If the grizzled veteran was a few years younger, and UFC 145 had the hypnotic surname of Jones vs. Liddell, he knows exactly how he'd approach the young phenom.
"Well, you've got to take him out of his gameplan," Liddell mused. "You can't let him decide where the fight is going to be fought. You've got to make him uncomfortable.
"When I'm in shape, if you let me engage when I want to, and you don't push me and make me be in situations I don't want to be in, I'll never get tired. ... You've got to put a guy in a situation he doesn't like being in, where he's not comfortable, and make him work."
Only time will tell if Evans can put that advice to good use.
Posted in: fight, guy, jone, evan, liddell
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseRashad Evans Unbothered by UFC Sponsoring Jon Jones at UFC 145
Last week, a few eyebrows were raised when it was revealed that the UFC will be sponsoring its light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones for his upcoming title bout against Rashad Evans. As Jones explained during a recent conference call, the agreement came about when past primary sponsor Form Athletics shut down, and Jones sought out one main sponsor instead of entering the cage as a human billboard.
He'll essentially be showcasing new UFC merchandise, and so, some might theorize, the promotion will have a rooting interest in his success in the match.
The flip side of that theory, of course, is that if they have a rooting interest in one fighter, the second man in the cage seems unwanted. At best, it seems unfair. At worst, it seems biased.
If you were Evans, that might not sit too well with you. After all, the veteran has been around longer than Jones. He's also been a company ambassador and never had any outside-of-the-cage problems that reflected badly on the UFC. In short, he's done everything right, yet the advertising dollars are headed the young champion's way. Evans (17-1-1) doesn't perceive the situation any different than most who have heard about it, but neither is it something that he'll let affect him."I guess it is what it is," he said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "It seems they got their guy that they’re going to get behind, I guess. I can’t really say too much about that. I just got to go in there and do what I need to do. I can't really worry about that. I can't really worry about who they favor or who they may like. It doesn’t change anything."Jones has come to be considered a massive favorite in the fight, nearly 6-to-1 in some places, even though Evans has only one career loss on his fight ledger. It seems that the public isn't the only one betting on him. When asked if he believes the UFC is favoring Jones on fight night, Evans couldn't deny the possibility."If they’re sponsoring him, it may seem that way," he said. "But you know, honestly, it doesn't matter if they favor him or not. They have guys they want to get behind, so if they want to get behind him, that's on them. It doesn’t bother me though."The fight will bring the long-awaited conclusion to their long-simmering feud. On Monday's show, Evans also seemed to indicate that his anger for Jones has waned since the two have "talked it out" through their public war of words and a few private meetings during appearances. The same doesn't hold true for his former coach Greg Jackson, who he accused of protecting his own interests ahead of longtime camp members.But Evans is ready to put all the bickering aside. He's tired of talking about it, and has been for a long time. It's finally about time to fight, and for him, that's what matters the most. "When it comes down to it, I started to fight because I love to fight and I was good at it," he said. "I still want it to remain the same. Even though I don't like Jon, and all the whole back story, and the whole Greg situation, at the end of the day, this is what I really love to do, and I'm going to keep that mindset throughout this whole week and throughout this fight."
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, i cant, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145: Do The Numbers Say Rashad Evans Has A Real Chance To Beat Jon Jones?
UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones is one of the most feared and fearsome competitors in MMA history. The odds heavily favor him to beat former champ Rashad Evans at UFC 145 this Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia. As of this writing the online bookies are taking action on Jones at more than -500, meaning that you have to bet $500 to win $100 back. Ouch.
It's not just the odds either. Jones is 8 years younger, 5 inches taller. He's got a 9 inch reach advantage. Come fight time it's likely he'll have 20 pounds on Evans, who wouldn't be exceptionally big for a middleweight.
A look at Fight Metric's UFC 145 main event preview reinforces this perception of Jones' advantages. Jones lands an average of 3.82 strikes per minute of fight time to Evans' 2.13. Jones' 52% striking accuracy is considerably better than Evans 40% accuracy rate.
But perhaps there is a path to victory for Evans that significantly improves his chances to win. We'll see Luke Thomas' deeper look at Fight Metric's numbers after the jump.SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
From MMA Fighting:
On balance, Jones has the advantages. That's especially true in striking and submissions. Yet it's hard to look at the accumulated data and conclude Evans is somehow doomed. Evans can be taken down, but he's only spent 4.4% of the time in his UFC career on bottom - not a ton of time to do significant damage. Jones is clearly better at submissions, but Evans has never been submitted. Jones has never been taken down, but Evans has taken down everyone he's fought. Jones has the statistical wind at his back, but Evans has a demonstrated ability to rise to the occasion. There's also the x-factor of how much their perceived intimate knowledge of each others game plays a role.
What we have with Evans vs. Jones is a perfectly good case where relying on quantitative information for predictive insight can be tricky. I suspect whoever prevails at UFC 145 will do so by re-writing today's numbers, not fulfilling historical patterns.
The real test for both will be to get take downs where others couldn't; to score from spaces where others couldn't; to control position and times held in those positions where others couldn't; in short, to make the other fight in ways they haven't.
Jones is the odds-on favorite. He should be. He's got more ways to win and is statistically impressive almost everywhere. But Evans offers challenges in professional competition Jones has not faced.
The stats reveal that the game will ultimately come down to Rashad Evans' ability to take down Jones and also prevent Jones' takedowns. More from Thomas:
Evans has taken down everyone he's every fought. According to FightMetric, "Evans' average of 4.32 takedowns per 15 minutes of fighting is the 2nd highest average in light heavyweight history. He's managed to takedown every single opponent that he has tried to get to the ground. His takedown accuracy is second only to Jon Jones, with a 53.3% success rate, 2nd best in division history."
But Jones is no slouch himself. FightMetric also notes Jones' "takedown accuracy of 63.6% is the very best in light heavyweight history. He's already scored 21 takedowns, 4th most in division history, and his 3.32 takedowns per 15 minutes average is the 4th highest in division."
Posted in: ufc, takedown, jone, evan, he
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowFormer Light Heavyweight Champs Talk Jones vs. Evans
The UFC’s spring hiatus officially ended last weekend with UFC on FUEL TV 2, but things really get rolling this Saturday with the long-awaited UFC 145 main event between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
You know the story by now: former training partners turned bitter rivals. Does Rashad Evans know the secret to beating Jon Jones? Is he in the the champ’s head? Or, will Evans provide another showcase for the young dynamo?
The answers can’t be known for sure until the two meet in the cage this Saturday. But, a little prognostication never hurt anyone – especially when performed by the entire lineage of UFC light heavyweight champions. The UFC polled every light heavyweight champion in promotion history (yes, even Frank Shamrock) to get their take on what could be the biggest 205lbs title fight ever and released the results to the media.
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua: They are two very smart, strategic athletes. Both of them fight thinking of their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses and think about how to fight the best possible fight to win. But I think Jon Jones has an advantage, since he is very hard to reach. He is not only long (limbed) but also fast and he can react very quickly, I know this. So, I think it’s going to be Jones’ match. However, let’s not forget Rashad is also very strategic. I believe Rashad will have a good gameplan and I am very interested to see what he will try to do in this fight.
Lyoto Machida: Jones vs Evans is a big fight for the fans and a big fight for the division. It is a very interesting fight; Jones is very unorthodox and is strong in all aspects of the game, but Rashad is a great wrestler and has the hand speed to catch Jones.
Forrest Griffin: This is a great fight. I’m glad I’m not fighting Jon Jones anytime soon, but I think Rashad has the right style to give him problems. There are so many emotions between these guys going into the fight, and I know the Atlanta fans will be getting their money’s worth. Jones looks very nasty, but I’m not going to underestimate Rashad. I kinda did that before once…
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson: Rashad has to go for it right from the start, for real. Rashad can’t play on the outside, you can’t fight no Jon Jones on the outside, believe me. Rashad is fast and can surprise you. He surprised me by faking a takedown and hitting me with a right hand which kinda stunned me. I think he can do that to Jon Jones, but he has to do it right away because the more time you give Jones, the harder it is to set him up for a punch. I think Jon Jones will win, but I think Rashad has a chance.
Chuck Liddell: Everyone is different but, I think, for most fighters getting into the Octagon with someone they don’t like is a great motivation in training. Every time you are tired or holding a little back, you think about losing to this guy you can’t stand and it helps you give 100%. That’s how I was with Tito, I couldn’t stand the idea of losing to him and so I trained harder.
I’d love to know who really got the best of it when these guys trained together. You get a feeling for someone when you spar with them. That’s why I was so confident against Tito; I’d beat him up standing, wrestling and at BJJ when we trained together years before out fights and I knew I was in his head because of that. Listening to Rashad, it seems from watching the Primetime show that he feels he’s in Jon’s head a little. He sounds very confident and I think that’s based on experiences in the gym. I’m glad he is confident, because that’s something you have to have against Jones. If you don’t go after Jon you are in for a bad night.
Vitor Belfort: I think this fight will be great for the sport because Jones and Evans used to train together. That changes things, now they are going to fight against each other. We are in the new era of sport with these athletes like Jon Jones and the techniques they can do. Both guys have a chance to be the winner, and it could come down to who is better on that one night. I am looking forward to seeing this huge fight.
Randy Couture: I think it is going to be very interesting, Rashad has the speed and skills to win. Rashad has to avoid his propensity for standing up and just striking, which he has done in the past. He can’t just strike with Jones; if he does he will lose because Jon has more tools in the toolbox. Rashad has to take Jones down, not just once or twice but every single time he has any opportunity. If Jones is worried about getting taken down, that’s when Rashad can put his hands on him and do some damage. But he has to keep Jon guessing if it is a takedown or a strike that’s coming.
I think Jones is super-talented and he is clearly getting better in each fight. He could turn into a very special type of champion. He poses some very unique problems in the Octagon – and so far no one has solved too many of them. I think this is a huge fight for the division. ‘Bones’ Jones is very hot right now and with the personalities and the back story, it all hypes this up into a very interesting fight.
Tito Ortiz: Jones is looking very good. But Rashad is fast, man, and once he hurts you he’s on you. I’d like to see Rashad use his wrestling and takedowns and really mix it up. I think it will be a great fight.
Frank Shamrock: This fight has a tremendous story behind it, with it having grown out of a friendship that went sour back when these two were teammates. The drama that’s fueling this is incredible. Fans can expect a fight that, stylistically, will be extremely challenging for Jones to overcome, and he’ll have fits with Rashad’s wrestling if he’s able to put Jon on his back. But ultimately, I see Jones being able to inflict more damage and walk away with the belt still in hand. This will be a fight that will not end as easily and devastatingly as Jones’s others have, but rather one of those moments in his career where he’ll have to pull himself up and battle until the final bell. In the end, this fight will help Jon become a better fighter and a better champion, and will endear himself to fans for years to come.
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, jon jones, rashad
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC Counterpunch Part 2: Jon Jones and Rashad Evans Go Toe-to-Toe (Video)
As the weeks dwindle into days until Jon Jones and Rashad Evans step into the Octagon at UFC 145, the heat between the two former teammates is escalating to a fever pitch.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, toetotoe video
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones vs Rashad Evans fight predictions from every UFC Light Heavyweight Champion in history
Yes, even Frank Shamrock, who held the strap when it was known as the Middleweight title.
Mixed martial arts (MMA) fans are used to getting a "Pros Pick" video in advance of every major pay-per-view (PPV) event, but Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is taking it one step further.
Well, nine steps further, actually.
The ancillary crew behind the world's largest fight promotion has tracked down every single Light Heavyweight Champion in the history of the UFC to get their take on the UFC 145 main event between reigning 205-pound champion Jon Jones and current division number one contender "Suga" Rashad Evans.
So who leaves the Philips Arena on April 21 wearing gold? The ultimate pros pick collection, from today's official press release, after the jump.
"Shogun" Rua, champion from May 8, 2010 to Mar 19, 2011
"They are two very smart, strategic athletes. Both of them fight thinking of their opponent's strengths and weaknesses and think about how to fight the best possible fight to win. But I think Jon Jones has an advantage, since he is very hard to reach. He is not only long (limbed) but also fast and he can react very quickly, I know this. So, I think it's going to be Jones' match. However, let's not forget Rashad is also very strategic. I believe Rashad will have a good gameplan and I am very interested to see what he will try to do in this fight."
Lyoto Machida, champion from May 23, 2009 to May 8, 2010
"Jones vs Evans is a big fight for the fans and a big fight for the division. It is a very interesting fight; Jones is very unorthodox and is strong in all aspects of the game, but Rashad is a great wrestler and has the hand speed to catch Jones."
Forrest Griffin, champion from Jul 5, 2008 to May 23, 2009
"This is a great fight. I'm glad I'm not fighting Jon Jones anytime soon, but I think Rashad has the right style to give him problems. There are so many emotions between these guys going into the fight, and I know the Atlanta fans will be getting their money's worth. Jones looks very nasty, but I'm not going to underestimate Rashad. I kinda did that before once..."
"Rampage" Jackson, champion from May 26, 2007 to Jul 5, 2008
"Rashad has to go for it right from the start, for real. Rashad can't play on the outside, you can't fight no Jon Jones on the outside, believe me. Rashad is fast and can surprise you. He surprised me by faking a takedown and hitting me with a right hand which kinda stunned me. I think he can do that to Jon Jones, but he has to do it right away because the more time you give Jones, the harder it is to set him up for a punch. I think Jon Jones will win, but I think Rashad has a chance."
Chuck Liddell, champion from Apr 16, 2005 to May 26, 2007
"Everyone is different but, I think, for most fighters getting into the Octagon with someone they don't like is a great motivation in training. Every time you are tired or holding a little back, you think about losing to this guy you can't stand and it helps you give 100%. That's how I was with Tito, I couldn't stand the idea of losing to him and so I trained harder.
"I'd love to know who really got the best of it when these guys trained together. You get a feeling for someone when you spar with them. That's why I was so confident against Tito; I'd beat him up standing, wrestling and at BJJ when we trained together years before out fights and I knew I was in his head because of that. Listening to Rashad, it seems from watching the Primetime show that he feels he's in Jon's head a little. He sounds very confident and I think that's based on experiences in the gym. I'm glad he is confident, because that's something you have to have against Jones. If you don't go after Jon you are in for a bad night."
Vitor Belfort, champion from Jan 31, 2004 to Aug 21, 2004
"I think this fight will be great for the sport because Jones and Evans used to train together. That changes things, now they are going to fight against each other. We are in the new era of sport with these athletes like Jon Jones and the techniques they can do. Both guys have a chance to be the winner, and it could come down to who is better on that one night. I am looking forward to seeing this huge fight."
Randy Couture, two-time champion from Jun 6, 2003 to Jan 31, 2004 and Aug 21, 2004 to Apr 16, 2005
"I think it is going to be very interesting, Rashad has the speed and skills to win. Rashad has to avoid his propensity for standing up and just striking, which he has done in the past. He can't just strike with Jones; if he does he will lose because Jon has more tools in the toolbox. Rashad has to take Jones down, not just once or twice but every single time he has any opportunity. If Jones is worried about getting taken down, that's when Rashad can put his hands on him and do some damage. But he has to keep Jon guessing if it is a takedown or a strike that's coming.
"I think Jones is super-talented and he is clearly getting better in each fight. He could turn into a very special type of champion. He poses some very unique problems in the Octagon - and so far no one has solved too many of them. I think this is a huge fight for the division. "Bones" Jones is very hot right now and with the personalities and the back story, it all hypes this up into a very interesting fight."
Tito Ortiz, champion from Apr 14, 2000 to Sep 26, 2003"Jones is looking very good. But Rashad is fast, man, and once he hurts you he's on you. I'd like to see Rashad use his wrestling and takedowns and really mix it up. I think it will be a great fight."
Frank Shamrock, inaugural champion from Dec. 21 1997 to Nov. 24, 1999
"This fight has a tremendous story behind it, with it having grown out of a friendship that went sour back when these two were teammates. The drama that's fueling this is incredible. Fans can expect a fight that, stylistically, will be extremely challenging for Jones to overcome, and he'll have fits with Rashad's wrestling if he's able to put Jon on his back. But ultimately, I see Jones being able to inflict more damage and walk away with the belt still in hand. This will be a fight that will not end as easily and devastatingly as Jones's others have, but rather one of those moments in his career where he'll have to pull himself up and battle until the final bell. In the end, this fight will help Jon become a better fighter and a better champion, and will endear himself to fans for years to come."
Which former champion makes the best argument for Saturday night's main event? Let's hear from you in the comments section below.
More on the UFC 145 grudge match right here.
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Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones thinks Rashad Evans is “fake, arrogant, selfish, and self-centered”
If there’s one flaw fans have seemed to find with otherwise invincible light heavyweight champion Jon Jones it pertains to the perception he is a cocky athlete hiding behind a curtain of humility; that he’s a phony. The criticism first heated up a year ago when former teammate Rashad Evans labeled him along those lines, pointing to Jones’ attitude in camp and desire to fight him despite promising otherwise to his face.
Evans and Jones addressed the topic on last week’s Ultimate Insider during the second part of a segment seeing them go face-to-face over a variety of subjects. While Evans certainly didn’t stray from his belief, Jones was ready to defend himself, stating he felt the #1 contender is projecting the negative characteristics he sees in himself when it comes to dishing out insults.
“As an athlete, yeah I have a chip on my shoulder. There’s completely two different people. Jonathan Jones is a great person and I’ll say that about myself. ‘Bones’ Jones, yeah he’s a little high on himself. And I should be because that’s why I compete at the level I compete at and I train/believe that way,” admitted Jones before turning talk to Evans.
“I have no sympathy for Rashad whatsoever. I remember (him) leaving Greg Jackson’s and saying, ‘I needed a team that can just focus on me. I need something more based around me,’ and now (he) created the Blackzillians. I say it all the time – there’s no ‘I’ in team, there’s no ‘I’ in Jackson’s, there’s an ‘I’ in Blackzillians. So I really look at (him) as fake…arrogant…selfish…self-centered…and I think (his) biggest thing is to try to reflect it off on me and make me seem like I’m everything (he) is feeling inside of (his) heart.”
As might be expected, Evans didn’t take kindly to the matter and quickly fired back, starting a memorable exchange likely leaving host Jon Anik on edge based on the increasing intensity.
“The truth of the matter is you did wanna fight me and now we’re fighting, that’s just the bottom line,” snapped Evans.
“Why would I want to fight you if I’m the champ,” asked Jones in reply.
“Because you can’t be the champ unless you beat me,” Evans returned.
“I already am the champ, Rashad. I just choked out the guy who knocked you out. What are you talking about,” an smirking Jones answered, alluding to his submission victory over Lyoto Machida in December.
“You’ve got the belt but you ain’t the champ.”
“You had this long, ugly fight with (Quinton Jackson) where you almost got finished…I finished ‘Rampage’, I’m not the champ….Lyoto knocked you out silly and I just finished Lyoto…and I’m not the champ,” said Jones, his amusement in the debate dwindling. “I feel like the champ in every way and I feel like I’m gonna do the same exact thing to you (at UFC 145).”
Evans and Jones fight this Saturday night in Atlanta to settle their personal score with the added bonus of Jones’ championship being on the line.
Check out video of the interview below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: fight, jone, champ, ’m, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145: Every Ex-UFC LHW Champ Talks Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans
The UFC is often criticized for not respecting the history of the sport or even their own promotion. With UFC 145 coming up this Saturday, featuring a much anticipated Light Heavyweight title fight between champ Jon Jones and ex-champ Rashad Evans they have gone out of their way to correct that to some extent.
The LHW crown has long been the marquee title in the UFC. From the days of Frank Shamrock and Tito Ortiz in the "dark ages" on to the Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Vitor Belfort era in the early Ultimate Fighter days the division was always the home of the promotion's biggest fights.
The UFC has gathered quotes from every ex-LHW champ in UFC history -- even Frank Shamrock who was long been treated like he never happened -- on this Saturday's bout.
Here's what Shamrock has to say, the rest of the quotes are after the jump:
Frank Shamrock, inaugural champion from Dec. 21 1997 to Nov. 24, 1999
"This fight has a tremendous story behind it, with it having grown out of a friendship that went sour back when these two were teammates. The drama that's fueling this is incredible. Fans can expect a fight that, stylistically, will be extremely challenging for Jones to overcome, and he'll have fits with Rashad's wrestling if he's able to put Jon on his back. But ultimately, I see Jones being able to inflict more damage and walk away with the belt still in hand. This will be a fight that will not end as easily and devastatingly as Jones's others have, but rather one of those moments in his career where he'll have to pull himself up and battle until the final bell. In the end, this fight will help Jon become a better fighter and a better champion, and will endear himself to fans for years to come."
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Maurico "Shogun" Rua, champion from May 8, 2010 to Mar 19, 2011"They are two very smart, strategic athletes. Both of them fight thinking of their opponent's strengths and weaknesses and think about how to fight the best possible fight to win. But I think Jon Jones has an advantage, since he is very hard to reach. He is not only long (limbed) but also fast and he can react very quickly, I know this. So, I think it's going to be Jones' match. However, let's not forget Rashad is also very strategic. I believe Rashad will have a good gameplan and I am very interested to see what he will try to do in this fight."Lyoto Machida, champion from May 23, 2009 to May 8, 2010"Jones vs Evans is a big fight for the fans and a big fight for the division. It is a very interesting fight; Jones is very unorthodox and is strong in all aspects of the game, but Rashad is a great wrestler and has the hand speed to catch Jones."Forrest Griffin, champion from Jul 5, 2008 to May 23, 2009"This is a great fight. I'm glad I'm not fighting Jon Jones anytime soon, but I think Rashad has the right style to give him problems. There are so many emotions between these guys going into the fight, and I know the Atlanta fans will be getting their money's worth. Jones looks very nasty, but I'm not going to underestimate Rashad. I kinda did that before once..."Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, champion from May 26, 2007 to Jul 5, 2008"Rashad has to go for it right from the start, for real. Rashad can't play on the outside, you can't fight no Jon Jones on the outside, believe me. Rashad is fast and can surprise you. He surprised me by faking a takedown and hitting me with a right hand which kinda stunned me. I think he can do that to Jon Jones, but he has to do it right away because the more time you give Jones, the harder it is to set him up for a punch. I think Jon Jones will win, but I think Rashad has a chance."Chuck Liddell, champion from Apr 16, 2005 to May 26, 2007"Everyone is different but, I think, for most fighters getting into the Octagon with someone they don't like is a great motivation in training. Every time you are tired or holding a little back, you think about losing to this guy you can't stand and it helps you give 100%. That's how I was with Tito, I couldn't stand the idea of losing to him and so I trained harder."I'd love to know who really got the best of it when these guys trained together. You get a feeling for someone when you spar with them. That's why I was so confident against Tito; I'd beat him up standing, wrestling and at BJJ when we trained together years before out fights and I knew I was in his head because of that. Listening to Rashad, it seems from watching the Primetime show that he feels he's in Jon's head a little. He sounds very confident and I think that's based on experiences in the gym. I'm glad he is confident, because that's something you have to have against Jones. If you don't go after Jon you are in for a bad night."Vitor Belfort, champion from Jan 31, 2004 to Aug 21, 2004"I think this fight will be great for the sport because Jones and Evans used to train together. That changes things, now they are going to fight against each other. We are in the new era of sport with these athletes like Jon Jones and the techniques they can do. Both guys have a chance to be the winner, and it could come down to who is better on that one night. I am looking forward to seeing this huge fight." Randy Couture, two-time champion from Jun 6, 2003 to Jan 31, 2004 and Aug 21, 2004 to Apr 16, 2005"I think it is going to be very interesting, Rashad has the speed and skills to win. Rashad has to avoid his propensity for standing up and just striking, which he has done in the past. He can't just strike with Jones; if he does he will lose because Jon has more tools in the toolbox. Rashad has to take Jones down, not just once or twice but every single time he has any opportunity. If Jones is worried about getting taken down, that's when Rashad can put his hands on him and do some damage. But he has to keep Jon guessing if it is a takedown or a strike that's coming."I think Jones is super-talented and he is clearly getting better in each fight. He could turn into a very special type of champion. He poses some very unique problems in the Octagon - and so far no one has solved too many of them. I think this is a huge fight for the division. "Bones" Jones is very hot right now and with the personalities and the back story, it all hypes this up into a very interesting fight."Tito Ortiz, champion from Apr 14, 2000 to Sep 26, 2003"Jones is looking very good. But Rashad is fast, man, and once he hurts you he's on you. I'd like to see Rashad use his wrestling and takedowns and really mix it up. I think it will be a great fight."
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, champion, rashad
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowCounterpunch: Jones vs. Evans Part Two (Video)
With just a few days remaining before the highly anticipated grudge match between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans takes place, the two sat down to discuss that matchup and just how their rivalry came to fruition. On UFC: Ultimate Insider, host Jon Anik sat between the two as they presented their case on how they will win the fight, along with a few harsh words for the other every now and again.
UFC 145 takes place this Saturday, April 21st at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The championship fight will headline the event, which is the UFC’s first return to Atlanta since UFC 88, which saw Rashad Evans knock out former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell.
Part one was posted last week. You can check it out here.
Here is part two of Counterpunch: Jones vs. Evans:
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, championship fight, evan
Read the full article at MMA Frenzy
Rashad Evans Gives 3 Ways He Will Defeat Jon Jones at UFC 145
After Jon Jones defeated Lyoto Machida I wrote an article entitled 3 Tips on How to Beat Light Heavyweight Champ Jon Jones. That article’s main points were to 1.) Fight Southpaw, 2.) Blitz and Pressure and 3.) Stuff/Reverse Takedowns. Rashad Evans gives 3 more ways on how to defeat Jon in this video below of [...]
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, article ’s
Read the full article at Fighthub TVJon Jones vs Rashad Evans 'Counterpunch' video from UFC Ultimate Insider (Part 2)
Remember when Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones got into a heated argument with Rashad Evans on UFC "Ultimate Insider" with Jon Anik?
They were just getting warmed up.
UFC and FUEL TV have released part two of their mad squabbles and as expected, the former friends and training partners, who will collide in the main event of UFC 145 this Saturday night (April 21, 2012) at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, weren't pulling any punches.
Said "Bones" (transcribed by Bloody Elbow):
"I have no sympathies for Rashad whatsoever. I remember you leaving Greg Jackson's and said that "I need a team that focuses on me. I need something based around me". And now you created the Blackzilians. I say it all the time. There's no I in team, there's no I in Jackson's, but there's I in Blackzilians. So I really look at you as fake. I look at you as arrogant. I look at you as selfish. I look at you as self-centered. And I think your biggest thing is to try and reflect it off me, and make it seem like I'm everything you're feeling inside your heart... The proof is in your lifestyle Rashad. You're loyal to no one but yourself."
"Suga" responds:
"That's the funny thing about it, and that's the part that you're immature and young. I would never have fought you. In a million years I would never have fought you. I was going to fight at 185. I would only do 'dream match ups.' I was only going to help you become a champion ... I would never ever have fought you! When you got offered that title shot, and I told you to take it, Jon, I knew you were going to win. I wanted you to win, and I would never, ever, ever have fought you."
See the rest of their verbal warfare after the jump.
To see part one of the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans 'Counterpunch' video from UFC Ultimate Insider click here. For more on UFC 145 click here.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, part, rashad
Read the full article at MMA ManiaEven the pros are vexed about the potential outcome of Jones vs Evans
There's a woman at my job who has two degrees and a senior level position in finance with a fat (well much fatter than mine) salary that doesn't seem to be able to read the word 'Cat'. I don't know where the confusion comes in, but duringthe last two years in which she and I have been forced to communicate with one another she can't seem to get my name right-ever. She's called me everything from Connie to Karen to Christian, I think she even called me Cannolli once-but she has never, ever called me 'Cat'. I don't know why she can't get this right. She has to type my name to send me an email and when I email her back my name is listed right there in black and white for her to read. It's three simple letters and one short syllable. After enduring two years of weekly name mucking up with this woman I just want her to quit life or allow me to shaken baby syndrome her into getting it right.
Maybe I shouldn't be so judgy. It's not as though things don't confuse me too. Granted they tend to be a bit more complex than three letter words-like the time space continum, loan interest rates and why people still watch American Idol, but I digress. Right now I'm most confused about what I think the potential outcome of the Jones vs Evans fight might be-and I'm not alone. The UFC sent us a bunch of quotes from former champs and fellow fighters and even a few that have fought both Jones and Evans and most of them can't call this one either.
Shogun-"They are two very smart, strategic athletes. Both of them fight thinking of their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses and think about how to fight the best possible fight to win. But I think Jon Jones has an advantage, since he is very hard to reach. He is not only long (limbed) but also fast and he can react very quickly, I know this. So, I think it’s going to be Jones’ match. However, let’s not forget Rashad is also very strategic. I believe Rashad will have a good gameplan and I am very interested to see what he will try to do in this fight.”
Machida-"Jones vs Evans is a big fight for the fans and a big fight for the division. It is a very interesting fight; Jones is very unorthodox and is strong in all aspects of the game, but Rashad is a great wrestler and has the hand speed to catch Jones.”
Forrest Griffin-"This is a great fight. I’m glad I’m not fighting Jon Jones anytime soon, but I think Rashad has the right style to give him problems. There are so many emotions between these guys going into the fight, and I know the Atlanta fans will be getting their money’s worth. Jones looks very nasty, but I’m not going to underestimate Rashad. I kinda did that before once…”
Rampage-“Rashad has to go for it right from the start, for real. Rashad can’t play on the outside, you can’t fight no Jon Jones on the outside, believe me. Rashad is fast and can surprise you. He surprised me by faking a takedown and hitting me with a right hand which kinda stunned me. I think he can do that to Jon Jones, but he has to do it right away because the more time you give Jones, the harder it is to set him up for a punch. I think Jon Jones will win, but I think Rashad has a chance.”
Chuck Liddell-"“Everyone is different but, I think, for most fighters getting into the Octagon with someone they don’t like is a great motivation in training. Every time you are tired or holding a little back, you think about losing to this guy you can’t stand and it helps you give 100%. That’s how I was with Tito, I couldn’t stand the idea of losing to him and so I trained harder. I’d love to know who really got the best of it when these guys trained together. You get a feeling for someone when you spar with them. That’s why I was so confident against Tito; I’d beat him up standing, wrestling and at BJJ when we trained together years before out fights and I knew I was in his head because of that. Listening to Rashad, it seems from watching the Primetime show that he feels he’s in Jon’s head a little. He sounds very confident and I think that’s based on experiences in the gym. I’m glad he is confident, because that’s something you have to have against Jones. If you don’t go after Jon you are in for a bad night.”
Vitor Belfort-"I think this fight will be great for the sport because Jones and Evans used to train together. That changes things, now they are going to fight against each other. We are in the new era of sport with these athletes like Jon Jones and the techniques they can do. Both guys have a chance to be the winner, and it could come down to who is better on that one night. I am looking forward to seeing this huge fight."
Randy Couture-“I think it is going to be very interesting, Rashad has the speed and skills to win. Rashad has to avoid his propensity for standing up and just striking, which he has done in the past. He can’t just strike with Jones; if he does he will lose because Jon has more tools in the toolbox. Rashad has to take Jones down, not just once or twice but every single time he has any opportunity. If Jones is worried about getting taken down, that’s when Rashad can put his hands on him and do some damage. But he has to keep Jon guessing if it is a takedown or a strike that’s coming. I think Jones is super-talented and he is clearly getting better in each fight. He could turn into a very special type of champion. He poses some very unique problems in the Octagon - and so far no one has solved too many of them. I think this is a huge fight for the division. “Bones” Jones is very hot right now and with the personalities and the back story, it all hypes this up into a very interesting fight.”
Tito Ortiz-“Jones is looking very good. But Rashad is fast, man, and once he hurts you he’s on you. I’d like to see Rashad use his wrestling and takedowns and really mix it up. I think it will be a great fight.”
Frank Shamrock-“This fight has a tremendous story behind it, with it having grown out of a friendship that went sour back when these two were teammates. The drama that’s fueling this is incredible. Fans can expect a fight that, stylistically, will be extremely challenging for Jones to overcome, and he’ll have fits with Rashad’s wrestling if he’s able to put Jon on his back. But ultimately, I see Jones being able to inflict more damage and walk away with the belt still in hand. This will be a fight that will not end as easily and devastatingly as Jones’s others have, but rather one of those moments in his career where he’ll have to pull himself up and battle until the final bell. In the end, this fight will help Jon become a better fighter and a better champion, and will endear himself to fans for years to come.”
I think the only thing none of us are confused about is the potential for an amazing headlining fight this Saturday night between Jones and Evans. It has been a long time coming and we are all ready to see who comes out on top at UFC 145.
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, right, rashad
Read the full article at Middle EasyRashad Evans to Jon Jones: You're not the champ unless you beat me
The verbal warfare between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans continued in the second episode of Fuel TV's countre punch, just several days before their long-anticipated showdown at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia.
This time Evans claimed Jon Jones can't consider himself a legitimate champion unless he gets his hand raised at UFC 145, despite the fact that "Bones" has already defended his title two times. Jones responded with facts, bringing up the victories over Lyoto Machida and Rampage Jackson as an example for his
Posted in: jon, jone, rashad evans, evan, times jones
Read the full article at Low KickSuch a good article about Jones and Evan by MMA Fighting
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Read the full article at RedditUFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans - The War Of Words Continues On Part 2 Of Ultimate Insider
Ahead of UFC 145, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans spoke to Jon Anik and got into an intense war of words. That was Part 1 of "Counterpunch", a segment from UFC Ultimate Insider, and the talking didn't end there. Check out the extended interview on Part 2 where the tension gets even higher:
The war of words continues in Part 2 of "Counterpunch: Jones vs Evans" with UFC Ultimate Insider host Jon Anik. Were they really friends to begin with? Who's the rightful UFC light heavyweight champ? Will Bones really skip to Suga's lou? You be the judge...
Related: UFC 145: PART 1 - Jon Jones And Rashad Evans Get Heated On 'Ultimate Insider' | UFC 145 Fight Card: Jones Vs. Evans | UFC 145 Primetime Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans | UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Gets Another Muhammad Ali Reference
Check out the key quotes after the jump.
Rashad Evans: There's a part of me that will always go for Jon. Every single fight that he has been in, I have always rooted for Jon. Always rooted for him... I want him to win. I just say what I say about him being fake, because Jon is not the person he says he is, or tries to pretend that he is to be. He's setting himself up for a fall that I don't think he can take right now.
Jon Jones: I do feel as if it was Rashad's image, and it kind-of got thrown at me. It's like a "You know I'm not the baddest guy, Jon's a bad guy too" type of thing...
Jon Jones: ...And then you've got a guy like me, I treat people with the utmost amount respect, and that's a big part of who I am. As an athlete, yeah, I have a chip on my shoulder. There's 2 completely different people. Jon Jones is a great person. I say that about myself, but Bones Jones, he's a little high on himself. And I should be, cause that's why I compete on the level I compete at, and I train and beliveve that way.
Jon Jones: I have no sympathies for Rashad whatsoever. I remember you leaving Greg Jackson's and said that "I need a team that focuses on me. I need something based around me". And now you created the Blackzilians. I say it all the time. There's no I in team, there's no I in Jackson's, but there's I in Blackzilians. So I really look at you as fake. I look at you as arrogant. I look at you as selfish. I look at you as self-centered. And I think your biggest thing is to try and reflect it off me, and make it seem like I'm everything you're feeling inside your heart... The proof is in your lifestyle Rashad. You're loyal to no one but yourself.
Rashad Evans: That's the funny thing about it, and that's the part that you're immature and young. I would never have fought you. In a million years I would never have fought you. I was going to fight at 185. I would only do 'dream match ups'. I was only going to help you become a champion --
Jon Jones: That's not true.
Rashad Evans: I would never ever have fought you!
Jon Jones: That's not true Rashad.
Rashad Evans: ....When you got offered that title shot, and I told you to take it, Jon, I knew you were going to win. I wanted you to win, and I would never, ever, ever have fought you.
Jon Jones: That's when it really got started. That's when you said "Okay, it's official. Jon kinda called me out."
Rashad Evans: Truth to the matter is, you did want to fight me, and now we're fighting, that's the bottom line.
Jon Jones: Why would I want to fight you, when I'm the champ? You, want to fight me.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans Has Some Strong Words For Former Coach Greg Jackson
Rashad Evans learned a lot from Greg Jackson, and “Suga” won’t discount that. However, Jackson has confirmed that he will corner UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones against Evans next Saturday night. Jones and Evans meet in the main event of UFC 145 from Atlanta’s Philips Arena. On a recent episode of Pro MMA Radio [...]
Posted in: jone, jackson, rashad evans, greg jackson, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertAlexander Gustafsson is NOT the “next” Jon Jones
One of the most familiar debates in any sport pertains to an athlete being the “next” all-time great. Is Sidney Crosby the next Mario Lemieux? Is LeBron James the next Michael Jordan? Is Alexander Gustafsson the next Jon Jones?
I’ll leave the first two up to pundits more familiar with both sports but as far as the latter goes the answer is simple. No, he’s not.
Was Gutsafsson’s performance against Thiago Silva impressive? Somewhat, but it paled in comparison to Jones’ showings against former champions like Quinton Jackson, Mauricio Rua, and Lyoto Machida. Gustafsson had a convincing decision win over a guy who had been on the shelf for more than a year and whose biggest career victory involved Keith Jardine in 2009, seven months after the last time Jones saw the scorecards.
Mike Goldberg Says Gustafsson is the “Next Big Thing” Like Jones
Also, consider that Gustafsson has a legitimate loss on his record rather than a fluke disqualification involving an illegally-angled elbow to an already-finished opponent. The 25-year old Swede, eighteen months Jones’ senior, was submitted by Phil Davis in the opening round of the bout no less. That outcome in itself separates Jones from any comparison between the two other than a couple of common opponents and their physical dimensions. Even then, though both in the 6’4-6’5 range, Jones still has an eight-inch longer reach than Gustafsson.
It’s time to take the pressure of being something he’s not and never will be off the 14-1 Gustafsson’s shoulders. Let him be “The Mauler”, nothing more and nothing less; let him carve out his own career in MMA instead of expecting him to fill oversized shoes.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: jone, alexander gustafsson, keith jardine, gustafsson, illegallyangled elbow
Read the full article at Fighters.comJon Jones: Rashad Evans Trained with a Kid; Now He Meets the Man
Jon Jones is humble enough to admit that there were days Rashad Evans got the best of him in training, but that was in 2010. Is Evans ready to deal with the new machine that Jones is in 2012?
Posted in: jon, jone, rashad, evan, man
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyFormer UFC Champs Give Thoughts on Jones vs. Evans
Las Vegas, Nevada - Some of the greatest names in the sport’s pantheon have held and fought for the UFC’s 205lbs title since its inception in 1997, including Hall of Famers Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell and iconic fighters including Vitor Belfort, Tito Ortiz and “Rampage” Jackson. The light heavyweight title - which was called the middleweight title until May 2001 - has been contested in some of the biggest and most exciting bouts in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization: · Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock went to war for the 205lbs title in their epic November 2002 battle· The first ever clash of TUF coaches was for the light heavyweight belt, when Chuck Liddell KO’d Randy Couture to ignite his reign as champion· Liddell’s second fight with Ortiz at UFC 66 was one of the most anticipated – and successful – UFC title fights of all time· The 205lbs strap was also the first UFC belt to be unified with a PRIDE FC organization title, when “Rampage” Jackson defeated Dan Henderson over five rounds at UFC 75 in London, England, in September 2007.· The title was on the line in the 2008 Fight of the Year when Forrest Griffin ripped the belt from “Rampage” Jackson.· Current king Jon Jones became the youngest ever UFC world champion, aged 23, when he hammered “Shogun” Rua in March 2011.Now, this Saturday night in Atlanta, the 205lbs division championship is again on the line in perhaps the most toxic grudge match in years, as Jones defends against former champion and former close friend “Suga” Rashad Evans.“The light heavyweight division has always been a special weight class in the UFC,” said UFC President Dana White, “and the Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans match could be the biggest fight at 205lbs in years. The last time we had a 205lbs title fight with this much emotion and excitement around it was the second Chuck Liddell vs Tito Ortiz fight in December of 2006.“Jon Jones is a freak of nature in mixed martial arts. Here’s a guy who got into the UFC after only a couple of years of training, came right out and started beating top guys using spinning elbows and all these other crazy moves, and he then wins the UFC title at only 23 years old. Jones is already on his way to being one of the best fighters to ever hold the UFC light heavyweight belt, which is phenomenal if you look at the killers who’ve held this belt.“But anyone who counts Rashad Evans out of this fight is out of their mind. Look at what he has done: he won the Ultimate Fighter as a heavyweight, then not only beat - but stopped - champions like Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin, and also beat top contenders like Michael Bisping, “Rampage” Jackson, and Phil Davis. “He’s been in the UFC since 2005. It is 2012 now, and in that time he’s lost once. Rashad Evans is the most underrated fighter in the entire sport. No-one can deny he is one of the best fighters, pound-for-pound in the world. “I’m pumped for Jones v Evans. This is going to be historic fight for the division on April 21.”White isn’t the only one who is excited for the UFC 145 main event. Here, every former holder of the UFC 205lbs title weigh-in on the significance of the UFC 145 main event:“Shogun” Rua, champion from May 8, 2010 to Mar 19, 2011“They are two very smart, strategic athletes. Both of them fight thinking of their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses and think about how to fight the best possible fight to win. But I think Jon Jones has an advantage, since he is very hard to reach. He is not only long (limbed) but also fast and he can react very quickly, I know this. So, I think it’s going to be Jones’ match. However, let’s not forget Rashad is also very strategic. I believe Rashad will have a good gameplan and I am very interested to see what he will try to do in this fight.”Lyoto Machida, champion from May 23, 2009 to May 8, 2010“Jones vs Evans is a big fight for the fans and a big fight for the division. It is a very interesting fight; Jones is very unorthodox and is strong in all aspects of the game, but Rashad is a great wrestler and has the hand speed to catch Jones.”Forrest Griffin, champion from Jul 5, 2008 to May 23, 2009“This is a great fight. I’m glad I’m not fighting Jon Jones anytime soon, but I think Rashad has the right style to give him problems. There are so many emotions between these guys going into the fight, and I know the Atlanta fans will be getting their money’s worth. Jones looks very nasty, but I’m not going to underestimate Rashad. I kinda did that before once…” “Rampage” Jackson, champion from May 26, 2007 to Jul 5, 2008“Rashad has to go for it right from the start, for real. Rashad can’t play on the outside, you can’t fight no Jon Jones on the outside, believe me. Rashad is fast and can surprise you. He surprised me by faking a takedown and hitting me with a right hand which kinda stunned me. I think he can do that to Jon Jones, but he has to do it right away because the more time you give Jones, the harder it is to set him up for a punch. I think Jon Jones will win, but I think Rashad has a chance.”Chuck Liddell, champion from Apr 16, 2005 to May 26, 2007“Everyone is different but, I think, for most fighters getting into the Octagon with someone they don’t like is a great motivation in training. Every time you are tired or holding a little back, you think about losing to this guy you can’t stand and it helps you give 100%. That’s how I was with Tito, I couldn’t stand the idea of losing to him and so I trained harder. “I’d love to know who really got the best of it when these guys trained together. You get a feeling for someone when you spar with them. That’s why I was so confident against Tito; I’d beat him up standing, wrestling and at BJJ when we trained together years before out fights and I knew I was in his head because of that. Listening to Rashad, it seems from watching the Primetime show that he feels he’s in Jon’s head a little. He sounds very confident and I think that’s based on experiences in the gym. I’m glad he is confident, because that’s something you have to have against Jones. If you don’t go after Jon you are in for a bad night." Vitor Belfort, champion from Jan 31, 2004 to Aug 21, 2004"I think this fight will be great for the sport because Jones and Evans used to train together. That changes things, now they are going to fight against each other. We are in the new era of sport with these athletes like Jon Jones and the techniques they can do. Both guys have a chance to be the winner, and it could come down to who is better on that one night. I am looking forward to seeing this huge fight." Randy Couture, two-time champion from Jun 6, 2003 to Jan 31, 2004 and Aug 21, 2004 to Apr 16, 2005“I think it is going to be very interesting, Rashad has the speed and skills to win. Rashad has to avoid his propensity for standing up and just striking, which he has done in the past. He can’t just strike with Jones; if he does he will lose because Jon has more tools in the toolbox. Rashad has to take Jones down, not just once or twice but every single time he has any opportunity. If Jones is worried about getting taken down, that’s when Rashad can put his hands on him and do some damage. But he has to keep Jon guessing if it is a takedown or a strike that’s coming.“I think Jones is super-talented and he is clearly getting better in each fight. He could turn into a very special type of champion. He poses some very unique problems in the Octagon - and so far no one has solved too many of them. I think this is a huge fight for the division. “Bones” Jones is very hot right now and with the personalities and the back story, it all hypes this up into a very interesting fight.” Tito Ortiz, champion from Apr 14, 2000 to Sep 26, 2003“Jones is looking very good. But Rashad is fast, man, and once he hurts you he’s on you. I’d like to see Rashad use his wrestling and takedowns and really mix it up. I think it will be a great fight.”Frank Shamrock, inaugural champion from Dec. 21 1997 to Nov. 24, 1999“This fight has a tremendous story behind it, with it having grown out of a friendship that went sour back when these two were teammates. The drama that’s fueling this is incredible. Fans can expect a fight that, stylistically, will be extremely challenging for Jones to overcome, and he’ll have fits with Rashad’s wrestling if he’s able to put Jon on his back. But ultimately, I see Jones being able to inflict more damage and walk away with the belt still in hand. This will be a fight that will not end as easily and devastatingly as Jones’s others have, but rather one of those moments in his career where he’ll have to pull himself up and battle until the final bell. In the end, this fight will help Jon become a better fighter and a better champion, and will endear himself to fans for years to come.”Tickets for UFC®145, presented by MetroPCS, are on sale now through Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone (800) 745-3000, at all Ticketmaster Outlets, and the Philips Arena Box Office. UFC®145 will be available live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on UFC.TV, iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, and in Canada on BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for Standard Definition and $54.99 US/$59.99 CAN for High Definition.For more information or current fight news, visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jon, jone, rashad
Read the full article at UFCUFC Central: Looking ahead to Jones vs. Evans
UFC Central this week recaps the action from Stockholm, previews UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans and shows the proper technique for landing elbows.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, week recaps
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC 145 Fight Card: Jones Vs. Evans
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former training partner Rashad Evans have been verbally clashing for over a year now, and they'll finally get the chance to fight in less than a week. UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans will go down on Saturday, April 21st in Atlanta, GA. The co-main event sees Canadian welterweight prospect Rory MacDonald face off with British striker Che Mills. In addition to that, Brendan Schaub will look to rebound from his loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira when he meets Ben Rothwell. Here is the full card (undercard after the jump):
Apr 21st, live on pay-per-view from Atlanta, GA:
Jon Jones (15-1) vs. Rashad Evans (17-1-1)
Rory MacDonald (12-1) vs. Che Mills (14-4)
Brendan Schaub (8-2) vs. Ben Rothwell (31-8)
Michael McDonald (14-1) vs. Miguel Torres (40-4)
Mark Hominick (20-10) vs. Eddie Yagin (15-5-1)
Mark Bocek (10-4) vs. John Alessio (34-14)
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
FX Card:
Chad Griggs (11-1) vs. Travis Browne (12-0-1)
Matt Brown (13-11) vs. Stephen Thompson (6-0)
Anthony Njokuani (14-6) vs. John Makdessi (9-1)
Efrain Escudero (18-4) vs. Mac Danzig (20-9-1)
Facebook Card:
Chris Clements (10-4) vs. Keith Wisniewski (28-13-1)
Maximo Blanco (8-3-1) vs. Marcus Brimage (4-1)
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, card, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowCrunching Numbers: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Could Buck Statistical Trends
There's not much either Jon Jones or Rashad Evans aren't good at in mixed martial arts. If the numbers tell us anything, it's that these are superb fighters and their impending bout at UFC 145 is something akin to a MMA all-star match-up.
Jones and Evans are statistically record holders in the stand-up and ground portions of the fight. Both have tasted championship glory. Both only have one loss on their record (though the complexions of their losses differ dramatically). Both have mutual opposition they've defeated. These two may be rivals, but they're more similar than each cares to admit in small part due to what they've accomplished and how they did it.
But neither light heavyweight is without shortcomings and the data demonstrates that quite clearly. The real question is can whatever statistical weakness that exist also offer blueprints for game plans or predict an eventual outcome?
Probably not. It's frankly hard to overstate just how good these bitter enemies really are. It's also had to walk away from these numbers and not consider the uphill climb for Evans may not be insurmountable.
Before we begin enumerating their superlative skills or accomplishments, it should be noted Jones and Evans have three opponents in common: Stephan Bonnar, Lyoto Machida and Quinton Jackson. Jones defeated all three, stopping Machida and Jackson by submission. Evans lost to Machida, but defeated both Bonnar and Jackson by decision.
Typically mutual opposition is the best way to compare to fighters' abilities or tendencies, but that's not necessarily the case here. In short, the Bonnar who fought Evans isn't the same Bonnar who necessarily fought Jones. And the Evans or Jones who fought Bonnar won't be the same Evans or Jones who show up Saturday night. The only commonality is both Evans and Jones landed seven takedowns against Bonnar, but that tells us more about 'The Ultimate Fighter' season one alum's takedown defense than anything else.
We should also resist trying to glean too much from the stats from each of their Machida fights. They lack a sufficient amount of information to make any sort of definitive conclusions. That Machida stopped Evans and yet was stopped by Jones is indicative of something. But what? Without overreaching, we can only safely say Jones was more effective striking in his bout with Machida than Evans. But relative to Evans, it's hard to say much else insofar as drawing conclusions from data is concerned.
The fights with Rampage, however, might be more helpful. For starters, the bouts took place in reasonably close proximity. And from Jackson's perspective, his performance against each was nearly identical. Against Evans, he landed 17 significant strikes, 27 total. Facing Jones, Jackson landed 16 significant strikes, 24 total. Against both Evans and Jones, Rampage attempted one takedown in each fight and was stuffed both times.
The only real differentiator is Rampage's knockdown of Evans. And that fact speaks to some larger trends in Evans' striking. Namely, his opponent's ability to land on him.
Let's keep things in perspective. Evans' striking - offensively and defensively - is very good. He has a 66.7% career striking defense, making it the third best in light heavyweight history and better than Jones' current defensive rate. But his striking differential - the number of strikes he lands relative to those he absorbs per minute - is only .23. Jones' mark, by contrast, is 2.40, the fourth best total in UFC history. In addition, Evans' measured striking accuracy is 39.5% to Jones' 51.9%.
Evans may have only been stopped once by strikes in his MMA career, but that it was by strikes is in concert with what the larger data set says of of Evans' striking ability.
Striking stats also tell us Evans is something of a head hunter. That isn't to suggest he doesn't enjoy body work, but he's gone to the head 84% of the time. As for the body and legs? Just 11.2% and 4.1%, respectively. The UFC light heavyweight champion is the much more diverse in terms of where he throws and subsequently lands strikes: 53% to the head, 25.4% to the body and 21.5% to the legs. When Jones is throwing, there's a lot more confusion about what might be thrown and where it might land.
None of this is to suggest Evans can't land on Jones. Instead, it's that while Evans is statistically speaking hard to hit, he has to throw a lot more to eventually find the mark and also gets hit more often per fight than Jones.
There is less of an advantage, however, for Jones on the ground. Again, that isn't to say he can't or won't win there. Jones is deadly essentially everywhere and my personal hunch is who dominates this space ultimately wins the contest. But Evans' comfort zone is historically on top on the ground after executing a takedown.
In fact, Evans has taken down everyone he's every fought. According to FightMetric, "Evans' average of 4.32 takedowns per 15 minutes of fighting is the 2nd highest average in light heavyweight history. He's managed to takedown every single opponent that he has tried to get to the ground. His takedown accuracy is second only to Jon Jones, with a 53.3% success rate, 2nd best in division history."
But Jones is no slouch himself. FightMetric also notes Jones' "takedown accuracy of 63.6% is the very best in light heavyweight history. He's already scored 21 takedowns, 4th most in division history, and his 3.32 takedowns per 15 minutes average is the 4th highest in division."
Some will suggest even if we were to grant Evans and Jones are basically commensurate as takedown artists, Jones is more grappling and submission savvy. And they could be right.
Both are actually adept guard passers. Jones routinely passes guard: once on Machida, three times on Rampage, twice on Bader and so on; Evans accrued no guard passes against Rampage, Bonnar or Machida, but in the two fights since defeating Rampage - two wins over Tito Ortiz and Phil Davis - he managed 10 guard passes in a little over seven rounds.
Yet, Evans has not attempted a submission in his entire MMA career. He advances position, but only to facilitate ground and pound. Jones, on the other hand, has historically attempted 1.11 submissions per 15-minute fight. The reigning light heavyweight champion has tapped out 3 of last 4 opponents and has 5 submission wins in his MMA career. Submissions as a portion of his finishing arsenal is the clearest demonstration of Jones' superior offense given that Evans doesn't even try in this aspect.
Taking all of this information into account, what can we reasonably conclude about Jones' or Evans' chances on Saturday night? On balance, Jones has the advantages. That's especially true in striking and submissions. Yet it's hard to look at the accumulated data and conclude Evans is somehow doomed. Evans can be taken down, but he's only spent 4.4% of the time in his UFC career on bottom - not a ton of time to do significant damage. Jones is clearly better at submissions, but Evans has never been submitted. Jones has never been taken down, but Evans has taken down everyone he's fought. Jones has the statistical wind at his back, but Evans has a demonstrated ability to rise to the occasion. There's also the x-factor of how much their perceived intimate knowledge of each others game plays a role.
What we have with Evans vs. Jones is a perfectly good case where relying on quantitative information for predictive insight can be tricky. I suspect whoever prevails at UFC 145 will do so by re-writing today's numbers, not fulfilling historical patterns.
The real test for both will be to get takedowns where others couldn't; to score from spaces where others couldn't; to control position and times held in those positions where others couldn't; in short, to make the other fight in ways they haven't.
Jones is the odds-on favorite. He should be. He's got more ways to win and is statistically impressive almost everywhere. But Evans offers challenges in professional competition Jones has not faced. By the time Saturday night is over, the real story on the numbers behind these two fighters may be less how much they foreshadowed the future and more about how drastically they need to be amended.
All quantitative data provided by FightMetric.
Posted in: fight, takedown, jone, submission, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseComparisons to Jon Jones May be Early, but Alexander Gustafsson Ready for Top 5
The comparisons to Jon Jones are coming in hot and heavy, but Alexander Gustafsson wants to fight his way up the ladder and be prepared for title shot.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, alexander gustafsson, gustafsson, comparison
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC on FUEL TV 2: Comparing Alexander Gustafsson to Jon Jones isn't that crazy
During the main event of yesterday's (April 14, 2012) UFC on FUEL TV 2: "Gustafsson vs. Silva" event, the commentary team seemingly couldn't go five minutes without comparing Alexander Gustafsson to current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.
From his reach to the way he often let his arms hang down at his sides, one would believe everything the Swede did yesterday was a European mirror image of "Bones."
The constant comparisons soon became the subject of ridicule on Twitter and on the blogosphere. And while it was a bit annoying and heavy handed, it wasn't altogether incorrect.
Watching the young Gustafsson pick apart Thiago Silva with relative ease, I thought back to the Swede's UFC debut two and a half years ago. I thought back to his latest fight this past December when "The Mauler" took out Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran Vladimir Matyushenko.
The level of improvement between now and Gustafsson's bout with the Belarusian is amazing, but the improvement he's made since his Octagon debut at UFC 105 is downright staggering.
A similar claim could be made about the 205-pound kingpin. But beyond that, beyond reach and fight stance, even beyond age, there's one other similarity between the two fighters that puts them in the same class.
Find out what it is after the jump.
Jones is lambasted and reviled for what many perceive as a cocky or arrogant attitude, but watching him fight, it would be impossible to argue against his skill. The man is the champion for a reason, after all. It's Jones supposed smugness which gets under many fans' skins. He knows he's just that good and acts appropriately. The attitude seeps into his fights.
From his debut at UFC 87 to his devastating submission victory over former champion Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, "Bones" has dominated and trounced every single opponent unlucky enough to step inside the Octagon with him. You don't accomplish all that and not have a little swagger in your step.
Jones acts and fights like a champion, like a man who knows when the Octagon gate closes, it won't open again until his arm is raised. He fights with confidence.
I saw the same from Gustafsson yesterday in Stockholm.
His body language, the way he carried himself inside the Octagon against Silva was that of a man who knew he was going to win the fight and the only way he wouldn't wasn't because of something the Brazilian did but rather because of something he, himself, didn't do.
He was relaxed -- perhaps too relaxed as this was his first decision win in the UFC and only second overall -- but focused, calmly putting his gameplan into motion of keeping his opponent on the outside and peppering away with pinpoint accurate boxing.
What makes Gustafsson even more interesting is he already has a loss on his record. Yes, Jones also has a 1 in his loss column, but it was and remains a technicality. He absolutely butchered Matt Hamill, but through a strange set of occurrences and some illegal elbows, "The Hammer" was awarded the victory by disqualification.
It didn't look or feel like a loss for "Bones" who would end up in the headlining slot for his next fight.
"The Mauler" legitimately lost to Phil Davis at UFC 114, choked out with seconds remaining in the first round. When a young man finds a lot of early success like he did -- Gustafsson was undefeated with nine victories to his name going into the bout -- a loss as definitive as that could make or break him.
Luckily for us, it was the former rather than the latter. The Swede took the loss and over the next two years has made himself into a top 10 light heavyweight on the cusp of a title shot.
Like I wrote in a previous article, I don't feel Gustafsson is quite ready for that honor just yet. Besides, Dan Henderson is still waiting in the wings, eagerly anticipating the UFC 145 main event between Jones and Rashad Evans. The 205-pound title, for all intents and purposes, is tied up for the foreseeable future.
In the meantime, book "The Mauler" against Lyoto Machida or at the very least Ryan Bader. Evaluate his performance in the next fight and then determine if he's ready.
If he shows the same confidence and improvement he has throughout his career, I wouldn't doubt he will be.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, loss, gustafsson
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Believes Rashad Evans Is Not A True Martial Artist, Doesn’t Respect Him
When Jon Jones steps inside the Octagon next Saturday night to defend his UFC light heavyweight title against Rashad Evans at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans, there will be plenty of real emotion released from both fighters. After their fallout from being training partners, Jones and Evans have been attacking each other verbally for several [...]
Posted in: saturday night, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertAlexander Gustafsson's Got Talent, But Stop Trying to Force Him into the Jon Jones Mold
STOCKHOLM -- As he stood in the cage after a dominant victory in front of his passionate hometown fans, one thing became very clear: Alexander Gustafsson is officially a star. At least in Sweden.
As for the rest of the world, especially back in the U.S. where he does the bulk of his training? That’s a different story. There he’s still just a big blonde kid with a last name that’s easy to misspell. But after battering Thiago Silva for three one-sided rounds in front of the largest crowd to ever attend a sporting event in the Ericsson Globe Arena, at least we can put to rest any question of his celebrity status at home.That’s the good news. The bad, or maybe just the mildly annoying news, is that with this win the comparisons to UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones will likely only intensify, even if we’re not doing the Swede any favors with them.
Gustafsson claims to be unbothered by it, even though, as he pointed out, they are two different fighters and ought to be treated as such."But just mentioning my name against a top guy like him, it’s good feedback," he said at the post-fight press conference here early Sunday morning.UFC president Dana White had another, more realistic take on it."It’s a little early" for talk of a Gustafsson-Jones match-up, he said. And he’s right. We’d do well to let the 25-year-old Gustafsson not only develop at his own pace, but also according to his own set of standards.It’s not that I don’t understand why people want to draw comparisons between a talented young contender and the almost supernaturally gifted champion. They’re both young, both improving at a frightening pace. They’re two tall, lanky light heavyweights who look like they’ve yet to fully grow into their bodies. Aside from skin color and nationality, they do seem to have a lot in common on the surface.But to think of a contender only in terms of how he is and is not like the champion is not only missing the point, it’s also just plain tiresome. Don’t we remember when we through this just last spring with Phil Davis? Heading into his fight with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in Seattle, he and his cornermen joked that anyone who mentioned Jones to him should also have to buy him a shot. If you’d played along with that little drinking game during pre and post-fight interviews in Seattle, you’d have been in the hospital in a hurry.What we seem to forget is, it’s not important whether the challenger is a carbon copy of the champ. What matters is whether he stands a chance of beating him. It’s not as if the only way to defeat Jon Jones is to out-Jon Jones him. We haven’t seen many weaknesses in the champ yet, but dethroning him might require someone who can be what he isn’t, rather than just more of what he is. Could Gustafsson beat Jones if they fought tomorrow? Probably not. As we saw against Silva, he’s still vulnerable in the striking game at times, and that’s in a fight where his opponent didn’t even think about a takedown at any point. Gustafsson’s lone loss comes against a superior ground technician in Davis, so it’s only reasonable to wonder if he has the wrestling chops to hang with Jones on the mat.Again though, we’re getting ahead of ourselves. The win over Silva was definitely the biggest of Gustafsson’s career, but I don’t think you go from outpointing a guy who’s coming off a long suspension to fighting for a title immediately. We still need to see him against a top contender in top form to know whether he’s really championship material. Even then, we at least owe him the respect of evaluating him for his own skills and unique characteristics rather than thinking of him purely as a Scandinavian "Bones" Jones.The good news for the UFC is, it has a full-fledged star in this market. It can sell out an arena just by putting his face on the poster, and that never hurts. White is right to hold off on branding him the next top contender, but the businessman in him couldn’t resist noting that "it would not suck doing a fight here [in Sweden] with him and Jon Jones."Maybe some day soon. Until then, let’s let Gustafsson continue to develop into a first-rate version of himself, and call off the search for a second-rate version of the current champ.
Posted in: jone, gustafsson, hersquo, i donrsquot, itrsquo
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones: “The difference between me and Rashad is Rashad is not a martial artist by any means.”
Though he may have in the beginning, these days UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones doesn’t respect Rashad Evans. Jones and Evans have been on a long, winding road to the Philips Arena where they will meet in a week at UFC 145, going back-and-forth in heated interviews. Neither one seems to have positive feelings towards the other and that’s especially evident on the side of “Bones.”
“The difference between me and Rashad is Rashad is not a martial artist by any means,” said Jones, in a recent interview with Sportsnet.ca. “I think it’s funny when he does commercials in a meditation scene – he’s sitting there pretending to meditate. He doesn’t meditate. He’s a guy who grabs his crotch at people. He was actually talking while Lyoto Machida knocked him out. That’s not a martial artist to me. I don’t respect that guy.”
Jones worked with Evans at Greg Jackson’s gym in New Mexico, but when Jones won the UFC light heavyweight title and agreed to face Evans, “Suga” left the camp. The two have been bitter enemies ever since, including an altercation between them in a Las Vegas club and several exchanges through media.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad, evan, artist
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones Discusses His UFC Sponsorship Deal For UFC 145
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will have just one – and only one – sponsorship when he enters the Octagon on April 21 at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans. That sponsorship will come from the UFC, as “Bones” inked a deal to be marketed by the fight promotion. Jones explained the contract in a [...]
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, deal, sponsorship
Read the full article at MMA ConvertRoots of Fight Bruce Lee-inspired contest winner announced
Everyone is talking about the recent comparisons between Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and boxing legend Muhammad Ali.
Well, apparently the praise for "Bones" isn't limited to just one iconic combat figure.
Bruce Lee, the founder of Jeet Kun Do and father of modern mixed martial arts (MMA), is perhaps best remembered for his revolutionary concepts and forward-thinking -- unparalleled and flat-out unheard of for his time. To pay tribute to the lasting effects of Lee's legacy, our friends at Roots of Fight -- the high-end retailer with a commitment to the rich history and tradition of modern combat sports -- recently ran a contest on MMAmania.com, asking our passionate readers which fighter currently active in mixed martial arts (MMA) competition best embodies the principles of Lee.
We received several submissions, all of which were required to be 100 words or less, and today we are pleased to announce the winner, "Haon Saber." Check out his winning entry after the jump:
"Bruce Lee was a man who made such an impact in such a short time. Bruce was loved by all but his own. Lee was met with controversy due to his beliefs. An artist of our time who is also met with controversy is UFC light-heavyweight champion, Jon Jones. Of course, Jones is a practitioner of Jeet Kun Do and a well known Lee enthusiast. However, what strikes me of Jones being a modern-day dragon is his unique, perhaps revolutionary style, as well as his meteoric rise in the 2011 year. I see Bruce Lee in Jon Jones. "
Thanks again for everyone who took the time to participate. We'll certainly partner up with Roots of Fight again down the road and giveaway more free swag. Some very fine swag at that, I might add.
In the meantime, feel free to head over to Roots of Fight to checkout the Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute line of apparel, which is what "Haon Saber" will soon be rocking for his winning entry. See that and so much more at the Roots of Fight website right here.
Click the pic to enlarge.
Click the pic to enlarge.
Posted in: fight, jone, bruce, lee, root
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 'Primetime' video for 'Jones vs Evans' on FX (Episode 2)
In cased you missed any or all of it last night (April 13, 2012), here is the second of three episodes of the "all access" behind-the-scenes look at the UFC 145 main event between Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans.
To watch the first episode of UFC 145 "Primetime" click here.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and FX collaborated for the latest "Primetime" series, which follows former Light Heavyweight champion Rashad Evans and reigning 205-pound division kingpin Jon Jones as they prepare to settle their score in the UFC 145 main event at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., later this month (April 21, 2012).
In episode two, the angle shifts toward how the fighters are outside the Octagon, with "Suga" attending the recent Sony Ericsson Open to support female tennis star Victoria Azarenka, and "Bones" and his brother Arthur engaging in some high-dive shenanigans. Evans's recent promotional trip to Puerto Rico, including a visit with Felix Trinidad, is also included in the latest footage.
And, of course, training, training and more training.
The third and final episode of UFC 145 "Primetime" is set to air on April 20, also on FX.
For more on UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" be sure to hit up our event archive right here. To check out the latest UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" fight card and rumors click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, episode, evan, primetime
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC Primetime Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans: Episode 2 Live Discussion Thread
UFC Primetime returns to the airwaves Friday night, building anticipation for one of the sport's most anticipated grudge matches in UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones vs. No. 1 contender Rashad Evans.
UFC Primetime makes its second appearance on FX, focusing Evans vs. Jones at UFC 145, a fight that has been more than a year in the making. Former teammates at Greg Jackson's training center, both men had said they would never fight each other but that changed when Jones got a title shot against then-champion Mauricio Rua. The first episode was quite well done and it should be intersting to see what they do with this installment.
In an interview, Jones said he would fight Evans if he had to, setting off a chain of events that saw Evans leave the Jackson camp, verbal sparring and ultimately a long wait for the actual bout to happen.
Watch on FX and join us in commenting below on what you think.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, primetime
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Conference Call Audio with Jon Jones & Rashad Evans
Audio from today’s UFC 145 conference call via MMA Weekly.
Posted in: ufc, jone, conference, today, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJohnston on MMA: The man to beat Jon Jones
Which light-heavyweight is the biggest threat to Jon Jones' UFC title?
Posted in: title, jon, jone, jon jones, threat
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC 145's Jones and Evans trade some final verbal jabs, eager for real thing
Jon Jones and Rashad Evans agreed the buildup to their fight at UFC 145 hasn't been as dramatic as their separate fights opposite Quinton Jackson.
"For the first time I had people questioning my integrity," Jones said of his run-in with "Rampage," which came at UFC 134 and ended in a fourth-round submission win. "It was troubling thinking I would cheat.
"Somebody calling me fake or cocky, that does nothing to me. But somebody calling me a cheater, that really got to me."
Posted in: ufc, jone, quinton jackson, time i, fourthround submission
Read the full article at MMA JunkieJon Jones Sure to Draw Fire for Muhammad Ali Comparison, But Why?
By now we should all have realized that whatever Jon Jones says will be scrutinized, deconstructed and overanalyzed. Depending on the viewpoint, Jones is either the most charismatic or infuriating athlete in mixed martial arts. That doesn't come along with the territory for every champion, only the ones that become so good, so fast, so young.Like any criticism, sometimes it's warranted, and other times it's way off the mark. And then sometimes, he unwittingly, even innocently, provides them ammunition that they simply can't let pass. Take, for instance, what he said on a Friday conference call for UFC 145, a statement that is sure to set off his detractors, and perhaps even an entire other sport.Let's set the scene a bit. Jones is on the cover of the current edition of UFC Magazine. The cover photo of Jones in a striking stance while underwater is very similar to a picture shot with Muhammad Ali 50 years ago. The obvious insinuation is that Jones may be this generation's Ali. He didn't ask to be on the cover. He didn't ask to recreate the Ali photo. But when he was asked about the comparison, he gave an answer that will surely rattle some cages.
Here it is, in its entirety:"I just find it fun, that’s all," he said. "I definitely don’t consider myself Muhammad Ali. I thought Muhammad Ali had many flaws in the person that he was, but at the same time, I love Ali, I’m a huge fan of Muhammad Ali. I’ve watched every interview he’s ever done. I’ve read Muhammad Ali books. I have his autograph signed ‘Cassius Clay,’ I have his autograph signed ‘Muhammad Ali.‘ I’m a huge fan, a huge fan of Muhammad Ali. But I’m not trying to be Muhammad Ali. I strive to be the best Jonathan D. Jones there ever was. I want to do things better than Muhammad Ali."I just want to have fun," he continued. "I never came out and was like, ‘I want to be Ali,’ and ‘put me on the cover.’ That was the UFC’s idea. So that’s the people on the outside looking at me in a positive regard. And I’m truly honored. I think it’s awesome. And what it does, with most fighters, it would probably get to their head. ‘I’m the man. Look at this cover.’ It would deteriorate a lot of young fighters. But me? It motivates me. It empowers me to train harder. And to realize that if I don’t become greater than Muhammad Ali, it’s my own fault. So I realize that it pushes me farther. That’s why I train five times a day."Now, what exactly is controversial about this? The answer is nothing. Like anyone who ever steps into professional sports, Jones has set his sights high. He reached the top of his division in record time, the youngest champion in UFC history. So how do you top that? You aim for an icon. Using any icon as a comparison is risky, but using Ali is PR risk of the highest order. He is of course one of the most beloved figures in combat sports history, and globally revered as possibly the best boxer of all time. To suggest your goal is to surpass what he's done is both completely understandable yet shocking provocative. That quote, especially taken out of context, will leave some with a taste of arrogance.
Athletes don't tend to speak in such historic terms at a young age. All it does is add extra pressure on your plate and invite greater scrutiny. If Jones goes through a tough time in the future where he loses a couple of fights, these are the types of statements that will come back to bite him. On the other hand, isn't this exactly the type of ambition we should want our athletes to have? Don't we watch in hopes of seeing the extraordinary?For now, it won't matter. Jones is likely to face another news cycle in which the comparison to Ali stands out front, despite the fact that he didn't simply offer an unwanted opinion out of the ether. It's something he's probably getting quite used to. Hearing his words used against him isn't even new. You remember the often-cited interview Jones on Versus in 2011 that supposedly started this whole feud? The one in which Jones indicated an openness to fighting Rashad Evans with a rather understated answer that noted UFC president Dana White's influence and that 'if that's what he absolutely wanted to happen, I guess that's what would have to happen."Well, Evans says now that it wasn't exactly the straw that broke the camel's back. That Jones had previously said things that were "dismissive" of him."Who cares about the interview?" Evans said. "It’s really about what was said before and how Jon really, really feels. And now I know how he really feels. Jon always wanted to fight me. Jon never wanted to be teammates and never wanted to be like brothers. Jon came on the team to learn a way to beat me so he can fight me."Now, Evans isn't exactly a fan favorite, but few will take that as an egotistical statement, even though it presupposes that Jones would pick up his entire family and move across country on the off-chance that he would rise up to title contendership (he was just three fights into his UFC career at the time) and meet Evans somewhere down the line. What were these things that Jones said? We don't really know. Perhaps that was between them, or perhaps it never happened, or perhaps Evans heard what he wanted to hear when he listened to Jones talking.That doesn't make him any different than anyone else piling on Jones right now. When we want to hate something, we look for evidence to back our already existing opinion. That's easy when someone talks with grand plans as Jones does. As if he needs to apologize for ambition. As if he needs to explain away his desire to be the best. He couldn't if he tried because we wouldn't let him. Is Jones in Ali's class? Not yet, not by a long shot. But that doesn't mean he shouldn't aim for something that seems unreachable. Let the man say what he wants, knowing history will have the last word.
Posted in: time, jon, jone, ali, muhammad
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC Quick Quote: Jon Jones wants to be better than Muhammad Ali
"It adds more pressure (the Ali photo shoot) but I consider it fun. Ali had many flaws in the person that he was but I loved Muhammad Ali. I watched every interview he done. I'm a huge fan of Muhammad Ali but I don't want to be him. I want to the best Jon Jones. I want to be better than Ali. That was the UFC's idea, people on the outside looking at me in a positive regard. I think it's awesome and what it does, for most young fighters it will get to their head, but for me, it motivated me and it empowers me to train harder. If I don't become greater than Muhammad Ali, that's my own fault. That's why I train so hard."
-- First a photo shoot to recreate a classic picture of the great Muhammad Ali and now this? Who does this Jon Jones guy think he is? Well, for starters, we already know he's kind of a big deal. And from the sounds of it, he knows that too. During a conference call today to promote his fight against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on April 21, 2012, in Atlanta, Georgia, "Bones" was asked about what it's like to be compared to one of the pound-for-pound greatest boxers who ever lived. While Jones admits it adds pressure to his already heavy shoulders, his mind looks beyond the comparison and on to the potential he sees within himself. Which is to say, he believes he can be better than Ali. In fact, if his career ends and folks aren't saying as much, Jones will blame himself for that. Is this all a little too much for you, Maniacs? Or do you like the young phenom setting the bar so high?
Posted in: jone, ali, i dont, muhammad ali, muhammad
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Explains UFC Sponsorship Ahead of Showdown with Rashad Evans
Jon Jones has a dream of one day being sponsored by Nike, but for his UFC 145 bout against Rashad Evans, he's actually being sponsored by the UFC. He explains....
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, evan, ufc sponsorship
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Conference Call (Audio)
Just over a week away from their epic showdown at UFC 145, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and challenger Rashad Evans fielded questions from the media about the fight and their long standing rivalry.
Posted in: ufc, jone, showdown, evan, epic showdown
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145 Real Time Conference Call Highlights
In case you hadn’t already heard, it turns out UFC light heavyweights Jon Jones and Rashad Evans aren’t very fond of each other. The former training partners’ relationship started rapidly dissolving last year after Jones entertained the idea of facing then-teammate Evans in a way “Sugar” ‘Shad didn’t appreciate. Now, after countless clashes in the media and a handful of heated exchanges the talented 205ers will finally meet in a week at UFC 145.
However, before they settle their score inside the Octagon, divisional champ Jones and top contender Evans are set to link up today at 2:00 PM EST on a conference call with media where fireworks on the line are essentially guaranteed. As always, Five Ounces of Pain will be listening in throughout and reporting highlights/soundbytes as they unfold on the line.
Read below for a breakdown of action from today’s call:
Jon Jones
Rashad Evans
Posted in: ufc, jone, champ jones, evan, time conference
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC champ Jones doesn't respect Rashad
UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon (Bones) Jones is looking to do to Rashad Evans at UFC 145 what Georges St-Pierre did to Josh Koscheck.
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad, rashad evans, georges stpierre
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC 145 conference call LIVE updates today (April 13) for 'Jones vs Evans'
Ultimate Fighting Championships will today (April 13, 2012) hold a media conference call to promote next Saturday's (April 21, 2012) UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" event which will air live on pay-per-view.
The conference call will begin at 2 p.m. ET. Scheduled to attend will be the main event fighters of the evening: Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
Jones is the current UFC light heavyweight champion, having defeated former champs Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida to both claim and defend the title in 2011. With Evans, he'll be looking to defeat his fourth straight former UFC light heavyweight titleholder. Oh, and there's some serious bad blood brewing between the two men.
His challenger, Rashad Evans is the former UFC light heavyweight champion. Evans lost his title to Lyoto Machida in 2009 and has been on the verge of getting it back ever since. "Suga" has been one of the unluckiest title challengers out there, routinely being in the wrong time at the wrong place which has delayed his quest to get his belt back. Now, the opportunity finally awaits.
And he'll have to battle a former friend and teammate to do it.
We'll have complete updates of the UFC 145 conference call after the jump:
Brian Hemminger here. The conference call is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Posted in: ufc, jone, conference, evan, lyoto machida
Read the full article at MMA Mania‘UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans’ Episode 2 Airs Friday at 11 p.m. Eastern
"UFC Primetime" airs is second of three episodes Friday at 11 p.m. Eastern on FX. It documents the buildup to the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans clash at UFC 145.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, primetime, episodes friday
Read the full article at Heavy MMATake a look at the UFC gear that will be covering Bones Jones head to toe at UFC 145
[div class="notice" class2="icon"]The following is from an article on FighterXFashion.com, part of the MiddleEasy Network.[/div]
As Jon "Bones" Jones prepares to battle it out against Rashad Evans, watch for the defending light heavyweight champion to be representing the UFC from head to toe during his weigh-in, walkout and war with "Suga" Rashad. Although previously sponsored by FORM Athletics for his last few fights, get ready to watch Bones show off some new fight wear from the UFC clothing collection with signature styles created in honor of the reigning champ. He's flashy, seemingly unstoppable, and now one of the main faces for the UFC apparel line. Siding with the champ? Check out a few of the newest styles including his UFC Electric fight shorts, Jon Jones 145 cornerman tee and his official UFC Billboard weigh-in shirt (shown below).
More Bones Jones UFC 145 Gear
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, bone, bones show
Read the full article at Middle EasyJon Jones open to the possibility of a bout with Junior dos Santos
Fans’ desire to see the UFC ask Jon Jones to face Junior dos Santos in late May has slowed down as of late, as the current UFC light heavyweight champ has a date with Rashad Evans set for later this month and it appears Alistair Overeem may be cleared to face Dos Santos over Memorial Day Weekend for the UFC heavyweight title after all.
However, that’s not to say they couldn’t eventually face off. In a recent interview with Prickly Pair Studios, “Bones” was asked about squaring off with Dos Santos inside the Octagon should he get past Evans and was only mildly apprehensive to the idea.
“It is something I would totally entertain,” said Jones. “But at the same time, I have so much respect for Junior dos Santos. He’s such a cool dude. He treated me like his brother when we were in Brazil together. If it was somebody else, I would definitely go for it. But it’s Junior.”
“I’m not even a heavyweight so to pick a fight with Junior…that doesn’t really make sense to me,” Jones continued, turning his focus back to his current divisional home. “There’s a lot of work to be done in the light heavyweight division.”
Jones has stated in the past that he believes a move to heavyweight is in his future, even pushing to make that jump this year before the UFC bosses stepped in and said he still had unfinished business at 205.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, heavyweight, do
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones not worried about Rashad Evans’ wrestling
In past situations UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones has shown enormous amounts of respect to his adversaries. However, in the case of rival Rashad Evans the 24-year old hasn’t bitten his tongue regarding his upcoming challenger’s shortcomings. Jones’ demeanor has in large part been influenced by the overwhelming amount of negativity coming out of his former teammate’s mouth pertaining to his own ability as well as that of the coaches at Jackson’s MMA.
“Bones” recently blasted Evans in an interview where he made it clear he is hardly concerned with the former title-holder’s ability to take opponents down and control them from above.
“We know everything about him. I really don’t think he takes that seriously. I think he thinks him holding me down in practice means a lot when it doesn’t. Holding me down does nothing but kills time on the clock,” explained Jones in a conversation with Prickly Pear Studios. “It’s safe to say he lays and preys. Who has he finished from the top position? I think one fight when he was at heavyweight and then Forrest Griffin. His top game…I’m not afraid of it. He doesn’t go for submissions really.”
“When I get on top of people you see blood within the first few seconds. Instantly. He gets on top of people, people get back to their feet and start fighting again,” Jones joked, shrugging off Evans’ signature attack.
Jones-Evans Face Off in Heated Interview on Ultimate Insider
Fans can see how successful Jones will or won’t be in defending against Evans’ approach when they meet on April 21 at UFC 145 in Atlanta. The bout marks the culmination of almost a yearlong feud between the two talented 205ers.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: jone, ’t, people, doesn ’t, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC 145: Jones Vs. Evans Has Been Dragged Out Too Long To Sell One Million Pay Per Views
Imagine you're Dana White for a second. You wake up one morning in February 2011 and hear that Greg Jackson protege Jon Jones has stated in an interview that he would fight then-teammate Rashad Evans if necessary. Angels sing. Dancing commences. You know you have a surefire main event for a future show, because these are two of the best light heavyweights in the world and they're suddenly at odds. Guaranteed PPV buys in the hopper! Get Lorenzo on the phone! Joy! Rapture!
Time flies though. A full 14 months after the seeds were sewn, the two men are finally going to meet in the cage at UFC 145. Jones and Evans have been bickering back and forth since Evans made the decision to leave Jackson's camp right after Jones won the title at UFC 128. They were supposed to fight at UFC 133. Then UFC 140. They've been posturing for what seems like forever now. Has it been too long? Are people still willing to pony up 60 dollars to watch what amounts to a one-match show? Can the show hit the magical one million PPV buy mark that some expect?
Sure, Rashad has drawn a million buys twice. His UFC 114 bout against Quinton Jackson was drawn out for a while as well, and sold big. And Jones is steadily increasing as a PPV draw. Despite that, I don't believe that these guys, even with their seemingly bottomless bag of promotional tricks, are popular enough to carry this on their own anymore. Why? Fourteen months is too long for these two men, that's why. I know I'm not the only one that is sick of listening to both of them. The Primetime episode that hyped the bout did terrible ratings numbers and is a clear indicator that some fans might have tuned them out by now as well.
The UFC has actively encouraged the two grown men to squabble like children for months They act like ex-friends who hate each other and refuse to be in the same room together - yet they were able to sit down on opposite sides of Jon Anik and argue (ie. sell their fight) just a couple of days ago. Maybe I'm just burned out on pre-fight hype after falling for it so many times before, but this stuff seems pretty transparent to me. The fighters and the promotion are doing their very best to throw the wool over your eyes and get you to buy a one-match card where the champ is a prohibitive -500 favorite...eight months after the hype peaked. Are we all really that gullible? At least Rampage/Rashad at UFC 114 was an even fight. This one isn't even close.
I'm not trying to be the whiner in the corner, hoping that the card doesn't succeed. At the same time though, I'm getting kind of sick of the UFC promoting boxing-style cards that feature one "relevant" bout and a bunch of filler. That's certainly what this card looks like to me, and what happens if the one relevant bout has lost some of its luster? No one's going to buy this card to see Rory MacDonald or Brendan Schaub, right?
Well, a lot of people aren't going to buy it to see Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans either after this long. And it's not hard to figure out why.
Posted in: ufc, jone, month, card, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones compared to Muhammad Ali (again) in 'The Champ is Here' video
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) really wants you to believe Jon Jones, reigning Light Heavyweight Champion and UFC 145 headliner, is the mixed martial arts (MMA) equivalent to Muhammad Ali.
Or was that Michael Jordan?
It helps when his striking coach, Mike Winkeljohn, says "Bones" has a jab that is approaching the level of the one made famous by the celebrated boxing legend. Or when the UFC Magazine sports the 205-pound phenom on its cover in a homage to the pugilist formerly known as Cassius Clay.
Heck, even Jones himself was doing the "Ali shuffle" back in 2009.
Maybe he is, or will be, as good at MMA as Ali was at boxing. But it's also important to note that a time came when even "The Greatest" was no longer, well, the greatest.
So does that make Rashad Evans, who will challenge for the division strap on April 21, 2012 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, Joe Frazier or Ken Norton?
How about George Foreman?
We'll find out a week from Saturday.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, ali, muhammad ali
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: The Official Feud Timeline for Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
We're still just over a week away, and there are other fights in the interim. But if you need a refresher course on the crazy back story between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans ahead of UFC 145, here's...
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, refresher course
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 146: Jon Jones Considers Challenging Junior Dos Santos
UFC LIght Heavyweight champ Jon Jones has his hands full with a title challenge from former champ Rashad Evans at UFC 145: Jones vs Evans on April 21 in Atlanta, Georgia. Not only does Evans, one of the best in MMA at mixing striking and take downs, present a formidable stylistic challenge for Jones, but the two are heated personal rivals and former teammates as well.
Nonetheless, people are going to ask questions and Jon Jones is the kind of young guy who will think out loud while answering them. He recently sat down with New Mexico's Prickly Pear Studios (video after the jump) for an interview and they got him off on some interesting tangents.
Most notably they asked him about facing Heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos. Dos Santos may or may not be short of an opponent for his scheduled title defense at UFC 146 in Las Vegas given anticipated challenger Alistair Overeem's struggles with high testosterone levels and the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Here's what Jones has to say on the topic (transcribed by MMA Mania):
"You know, it's hard to even say because of two factors: First, it would be disrespectful of me to just look past Rashad completely like, 'Oh, this fight's already done.' Rashad is going to be a huge test and I'm excited for this great challenge. And you know, honestly, it is something I would totally entertain. But at the same time, I have so much respect for Junior dos Santos. He's such a cool dude, you know what I mean? He's just such a cool dude. Fighting him is just like... Me and him, he treated me like his brother when we were in Brazil together. We did a lot of fun stuff in Brazil. He's just a cool dude. Challenging him out of nowhere would be hitting him upside the head like, 'Where did Jones come from? Why does Jones want to fight me?' I'm not saying he's scared of me, by any means, I'm sure he's not. If it was somebody else, I would definitely go for it. But it's Junior. I don't know, I'm not even a heavyweight so to pick a fight with Junior doesn't really make sense to me. There's a lot of work to be done in the light heavyweight division."
So in typical Jones fashion he first puts his foot in his mouth by saying the fight is something he would "totally entertain" and then spends the next 7 sentences backing out of it.
Personally, I'd be all for Jones facing Dos Santos but the layover is too short for him to train for the bout, not to mention that he could very well be injured against Evans and that would leave Dos Santos once again without an opponent.
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SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
SBN coverage of UFC 146: Dos Santos vs. Overeem
Posted in: ufc, overeem, jone, do, he
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones says he would totally (maybe) entertain the idea of fighting Junior Dos Santos
Jon Jones has gotten a mass of hate over the last year or so for standing up and saying he would fight his one time teammate Rashad Evans. He's even referred to Rashad as being 'like a brother' in the past, so when he stepped up and told Dana he would take a fight with Rashad for the light heavyweight title it caused a big divide in the Jackson's MMA family that will probably never be repaired. The divide cut so deep that Rashad ultimately left the camp he helped build into what it is today. Yes it is a touchy situation, but really it's not all that different from a typical sibling rivalry.
In most families siblings are competitive. The older brother usually ends up jealous of the attention, freedom and lax parenting the younger brother receives. The younger brother wants to avenge all the beatings and teasings the older brother made him endure simply because he was younger and smaller. Add to the sibling rivalry the primitive male drive to be the alpha lion of the his pride and eventually all brothers that end up living in the same 'house' for a long period of time will have to duke it out for top spot. Some guys are OK with sitting back and letting the incumbant 'king' lion remain king until he decides to step down. Jon Jones just isn't that kind of lion.
Jones wanted to be the king of Jackson's MMA and the light heavyweights and the only way to do it was to fight his 'brother' for the title. Sticky situation but primal desire can drive someone to get what they want by any means necessary. Thanks to Rashad losing the belt to Machida and then an injury the two have delayed the ultimate brotherly battle for over a year. Next weekend the two will finally get to release all the pent up anger and frustration at UFC 145 in Atlanta. Should Jones win and retain the light heavy weight title, some folks are already asking if he would be willing to step in and fight another guy he considers to be 'like a brother and a really cool dude' -Junior Dos Santos.
Check out this Jones talking casually with PricklyPearStudios.com this week about his all of the drama surrounding his relationship with Rashad Evans, the upcoming fight and even how he would feel about stepping in for Reem to fight JDS. Not only would Jones have to pack on a good twenty pounds or so, that would also mean he'd be fighting two title fights in about a month's time period. The idea is absolute madness but utterly amazing all at once. Check it out-Jones starts discussing JDS at about the 6 minute mark:
Posted in: fight, jone, jon jones, rashad, brother
Read the full article at Middle EasyVideo: UFC 145 'Pros Pick' Jones vs Evans featuring Dominick Cruz, Brandon Vera, Chuck Liddell and more
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is just days away from its pay-per-view (PPV) return, featuring a trip to the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 21, 2012.
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" will feature the highly-anticipated grudge match between Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones as he puts his 205-pound title on the line against former friend and training partner Rashad Evans.
So who's going to win?
The gang from MMA Interviews catches up with UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz, Brandon Vera, Ross Pearson, Brad Tavares, John Alessio, Mike Easton, and former Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck Liddell to find out.
The UFC and FX recently collaborated for a "Primetime" series in an effort dig deeper into their longstanding feud as they prepare to settle their score and (hopefully) bring some resolution to the murky 205-pound title picture.
Watch episode one of "Primetime" in its entirety right here.
The UFC also held a special pre-fight press conference that had a tension-filled staredown between "Bones" and "Suga," which only served to add more fuel to the raging fire. See them face off right here.
It's (almost) time!
For all the news and notes surrounding UFC 145 check out our comprehensive news archive right here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, right, champion, entirety right
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Gets Another Muhammad Ali Reference
A few days ago, Jon Jones was part of a photo-shoot that recreated an iconic Muhammad Ali image for the cover of UFC Magazine. Today, a new UFC 145 promo has been released, and while all of the other event promos have been excellent, this one, I didn't really enjoy that much. It's a pretty awful song, and again they made yet another ridiculous reference to Ali.
To quote Brent Brookhouse when he talked about the comparison:
In the video, photographer Michael Muller says that Jones is "our 21st century Muhammad Ali" which is a ridiculous statement on a number of levels, but hey...we live in an age where nothing is it's own original something and has to be the "new" version of something.
He's a tremendous athlete and a beast of a fighter, but he is nothing like Ali. Sure, I do get why they're doing it, but Jon Jones, is Jon Jones. There's no one that's like him either, so they don't really need to make these silly comparisons.
"The Champ Is Here" -- Check out the video:
Check out the other excellent UFC 145 Promos: UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans With Another Impersonation of His Mom | UFC 145: Jon Jones And Rashad Evans Get Heated On 'Ultimate Insider' | UFC 145 Primetime Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans - Episode 1 | UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans Vs. Jon Jones Preview - 'The Payback'
There's another UFC 145 promo that has been released, and it is much better than this Ali promo. Watch it after the jump.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, video, ali
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones would 'totally entertain' fighting Junior dos Santos at UFC 146
submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [8 comments]
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, do, mattyblayze
Read the full article at RedditJon Jones would 'totally entertain' fighting Junior dos Santos at UFC 146
And the list grows one name longer.
When Alistair Overeem tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone and pissed off his bosses at Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) not long ago, it threw the main event of UFC 146 on May 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada into doubt.
"The Reem" was scheduled to challenge Junior dos Santos for the heavyweight championship for the promotion's annual Memorial Day weekend extravaganza, but is now facing a hearing in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) on April 24 to determine whether or not he will be granted a license to fight.
He'll need a damn good explanation for why his T/E ratio was so high and as Larry Pepe notes right here, he may already have a strategy in place.
Interestingly enough, the UFC has elected to wait until after Overeem's hearing to make a decision on who will be fighting dos Santos. That could be because they hope to see "Demolition Man" come up with a good reason for his drug test failure to clear his name.
Then again, maybe it's because they want to wait for the outcome of the light heavyweight championship showdown taking place just three days prior at UFC 145 when Jon Jones defends his belt against Rashad Evans.
Because hey, why not throw "Bones" into the mix if he emerges victorious?
Sound crazy? It may be. But it's not any more crazy than fans clamoring for Mark Hunt to be given a crack at the throne or for writers to openly hope for Fedor Emelianenko to finally make his way to the UFC or for Dan Henderson -- a puffed up middleweight -- to step up to the plate and garner a great deal of support while doing so.
Adding fuel to the flames is a recent interview Jones did with PricklyPairStudios saying he would "definitely entertain" taking the fight.
"You know, it's hard to even say because of two factors: First, it would be disrespectful of me to just look past Rashad completely like, 'Oh, this fight's already done.' Rashad is going to be a huge test and I'm excited for this great challenge. And you know, honestly, it is something I would totally entertain. But at the same time, I have so much respect for Junior dos Santos. He's such a cool dude, you know what I mean? He's just such a cool dude. Fighting him is just like... Me and him, he treated me like his brother when we were in Brazil together. We did a lot of fun stuff in Brazil. He's just a cool dude. Challenging him out of nowhere would be hitting him upside the head like, 'Where did Jones come from? Why does Jones want to fight me?' I'm not saying he's scared of me, by any means, I'm sure he's not. If it was somebody else, I would definitely go for it. But it's Junior. I don't know, I'm not even a heavyweight so to pick a fight with Junior doesn't really make sense to me. There's a lot of work to be done in the light heavyweight division."
Now that's interesting.
Jones has already expressly stated his desire to move up to the heavyweight division once he completely overruns the landscape at 205-pounds. After all, he's a massive man and the move has long been thought an inevitability.
But would he really rush it and jump straight into a title fight against the best heavyweight in the world just 35 days after (hypothetically) defeating one of the best light heavyweights in the world?
That's a tall order and while fight fans may salivate at such a scenario, it's patently unrealistic. That's all without mentioning the fact that the UFC would never want to (potentially) sacrifice its brightest young star by rushing him into a fight he's not ready for, even if it looks the opposite.
Even if the idea of him winning that fight isn't all that far fetched.
No fighter in the history of the UFC has held titles in two different weight classes at the same time and there may have never been a candidate to do so as gifted as Jon Jones. And maybe one day he'll get that chance.
But that day isn't likely to be May 26 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Overeem could still receive a license to fight and even if he doesn't, the UFC would probably make the smart play and match "Cigano" up with a credible heavyweight who has already earned his way to a title shot within the division.
Plus, it would be a grave mistake to ever count out "Suga" Rashad Evans. Believe that.
Still, what do you Maniacs think of a Junior dos Santos vs. Jon Jones bout? It's not likely to happen, sure, but that doesn't mean we can't explore the possibilities of the match-up. Sound off in the comments section below with your thoughts on this fantasy fight.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, heavyweight, he
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans Is The Super Fight Of Our Generation. Do We Care?
Fight fans love the heavyweights.
Never has this been more evident than in the past week, as the MMA blogosphere has been innundated with the stories of Alistair Overeem and his testosterone ratios, Brock Lesnar's place in UFC history as he return's to pro wrestling and the "Mark Hunt Army Of Doom". You didn't know about the Army of Doom?
While I won't deny that these stories (that together intertwine into a singular narrative surrounding the UFC heavyweight title) are fascinating for various reasons, none of them catch and hold my attention the way the upcoming battle for the UFC light heavyweight title that is taking place in less than two weeks, on April 21st, in Atlanta. The fight will, of course, be contested between defending champion Jon Jones and challenger (and former champion) Rashad Evans.
The two have been embroiled in a rivalry that cuts deeper than most of the standard UFC fare for the better part of a year, making this fight a much anticipated grudge match that UFC fans love.
And in my opinion there is a good chance that this fight is the first superfight mixed martial arts has seen in years and is perhaps the biggest MMA superfight ever.
And yet, I get the feeling that this fight is going to come and go without garnering the attention that it deserves. In an effort to avoid that from happening, I thought I'd break down why I think this fight is so great and see if I can't rally any support for my views.
First I'd like to share my list of the five biggest superfights that have taken place in mixed martial arts since it hit the mainstream in 1993. If we can come to agreement that these fights are the standard that all superfights can be compared to, then I think you'll agree that Jones/Evans is bigger than any of these were.
Fedor Emelianenko (13-1) vs Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (19-1-1) Pride 25, 2003. When the two men met for the first time, they had a combined record of 32-2-1, which is exactly the same combined record that Rashad and Jones will enter the night with. The only problem? Fedor hadn't done much to this point in his career. When they met again the following year, they had both accomplished much more, but as it was a re-match it just wasn't quite the same.
Fedor Emelianenko (23-1-1) vs Mirko Filipovic (16-2-2) Pride Final Conflict 2005. Another superfight involving Fedor, this time against one of the most feared strikers in MMA history, Mirko Cro Cop. The two men brought a combined mark of 39-3-3 into the bout and both had defeated some of the best the division had to offer. This is probably the standard for MMA superfights, as both men were in the prime of their careers and the fight was supposed to have happened in 2003 but was delayed by Pride politics.
Quinton Jackson (27-6) vs Dan Henderson (22-5) UFC 75, 2007. This was the first of two Pride & UFC unification bouts that Henderson would participate in after coming to the organization from Pride with the middleweight (205) and welterweight (185) championships in his back pocket. While both men had significant victories in the division, they also had significant losses as well, (49-11 combined) which took a little bit away from the meeting.
Chuck Liddell (20-5) vs Wanderlei Silva (31-7-1) UFC 79, 2007. This fight would have been at the top of the list had it taken place a few years earlier, but it didn't come to fruition until both men had lost a step. At a combined 51-12-1, they had both lost two straight going into the bout and neither man had much success after. It was a great fight but it just didn't have the "it" factor that a fight between two men at the top of the game has. It wasn't even the main event of the evening, which instead went to Georges St. Pierre and Matt Hughes.
Georges St. Pierre (17-2) vs B.J. Penn (13-4-1) UFC 91, 2009. Arguably the most recent superfight the UFC has put on, a rematch between Penn and St. Pierre was highly anticipated but was largely disappointing. St. Pierre was bigger and stronger and used it to his advantage on his way to a dominant four round TKO. The two men carried a combined record of 30-6-1 into the match.
All of those fights had one or more special qualitys about them that just aren't present for most big name fights. These are:
An undefeated contestant. (Fedor did have a loss on his record going into his two fights on the list, but the loss was very much an asterisk, as he was cut by an illegal elbow in a tournament fight with Tsuyoshi Kohsaka early in his career. A winner was needed due to the tournament format, and Kohsaka moved on.) As such, he was widely considered to be undefeated prior to both fights.
Significant divisional relevance. The only fight that wasn't for a championship was the fight between Liddell and Silva. Had it been for the UFC title, it would undeniably have been a bigger fight than it was. Still, the fight was important because of the long stretch of time that both Silva and Liddell dominated the 205 pound division.
Long term dominance. This ties into the second quality, as a fight can't really be considered significant to the division if the two men contesting it haven't ruled the roost for some time. Other than the first Fedor/Big Nog fight, when Fedor was largely untested, each of the contestants had dominated their respective divisions for quite some time going into the matches.
So how does Jones and Evans stack up?Undefeated opponent? Check. Jones has a loss in the same way that Fedor had a loss. He beat Matt Hamill down, only to be disqualified due to illegal elbow strikes. Hamill would have been able to continue had he not hurt his shoulder earlier in the fight, thus many people consider this not an official loss.
Significant divisional relevance? Check. The fight is for a championship at a time when there is a distinct lack of contenders. Why? Because Jones and Evans have beaten them all down. Dan Henderson looms in the background but aside from him, it's pretty likely that the winner of this fight rules the roost for a long time to come.
Long term dominance? Check. Between the two of them, Jones and Evans have dispatched a ridiculous list of top fighters. In no particular order, they have defeated Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Lyoto Machida, Phil Davis, Quinton Jackson, Shogun Rua, Ryan Bader, Forrest Griffin, Thiago Silva and Brandon Vera. That includes all the 205 pound champions since 2005. In fact, the only 205 pound UFC champs that Evans and Jones haven't beaten are Randy Couture and Vitor Belfort, both of whom left the division before either of our hero's came onto the scene.
Now let's look at some of the issues that took away from these superfights of the past.
Two fighters in their prime. Fedor, Big Nog and Cro Cop were all in their prime when they met up. St. Pierre and Penn were also at the very best they would ever be. Jackson and Henderson were perhaps on the back end of their primes, while Liddell and Silva were undoubtedly on the way down.
Both Jones and Evans are in their prime. Evans is a little on the older side, but he's fought so rarely in the past couple of years that he truly is a young 32. Jones is a little on the younger side, but he is coming off a year described by many as the greatest calender year in MMA history, so if he isn't in his prime now, lord help us when he does actually reach it.
Lack of Accomplishment at the time of the fight. Looking back at the first fight between Fedor and Big Nog, we now know just how significant it was. At the time though, Fedor was an underdog to Nogueira, which suggests that his greatness hadn't been truly realized. Of course,after Fedor beat Nog down from within the Brazilian's guard, he would be looked at much differently.
Both Jones and Evans already have signature victories. For Evans, it's his knockout of Chuck Liddell. For Jones, it's difficult to separate his destructions of Shogun, Rampage and Lyoto and put one above the other two, but taken as a whole, it is definitely a statement that he is the division's present.
When you take all these elements into consideration, you are left with a pretty compelling argument that Evans/Jones could be, on paper, the greatest MMA fight of all time.
Will it play out that way? I think there is a good chance that it will. Neither man has what you would call one-punch power, although Evans does have a couple of big time knockouts. They both excel at getting the fight where they want it and dominating their opponent from there, which suggests that we might be in for a back and forth 25 minute war.
Think about the way Jones has looked up to this point. He has barely lost a round and has never been dominated for any extended period of time.
Imagine if Evans was able to get a takedown in the first round and do some damage to Jones. The electricity in the building, in bars and in the living rooms of fight fans around the world between rounds would be off the charts. And if Jones was able to come back and get Evans to the mat in the second round? I can barely contain my excitement when I think of the prospects.
Oh but wait, there is a chance Overeem could get licensed on April 24th?
Forget UFC 145, let's do a week long camp out in front of the NSAC hearing building.
Who's with me?
Posted in: ufc, fight, time, jone, evan
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendUFC 145 ‘Jones vs. Evans’ Live Results and Play-by-Play
Sherdog.com will report from the Philips Arena in Atlanta at approximately 7 p.m. ET with play-by-play and live results of UFC 145, headlined by a light heavyweight title bout between champion Jon Jones and challenger Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, playbyplay sherdogcom, philips arena
Read the full article at SherdogJon Jones and Rashad Evans get heated during recent face-to-face interview
As excited as fans are to finally see light heavyweight champ Jon Jones defend his title against former training partner Rashad Evans it appears both fighters are equally anxious to settle their score inside a cage. And, though the championship may be highly sought after, the personal satisfaction of beating the other seems to outweigh the value of any metal trinket given the animosity between the two.
Those feelings boiled over this week on Ultimate Insider when Jones and Evans came together to address the plethora of issues surrounding their April 21 scrap at UFC 145. Among the topics discussed in the segment were Greg Jackson’s decision to corner Jones, a fact “Bones” brought up was in part related to Evans’ negative remarks about the team.
“The history? I made that history. What are you talking about? I’m the one that helped make the history,” responded Evans after Jones mentioned he’d “bashed” Jackson MMA’s reputation. “You came into it. Don’t talk about the history when you have no roots in the history. I helped make Greg Jackson. I helped to make them the reason why you even wanted to come there and train. So don’t talk to me about the history of the team, bro. Don’t talk about the history of that program because motherfu*ker I made that program!”
Later in the conversation Jones also addressed Evans’ overwhelming confidence in his ability to win their fight based on the knowledge he gained while the two were teammates, smirking at the notion of Evans having any clue as to what he was working on more than a year after their split.
“Trust me, I know the ways I can lose and I’m training for that. You don’t think I’m training extensively on my bottom game and my takedown defense? You don’t know if I’m gonna shoot on you or if it’s gonna be a fake shot. You don’t know what you’re getting into. So you can say what you want but I KNOW just as much as you THINK that you know,” stated Jones on the matter while adding Evans was flat out “weird” based on the nature of his comments.
The remarks didn’t phase Evans who said other opponents had studied him as well and still come up short.
“When you’re in there with me I get you to skip to my Lou and you WILL skip to my Lou,” replied Evans confidently to Jones’ assessment.
Check out the first half of the interview with the second piece likely being made available later this week:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: jone, ’t, history, evan, evans ’
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC Insider: Jon Jones and Rashad Evans talk about their mutual hatred
Once again, Jon Jones and "Suga" Rashad Evans discussed their conflict, which will finally come to conclusion (it's about time!) at next weekend's UFC 145 main event clash in Atlanta, Georgia. Jon Jones is currently on an amazing six-fight winning streak, with three title fight victories, against Shogun Rua, Quinton Jackson, and Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida. Jones is already the most consistent 205 champion in recent memory, but if victorious against Evans, he will come one step closer towards beating Chuck
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, evan, event clash
Read the full article at Low KickCounterpunch: Jones vs. Evans Part One (Video)
With just a few days remaining before the highly anticipated grudge match between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans takes place, the two sat down to discuss that matchup and just how their rivalry came to fruition. On UFC: Ultimate Insider, host Jon Anik sat between the two as they presented their case on how they will win the fight, along with a few harsh words for the other every now and again.
UFC 145 takes place on April 21st at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The championship fight will headline the event, which is the UFC’s first return to Atlanta since UFC 88, which saw Rashad Evans knock out former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell.
Here is part one of Counterpunch: Jones vs. Evans:
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, evan, atlanta georgia
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyJon Jones vs Rashad Evans feud gets uncomfortably intense on 'Ultimate Insider' in advance of UFC 145 title fight
Some people just don't like each other. Others just can't hang out together. Then there are those who can't even be in the same room together.
Such is the case regarding Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and the man he will defend his title against at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia, on Apr. 21, 2012, Rashad Evans.
But, this wasn't always so. In fact, it was quite the opposite. The two were former training partners together at famed trainer Greg Jackson's gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They even referred to each other as "brothers" at one point.
To discuss where it all went wrong, as well as their upcoming grudge match, "Bones" and "Suga" sat down with Jon Anik on "Ultimate Insider" for an intense -- and seemingly uncomfortable (for Jones, anyway) half-hour of back-and-forth verbal volleys.
And it was just as good as you would think it would be.
Jones began by responding to a question regarding whether or not he seriously thought he'd ever fight Evans when he first started training with him at Jackson's MMA:
"No. You know, I knew we were both top guys, and I knew it was kind of a possibility, but I really set it aside. I really ignored it. I was really honored to be a part of the program."
That was how things started; innocent enough. But the rivalry became a reality when Jones won the belt, by defeating Maurico Rua at UFC 128 in Newark, New Jersey, on March 19, 2011. It set the stage for a match up against his stablemate, causing Evans to pack up his things and leave Jackson's MMA.
According to Jones, the drama was avoidable:
"Greg, he said, basically, Rashad is always welcome back. You know, Rashad will always be like a brother to me. You know, he spoke so highly of Rashad. On numerous occasions, he really did everything he could to keep some type of rapport. On the other hand, you have Rashad, who's bashing the program and the history --"
It was here that Evans' fangs came out. In his mind, a correction was in order:
"--The history? I made that history! What are you talking about? I'm the one who helped make that history! You're the one who came into it. You came into it! Don't talk about the history, when you have no roots in the history! Don't talk about -- I helped make Greg Jackson! I helped make him the reason why you even wanted to come there and train. So, don't talk to me about the history of the team, bro! Don't talk to me about the history of the program because, motherf*cker, I made that program!"
Whether it was for the right reasons or not, Evans is gone and isn't coming back anytime soon. Jones stated that he's been more than happy to fill in the gap that was vacated by his one-time friend:
"What Rashad doesn't realize, and I bet he's gonna interrupt me, because it's gonna be true, there's more to Jackson's than the four or five or six UFC fighters that's in the program. It's the kids who aren't in the UFC. It's the kids who don't have anything to offer. Who don't have money in the bank. Who don't have popularity or a following. These are the kids that love me. I am their team leader, their team captain. They appreciate the person that I am. They appreciate my loyalty to the team. That team is MY team now."
The conversation turned back to the topic of loyalty and how Evans felt betrayed by Greg Jackson. According to Rashad, Jones should feel uneasy, having witnessed the events that have transpired:
"That's the big thing about it. That's why I feel so disrespected. It's like, 'So, now Greg, you're gonna go against me? You're gonna go against me, right? You gonna go against Georges St. Pierre? Oh, okay. You gonna bring in Carlos Condit? He helped make you too. So where does your loyalty lie?' So, if you're gonna go against the people that helped make you, and I was somebody like in Jon's position, I'd be like, 'Man, if he'll go against some people that were with him, to help him get his notoriety, to help him get where he is, then damn, what would he do to me?'"
At this point in the conversation, the two fighters began engaging in a constant bickering and talking over the other, offering reasons why each felt that they would emerge victorious in their upcoming bout.
Finally, Jones was able to seize control of the floor to announce why he believes he will be the last man standing:
"I tell you to your face. Rashad's way of winning this fight is his huge right hand or to try to get me down, round after round. I know the ways that I could lose this fight. I'm not naive to my weaknesses. But at the same time, I'm a wrestler too. I don't think he realizes that. And I have WAY more technique on my feet. It's only getting sharper and faster and cleaner. So, you say what you want to say and how you know that you're gonna beat me, but trust me, i know the way I can lose, and I'm training for that. You don't think I'm training extensively in my bottom game? My takedown defense? You don't know if I'm gonna shoot on you or if it's gonna be a fake shot. You just don't know what you're getting into. Say what you want, but I know, just as much as you think that you know."
Not to be outdone, Evans had an answer. He believes that he will be able to manipulate Jones and make him play his game...and that's putting it nicely:
"Jon, you just showed me exactly why you're gonna lose. Because you think you know. You don't think all my opponents watch me fight and say, 'Ah, Rashad, he does this. Oh he does that.' There's such a difference when you're in there with me, when you're in there with me, I can get you to 'skip to my Lou.' And you will 'skip to my Lou.' You're gonna do exactly what I want you to do."
After several minutes of heated bickering, the discussion turned back to the early days of the relationship between the two men. Evans stated that he has always been a fan of Jones, but that he feels his reign will soon come to an end:
"Yeah, I mean, there's a part of me that will always go for Jon. Every fight that he's been in, I've always rooted for Jon. No matter what. Always rooted for him. And I just say what I say about him being fake, because Jon is not the person that he says he is or that he tries to pretend to be. He's setting himself up for a fall that I don't think he can take right now."
The topic of image was presented, specifically in reference to Jones and how his public perception has possibly changed within the last year. He's aware of the negative transformation, but he blames Evans for a large portion of how things have gone down:
"I do feel as though it's something that was Rashad's image, and that has kind of been thrown at me. You know, it's kind of like, 'I'm not the baddest guy. Jon's a bad guy too.' You know, I remember Rashad started all the way back on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) with the gyrating and dancing and showboating in front of people. You know, Matt Hughes, somebody who's greatly respected, was one of the first to call it out. 'Hey, this kid's a little on the cocky side. Who is this guy?' You know, you got a guy like me, I treat people with the utmost respect. That's a big part of who I am. And as an athlete, yeah I have a chip on my shoulder. It's completely two different people. Jonathan Jones is a great person, and I'll say that about myself. 'Bones' Jones? Yeah. He's a little high on himself. And I should be. That's why I compete on the level I compete at, and I train and believe that way."
Not only does "Bones" feel that he gets a bum wrap about who he is, he also feels like Evans is the real villain. He didn't pull any punches:
"I have no sympathy for Rashad, whatsoever. I remember you leaving Greg Jackson's and saying, 'Oh, I need a team that can focus on just me.' You know, 'I need something that's more based around me.' And now you created 'The Blackzilians.' I say it all the time. There's no 'i' in team. There's no 'i' in Jackson's. There's 'i' in 'Blackzilians.' so, I really look at you as fake. I look at you as arrogant. I look at you as selfish. I look at you as self-centered. I think you're biggest thing is to try and reflect it off of me, and make me seem like I'm everything that you're feeling inside your heart."
Jones believes he isn't anything like Evans. He resents the comparison, and went into detail about the things that separate them as people:
"Your proof is in your lifestyle. I've done nothing wrong but follow my dream. I haven't insulted anyone. I haven't disrespected anyone. I haven't been a traitor to anybody. I came to this team. I took care of the coaches. I took care of the team. I kept winning. I kept getting better. And Rashad was like, 'Uh oh. I better go start my own team.' There's no sympathy for that."
There are two sides to every story, and in reference to the tale of Evans leaving Jackson's to start a new camp, he was determined to make his side known:
"That's the funny thing about it. That's the part where you're immature and you're young. See, I would have never fought you. In a million years, I would have never fought you. I was gonna fight at 185. I was gonna do dream match-ups. I was only gonna try and help you become the best."
At this, Jones and Evans became heated and began to dig up the details of "who said what" and who they said it to. After they finally cooled down a little bit, Evans tried to get in one last dig:
"The truth of the matter is you did want to fight me and we're fighting. That's just the bottom line. You can't be the champ unless you beat me. You got the belt. You got the belt, but you ain't the champ."
That's certainly an interesting way of viewing things. Sure, Evans is the top contender, as well as the guy that most fans feel "Bones' needs to beat to cement his legacy (whether that is true or not), but the champion doesn't feel like he has anything to prove to anyone...certainly not to Rashad:
"You had this long, ugly fight with 'Rampage' where you almost got finished. I finished 'Rampage,' but I'm not the champ. Lyoto (Machida) knocked you out silly. I just finished Lyoto, and I'm not the champ. I feel like the champ in every way. I feel like I'm gonna do the same exact thing to you in April."
This fight just keeps getting more interesting. As the heat continues to rise and the sparks keep flying, MMAmania.com will keep you updated on all the latest news, trash-talk and rumors as the drama unfolds.
Hopefully, it's as good as this.
Posted in: jone, rashad, evan, youre, dont
Read the full article at MMA ManiaNumbers Never Lie: UFC 145 Jones vs. Evans
The reputations of both UFC 145 headliners Jon Jones and Rashad Evans are well known, but what are the statistics that back up these two main event fighters?
Posted in: ufc, jone, fighter, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC Counterpunch: Jon Jones and Rashad Evans Go Toe-to-Toe (Video)
As the weeks dwindle into days until Jon Jones and Rashad Evans step into the Octagon at UFC 145, the heat between the two former teammates is escalating to a fever pitch.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, toetotoe video
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145: Good Friends, Better Enemies
NOV. 5, 2005An undersized Rashad Evans wins The Ultimate Fighter season 2 heavyweight tournament. He then drops to 205 lbs. and joins Greg Jackson’s Submission Fighting camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico.2008AUG. 9, 200821-year-old Jon Jones makes his UFC debut with a unanimous decision victory against Andre Gusmao, after only eight months of training.SEPT. 6, 2008Evans earns a UFC title shot with a one-punch knockout of UFC legend Chuck ‘The Iceman’ Liddell at UFC 88.DEC. 27, 2008Driven by momentum, Evans knocks out Forrest Griffin in the third round to lift the UFC world light heavyweight title.JAN. 31, 2009Jones defeats fellow contender Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94. His spinning elbows and suplexes make him the talk of the MMA community.MAY 23, 2009Evans loses his UFC world championship to Lyoto Machida in a second-round knockout defeat, which was the lone reversal of his career.AUG. 22, 2009After promising not to fight any of his new teammates in the Octagon, Jones joins Jackson’s gym.SEPT. 30, 2009Evans predicts new teammate Jones will be champion some day. The pair comes to regard one another as brothers.MAY 29, 2010Evans wins a grudge match against Rampage Jackson and becomes the No. 1 contender to champion Shogun Rua.JUNE 10, 2010Rua suffers a serious knee injury. Rather than take an interim bout, Evans decides to wait for his title shot. The fight is eventually set for March 2011.FEB. 4-10, 2011News breaks that Evans is injured and will be unable to challenge the healed Rua for the UFC light heavyweight belt. The next day, Jones defeats contender Ryan Bader with surprising ease and—with Evans’ blessing—is offered the title fight against Rua. Evans predicts Jones will “destroy” Rua in the first round. Asked repeatedly, Evans claims he would change divisions before he would face Jones, should his “brother” win.MARCH 3-4, 2011During the broadcast of UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampmann, Jones said, “I respect (UFC President) Dana White a lot. If (the Rashad fight is) what he absolutely wanted to happen, then I guess that’s what would have to happen.” Asked to respond on MMA Live, a visibly upset Evans said, “I am no punk. If Jon wins the (title), I have to sit down with the team and decide what to do.”MARCH 19-22, 2011:Jones becomes the youngest UFC world champion in history, destroying Rua, before a intense meeting with Evans in the Octagon.Speaking with MMA Fighting, Evans stunningly announces he has left Team Jackson. “I’m done with Jacksons. And, I know how to fight Jon. I trained with him.” Evans then relocates his training camp to Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton, Florida to form the soon-to-be feared ‘Blackzilians’ camp.APRIL 25-27, 2011It is announced that Jones has torn a ligament in his right hand, forcing him to withdraw from a proposed title defense against Evans. This time, Evans does not want to wait for the champion, and accepts a fight with replacement Phil DavisMAY 12 & 15, 2011Evans and Jones nearly come to blows at a Las Vegas nightclub and they are separated by Georges St-Pierre. Evans questions the legitimacy of Jones’ hand injury. “Jon doesn’t need surgery,” he said. “No doctor will operate on him. They say he doesn’t need it.”JULY 13, 2011Another bitter pill goes down for ‘Suga,’ as Davis pulls out of his fight with Evans with a knee injury.AUG. 6, 2011:Eager to fight somebody—anybody—Evans eventually goes
on to defeat Tito Ortiz inside two rounds, looking better than ever.
But, two months later, Evans is forced to cancel another date with Jones
because of a dislocated thumb injury sustained against Ortiz.SEPT. 24, 2011Jones submits Rampage in the fourth round of his first UFC world championship defense.DEC. 10, 2011Jones caps off an incredible 2011 with a second successful title defense—this time against former champion Lyoto Machida.JAN. 28, 2012Evans easily defeats the previously unbeaten Davis over five rounds in an eliminator bout to determine the next UFC title challenger.FEB. 6, 2012Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans—perhaps the biggest 205-lbs. title fight since Liddell vs Ortiz II—is on. The fight is set for Atlanta in April.FEB. 16, 2012The former friends exchange insults at the official UFC 145 press conference. Jones accuses Evans of jealousy while ‘Suga’ says ‘Bones’ is “all fake.”APRIL 21, 2012Jon Jones and Rashad Evans will finally settle their feud, once and for all, at UFC 145 in Atlanta.
Posted in: ufc, fight, title, jone, evan
Read the full article at UFCJon Jones and Rashad Evans Face Off on “UFC Ultimate Insider” (Video)
The impending grudge match between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans may be fueled by more truly hard feelings than even Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen.
The former training partners under renowned coach Greg Jackson have been steadily stoking a rivalry that began when Jones was awarded a title shot and publicly agreed to defend the title against Evans, should he win. Win he did and would go on to do, defending the title twice against former champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida.
On the sidelines with injury, the timing has finally lined up to see Evans challenge for the belt. All of the resentment that Evans feels for having been edged out of Team Jackson by the younger fighter will come to a head. The intense desire that Jones has to prove himself over his former mentor will be realized. Though clearly packaged to sell, this is no manufactured beef.
Tonight, on UFC Ultimate Insider on Fuel TV, Jones and Evans will meet face to face for one of the last times before they do battle. Judging by the promo below, the blood is running hot through both men.
Jones and Evans will meet at UFC 145, which takes place on April 21 from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Posted in: title shot, title, jone, jon jones, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 145: Jon Jones' Coach Winklejohn On Convincing Greg Jackson To Corner Against Rashad Evans
Rivalry, betrayal, and a friendship gone sour has the mark of a Hollywood movie, and if the actors really convey their parts well, you're pretty much assured a money maker. Now take out the actors, and replace them with fighters. Add some gasoline to the fire, in the form of a former coach, and now you've got a blockbuster to kick off the summer.
Does this storyline sound familiar? It should. It's happening right now. Former UFC light heavyweight champion, Rashad Evans, is locked in to fight current champ, Jon Jones at UFC 145, but their battle began over a year ago, when Evans left Jackson's MMA over a much publicized dispute with Greg Jackson and Jones.
Jackson's MMA head striking coach, Mike Winklejohn's recent comments to MMA Fighting took the tale up a notch. He states, in no uncertain terms, that because Evans "threw Jackson under the bus" numerous times, he helped Greg make up his mind to go ahead and corner Jones in his upcoming bout with Evans.
I find that the most telling quote of the interview was this one:
"I was always going to corner Jon because I was working with Jon since almost day 1 here, and Rashad had left camp, and Rashad is actually cool with that. We've spoken many times and he understands that everybody is out there to make a living, do their thing and we've got a good rapport."But he upset me in that he kept throwing Greg under the bus. Enough's enough. You have your disagreements, I understand that, but there's more important things out there and it's time for Greg to work in Jon's corner."
It shows me that the lines have been drawn, and choices were made. I have to wonder, if Evans defies the odds, and reclaims his title, will Jackson's coaches still be taking the hard line with Sugar?
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: jon, jone, jackson, evan, greg
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans, Jon Jones address personal problems on UFC Primetime
The origin of the heated rivalry between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones is commonly linked to an interview where “Bones” expressed his openness to fighting then-teammate Evans if asked to do so by the UFC. While the 24-year old’s approach certainly aggravated the situation, according to Evans the seeds had already been planted based on an earlier exchange with Jones’ words simply causing a minor issue to blossom into a full-fledged problem.
Evans addressed the matter along with a number of other topics on a UFC Primetime special documenting the build towards his crack at winning Jones’ light heavyweight championship in a few weeks at UFC 145.
“He has a book of notes that he takes, like a book of moves. And he reads this book of moves so that when he fights the moves are fresh in his head. So I go over there in the locker room to wish him luck,” began Evans on the true origin of his falling out with Jones.
“I’m giving him daps and hugs. I’m going to warm him up,” he continued. “And I go and sit next to him when he’s looking at the book of notes and he covers it, he puts it down, and he looks at me. I’m like, ‘Damn, brotha? It’s like that? For real?’ So then I knew at that point I was next on the menu.”
However, as might be expected, Jones sees things differently than Evans, saying his former training partner has manufactured much of the involved drama based on his own inability to hold down his claim to the divisional belt.
“Rashad was the one who got bypassed through hard work. He was the one who needed to find a way to challenge me for the light heavyweight championship. And that’s why Coach (Greg) Jackson, Coach (Mike) Winkeljohn, and everyone on this team is backing me to the fullest in this fight – because I’ve done nothing wrong,” explained Jones.
Thanks to the UFC, fans who missed the original airing can now watch the episode of UFC Primetime online. Check it out below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, book, evan, ufc primetime
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145: Jon Jones Van Dammes Rashad Evans
submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [1 comment]
Posted in: ufc, van, jone, evan, mattyblayze
Read the full article at RedditUFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans Episode One (Video)
With the highly anticipated grudge match between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans just weeks away, the UFC has rebooted its immensely popular series ‘Primetime’ to feature the two as they prepare for their championship fight at UFC 145 on April 21st in Atlanta, Georgia.
The series, which has documented pre-fight camps for fights starting with Georges St. Pierre vs. BJ Penn II at UFC 94 in 2009, has since shown coverage of training camps for other fights such as “Rampage” Jackson vs. Rashad Evans (UFC 114), Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez (UFC 121), and Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit (UFC 143).
Similar to HBO’s 24/7, which shows the routines and preparations for multiple sports, including boxing, NASCAR, and hockey, ‘Primetime’ has also been praised for its in-depth coverage inside the lives of UFC fighters.
The first episode for Jones vs. Evans premiered last week on Fuel TV. The episode details the beginnings of the relationship between the two, but focuses on the much-discussed split following Jones’ championship win in March 2011. The UFC has posted the entire video, which can be seen below:
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyWinkeljohn Convinced Jackson to Corner Jones After Evans 'Kept Throwing Greg Under the Bus'
While Greg Jackson initially struggled with the idea of training Jon Jones to fight his former fighter Rashad Evans, striking coach Mike Winkeljohn, who doesn't garner the same amount of attention as Jackson but is equally important to the Jackson-Winkeljohn team in New Mexico, had no such struggle. Winklejohn recently told Bleacher Report's Ari Leveaux that he ultimately convinced Jackson to corner Jones against Evans at UFC 145 after feeling Evans criticized his former coach one too many times. "I was always going to corner Jon because I was working with Jon since almost day 1 here, and Rashad had left camp, and Rashad is actually cool with that. We've spoken many times and he understands that everybody is out there to make a living, do their thing and we've got a good rapport. "But he upset me in that he kept throwing Greg under the bus. Enough's enough. You have your disagreements, I understand that, but there's more important things out there and it's time for Greg to work in Jon's corner." Winklejohn added that he is enjoying the challenge of preparing Jones to fight his former friend and training partner Evans. "It's actually kind of exciting. It's not that hard at all. Everybody's got a job to do at the end of the day. It's not life or death -- I know people could get hurt -- but I work with Jon Jones now. Rashad had left. I still consider him someone that I would welcome in my house, but Jon's the guy that I hope I keep training for the rest of his career." Check out the rest of the interview with the brutally honest Winklejohn below. He also discusses why he thinks the Jones-Evans odds are fair, how he sees the UFC 145 main event playing out, Melvin Guillard's departure from Team Jackson-Winklejohn, Donald Cerrone's next fight and much more.
Posted in: jon, jone, evan, corner, corner jones
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones, Rashad Evans and the War of Words Before UFC 145
You might not wanna miss "UFC Ultimate Insider" on Fuel TV tonight. In the days leading up to their UFC 145 main event light heavyweight title fight, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans go toe-to-toe with Jon...
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad evans, fuel tv
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145 Primetime Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans - Episode 1
The production team behind the Ultimate Fighting Championship has just released the first episode of UFC Primetime which features the UFC 145 grudge match between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
Watch the evolution of Jon Jones and Rashad Evans' rivalry, then go inside training camps as they prepare to meet again.... this time as opponents.
Related: UFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans Says 'Everyone Is a Fighter' | UFC 145 Video: Jon Jones 'Trains' With Brother Art Jones | UFC Video: Jon Jones Recreates Classic Muhammad Ali Photo
Check out the video below:
Quick thoughts:
- This episode of UFC Primetime, does an excellent job of hyping up this match up. I have already been excited about this bout, but the way they detailed the rivalry and history between the two fighters makes it even more compelling.
- I expected this UFC Primetime series to build on Jones' star power and to make fans more invested and attached to the dominant champion. After watching it though, it makes me want to root for the underdog in Evans even more. Both Jones and Jackson had the opportunity, but I felt like they weren't able to portray their side of the story well enough to make fans want to side with them on this whole 'betrayal' issue.
Episode 2 and 3 will air on FX on April 13 and April 20 respectively.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, video, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRandy Couture weighs in on pound-for-pound debate
There aren’t many folks out there with a better understanding of Mixed Martial Arts than Randy Couture, a former UFC champion in multiple divisions during his Hall of Fame career who has also helped foster the development of countless competitors through his work at the Xtreme Couture gym. The 48-year old has nearly seen it all in MMA since debuting nearly fifteen years ago yet to hear Couture talk about it nothing he’s witnessed in the past compares to today’s talent.
Couture recently sat down with Ultimate Insider to offer up his thoughts on the sport’s best pound-for-pound fighter. Though Couture stopped short of picking any single individual based on the inability to ever truly settle the argument, he was able to whittle it down to four of the UFC’s current title-holders: Jose Aldo, Georges St. Pierre, Anderson Silva, and Jon Jones.
“Georges St. Pierre is a strategic and tactical monster. He knows exactly where he wants to be, he breaks his opponents down, (and) he’s knows exactly what he needs to do to win those fights,” said Couture of the welterweight champ, adding he has been particularly impressed by the quality of GSP’s wrestling despite never having been formally trained in the discipline prior to MMA.
Moving on to the light heavyweight king, Couture explained he wasn’t initially sold on Jones until his sophomore performance inside the Octagon.
“I watched Jon Jones in his first fight and he was flailing around. I wasn’t terribly impressed with him at all. He looked like he was struggling and he didn’t know exactly what he wanted to do out there,” Couture revealed. “And they matched him up in his very next fight with Stephan Bonnar. I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, Stephan’s gonna kill this kid,” and he did things in that fight that I was like, ‘How the heck did he do that?’ I went back to the gym myself and was like, ‘I need to slow that down and figure out how he did that.’”
Couture also credited Aldo with “animalistic intensity” and labeled Silva’s attack has involving “laser-sighted striking with amazing ground skills”.
Watch Couture’s complete take on the quartet’s caliber below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, ’t, ’ i
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC Primetime: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans (Episode 1)
On April 21st, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans will finally collide, in what could be easily labeled as one of the biggest grudge matches in UFC history. The show goes behind the scenes of Jones and Evans' preparations for next weekend's fight, and tries to explore the roots of mutual hatred between the two. Jones and Evans will dispute the UFC Light Heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia. This will be the first UFC Pay-Per-View card since February, when Ben Henderson defeated
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, atlanta georgia, evans preparations
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans Says 'Everyone Is a Fighter'
UFC Light Heavyweight #1 contender Rashad Evans declares that "everyone is a fighter" in this new video released by the Ultimate Fighting Championship to promote his title fight against champion Jon Jones at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans in Atlanta, Georgia on April 21.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Evans, a former LHW champ, lost the belt to Lyoto Machida at UFC 98 in 2009. He had won the title from Forrest Griffin at UFC 92 in December, 2008. He made his UFC debut by winning the second season of The Ultimate Fighter in 2005 over Brad Imes at heavyweight.
Dogged by a reputation as a boring "lay and pray" fighter early on in his career, Evans put that reputation to rest with big KO wins over Chuck Liddell and Sean Salmon. Since then he's been criticized for holding out for a title shot which ended disastrously when he injured himself only weeks before his UFC 128 bout with Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Jon Jones stepped up to replace Evans and took the title.
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, fighter, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans Episode 1
The first episode of UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans. The series follows both Jon Jones and Rashad Evans as they prepare to face off at UFC 145 for the UFC light heavyweight title.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertMMAWeekly Radio Mon: Jon ‘Bones’ Jones, James Head and John Maguire
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon 'Bones' Jones heads up Monday's radio show along with UFC on Fuel 2 fighters James Head and John Maguire.
Posted in: jone, mmaweekly radio, radio, john, head
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145 Video: Jon Jones 'Trains' With Brother Art Jones
UFC Light Heavyweight champ Jon Jones has released a new video showing him and his brother Art Jones, of the NFL Baltimore Ravens, "training" for his April 21 UFC 145 title fight with Rashad Evans. The training involves some Nerf guns and Nerf bullets. Hopefully no one was seriously hurt.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Jones, a former teammate of Evans' at Greg Jackson's Martial Arts in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has a bitter rivalry with Evans that resulted in the latter leaving Jackson's after several years training there. Greg Jackson has announced he'll be cornering Jones against Evans, despite earlier protestations that he would never do such a thing.
Evans had been one of the first high-profile UFC fighters to train under Jackson, joining the camp after his stint on the second season of The Ultimate Fighter in 2005 at the invitation of Keith Jardine. Since then the camp has become one of MMA's most legendary.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, training, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones spent Easter dodging ‘bullets’ (VIDEO) (Cagewriter)
With UFC 145 and his title bout with Rashad Evans drawing near, UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones spent Easter Sunday training in an unconventional way. With the help of his brother, Baltimore Ravens defensive end Arthur Jones, Jones dodged "bullets" to get in some off day training.
OK, so they were Nerf bullets, but still. Soft foam can be tough to dodge.
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, title bout, bullet, nerf bullets
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsCaught in the Middle: How Teammates Have Dealt with Jones vs. Evans (MMAWeekly.com)
What started as a rift between teammates has spawned into one of the biggest fights in UFC history, as Jon Jones gets ready to defend his light heavyweight title against Rashad Evans on April 21 in Atlanta. Before they were ever set to face off at UFC 145, Evans and Jones were both students of famed coach and MMA guru Greg Jackson at his camp in Albuquerque, N.M. The two light heavyweights trained alongside each other, and at one time promised to never let the fight game interfere with their friendship or team.
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, light heavyweights, evan, ufc history
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsRashad Evans says Jon Jones is not some 'god' we all need to pray to at night and he will prove it
In most religions the definition of 'god' includes the embodiment of the 'omni' characteristics: omniscience, omnipotence, omnibenevolence and omniprescence. In other words, you have to be all-knowing, all-powerful, all good and present in all things in order for the people to bow before you and call you their supreme leader. This is why humans can't ever really claim to be 'god'. We can't be 'all' anything-especially always present.
The closest thing to omnipresence via a human was probably Waco's David Koresh. He claimed to have impregnated 400 virgins within his commune style cult. Even though Koresh was present within all those women there were men in that commune too, so unless he it can be proven he was laying pipe to the dudes as well; we can't even consider him God of Waco. David Koresh, so close-yet so far from diety status at the same damn time.
In MMA there are fighters over the years that we have all put on pedestals and worshipped as though they were supreme god-like beings. Fedor, Shogun, Sakuraba, Overeem, Silva and even Jon Jones have all had their MMA moments of divinity. Those beliefs have all been crushed over the years though as all of them have been proven to be mortals via losses at some point in their careers. All of them except Jon Jones that is. His only loss to Matt Hammill via disqualification back in 2009 doesn't prove his mortality. Until you've been knocked out, submitted or just suffered an unquestionable five round beatdown via your opponent your potential immortality remains intact.
According to his latest yahoo sports blog, Rashad Evans wants and plans to discredit any claims to a god-like fighter status that might be surrounding Jon Jones.
"Yeah, I want to beat Jon and prove a point that he’s not this god we all need to pray to at night. He said on live TV that America could learn from him. I Googled it: There are 311,591,917 people living in America right now and Jon Jones thinks that 311,591,916 of them need to learn from him. He’s a drop in a bucket like the rest of us. The guy praises himself going to sleep. But the thing is, opponents have been buying into that, too."
"Watching at ringside last September at UFC 135, I couldn’t believe the way Quinton “Rampage” Jackson fought Jon. He gave him too much respect and way too much distance. You have to be “in” or “out” with Jon – either out of range looking to come in with strikes and takedowns, or you got to be in his face throwing and pushing his ass against the fence. He’s got too much reach on you to be in the mid-range – that’s his sweet spot – and you can’t get caught out there with him.The illusion of or the mythical Jon Jones that the other guys fought, it doesn’t exist for me. I know how weak he is mentally – all the doubts he has about himself. I’m going to be the first one to stop this kid."
"I saw an interview where he says he’s not giving it to me. He don’t have to. I’m taking it from him at UFC 145 on April 21."
Rashad is going in for the attack on Jon Jones like a secular humanist attacks spiritual religion after being forced to listen to a Bill O'Reilly rant. There's a mere 12 days left till this religious MMA warfare goes down in Atlanta at UFC 145. [source]
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, ’t, god
Read the full article at Middle EasyVideo: Jon Jones Defeats Lyoto Machida at UFC 140
With the UFC’s deal with Fox, the organization has been able to broadcast all sorts of programming, including airing full pay-per-view events on Fuel TV. Recent events that took place in 2011, such as UFC 135 and UFC 136, have been broadcast on the channel in the past month. Also airing on the channel is UFC Unleashed, which has long been a programming staple for fans looking to relive recent fights. One such fight that recently aired was the light heavyweight title fight between champion Jon Jones and challenger Lyoto Machida.
The battle took place at UFC 140 in December 2011 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Jones, who was coming off of a win over “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135 in September, was looking to defend his belt for the second time. Machida, the former champion, earned the title shot after defeating Randy Couture at UFC 129 in April.
Machida gave Jones perhaps the toughest test he has faced since becoming a top contender in the UFC, as he enjoyed some success in the first round. That success soon ended, as Jones was able to turn the fight around, eventually defeating the Brazilian via guillotine choke late in the second round.
Watch the video posted by Fuel TV, as they show the highlights of the second round, which eventually ended with Jones maintaining his title with the victory.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, fuel tv, machida
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC Video: UFC 145 Headliner Jon Jones Submits Lyoto Machida
Fuel TV is making good use of their access to the UFC library, as they have now begun to make fight footage available on their YouTube channel. Here's one of the recent additions - the finish from Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 last fall.
As we head into UFC 145 and the big Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans UFC Light Heavyweight title fight, this is a great clip to revisit. While it was eclipsed that night by Frank Mir's nasty kimura on Minotauro, this is one brutal submission. The way Lyoto just slumps to the mat when Jones releases him is a true image for the ages. Rewatching the clip (which includes almost the entirety of round 2), I am reminded just how dangerous Jon Jones can be. There's no doubt that Lyoto pushed him, but Jones responded by pushing back in a serious way, and the end result is The Dragon, unconcious, while Jones walks away victorious.
For more details on Jones vs. Lyoto (and, why not, Mir vs. Nog as well), be sure to check out our UFC 140 Judo Chops from KJ Gould and Ben Thapa.
UFC 140 Results Judo Chop: Jon Jones Front Chancery Chokes Lyoto Machida Unconscious
UFC 140 Judo Chop: Frank Mir Uses a Kimura to Break Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Arm
Does a similar fate await Rashad Evans? We'll find out in just a few short weeks at UFC 145.
Check out the full video after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, vs, lyoto
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans Believes He Will Cement His Legacy With Win Over Jon Jones At UFC 145
Rashad Evans is a former UFC light heavyweight champion who owns victories over the likes of Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin.
“Suga” will seek to take back the title when he meets Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 145 from Atlanta on April 21. The two former teammates have been feuding since “Bones” replaced Evans and won the title from Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
Evans is writing a blog for Yahoo! Sports in the build up to the fight, and this week, he discusses his desire to complete his legacy in MMA with a win over Jones.
I’m one of the best light heavyweights out there and it’s time for me to cement my legacy. I’ve beat top guys for years and years – before Jon was even in the UFC – and in a sport where everybody loses big fights here and there, I’ve had one bad night ins even years.
Evans’ lone loss came at the hands of Lyoto Machida, as “The Dragon” scored a knockout and won the belt. Since that loss, Evans has been on the hunt to get another title opportunity, taking down the likes of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Ortiz and Phil Davis.
The anticipation of Evans-Jones has been building for so long that it is likely to spill over inside the Octagon. When these two collide, you can expect fireworks aplenty.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145: Rashad Evans hopes to cement legacy with win over Jon Jones in Atlanta
Rashad Evans is one of the best light heavyweights in the game today. In fact, he may very well be one of the best light heavyweights of all time.
That statement will likely be met with malice and it's easy to see why. "Suga" rubs folks the wrong way, for whatever reason. Be it his cocky streak and tendency to dance around in the cage in his younger years or his skin color or something else. I don't even know what, really.
Mixed martial arts (MMA) fans just don't seem to like the guy. We know this because they boo him boisterously when he enters the arena for his fights.
He knows this, too, as if there would be any way for him not to. But he's learned to deal with it, to battle through the negative perceptions of him to win 17 of his 19 career fights. Now, at 32-years-old and already having accomplished so much, Evans is thinking beyond winning titles. He's thinking about his legacy and how he's going to cement his place as one of the best who ever stepped inside the Octagon.
That starts with defeating current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones at UFC 145 on April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
"But this fight is not about proving a lot of people wrong about Jon Jones; it's about proving me right," Evans wrote in his blog at Yahoo! Sports. "I'm one of the very best light heavyweights out there and it's time for me to cement my legacy. I've beat top guys for years and years - before Jon was even in the UFC - and in a sport where everyone loses big fights here and there, I've had one bad night in seven years. This is the perfect opportunity and perfect chance for me to show that I'm as good as my record says I am."
Indeed, fans and pundits alike are essentially counting Evans out of this fight, all but dismissing his past accomplishments. Part of that is because of the one bad night he speaks of, an embarrassing knockout loss to Lyoto Machida.
That's the same Lyoto Machida who Jon Jones viciously choked unconscious back at UFC 140 on Dec. 10, 2011, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
"Bones" is favored by as much as -600 by some oddsmakers with "Suga" Rashad a solid +400 underdog. That's a staggering line for a championship fight. It shows that Jones is held in such high regard thanks to his otherworldly stature and incredible in-cage abilities.
Evans assures that's not the case with him. He doesn't see his former teammate through that lens and that's what's going to give him the edge come fight night.
"The illusion of or the mythical Jon Jones that the other guys fought, it doesn't exist for me. I know how weak he is mentally - all the doubts he has about himself. I'm going to be the first one to stop this kid. I saw an interview where he says he's not giving it to me. He don't have to. I'm taking it from him at UFC 145 on April 21."
Just over one month away until we all find out.
Tick tock.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jon, jone, jon jones
Read the full article at MMA ManiaVIDEO: Jon Jones Puts Lyoto Machida to Sleep at UFC 140
We're less than two weeks away from Jon "Bones" Jones defending his light heavyweight title against arch rival Rashad Evans at UFC 145. Gear up by watching him choke out former champ Lyoto Machida at...
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, lyoto machida, machida, lyoto
Read the full article at Heavy MMARashad Evans dissects Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson
Former Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans, who will challenge current title holder Jon Jones at UFC 145, sits cageside in Denver, Colorado to offer his analysis on "Bones'" first title defense against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Wired with a microphone, Evans discusses Jones' strengths and weaknesses, as well as where Jackson went wrong in his approach to the fight.
Posted in: jone, jackson, evan, microphone evans, denver colorado
Read the full article at Low KickRashad Evans: “It’s time for me to cement my legacy.”
UFC light heavyweight Rashad Evans will enter the Octagon for the fifteenth time in his career when he faces off against Jon Jones on April 21 for the title. Since debuting in the organization the TUF 2 winner has compiled a 12-1-1 record including success against former champions Tito Ortiz, Forrest Griffin, Chuck Liddell, and Quinton Jackson.
However, at 33, Evans knows he likely only has a few more years left as an elite competitor which is in part why sees his UFC 145 match-up with Jones is so important. Though taking “Bones” belt and satisfying the personal score with his former training partner are important to him, beating the dynamic divisional king is also an opportunity for Evans to remind the world why he’s a future Hall of Famer.
“I’m one of the very best light heavyweights out there and it’s time for me to cement my legacy,” wrote Evans in a blog entry he penned for Yahoo Sports. “I’ve beat top guys for years and years – before Jon was even in the UFC – and in a sport where everyone loses big fights here and there, I’ve had one bad night in seven years. This is the perfect opportunity and perfect chance for me to show that I’m as good as my record says I am.”
To dethrone Jones, Evans believes he’ll have to avoid the mental mistakes past opponents have made by often taking a tentative approach to exchanging offense with the seemingly unbeatable 24-year old.
“The illusion of or the mythical Jon Jones that the other guys fought, it doesn’t exist for me. I know how weak he is mentally – all the doubts he has about himself. I’m going to be the first one to stop this kid,” explained Evans of his intentions. “I saw an interview where he says he’s not giving it to me. He don’t have to. I’m taking it from him…”
The bout will mark the climax of the longstanding rivalry between the two 205ers stemming from Evans feeling as though Jones slighted him while teammates. Now it appears Evans is ready to return the favor, showing a gross lack of respect come showtime in Atlanta.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: jone, jon jones, i ’m, year, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC Quick Quote: Dan Henderson wants to stand with Jon Jones, not be taken down by Rashad Evans
"I think Jon Jones is a better fight for me. His style matches up better. Jones will stand-up with me more. Rashad is real well-rounded. He'll stand and bang with me a little, but he'll be trying to put me on my back-a lot more than Jones would. Jones is real awkward and kind of poses a different threat. He's awkward, unorthodox and a little tougher to figure out, and that's also what intrigues me about it-he's different. If I had to bet money, I'd put it on Jones, but I'd say Rashad has a real good chance. It's going to be a close fight."
At 41 years of age, you would think a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter would be taking his foot off the gas and looking to coast throughout remainder of his career. Not Dan Henderson. If openly stating he desires a rematch with the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world and current UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva wasn't enough, "Hendo" also recently campaigned to be a possible last minute replacement for Alistair Overeem against UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior dos Santos at UFC 146 due to "The Reem's" unfortunate positive tinkle test. Realistically, though, Henderson is counting down the days to April 21, 2012, where he will find out who will be his next opponent, as he is expected to get the winner of the UFC 145 main event between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones. Though the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champion feels that too many people are counting out "Suga," he tells Bleacher Report that he would still lay money down on "Bones" to come out the victor. Perhaps it's wishful thinking from the former Olympic wrestler due to the fact that deep down he wants a fight with the 205-pound phenom in order to ensure his chance at figuring out Jones' "awkward" style. That, coupled with the fact that Henderson feels a fight aganst Jones would prove to be more of a stand up battle, which Dan has proven he prefers, as opposed to a wrestling battle that will likely ensue if he were to face the former NCAA Division I wrestler Evans. In just 14 days, we will all find out if Henderson will be standing and trading leather with Jones or if he'll be fending off the takedowns of Evans. Which do you think it will be?
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, henderson, dan henderson
Read the full article at MMA ManiaA possible scenario for JDS title defense
With Overeem probably out of his bout with Dos Santos, and Mir vs. Cain going to happen according to Dana, there's a lot of speculation as to who fits the bill to receive the title shot. Mark Hunt is one plausible option, as with Fabricio Werdum, Dan Henderson, and there's been talk of Fedor coming in for the fight. One option I haven't heard yet and I thought would be huge if it could be done, is Jon Jones' official move to Heavyweight should he get passed Evans unscathed. I know a lot would have to happen, but if they could pull off Dos Santos vs. Jones on memorial day weekend, do you think they would? submitted by Furyxus [link] [5 comments]
Posted in: jone, vs, mir vs, vs jones, dana theres
Read the full article at RedditDan Henderson: I would rather fight Jon Jones than Rashad Evans
Dan Henderson has come forward with his preference for his promised UFC title fight, and he is pulling no punches concerning the reasons why. Henderson said that he would rather fight Jon Jones than Rashad Evans due to how their respective styles match up. He had the following to say on the subject:
“I think Jon Jones is a better fight for me. His style matches up better. Jones will stand-up with me more. Rashad is real well-rounded, he’ll stand and bang with me a little, but he’ll be
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, henderson, rashad
Read the full article at Low KickUFC Primetime Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans: Live Discussion Thread
UFC Primetime returns to the airwaves Friday night, building anticipation for one of the sport's most anticipated grudge matches in UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones vs. No. 1 contender Rashad Evans.
Debuting after The Ultimate Fighter Live on FX, the three-part series will kick off the road to Evans vs. Jones, a fight that has been more than a year in the making. Former teammates at Greg Jackson's training center, both men had said they would never fight each other but that changed when he got a title shot against then-champion Mauricio Rua.
In an interview, Jones said he would fight Evans if he had to, setting off a chain of events that saw Evans leave the Jackson camp, verbal sparring and ultimately a long wait for the actual bout to happen.
This will be the second run for Primetime this year as Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit were the focus of the seventh version of the series. Jones has never been on the show, while this is Evans' second appearance after his fight with Quinton Jackson was featured in the third installment.
The show debuts at 11 PM EST and the live discussion will be open. Watch on FX and comment below on what you think.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, carlos condit, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans: “This fight is not about proving a lot of people wrong about Jon Jones; it’s about proving me right.”
With only two weeks remaining before Rashad Evans (17-1) finally gets his hands on former training partner Jon Jones the former light heavyweight champion has heard it from all angles regarding the much-anticipated match-up. Though he may still have some press obligations to attend to before the actual fight, at this point the 32-year old has tuned out the talking and is focused purely on the task at hand come April 21 at UFC 145.
“Does it motivate me? At this point, not really,” wrote Evans in his blog for Yahoo Sports. “There’s really not much more (Jones) can say to me to motivate me. I’m already motivated for this fight; I’m motivated beyond reason. Yeah, I want to be the first guy to really beat Jon, yeah, I want my title belt back and I want to show my former trainer what’s what. But this fight is not about proving a lot of people wrong about Jon Jones; it’s about proving me right.”
Evans also isn’t buying into the hype surrounding Jones as someone who trained with him for a solid chunk of time. While many see “Bones” as invincible given his dominant performances against Quinton Jackson, Mauricio Rua, and Lyoto Machida, Evans knows the real deal and plans on informing the world in Atlanta.
“Sugar” ‘Shad Breaks Down Jones’ Win Over “Rampage”
“The illusion of or the mythical Jon Jones that the other guys fought, it doesn’t exist for me. I know how weak he is mentally – all the doubts he has about himself. I’m going to be the first one to stop this kid,” explained Evans. “I saw an interview where he says he’s not giving (the title) to me. He don’t have to. I’m taking it from him.”
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Read the full article at Fighters.comRashad and Bones Jones Going Head to Head
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Read the full article at RedditReminder: ‘UFC Primetime: Jones vs. Evans’ Premieres Friday at 11 p.m. Eastern
The latest edition of "UFC Primetime" premieres Friday at 11 p.m. Eastern on the FX cable network and documents the buildup to the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans clash at UFC 145.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, pm, primetime
Read the full article at Heavy MMADan Henderson intrigued by Jon Jones, only wants Anderson Silva at middleweight
Though UFC President Dana White recently came forward to guarantee Dan Henderson a title-shot in the division of his choosing, the actual adversary “Hendo” will test his skills against later this year remains up in the air. That somewhat foggy future will become a bit clearer later this month when light heavyweight champion Jon Jones puts his gold up for grabs against rival Rashad Evans at UFC 145 and even more so in June when Anderson Silva defends his middleweight belt against Chael Sonnen.
However, while he may not know who he’ll be fighting next, Henderson definitely has a preference on how things will unfold.
“I think Jon Jones is a better fight for me. His style matches up better. Jones will stand-up with me more. Rashad is real well-rounded. He’ll stand and bang with me a little, but he’ll be trying to put me on my back—a lot more than Jones would,” explained Henderson in an interview with Bleacher Report. “(Jones is) awkward, unorthodox, and a little tougher to figure out…that’s also what intrigues me about it—he’s different.”
Henderson went on to pick Jones in the upcoming bout though made sure to give Evans credit as having more than a slim chance of returning the divisional strap around his waist.
In terms of his 185-pound peers, Henderson made it clear the title isn’t important to him so much as avenging a previous loss to Silva.
“I’m not real keen on fighting 185 right now unless it’s Anderson so if Chael wins, I’d maybe still fight Anderson. Who knows,” Henderson asked rhetorically, shying away from the notion of fighting his Team Quest teammate.
The 41-year old was tapped by the talented Brazilian in the second round of a meeting four years ago despite coming out strong in the first frame. The stoppage is the only of Henderson’s career in the last seven years.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: jone, jon jones, henderson, anderson silva, ” henderson
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 145 'Primetime' LIVE discussion thread for 'Jones vs Evans' on FX Channel (Episode 1)
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns with its "Primetime" preview show for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans," featuring a behind-the-scenes look as current Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones prepares to defend his strap against former division kingpin Rashad Evans on April 21, 2012 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Part one premiers TONIGHT (Fri., April 6, 2012) at 11 p.m. ET on the FX Channel and talk, complain, whine, boast -- whatever it is you do -- about the program in the comments section below.
Parts two and three air April 13 and April 20, respectively.
"Bones" is currently hovering around the +500 mark on most of the major betting sites, compared to the +400 underdog line for "Suga," his former friend and training partner under Greg Jackson in Albuquerque, New Mexico. UFC 145 will mark the culmination of their feud, which began back in 2010 prior to the UFC 128 pay-per-view (PPV) event.
Expect a "Primetime" look at their heated rivalry.
For more on UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" be sure to hit up our event archive right here. See the current fight card and rumors here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, april
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC Video: Jon Jones Recreates Classic Muhammad Ali Photo
The latest UFC Ultimate Insider video covers Jon Jones' latest photo shoot for the UFC magazine. In the shoot, Jones attempted to recreate a classic LIFE magazine photo featuring Ali taking part in an underwater training routine.
Here's the story of the original photo, taken by iconic photojournalist Flip Schulke, was explained by blog "The Year In Pictures":
The story behind the image is as striking as the photograph itself. Schulke was introduced to Ali in 1960 and mentioned that he also did underwater photography. Hearing this Ali confided to Schulke that his secret training routine involved a strenuous underwater workout. The boxer would allow Schulke to photograph him if he could guarantee that the pictures would appear in LIFE. Schulke got the O.K., the session proceeded early the next week, and the pictures dutifully ran in the magazine. It was not until decades later that Ali confessed that it had all been an elaborate ruse on his part to get into the magazine.
Pretty classic Ali.
In the video, photographer Michael Muller says that Jones is "our 21st century Muhammad Ali" which is a ridiculous statement on a number of levels, but hey...we live in an age where nothing is it's own original something and has to be the "new" version of something.
The video of Jones recreating the photo is after the jump...
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
The video:
Posted in: jone, video, ali, photo, schulke
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowVideo: Jon Jones 'UFC Magazine' cover photo shoot sneak peak
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones is the 21st Century version of legendary boxing icon Muhammed Ali?
Michael Muller, photographer, seems to think so:
"Jon is our 21st Century Muhammed Ali in my opinion, and we're taking him underwater and kind of putting my spin on it."
Indeed, Muller coaxed the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion's youngest world champion ever to hop in a pool and put a modern spin on a classic concept. One that Jones didn't seem to mind:
"Muhammed Ali is one of the best of all-time. So to be compared to him, and to have opportunities like this, it's mind-blowing. I'm extremely grateful for it and I'm going to continue to work hard so more things come like this."
Jones, of course, took time out of his training schedule to swim, smile and light his fight gloves on fire, all for the sake of art. When he's not modeling, or walking down Brazilian catwalks, he's preparing to defend his 205-pound title against nemesis Rashad Evans later this month (April 21, 2012) at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
If he has his way, he'll keep smiling once he walks down the Octagon steps on fight night.
Check out the classic pic of Ali after the jump and lets us know how you think Jones stacks up:
For more on "Bones'" upcoming title defense, Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, in the UFC 145 main event be sure to check out our complete fight archive right here.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, ali, muhammed
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans breaks down Jon Jones’ win over Quinton Jackson from ringside
In the continuing promotion for this month’s much-anticipated match-up between UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones and rival Rashad Evans, the UFC has given fans an intimate look into the mindset of the hungry contender by filming his reaction to Jones’ bout September scrap against Quinton Jackson. In the clip, featured on this week’s episode of Ultimate Insider, Evans provides real-time insight on what’s occurring inside the ring and how he would approach things differently.
“It’s like this – you’ve gotta either be in or you gotta be out,” explained Evans a few rounds into the one-sided affair. “Jon is long so (Jackson) has to be in or out. He can’t be taking those kicks from the outside, he can’t be at the end of his jab. If you’re at the end of his jab you’re in the wrong position because Jon is fighting very comfortable. Make him uncomfortable. Put your head right there on his chest.”
Evans Thinks Experience Will Make the Difference in Title-Fight
At the time, though they didn’t know it, Jones-Evans would each compete another time before finally facing off to settle their personal and professional scores. Jones went on to beat Jackson, then Lyoto Machida in December, while Evans returned to the ring in late January where he outpointed Phil Davis on FOX.
Jones-Evans meet on April 21 in Atlanta at UFC 145. The first episode of a three-part UFC Primetime series chronicling their journey to the event airs this Friday night on FX at 11:00 PM EST.
Watch Evans’ intriguing assessment of things below:
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Read the full article at Fighters.comCheck out this photographer who sets Jon Jones on fire during a photo shoot
Not sure what it is that would make a photographer want to set a UFC champion on fire. We’re all about freedom of artistic expression, but we’re also weeks away from a title fight with Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, and if Jon Jones sustains burn injuries prior to his fight with Rashad Evans at UFC 145, Dana White’s twitter account might scatter traces of nuclear [explitive] fallout. Perhaps we’re over-reacting like a protective Jewish mother. Maybe this photographer is also a pyrotechnic specialist and he was 100% sure that nothing could possibly go wrong by setting Jon Jones on fire. To the best of our knowledge, everything turned out alright, and you can watch this behind-the-scenes look at Jon Jones getting his photos taken for UFC magazine knowing that no elite athletes were hurt in the making of this video.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, ufc champion
Read the full article at Middle EasyRashad Evans: My whole career has been leading to UFC 145 with Jon Jones (Yahoo! Sports)
Jon Jones isn't the saint – or fighter – everything thinks he is, and Rashad Evans is out to prove it in UFC 145.
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, evan, saint –
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsRashad Evans: My whole career has been leading to UFC 145 with Jon Jones (Yahoo! Sports)
Jon Jones isn't the saint – or fighter – everyone thinks he is, and Rashad Evans is out to prove it in UFC 145.
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, evan, saint –
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsBehind The Scenes: Jon Jones UFC Photoshoot
A behind the scenes look at Jon Jones’ recent ‘UFC Magazine’ cover shoot.
UFC Ultimate Insider airs every Tuesday at 10:30pm ET on FUEL TV.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, scene, insider airs
Read the full article at MMA ConvertRashad Evans Dissects Jon Jones vs. Rampage
From UFC Ultimate Insider, “Full Blast” features ringside commentary from Rashad Evans as he watches Jon Jones take on Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
UFC Ultimate Insider airs every Tuesday at 10:30pm ET on FUEL TV.
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, insider, insider airs
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans Analyzes Jon Jones Vs. Rampage Jackson
Fuel TV has released this very interesting video of Rashad Evans analyzing Jon Jones' UFC 135 title defense against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Evans, of course, will challenge Jones for the title at UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta Georgia. Evans famously beat Rampage by decision at UFC 114 after one of the bitterest feuds in UFC history.
Of course his feud with former teammate Jon Jones has, if anything, been even more bitter.
Some notes from Evans commentary:
He's critical of Rampage for letting himself get pushed into the fence, fighting at the wrong range and standing right in front of Jones "watching him" instead of attacking.
He's very complimentary of Jones' use of southpaw stance but also says he thinks that is the position from which Jones may be the most vulnerable.
Pre-fight he's very emphatic that Jackson needs to be "right in Jones' chest" and fight up-close and inside.
Rashad's tip for fighting Jones: "Put your head right on his chest, make him uncomfortable."
Praises Jackson's ability to escape mount.
It will be very interesting to see if Evans can execute on any of these points when he gets his shot at Jones.
As a bonus, some commentary from #1 contender Dan Henderson on the Jones vs Evans matchup, after the jump.
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Henderson spoke to ESPN UK and here's what he had to say (HT MMA Mania):
"Don't count out Rashad Evans. Everybody's assuming it will be Jones, but Rashad is a good fighter too. Rashad got a lot of criticism for his last performance [against Phil Davis], but I thought he fought really well, really solid. Jon Jones is tough, but Rashad could definitely come out winning. He will definitely put Jones on his back if he fights like he did against Phil Davis. Rashad's the better wrestler, it's just that Jones is awkward. But Jones wouldn't be able to stop him taking him down for that long.
"They have two different styles, two different fights. Rashad is good on his feet, good with his striking, and he would definitely try to put me on my back more than Jon Jones would. Jones is longer, kicks a little bit more, stays on the outside and is awkward, and that is something I would have to deal with."
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowGreatness Is: Jon Jones – Everyone’s A Fighter
As part of the UFC’s “Greatness Is” campaign, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones describes why he loves being a fighter.
Posted in: jon, jone, fighter, everyone, greatness
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones – Everyone’s a Fighter (Video)
As UFC 145 draws closer, the UFC has continued to roll out new and innovative commercials to showcase both Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, fighter video
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyDan Henderson: “Don’t count out Rashad Evans.”
With only a few weeks remaining before Jon Jones’ much-anticipated main event match-up with Rashad Evans at UFC 145, opinions on the likely result have been rolling in at an increased pace from fans, media, and fighters alike. One man with a significant interest in how things will unfold is Dan Henderson, a top contender seemingly set to face whoever emerges victorious in the April 21 bout.
While it seems most people are picking Jones to retain his belt, shrugging off notions of Evans’ ability to contend with the dynamic champion’s diverse skill-set and size, Henderson isn’t so sure such will be the case and envisions a scenario where Evans emerges with the title in tow.
“Rashad got a lot of criticism for his last performance but I thought he fought really well, really solid. Jon Jones is tough but Rashad could definitely come out winning,” said Henderson in an interview with ESPN. “He will definitely put Jones on his back if he fights like he did against Phil Davis. Rashad’s the better wrestler. It’s just that Jones is awkward. But Jones (won’t) be able to stop him taking him down for that long.”
“Don’t count out Rashad Evans. Everybody’s assuming it will be Jones, but Rashad is a good fighter too,” concluded Henderson on the topic.
Henderson’s next move involves waiting for Jones-Evans to face off, possibly even holding out for a few more months after being promised a shot at the middleweight strap as well if he so desires. The decorated veteran holds an overall record of 29-8 with wins in his last four fights including an instant classic against Mauricio Rua this past November.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: jone, ’t, henderson, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainIs Jon Jones what ‘Greatness Is?’ (Cagewriter)
In hyping up the UFC 145 championship bout between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, the UFC has started a campaign called, "Greatness Is." You may have seen their ad with Evans talking about why he pushes himself to fight. Now, they released this video of Jones showing what greatness is.
Note: Lyoto Machida and Quinton Jackson both defended the light heavyweight belt since Chuck Liddell. Nonetheless, Jones' quick ascent to the top of the 205-lb. heap has been impressive. Will Evans stop him on Apr. 21? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter .
Posted in: jone, jon jones, evan, greatness, ‘ greatness
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsIs Jon Jones The Best Fighter Ever?
Jon Jones may be the greatest fighter of all-time. The champ has a message for anyone trying to take his belt.
Posted in: jon, jone, fighter, jon jones, anyone
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones: On Another Level UFC 145 Preview Video
We're less than three weeks away from the biggest fight of Jon Jones' career – his UFC 145 title defense against former friend and training partner Rashad Evans. Check out this preview video to see...
Posted in: jone, jon jones, video, preview, preview video
Read the full article at Heavy MMADan Henderson: Jon Jones won't be able to stop Rashad Evans' takedowns at UFC 145
You shouldn't count "Suga" out against Jon Jones. At least, that's Dan Henderson's take on the fight. According to the number-one contender, he was thoroughly impressed by Rashad Evans' victory over Phil Davis, and says that if the same fighter shows up in Atlanta, Jones won't be able to keep himself off the mat for long.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, phil davis, numberone contender, atlanta jones
Read the full article at Low KickDan Henderson: Rashad Evans will definitely put Jon Jones on his back and could score upset at UFC 145
Now that Dan Henderson knows he will likely get the winner of the highly-anticipated Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title fight between current Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, he can start breaking down each potential opponent.
One of the most decorated wrestlers in mixed martial arts (MMA), Henderson -- a former Olympic-level wrestler --knows a good mat man pedigree when he sees it.
And that is exactly what he sees in "Suga," who was a NCAA Division I wrestler at Michigan State University. Evans' skills were on full display in his last outing against former NCAA Division I national champion, Phil Davis, at UFC on Fox 2 this past January.
Evans outclassed "Mr. Wondeful" in all facets of the game, not just wrestling, en route to a unanimous decision victory, securing his title shot against "Bones" in the UFC 145 main event later month (April 21, 2012). The young champion, Jones, has yet to be taken down inside the Octagon, but "Hendo" believes all that can change in Atlanta , Ga., predicting that the 205-pound kingpin won't be able to fend off the relentless wrestling attack of Evans.
Not only that, the multi-division champion also feels that Evans has what it takes to come out victorious, despite Jones being the heavy favorite from fans and odds makers alike.
Make the jump to see what Henderson told ESPN.com about the upcoming title fight and the contrast in styles that he would have to deal with when it's his turn to vie for the title:
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"Don't count out Rashad Evans. Everybody's assuming it will be Jones, but Rashad is a good fighter too. Rashad got a lot of criticism for his last performance [against Phil Davis], but I thought he fought really well, really solid. Jon Jones is tough, but Rashad could definitely come out winning. He will definitely put Jones on his back if he fights like he did against Phil Davis. Rashad's the better wrestler, it's just that Jones is awkward. But Jones wouldn't be able to stop him taking him down for that long."
"Dangerous Dan" also gave his take on what he can expect to see form either competitor when he gets his chance to compete for the 205-pound strap:
"They have two different styles, two different fights. Rashad is good on his feet, good with his striking, and he would definitely try to put me on my back more than Jon Jones would. Jones is longer, kicks a little bit more, stays on the outside and is awkward, and that is something I would have to deal with."
Henderson will likely be the most eager observer come fight night, as he will definitely be doing some homework in the form of scouting his next opponent for later this year.
Will Evans be the first man to ever put the "awkward" champion on his back? Or will "Bones" utilize his length and keep his former training partner at bay, preventing any chance of a possible takedown?
Let's remember: Jones doesn't have the collegiate-level wrestling credentials like those of his counterpart, but he isn't exactly a slouch in the field, winning a JUCO wrestling championship at Iowa Central Community College.
Just saying.
Posted in: fight, jone, jon jones, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaGreg Jackson: 'It’s my responsibility and duty to corner Jon Jones against Rashad Evans at UFC 145'
The much-publicized bitter feud between current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones and number one contender Rashad Evans has been going on for a little more than one year now.
Throughout that time, words have been said, feelings have been hurt and friendships have been ruined. "Bones" and "Suga" were not only training partners at Jackson-Winkeljohn Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Albuquerque, N.M., they were also good friends.
However, Evans and Jones wasn't the only relationship strained during the 12 months of verbal warfare. Famed trainer Greg Jackson, was also caught in the crossfire.
After taking Evans to the top of the mixed martial arts (MMA) game in 2008, winning the world title from Forrest Griffin at UFC 92, Jackson, a few months later, decided to bring in the young prospect Jones into his stable of MMA stars.
Three years later, Jones is the one holding the 205-pound title and Evans bolted the "505" for sunny Florida to join "The Blackzillians" over at Imperial Athletics. Now, the three will once again be reunited as Evans and Jones will finally meet inside the Octagon on April 21, 2012 at UFC 145, and Greg Jackson will be cageside, giving his young champion orders on how to defeat his former student.
Appearing on "The MMA Hour" today (April 2, 2012) Jackson says the decision to corner Jones against Evans wasn't easy, but it came down to the simple fact that Jon is still with the team and Rashad is not.
Check it out:
"I felt I had kind of a duty to the team. What I mean by that is Jon Jones is on the team, Rashad has left the team and has made it pretty clear he's not coming back. My personal feeling, if I wanted to be a little selfish, I would say, 'I don't want to deal with any of it. I don't want to be there at all.' But it has to mean something to be on a team. It has to mean something, and I felt I had a duty to do that, because Jon's on the team, so it's my responsibility to corner him. Even though it's a really hard decision, I decided to go with it. It's not fun. I wouldn't call it weird, it's just not fun. I love Jon to death, but I love Rashad, too. And so it's not a position I enjoy at all. It's not something I like, but it something I think I have to do."
Once the dust settles in Atlanta, Georgia, Jackson says he hopes the former friends and training partners will find a way to leave their differences inside the Octagon and squash their beef:
"In a perfect world, they have a great fight and everybody squashes it and moves on from there, but we'll see. Life is not a perfect thing. Everyone makes mistakes. I make mistakes, everybody else does as well, so yeah, I hope it gets squashed and everything works out after that. That's my hopeful scenario."
Indeed life isn't perfect, but as we have seen countless times, once two rivals exchange leather inside the Octagon for a few rounds, the majority of the time, peace prevails and difference are settled.
Just look at Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock, or Wanderlei Silva and Quinton Jackson. The once bitter rivals aren't exactly the best of friends, but the respect factor is there and it is safe to say the animosity is gone. Then again, Ronda Rousey didn't seem to care too much to squash her beef with Miesha Tate shortly after nearly breaking her arm at Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey a few weeks ago.
Which route will Rashad and Jones take after their title fight, remains to be seen.
What's your opinion Maniacs, right call on Jackson's part to go ahead and corner Jones in his upcoming title fight against someone he still considers a friend?
Posted in: jon, jone, jackson, team, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Primetime special set to debut this Friday night
After a number of well-received predecessors, the first installment of UFC Primetime: UFC 145 will air this Friday night on FX beginning at 11:00 p.m. EST. The series, which will take an in-depth look at the training and day-to-day lives of main event fighters Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, will be televised in a three-part series. The second and third episodes will air April 13 and April 20 with FUEL TV broadcasting replays several times later.
Jones and Evans will meet for the light heavyweight title on April 21 in Atlanta, Georgia. The two have been on a mission to face off since early last year when “Bones” replaced “Suga” and won the title from Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
With so much animosity between the two fighters having already been put on public display, you can expect to hear a lot of trash-talking and jaw-jacking in this series between both Jones and Evans who have already made numerous inflammatory comments towards each other through various forms of media.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, friday night, atlanta georgia, threepart series
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainGreg Jackson Explains Decision to Corner Jon Jones Against Rashad Evans
Greg Jackson's decision to corner Jon Jones against Rashad Evans was made in the 1860s. Not literally, of course. Instead, Jackson turned to Civil War history to help him through his personal struggle of how to handle a situation that saw him stuck between one of his most revered former students and his current standout.Jackson said that while Jones and others in his fight team spoke to him about the possibility, he needed to figure out the situation for himself. In doing so, one day he was reading about the Civil War, and was struck by the way many were forced to take action to a cause they believed in, even if it was an inconvenient battle to fight. While he acknowledged his decision was nowhere near as profound as the one that ripped the country apart, he at least saw a small parallel that ultimately pushed him to take Jones' side when he opposes former Team Jackson member Evans at UFC 145.
"I felt I had kind of a duty to the team," Jackson said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "What I mean by that is Jon Jones is on the team, Rashad has left the team and has made it pretty clear he’s not coming back. My personal feeling, if I wanted to be a little selfish, I would say, 'I don’t want to deal with any of it. I don’t want to be there at all.' But it has to mean something to be on a team. It has to mean something, and I felt I had a duty to do that, because Jon’s on the team, so it’s my responsibility to corner him. Even though it’s a really hard decision, I decided to go with it."Jackson has been working with Jones throughout the entire fight camp, but that doesn't mean it's been a comfortable feeling given everything he's gone through with Evans over the years. The two were together for most of Evans' career, through his championship victory, until the tension with Jones caused a rift that ultimately became a rip."It’s not fun," he said of the situation. "I wouldn’t call it weird, it’s just not fun. I love Jon to death, but I love Rashad, too. And so it’s not a position I enjoy at all. It’s not something I like, but it something I think I have to do."Jackson took the blame for the situation's genesis, saying he didn't have protocols in place to prevent it. Instead, it was simply an unwritten rule that teammates wouldn't fight each other.Now he admits that's no longer realistic, and that especially if a championship is on the line, teammates may have to square off. When that happens in the future, Jackson won't corner either fighter, but coaches from his camp will take each side. That's already happening to a degree, as campmates UFC welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre and interim champ Carlos Condit were once scheduled to fight, and will again face that situation when St. Pierre is healed.Jackson hopes that now that there is a procedure in place, things won't blow up again."Our camaraderie has been great," he said. "I thought it might wreck morale, but it didn't. In fact, because everybody knows this is the reality of the situation, everybody's OK with it. It's like being surprised. If you're surprised, if you're caught off-guard, things can go really badly. But if you know this is the way it is, when it happens, you're like, 'Well, we knew this would happen. Let's just get through it and move on.'"For now though, he's left with a difficult situation. When he arrives in Atlanta, he knows he may be contributing to the downfall of someone he still cares for. Ironically, the city was a key battleground in ending the Civil War, and Jackson hopes it is the place where this personal war reaches its end."In a perfect world, they have a great fight and everybody squashes it and moves on from there, but we’ll see," he said. "Life is not a perfect thing. Everyone makes mistakes. I make mistakes, everybody else does as well, so yeah, I hope it gets squashed and everything works out after that. That’s my hopeful scenario."
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Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones is the next Muhammad Ali? UFC Magazine thinks so (Cagewriter)
For the latest edition of UFC Magazine, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was posed underwater in his fighting stance. The picture pays homage to a famous picture of Muhammad Ali.
Though it may seem early in Jones' MMA career to make comparisons to Ali, it's not too early for this picture. Flip Schulke took this iconic picture of Ali in 1961. It was just a year after Ali, still called Cassius Clay, won Olympic gold in Rome. He was a young man who was astonishing the boxing world with his power, speed and footwork. At the time, he was like no other boxer. In the early 60s, he won 19 straight bouts and seemed invincible. Does that remind you of anyone?
Posted in: ufc, jone, picture, ali, boxing world
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsDan Henderson Feels Rashad Evans Has What It Takes To Defeat Jon Jones
Count Dan Henderson among the minority around MMA, as “Hendo” feels Rashad Evans can take Jon Jones down and defeat the UFC light heavyweight champion.
Evans will face Jones at UFC 145 on April 21, with the winner likely to meet Henderson later this year barring any serious injury.
In a recent interview with ESPN’s United Kingdom staff, Henderson explained why he feels “Suga” has a chance against the phenom that is “Bones.”
Don’t count out Rashad Evans. Rashad is a good fighter too. He will definitely put Jones on his back if he fights like he did against Phil Davis. Rashad’s the better wrestler, it’s just that Jones is awkward. But Jones wouldn’t be able to stop him from taking him down for that long.
Henderson earned his shot at a UFC belt by defeating Mauricio “Shogun” Rua last year. He has waited on the sidelines for a chance to cash in his opportunity, and will do so as soon as possible. Henderson against either Evans or Jones would make for an exciting fight, as all three are sound wrestlers who hold power in their strikes.
Photo credit: James Law/MMA Fighting
Posted in: jone, henderson, rashad, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJones, Evans want MMA legal in New York
Both light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and ex-champ Rashad Evans have personally lobbied New York lawmakers to legalize MMA.
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Read the full article at sportsnet.caJon Jones says Rashad Evans is out for a “rude awakening” at UFC 145
One point light heavyweight contender Rashad Evans has consistently made during the build up to his much-anticipated bout against Jon Jones at UFC 145 relates to the way he used to handle “Bones” in training sessions when the two were teammates at Greg Jackson’s gym in New Mexico. Rather than be annoyed by Evans’ assessment, Jones has embraced the notion of Evans seeing him as the same fighter he last worked with more than a year ago.
“He’s talking about a fighter that in training in 2010 he used to beat. In 2011, I wasn’t the same fighter and I was starting to beat him. And with that same work ethic in 2012, you’re going to see I’m not that same kid he held down in practice,” Jones confidently stated to the London Free Press. “I love that he talks so much crap because the more crap he talks, the sillier he’s going to look when he loses that fight.”
For an example of how he’s preparing for Evans’ grappling and top control, Jones has brought in a number of larger training partners including a number of heavyweights.
“I’m fighting from the worst position he could put me in and if he’s banking on breaking me mentally, he’s going to have a rude awakening when he realizes that’s just not going to happen,” explained Jones.
Jones Wants to Put Evans “Out of His Misery”
Evans-Jones will face off on April 21 in Atlanta. The fight will mark the third time Jones has put his belt on the line after finishing both Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida in previous defenses.
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Read the full article at Fighters.comJon Jones says Rashad is merely a pawn in the game HE is playing
Every time I read the phrase 'you are just a pawn in my game' my brain inserts an obnoxious overdone evil laugh at the end akin to that of Frau Farbissina and Dr. Evil and their gang of no good kronies. It just sounds like something one would say while they are in the process of activating a giant world destructing laser beam. I doubt Jon Jones is devising some evil plan to obliterate the world but he does at the very least have intentions of thwarting Rashad Evans' plan to destroy him at UFC 145. Here's what he had to say in a rectn interview with The Sun:
"Rashad's just a pawn in this game that I'm playing. Nothing more."
"I love that he talks so much crap because the more crap he talks, the sillier he's going to look when he loses that fight."
"Rashad talks about the time he held me down in practice and how he was getting me to break mentally, I've eliminated all possibilities of that happening. I have my older brother here, I have Travis Brown here and I have a whole bunch of heavyweights that are a lot more powerful and big than Rashad and I'm having these guys hold me down in practice and try their hardest to break me mentally. Basically, I'm fighting from the worst position he could put me in and if he's banking on breaking me mentally, he's going to have a rude awakening when he realizes that's just not going to happen."
The smack talk between Jones and Evans leading up to this long awaited battle has been surprisingly low key, but maybe this is a sign the rivalry is starting to heat back up. I still can't exactly picture Jon Jones wearing a white lab coat and glasses and constructing a matter vaporizer in his basement like Heinz Doofenschmirtz, but I can imagine him throwing his head back, smirking a satisfied smirk and laughing a hearty evil laugh as he calls Rashad his little pawn. As a matter of fact I can picture Rashad laughing a dastardly laugh right along with Bones and we'll finally get to see who gets the last evil laugh in just three short weeks when UFC 145 arrives in Atlanta on April 21st. [source]
Posted in: jone, rashad, laugh, pawn, evil laugh
Read the full article at Middle EasyJon Jones Feels Like Rashad Evans Can’t Get Inside His Head
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will make his first title defense of 2012 against an ex-teammate and past champion, as “Bones” collides with Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145 later this month.
For several months now, Jones and Evans have verbally sparred, as the two have had matches cancelled due to injuries to both men. Now, with their date set for April 21 from Atlanta, the stars appear aligned.
Evans, who missed out on a title chance back in March of 2011, has done all he can to try and get inside the head of Jones, who became the youngster UFC champion ever when he defeated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in place of Evans. As “Bones” told the London Free Press recently, Evans will not control his thoughts.
I love that he talks so much crap because the more crap he talks, the sillier he’s going to look when he loses that fight. Rashad’s just a pawn in this game that I’m playing. Nothing more.
Jones knows that he will be facing a stern test in Evans, but if the former NJCAA national wrestling champion can avoid getting trapped in Evans’ mental game, he should be able to earn another victory over a former champion.
Photo credit: Esther Lin/MMA Fighting
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Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones encourages Rashad Evans to continue trash-talk
Jon Jones and Rashad Evans have been on a collision course since Jones won the UFC light heavyweight title last March. Jones replaced Evans in a match with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, and immediately the idea of the two now-former teammates squaring off became a great possibility. After having a pair of matches cancelled due to injuries, “Bones” and “Suga” are destined to dance at UFC 145 on April 21 from Atlanta.
Evans has done his best to try and use his experience as well as their personal history to gain a psychological edge on Jones, but the younger fighter doesn’t believe he has achieved anything in that regard.
“I love that he talks so much crap because the more crap he talks, the sillier he’s going to look when he loses that fight,” said Jones in an interview with the London Free Press. “Rashad’s just a pawn in this game that I’m playing. Nothing more.”
Since taking the belt from Rua, Jones has defended it successfully against former champs Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida. In Evans he’ll get another ex-UFC light heavyweight champ familia with what it takes to succeed in the spotlight.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, evan, lyoto machida
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones: Rashad Evans can't break me mentally at UFC 145
When UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones defends his 205-pound title against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on Sat., April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, he will do so as a heavy favorite. In fact, the champ initially opened as a -600 favorite.
But to hear the challenger tell it, he's got what it takes to dethrone the division deity. Not just in the sense that he'll do his best and he's training hard and all the usual tired old cliches, but because he once trained with Jones when they shared a gym at Greg Jackson's in New Mexico.
And he got the better of his former teammate.
"Bones" denies this, of course, and goes all Allen Iverson when it's brought up to him. Because, after all, we're talking 'bout practice, man.
Outside of that, though, Jones has brought in some big guns, literally, to put him through the ringer before he ever climbs inside the cage later this month. And, as he tells The Sun, there's just no way for Evans to break him mentally.
"Rashad talks about the time he held me down in practice and how he was getting me to break mentally. I've eliminated all possibilities of that happening. I have my older brother here, I have Travis Brown here and I have a whole bunch of heavyweights that are a lot more powerful and big than Rashad and I'm having these guys hold me down in practice and try their hardest to break me mentally. Basically, I'm fighting from the worst position he could put me in and if he's banking on breaking me mentally, he's going to have a rude awakening when he realizes that's just not going to happen."
These two have been on a collision course since Jones won the title from Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 last year, an opportunity he was afforded thanks to Evans getting injured and giving him his blessing.
But Jones turned around and said he would fight his teammate, which Rashad didn't respond well to and after months and months of trash talk, it was clear they were destined to meet inside the cage.
"Bones" defended his belt a few times and "Suga" just kept winning to bring us to today, just 20 days out from what should be one of the biggest fights of the year.
Sound like Jones is ready and raring to go. Are you?
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Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones says Rashad Evans is in for a "rude awakening" at UFC 145
That's according to Jon Jones, who says that if the former Michigan State wrestling stand-out is counting on breaking him mentally, he's going to have to show up bigger and stronger than 6-foot-7, undefeated UFC Heavyweight Travis Browne...
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, michigan state
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Will Get ‘Primetime’ Special Treatment
The big grudge match between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in three weeks will get a three-part "UFC Primetime" special series leading into the event.
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Read the full article at Heavy MMAGreg Jackson: Georges St. Pierre leads the way for Jon Jones to become the best
Legendary MMA coach Greg Jackson spoke about a host of topics with sportsnet.ca's Joe Ferraro, including the future of Jon Jones as one of the top Pound-for-Pound fighters on the planet. Jackson related to the reigning UFC Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, claiming that Jon Jon follows the example of the French-Canadian, and definitely has the required attributes to become the best fighter on the planet. Jon Jones will return to action on April 21st, headlining the stacked UFC 145 fight card in
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Read the full article at Low KickVideo: Jon Jones spars with tiny Brazilian, gets taken down
I guess foreign reality shows are all the rage these days.
Not long after we brought you Cristiane Santos and Ronda Rousey getting down and dirty on a Japanese program, comes video of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones mixing it up with a tiny Brazilian.
From the video description:
The first international episode of Sensei Noção, the Brazilian reality show about sick and insane challenges in a MMA world, will be released in April 14, one week before Jones vs. Evans. The journalist and Sensei SporTV´s host Mario Filho (aka Marinho), after faced and being smashed by the former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida, the heavyweight champion Junior Cigano dos Santos, the 4X world boxing Champion Acelino Popó Freitas, now put his head on the line against the current number one light heavyweight of the UFC Jon "Bones" Jones!!!! Pay close attention to the first time that Jonathan Jones was ever taken down!
Jones will put his 205-pound title on the line against "Suga" Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on April 21, 2012, from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. More on that upcoming fight right here.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, heavyweight, video
Read the full article at MMA ManiaPhil Davis Pegs Rashad Evans To Defeat Jon Jones For UFC Title
Phil Davis has been inside the Octagon with Rashad Evans, so “Mr. Wonderful” is a pretty reliable source when it comes to talking about the ex-UFC light heavyweight champion.
Davis, who lost to Evans earlier this year, was a recent guest on The MMA Hour. He was asked to give his take on the upcoming Evans-Jon Jones bout for the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans in April.
They’ve trained together and Rashad knows Jon Jones’ game like a teammate would. That’s something only a teammate would know, so I’m going to go with Rashad. A lot of people don’t give him a fair shake in this fight, but it’s a pretty tough fight for both guys.
As for Davis, the former Penn State University wrestling standout continues to work to get back into contention himself. Davis feels like having battled an experienced fighter like Evans is a positive for him to build on.
I definitely wasn’t happy about it. But right away, I was excited to get better. I got back in the gym right away. I’m glad he poked holes in my game because I can now know where and how to fill those holes. Losing is not the worst thing in the world. The worst thing in the world is not getting better.
Davis will need to show he has improved in his next bout, as it is likely to come against a quality 205-pounder. The UFC’s light heavyweight division is loaded with viable contenders, but nothing has been made known as far as an opponent for Davis.
Photo credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones Gets Taken Down On Brazilian Reality Show
Jon Jones appears on Brazilian reality show “Sensei Noção”.
Posted in: show, jone, jon jones, brazilian, reality
Read the full article at MMA ConvertDan Henderson feels he should have received title-shot, not Rashad Evans
Dan Henderson remains idle and on the sidelines, waiting for the UFC light heavyweight and middleweight titles to be defended later this year. However, if Henderson had his way it would be his name and not Rashad Evans‘ set to meet 205-pound champion Jon Jones in April at UFC 145.
“Hendo” secured a #1 contender position by defeating Mauricio “Shogun” Rua last year and, despite previous speculation to the contrary, has now confirmed he’ll be holding out for a crack at a divisional belt .
“I guess Dana (White) promised Rashad he was next for the title shot. But timing-wise, it would have been better for me to fight Jones, and then have Rashad fight the winner,” said Henderson, in an interview with ESPN. “That would have been better than having Rashad come right back after fighting Phil Davis, and it’s probably going to be pushed again if Rashad wins because he’s going to have to fight me pretty quickly, as well.”
Henderson also added he knows nothing is set, but mentioned he felt it was the only logical scenario, stating, “The only fight that makes sense is a title shot, I was hoping to jump the line in front of Rashad, but I’ve got to wait until Rashad fights Jon Jones and then I’ll fight the winner.”
Reports have claimed Henderson to have turned down bouts with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and a rematch with Rua over the past few months. Now, with his recent statements, it’s clear exactly why.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, henderson, rashad
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainDan Henderson confirms he is waiting for winner of Jon Jones-Rashad Evans fight
Legendary light heavyweight Dan Henderson cleared up speculation on his future plans over the weekend in an interview where he confirmed notions his sole interest at the moment lies in receiving a shot at the winner of Jon Jones’ upcoming title-defense against rival Rashad Evans. Prior to his recent statements on the matter Henderson had only denied turning down a match-up with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira rather than dismissing all other opponents as options save for Jones/Evans.
“The only fight that makes sense is a title shot, I was hoping to jump the line in front of Rashad, but I’ve got to wait until Rashad fights Jon Jones and then I’ll fight the winner,” said Henderson to ESPN.
“I guess Dana promised Rashad he was next for the title shot,” the 41-year old continued before expressing his opinion that the UFC had erred in going that route. “Timing wise, it would have been better for me to fight Jones, and then have Rashad fight the winner. That would have been better than having Rashad come right back after fighting Phil Davis, and (timing) is probably going to be pushed again if Rashad wins because he’s going to have to fight me pretty quickly as well.”
Henderson Wants to Fight at Least Four More Times Before Retiring
Jones and Evans meet on April 21 in the main event at UFC 145. Henderson has been twiddling his thumbs since November when he turned in a Fight of the Year performance with Mauricio Rua. Including the decision nod over “Shogun”, the 29-8 former PRIDE and Strikeforce champion has won his last four bouts including finishes of Rafael Cavalcante, Renato Sobral, and Fedor Emelianenko.
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Read the full article at Fighters.comVideo: Jon Jones Submits Rampage Jackson at UFC 135
We're just one month away from Jon Jones' light heavyweight title defense against arch rival Rashad Evans at UFC 145. How about a look back at his UFC 135 defense against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson courtesy of Fuel TV?
Posted in: ufc, jone, rampage jackson, rashad evans, defense
Read the full article at Low KickDan Henderson feels he should have received title shot against Jon Jones ahead of Rashad Evans
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira? No Thanks. How about a fight with "The Dragon" Lyoto Machida? Next. A rematch against Mauricio Rua? Pass.
Dan Henderson seems to be one of the hardest guys to please for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) matchmakers these days.
After reportedly passing up a fight against "Lil' Nog," another go around against "Shogun," and a potential thriller against Machida, "Hendo" has made his feelings felt that he will only fight someone who is holding UFC gold his next time out. Preferably, whoever is holding the UFC Light Heavyweight title, Jon Jones or Rashad Evans.
After defeating Rua at UFC 139 on Nov. 19, 2011, in what proved to be one of the best fights of the year, Henderson believed his outing was good enough to earn a title shot ahead of Rashad Evans. After all, "Suga" still had to get passed Phil Davis at UFC on Fox 2 in Chicago, two months after Hendo had secured his win against "Shogun."
The former Olympic wrestler tells ESPN.com that he believes he is next up for the winner between "Suga" and "Bones," however, Henderson feels that timing wise, he should have received the nod to try and dethrone the 205-pound phenom that is Jon Jones, ahead of his bitter rival, Rashad Evans.
Make the jump to see what "Dangerous Dan" had to say:
"I guess Dana promised Rashad he was next for the title shot. But timing wise, it would have been better for me to fight Jones, and then have Rashad fight the winner. That would have been better than having Rashad come right back after fighting Phil Davis, and it's probably going to be pushed again if Rashad wins because he's going to have to fight me pretty quickly as well. Dana hasn't publicly stated that I'm next but that's the word. We'll see. The only fight that makes sense is a title shot, I was hoping to jump the line in front of Rashad, but I've got to wait until Rashad fights Jon Jones and then I'll fight the winner."
In hindsight, timing wise, it probably would have made more sense to have Henderson battle it out against Jones and give Rashad the winner, and in the process, give Evans a little bit more time to recuperate from his fight with Davis. "Suga" didn't suffer any damage in his five rounder against "Mr. Wonderful," so all is well that ends well, apparently.
Nonetheless, the UFC opted to wait for Evans and booked the long awaited title fight between he and Jones which is set to go down on April 21, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia at UFC 145. While the aging legend Henderson, will more than likely sit on the sidelines longer than expected as he still has to wait for the winner of the monumental title fight to heal up from any potential damage either may suffer.
What's your opinion Maniacs, did UFC officials get it right by opting to hold out and give Rashad his title shot against Jones instead of giving it to Henderson? Or should have "Hendo" been given the title fight first?
Perhaps the very real possibility of losing out on the chance to finally make the title fight between the former friends and training partners (Jones and Evans) again, a fight that has been scratched twice before due to injury, was not a chance the UFC was willing to take.
Posted in: ufc, fight, title, jone, rashad
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans featured in video to help promote upcoming bout with Jon Jones
Former UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans has been in pursuit of reclaiming the title for more than a year now, as injuries have kept him from taking advantage of the #1 contender position he earned by defeating Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Now, barring anything happening over the next month, Evans will finally face off with Jon Jones for the divisional strap. The two are set to compete in the main event of UFC 145 on April 21 from Atlanta.
After the UFC released a video highlighting Jones, a similar entry for Evans was promised and it debuted Friday night during the TUF 15 broadcast.
“We were never even suppose to entertain the idea of fighting each other,” Evans said in the clip. “This is a lot deeper than any other fight that I had. It is definitely code broken.”
Check out the video below, set to the song The Payback by James Brown:
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Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainRashad Evans: I'm motivated beyond belief to defeat Jon Jones
Next month, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans will finally meet inside the Octagon, headlining the stacked UFC 146 fight card in Atlanta, Georgia. Evans will be looking to back up his promise to expose Jon Jones, who he considers unworthy of having the UFC Light Heavyweight title around his waist.
In his recent hype-up video, Evans talks about his motivation to defeat Jon Jones, and the "payback" state of mind he will be looking to bring into the cage on April 21st. "Suga" currently trains at Imperial Athletics
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Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans Vs. Jon Jones Preview - 'The Payback'
Remember that awesome trailer featuring Jon Jones called "Believe Your Eyes"? Well Jason Hehir and the crew behind that video made another excellent promo, this time to focusing his UFC 145 opponent in Rashad Evans. It's well executed and it's definitely a must watch, so check it out below:
Full fight card after the jump.
UFC 145: Jones vs. EvansApr 21st, live on pay-per-view from Atlanta, GA:
Jon Jones (15-1) vs. Rashad Evans (17-1-1)
Rory MacDonald (12-1) vs. Che Mills (14-4)
Brendan Schaub (8-2) vs. Ben Rothwell (31-8)
Mark Hominick (20-10) vs. Eddie Yagin (15-5-1)
Mark Bocek (10-4) vs. Matt Wiman (14-6)
FX Card:
Michael McDonald (14-1) vs. Miguel Torres (40-4)
Chad Griggs (11-1) vs. Travis Browne (12-0-1)
Matt Brown (13-11) vs. Stephen Thompson (6-0)
Anthony Njokuani (14-6) vs. John Makdessi (9-1)
Facebook Card:
Efrain Escudero (18-4) vs. Mac Danzig (20-9-1)
Chris Clements (10-4) vs. Keith Wisniewski (28-13-1)
Maximo Blanco (8-3-1) vs. Marcus Brimage (4-1)
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Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans UFC 145 video promo for Jon Jones fight: The Payback
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones was the first to get a stylized promo all for himself in the lead up to his title defense against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Now "Suga" gets one of his own.
Jones' promo focused on his killer skills, showcasing in slo-motion his standing guillotine submission win over Lyoto Machida at UFC 140. Combined with the soft music, it felt like such an artsy farsty piece of work from the UFC.
This promo with Evans marks a return to form. Not that that's a bad thing. Rashad is showcased hard training, hitting heavy bags and shadow boxing with the intensity of a man out for blood. Out for payback. Hence the James Brown song and title of the promo itself, "The Payback."
Within the video, Evans explains the bad blood:
"Jon Jones was a friend, like my little brother. We were never even supposed to entertain the idea of fighting each other. This is a lot deeper than any other fight that I had. It is definitely code broken. When I'm out there tired, I think about Jon thinking he's better than me, thinking that he's going to expose me. I'm motivated beyond belief. I'd give my life for it right now. I'm Rashad Evans fired up by something -- you better get out the way. It is about payback."
Whose promo was better, Maniacs?
To stay up to date with all the latest and greatest on "Jones vs. Evans" click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, promo, evan, payback
Read the full article at MMA ManiaVideo: Jon Jones Submits Rampage Jackson at UFC 135
We're just one month away from Jon Jones' light heavyweight title defense against arch rival Rashad Evans at UFC 145. How about a look back at his UFC 135 defense against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson...
Posted in: ufc, jone, rampage jackson, rashad evans, defense
Read the full article at Heavy MMAJon Jones gets taken down by Bantamweight Brazilian Journalist
Popular Brazilian journalist, Mario Filho, who is known for his daring head to head sparring sessions with MMA's most skilled champions, steps inside the cage with current UFC Light Heavyweight champ Jon "Bones" Jones...
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Read the full article at Low KickRashad Evans shrugs off notions of jealousy regarding Jon Jones
Former UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans has been sitting atop the list of contenders for quite some time now. Due to injuries and bad timing, however, “Suga” has been forced to wait for his shot at taking back the heavyweight title he lost to Lyoto Machida.
Now, Evans is on a collision course with Jon Jones for that belt on April 21 at UFC 145 in Atlanta.
The two former teammates have had some choice words for one another, leaving many – including the hosts of MMA Uncensored Live – to wonder if Evans is jealous of how far “Bones” has come in such a short time.
“I’m not jealous of Jon Jones. You know, whatever Jon Jones has in life and whatever he’s accomplished, he’s earned,” Evans said in an interview on this week’s show. “I can’t want what another man has, because when it’s time for me to have something, undeniably, it will happen for me.”
Evans left Greg Jackson’s camp in New Mexico to help form the Blackzilians in Florida. He then fought in the summer of 2011, defeating Tito Ortiz, though hand surgery prevented Evans from taking on Jones later in the year and Machida received the shot instead. Now, with a win over Phil Davis in January and clean bill of health, Evans is ready to focus on the task at hand instead of outside issues.
As for all the hoopla and trash-talk between Evans and Jones, Evans revealed none of it is scripted based on the true feelings involved.
“Unfortunately, it’s 100-percent real,” Evans explained of the dynamic between the two 205ers.
“We had that connection with each other. A lot goes into that, so, there’s a lot of emotion that’s still there and still raw,” the 32-year old concluded, alluding to the lost friendship and training partnership he once shared with Jones in New Mexico.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, evan, ” evans
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainMMA rankings: Jones' remarkable run can't dislodge Silva from top spot (Yahoo! Sports)
Anderson Silva maintains his No. 1 ranking, but Jon "Bones" Jones is the man of the moment.
Posted in: jone, silva, ranking, anderson, spot
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsRashad Evans: Beating Jones Is 'Even More Important' Than Being UFC Champion
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans will finally get his chance to take the title back when he faces champion Jon Jones at UFC 145 in Atlanta on April 21. The two former teammates have some bad blood as a result of the way Jones got his title shot at UFC 128 after Evans was injured. That led to Evans leaving his long-time training home at Greg Jackson MMA and Jones staying with the camp.
Evans blogged about his thoughts on the upcoming bout for Yahoo! Sports:
In one month, on April 21 in Atlanta, I'm getting my title back but, to me, beating Jon Jones up and proving I am the better man and better fighter is even more important than waking up the next day as a two-time UFC champion.
He also talked about his opponent and makes a case for why he is the man to beat Jones:
For someone who says he doesn't talk a lot, Jon talks a hell of a lot. If there's any validity to what he's saying, if there's any truth to him being the "Muhammad Ali of MMA," then he's got to deal with me. It's not a fight he is taking lightly, I'm sure. Jon always trains hard, and I know he will be training extra hard for this fight against me.
I heard a stat about Jon that he's never been taken down in the UFC. But I've taken him down plenty, and I know he can't fight off his back. I think my takedowns will be a key to this fight. I know Jon can take me down, too - he's done it - but I've taken down every single fighter I've ever wanted to get down, and I took Jon down time and time again in the gym. I think style-wise I am all wrong for him.
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Posted in: ufc, fight, jon, jone, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans would rather beat Jon Jones' ass then be his friend for life
On Apr. 21, 2012, the main event at UFC 145 will feature a grudge match unlike any we've ever seen, as "Hotlanta" will play host to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight title bout between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
The former training partners have been engaged in one of the most widely publicized disputes in the mixed martial arts (MMA) community, and they will finally get their chance to settle things, once and for all, inside the cage at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georiga, next month.
"Suga" appeared tonight (March 22, 2012) on Spike TV's "MMA Uncensored Live" to discuss his upcoming bout and some of the bad blood between he and the man he seeks to dethrone. First, he spoke to Jones' accusation that Evans is "fueled by jealousy:"
"I'm not jealous of Jon Jones. You know, whatever Jon Jones has in life and whatever he's accomplished, he's earned. I can't want what another man has, because when it's time for me to have something, undeniably, it will happen for me. It's really foolish for me to be jealous of anybody because being jealous isn't gonna bring anything faster for me."
After the jump, check out what else Evans had to say about his former teammate, as well as the man he used to call "Coach."
Evans was asked about the difference between his former training environment and his new life in Florida where he exchanges leather with the "Blackzillians." Rashad says his new home reminds him of the early days training at Jackson's MMA:
"The difference between training there and training here is...there's more attention, and the fighters here are how the fighters were there when I first started training at Jackson's. That's hungry and vicious and helping each other out. So, the environment here mimics what it was at the beginning at Jackson's."
With that said, Evans has mellowed his tone a bit within the last year or so, regarding his stance toward Greg Jackson. Here's what he had to say when he was asked if he thinks Jackson's is a great gym because of the fighters who train there, or if the fighters are great because they've trained with Jackson:
"You know, I will never take anything away from Greg Jackson as a coach. Greg Jackson is an amazing coach, and he's one of the best coaches that I had. But, to that fact, there are a lot of guys who flock there because he is a great coach and that is a great training environment. It's a little bit of both. He has produced some great fighters, and, at the same time, great fighters have come and trained underneath him."
One of the areas that many are expecting Evans to look exploit is the use of the takedown. To date, no one has taken Jon Jones down. Evans believes he can get him to the mat if he wants to, but he's not overly preoccupied with that aspect of the fight:
"No, it's not playing in my head, the fact that he's never been taken down. I know how to get him down. There's been time to take him down in practice and stuff like that. But, practice is practice. When it comes to real time, we'll see what I can do, but for the most part, I'm not really worried about the fact that somebody has been taken down or not."
Sometimes, a feud as over the top as the one between Jones and Evans can come off as scripted or rehearsed. According to Evans, you can believe that the venom, in this case, is completely sincere:
"No, everything is 100-percent real. Unfortunately, it's 100-percent real. It's like one of those things where we had that respect for each other. We had that connection with each other. We were on the same team and everything. There's a lot that goes into that when you're training and sweating with somebody and you're giving everything you have to that person. A lot goes into that, so, there's a lot of emotion that's still there and still raw."
Finally, Rashad was posed the question of whether or not he'd choose to be able to go back in time, change things and be lifelong friends with Jones, or if he'd rather just beat his ass:
"At this point, uh...I'd rather beat his ass. To be honest. I'd rather beat his ass. But you know, it's kinda crazy 'cuz I'm goin' off the emotion that I'm feelin' right now. You know? But, I dunno. A friend for life is a pretty good friend, so I guess maybe the friend for life would be one that lasts longer 'cuz a friend in the cage is just for in the cage, but a friend for life is something you'd always have."
One thing is for sure. When the cage door closes at UFC 145, the talk won't matter anymore and fans will finally get to see just who is the superior fighter in this bitter rivarly.
Does the talk get you Maniacs excited for Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans? Or are you ready for the chatter to end and for each fighter to put their money where their mouth is?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: jone, jackson, fighter, training, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaBest of 2011 – Jon Jones vs. Rampage at UFC 135 (Fight Video)
2011 was a huge year for UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Not only did he capture the belt early in the year, but he won four out of four fights, including this brutal victory over Rampage.
Posted in: ufc, fight, rampage, jone, year
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyRashad Evans tired of the drama with Jon Jones, ready to get it on at UFC 145
The personal animosity between UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones and former training partner, current top contender Rashad Evans has been well-documented over the past year. However, with only a month remaining before the two finally fight in the main event at UFC 145, Evans appears ready to tone down the trash-talk and focus on the task at hand – winning his championship back while smashing the mystique surrounding the seemingly unbeatable “Bones”.
Evans recently spoke about his annoyance at the ongoing drama with Jones, also adding he’d reunited with Keith Jardine in the past few weeks and was extremely happy with how his career was currently going.
“Things are going so good for me right now,” said Evans in a conversation with Five Ounces of Pain. “I feel good since my last fight and it’s just continued on with this training camp. I’d really like to fight three or four times a year. I like to have that feeling where I want to fight. As long as I have that feeling I’ll fight as much as possible.”
On the topic of tussling, Evans’ focus quickly turned to his upcoming outing against Jones where he explained, “I’m just looking forward to fighting him to be honest. A lot of the back and forth and a lot of the drama is so old. I’m tired of hearing people say Jon is going to do this to you and he said this about you. It seems everyone has their own opinion. For me, I am just looking forward to getting it on. I had a good experience in Atlanta when I fought Chuck Liddell and hopefully it’ll turn out the same.”
Evans Thinks Experience Will Be Key to Beating Jones
“Sugar” ‘Shad knocked Liddell out cold at UFC 88 in 2008 to earn a shot at Forrest Griffin who he later beat to become 205-pound champion.
“It’s crazy the way things are now and how they were when I first started. I thought things would always be the same, but now things have changed so much,” reflected Rashad before brightening up at the thought of another familiar name from his past. “Keith Jardine just came down to train with us for awhile and seeing him was nice. Keith and I said we would never fight and that’s the way things were supposed to be with John, but I guess he didn’t feel the same way.”
The UFC long lobbied to have Jardine and Evans face off inside the Octagon while both were considered contenders but their friendship prevailed, fending off any matchmaking attempts despite the pressure.
Now Evans will deal with the pressure of a different teammate from yesteryear in Jones. However, as Evans has shown in the past, when he’s an underdog he’s especially dangerous and clearly he’ll be foaming at the mouth come April 21 in Atlanta.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC Quick Quote: Beating up Jon Jones is more important to Rashad Evans than winning another title
"In one month, on April 21 in Atlanta, I'm getting my title back but, to me, beating Jon Jones up and proving I am the better man and better fighter is even more important than waking up the next day as a two-time UFC champion. Everyone knows the history between us. Because this fight has been coming for a year I've already talked about it forever. And I know I'm going to have to keep talking about it over the next month so all I'll say now is that yes, it is very personal and, yes, this is the most important fight of my life for sure."
-- UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones took his blogging talents to FOX Sports and explained in detail how his upcoming opponent at UFC 145, Rashad Evans, doesn't even has his area code, let alone his number. Now, Evans has responded with a blog of his own at Yahoo! Sports and makes clear that while the 205-pound title is important, it doesn't measure up to his desire to beat up his former friend and teammate. Belts are cool and all but pride is on the line here, not to mention bragging rights or even legacy. "Suga" is making no "Bones" about it, this is personal and because of that, it's far more important than any fight he's ever had. Sounds cliche, but this is one of the rare instances in which we can actually believe the fighter. The shit gets real on April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, Maniacs. Anyone picking Rashad?
Posted in: ufc, fight, title, jone, jon jones
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans: “A lot of the back and forth and a lot of the drama is so old.”
Former UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans has come a long way since winning The Ultimate Fighter 2 back in 2005. Since then he has turned into one of the more recognizable athletes in the UFC today and has elevated his game from that of just a wrestler to a well-rounded Mixed Martial Artist who can beat anyone put before him in the cage. “Sugar” ‘Shad has proven time and time again no matter how tough the opponent he is always game for a big fight and will never let anyone tell him he can’t win.
He wasn’t supposed to win TUF as a small light heavyweight competing for the heavyweight title yet in the finale he defeated 6’7”, 265 lbs Brad Imes, impressive considering the size difference. After defeating a few fighters who were thought to be on par with his talent, Evans finally got his big chance against Tito Ortiz and gave the former champ all he could handle in what would go down as a Draw.
Soon thereafter, Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell, and Forrest Griffin, the latter of whom he defeated for the divisional title, would find out just how far Evans had come. He had dynamite striking and was adept at using his wrestling to get the fight to the floor when necessary. In his nearly seven years with the UFC, Evans has lost only once and the stumble came in a title defense to accomplished 205er Lyoto Machida at UFC 98. That was nearly three years ago, though due to injuries and inactivity Evans has fought only four times since, winning against Thiago Silva, Quinton Jackson, Ortiz, and most recently Phil Davis.
The Davis victory set him up for a much anticipated shot at current champion and former training partner/friend Jon Jones next month at UFC 145 in Atlanta. The world already knows the history between the two and how Evans left Greg Jackson’s camp because of the animosity between him and Jones. However, there is much more to Evans than just the fight with Jones. He is as passionate about this sport as anyone else. He is a devoted family man who misses his best friend/big brother Lance Evans, presently stationed in Afghanistan. Evans knows that this fight is important, but he also knows that this one fight will not define his career. He is happy where he’s at and ready to reclaim the UFC championship.
“Things are going so good for me right now,” explained Evans in an interview with Five Ounces of Pain. “I feel good since my last fight and it’s just continued on with this training camp. I’d really like to fight three or four times a year. I like to have that feeling where I want to fight. As long as I have that feeling I’ll fight as much as possible.”
Evans had a lot riding on his fight with Davis this past January. If he had fallen he wouldn’t have received a chance to not only fight Jones but to also win back the title he lost to Machida. On top of all of that pressure, his bout with Davis was occupying the main event slot of a UFC on FOX card. It’s not that Evans hadn’t been in big fights before, but there were high expectations from all involved to produce an entertaining show after the UFC’s first foray on FOX lasted just a minute.
“It felt like there was a little bit more pressure,” Evans said. “Then again I really put the added pressure on myself because I wanted to put on a show and put on a good fight for the people of Chicago. The actual show itself was pretty much the same as any of the other fights I’ve been in. One thing I was worried about was the title shot, I really wanted to win and go after the title so that added some pressure as well.”
It seems all people want to do these days when they talk to Evans or Jones is get them to trash talk one another. For some, it’s gotten to the point where they want to tune it all out, anxious to simply see the fight to happen so the sport can move forward while the involved fighters move on to the next stage of their careers. Evans can relate to such a mindset, also having had his fill of people telling him what Jones is saying.
“I’m just looking forward to fighting him to be honest,” offered Evans. “A lot of the back and forth and a lot of the drama is so old. I’m tired of hearing people say Jon is going to do this to you and he said this about you. It seems everyone has their own opinion. For me, I am just looking forward to getting it on. I had a good experience in Atlanta when I fought Chuck and hopefully it’ll turn out the same.”
No longer training with Jackson in New Mexico, Evans has found a new home and a new family with the Blackzilians in Boca Raton, Florida. There, under the tutelage of Mike Van Arsdale, Evans feels comfortable and has formed a bond with many of his new teammates. Following him down to Florida thus far, amongst others, have Melvin Guillard and UFC heavyweight contender Alistair Overeem. Managed by Authentic Sports Management, Evans is at peace with his surroundings.
“Down here it’s more organized and there are a lot more talented guys,” Evans elaborated on his current circumstances. “There’s just a better overall atmosphere down here. I’m a silly dude and I like to joke around. I like to make things a little lighter and funnier. It’s crazy the way things are now and how they were when I first started. I thought things would always be the same, but now things have changed so much. Keith Jardine just came down to train with us for awhile and seeing him was nice. Keith and I said we would never fight and that’s the way things were supposed to be with John, but I guess he didn’t feel the same way.”
Should Evans get by Jones next month and recapture the light heavyweight title the UFC already has an opponent waiting in the wings. 41-year-old Dan Henderson, fresh off of his thrilling five round Unanimous Decision victory over former 205-pound champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, is next in line for the winner of Evans-Jones.
“I definitely think Henderson is next in line,” Evans proclaimed. “I heard he’s going to wait and face the winner of my fight with Jones. I mean it makes sense for him to wait. At his age he has every right to sit out and wait to fight for the belt. These opportunities don’t come around every day. He’s still going strong; he’s out there and still doing his thing.”
Evans is one of many UFC fighters who will be attending the MMA Show Live in Birmingham, England in May. Others scheduled to join him are Brendan Schaub, Frank Trigg, Stefan Struve, Stephen Thompson, and Brittney Palmer. No doubt happy to focus on something other than the Jones rivalry and get away from the spotlight of America, Evans is looking forward to meeting the English fans and seeing some old friends as well.
“I am going to be doing a seminar and a meet and greet with the fans,” revealed Evans. “I had a good time the last time I was in Birmingham to watch the fights. It’s definitely a different vibe over there, but I had a good time. I’m looking forward to spending some time with Schaub; it’ll be good to hang out with some of my old friends again. I watched Brendan go from a guy who came into the gym to get into shape and look where he is now, it’s nice to watch his progression.”
Also outside of the regular realm of the fight business, Evans brother Lance, who once tried out for The Ultimate Fighter and has fought for some regional shows in Michigan and the surrounding areas, has since gone on to enlist in the United States military and is stationed over in Afghanistan. Rashad will miss having his brother around come fight time, but he’s happy to see his sibling doing something he loves.
“He’s in Afghanistan right now, in fact he just went back,” Evans explained. “He won’t be able to attend the fight as he’s going to be there for awhile. He likes what he’s doing, it’s tough being over there and there’s a lot that they don’t show on the news over here. There’s a lot of violence and you never know what’s going to happen. Being away from your family is hard and you never know what you’re going to come back to, it’s tough on the soldiers. The thing about America is we follow fads and it goes that way as far as the troops are concerned. If it’s not cool to support them then people don’t support them and that’s a shame. I miss having my brother around and it’ll be nice to have him home when his time is up.”
Until Evans-Jones meet on April 21 you can keep up with Evans on his Twitter account (@SugaRashadEvans).
Posted in: ufc, fight, time, jone, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones Believes Rashad Evans “Doesn’t Even Have My Area Code”
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones knows that to remain atop his division, he needs to work harder than anyone else out there.
With a bout planned against Rashad Evans for UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans on April 21 fast approaching, “Bones” continues to train as if he is still on the attack – instead of being the one everyone else is hunting.
As part of the build up to his collision with Evans, Jones will be posting a blog on the Fox Sports website. In the latest entry, Jones talks about ignoring the hype and focusing on his training to better prepare for Evans.
You’ve see it in other sports, when a young guy comes on the scene and does well, people get excited and start writing and saying, ‘This guy can’t be beat.’ There’s a lot of hype about me right now; some media experts are saying I am unbeatable, but I know it’s not true. I wouldn’t bust my tail so hard in the gym if I was unbeatable.
Jones has successfully defended his UFC belt against former champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida since claiming the title from Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. In Evans, he will be facing an ex-teammate and a former champion, as well.
To try and get under the skin of Jones, “Suga” has taken to constant verbal attacks, claiming to have dominated Jones during practice sessions at the gym in New Mexico. Jones doesn’t remember it the same way.
On April 21 he’ll realize he doesn’t even have my area code.
Jones has been able to finish Rua, Jackson and Machida, so the champion has proven himself already at such a young age. In Evans, however, he’ll be facing someone that does know him better than most, and the grudge-factor cannot be overlooked.
Photo credit: Esther Lin/MMA Fighting
Posted in: jone, champion, doesn, evan, media experts
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones: “I wouldn’t bust my tail so hard in the gym if I was unbeatable.”
UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones may be touted by many as peerless pugilist after achieving in a few years what MMA’s greatest hope to accomplish in a career, winning the title and successfully defending it in dominating fashion against top ranked competition. However, “Bones” hasn’t bought into the opinions of others, instead being driven by a sense of professional paranoia as the man everyone is gunning for.
“I realize I have a target on my back like all champions do, and I have to train like I am the challenger in order to stay champion,” wrote Jones in a blog entry for FoxSports.
“You’ve seen it in other sports, when a young guy comes on the scene and does well, people get excited and start writing and saying ‘This guy can’t be beat.’ There’s a lot of hype about me right now; some media experts are saying I am unbeatable, but I know it’s not true. I wouldn’t bust my tail so hard in the gym if I was unbeatable,” he continued. “I honestly feel I am working harder than any other fighter in the light-heavyweight division. I am listening to my coaches, watching tapes of my opponent, and working very hard.”
Another source of motivation for Jones is undoubtedly the caliber of challenger he’ll face next month at UFC 145 when he faces rival and former champion Rashad Evans. Evans has expressed supreme confidence in his ability to beat the 24-year old on numerous occasions during the build towards their bout, citing his familiarity with Jones’ weaknesses based on their time training together as well as overall inexperience.
Similarly to the idea of being “unbeatable”, Jones also isn’t buying Evans’ bravado about having his number.
“On April 21 he’ll realize he doesn’t even have my area code,” Jones responded to the notion.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, ’t, “ i, unbeatable
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainFighter Spotlight: Jason Jones will show "no remorse" at BAMMA 9
This Saturday night, Jason Jones returns to action for the first time in 2012 when he goes head to head with Przemyslaw Mysiala at BAMMA 9 from the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, England.A 25-fight veteran, Jones has competed in such organizations as M-1 Global, Shooto, and K-1, and heads into his BAMMA debut riding the momentum of a dramatic third-round KO victory over Shamil Abdulmuslimov at the United Glory 2010-2011 World Series Finals.Intent on making an immediate impact on BAMMA's Light
Posted in: jone, head, bamma, bamma debut, przemyslaw mysiala
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145 Video: Pros Pick Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will defend his belt against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia on April 21, 2012. It's one of the most anticipated bouts of the year and probably the toughest test Jones has faced in his young career.
Evans and Jones are former training partners at Greg Jackson's famous MMA camp in New Mexico and the two ex-friends have approached the fight as a very personal matter. Evans left Jackson's camp permanently after being unhappy with the way the camp handled the fight booking process.
Despite Evans' formidability, Jones is a 6-1 favorite with the oddsmakers. In this video a number of UFC and MMA fighters including Forrest Griffin,Mike Pierce, Kyle Kingsbury, Urijah Faber, Dominick Cruz, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Muhammed Lawal and Jay Hieron speak their piece about the match-up and the odds.
What do you think? Is Evans being overlooked here? What do you think the right line should be? Poll after the jump.
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What's the right betting line for Jones vs Evans?
6-1 Jones
5-1 Jones
4-1 Jones
3-1 Jones
2-1 Jones
Even
2-1 Evans
3-1 Evans
6 votes | Results
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, camp, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowSomeone explain to me why Evans is such a big underdog to Jones.
I mean......people are acting like Evans is some unknown. I understand Jones is apparently the second coming of christ in MMA at the moment but have we really seen enough to cement him as the best thing since bruce lee? I am not saying the kid isn't amazing and very talented, but so is rashad evans. So can someone break this down for me as to why jones is such a heavy favorite. submitted by Manler [link] [1 comment]
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, evan, underdog, kid isnt
Read the full article at RedditRashad Evans Says Jon Jones is Mentally Weak
Rashad Evans says he knows the real Jon Jones and he's not going to be mentally strong enough to handle the pressure that this fight will present.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Extended Preview Video
UFC 145 will host one of the most highly anticipated light heavyweight bouts of all time when Jon Jones defends his title against former friend and training partner Rashad Evans. See how the beef...
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, heavyweight, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMAJon Jones and the Five Greatest Light Heavyweight Champions in UFC History: A Fan's View (Yahoo! Contributor Network)
According to a Yahoo! Sports report, 24-year-old light heavyweight champion Jon Jones wants to be considered one of the greatest in UFC history. With the current path that he's on, which included six straight wins and two title defenses, it's not a far stretch to say...
Posted in: jone, jon jones, heavyweight, ufc history, title defenses
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsPros Pick “UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans” Main Event
One of the biggest grudge matches in UFC history goes down next month at UFC 145, when light heavyweight champ Jon Jones takes on rival Rashad Evans.
The former training partners have become bitter enemies over the course of the past year and, after several derailments due to injury incurred by either party, will finally get to settle things in the Octagon.
Having run roughshod over the UFC light heavyweight division and impressively defeated two former champions during his title run, the 24-year-old Jones opened as a huge favorite over Evans. Some lines have the champion as much as a 6:1 favorite over Evans, a former champion.
Check out the video below, courtesy MMA:30, to hear what some of Jones and Evans’ fighting peers, as well as a few MMA pundits, give their take on the fight and the opening line.
UFC 145 goes down on April 21 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Posted in: ufc, jone, champion, training partners, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyJon Jones ready to put Rashad Evans “out of his misery”
Though UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones and former teammate Rashad Evans are seen as rivals, as far as the 24-year old title-holder is concerned their issue is professional rather than personal no matter how Evans or media spin it. Jones recently elaborated on his mindset a month out from facing Evans at UFC 145 where he credited his satisfaction with the important things in life for preventing him from being drawn into his adversary’s game.
“I have no problem with him. Right now I have my kids, I have my girl. We have our place together. I’m following my dreams. I’m doing the right things in life. I’m on the right track,” said Jones in an interview with the UFC. “Rashad is the one who looks at this whole story like, ‘This guy went off and created his own team. He’s left the people that were there for him at the beginning.’”
Evans Thinks Knowledge Will Be Key to Beating Jones
“He’s the one who is going through this whirlwind in life and I just can’t wait to put him out of his misery and solidify me being the light heavyweight champion, telling him to go have a seat somewhere,” Jones added.
However, just because “Bones” doesn’t have a bone to pick with Evans outside of the Octagon, he’s also not blind to the state of their relationship in comparison to where it was while both trained at Greg Jackson’s gym. Jones hasn’t ruled out some sort of reconciliation between the two once they’ve squashed things on April 21 but he also isn’t expecting it.
“Whether me or Rashad will ever be friends again in the future, only God knows; only time will be able to tell,” explained Jones before concluding, “One thing that is inevitable is respect.”
Jones-Evans will headline UFC 145 in Atlanta where other featured bouts include Che Mills-Rory MacDonald and Brendan Schaub-Ben Rothwell.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: ufc, jone, ’t, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comForrest Griffin, Dominick Cruz and King Mo talk Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
MMA fighters and media members shared their predictions for the upcoming UFC Light Heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. The fight will headline next month's UFC 145 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Rashad Evans is currently a 6 to 1 underdog to defeat his former "best friend" and Jackson's teammate Jon Jones.
Further Reading: Submit your picks for UFC
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 146 Video: Jon Jones Will Be 'Defending His Team's Honor' Against Rashad Evans
UFC 145 is still a month away, but the trash talk between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans is in full swing. In a recent interview with Sherdog, Jones talked about the role of "Gym Defender" Rashad's trash talking has put him in.
Here's the video:
Quote after the jump...
Jones on Rashad's trash talking of Greg Jackson's gym:
One part that is kind of there, I kind of feel like I'm defending kind of like the honor of this team. Rashad's been badmouthing this team and really calling our team cliche and commercial and just really badmouthing Greg and our program's loyalty and everything like that. I think he kind of has it all twisted in his own head, feeling as if people betrayed him. And, really, this is a family here and it's the same program that it's always been. Yeah, he's been here longer than me but he doesn't realize how much a family this team still is. There's more people on this team than just the UFC fighters. We start from kids, to kids with no money, to kids who can't speak English, there's a whole family here. I'm here to defend this family and to defend everything he's kind of said about us. I feel like me beating him solidifies that this is a program that's going to live without him.
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Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones vs Rashad Evans UFC 145 fight video predictions with the pros
We're still about one month away from UFC 145, which takes place at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on Sat., April 21, 2012. And as times ticks away, the odds for the main event between Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans appear to get wider and wider.
"Bones," the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion, opened as a heavy favorite, but now it appears that sportsbooks have him as a 6 to 1 favorite over "Suga," his former friend and training partner.
It's a curious line, considering Evans' familiarity with Jones, as well as the fact that he has lost just once in his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career. Jones is coming off the most impressive year on record, perhaps for any fighter in the history of the sport, which likely has much to do with current odds.
Unsurprisingly, it has a few fighters scratching their heads. On the flip side, some of them think it's justified. In the video above, Forrest Griffin, Mike Pierce, Kyle Kingsbury, Urijah Faber, Dominick Cruz, Quinton Jackson, Muhammed Lawal and Jay Hieron share their thoughts on the 6 to 1 odds.
Surprisingly, Jackson and Lawal agree on something: Evans will pull off the upset.
Agree or disagree?
In addition to the Jones-Evans 205-pound showdown, UFC 145 will also feature a welterweight match up that pits rising star Rory MacDonald against British banger Che Mills. Heavyweights Brendan Schaub and Ben Rothwell are also scheduled to collide.
For the latest UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" fight card and rumors click here. For the latest UFC 145 news and notes click here.
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Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones is defending the honor of Greg Jackson's gym against Rashad Evans at UFC 145
Why don't we add yet another layer to this feud, shall we?
In addition to defending his light heavyweight championship against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on Sat., April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, Jon Jones will also be defending the honor of the gym he's pledged his allegiance to, Greg Jackson's down in New Mexico.
Yes, really. Here's how he told it to Sherdog.com:
"One part that is kind of there, I kind of feel like I'm defending kind of like the honor of this team. Rashad's been badmouthing this team and really calling our team cliche and commercial and just really badmouthing Greg and our program's loyalty and everything like that. I think he kind of has it all twisted in his own head, feeling as if people betrayed him. And, really, this is a family here and it's the same program that it's always been. Yeah, he's been here longer than me but he doesn't realize how much a family this team still is. There's more people on this team than just the UFC fighters. We start from kids, to kids with no money, to kids who can't speak English, there's a whole family here. I'm here to defend this family and to defend everything he's kind of said about us. I feel like me beating him solidifies that this is a program that's going to live without him."
That takes the cake, doesn't it?
Evans, of course, used to be a card-carrying member of Team Jackson, even reaching the pinnacle of the sport with a championship victory under Jackson's tutelage back in 2008. But that all started to fall apart when Jones showed up and has eventually led to this impasse, with "Suga" and "Bones" about to beat each other senseless inside a cage.
That should settle things rather quickly.
Hear more from Jones on his upcoming title defense against his former teammate after the jump.
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Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Jones vs. Evans Extended Video Preview
Check out the extended video preview of one of the most highly anticipated light heavyweight fights in UFC history... UFC 145's Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, video preview, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones: “I’m trying to solidify a legacy and beating Rashad Evans right now is the biggest piece to the puzzle.”
The animosity between former teammates Rashad Evans and Jon Jones is well-documented. The heat stemming from what seemed to be a misunderstanding has since snowballed into one of the premier rivalries in MMA today and well come to a head on April 21 when the light heavyweights face off in headlining action at UFC 145 with Jones’ divisional championship on the line.
With the event essentially a month away the hype has been amped up with a recent preview for the match-up where the world is offered a reminder of how little the wound has healed on the broken friendship the two shared in the not too distant past.
“A lot of my mentors have been talking to me, saying, ‘You know what, Jon, don’t let him get in your head.’ But the truth of the matter is he is in my head and I want him in my head, I like him in my head – that’s when I train better, that’s when I focus more, that’s when I study his fights more,” said Jones of Evans’ personal jabs at his attitude, labeling him as being an exceptionally cocky individual whose number he has.
“Let’s not beat around the bush here. I’m the champ, he’s the challenger. He wants what I have. I’m not giving it to him,” explained a frank Jones, adding, “I’m trying to solidify a legacy and beating Rashad Evans right now is the biggest piece to the puzzle.”
Watch the full preview below where bouts between Rory MacDonald-Che Mills and Brendan Schaub-Ben Rothwell are highlighted:
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Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will attempt to make the third defense of his title next month against former friend and training partner Rashad Evans.
Jones and Evans once held each other as brothers, training under the same roof at Jackson-Winkeljohn’s renowned academy in Albuquerque. The two had made a pact never to fight one another, but as soon as the title was thrown into the picture, that pact dissolved.
23-years-old at the time, Jones stepped up for an injured Evans to challenge Mauricio “Shogun” Rua for the title last year. Before dismantling Rua to capture the belt, Jones did an interview where he said he’d be willing to fight Evans if he had to — leading to the rift which separates the fighters to this day.
Evans parted ways with Greg Jackson’s camp and a rivalry was born, with each man publicly disparaging the other. In the main event of UFC 145, which takes place on April 21 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, Jones and Evans will finally settle their long-burning feud.
Check out the extended preview video of UFC 145 below and start getting excited.
<iframe width=”640″ height=”360″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/vIVLYXJaBR4″ frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, evan, preview video
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyThe Moment Everything Supposedly Changed for Jon Jones and Rashad Evans
Last February, I flew to Albuquerque, N.M., to interview then-No. 1 contender Jon Jones at Jackson-Winkeljohn Mixed Martial Arts for the UFC on Versus 3 pre-fight show, which would air on March 3. Jones was days removed from his win over Ryan Bader at UFC 126 and was getting ready to fight Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 128 for the UFC light heavyweight title. As you may recall, Jones got the title shot after his then-friend and training partner Rashad Evans had to pull out of the fight due to a knee injury. At the time of the interview, which you can watch here, Jones and Evans were still friends, but it seemed more and more likely that they would someday have to fight each other. I asked Jones (8:50 mark) what he planned on doing if UFC president Dana White asked him to fight Evans. "It's Dana's world when you're a UFC fighter and we live in it," Jones said. "So, I respect Dana a lot, and if that's what he absolutely wanted to happen, I guess that's what would have to happen. Me or Rashad would not want to get fired over the situation. It would just be majorly awkward for us. Rashad and I have a lot in common: we're both young, African-American men with families. We both like to sing, have fun. We're both elite MMA fighters. We have a lot in common, and we both really clicked really well. There's just so many other great fighters in the world that we could compete against. And you know, we're not animals. We're friends, we're human beings. I would hate to have to fight my own teammate. I would never want to." So, why am I bringing this up now? Well, ever since the Jones-Evans fight became a reality, Evans has pointed to this response as the moment everything changed. In fact, the latest UFC 145 preview video, which can be seen below, credits this moment as the beginning of the end of their friendship. Now, I'm not trying to rehash a year-old interview. I'm just a little surprised that this is the moment that created the rift heard around the MMA world.
So I'll turn to you, our loyal readers. Do you think Jones' answer was really that disrespectful? Should he have been a little more emphatic in expressing his desire to never fight Evans, or was he only being a good company man weeks before his first title shot? Was Jones being a bad friend or is Evans being too sensitive? Let me know what you think in the comments below.
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Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Extended Preview (Video)
UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones will return on April 26th, facing his arch-nemesis "Suga" Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 21st. The fight between Jones and Evans can be easily labeled as one of the biggest grudge matches in UFC history, with both fighters looking to finally solve their never-ending conflict inside the Octagon.
UFC 145 is headlined by the Welterweight clash between Che Mills and Rory MacDonald, while Mark Bocek vs. Matt Wiman, Mark
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, atlanta georgia, neverending conflict
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 145 Video: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans In-Depth Preview
UFC 145 will be hosting one of the most anticipated grudge matches in recent memory in that light heavyweight championship bout between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. Zuffa has released an in-depth and extended preview for the event, and it did a great job of veering away from their traditional style and instead focusing on the story of these two former friends and teammates who's relationship has gone sour.
Related: Photo: Jon Jones In Drag? Rashad Evans Tweets Controversial Photo Of UFC Champion | UFC 145: Jon Jones Thinks 'Jealousy Fuels Rashad' | UFC 145: Rashad Evans Talks About How He Can Defeat Jon Jones
Also featured on the 9-minute video, the supporting bouts Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills and Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell. Check out the video below:
Got hyped for the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans bout? I can only imagine how their UFC Primetime special would be.
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Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJones vs. Evans Video
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Read the full article at AOL FanhousePhoto: Jon Jones In Drag? Rashad Evans Tweets Controversial Photo Of UFC Champion
Ahead of their UFC 145 clash, the Rashad Evans and Jon Jones saga continues as 'Suga' tweets a photo of his rival and former teammate allegedly in drag. Here's the tweet that came with the photo:
@SugaRashadEvansRashad Evans Damn! Jon Jones is always trying 2 one up me! I take a pic with a wig on & he goes full drag on me! Fine bro http://t.co/FF5lN9mE Mar 17 via Instagram Favorite Retweet Reply
Photoshop? You decide. Either way, these sorts of things are only guaranteed to fire up their rivalry even more.
More UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Coverage
Related: UFC 145: Jon Jones Thinks 'Jealousy Fuels Rashad' | UFC 145: Rashad Evans Talks About How He Can Defeat Jon Jones | Jon Jones Vs. Anderson Silva? Jones Says He'd Rather Have Him As A Mentor | Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Gets UFC Primetime Treatment
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans Tweets Alleged Pic of Jon Jones in Drag
Damn! Jon Jones is always trying 2 one up me! I take a pic with a wig on & he goes full drag on me! Fine bro http://t.co/FF5lN9mEabout 2 hours ago via InstagramReplyRetweetFavorite@SugaRashadEvansRashad Evans
Can’t say I saw this coming… Is that really Jon Jones?
HT: MMA Mania
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, pic, instagramreplyretweetfavoritesugarashadevansrashad evans
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones in drag? Indeed it is, as tweeted by the man who will challenge him for the light...
Jon Jones in drag? Indeed it is, as tweeted by the man who will challenge him for the light heavyweight championship at UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta, Rashad Evans:
"Damn! Jon Jones is always trying 2 one up me! I take a pic with a wig on & he goes full drag on me! Fine bro."
Oh no he didn't ... oh yes he did.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, tweeted, drag
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jones vs Evans Extended Preview
The extended preview of UFC 145 with an in-depth look at Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans, Rory MacDonald vs Che Mills, and Brendan Schaub vs Ben Rothwell.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, preview, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertRashad Evans says Jon Jones is not unbeatable, plans to reclaim UFC light heavyweight title
The personal issues between Rashad Evans and UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones are well known by most. For the few who aren’t aware, the two were once teammates at Greg Jackson‘s gym in New Mexico. After Jones won the title, replacing an injured Evans to score the bout, “Bones” said he was fine with facing “Suga” ‘Shad if so required by the UFC. The 24-year old’s ease with fighting a supposed friend angered Evans, prompting him to leave Jackson’s MMA and found “The Blackzilians” group in Florida.
Now, with both men on the cusp of finally facing off with one another inside the Octagon instead of through media appearances, Evans is taking the approach he of all people understands what it will take to defeat the dynamic title-holder.
“I know I will beat Jon Jones,” said Evans in a recent interview with UFC. “He can talk about improvements he’s made, but there are still some things in his game he can never change. He’s a long, rangy fighter and I’m going to get inside, unleash my stuff, take him down and ground and pound him. I’m at a level in my career where I can take down and ground and pound anyone.”
“I’ve got the advantage mentally, too,” Evans continued on the topic of taking out Jones. “He’s not, ‘Jon Jones unbeatable champion,’ to me. I know the real Jon, the nervous kid who would ask me to tell him how to dress, how to talk and how to fight.”
With their fight scheduled for next month at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans in Atlanta, expect plenty more talk from both men before Evans can prove his experience is the key or Jones once again wows by taking out a former champion.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainRashad Evans feels knowledge will be key to beating Jon Jones
Even though UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones has looked unbeatable since coming onto the scene a few years ago there’s one man who knows otherwise – Rashad Evans. A former training partner of Jones and next challenger to the 24-year old’s title, Evans will enter their headlining tilt at UFC 145 with supreme confidence based in large part on his familiarity with Jones as both a fighter and regular person.
Evans elaborated on his mindset in a recent interview with the UFC where he listed off the countless things he “knows” about the divisional king and how they’ll carry him to victory come showtime on April 21.
“I know I will beat Jon Jones,” began Evans. “He can talk about improvements he’s made, but there are still some things in his game he can never change. He’s a long, rangy fighter and I’m going to get inside, unleash my stuff, take him down and ground and pound him. I’m at a level in my career where I can take down and ground and pound anyone.”
“I know all about him, all about his coaches and all about his camp,” the animated former champion continued. “I could probably tell you what he’s doing in the gym right now. He’s in the exact same environment doing the exact same things with the exact same people. But I’m in a different environment, I knew I had to learn, had to mix things up and I had to change. Jon has no idea what I will do on the night.”
Jones Says He’s Evolved Since Last Training with Evans
Were that not enough, Evans also pointed to his maturity and experience as being crucial aspects of why he’ll be successful in Atlanta.
“I’ve got the advantage mentally, too. He’s not ‘Jon Jones unbeatable champion’ to me. I know the real Jon, the nervous kid who would ask me to tell him how to dress, how to talk and how to fight. I know how he reacts when things don’t go his way, how he can’t handle it mentally,” said Evans before adding, “And I’ve been through these types of pressure fights. I’ve been in these situations where emotions are involved with my fights with guys like Michael Bisping and ‘Rampage’ (Quinton Jackson). Jon has never been in this type of situation and he’s never faced a fighter like me. I know I will get my title back at UFC 145.”
“Sugar” ‘Shad holds an overall record of 17-1-1 and has won his last four fights including those against Jackson, Thiago Silva, Tito Ortiz, and most recently Phil Davis. Likewise, Jones is 15-1 with the lone defeat involving an unnecessary disqualification and six straight instances of success since. If he defeats Evans it will mark his fourth consecutive victories over former title-holder.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Read the full article at Fighters.comInteresting words from Rashad Evans - speaks about his mental edge on champ Jon jones
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Read the full article at RedditUFC 145: Jon Jones Thinks 'Jealousy Fuels Rashad'
Yesterday, Rashad Evans discussed how he can defeat UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 145. Today, it was Jones' turn to talk about Evans. He talks in a pre-fight video interview on UFC.com about how he just wants to win and get this over with (transcript via ESPN UK):
"Jealousy fuels Rashad, to some degree. I think it's very weak emotionally on his part. That's why I can't wait for this fight to be over.
I have no problem with him. Right now, I have my kids, I have my girl, we have our place together, I'm following my dreams. I'm doing the right things in life. I'm on the right track.
Rashad is the one who looks at this whole story like, you know, this guy's went off and created his own team and he's left the people who were there for him in the beginning. He's the one who is going through this whirlwind in life right now.
And I just can't wait to put him out of his misery and solidify me being the light-heavyweight champion and telling him to go have a seat somewhere."
There is still over a month until the fight, so I'm sure there will be rhetoric spilled by both men. I hope it gets better than stuff like this though.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jone, right, rashad, im
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones Wants to be Considered One of the Greats in UFC History (MMAWeekly.com)
“You cannot escape your destiny” ~ Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has a supreme confidence that he will not only be the best 205-pound fighter for many years to come, but that it is truly his destiny to stay on top. As he approaches the biggest fight of his young career, it’s hard to believe that this time two years ago Jones was just getting ready for his bout against Brandon Vera. Fast forward 24 months and Jones has not only won the UFC light heavyweight title, but he’s defended it two times...
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, brandon vera, supreme confidence
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsWatch how Jon Jones and Rashad Evans got to UFC 145 title bout ()
With UFC 145 coming quickly, take an extended look at how the two main event fighters worked towards the title match. In it, Jon Jones admits that Rashad Evans is in his head. He's constantly thinking about Evans, how he's training, how he's improving, and how Jones can beat him.
But Evans thinks his knowledge of Jones is exactly what gives him the edge.
"I've got the advantage mentally, too. He's not 'Jon Jones unbeatable champion' to me. I know the real Jon, the nervous kid who would ask me to tell him how to dress, how to talk and how to fight. I know how he reacts when things don't go his way, how he can't handle it mentally," Evans said.
Who will walk away with the UFC light heavyweight belt on Apr. 21? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter .
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Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsJon Jones says he will defeat Rashad Evans in honor of Jackson's MMA
Reigning Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, who will put his title on the line against Rashad Evans at UFC 145, discusses his opponent, as well as the grudge that has formed between them. Jones expects that once the fight gets underway, it will be like any other, but admits that he feels he has to defend the honor of Jackson's MMA.
Posted in: jone, jackson, jon jones, rashad evans, jacksons mma
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones Wants to be Considered One of the Greats in UFC History
Call it fate. Call it destiny. Call it whatever you want, but Jon Jones is calling it his mission to be considered one of the greatest fighters in UFC history and he's ready to prove any doubters wrong.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, ufc history
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145 Jones vs. Evans – A Deeper Look
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is about to put his belt on the line against former teammate Rashad Evans. Take a deeper look as the two prepare for their UFC 145 title fight.
Posted in: ufc, jone, champion, evan, teammate
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon 'Bones' Jones Vs Mario 'Marinho' Filho on Brazilian MMA Reality TV (Yahoo! Contributor Network)
UFC champion Jon 'Bones' Jones is comfortable in front of the camera doing commercials, appearing on talk shows and now--Brazilian reality TV. On the show, Jon spars with a Brazilian MMA fighter, who is much smaller than him and is wearing protective headgear.
Posted in: jon, jone, tv, brazilian, reality
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsUFC On Fuel 2: Thiago Silva Discusses His Comeback, Disses Brandon Vera
Thiago Silva hasn't stepped into the octagon in over 15 months due to a suspension, and he's itching to fight. His next opponent has been switched up a couple of times, and now he's facing Alexander Gustafsson in the main event of UFC on Fuel 2 in Sweden. He spoke to Sherdog about his comeback:
"I haven’t fought, but I didn’t stop [training]. I am 100 percent in full swing. I'm very excited; the anticipation is huge to fight again. I'm too hungry for a fight," he said.
...
"The hardest part was that I couldn't fight," he said. "I love what I do -- love to fight -- and to be prevented from doing what I like was very difficult for me. Now it's back giving my best and showing what I know."
Silva also had some unkind words for Brandon Vera, the man he beat at UFC 125 before the bout was changed to a no-contest due to his suspension:
"For me there is not much to change, but I actually wanted to get Brandon Vera because he talked a lot of nonsense," Silva said. "He took a beating like a little girl and was crying afterwards. I think [this time] he broke a nail, so he couldn't fight. They offered the Croatian [Prokrajac], then Nogueira was hurt -- I don't choose my opponents, so I accepted [the fight with Gustafsson]. I'm happy to be in the main fight of the night, and I will show why I should be there."
And he also voiced his on the UFC 145 Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans bout:
"For me, Jon Jones is the guy to beat in the weight division. Rashad is a great fighter, but I don't particularly like his style. I think he is limited and lacks the technique of Jones. He (Jones) will keep the belt," Silva said.
Silva, who has just one win in the last three years, desperately needs a victory over Gustafsson to keep his title hopes alive. Either way though, you can bet that the Vera rematch will happen sometime down the road.
SBN coverage of UFC on Fuel 2
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Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: Rashad Evans Talks About How He Can Defeat Jon Jones
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans finally has a date with his nemesis Jon Jones, and he believes that he knows how to get his belt back. In a video interview on UFC.com, he discussed what he learned from training with Bones, and what he thinks he can exploit in their UFC 145 fight (transcribed by MMA Mania):
"I know how to beat him. There are things about his game which he can't change. The fact that we used to train together gives me a lot of confidence. I know where I need to get to with Jon in order to fight my game. Jon's a tall guy, I can't, obviously, fight on the outside. I gotta get inside where I can fight my game. I see a lot of spaces in Jon's game for a lot of different things. I'm to the point where it doesn't matter who you are, if I take you down, I'm going to unleash my ground and pound on you. I think I've improved more since the last time we trained together. I'm in a new environment, I had to learn. He's in the same environment, same coaches, learning the same thing. I will defeat Jon Jones and become UFC light heavyweight champion."
Clearly Rashad has learned some new things since he left, but I'm thinking that Greg Jackson is a crafty guy and will probably change up Jon's training a bit too. Plus, Jones evolves so quickly that Rashad is likely to see stuff from him that he never saw in training. Does Rashad really have the edge because he knows his opponent so well? I'm hesitant to agree.
You can watch the whole video over on UFC.com.
SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, im
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC Quick Quote: Improved Rashad Evans vows to take title from stagnant Jon Jones
"I know how to beat him. There are things about his game which he can't change. The fact that we used to train together gives me a lot of confidence. I know where I need to get to with Jon in order to fight my game. Jon's a tall guy, I can't, obviously, fight on the outside. I gotta get inside where I can fight my game. I see a lot of spaces in Jon's game for a lot of different things. I'm to the point where it doesn't matter who you are, if I take you down, I'm going to unleash my ground and pound on you. I think I've improved more since the last time we trained together. I'm in a new environment, I had to learn. He's in the same environment, same coaches, learning the same thing. I will defeat Jon Jones and become UFC light heavyweight champion."
-- Rashad Evans tells UFC.com he knows exactly what he needs to do to take the light heavyweight championship from current titleholder Jon Jones when the two lock horns inside the Octagon at UFC 145 on April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. His knowledge comes from the fact that he spent extensive time training with "Bones" at Greg Jackson's Gym down in New Mexico but Evans has a different source of confidence. He believes the split from his old gym has led him to grow as a fighter in a way Jones has been unable to thanks to staying in the same place with the same coaches. Will a supposedly stagnant champion run into an entirely new beast when the two finally settle their differences in the cage? Or is Evans overstating the importance of his travels since leaving his old fight team? Opinions, please.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, game, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaNo One Knows 'Em Better - Bonnar on Jones vs. Evans
Everyone’s an expert when it comes to picking fights. Few really are though, especially while looking at the upcoming UFC 145 main event between light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former titleholder Rashad Evans on April 21st in Atlanta. So whose opinion should you trust? How about someone who fought both men like Stephan Bonnar, one of three fighters (Lyoto Machida and Quinton Jackson being the other two) to have gotten a look at “Bones” and “Suga” that few can claim.“I’m sure like anyone who’s really watched them and knows them well, they can gather the same input that I have,” said Bonnar humbly, “but I definitely know their strengths, and they don’t have too many weaknesses. Yeah, I know them well.”In 2006, Evans won a three round majority decision over “The American Psycho” in his second bout after winning season two of The Ultimate Fighter. Two and a half years later, Jones scored what was at that point the biggest win of his career as he decisioned Bonnar over three rounds at UFC 94. Both fighters went on to win the light heavyweight crown, Evans losing it to Machida, Jones still holding the belt he took from Mauricio “Shogun” Rua last year, but the biggest talking point heading into UFC 145 is the former friendship between the two, one built at Greg Jackson’s gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This bad blood has taken on a life of its own in recent months, and it may be the only thing Bonnar, a longtime light heavyweight contender, can’t relate to from a career that began in 2001. In fact, when asked if he’s ever been in a fight that had a grudge attached to it, he has to think pretty hard about it.“Let’s see,” mused Bonnar, running through his 24 pro MMA fights before coming up with “Not really.” (Laughs) It helps not really knowing the guy. I’m sure if it was something like this (Jones-Evans), where there was someone I did train with and we had a falling out, there would be bad blood, but that never was the case.”And the way he sees it, the less baggage you bring into a fight the better, because once the bell rings, everything that happened before really doesn’t matter.“Love the guy or hate the guy, once that guy blasts you in the face, you want to beat him up,” said Bonnar. “Even like Forrest (Griffin), we always got along on the show and I always liked him, so it was kinda weird fighting him. I never fought anyone I really knew before or liked or considered a friend, but then that bell rang and he came out and he just started blasting me. And that changes everything. (With Jones and Evans) It’s not in your best interest to get too emotional. That can get in the way of their gameplan. It can be good to be emotional, but it has to be a really focused and disciplined kind of emotion. That kind of reckless emotion is where you leave yourself open for mistakes.”At the same time, Bonnar admits that in his bout with Evans, not getting that initial punch in the face kept him from getting in gear and into fight mode, causing him to lose the decision and a three fight winning streak in a bout that won’t make either fighter’s highlight reel.“I knew he (Evans) was really talented,” said Bonnar. “I was more mad at myself, and that was the perfect example of never really getting that blast in the face you needed to light that fire under your ass. I was playing a grappling match with him. But that was a really good strategy. (Greg) Jackson has really good strategies, he’s smart, and I’m sure that was part of it. Try to beat this guy with your wrestling and don’t piss him off too much because you don’t want to get him started.” Bonnar never got started, and while he obviously moved on, he was reminded of the bout while working as a FUEL TV analyst on the recent UFC card in Australia.“It’s like Court McGee in his last fight with (Costa) Philippou,” he said of the bout won by the New Yorker via three round decision. “That’s what I was thinking there too, because he reminds me a lot of me. You see that a lot of times, guys hurt him and get him in trouble and they try to get him out of there and that’s like the worst thing you can do. Philippou did his homework and fought a smart fight. He used his superior boxing to outpoint him, he never got too emotional, and never really got to trying to get him out of there, and he was just content with winning a nice, technical battle. And that was the best thing he could have done. That reminds me of the Rashad fight too.”Fast forward to January of 2009, and Bonnar is riding a two fight winning streak when he’s matched up with up and comer Jon Jones at UFC 94. At that time, Jones was just 1-0 in the Octagon, with a decision win over Andre Gusmao under his belt. And yeah, the kid showed amazing potential, but this was a huge step up for him. Bonnar didn’t listen to the pundits; he knew he was in for a fight.“Just looking at his frame and his other fights, I knew he’d be a handful,” he said. “He’s got some athletic gifts and good wrestling, so I knew he’d be good, but I thought I could handle him and that my experience would pay off.”Jones rose to the occasion, winning a three round decision punctuated by plenty of jaw-dropping moves straight out of Hollywood movies. It was the first true step on the New Yorker’s remarkable ascension to the top of the light heavyweight division, and Bonnar wasn’t surprised at the way Jones’ career has progressed since their fight.“I know talent,” he said. “I had the same feeling when I fought Machida (in 2003). After that fight, I was like this kid’s gonna be good. I know I don’t suck, and I was really impressed with him. Of course I was depressed about my loss and it was on a cut, but then in his next fight he fought Rich Franklin and knocked him out, and then I was like, “See? I knew he was good.” I had the same feeling with Jones. I was like ‘wow, the kid has some skills.’ And everyone was giving me crap, saying Bonnar lost to a newcomer and he sucks, and in the back of my head I was like ‘just wait and see.’”While Jones and Evans took care of their individual business on the way to Atlanta, Bonnar did the same, snapping a three fight losing streak that began with the defeat against Jones with consecutive victories over Krzysztof Soszynski, Igor Pokrajac, and Kyle Kingsbury. It’s been one of the organization’s feel-good stories to see Bonnar get back on track, especially considering that his first fight with Griffin in the TUF 1 finale helped kick off the MMA explosion in 2005. And if you wanted an example of just what the Munster, Indiana native brings to the table, look no further than the rematch with Soszysnki in 2010, a Pier Six brawl punctuated by a defiant and bloody Bonnar staring at the camera after his second round TKO win while standing in the middle of the Octagon.“I thought it would look pretty cool,” he laughed. “I was kinda making a statement like ‘yeah, you can hit me all you want, but I’m not going anywhere.’”It was a defining moment to be sure, but as Bonnar waits for the call to resume his three fight winning streak, he’s been enjoying a break of sorts, doing well-received commentary work on FUEL TV while also getting his “Punch Buddies” t-shirt line out to the masses. So while the work hasn’t stopped, it’s a different kind of work, and he’s embracing it. He’s also looking forward to seeing Jones and Evans do their thing on April 21st, and finding out whether “Suga” can stop the “Bones” freight train.“What makes this interesting is that Rashad is the guy who could threaten Jones with takedowns,” said Bonnar. “I really didn’t understand Rampage having a wrestling background and Jones kicking like that and him (Jackson) not even trying a takedown. He let the guy get way too comfortable and in his rhythm. At least Rashad will be threatening the takedown. He’ll take away those kicks from Jones because he’ll eat one to take him down. That makes a big difference. Even if you don’t plan on taking him down, at least make the guy think about it. At least shoot in and get back up and throw punches, and then next time tap a leg and throw an overhand. Finally someone will be able to do something like that to Jones and threaten him with a takedown and maybe put him on his back. And Rashad’s the guy who could do that.”That mental part of the game may be the most intriguing for a number of reasons. Jones has yet to show cracks in his foundation, despite a strong first round effort from Machida in their UFC 140 bout last December. Will that make Evans doubt himself? Or will Evans look to positive days in sparring with Jones back when the two were teammates as the one thing that will gain him that all important mental edge on fight night? Bonnar doesn’t believe those sparring sessions will haunt Jones in the coming month.“I don’t think that will really be a factor,” he said. “Those old gym stories really mean nothing. I don’t know how many times I’ve been in there early in training camp and having fresh guys rotate in on me and I’m just gassed and complete garbage and I’m out of shape. And I know guys go ‘oh yeah, I was whuppin’ on Bonnar today; he ain’t s**t,’ and it’s always gonna happen. It happens to all of us those first couple weeks of training camp. So I don’t think that will play into Jones’ head, especially now after he’s had all these matches and all these victories since he and Rashad stopped training together.”So what is the key to victory for the 24-year old champion? It may come down to using what’s worked in the past, but with a little tweak here and there. “He’s so much longer,” said Bonnar of Jones, who, at 6-foot-4, is five inches taller than Evans, and who also owns a ten inch reach advantage. “He was pretty much using that length against Rampage with his feet, more than his hands, keeping him at bay with his kicks. With Rashad he can use that same strategy, but using his hands a little more. You don’t want to kick as much because Rashad’s pretty good at catching kicks and taking you down. If you saw in the Phil Davis fight, he did that a couple times, and if I’m Rashad, that’s what I’m gonna want to do. So with Jones, use the hands more and be more conservative with the kicks. He uses the jab, he switches stances well, which keeps you guessing, and he can throw from both sides. So he needs to keep him at bay and stuff the takedowns, and I think that’s Jones’ best strategy.”With a little over a month away from fight night, a lot can change, and no one knows this better than Bonnar. But he does believe that his fellow light heavyweights will deliver a fight to remember.“I think it will be a good fight,” he said. “I think Jones will have a really good gameplan for Rashad because he was one of their guys. Greg Jackson will put a really good gameplan together, and another thing too is that Jones has outstanding wrestling. Look how he’s taken down (Vladimir) Matyushenko and threw Matt Hamill, so there’s a chance we could see Rashad on his back, and when’s the last time you saw that? So I’m sure that’s in the gameplan of both guys to put the other guy on his back, where they’re most out of water.”And when all the plans go out the window and you still have to find a way to win, that’s when you see who the true champions are.
Posted in: fight, guy, jone, ’t, bonnar
Read the full article at UFCJon Jones: Believe Your Eyes Video
Check out this awesome video "Believe Your Eyes" with UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, video, eye
Read the full article at Heavy MMAJon Jones "Believe Your Eyes" Video Trailer
Reigning Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones will put his title on the line when he meets former friend and training partner Rashad Evans at UFC 145. The long awaited grudge-match will headline the stacked card, which takes place April 21st from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, heavyweight, philips arena
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones – Believe Your Eyes Video
Check out the UFC's look at Jon Jones and his victory over Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, leading up to his April 21 showdown at UFC 145 with Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, lyoto machida
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones – Believe Your Eyes Video
Check out the UFC's look at Jon Jones and his victory over Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, leading up to his April 21 showdown at UFC 145 with Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, lyoto machida
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones – Believe Your Eyes Video
Check out the UFC's look at Jon Jones and his victory over Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, leading up to his April 21 showdown at UFC 145 with Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, lyoto machida
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones – Believe Your Eyes Video
Check out the UFC's look at Jon Jones and his victory over Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, leading up to his April 21 showdown at UFC 145 with Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, lyoto machida
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones – Believe Your Eyes Video
Check out the UFC's look at Jon Jones and his victory over Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, leading up to his April 21 showdown at UFC 145 with Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, lyoto machida
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones still interested in fighting at heavyweight
It’s not uncommon for Mixed Martial Artists to move down a division in hopes of entering the ring as a larger, or at least similarly-sized, competitor rather than facing opponents who are bigger/stronger. However, in the case of UFC light heavyweight king Jon Jones it appears “Bones” is interested is heading the other direction, opting to test his skills as a heavyweight rather than put any strain on his 6’4” frame by attempting to drop down to 185 pounds.
Jones recently brought up the idea again in an interview where he stated he’d already spoken to UFC President Dana White about doing so later this year though was told to hold off on the switch until after he’d potentially cleaned out his current weight-class.
“He said he didn’t consider it a good idea right now,” explained Jones in an interview with Brazilian outlet SporTV. “But after beating Dan Henderson, Rashad Evans, and maybe Alexander Gustafsson in 2012, I don’t see what to do in this division, not wanting to disrespect anybody.”
Jones Addresses Allegations of Being “Cocky”
The 24-year old title-holder also addressed the possibility of a fight with Anderson Silva, the explosive middleweight champion he’s drawn comparisons to as far as in-ring creativity and overall dominance. While Jones wasn’t necessarily opposed to the bout, it’s definitely not a match-up he’ll be seeking at any point in the future.
“My job is to be prepared to face the best in the world,” said Jones on Silva. “I’d rather not deal with Anderson, but if I have to fight him, I will focus on my confidence and on my technique. I respect and look up to him so much. For me, the ideal scenario would be having him as my mentor and learn with him after he retires. It would be great for me. That would be ideal, but the world wants to see us fighting.”
Before anything else, up next for Jones is Rashad Evans, a former teammate and current rival who he’ll face on April 21 at UFC 145.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Read the full article at Fighters.comJon Jones Not Interested in Silva Fight, Eyes Move to Heavyweight in 2013
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones recently spoke to Sensei SporTV about multiple topics. When asked about a possible fight with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, Jones made it pretty clear that he would rather not fight the Brazilian star.
Jones also indicated that if he were to get past Rashad Evans, Dan Henderson, and possibly Alexander Gustafsson, he would be interested in a move to heavyweight.
On fighting Anderson Silva:
“I respect and admire Anderson. For me, the ideal situation is to have him as my mentor and learn from him after he retires. It would be great for me. He could teach me to move my body in different ways. That would be ideal. But the world wants to see us fight. Maybe [Silva] does, maybe not.”
On Silva being the best pound for pound fighter:
“Yeah, for sure. This is indisputable. Just look at his numbers, he is phenomenal. I’m a huge fan of Anderson. All he does is phenomenal, the way he behaves, as a fighter, the techniques he uses, the way he moves.”
On a possible heavyweight move:
“I talked to Dana White about fighting at heavyweight in 2012. He said he did not think a good idea at the time. He wants me to focus on light heavyweight to be a dominant champion. But after 2012, after Dan Henderson and Rashad, who knows Alexander Gustafsson, I do not see what to do in that weight class, no disrespect to anyone. Maybe I will fight as a heavyweight in 2013. Who knows?”
Jones is currently scheduled to defend his title against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta, GA on April 21.
Posted in: jone, heavyweight, silva, anderson, move
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyRashad Evans Out to Right Wrongs at UFC 145
The chain of events that will eventually lead us to Atlanta on April 21 and allow the world to witness a battle for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship between current title holder Jon Jones and former champion Rashad Evans was set in motion long before Jones ever stepped foot inside the Octagon. You may agree with this assessment or not, but in my opinion UFC President Dana White is a master puppeteer and saw an opportunity to pay Evans back for his refusal to fight former teammate Keith Jardine the minute Jones joined Greg Jackson’s camp and started making his way up the ranks of the light heavyweight division.
After recently speaking with Evans it became apparent very quickly that he is fiercely loyal and steadfast in his beliefs. While many will say MMA is an individual sport most of those people haven’t had the opportunity to spill blood, shed tears, and sweat alongside a teammate day in and day out. Evans values his relationships amongst his teammates more than he does a championship or a paycheck. That’s not to say he doesn’t desire to hold the UFC light heavyweight title or make a good living and be able to support his family. It just means he isn’t willing to sacrifice the relationships he has forged along the way and alienate the men who have helped get him where he is today.
Evans and Jardine quickly developed a bond when the two men were contestants on the Ultimate Fighter 2 back in 2005. They actually fought on the show with Evans winning by decision. As soon as taping was over Evans joined Jackson’s gym and quickly strengthened that bond with Jardine, one that is still going strong today. As the two fighters slowly but surely climbed the light heavyweight ladder talk began to grow that they could possibly face one another if their success continued. Beginning with his fight with Tito Ortiz at UFC 73 in July of 2007, Evans started to fight a higher level of competition. After the Ortiz bout he would go on to defeat Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell, and then Forrest Griffin at UFC 98 in December of 2008. With his ensuing knockout over Griffin, Evans became the new light heavyweight champ.
Jardine on the other hand was going through a period of inconsistency and because of this talk of him fighting Evans seemed to temper off a bit, but that doesn’t mean that White would forget that both men publicly refused to fight one another. If Jardine had continued on with the success he had after the show had ended both he and Evans would have found themselves in a very difficult position. Jardine had defeated both Griffin and Liddell before Evans did, but lost to Houston Alexander and Wanderlei Silva after those wins. While those losses may have spared the two friends and training partners the headache of either fighting one another or risk losing their position with the UFC it remained in the back of White’s mind and would rear its ugly head the minutes Jones started making a name for himself.
Evans has gone on record as saying that he was not comfortable with Jackson bringing Jones in to the camp. He felt as though it would ultimately lead to the same drama that he and Jardine were forced to deal with. Eventually Evans gave in and agreed to train alongside Jones. It didn’t take long for the two men to develop a strong bond in and outside of the cage. Evans took Jones under his wing and didn’t hold back when it came to helping Jones become the best fighter he could be. Somewhere along the way they made an agreement not to fight one another or allow White to come in between them. Jones seemed to value his relationship with Evans in the same manner Rashad did with Jardine.
After beating Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 114 the UFC announced Evans would go on to face then champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua once the champion had recovered from knee surgery. The bout was to take place at UFC 128. As it turned out, while training for the match-up Evans injured his knee and was forced to pull out of the fight. In a surprise move, White awarded Jones the opportunity to face Rua after he defeated Ryan Bader at UFC 126. The move in itself wasn’t what upset Evans as he knew the UFC needed to find a replacement; it was the fact that Jones spoke out in an interview during the promotion for his fight with Rua and stated he would face Evans if the UFC offered him the fight. Obviously upset with Jones, Evans left Jackson’s camp and moved south to Florida.
Stung by Jones betrayal and for what he perceived to be a lack of support from Jackson, Evans needed to pull himself together quickly and regroup. He and a team of Brazilian fighters who used to train with American Top Team joined forces with some respected fighters to create The Blackzilians and began training under the tutelage of Mike Van Arsdale at Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton. Since he began working there Evans has defeated Ortiz and Phil Davis. These days “Suga” seems to be more at peace, and although he is still hurt by what went down he is forced to deal with the fact that this is a business; that not everyone abides by the same values he does.
In just six short weeks Evans will get the opportunity to punish Jones for stabbing him in the back and in the process he can win back the belt he lost to Lyoto Machida. The veteran has a chance to prove to the young lion that he made a colossal mistake by breaking the pact they made. Evans also gets to show Jackson that he chose to stand behind the wrong fighter. There is much more at stake here than the UFC title. Everything Evans believes in is on the line. Never has a fight been more personal and never before has a fight created such controversy. As if fighting Jones wasn’t difficult enough, Evans also has to fight the naysayers who have criticized him for taking this too personal. None of us know what went on behind closed doors between Jones and Evans, but we will get to see the fallout from it all come April 21.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, ’t, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain“UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans” Official Televised Lineup
Nine bouts on the “UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans” fight card have been scheduled for broadcast on FX and pay-per-view.
A four-fight preliminary card will air on FX, featuring an intriguing bantamweight contest between Miguel Torres and Michael McDonald at the top of the broadcast. Battles between the Stephen Thompson and Matt Brown, heavyweights Travis Browne and Chad Griggs, as well as Anthony Njokuani and John Makdessi will fill out the rest of the FX-aired portion of the card.
The FX preliminaries will lead into a five-fight main card on pay-per-view headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between rivals Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
Three preliminary card bouts have yet to be officially assigned a home, but are expected to be shown on Facebook. Check out the full lineup below:
MAIN CARD
(C) Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Ben Rothwell vs. Brendan Schaub
Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin
Mark Bocek vs. Matt Wiman
PRELIMINARY CARD (FX)
Michael McDonald vs. Miguel Torres
Travis Browne vs. Chad Griggs
Matt Brown vs. Stephen Thompson
John Makdessi vs. Anthony Njokuani
PRELIMINARY CARD
Mac Danzig vs. Efrain Escudero
Chris Clements vs. Keith Wisniewski
Maximo Blanco vs. Marcus Brimage
Posted in: jone, fx, vs, card, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyJon Jones is open to but not interested in fight with Anderson Silva
One of the few legitimate “super-fights” in MMA is unquestionably a bout between UFC champions Anderson Silva and Jon Jones. Both men have been dominant over the past few years, looking untouchable for the most part while racking up impressive wins over some of the respective division’s top draws. While each has a serious challenge on the horizon, another few wins could put the talented, title-wearing competitors in a position without any clear-cut contenders in place, opening the door for a future match-up between the two as fans have long been calling for.
Though Jones is not necessarily looking to scrap with Silva, who he considers his friend and a role-model, he recently acknowledged the possibility in an interview with Brazilian outlet SporTV where he offered up some insight on the matter.
“My job is to be prepared to face the best in the world,” began the light heavyweight king. “I’d rather not deal with Anderson, but if I have to fight him, I will focus on my confidence and on my technique. I respect and look up to him so much. For me, the ideal scenario would be having him as my mentor and learn with him after he retires. It would be great for me. That would be ideal, but the world wants to see us fighting.”
Rather than facing Silva, a preferred option for Jones would be to test himself against a larger opponent instead of one fighting at his regular weight or below it.
“I spoke with Dana White about making a heavyweight fight in 2012 but he said he didn’t consider it a good idea right now,” revealed Jones. “But after beating Dan Henderson, Rashad Evans, and maybe Alexander Gustafsson in 2012, I don’t see what to do in this division, not wanting to disrespect anybody.”
Jones will face Evans in April at UFC 145 with Henderson eagerly awaiting his shot at the winner. Gustafsson faces Thiago Silva next month as well, looking to build off victories over Matt Hamill and Vladimir Matyushenko in hopes of establishing himself as a true contender at 205 pounds. Meanwhile, Silva is set for a rematch with rival Chael Sonnen at some point this summer though no official date has been announced.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, jon jones, silva
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones Vs. Anderson Silva? Jones Says He'd Rather Have Him As A Mentor
Since both Jon Jones and Anderson Silva have been looking very dominant as champions on their respective weight classes, naturally there will be people who would be interested in a super-fight between both MMA stars. When Jones was asked about his thoughts on a potential match up, he said he wasn't that interested. Sensei SporTV has it (via MMA Mania):
"My job is to be prepared to face the best in the world. I'd rather not deal with Anderson, but if I have to fight him, I will focus on my confidence and on my technique. I respect and look up to him (Silva) so much. For me, the ideal scenario would be having him as my mentor and learn with him after he retires. It would be great for me. That would be ideal, but the world wants to see us fighting."
'Bones' also went on to say that he's still interested in fighting at heavyweight after dispatching of the next few contenders at 205.
"I spoke with Dana White about making a heavyweight fight in 2012 but he said he didn't consider it a good idea right now. But after beating Dan Henderson, Rashad Evans and maybe Alexander Gustafsson in 2012, I don't see what to do in this division, not wanting to disrespect anybody."
Jones seems to be very confident that he'll continue to eventually clean out his division, and while some fans will probably criticize him for these statements, I have to say, if he does beat those 3 guys, a heavyweight fight would certainly be very appealing.
Posted in: fight, jone, heavyweight, silva, heavyweight fight
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones believes he may be Anderson Silva's younger clone
I may not be able to fluently speak Portuguese, but my fingers are proficient at locating Google Translator and using it like the fate of humanity lies in my hands. My car may not be a 2012 Nissan GTR, but ultimately when you need a ride, my car is better than your shoes. Therefore while my Portuguese-to-English translation abilities are marginal at best, you must settle for my lackluster attempt at shifting linguistic meaning to a specified culture.
Here's what Jon Jones told to Brazil's UOL Esporte just hours ago.
“É engraçado, talvez eu seja o clone do Anderson Silva, apenas mais jovem. Normalmente, eu ando por aí com cerca de cem quilos. Falei com o Dana White sobre fazer uma luta como pesado em 2012. Ele disse que não achava uma boa ideia no momento, mas quem sabe para 2013?”
For all those non-Portuguese speaking individuals out there, Jon Jones says that he may be the clone of Anderson Silva, but only younger. Everything else is virtually identical. That was my shout out to Mike Goldberg today. Actually, that's my shout out to Goldberg for the rest of 2012. Funny story about Goldie, I almost saw that guy fight an MMA journalist last year at a club in California. Mark Dellagrotte and I had to break it up. How can I make this stuff up?
Bones Jones goes on to say that he approached Dana White to fight as a heavyweight this year, but Dana told him that he thought it wasn't a good idea. [Source]
Posted in: jone, jon jones, clone, google translator, guy fight
Read the full article at Middle EasyJon Jones would rather have Anderson Silva has a mentor than fight him
In the dream world of millions of mixed martial arts (MMA) fans across the globe, no other fight is fantasized about as much as a clash between Ultimate Fighting Championship Middleweight (UFC) Champion Anderson Silva and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.
Both are at the top of the MMA world and have wreaked havoc in their respective divisions. "The Spider" has won an unheard of 14 consecutive fights inside the Octagon, including nine title defenses and two appearances at 205-pounds.
Jones is 9-1 in his relatively young UFC career, with his only loss coming via disqualification to Matt Hamill, a fight he was thoroughly dominating. He's also defeated a murderers row of elite fighters in the light heavyweight field en route to capturing and defending his first world title in 2011.
But will two of the best to ever don the four ounce gloves ever meet face-to-face inside the eight-walled cage? Highly unlikely, or at least that's what "Bones" would prefer.
Speaking to Sensei SporTV, Jones says that even though the world would like nothing more than to see he and Silva go toe-to-toe, he would rather have him as a mentor than an opponent.
"My job is to be prepared to face the best in the world. I'd rather not deal with Anderson, but if I have to fight him, I will focus on my confidence and on my technique. I respect and look up to him (Silva) so much. For me, the ideal scenario would be having him as my mentor and learn with him after he retires. It would be great for me. That would be ideal, but the world wants to see us fighting."
Though the chances of Silva moving back up to the 205-pound division in attempts of capturing gold there by facing Jones would probably be slim to none at this point, Jones, on the other hand, is still not ruling out a move to heavyweight:
"I spoke with Dana White about making a heavyweight fight in 2012 but he said he didn't consider it a good idea right now. But after beating Dan Henderson, Rashad Evans and maybe Alexander Gustafsson in 2012, I don't see what to do in this division, not wanting to disrespect anybody."
If Jones' 2012 fight campaign is as successful as last year's, he would no longer have anything to prove at 205-pounds. A move to heavyweight won't be too far-fetched, as Jones towers over his opposition in his current class. Pack on some extra mass and you have yourselves a very real heavyweight contender.
First things first, there is still the matter of a much anticipated fight that Jones has to tend to, as he takes on former training partner turned bitter rival, Rashad Evans, at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 21, 2012.
The Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva dream match may never come to fruition; however, should Silva ever consider taking Jones up on his offer to be his mentor, can you imagine a Jon Jones trained by possibly the best fighter to ever compete in MMA?
Scary thought.
Posted in: fight, world, jone, heavyweight, silva
Read the full article at MMA ManiaOutland winner Barrett Jones moves to center for Alabama ()
In his first two years at Alabama, Barrett Jones started 25 games at right guard. Last year, Jones' primary position was left tackle. After being one of the best guards in the country, he was arguably the best left tackle in 2011 and won the Outland Trophy, given to the best interior lineman on either side of the football.
After he decided to stay at Alabama for his senior year, Jones will be a frontrunner for more hardware in 2012. But if Alabama's first spring practice is any indication, it won't only be for the Outland, but for the Rimington Trophy as well.
The All-American played four positions on the line at various points in 2011 and is starting spring practice at center for the defending national champion Crimson Tide. And according to coach Nick Saban, this isn't a test. Why? Because of sophomore tackle Cyrus Kouandjio's development.
You may remember Kouandjio as the player whose dramatic recruitment was one of the top stories of 2011 signing day. He committed to Auburn, but didn't submit his letter of intent , and signed with Alabama three days later. Kouandjio received significant playing time as a freshman, but suffered a season-ending knee injury against Tennessee.
From the AP:
"We thought (Kouandjio) was a starter last year," Saban said. "Obviously he's a freshman, but he made tremendous progress. Obviously his injury set him back a little bit but he's worked very hard and made a good recovery.
"We think he can be a very, very good player. There's no experiment involved in Barrett playing center. That experiment was all done last year. He got a lot of reps and played some in games. I don't think there's any question about the fact he'll do a really good job."
Tight End Michael Williams called Jones "a genius, almost," so line calls and blocking assignments at yet another new full-time position probably won't be an issue. Minnesota's Greg Eslinger is the only player to win both the Rimington and the Outland Trophy, but he won them both while playing center in 2005. No player has won the Outland Trophy at guard or tackle and then the Rimington Trophy.
Had Jones left for the NFL Draft after last year, he was projected by many to be a top-1o pick. While centers traditionally aren't drafted as high as tackles or even guards, in this case, Jones' versatility may only serve to help his draft status, as if he succeeds at center, whoever drafts him could plug him in at virtually any position.
Posted in: jone, year, center, alabama, outland
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsJon Jones Doesn’t Want to Fight Anderson Silva: Fan Reaction (Yahoo! Contributor Network)
When most MMA fans think about potential mega-fights the UFC can produce, Anderson Silva vs. Jon Jones is usually at the top of their lists. Realistically, the chances of the Silva-Jones matchup ever taking place are pretty slim, since neither man is particularly interested in the...
Posted in: jone, silva, anderson, mma fans, silvajones matchup
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsJon Jones wants Anderson Silva as a "mentor," not an opponent
Maybe Jon Jones will fight Anderson Silva - but, according to "Bones," he'd much rather trade tips than strikes with the Brazilian. With nine octagon victories under his belt, including three against a trio of former champions, Jones has quickly narrowed the list of viable challengers at 205-pounds, and at just 24-years-old, has become the subject of several fantasy "superfights." Chief among those proposed would pit the Jackson's MMA fighter against the most dominant champ in the sport's history...
Posted in: jone, jon jones, anderson silva, trade tips, fantasy superfights
Read the full article at Low KickUFC Quick Quote: No one in sports is unbeatable, including Jon Jones
"Bolt got beat by Tyson Gay last year in the 100-meter dash and Usain Bolt was unbeatable at the 100-meter dash at one point. I saw the great Kobayashi get beat by Joey Chestnut at the hot dog eating contest. I saw Aleksandr Karelin get beat by Rulon Gardner. I saw Mike Tyson get defeated be Buster Douglas. I've seen everyone who was supposed to be unbeatable get beat. So, there is no such thing as unbeatable. Styles make match-up's you know what I'm saying? I think Jon Jones is a great fighter and I think Rashad is a great fighter, but I think of styles and if Rashad has a great plan he can win. Same thing with Jon Jones, if he has the fight game plan he can win. But, I'm going with my boy Rashad, I've known him since college. That's my brother right there."
Former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Muhammed Lawal, who is currently recovering from life-threatening staph infection, gives his thoughts to Choke Out TV on the upcoming anticipated title fight between Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 205-pound champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on April 21, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. "King Mo" feels that Evans has the tools to best the young phenom and declares that no one is unbeatable in any realm of sports, drawing comparisons to some of the biggest upsets in sports history including Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson, Rulon Gardener, who at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games upset the seemingly untouchable Aleksander Karelin, who has won 24 gold medals in Greco-Roman wrestling and is considered the greatest wrestler of all time. In classic ‘King Mo" form, he even goes as far as referencing Joey Chestnut defeating the great Takeru Kobayashi, who won six consecutive hot dog eating contests at the world famous "Nathan's Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest." Jones, throughout his young, yet impressive career, has looked "unbeatable," but as the events mentioned before, Lawal feels confident that another great upset in sports history will go down in the "ATL," do you?
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad, unbeatable, sports history
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones vs Daniel Cormier? 'DC' would consider cutting weight for a 205-pound 'superfight'
Undefeated Strikeforce heavyweight phenom Daniel Cormier, who stands at just five-feet, eleven inches tall, lumbered into the cage at 247-pounds for his knockout win over Antonio Silva back in September, which advanced him to the final round of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix on May 19 against Josh Barnett.
Yet despite all his success in the land of giants, the one question the former Olympic wrestler continues to face, based on his size and speed, is 'have you ever considered a drop to Light Heavyweight?'
"DC" has definitely considered it, but coming off a health scare several years back after trying to cut weight, coupled with his flawless performance as a 265-pounder, there exists very little motivation for him to change gears.
Unless he was offered a 205-pound "superfight" against an opponent he describes (via Cage Fanatic) as "the best in the world," which until Rashad Evans can prove otherwise at UFC 145 next month in Atlanta, is Jon "Bones" Jones.
"I cut weight wrong for a long time in wrestling. The right opportunity would have to present itself, like a superfight against one of the best guys in the world. That's the type of thing that intrigues me. Obviously I'm fighting really big fights now at heavyweight so that's where I'm at right now and that's where I'm focused on being."
And this isn't the first time he's hinted at a fight against Jones.
If he manages to overcome Josh Barnett later this year at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, he would likely have one more fight as Grand Prix Champion under the Strikeforce banner before the promotion dissolves its heavyweight division.
Then, inevitably, he would transition to the grandest stage of them all, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
What's interesting to note is that he may not even need to cut weight to fight Jones. The reigning 205-pound champion has already expressed his desire to move up to heavyweight if and when he can clean out his current weight class.
That shouldn't stop us from playing fantasy matchmaker, so how would you predict the outcome of Jones vs. Cormier? And in which weight class?
Thoughts?
Posted in: fight, jone, heavyweight, josh barnett, weight
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones says attempting to harm Rashad Evans will be "kind of trippy"
Known for vicious elbow attacks, spinning back fists, and flying knees, Jon Jones appears to throw each of his strikes with bad intentions - against Rashad Evans, however, things might be "a little different." Set to meet at UFC 145, "Bones" will put his Light Heavyweight title on the line when he meets Evans in the headlining bout...
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan, elbow attacks
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones: I'm sorry I'm coming across as cocky
Jon Jones was 6-0 when he first stepped into the Octagon, defeating Andre Gusmao via unanimous decision at UFC 87. From there he went on to defeat Stephan Bonnar, again securing a unanimous decision. After that, none of his fights would go the distance and his only loss would be a disqualification for delivering 12 to 6 elbows to Matt Hamill in their December 2009 match up.
Early in his run with the UFC, Jones was looked upon as a humble fighter, someone with great talent, but without a sense
Posted in: jone, jon jones, andre gusmao, fighter someone, ufc jones
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones: 'When people call me cocky, it's the biggest blow I can get'
Phenom, unbeatable, the "Michael Jordan" of mixed martial arts (MMA). Those are but a few words of many that have often been used to describe Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion, Jon Jones.
Arrogant, cocky, fake -- those are also a few words that have been used to describe "Bones," by fans across Internet forums and even his colleagues, specifically, his former training partner who will also be his next opponent at UFC 145 on April 21, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia, Rashad Evans.
At the age of just 24, Jones has accomplished in the world of MMA in four years what many cannot accomplish in an entire career, and may not even come close to. In 2011, "Bones" had one of the, if not the most impressive runs in MMA history, by literally running through one of he hottest MMA prospects and three of the best to ever don UFC gloves.
The fact that he won four consecutive fights in 10 months, three of which were championship bouts, is not as near as impressive as in the manner in which he did it. He emphatically took the UFC's 205-pound title away from Mauricio Rua, one of the most respected strikers in the game, and then proceeded to defend his title against two of the most dangerous fighters in the sport today in Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida. Not only did he defeat them, he did it rather convincingly.
What's scary to think, for his opponents at least, is that Jones may not even be in his prime.
It's kind of hard not to be a little arrogant, having those accomplishments under your belt in such a short time, after dropping out of college and struggling to find work and going from borrowing his girlfriend's car just to get to practice, to driving a $170,000 Bentley.
With a background like that, who wouldn't be cocky and overly sure of themselves?
Not Jon Jones.
He is far from it, actually. In fact, as he tells Mens Journal, Jones, one of the most dangerous fighters in the world, is actually sometimes an insecure person that is only perceived to be cocky.
See for yourself:
"My road wasn't easy, by any means. That's why when people call me cocky, it's, like, the biggest blow I can get. It's like, ‘It's not me! I'm sorry I'm coming across that way.' I don't think I'm better than anyone. I want to change our sport with something positive, to brighten up people's lives and get them to look more on the positive side about every little thing."
Jones, a well spoken athlete who doesn't curse in post-fight interviews and doesn't flip off a hostile and booing crowd, is definitely the new generation of fighter that will carry this sport for years to come. He is young, has the looks and charisma that publicists can only dream of, and to top it all off, he has the skills to defeat the best fighters in the world. Yet, he is one of the most hated and booed fighters in the sport today. Jones, however, says he tries his best just to phase out the boos and hate.
"I don't hear them, to tell you the truth. I can't please everyone. Some people are going to love you, and some are going to hate you, no matter what you do."
As confident as Jones may carry himself, he lives with the fear of getting knocked out in front of such a wide audience. Something that undoubtedly would make all of his naysayers happy. Jones, however, doesn't live with hatred in his heart, nor does he have a vendetta toward the people who wish to see him fail.
"Sometimes I look back, and I want to be rude to people who didn't believe in me. But that's not what I do. I try to treat everybody with love. But when I go home now, to the people who treated me like a loser, I'm, like, the hero of our whole town."
It's funny, in a way, that a fighter can stand on top of the cage after victory, do a back flip in front of his downed opponent, and fans dare not label him cocky or arrogant, but rather, he's simply embracing his moment to shine.
Jones on the other hand, does neither of those things. But, can you imagine the backlash if he did?
When he dropped Machida's lifeless body to the mat at UFC 140 after choking him unconscious, he simply walked away, with a calm look on his face, without a care in the world. After he submitted "Rampage" at UFC 135, "Bones" sat in the center of the Octagon, embracing a moment to himself, celebrating his first successful title defense. Even when he claimed the title from "Shogun" at UFC 128, Jones didn't jump up and down in elation and do back flips off the cage, he simply sat there, quietly, reflecting on doing what he expects himself to do.
"I heard this story once of this football player who, whenever he scored, just handed the ball to the ref. And I thought that was really cool, like, ‘This is what I do. I score touchdowns.' I wasn't trying to be cocky or anything, but that's what I was thinking: ‘This is what I do. I defend my title.' "
Being the champion of such a prestigious weight class in the biggest platform of them all, Jon Jones now has a huge target on his back with the rest of the 205-pound field looking to be the one to conquer the seemingly untouchable fighter. The target is not exclusive to fighters, though, but from fans as well, who wish to see him defeated, if not for anything else than to just see him eat a slice of humble pie.
A piece of pie that Jones himself declares, he does not need.
For more on his upcoming UFC 145 main event title fight against Rashad Evans, click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, fighter, jon jones, people
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Fight Card: Jones Vs. Evans
Finally, it seems that the most talked-about grudge match in MMA over the last year is going to come together. Former training partners Jon Jones and Rashad Evans are scheduled to meet for the UFC light heavyweight title in the main event on UFC 145, which takes place on April 21st from Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA. The card also features two big heavyweight bouts, with Brendan Schaub taking on Ben Rothwell, and Chad Griggs making his UFC debut against Travis Browne. Check out the current card below:
Apr 21st, live on pay-per-view from Atlanta, GA:
Jon Jones (15-1) vs. Rashad Evans (17-1-1)
Rory MacDonald (12-1) vs. Che Mills (14-4)
Michael McDonald (14-1) vs. Miguel Torres (40-4)
Brendan Schaub (8-2) vs. Ben Rothwell (31-8)
Chad Griggs (11-1) vs. Travis Browne (12-0-1)
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Mark Hominick (20-10) vs. Eddie Yagin (15-5-1)
Mark Bocek (10-4) vs. Matt Wiman (14-6)
Anthony Njokuani (14-6) vs. John Makdessi (9-1)
Efrain Escudero (18-4) vs. Mac Danzig (20-9-1)
Chris Clements (10-4) vs. Keith Wisniewski (28-13-1)
Maximo Blanco (8-3-1) vs. Marcus Brimage (4-1)
Matt Brown (13-11) vs. Stephen Thompson (6-0)
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, card, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowPicking up where fellow champion Jon Jones left off, UFC bantamweight kingpin Dominick Cruz takes...
Picking up where fellow champion Jon Jones left off, UFC bantamweight kingpin Dominick Cruz takes over as honorary pace car driver at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500 from the Phoenix International Raceway on March 4, 2012 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images.)
Posted in: jone, champion, bantamweight, fellow, kingpin
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Jon Jones ‘Believe Your Eyes’ Promo
You may not like Jon Jones, but I’ll bet you’ll like this UFC 145 promo by JMH Films featuring the light heavyweight champ.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, promo, jmh films
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones promo for UFC 145, with some awesome footage from his UFC 140 win over Lyoto...
Jon Jones promo for UFC 145, with some awesome footage from his UFC 140 win over Lyoto Machida.
HT: HaterSlayer
Posted in: ufc, jone, promo, lyoto, footage
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowHere's that new Jon Bones Jones commercial that everyone is talking about
In most of Bones Jones' post-fight interviews, he states 'I felt like I beat him before I even entered the Octagon.' That's deep. Not as deep as that elbow Bones landed on Vera's orbital socket back in March 21st 2010 -- but still pretty deep. What can I say about Jon Jones that hasn't already been said about Bruce Lee, Anderson Silva, Ryu, and that bearded guy from the metro bus fight? He is just the absolute definition of everything you wanted to be when you were twenty-four years old, but were too busy scarfing down breakfast burritos at 2:00 am on a Saturday morning.
During the UFC on FX fight this past Friday, UFC aired a promo that depicted Jon Jones as a celestial creature that rides atop clouds and drops down from the atmosphere to occasionally choke the consciousness out of his opponents. Everything about that statement is true, so we feel the need to publish the UFC 145 trailer on MiddleEasy for your eyes to salivate over. [Source]
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, octagon thats
Read the full article at Middle EasyDaytona 500 results: Jon Jones does victory laps as 'Honorary Race Official'
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones wasn't at the 54th annual Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series just to pose with models, actresses and race car drivers.
Not that he didn't do it, mind you, but that's not the only reason he was there.
"Bones" was named "Honorary Race Official" for NASCAR's yearly super-show, and aside from his duties at the Daytona International Speedway, he was also on hand to promote the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA), which is now broadcast on the FOX network.
Which just so happens to be airing the Daytona 500 tonight (Feb. 27, 2012) at 7 p.m. ET.
Jones and Co. were rained out of Sunday's original start time, prompting race officials to postpone the event for the first time in history. Maybe mother nature isn't a NASCAR fan? Either way, the UFC was able to get a few good looks this weekend and will undoubtedly get some air time promoting its upcoming events during tonight's broadcast.
UFC on FOX 3 is just around the corner.
Posted in: jone, race, daytona, race official, race officials
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones: Daytona 500 Honorary Race Official
Jon Jones has had the opportunity to do all kinds of cool things since becoming the UFC light heavyweight champion. For instance, this past weekend he served as an “honorary race official” at the Daytona 500 (which has actually been postponed until tonight due to rain). Check out Jones participating in all the festivities and hanging out with several of the drivers in the video above.
HT: BE
Posted in: jon, jone, official, daytona, rain check
Read the full article at MMA ConvertDaytona 500 Video: Jon Jones As Honorary Official, Hangs Out In Driver Pit
The Dayton 500 is the biggest event of the NASCAR season. A 500 mile, 200 lap race, the entire weekend is one big party and celebration. Jon Jones had the distinction as an honorary NASCAR official for the weekend and was the center of attention leading up to the race. Jon's management team was there to film video of the weekend's events and Jon's involvement in the race.
The racing league held a press conference to introduce "Bones" to the attending media for a Q&A session. After the presser was over Jon was able to talk with some of the drivers in the pit and then a Q&A for the attending fans. The race was delayed due to rain but Jon got to experience what the NASCAR drivers deal with on race day. For his involvement in the race, Jon was given a sweet car saying "Honorary Race Official". Not a bad way to spend a weekend in Florida.
From the press conference:
Q: There are a lot of drivers in the garage who are MMA fans, what is it about the sport that attracts them and are there MMA fighters that are interested in NASCAR?
Jon Jones: One of the things that attracts NASCAR drivers to mixed martial arts is that it's as real as it gets, you know. In the cage, it's not really a game, you know. If you mess up you can get seriously injured. It's something that is live speed and is extremely real. I think that's something that maybe the drivers relate to.
The Daytona 500 continues tonight at 7:00 PM ET.
Jon Jones defends his UFC light heavyweight title against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georga on April 21st. It will be Jon's third title defense.
Posted in: jon, jone, nascar, driver, race
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowDaytona 500 start time delayed, UFCs Jon Jones 'pals around' with Kate Upton and Jane Lynch (Pic)
Gentlemen, turn off your engines.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones, who was named "Honorary Race Official" for the 54th annual Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, didn't get to see much racing at yesterday's tire-squealing extravaganza.
That's because the Daytona International Speedway was soaked from heavy rains on Sunday (Feb. 26, 2012), prompting NASCAR officials to postpone the race for the first time in event history. That means fans hoping to catch a glimpse of Danica Patrick and the rest of the speed demons will have to call in sick today or set their DVR's.
The Daytona 500 has been rescheduled to go down today (Feb. 27) at Noon ET on FOX.
In the absence of racing, Jonny "Bones" had little to do but schmooze with some of the other celebrities on hand, including Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Kate Upton and Emmy award winning actress Jane Lynch.
Pics (courtesy of Yahoo! Sports) after the jump.
Jones with Lynch and Upton.
Jones towering over racing legend Jeff Gordon.
Following his days of thunder, Jones will defend his 205-pound title against bitter rival "Suga" Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145, scheduled for April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
More on their epic grudge match right here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, philips arena, daytona, upton
Read the full article at MMA ManiaNew previews surface for UFC 145, Ultimate Fighter 15
The UFC production staff has been working overtime as of late but you certainly wouldn’t know it based on the quality of the material surfacing from their offices as of late. Over the weekend the team unveiled two new previews attached to the Ultimate Fighter 15 and UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans.
As might be expected the UFC 145 clip focuses heavily on the fractured relationship between light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former title-holder Rashad Evans. The two face off on April 21 in Atlanta where they will not only fight for the divisional belt but to settle a personal score created when Jones, then a teammate of Evans, expressed a willingness to fight him for the belt.
Emotions Run High at UFC 145 Press Conference
Meanwhile, TUF 15 features 135-pound king Dominick Cruz and rival Urijah Faber coaching teams of lightweights/welterweights on FX in a new “real time” format including live fights every Friday night. Much as the sport has evolved so has the show, a point made in the attached preview. The first episode airs March 9.
Check out the videos below:
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Posted in: ufc, jone, preview, evan, belt emotions
Read the full article at Fighters.comVideo: UFC 145 trailer for 'Jones vs Evans' on April 21 in Atlanta
Let's be real for a second here, Maniacs. This promo for the UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" event set for April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of the best the promotion has ever put out.
It does a good job of telling the story of former friends Jon Jones and Rashad Evans being torn apart by the lust for gold and fame without either of them saying a word. All this in just the 30-second spot, accomplishing exactly what it's supposed to in quickly getting fans up to speed on the situation while hyping the light heavyweight championship showdown.
There is another version, just like this one, except with quotes from Evans and Jones over the top of it. It's just as good, if not better, than the one you see above. Watch it after the jump.
And remember to hit up our complete archive for all the UFC 145 news and notes you need to know right here.
Seriously, folks, are you not hyped for this fight or what?
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, atlanta georgia, philips arena
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Fight Card: Jones Vs. Evans
Finally, it seems that the most talked-about grudge match in MMA over the last year is going to come together. Former training partners Jon Jones and Rashad Evans are scheduled to meet for the UFC light heavyweight title in the main event on UFC 145, which takes place on April 21st from Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA. The card also features two big heavyweight bouts, with Brendan Schaub taking on Ben Rothwell, and Chad Griggs making his UFC debut against Travis Browne. Check out the current card below:
Apr 21st, live on pay-per-view from Atlanta, GA:
Jon Jones (15-1) vs. Rashad Evans (17-1-1)
Rory MacDonald (12-1) vs. Che Mills (14-4)
Michael McDonald (14-1) vs. Miguel Torres (40-4)
Brendan Schaub (8-2) vs. Ben Rothwell (31-8)
Chad Griggs (11-1) vs. Travis Browne (12-0-1)
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Mark Hominick (20-10) vs. Eddie Yagin (15-5-1)
Mark Bocek (10-4) vs. Matt Wiman (14-6)
Anthony Njokuani (14-6) vs. John Makdessi (9-1)
Efrain Escudero (18-4) vs. Mac Danzig (20-9-1)
Chris Clements (10-4) vs. Keith Wisniewski (28-13-1)
Maximo Blanco (8-3-1) vs. Marcus Brimage (4-1)
Matt Brown (13-11) vs. Stephen Thompson (6-0)
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, card, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans exchanges verbal jabs with Jon Jones on talkshow
They may have been teammates before but it’s clear UFC light heavyweight king Jon Jones and ex-champion Rashad Evans have no love for one another anymore.
After working together in New Mexico under the guidance of Greg Jackson, Evans departed the camp once Jones said he would have no problems facing “Suga” down the road for the title. His stance, in addition to having not spoken to Evans directly about it, angered the Ultimate Fighter 2 winner and the two have been on a path to fight ever since.
Finally, after having the bout called twice due to injuries, Jones and Evans will tangle on April 21 in Atlanta at UFC 145. Before they exchange blows in the Octagon, however, the two have been battling in a verbal sense and got into a word-based brawl recently while appearing on Canadian sports-show SportsNite.
When the topic of a training session came up where Evans claims he held Jones down, the streaking champion responded by saying, “You’re talking about a day where you held me down for may be 30 seconds and said, ‘OK Jon, work to get up.’ You didn’t strike me. You didn’t submit me. You held me down.” Evans obviously had a different take on the matter.
Check out the complete interview below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, evan, training session
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJones, Cruz to participate in upcoming NASCAR events
Jon Jones and Dominick Cruz will make appearances at NASCAR events in the next two weeks to promote the UFC. Jones will be the “Honorary Race Official” this Sunday and Cruz will be the “Honorary Pace Car Driver” on March 4th.
It was announced Monday that Jones would serve as the Honorary Race Official for NASCAR’s Daytona 500 this Sunday. Jones will participate in pre-race festivities and promote his upcoming fight at UFC 145 in April. (H/t: MMA Mania)
It was announced earlier this month by MMA Weekly that Dominick Cruz would be the honorary pace car driver at the Subway Fresh Fit 500 in Phoenix on March 4th. The race will be shown on Fox. Cruz will debut as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter on FX 5 days later, March 9th.
Payout Perspective:
Anderson Silva also participated in a NASCAR event in Phoenix last November. At UFC on Fox 2 in January we saw Kevin Harvick make an appearance to promote the Daytona 500. With Fox Sports partnering with both sports properties, we will see more of the synergy. It would be interesting to see if this helps both sports garner fans and viewership. In my opinion, I think that the cross promotion helps the UFC more than NASCAR. But then again, I am more of a UFC fan than one of NASCAR.
Posted in: ufc, jone, cruz, dominick cruz, nascar
Read the full article at MMA PayoutGreg Jackson Will Corner Jon Jones Against Rashad Evans At UFC 145
After months of speculation and denial, Greg Jackson will corner Jon Jones in his match against Rashad Evans at UFC 145, after all. Following Jones’ win at UFC 128, Jackson vowed he would not train or corner Jones for his matchup with Evans (if they were to be matched up against one another), due to being the head trainer for both over the two years prior.
However, Jones confirmed on Twitter that he will indeed have his head trainer in his corner for his championship fight against Evans at UFC 145in Atlanta, Georgia on April 21st.
Animosity began once Jones admitted he would be open to fighting (teammate at the time) Evans, if it was desired by UFC brass. Evans took offense to this, maintaining that teammates should not fight each other. This came to the forefront once Jones replaced Evans following Jones’ win at UFC 126. Evans sustained an injury, forcing him to withdraw from his scheduled championship fight against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128. Jones went on to win the light heavyweight title against Rua.
This seemingly forced Greg Jackson’s hand, who was stuck in the middle of two fighters whom he both groomed into UFC champions. Following Jones’ win, Jackson repeatedly stated he would not train or corner Jones once a matchup with Evans was announced.
Evans eventually left Jackson’s MMA, choosing to instead train at Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton, Florida.
But this was all nearly a year ago, and Jackson has since changed his stance. Now he confirms that he will train Jones for the matchup in two months, along with cornering the champion during the fight at Philips Arena in Atlanta.
This was the beginning of a great news weekend for Jones, who was named the honorary race official of this weekend’s Daytona 500 in Daytona, Florida on Sunday.
UFC 145 takes place April 21st in Atlanta, Georgia. Other announced matchups include Rory MacDonald against Che Mills and Brendan Schaub taking on Ben Rothwell in a heavyweight showdown.
For complete coverage of UFC 145, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, evan, matchup
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyGreg Jackson changes tune and will corner Jon Jones at UFC 145
Though it may be with a heavy heart, it appears renowned coach Greg Jackson will indeed be in the corner of light heavyweight champion Jon Jones when “Bones” faces Rashad Evans. Previously Jackson had stated he would only assist Jones with training for the April bout rather than work the fight from cage-side based on his past professional relationship with Evans.
Jones confirmed Jackson’s decision on Twitter over the weekend, adding he felt, “Fortunate to have him.”
Emotions Run High at UFC 145 Presser
As recently as last week Jones had stated he didn’t believe his longtime coach would be in his corner at UFC 145. However, Evans came forward in the same press conference to say he hadn’t spoken to Jackson in a year.
The April 21 bout will mark the culmination of a conflict dating to comments Jones made regarding his willingness to face then teammate Evans if required to do so by the UFC. While the words did not necessarily upset Evans, Jones’ lack of accountability on the topic rubbed him the wrong way and resulted in Evans departure from Jackson’s gym in New Mexico. The two have exchanged verbal barbs numerous times since with Evans even calling into question Jackson’s role in the matter, having originally been opposed to his mentor’s interest in bringing Jones on board based on the probability of an eventual fight between the two.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, evan, comments jones
Read the full article at Fighters.comJones says Jackson will corner him at UFC 145
Jon (Bones) Jones says trainer Greg Jackson will be in his corner when he takes on Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in April.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, rashad evans, trainer
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC Champ Jon Jones Doing The Media Rounds, Will Officiate At The Daytona 500
UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones can't be accused of shirking his media duties. He's facing Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia on April 21 and in the mean-time is mixing a ton of media in with his training for the fight.
Yesterday we posted the video of Jones' joint appearance with Evans on Canada's CSS SportsNite and here's more video of Jones' relentless promotional work. This is a behind the scenes video shot by Jones' management as he does a radio tour.
Additionally, Jones has been named an honorary race official for this Sunday's Daytona 500. The full press release is after the jump.
Fans often fail to appreciate the importance and difficulty of doing this kind of sustained media outreach. Have no doubt that its hard work requiring considerable discipline and self-control. Whatever his faults, Jones is an excellent ambassador for the sport and not someone Dana White has to worry about blowing off an important appearance or showing up in no condition to do an interview.
More SBN coverage of UFC 145.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones will serve as Honorary Race Official for the 54th annual Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, Feb. 26 at Daytona International Speedway (FOX, 1 p.m. ET).
As Honorary Race Official, Jones will be introduced at the driver's meeting, participate in pre-race ceremonies and ride in one of the honorary race official cars ahead of the 43-car field for the 200-lap, 500-mile historic race.
"Jon ‘Bones' Jones is the biggest name in mixed martial arts," Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. "We are excited to welcome him to the ‘World Center of Racing' and have him be a part of the pre-race ceremonies for NASCAR's biggest, richest and most prestigious race."
"I am thrilled to be able to serve as Honorary Race Official at this year's Daytona 500, NASCAR's premier event," Jones said. "Like the UFC, NASCAR has a passionate and knowledgeable fan base, and I am honored that I will get to share this experience with them."
Jones' holds a career record of 15-1, which is comprised of eight knockouts and five submissions. He was named "Most Dangerous Man" at the 2011 Spike Guys' Choice Awards and "2011 Fighter of the Year" at the World MMA Awards.
In December 2011, the Endicott, N.Y. native capped off what many have hailed as the greatest year in MMA history with a submission against Lyoto Machida. Earlier in the year, Jones became the youngest champion in UFC history at the age of 23 after he won all four of his fights and earned the Light Heavyweight title. With two more defeats of former champions later in 2011, Jones became the first fighter in UFC history to defeat three former champions in one year.
Jones entered the UFC in August 2008 after only four months of competing in professional fights.
Currently, Jones trains in Alburquerque, N.M. under legendary MMA coach Greg Jackson. On April 21 in Atlanta, Jones will take on his former champion training partner, "Suga" Rashad Evans, in one of the most anticipated UFC fights of the year.
Tickets for Speedweeks 2012 events, including the 54th annual Daytona 500, are available online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.
If you are unable to attend in person, be sure to tune in to the Daytona 500 on FOX on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 1 p.m. ET.
Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter (www.twitter.com/disupdates) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/DaytonaInternationalSpeedway). In addition, fans can follow NASCAR on Twitter (@NASCAR) and stay up to speed on the latest news by using hashtags #NASCAR and #DAYTONA500.
Posted in: ufc, jone, nascar, race, daytona
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones named 'Honorary Race Official' for NASCAR's 54th annual Daytona 500
Gentlemen, start your engines.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones has been named the "Honorary Race Official" for the 54th annual Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway.
If watching 43 cars drive in a circle for two hours is your cup of tea, tune into FOX this Sunday (Feb. 26, 2012) at 1 p.m. ET.
From today's release:
"Jon ‘Bones' Jones is a huge star in mixed martial arts," Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. "We are excited to welcome him to the ‘World Center of Racing' and have him be a part of the pre-race ceremonies for NASCAR's biggest, richest and most prestigious race."
"I am thrilled to be able to serve as Honorary Race Official at this year's Daytona 500, NASCAR's premier event," Jones said. "Like the UFC, NASCAR has a passionate and knowledgeable fan base, and I am honored that I will get to share this experience with them."
Following his days of thunder, Jones will defend his 205-pound title against bitter rival "Suga" Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145, scheduled for April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
More on their epic grudge match right here.
Posted in: jone, nascar, race, daytona, race official
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC champ Jon Jones to serve as Daytona 500 honorary race official
UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones is heading to NASCAR's Daytona 500.
Jones serves as an honorary race official for the 54th annual Sprint Cup Series race, which takes place Feb. 26 at Daytona International Speedway in Florida.
The race airs on UFC broadcast partner FOX.
Posted in: ufc, jone, race, daytona, race airs
Read the full article at MMA JunkieTrainer Greg Jackson to corner champ Jon Jones at UFC 145
Greg Jackson apparently won't sit on the sidelines after all.
After the famed trainer said he would corner neither UFC 145 headliner because of his ties to both fighters, UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones has confirmed via Twitter that Jackson will corner him at the show.
Initially, Jackson planned to sit out because he also formerly trained Jones' opponent, Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jackson, trainer
Read the full article at MMA JunkieJon Jones and Rashad Evans discuss their conflict on CSS SportsNite
The fight between Jon Jones and "Suga" Rashad Evans is two months away, but it already looks like the cold war between the two former teammates gets hot.
Jones and Evans sat to discuss the origins of their mutual hatred, once again promising MMA fans around the world a grudge match for the ages. Evans called Jon Jones "fake" and a "fraud", claiming that he knows the "real Jon Jones" is not even close to his public image. From another side, Jones claimed his match-up with Evans is just a small part of his
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, evan, ages evans
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones & Rashad Evans Get Into It On SportsNite; Greg Jackson Will Corner Jones
Rashad Evans has accused Jon Jones of being fake in plenty of interviews. Turns out he doesn’t have a problem of saying it to his face either, because that’s exactly what happens in this face-to-face interview on CSS SportsNite.
Related: Greg Jackson says he will corner Jon Jones for the Evans fight out of loyalty to his team.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, evan, evans fight, css sportsnite
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145: Rashad Evans calls Jon Jones a fake and a fraud, 'Bones' tries to keep it classy (Video)
Is it April yet?
UFC 145 is more than two months away, but former training partners and bitter rivals who are set to headline the pay-per-view (PPV) event, Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on April 21, 2012, continue to verbally spar prior to the championship clash.
It apparently gets even more dicey when the pair have to share a stage.
This is one must-see exchange that "Suga" attempts to instigate throughout, while "Bones" attempts to remain cool and collected.
Call me crazy, but Evans' incessant poking, as well as admittedly having no respect for Jones as a person, has to be having some sort of impact, whether the Light Heavyweight champion wants to admit it or not. Or, perhaps, he just doesn't realize yet.
That will likely change, for better or worse, as fight night draws closer.
Check out part two of the heated exchange on the set of "SportsNite" after the jump: For more on UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" and their volatile history be sure to hit up our complete event archive right here. Thanks to BloodyElbow.com for the assist.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, evan, fraud bones, suga attempts
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones and Rashad Evans Go Face-to-Face on CBS Sportsline (Video)
Before they go at it at UFC 145, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans met face-to-face on CBS Sportsline, where things got a little heated in the studio.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad evans, cbs sportsline, sportsline
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones and Rashad Evans Go Face-to-Face on CSS SportNite (Video)
Before they go at it at UFC 145, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans met face-to-face on CBS Sportsline, where things got a little heated in the studio.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad evans, cbs sportsline, facetoface
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyGreg Jackson Will Corner Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
Greg Jackson, the MMA coach who has long sought to foster a team-first environment at his gym and claimed he would never participate if two of his students planned to fight against each other, has made a difficult decision: He has decided to corner Jon Jones at UFC 145, when Jones will defend the light heavyweight title against Rashad Evans, a longtime member of Team Jackson.
Evans left the Jackson team only after it became clear that he and Jones were on a collision course at the top of the light heavyweight division, and there's some lingering bitterness between Evans and Jones. Jackson's decision will do nothing to lessen that bitterness, and it will undoubtedly lead to some hard feelings for Evans toward Jackson as well.
But it's the right decision: Jackson is Jones's coach, and Jackson needs to do his job as Jones's coach and be there for Jones at UFC 145.
It's easy to see why Evans is unhappy. He came up under Jackson's wing and always subscribed to Jackson's teachings about teammates not fighting each other. For a long time, the question Evans faced wasn't whether he would fight Jones, but whether he would fight his friend and training partner Keith Jardine. Evans and Jardine always insisted they would never fight each other, and Jackson always insisted that was the right course of action.
Things started to change a year ago, when Evans suffered an injury while training at Jackson's gym for his planned fight with Shogun Rua, and Jones stepped in to take Evans' place. Jones became the champion, Evans remained the No. 1 contender, and although it's taken a year to get the timing right, the Jones-Evans title fight is now going to happen. In the mean time, Evans left Jackson's gym in large part because he wasn't happy about the way things transpired between himself and Jones.
Jackson never wanted Jones and Evans to be in a position where they were fighting each other, but the reality of the business is that the UFC needs its best fighters to be willing to fight. They may be friends or teammates or training partners, but if one is the champion and the other is the No. 1 contender, they need to fight. Jackson has long supported an ideal in which teammates never fight teammates, but that ideal just isn't realistic at the highest levels of the UFC. Sometimes the two best fighters in a weight class just have to suck it up and fight each other.
And when those times come up, a coach who has a relationship with both fighters will face a difficult decision. Jackson was faced with a difficult decision as soon as Jones and Evans were identified as likely future opponents, and now Jackson can't delay that decision any longer. He's made his decision about where he'll be at UFC 145, and he made the right decision. He'll be in Jones's corner, doing everything he can to help Jones beat Evans.
Posted in: fight, jone, jackson, decision, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145: Jones and Evans on CSS - Full Video
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Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, mattyblayze, cs
Read the full article at RedditUFC 145 Video: Rashad Evans Calls Jon Jones Fake To His Face
UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones and his UFC 145 opponent Rashad Evans were guests on CSS SportsNite and didn't hold anything back. Jones plays his usual humble young sportsman role but Evans, a former teammate and friend of Jones, calls him on it.
The drama peaks when Jones starts talking about being a young man who doesn't have a lot of wealth and Evans points out that Jones owns a Bentley. Jones has to note that its a 2012 Bentley. From there the conversation degenerates.
Jones compares himself to Muhammad Ali and Evans points out that Ali was humbled. Evans does concede that Jones has earned his fame but insists that "there ain't nothing new under the sun" and tells Jones, "you're just a drop in the bucket, bro." Evans concludes that Jones is "preaching to the choir."
Part 2 of the segment is after the jump.
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, sbn coverage, evans points
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones vs the UFC heavyweight division
FanPost edited and promoted to the front page by Geno Mrosko.
Jon Jones is the polarizing UFC light heavyweight champion and widely regarded as the 2011 "Fighter of the year" after sporting a 4-0 record and wins over 3 previous division champs. Despite some strong competition for the belt in the works for 2012 (see: Evans, Rashad, Henderson, Dan), many are already looking for bigger and better challenges.
They don't get any bigger than the UFC heavyweight division.
Towering over the light heavyweight division, the man known as "Bones" sports the UFC's longest reach at 84.5 inches, already putting him ahead of any potential heavyweight challenger. But how does he really stack up? Which UFC heavyweights can give the 205-pound champion a proper staredown?
A more detailed look after the jump
Let's take a look at how "Bones" measures up.
He recently stated 240-pounds would be an ideal weight for him at heavyweight. He is 6'4'' and sports the previously mentioned 84.5 inch reach. We'll look at each measurement in detail:
240-pounds: You may be surprised to learn that "old school" heavyweights like Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (239-pounds), Mirko Filipovic (220-pounds) and even Roy Nelson (246-pounds) have no advantage over Jones. Even the chiseled Cheick Kongo (235-pounds) can't compare on the scales.
6'4'' Height: Of 31 fighters currently on the UFC heavyweight roster, only eight would be looking down on Jones at the weigh-ins. Four of those only have an extra inch on him, being listed at 6'5''. The last heavyweight champ taller than "Bones" was none other than the affable Tim Sylvia.
84.5 inch reach: We already know he has the longest reach in the UFC, but it may surprise you to know that other heavyweight monsters like Brendan Schaub (79.5 inch), Ben Rothwell (80 inch) and Gabriel Gonzaga (76 inch) come in with a sizable disadvantage here.
So that raises the question of who is close enough on paper to negate the genetic gifts of Jonny "Bones" Jones? Here's my list:
Frank Mir: Slightly behind Jones at 6'3" and a 79-inch reach, he may be able to negate some of that weighing in at 260-pounds (20 up on Jones). I would say neither fighter has a clear advantage on paper here.
Stefan Struve: The "Skyscraper" towers over Jones at 6'11'' and sports a similar 84-inch reach. Struve also gets the nod on the scales at 256-pounds and growing. On paper, Jones would have to look elsewhere to make up for this disadvantage.
Matt Mitrione: A fighter who holds the unique "genetic gift" trait, which probably helped in his NFL days. "Meathead" Is a respectable 6'3'' with a solid 82-inch reach. He also gets the nod at 255-pounds.
Shane Carwin: "The Engineer" has been in need of repairs for a wonky back, but not too long ago was considered the "other" superbeast of the UFC heavyweight division along with the recently retired Brock Lesnar. However, Carwin is a bit smaller at 6'2'' and a decent 80-inch reach. His only advantage is on the scale where he last came in at 256-pounds.
Antonio Silva: "Bigfoot" looks as daunting as the "Skyscraper" on paper at 6'4'' and an 83-inch reach. Cutting down to the 265-pound limit means Silva is one of the few who would actually look intimidating standing next to Jones.
Alistair Overeem: Known for being in the Sexy and I Know It music video -- oh and maybe those championships in MMA and kickboxing -- the horse meat fueled number one contender is a monster at 6'3'' with an 81-inch reach. Tipping the scales at 263-pounds has the "tale of the tape" in his favor for this hypothetical showdown.
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From the above list, Carwin, Mitrione and Mir can consider themselves comparable to Jones without a clear cut advantage for either party. Silva and Struve have clear size advantages, but we know that there are many other intangibles (speed, skill and so on) that could dramatically change our presumptions on these fictitious bouts. It is my personal belief that Overeem may really be the only heavyweight that would be truly intimidating (pre-fight, at least) to Jones if he ever decides to make the leap.
That's not to discredit the other powerhouses of the heavyweight division. A quick rundown of some other (current) major players in the division:
Cain Velasquez: "Brown Pride" has the skill, but hardly measures up on paper at 6'1'' with a 77-inch reach and weighing in around 249-pounds.
Fabricio Werdum: Comparable to Jones but no real advantage at 6'4'' with a short 77-inch reach and weighing in at 246-pounds.
Junior dos Santos: The champion of the heavyweight division stands tall at 6'4'' but also sports the much shorter 77-inch reach. The scales for the Brazilian knockout artist only read 240-pounds!
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Probably a good time to stress that this is (largely) only looking at physical measurements, but it clearly shows some very interesting numbers, namely the fact that "Bones" measures up quite well against every single heavyweight in the UFC.
What do you think, Maniacs? Should Jones move up to heavyweight? And if he does, who could stop him?
Posted in: ufc, pound, jone, heavyweight, inch
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jon Jones Confirms That Greg Jackson Will Corner Him Against Rashad Evans
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jone tweeted last night that his coach Greg Jackson will indeed corner him against former teammate Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Jones had said at last week's UFC 145 press conference that he didn't expect Jackson to corner him.
Evans trained at Jackson's MMA long before Jones and originally the two had vowed never to fight. That all fell apart when Evans had to bow out of a UFC 128 title shot against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Jones stepped up and took the title.
Evans and Jones quickly ceased being friends and Evans left Jackson's MMA as part of the fall out.
Jackson originally had said he would never corner one of the two against the other, but recently rethought his position. Essentially Jackson concluded that since Evans left the team that he owed it to the team to corner Jones.
ESPN Magazine recently did an in-depth feature on the Jones-Evans rivalry and how Dana White and other UFC officials egged it on.
Here's Jones' tweet:
@JonnybonesJon Bones Jones Greg Jackson confirmed today he will be in my corner for UFC 145 Feb 19 via TweetCaster for iOS Favorite Retweet Reply
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, evan, jacksons mma
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowGreg Jackson WILL be cornering Jones against Rashad
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Posted in: jone, jackson, rashad, greg jackson, greg
Read the full article at RedditJon Jones: Greg Jackson will be in my corner for Rashad Evans fight at UFC 145
And the seesaw keeps going up and down, up and down, up and down.
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones will take on former friend and training partner Rashad Evans at the UFC 145 event scheduled for April 21, 2012, in Atlanta, Georgia. And just days after saying he didn't believe his coach, Greg Jackson, would be in his corner for the fight, Jones has made an announcement on Twitter to the contrary:
"Greg Jackson confirmed today he will be in my corner for UFC 145," Jones tweeted.
When the fight was first announced, Jackson initially washed his hands of it, claiming he was going to take a step back and let the two sort their differences out without his involvement.
He did this, of course, because he helped coach Evans to a title, no different than he did for Jones. Feeling as though it would be disloyal to both men to corner either of them in a fight against one another, Jackson simply stepped aside and said he would wait for the storm to pass.
Oh how quickly things change.
Apparently, Rashad has now made enough negative comments about his former gym to soothe Jackson's conscience, or enough at least that he'll be in Jones' corner on April 21 at the Philips Arena. Considering how well Jones and Evans know each other from their countless times training together, this could be what tips the fight in "Bones'" favor.
Then again, it could just add that little extra motivation to give "Suga" the push to take down the light heavyweight king. Which side are you on, Maniacs?
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, jackson, corner
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRankings: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans is a top-10 match to savor (Yahoo! Sports)
With emotions running high, this year's fight between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and ex-champ Rashad Evans should be one for the ages.
Posted in: jon, jone, evan, yahoo sports, years fight
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsWatch Jon Jones get attacked by police dogs (Yahoo! Sports)
Before winning the UFC light heavyweight championship, Jon Jones dreamed of working in law enforcement. He got a taste of what his alternate timeline would look like when he went through a sampling of police academy training in Broome County, … Continue reading →
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, police, law enforcement
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsFriday Link Club: Jon Jones Takes On The Police Academy
Jon Jones goes through police academy training in a series of videos from The NOC
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Posted in: fight, mma, jon, jone, rashad evans
Read the full article at MMA ConvertBAMMA 9: Przemyslaw Mysiala vs Jason Jones booked for March 24 in Birmingham
(Feb 17th.12) BAMMA, Europe's leading Mixed Martial Arts promotion, is proud to announce Przemyslaw 'Misiek' Mysiala vs Jason Jones onto the main card for an electric Light Heavyweight clash at BAMMA 9, which takes place on Saturday 24th March at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena.
Golden Glory's judoka, Jason Jones, is hungry to gain a shot at the Light Heavyweight title. Boasting 25 battles and 16 wins, Jones has victories by both knock-out and by submission. Misiek steps into the cage with an equally impressive array of experience and also has 16 wins to his name, but just 6 losses. Formerly the UK's number 1 Light Heavyweight, Misiek has had time out due to injury which led to a slide in his ranking. Passionate to win back his former no. 1 position and with a win over Rea under his belt, Misiek has for a long time had his eyes set on Manuwa. This powerful match-up creates desirable opportunities for both fighters.
BAMMA Matchmaker, Jude Samuel, says:
"Jason Jones is making his debut on BAMMA, but is a very experienced fighter who has fought the likes of Ninja Rua at Middleweight in the past: He now has is eye on the BAMMA Light Heavyweight throne and is eyeing Jimi Manuwa very closely. Jones wants a crack at the undefeated Manuwa by the end of the year. 'Misiek' Mysiala has had a run of bad luck, but is looking to get back into the rankings fast. Jimi has 2 hungry individuals chasing him at the moment and he is not even champion yet. Nothing is a forgone conclusion, so the outcome should be a very well balanced technical battle"
Here is the current BAMMA 9 fight card and line-up:
MAIN CARD:
185 lbs.: JACK MARSHMAN VS TOM WATSON205 lbs.: PRZEMYSLAW MYSIALA VS JASON JONES185 lbs.: ANDREW PUNSHON VS MATT HOWARD205 lbs.: FRASER OPIE VS ANTHONY TAYLOR155 lbs.: JASON BALL VS COLIN FREAKSHOW FLETCHER185 lbs.: NICK NEMBHARD VS LEEROY BARNES
UNDERCARD:
170 lbs.: RUS SMITH VS TOM BREESE155 lbs.: CHRIS FISHGOLD VS DALE HARDIMAN265 lbs.: MARC GODBEER VS CATALIN ZMARANDESCU185 lbs.: LEE JOHNSON VS SAM HOOKER205 lbs.: ROBERT TRUESDALE VS SAM MENSAH155 lbs.: JAKE MURPHY VS DAVID ROUND
More on BAMMA 9 right here.
Posted in: jone, vs, jason, lb, bamma
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones gets attacked by a police dog and more during police academy training (Video)
The Network of Champions (NOC) has released a series of videos featuring UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones as he goes through police academy training at the Binghamton Sheriff's Department in New York.
Jones, as you may remember, allegedly made a citizen's arrest prior to winning the 205-pound title from Mauricio Rua back at UFC 128 when he was walking the streets of Paterson, NJ, and happened to come across a double-dealing do-badder.
Now, he's putting his crime-fighting experience (and criminal justice degree) to the ultimate test.
Aside from getting mauled by a police dog, "Bones" gets a chance to make an arrest, wrestle a few cops and put his hand on the Glock, after the jump.
Check it out.
Jones wrestles a cop in a dog suit:
Jones learns how to shoot:
Jones is dressed for success:
Outtakes!
We'll see if his police academy training will help him against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta. More on that fight right here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, fight right, training, police
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Tickets On-Sale Press Conference Video
The UFC held a tickets on-sale news conference Thursday in Atlanta for UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans. You can now watch the entire event, with Dana White, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, evan, onsale
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 145 Press Conference: “Jones vs. Evans”
The UFC is finally returning to Atlanta. After a three year wait, fans will once again pack Philips Arena for a UFC pay-per-view at UFC 145 on April 21st. With that comes one of the most anticipated matchups of 2012 with UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones taking on Rashad Evans.
Jones and Evans’ history has long been discussed, after it took a negative turn when Jones replaced Evans at UFC 128 in March 2011. Teammates at Jackson’s MMA, Jones mentioned fighting Evans if the situation should arise; something Evans did not take so kindly to. After Jones defeated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua to win the title, Evans left Jackson’s MMA and began training in Florida. Since then, the possible matchup of the two has been mentioned non-stop.
Jones (15-1) last fought in December, defeating Lyoto Machida in the second round via submission. Evans (17-1-1) fought a month later at UFC on FOX 2, defeating Phil Davis by decision. The matchup between Jones and Evans was announced for UFC 145 shortly thereafter.
Other official matchups at the event include Rory MacDonald taking on Che Mills, a heavyweight battle between Brendan Schaub and Ben Rothwell, and a lightweight clash between Mark Bocek and Matt Wiman.
On Thursday, the first press conference for UFC 145 took place, with both Jones and Evans in attendance.The UFC released video of the event, which can be seen below.
For complete coverage of UFC 145, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com
Posted in: ufc, jone, phil davis, evan, matchup
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 145: Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans Press Conference Video
Yesterday saw the official press conference for UFC 145, an event which sees the long awaited light heavyweight championship bout between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. The trash talk between the men was clicking as most expected it to be with the way the rivalry between the two men has built over the last year.
Here is the video of the presser:
MMA Fighting has some notes from the conference:
"I'm going to be cliche and say I'm going to go out there with great intentions and train really hard and just have fun," he said. "I realize when I have fun great things happen. Magical things happen."
But as he finished his thought, Evans interjected, saying "What do you really think, though?"
"You remember what I told you," Jones said.
"I remember what you told me, but I remember you didn't mean it," Evans said.
Some rowdy fans in the crowd yelled out, asking Evans what Jones said, and Evans mimicked Jones nervously saying, "Rashad, I'm going to be the first one to finish you in the first round...," stuttering his way throughout the less-than-flattering imitation.
Posted in: jone, conference, rashad, evan, im
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowVideos: UFC Champ Jon Jones Takes Police Academy Training
Jon Jones took up Criminal Justice in school, and said that he has always wanted to be in law enforcement. A few hours before he won the UFC light heavyweight championship against Shogun Rua, 'Bones' even performed a Citizen's Arrest, when he took down a thief who robbed an old couple.
He's definitely one of the best fighters in the planet, but does he have what it takes to pass Police Academy Training?
Find out on the video below:
There's extra footage after the jump where Jones tries to wrestle with a cop, test his shooting skills, and more.
Jon Jones does target practice with a Glock loaded with paint balls. He isn't quite used to drawing a gun from the holster yet though:
Jones wrestles with a police officer while wearing the dog-bite training suits:
Jones suits up for Police Academy Training:
Outtakes and behind the scenes from the entire experience:
Posted in: jon, jone, training, police, academy
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans on Jon Jones: ‘Anybody Can Lose, He’s Going to Find That Out’
Rashad Evans scoffs at the idea that Jon Jones is destined for greatness. He says he's seen a lot of past champions say the same thing, and they don't have the title any longer either.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145 press conference recap: Jon Jones not expecting to be cornered by Greg Jackson
Ultimate Fighting Championship held a public press conference today (Feb. 16, 2012) to officially announce UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans," which will take place this Saturday (April 21, 2012).
The press conference which began at 1 p.m. ET and took place the Luckie Marietta District of downtown Atlanta, the home city of the event. Attending were the headlining fighters of the evening, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans as well as UFC President Dana White.
Jones, the UFC light heavyweight champion, and Evans, the former champ, are former teammates and have been having a war of words for the past year ever since a dispute led to Evans leaving Greg Jackson's gym and moving to Imperial Athletics in Florida. Coach Jackson, one of the best trainers and cornermen in the business, was one of the first topics discussed during the presser.
We've got Jon Jones' response about Jackson and much, much more after the jump:
Jones on Greg Jackson cornering him:
I don't expect [Greg Jackson] to be in my corner. Greg has taught me this whole thing about being an artist and being a great artist and he said, 'In order to be a great artist, you need a great coach and a great teacher. You need someone who's always giving you new paintbrushes.' That's what he'll do leading up to this fight. He's gonna give me lots of new tactics, lots of new ways of thinking and approaching the sport and then I'm gonna have the canvas on April 21st to paint a new masterpiece."
This is an emotionally charged fight, as Evans has had a post-fight staredown with "Bones" twice now after his victories only to see their bout scrapped due to injuries. With both men fully healthy and a date finally set, it appears that Jones is expecting to use his emotions as fuel in preparing for Evans.
"I think my opponent will be in my head for this fight and I want him in my head. I think my opponent getting in my head, that really brings out the best in me."
Evans, on the other hand, feels he needs to keep his emotions in check. In doing so, he'll get back to the same old rhythm he used to have when him and Jones were training together.
"There's always emotions in each fight. I am gonna have to be a little conscious of it, not get carried away with it. Me and Jon, we competed against each other before and we always bring it every time we competed even in practice. It was always like we've always been there before. I'm thinking we're gonna find our rhythm like we always do, like when he wouldn't want me to take him down and I wouldn't want him to take me down. We'd just go at it back and forth. It's gonna be the same."
As one reporter pointed out, Jones was very confident in himself during his big network analyst gig at the second UFC on FOX event following Evans' victory in a five round battle over Phil Davis. He explained why he felt confident, admitting that he can't help being honest about what he saw.
"There was this whole Rashad 2.0 thing that was getting started and in his first fight in a new camp, his body looked better, I saw some differences in his game and in the last fight, I didn't see any progression whatsoever. It inspired me. It made me really happy with what I saw. It made me think, 'Wow! If that athlete shows up on April 21st, it's gonna be an interesting night.' ... It's like you're competitor reporter is not doing his job well and you're just like, 'Oh, this is gonna be great.'"
Evans, though, got the last laugh, mocking Jones' appearance on national television and poking fun at his erratic movement and inability to sit still, even comparing him to a famous musician.
"I read body language a little bit and I studied psychology and if you see Jon and the way he was swiveling that chair, he couldn't keep still. It was like he was Stevie Wonder for a minute. He couldn't keep still. I don't know. He can say what he wants to, but he already knows what time it was. He knows it won't be an easy fight. He knows it's gonna be the hardest fight of his career. He already knows that coming into this fight because he competed against me before. He already felt what I have. He can say whatever he wants to about how I competed against somebody else. He already knows what time it is when we go together."
All in all, it was a pretty tame presser as Jones did his best to put out any fires that Evans tried to start between them. It even finished with the (we thought he was past this) no-eye contact staredown.
Who do you think is winning the war of words thus far, Maniacs?
Will it matter come April 21st?
Sound off!
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, jackson, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaGreg Jackson still not likely to corner Jon Jones against Rashad Evans
Even though it’s been a year since the falling out between former teammates, current rivals, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans it appears Greg Jackson is living up to his word and won’t be in the champ’s corner when he defends his title against Evans in Atlanta this spring. Evans was under Jackson’s tutelage when “Bones” first joined the team and split from the group in New Mexico as a result of his issue with Jones.
“I don’t expect him to be in my corner,” said Jones earlier today during a press conference promoting the event.
However, though Jackson may not physically be there that doesn’t mean the renowned instructor won’t be on Jones’ mind throughout the fight.
“Greg has taught me this whole thing about being a great artist,” explained Jones. “And he said, ‘In order to be a great artist you need a great coach, a great teacher. You need someone who is always giving you new paint, new paintbrushes.’ That’s what he’ll do leading up to this fight. He’s gonna give me lots of new tactics, lots of new ways of thinking and approaching this sport. And then I’m gonna have the canvas on April 21 to paint a new masterpiece.”
Jones Thinks Evans is “Coming Down the Other Side of the Hill”
Then again, while he may not have said so specifically, it apparently wouldn’t bother Evans if Jackson did corner Jones based on the damage that’s already been done. When asked what his relationship with Jackson was like at the moment, Evans replied, “We don’t have a relationship. We don’t get to talk no more. I haven’t talked to Greg in probably a little over a year.”
Jones-Evans will serve as the headliner at UFC 145 with other match-ups including Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills and Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell.
Check out the entire press conference below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: jone, jackson, ’t, evan, greg
Read the full article at Fighters.comDan Henderson Continues His Light Heavy-Wait For An Opponent
On the day of the first press conference for UFC 145: “Jones vs. Evans”, another light heavyweight contender continues to do what he has been doing for months- waiting.
After defeating Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 139 in November, Dan Henderson (29-8) maintained that he felt he deserved a title shot after that victory, and that he was willing to wait for it. He continued to wait through January, as Rashad Evans faced Phil Davis at UFC on FOX 2. Throughout the week, UFC President Dana White answered repeatedly that Evans would get the opportunity to face Jon Jones if he were to win against Davis. However, if Evans lost or suffered an injury against Davis, Henderson would step in to face Jones.
Unfortunately for Henderson, Evans defeated Davis and left the cage unscathed, and the matchup with Jones was announced for UFC 145 on April 21st shortly thereafter.
Throughout this time, Henderson has been offered opponents, but has declined all of them. White confirmed that Henderson most recently turned down an opportunity to face Lyoto Machida. Reportedly, he also turned down a rematch with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. The two fought in April 2005 at PRIDE Total Elimination 2005, with Nogueira winning by armbar.
Henderson has stated that due to a lot of the top contenders in the division already with opponents, he would be interested in fighting at heavyweight while waiting for the scheduled fights in the light heavyweight division to play out. Henderson fought at heavyweight last June, defeating Fedor Emelianenko via TKO in the first round. This was his final fight for Strikeforce before returning to the UFC.
However, the UFC rarely allows fighters to move around in weight, instead preferring fighters permanently move to a specific weight class.
For now, Henderson will have to continue waiting, but will likely end up taking a fight during the summer instead of waiting for the Jones vs. Evans winner to be ready. With that championsip fight scheduled in April, the winner might not be ready until late summer or early fall. Henderson turns 42 in August.
Posted in: ufc, jone, heavyweight, henderson, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 145 ‘Jones vs. Evans’ Press Conference Full Video
Full video from today’s UFC 145 press conference. UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and title contender Rashad Evans were in attendance.
Posted in: ufc, jone, conference, video, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 145 press conference full video for 'Jones vs Evans'
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) today (Feb. 16, 2012) held its "tickets on sale" pre-fight press conference to help promote the upcoming UFC 145 pay-per-view (PPV) event headlined by a light heavyweight title fight featuring former training partners and bitter rivals Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans.
If you missed the staredown between "Bones" and "Suga" from earlier today then click here to see what all the fuss is about. Those of you who are video impaired can expect a full presser recap a little later this evening.
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" goes down on April 21, 2012, from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, and will also feature a welterweight match-up pitting rising star Rory MacDonald against British banger Che Mills. Heavyweights Brendan Schaub and Ben Rothwell are also scheduled to collide.
Get up to speed on all the news and notes for UFC 145, and there are aplenty, by clicking here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, presser recap
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 144: Rampage Jackson - 'It's No Secret I Love Japan'
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson made his name in Pride, and he's getting the chance to go back to Japan when he faces Ryan Bader at UFC 144. In the first of a three-part blog on Yahoo Sports, Rampage talked about still hoping to win back his belt one day despite his loss to Jon Jones at UFC 135, his love for the Land of the Rising Sun, and his motivation going forward. First, he talks Jon Jones:
I worked so hard for the Jon Jones fight in September. I trained my ass off. As I said before the fight, I was in the best shape of my life, but in the Octagon I didn’t perform like I should have done. It is frustrating for me, and I felt bad for all my team who got me ready for that Jon Jones fight.
I still think I can win my title back, and I still think I can even win it back from Jon Jones, but I would have to execute the game plan. Jones was very good on the night; he did what he had to with style and stopped me doing what I needed to do. Respect to him.
On Japan:
But in this fight on February 25, I get the next best thing: I get to fight in Japan for the first time in six years. It’s no secret I love Japan. Japan is where I became a MMA fighter, it is where I made a name for myself and learned how to kick ass. The fans there are so respectful, I can’t wait to perform for them again. I really, really want a sick knockout for them, and maybe even I’ll do my powerbomb if Bader is dumb enough to give me the chance.
Did you know Rampage just opened a gym and is still motivated to fight? You do now:
I’m not going to lie, I still don’t like training too much. Getting sweaty with other dudes? Not really my thing. There’s other things I can think of which are a lot more fun to do. But I train a lot harder than I used to, and a lot smarter. I’ve even opened up my own gym, the Rampage Fitness Academy in Mission Viejo, CA, which was something I thought I’d never do.
Some haters have said now that I didn’t get my belt back after three years of waiting for my shot, I’m not going to be motivated in my fighting career. That is what my English friends call "bollocks". I am very motivated to kick Bader’s ass. I was a little pissed off and disappointed that I didn’t get my belt back and I was upset with my performance. I’m going to take that out on Ryan Bader and – in front of the Japanese fight fans – put on a great fight.
If Rampage can defeat Bader, there are some enticing possible fights still available to him (rematches with Dan Henderson and Rashad Evans remain possibilities, as well as bouts with young guns like Alexander Gustafsson down the road). While he's unlikely to get that belt around his waist again, people still like to watch him fight, so that should keep him around a while longer. Parts two and three of the blog will be out early next week.
SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson
Posted in: fight, jon, rampage, jone, japan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Press Conference (Full Video)
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and top contender Rashad Evans squared off on Thursday in Atlanta to begin the promotion around their fight coming up at UFC 145.
Posted in: ufc, jone, conference, champion, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones, Rashad Evans Reignite Rivalry as UFC 145 Buildup Begins
The first time Rashad Evans marched into Atlanta, he was a sizable underdog trying to make a legacy for himself. Next time he does, he'll again be a sizable underdog, this time trying to seal a legacy as a two-time UFC light-heavyweight champion.Nearly a year after the long-simmering grudge between Evans and Jones began, there's finally an end game, UFC 145 in April. But until then, expect salvos to be fired and returned. A full two months before the two meet in the cage, they met at a spot overlooking downtown Atlanta, with Evans reasserting his belief that his previous work with Jones would give him the advantage in their matchup, and the champion admitting that the broken friendship and personal feelings would play a motivational role in his training.
"I think that my opponent will be in my head this fight," he said. "And I want him in my head because I realize when people are in my head, it brings out the best in me, and that’s what I’m prepared to show."The 24-year-old has seen his star rise over the last year following a brilliant stretch that saw him win four times in 2011, including three finishes over former UFC champions. But it was a question of whether Jones could finish Evans within one round that led to the most animated exchange between the two fighters. It started innocently enough from Jones."I’m going to be cliche and say I’m going to go out there with great intentions and train really hard and just have fun," he said. "I realize when I have fun great things happen. Magical things happen."But as he finished his thought, Evans interjected, saying "What do you really think, though?""You remember what I told you," Jones said."I remember what you told me, but I remember you didn’t mean it," Evans said.Some rowdy fans in the crowd yelled out, asking Evans what Jones said, and Evans mimicked Jones nervously saying, "Rashad, I’m going to be the first one to finish you in the first round…," stuttering his way throughout the less-than-flattering imitation.That brought laughs from the audience, and even got a chuckle from UFC president Dana White. Jones portrayed the hint of a smile, but wasn't quite so amused."I remember being here and Rampage was doing the same thing, so …," Jones said, letting his words trail off and throwing his hands up, letting the memory of his fourth-round submission win over Jackson finish his thought.The easy rapport the two shared mostly replaced by acrimony, the two did share a couple of lighter moments throughout. But most of the time, it was a case of one answering a question, and the other rebutting the answer as though they were debating.Jones smiled throughout the 30-minute press conference, although the two didn't look each other in the eye during a post-even staredown photo opportunity or share a handshake at its conclusion. Evans was clearly the crowd favorite of the two, with one fan routinely yelling out support to the point where Evans adopted him as his "hype man."That's been par for the course for Jones, who has watched his popularity rating increase right alongside his list of detractors, one of MMA's most beloved and hated at the same time. That's a typical symptom of the overnight superstar, and that's certainly what Jones has become, winning the title in what is traditionally MMA's most competitive division within three years of taking up the sport. But even with all the proclamations about Jones as MMA's present and future, Evans wouldn't give in, anointing himself a "spoiler" on April 21."There’s been so many people like him that’s been ‘the one,’" he said. "But that’s the secret: there is no ‘one.’ Anybody can lose any given day, and he’s going to find that out."The back and forth about who knows more about the other from their days training together has been discussed ad nauseam, and will continue to be rehashed for another two months until they're finally standing across the cage from each other. Then we'll get our answer.But for now, we're left with the same thing we've had for the last year, loaded words going back and forth, just setting the stage for what's to come. As for what might be afterward, well, the two opened a window on that when a fan innocently asked if the two would be able share a smile or handshake after going five hard rounds in April.It was as if they didn't even hear the question."This fight won't go five rounds," Evans said."Mark his words," Jones said. And so it goes, a blood feud in need of a conclusion, a money rivalry to end in the place where for Evans, it all really began.
Posted in: ufc, time, jone, year, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones Doesn’t Expect Greg Jackson to Corner Him Against Rashad Evans
It appears when Jon Jones goes for his third consecutive title defense, he'll be one man short in the corner.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad evans, greg jackson, corner
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyVideo: UFC Champion Jon Jones Applies Rear Naked Choke To Comedian Bobby Kelly
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones continues to make the media rounds, dropping by the Opie & Anthony radio show Monday to talk MMA and show off his submission skills in the process.
The popular XM satellite radio show routinely has UFC guests on and counts Dana White among its largest fans. When fighters drop by the New York studio, it's a tradition for comedian and show friend Jim Norton to have them apply submission holds and throw strikes to see how long they can last. Fedor Emelianenko famous bugged Norton's eyes out, while Anderson Silva delivered his famous front kick with great results.
Another one of the show's regulars is comedian Bobby Kelly, who has appeared on Ariel Helwani's MMA Hour before. On Monday, it was Kelly's turn and he asked Jones to apply a rear naked choke on him.
See the video and the predictable result after the jump.
Posted in: ufc, show, jone, kelly, comedian
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones vs Rashad Evans staredown pic from UFC 145 pre-fight press conference
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) today (Feb. 16, 2012) made their presence felt in the "Peach State" to help promote the upcoming UFC 145 pay-per-view (PPV) event headlined by a light heavyweight title fight featuring former training partners and bitter rivals Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
"Bones" and "Suga" squared off at the conclusion of today's pre-fight press conference and as with many face-offs in the past, the champ looks like he can hardly be bothered with his opponent.
Expect that to change on fight night.
UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" goes down on April 21, 2012, from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, and will also feature a welterweight match-up pitting rising star Rory MacDonald against British banger Che Mills. Heavyweights Brendan Schaub and Ben Rothwell are also scheduled to collide.
Get up to speed on all the news and notes for UFC 145, and there are aplenty, by clicking here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, training partners, evan, atlanta georgia
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Press Conference Video
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and No. 1 contender Rashad Evans will both appear in Atlanta on Thursday afternoon to promote their upcoming UFC 145 title fight, and we'll carry the live video right here at MMAFighting.com.
Jones and Evans are former friends and training partners who have become heated rivals, and the press conference is sure to contain plenty of heat. UFC President Dana White will also be on hand to oversee the festivities.
UFC 145 takes place on April 21 and marks the UFC's first fight in Atlanta since UFC 88, when Evans knocked out Chuck Liddell in the main event. That fight established Evans as the No. 1 contender in the light heavyweight division (he would go on to take the title from Forrest Griffin), and at that point Jon Jones had only fought in the UFC once. Much has changed since then.
Thursday's press conference begins at 1 p.m. Eastern. The video is below.
Posted in: ufc, jone, forrest griffin, chuck liddell, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseAnderson Silva Says He Won't Fight Jon Jones, Thinks Chael Sonnen Is Bad For The Sport
It is no secret that Anderson Silva's days in MMA are numbered. He is getting older and we hear chatter from him and his camp constantly that he'll be out of the sport in a handful of fights. Anderson has been on the shelf since his dominating August victory over Yushin Okami but is supposed to face long-time rival Chael Sonnen after Sonnen's win over Michael Bisping at UFC on Fox 2.
In a recent interview with UOL Esportes, Silva talked about Sonnen and many other topics (transcription by Orcus).
On Sonnen:
A lot of people who hears the crap he says end up thinking; "I don't like MMA, it's a joke." What he does only hurts the sport in general. That's never good. We are in a good phase with MMA and we have to capitalize on it. It looks like Chael doesn't understand that, all he wants is for people to get angry.
On getting older:
I’m no longer the same, everything hurts and it takes much longer for me to recover (from injuries).
More after the jump including Silva discussing a desire to fight GSP and never wanting to fight Jon Jones...
On a potential superfight with Georges St. Pierre:
GSP is very educated and I like him a lot. A fight against him would be very, very, very big and this could actually happen.
On fighting Jon Jones:
I don't plan on moving up in weight anymore. He's in a different weight (class). I train with bigger guys, such as Lyoto Machida and Big Nog and I know how complicated it is. ...Every time I see Jones I tell him to keep focus, because if he does that, there's no opponent for him. He's better than everyone. He'd have a lot of advantages (over me), he's much younger and it wouldn't be something interesting (for me).
I can't blame Silva for not wanting to go up and fight a huge, young light heavyweight when he already feels he is getting older. It's not exactly a good career choice for him to make as hi
Posted in: fight, jone, silva, chael sonnen, sonnen
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowAnderson Silva Talks Chael Sonnen, Georges St. Pierre & Jon Jones
It’s not too often that Anderson Silva speaks to the media himself, so when he does, it’s usually work listening to.
Silva and his manager Ed Soares hit the radio waves recently for interviews with ESPN 1100 and ESPN 710. The topics: Chael Sonnen, Georges St. Pierre and Jon Jones. One he hates, one he wants to fight and the other he rather be friends with. I’m sure you can guess which is which, but nevertheless here are the quotes.
Silva on Sonnen:
“Yeah of course, Chael talks too much. He talked about my family. He’s got no respect for my wife. No respect for the people in Brazil. It’s a problem. I understand it’s a promotion, but this is no promotion. This is bad. I don’t like this. The people in Brazil don’t like this. It’s bad for the sport.”
Silva on GSP:
“Georges is the best fighter in this sport. My opinion is it a great, great, great fight — me and Georges. I like Georges. He’s a good man. He’s a good guy for this sport, and he represents the sport [well] to all the people in Canada. Maybe one day this fight is the good fight.”
Silva on Jones:
“No man. I see the start…the first time that Jon Jones [fought]. I’m seeing [him like me in] my first fight. I talked to Jon Jones maybe for three or four days when we stayed together in the UFC. I told him, ‘Hey man, you’re the best; this time you need to take your focus to training. You have more and more fights a year, but you no have opponents.’ A fight with Jon Jones, this is maybe no good. I’m in a different class. In my academy we have Rogerio Minotoro [Noguiera], Rafael Feijao and Lyoto Machida. All the guys are the same class [as Jon Jones]. One day I watched the first fight of Jon Jones [in the UFC] and I said, ‘I like this guy.’ He is great. I like it. He has the old positions. I like it. I don’t know. A fight with me is just no good fight.”
In a perfect world, Silva would finish out his career with those three fights, but unfortunately the only we’re probably going to get is Chael Sonnen.
Silva vs. GSP would still be fun, but it really feels like that ship has sailed and GSP never seemed to be too crazy about it anyways.
As for Jones-Silva, Jones did say he would fight Silva if that’s what everyone wanted, so maybe Silva will pull a Rashad and get all offended. Doubtful, but we can always hope!
Image via CombatLifestyle.com
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, jon jones, silva
Read the full article at MMA ConvertOn the Rampage: Still motivated despite loss to Jones (Yahoo! Sports)
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson talks about losing to light heavyweight champ Jon Jones and his motivation for fighting Ryan Bader.
Posted in: rampage, jone, jackson, loss, motivation
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsJon Jones: I miss being friends with Rashad Evans
Sounds like Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones may have conflicting feelings when it comes to former friend and training partner Rashad Evans.
Jones recently told Laurence Holmes (via Yahoo! Sports) he misses their friendship and the "good times" they had as training partners, something the competitive nature and "business" of their sport got in the way of.
"We trained together and we had good times, but this competition has come between our friendship, which sucks. I do miss being friends with the guy. But it's business, and he's coming after my championship. I've gotta do what I've gotta do. It might be a little awkward punching him in the face, but I'm sure the first time he swings at me, it will get reactionary. I'd like to get to a point of being cordial, but to be friends again is not necessary. There's thousands of wonderful people in the world I can meet. After all that's been said, we can just live our lives. Respect is all that's necessary for me."
Then again, this is the same fighter who told Jon Anik of Ultimate Insider that he and Evans "were never really that close" to begin with and never became like "brothers," a term frequently heard among training partners at Jackson's MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Was the champ being sincere during a moment of clarity? Or trying to cast himself in a different light?
Jones also referred to Evans as a "jealous snake" who revealed his "envy" after the 205-pound title changed hands at UFC 128 back in March 2011.
Whether or not any sort of mutual respect or (gasp) friendship can be re-established all depends on the outcome of UFC 145, booked for April 21, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
That's when the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans grudge match takes place and either cements the legacy of "Bones," or starts a new one for "Suga."
Who will you be rooting for?
Posted in: jon, jone, evan, friend, friendship
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones misses his friendship with Rashad Evans (Yahoo! Sports)
Since Rashad Evans and Jon Jones stopped being training partners last year, the two have spewed nothing but vitriol at each other. But as UFC 144 and their title bout nears, Jones talked about how he misses their friendship with … Continue reading →
Posted in: jone, jon jones, training partners, rashad evans, title bout
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsHighlights of Yesterday's Jon Jones Fan Chat
Yesterday afternoon, Jon Jones held a brief fan chat. Some of the more interesting questions and answers: Corey (Quincy, MA): What's up Bones? If you have a succesful year of title defenses, will you consider moving up to heavyweight in 2013? Jon Jones: Absolutely. Ryan (New York): If you move up to heavyweight, realistically what weight will you fight at? Jon Jones: 240. Kevin L (New York): Hey Jon big fan, I just wanna know what are you mostly working on in preperation for the Rashad fight.. thanks and good luck Jon Jones : I've been working on being a better kickboxer and doing good jiu jitsu from the bottom. Scott (Salt Lake City): Do you think your cardio will play a hige role in the Rashad fight? Jon Jones: Absolutely. Rashad was winded in Round 2 against Davis. We're going to switch some things up. Nigel (Connecticut) I hope that you wipe the mat with Evans. After that fight who would you like to face next? Jon Jones: After that, I'm not usually not one to call out people, but Dan Henderson would be nice. submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [1 comment]
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, jon jones, rashad
Read the full article at RedditJon Jones fan chat recap: Expects 'a lot' of trash talk from Rashad Evans at UFC 145 presser
Today, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was "Chatman."
In a coordinated effort to help promote his upcoming fight with former champion and training partner Rashad Evans, as well as the release of UFC Undisputed 3, Jones participated in a chat on ESPN's SportsNation with fans.
For a grand total of 13 minutes, "Bones" answered a wide variety of questions ranging from his preparation for Evans, fighting in New York and how he's changed ever since Rashad left Team Jackson to join up with the Blackzillians at Imperial Athletics.
While his answers were rather short, there were definitely some very interesting tidbits.
We've got some of the highlights after the jump.
Corey (Quincy, MA): What's up Bones? If you have a succesful year of title defenses, will you consider moving up to heavyweight in 2013?
Jon Jones: Absolutely.
Kevin L (New York): Hey Jon big fan, I just wanna know what are you mostly working on in preperation for the Rashad fight.. thanks and good luck
Jon Jones : I've been working on being a better kickboxer and doing good jiu jitsu from the bottom.
Scott (Salt Lake City): Do you think your cardio will play a hige role in the Rashad fight?
Jon Jones: Absolutely. Rashad was winded in Round 2 against Davis. We're going to switch some things up.
Nigel (CT): Do you think your fight with Evans will go the distance?
Jon Jones: No. But I'm sure that's what Rashad wants.
Nigel (Connecticut) I hope that you wipe the mat with Evans. After that fight who would you like to face next?
Jon Jones: After that, I'm not usually not one to call out people, but Dan Henderson would be nice.
Ryan (New York): If you move up to heavyweight, realistically what weight will you fight at?
Jon Jones: 240.
Chad (Woodstock, Ga): You're coming to Atlanta Thursday for the press conference. Do you expect any trash talking from Rashad?
Jon Jones: A lot of it.
So did anything stand out for you, Maniacs? Do you think conditioning could be one of the biggest factors of this fight like Jones says?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaBrazilian Journalist Takes Down Jon Jones, Wants Anderson Silva Next
Besides being champion in one of the toughest in the UFC, light heavyweight Jon Jones is one of the most feared fighters in the world. However, not for Brazilian journalist Mario Filho.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, anderson silva, brazilian journalist, journalist
Read the full article at SherdogHopes of a title-win only thing keeping Quinton Jackson from retiring
Light heavyweight star Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has never shied away expressing his desire to hang up his trademark chain and call it a career by the time he’s 35. However, had he defeated divisional king Jon Jones in September it turns out the 33-year old would have seriously considered speeding up his plan, retiring with the belt rather than making any real attempt at defending it.
Jackson’s admission came in a recent interview with Fighters Only where he said, “If I had won that Jon Jones fight and if the Japan show wasn’t next, then there would have been a very good chance I would have retired already. It would have been a great time to bow out,” adding he would have ducked out after putting the gold up for grabs in Japan at UFC 144. Jackson has professed his love for the Land of the Rising Sun numerous times before, lobbying hard to fight on the show and entertain some of his most loyal fans at the historic show.
Without the title in tow, the former UFC/PRIDE champ will use the next eighteen months of his life to attempt to earn one final crack at the strap.
“I still want to retire as champion. I want to hold the belt once more,” Jackson revealed.
The next step in that process will come in two weeks when he rumbles with Ryan Bader at the very event that could have marked his last had things played out differently (UFC 144). Jackson had won back-to-back bouts entering the title-fight with Jones and holds an overall record of 32-9 including past victories over Lyoto Machida, Wanderlei Silva, Chuck Liddell, and Dan Henderson.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, time, jone, jackson, ufcpride champ
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainRashad Evans Vs. Jon Jones Rivalry Covered In ESPN The Magazine
When UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones faces Rashad Evans at April's UFC 145, it will be a major moment between two rivals and a fight that many have waited to finally see unfold after a variety of injuries repeatedly set things back.
If you listen to UFC president Dana White, ESPN has become somewhat of a rival for him since the promotion's deal with Fox was announced, but that didn't stop the Worldwide Leader In Sports from covering the Jones vs. Evans beef in their recent issue that focuses on rivalries, out on newsstands now and also available online.
Entitled "Enemies With Benefits", the story briefly touches on the Jones/Evans backstory with a heavy focus on White's role in "orchestrating the breakup" and how the rise in top fight teams has prevented the UFC from putting together top fights between guys in those camps.
From writer Ryan McGee's piece:
What's good for (Greg) Jackson's camp, though, is bad business for White, who has always insisted that No. 1 contenders challenge champions, regardless of team affiliation. In Evans and Jones, White saw a chance to make a stand against camp culture. So he started working on both men, especially Evans, who badly wanted to retrieve the title belt he lost in a fight to Lyoto Machida in 2009.
"I told Rashad, 'Those guys at camp are your friends; you like hanging out with them,'" White says. "But camp is not your family. All athletes have a very small window of opportunity to make money and achieve great things in front of millions so they're remembered when it's over. You're going to put that on a shelf because of your 'friends' and your training camp 'family'? When s-- goes wrong, do you think they're going to help you pay your bills? No."White warned both fighters that the day was coming when they would have no choice but to fight. Neither paid much attention, publicly reaffirming their friendship vows until Jones casually mentioned in a TV interview in March 2011 that if White ever forced him, maybe he would fight his mentor. That one "maybe" was the first landed blow at the firewall around the friendship -- and their New Mexico camp. Evans took the comment to heart. Those seeds of doubt White had planted had taken root.
The article then completely shifts to talking about rivalries between friends in the NBA, NASCAR and NCAA track and field before adding a few MMA paragraphs at the end, so take the overall tone and structure for what it's worth.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, camp, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145 Fight Card: Jones vs. Evans
Finally, it seems that the most talked-about grunge match in MMA over the last year is finally going to come together. Former training partners Jon Jones and Rashad Evans are scheduled to meet for the UFC light heavyweight title in the main event on UFC 145, which takes place on April 21st from Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA. The card also features two big heavyweight bouts, with Brendan Schaub taking on Ben Rothwell, and Chad Griggs making his UFC debut against Travis Browne. Check out the current card below:
Apr 21st, live on pay-per-view from Atlanta, GA:
Jon Jones (15-1) vs. Rashad Evans (17-1-1)
Rory MacDonald (12-1) vs. Che Mills (14-4)
Michael McDonald (14-1) vs. Miguel Torres (40-4)
Brendan Schaub (8-2) vs. Ben Rothwell (31-8)
Chad Griggs (11-1) vs. Travis Browne (12-0-1)
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Mark Hominick (20-10) vs. Eddie Yagin (15-5-1)
Mark Bocek (10-4) vs. Matt Wiman (14-6)
Anthony Njokuani (14-6) vs. John Makdessi (9-1)
Efrain Escudero (18-4) vs. Mac Danzig (20-9-1)
Chris Clements (10-4) vs. Keith Wisniewski (28-13-1)
Maximo Blanco (8-3-1) vs. Marcus Brimage (4-1)
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, card, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowGreg Jackson likely cornering Jon Jones for Rashad Evans fight at UFC 145
In this latest edition of Ultimate High School Championship, famed MMA trainer Greg Jackson is now thinking he should be in Jon Jones' corner when he defends his light heavyweight title against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta.
He had previously stated he was going to wash his hands of the entire ordeal because the two fighters are former training partners and friends, a bond broken by the lust for gold and the promise of dreams realized.
Oh how quickly things can change.
Now, Jackson is going back and forth on whether or not to corner Jones because it would be an official show of support for him over Evans, a man Jackson still considers a friend. Because, you see, these are the important issues in MMA. Here's the explanation given to the Savage Dog Show:
"I'm going back and forth now because I have to think about what it means to be on a team. Are we just a collection of friends that train together? For me, it's much more than that. It means something to be on this team and it means something to have teammates. Rashad kind of left that. I don't know, I'm leaning toward cornering Jon right now. Just because, am I selfish, am I going to make this about me? Or am I gonna make this about the team? I can't be self-centered. Even though it's something that I don't want to do, it might end up that way."
This story is a long one with many twists and turns but here's a short refresher course:
After Jones accepted a light heavyweight title fight against Mauricio Rua in the place of Evans, he was asked by Ariel Helwani about a potential fight against his then teammate.
And he said he would do it. He wouldn't like it but he would do it if that's what UFC President Dana White wanted.
Caught off guard by this, Evans felt the need to respond in kind, letting the world know that he "ain't no punk" and if Jones were to win the title and he was given the first crack then it would be on like Donkey Kong.
That's exactly what happened and it wasn't long before words were exchanged, a heated confrontation took place at a night club, and the media had a field day going back and forth between the two.
However, through injuries, bad timing and even worse luck, it's taken over a year to put the fight together. Jones went on to defend his belt twice in two dominant performances and Evans took care of business in his two bouts to get back to where we started at.
Jones vs. Evans for the light heavyweight crown and all the bragging rights in the world.
Where Jackson comes in is that he was caught in the middle during this entire ordeal. After all, he's the man who helped train Evans to become a champion in 2008 with Evans in turn helping make Jackson's gym in New Mexico a hotbed for budding mixed martial artists to train.
Men like "Bones" Jones.
When Jackson helped the young phenom win a title, it was reminiscent of how he did the same with Rashad. So when the two were matched up, Jackson, like a parent being asked to choose between two children, didn't know what to do.
Evans, it seems, has made his decision easier by leaving camp and saying nothing positive since he left while Jones has remained as loyal as can be. Hence, Jackson leaning towards cornering Jones on April 21 in Atlanta.
Got all that?
Now let's hear your opinion on whether or not it's right for Jackson to corner Jones.
Posted in: jone, jackson, rashad, evan, i dont
Read the full article at MMA Mania
Jon Jones versus Rashad Evans is official for April
Nick Diaz vs GSP may be scuttled but when you think about it the UFC has been pretty lucky lately with how everything has fallen into place. A gift decision saved them the Chael Sonnen v Anderson Silva superfight and then there's also Rashad Evans v Jon Jones to look forward to. Not only did Rashad dominate Phil Davis, he managed to walk away without injury and is now official for April 21st.Two out of three isn't that bad, especially considering the UFC's track record of getting big fights off the ground in 2011. Unfortunately, it does mean we'll have to hear more petty back and forth between Jon and Rashad as to who is responsible for ruining the flower of their friendship:
Evans said that an interview Jones did on Versus changed things. Jones said he would fight Evans, and that was the beginning of the end of their relationship.“He was asked the question by Ariel Helwani and he said, ‘I would fight Rashad if [UFC president] Dana White told us to, because I wouldn’t want to get fired.’ ” Evans said.“But so what, say he did that interview or whatever, people say things during interviews. But at that point, if he’d have shot me a text and said, ‘Listen, bro, this is what was said. This is what I meant by the whole thing,’ it would have been all good. I never would have fought Jon.”
Oh noes, Jon said he'd be okay with Rashad getting a title shot if that's what the UFC wanted. And he didn't even text Rashad afterwards to explain! That's just improper fight etiquette right there, and the reason why Rashad went from never wanting to fight Jon ever to suddenly hating him and everything he stands for. Seems reasonable. If you're a 14 year old girl. Now let's try to ignore the inane details and focus on what a great scrap it's going to be!
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at FightlinkerUFC 145: Greg Jackson Considering Cornering Jon Jones Vs. Rashad Evans
The UFC officially confirmed today that light heavyweight champ Jon Jones will defend his title against former teammate Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia on April 21, 2012. This puts Jones' coach Greg Jackson in a somewhat awkward position as Evans was a long-time member of Jackson's MMA team and Jackson has often promised he would corner neither Jones nor Evans against each other.
Jackson is now indicating that he might be a little more flexible on the matter now based on his appearance on the Savage Dog Show:
"I've got to sit down and make my decision and see what I feel is best for the team. Not for me, because I have my own personal feelings where I never want to ever do that," Jackson said. "I'm going back and forth now because I have to think about what it means to be on a team. Are we just a collection of friends that train together? For me, it's much more than that. It means something to be on this team and it means something to have teammates.
"Rashad kind of left that. I don't know, I'm leaning toward cornering Jon right now," he added. "Just because, am I selfish, am I going to make this about me? Or am I gonna make this about the team? I can't be self-centered. Even though it's something that I don't want to do, it might end up that way.
"I still consider him a friend. Right now he's really angry, and he's saying a lot of negative things. I don't want much to do with that, so I'm just kind of keeping my distance, so that's where we're at."
The complete UFC 145 card after the jump.
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, LHW TitleRory MacDonald vs. Che Mills Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell Mark Bocek vs. Matt Wiman Travis Browne vs. Chad Griggs John Makdessi vs. Anthony Njokuani Mac Danzig vs. Efrain Escudero Keith Wisniewski vs. Chris Clements Maximo Blanco vs. Marcus BrimageMiguel Torres vs. Michael McDonaldMark Hominick vs Eddie Yagin
Poll
Is Greg Jackson right to corner Jones against Evans?
Yes, Evans burned his bridges
No, this is BS
Jackson's going to do what's best for Greg, nothing wrong with that
72 votes | Results
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, vs, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Card Full with 11 Bouts
The UFC’s official confirmation of Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans as the headliner for UFC 145 rounds out a slate of 11 bouts for the April 21 fight card at Philips Arena in Atlanta.
Posted in: ufc, jone, bout, card, philips arena
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 145: Phil Davis is rooting for Rashad Evans to defeat Jon Jones
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans was recently made official as the main event title fight for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" on April 21, 2012, live from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
And "Suga" has an unlikely cheerleader in his corner.
That's because Phil Davis, who was unable to stop Evans' date with destiny, is now hoping his former rival can break some "Bones" down south to ease the pain of watching his undefeated streak go up in smoke last month at UFC on Fox 3.
From his interview with Inside MMA:
"Good question. See, part of me wants to say I don't think he will win, but honestly, I think I'm rootin' for Rashad. I pretty much have to, because I lost to him. So, at this point, I'm gonna say he's gonna win."
Hear "Mr. Wonderful" talk "Jones vs. Evans" and a whole lot more, after the jump.
To see what happened when Davis fought Evans click here. For more on the UFC 145 pay-per-view (PPV) event click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones, Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre: Breakdown of the 3 Best in UFC
Depending on who you ask, either Anderson Silva, Jon Jones or Georges St-Pierre is the pound-for-pound best fighter in the sport. Regardless of rank, all men sit atop of their respective divisions, coveted as the best far and above the rest in their weight classes.
Posted in: jone, silva, anderson, george, georges stpierre
Read the full article at Low KickPhil Davis: I will be rooting for Rashad Evans against Jon Jones
Previously undefeated Phil "Mr. Wonderful" Davis shared his pick for the upcoming grudge match between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones. Davis revealed he will be rooting for Evans, simply because of the MMA math effect that would do him a favor, since he lost to "Suga" back at UFC on FOX 2. The fight between Evans and Jon Jones is currently scheduled for UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia, taking place on April 21st at the Philips Arena.
Davis:
"Umm, good question. See, part of me wants to say 'I don't think he will
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan, davi
Read the full article at Low KickJones to defend title against Evans in April
The UFC has confirmed that light-heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones will face former title-holder Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta.
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, champion, evan
Read the full article at sportsnet.caJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Official for UFC 145
The Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans showdown on Monday became official for UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta.UFC president Dana White has confirmed the bout and tickets will go on sale Feb. 17.Evans won the light heavyweight title shot by beating Phil Davis two weeks ago at UFC on FOX 2, setting up the much-delayed meeting with his rival, the UFC champion Jones.
Jones will be returning from a brief vacation after defeating Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 in December. Evans won his fourth straight fight with his victory over Davis at UFC on FOX 2.On Monday, Jones' coach Greg Jackson said he was still unsure if he would corner Jones against Evans due to Jackson's personal connection with Evans. Evans made his rise in MMA through Jackson's gym, but eventually left when it became clear he and Jones would inevitably meet inside the UFC cage.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, phil davis, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Set For UFC 145
It’s finally happening.
The UFC confirmed today that Rashad Evans will challenge friend-turned-nemesis Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title in Atlanta on April 21 at UFC 145. A sore hand following Evans’ win over Phil Davis almost derailed it once again, but Rashad received medical clearance recently and the fight is set to go barring any injuries.
Evans commented on the impending grudge match at Yahoo! Sports.
“If I was fighting anybody for the belt at this point, there would be pressure, but there is added pressure in this situation because it’s Jon and our whole personal situation,” said Evans, who mentored Jones when both trained at Jackson’s MMA in Albuquerque, N.M., until they had a bitter split last March.
“I’m very happy for what he’s done in this sport and what he’s accomplished for himself. He’s worked hard for it, but that’s where the respect and admiration stops. I don’t care for him too much as a person.”
“His age [is his biggest weakness],” Evans said. “Jon doesn’t know any better. Jon’s biggest weakness is Jon, which you all will see.”
Evans said the rift between him and Jones could have been avoided if Jones merely would have texted him to explain why he said he would fight him if Dana White wanted him to in a post-fight show last year, but he didn’t and we all know what happened after that. It’s too bad a friendship was ruined over it, but at least they’ll finally be able to settle the score in the cage and put it all behind him.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, evan, albuquerque nm
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJones vs. Evans Official for UFC 145 in Atlanta
When Rashad Evans defeated Phil Davis, he earned the right to challenge former teammate Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight championship. The promotion finally confirmed the fight.
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, phil davis, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Official for UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former title-holder Rashad Evans will finally square off in the main event of UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta, the UFC confirmed through Yahoo on Monday.
The former teammates turned heated rivals formally agreed to the matchup earlier today after Evans had a sore hand cleared by doctors following his win over Phil Davis at UFC on Fox 2 on January 28. If Evans wasn’t cleared, fellow contender Dan Henderson would have taken his place against Jones.
Jones (15-1) capped off a breakout 2011 by choking out Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 in December following wins over Ryan Bader, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, while Evans (17-1-1) dominated the previously unbeaten Davis for his fourth-straight win since losing the title to Machida in 2009.
For the latest UFC 145 coverage stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Posted in: ufc, jone, phil davis, evan, lyoto machida
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyDan Henderson planning to wait for title shot rather than risk it in a fight
Light heavyweight legend Dan Henderson last fought in November where he outpointed Mauricio Rua in one of the 2011’s best bouts. The win, coupled with his success in Strikeforce and standing as the organization’s 205-pound champion, would have launched Henderson into a crack at UFC title-holder Jon Jones had a long-standing feud between Jones and equally deserving contender Rashad Evans not existed. However, now that a match-up between “Bones” and Evans has been set for May, Henderson has been left in a state of professional limbo.
Despite the amount of time off involved, it appears “Hendo” is opting to sit and wait for Evans-Jones to settle their score instead of take another fight in the interim. UFC President Dana White revealed Henderson’s plan at a pre-event press conference related to UFC 143. White did not elaborate on whether or not the UFC would to comply with the Californian’s request or pressure him to remain active.
The iconic PRIDE/UFC veteran was offered some action against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in April but declined, explaining he did not feel the fight made sense or was something fans wanted to see. At the time Evans had not beaten Phil Davis, as he did last weekend on FOX, to solidify his shot at Jones.
Henderson Details Decision to Turn Down Nogueira Fight
Even if the winner of Evans vs. Jones exits the UFC 145 pairing with a perfect bill of health it’s likely the champion would not be ready to defend his belt until August at the earliest when Henderson turns 42. Then again, given the injury history of both men, Henderson could be crossing his fingers an opening appears in the near future.
PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE
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Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, henderson, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comHeavyweight division not in the immediate future for UFC champ Jon Jones
LAS VEGAS - UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones may eventually fight in the heavyweight division, but it won't be anytime soon.
UFC president Dana White today shot down the possibility of Jones moving to heavyweight during a press conference ahead of this weekend's UFC 143 event in Las Vegas.
Jones, who's made quick work of the 205-pound division after becoming the UFC's youngest-ever titleholder, recently told UFC officials he'd like to move up a weight class before year's end.
Posted in: ufc, jone, press conference, heavyweight division, weight class
Read the full article at MMA JunkieJon Jones Will Eventually Be a Heavyweight But Not in 2012
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will one day be a heavyweight, but it won't be in 2012.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, heavyweight, champion
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones wanted to fight at heavyweight
Not content to be the resident workhorse and stopgap headliner for the UFC, Jonny Bones was also jonesing for a fight at heavyweight:
"I actually asked Dana and Lorenzo, could I take a fight for the fans at the end of 2012," Jones said. "I figured beating Henderson and Rashad, there would be a period where we'd figure out who I'm going to fight next, and during that period, at the end of 2012, I asked to fight a heavyweight -- a Top 10 heavyweight."Jones, however, said the UFC doesn't like that idea."Dana and Lorenzo didn't think that was the best for me to do right now," Jones said. "They wanted me to continue at the light heavyweight division. ... They said they didn't want that for me."
In other words, the last thing the UFC needs is their new star getting laid on for three rounds by one of the gargantuan heavyweights of the division. There are times where moving up a weight class makes sense. Unfortunately, who it makes sense for and who wants to go for it never seems to match up. *cough* Georges *cough*
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, heavyweight, ufc doesnt
Read the full article at FightlinkerJon Jones Doesn’t See Progressions In Rashad Evans’ Game; Jones Huge Favorite In Opening Lines
“I think [Rashad Evans'] top control looked a little tighter. I think his guard passes looked pretty decent. With that being said, Phil, man, I don’t know what got into him. He did not look like a lion. I think with fighters, no matter how tough you are, there’s just lions and there’s wolves and there’s sheep. He just kind of looked like a sheep out there. He didn’t come with much… I think he got a little intimidated by Rashad. And the pressure of being on FOX, how many millions of people were watching the fight, I just don’t think he handled the situation well. That’s why, when I was broadcasting, I said this is where we’ll see where Phil’s at, if he’s going to be a top-level guy or a mid-tier fighter. Judging by the performance [Saturday] night, I don’t know if I can consider himself a wolf… I think that’s going to be the biggest difference in the fight, is my youth, my ambition, my drive, my creativity. Rashad’s been fighting for, I don’t know, maybe eight years. Many of the years, he trained with the coaches that are coaching me to beat him. I definitely didn’t see any progressions. I feel like he’s coming down the other side of the hill. Even his body looked softer.”
— Jon Jones, via MMA Fighting, weighing in on Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis and his upcoming fight with Rashad Evans
Not too many people were impressed with Rashad Evans’ performance against Phil Davis, at least not to the point where they saw Evans being a real threat to Jon Jones. Clearly, Jon Jones wasn’t impressed and neither were oddsmakers. Evans was always going to be the underdog, but one sportsbook has him all the way at +400 to Jones’ -600. In UFC betting, that’s a huge gap. I honestly feel like the line should be a little bit closer given Evans’ insider knowledge of Jones’ game, but it’s still difficult to see how Evans beats Jones when they step in the Octagon at UFC 145.
Posted in: jon, jone, rashad, phil, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones Heavy Favorite Over Rashad Evans at UFC 145, Wanted to Move to Heavyweight
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones opened as a heavy 6-to-1 favorite over Rashad Evans as the former teammates are finally scheduled to meet in the main event of UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta.
Evans dominated Phil Davis in the main event of UFC on Fox 2 this past Saturday for a unanimous decision win, but never came close to finishing the previously undefeated prospect, while Jones will be fighting for the first time since capping off his standout 2011 by choking out Loyoto Machida at UFC 140 in December.
After also scoring dominant wins over Ryan Bader, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson last year, Jones recently told MMAFighting he hoped to move up to heavyweight if he beat Evans and Dan Henderson, but the UFC shot down the idea.
“I actually asked Dana and Lorenzo, could I take a fight for the fans at the end of 2012,” Jones said. “I figured beating Henderson and Rashad, there would be a period where we’d figure out who I’m going to fight next, and during that period, at the end of 2012, I asked to fight a heavyweight — a Top 10 heavyweight,” Jones said. ”Dana and Lorenzo didn’t think that was the best for me to do right now. They wanted me to continue at the light heavyweight division. … They said they didn’t want that for me.”
Tickets for UFC 145 go on sale to UFC Fight Club members on Feb. 15, UFC newsletter subscribers on Feb. 16, and the general public on Feb. 17.
For complete coverage of UFC 145 stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, heavyweight, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 145 Fight Card: Jones vs. Evans
The UFC 145 fight card is slated to be headlined by Jon Jones putting his light heavyweight title on the line against Rashad Evans in the UFC's return to Atlanta on April 21 at the Phillips Arena.The two are former training partners and friends that grew apart when Jones stated his willingness to face Evans even though the two had a pact to not fight one another. Jones ended up beating Mauricio "Shogun" Rua for the title and Evans soon after left Greg Jackson's camp in order to distance himself from Jones.Check out the rest of the current UFC 145 card below.Jon Jone vs. Rashad Evans Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald Maximo Blanco vs. Marcus Brimage Brendan Schaub vs. Ben RothwellRory MacDonald vs. Che MillsTravis Browne vs. Chad Griggs Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin Mark Bocek vs. Matt WimanMac Danzig vs. Efrain Escudero Anthony Njokuani vs. John MakdessiChris Clements vs. Keith Wisniewski
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, vs, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145 Fight Card: Jones vs. Evans
The UFC 145 fight card is slated to be headlined by Jon Jones putting his light heavyweight title on the line against Rashad Evans in the UFC's return to Atlanta on April 21 at the Phillips Arena.The two are former training partners and friends that grew apart when Jones stated his willingness to face Evans even though the two had a pact to not fight one another. Jones ended up beating Mauricio "Shogun" Rua for the title and Evans soon after left Greg Jackson's camp in order to distance himself from Jones.Check out the rest of the current UFC 145 card below.Jon Jone vs. Rashad Evans Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald Maximo Blanco vs. Marcus Brimage Brendan Schaub vs. Ben RothwellRory MacDonald vs. Che MillsTravis Browne vs. Chad Griggs Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin Mark Bocek vs. Matt WimanMac Danzig vs. Efrain Escudero Anthony Njokuani vs. John MakdessiChris Clements vs. Keith Wisniewski
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, vs, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones takedown defense crumbles when it involves a police attack dog
Before UFC 129, Bones Jones said that 50 Cent's 'God gave me style' inspired him to turn the knob on his training dial to 'full force'. It was clear that God gave him something else, the ability to defeat Shogun Rua and be the youngest person to ever claim a UFC belt (that is, if you forget Vitor Belfort ever existed). After the bout, it's abundantly clear that God is an MMA fan and she prefers Jon Jones. Sorry Rashad Evans, but it appears that God doesn't appreciate you as much as she does Jon Jones. He may be a 'swagger jacker', but when he does it, it's officially approved by the all mighty.
I guess it's 'God's plan' for Jon Jones to be stalked and ultimately taken down by police attack dogs. It was God's plan to help me install my new hard drive last night, and I thank her for it. All of those people starving in third-world countries can wait as long as my computer is operating fine -- and Jon Jones is dominant in the light heavyweight division. Check out this clip of Bones training at a police academy in New York, along with being manhandled by a dog. Irony. [Source]
Update: In the process of publishing this video on MiddleEasy, the clip was set to private. It was pretty cool, but alas it is not there anymore. I've reached out to the creator of the clip to see if he can make it public for MiddleEasy.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, god, gods plan
Read the full article at Middle EasyGreg Jackson talks Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz
Renowned mixed martial arts trainer, Greg Jackson, discusses the upcoming match-ups of former and current Jackson's MMA fighters Jon Jones, Rashad Evans, and Carlos Condit...
Posted in: jone, jackson, vs, condit, evan
Read the full article at Low KickThe MMA Hour - Episode No. 116 - Jon Jones
Jon Jones Wanted to Move to Heavyweight With 2 Wins, UFC Said No
Filed under: UFCUFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is openly talking about a move up to heavyweight, but before he can do that he's going to have to convince his bosses, who aren't enthusiastic about the idea.
Jones revealed on The MMA Hour that he has already told UFC President Dana White and UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta that he would like to move up to heavyweight if he beats the top two light heavyweight contenders, Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson. But Jones said the UFC has other ideas.
"I actually asked Dana and Lorenzo, could I take a fight for the fans at the end of 2012," Jones said. "I figured beating Henderson and Rashad, there would be a period where we'd figure out who I'm going to fight next, and during that period, at the end of 2012, I asked to fight a heavyweight -- a Top 10 heavyweight."
Jones, however, said the UFC doesn't like that idea.
"Dana and Lorenzo didn't think that was the best for me to do right now," Jones said. "They wanted me to continue at the light heavyweight division. ... They said they didn't want that for me."
It's not surprising that the UFC told Jones to stay focused on his own weight class: He's still got business to attend to at 205 pounds, and the UFC has only had champions move up in weight on a handful of occasions.
Eventually, however, moving up to heavyweight may be the right move for Jones. He can still make 205 pounds comfortably, but as he moves into his mid- to late-20s, that might become more difficult. And Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, heavyweight, move
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC Quick Quote: Jon Jones wanted to fight at heavyweight in 2012, Dana White said no
"I think you know, i figured beating Henderson and Rashad, there would be a period of trying to figure out who I would fight next, and during that period, at the end of 2012, I requested to fight a top 10 heavyweight just for the fans. But Dana and Lorenzo did not think that was the best thing for me to do right now, they wanted me to continue in the light heavyweight division.
-- If you dreamed of seeing Jon Jones fight at heavyweight, keep dreaming. That's because the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight champion today (Jan. 30, 2012) revealed on The MMA Hour that his request to fight in the promotion's heavyweight division against a top-ranked opponent -- in what he described a "fight for the fans" -- has been shot down by UFC President Dana White and company CEO Lorenzo Fertitta. Jones, who has ransacked through the 205-pound division with relative ease, would be a natural fit with the big boys of the UFC, given the fact that he stands at 6' 4" and usually towers and outweighs his light heavyweight counterparts come fight night. Perhaps some other time, seeing as how White and Fertitta aren't to keen on the idea of their 205-pound champion stepping up in weight class, at least not at the moment. Of course, before "Bones" can even think about jumping in weight, there is still a matter of defending his title against his bitter rival Rashad Evans, which is scheduled to go down at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Ga., on April 21, 2012. Should he be successful, Dan Henderson is expected to be his next opponent. Disappointed at the news that UFC officials axed Jones' request to mix it up at heavyweight? How would he fair against bigger opponents?
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, jon jones, heavyweight
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones not impressed with Rashad Evans' performance on FOX, hopes to restore respect with former friend
Rashad Evans held up his end of the bargain to keep the much anticipated showdown between he and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones alive by defeating Phil Davis this past weekend (Jan. 28, 2012) at UFC on Fox 2 via unanimous decision.
Evans was originally set to receive a shot at the 205-pound title against Mauricio Rua back at UFC 128, but an injury to "Suga" forced him to bow out and his then training partner and friend, Jones, stepped as a replacement to face "Shogun."
The rest, as they say, is history.
Jones defeated Rua and began his impressive championship run , which ultimately marked the beginning of the end of the friendship between Evan and Jones who trained side-by-side in Albuquerque, N.M., at Jackson's MMA.
Evans has since then parted ways with Greg Jackson's camp and is now a member of Imperial Athletics mixed martial arts (MMA) team, or, "The Blackzillians" as they like to be referred as.
However, even though Evans proved that "Mr. Wonderful" was not on his level by winning the fight handily, Jones was not too impressed with his performance and with his overall evolution, for that matter, in MMA since parting ways with the famed camp down in the 505.
Speaking on The MMA Hour, Jones talks about Evans' performance against Davis and talks about the possibility of rekindling their past relationship once the dust settles in their title fight at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Ga., on April 21, 2012.
Check it out:
"I really didn't see much progression. He left teams, I think Mike Winkeljohn and Greg Jackson, really was a great fit for him and they really learned his style and really was teaching him a legit style and I think in his new program I really haven't seen much progression. I didn't see any progression. I feel as if he's coming down the other side of the hill, even his body looked softer. I think his top control looked a little tighter and his passes looked decent. With that being said, Phil, man I don't know what got into him. He didn't really look like a lion, he kind of looked like a sheep out there. He didn't come with much, but with Rashad I really didn't see much progression."
When asked if there would be any chance at renewing their friendship once the dust settles at UFC 145, "Bones" had this to say:
"I definitely don't mean to come off as disrespectful to Rashad by any means, I am just extremely passionate about this fight and I don't want to come across as being a prick towards the guy. I'd love to have a respectful relationship with him because; I actually, deep down liked hanging with the guy. He was cool man, we had good times, you know, we did a lot of good stuff together and it sucked that a competition came between our friendship. So after the fight, I just hope that the respect can be restored. Friendship is not necessary but respect should be restored."
After a heated war of words, the two former training partners were scheduled to collide in 2011, but injuries to both fighters on separate occasions, delayed the much anticipated showdown.
Now that Jones has decided to cut his vacation time short and Evans preserved his title shot, they will have their chance to settle their differences as they are scheduled to swing leather at UFC 145 in little more than three months.
After months of back-and-forth trash talk, and now that the fight has been made official, anyone surprised at the rare, yet pleasant trip down memory lane that Jones had to share about Rashad? Can peace be restored once they go toe-to-toe?
Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock seemed to be able to do it, so I'm sure "Suga" and "Bones" can, too.
Then again, maybe not.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145: Jon Jones Won't Ask Greg Jackson To Corner Him Against Rashad Evans
UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones called in to the MMA Hour today. Jones spoke with host Ariel Helwani about his upcoming title defense against former teammate Rashad Evans. Evans beat Phil Davis this past Saturday at UFC on Fox 2 in a number one contender's match.
The two fighters have been engaged in a bitter feud ever since Jones stepped in for an injured Evans to take a title shot against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 128. Jones won that fight handily and Evans has been trying to get a title shot ever since.
Helwani asked Jones if Greg Jackson would be cornering him against Evans.
"Rashad and Greg had some genuine moments and I wouldn't put him in that position. ...I could never imagine [Jackson] coaching against me, and I wouldn't put that pressure on him to coach against Rashad," Jones replied.
Despite the acrimony, Jones hopes that he and Evans can improve their relationship once they have fought.
"I'd love to have a respectful relationship with him, because actually, deep down, I kind of just liked hanging with the guy," said Jones. "He was cool. We had good times. We did a lot of cool stuff together and it sucked that competition came between our friendship. After this fight, I just hope that the respect can be restored. Friendship is not necessary, but the respect should be restored," Jones told Helwani.
More SBN coverage of UFC 145.
Posted in: ufc, i wouldnt, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones Opens As Massive Favorite Over Rashad Evans
After Rashad Evans beat Phil Davis at UFC on Fox 2, he sat at the post-fight press conference fielding questions about his upcoming bout with rival Jon Jones, currently scheduled as the main event of UFC 145 in Atlanta on April 21st. In one of the answers, he stated that he'd "probably be a huge underdog" going into the bout. Well, he was right about that. Bookmaker was the first site to drop a betting line for Jones vs. Evans, and it's pretty lopsided:
Honestly, it rarely gets wider than that for a UFC bout, especially a championship bout. Generally when seemingly-competitive title bouts open with lines like this (such has Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio Rua 1 at UFC 104), there's a bunch of early betting on the underdog. Will that happen here? I'm not sure, but I'd lean towards no. Depsite Evans' dominant win over Davis, Jones is probably the most hyped man in the sport right now and has absolutely torn through the division thus far.
Will things be different for Jones when he's in there with a former training partner? And In quite possibly the first "personal" bout of his career? We'll find out on April 21st. For now though, the oddsmakers are certainly leaning in Jon's direction.
SBN coverage of UFC 145
Posted in: ufc, jone, bout, jon jones, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones training with NY police for a day.
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Posted in: jone, akabeasttttt, training, ny, ny police
Read the full article at RedditJon Jones opens at -600 for UFC 145 main event
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Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, event, mattyblayze
Read the full article at RedditJon Jones opens at -600 against Rashad Evans for UFC 145 main event
Yowzers!
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones will defend his 205-pound strap against longtime nemesis Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145 on Saturday, April 21, 2012, at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
And he'll do it as a -600 favorite.
At least for now. That's according to the Bookmakers on Best Fight Odds, who give "Bones" the whopping favorite line following last weekend's announcement that the former teammates under Greg Jackson would finally hook 'em up in "The Peach State."
Evans limps in as the +400 underdog.
Despite a five round dominant unanimous decision victory over former undefeated division prospect Phil Davis at the Jan. 28 UFC on Fox 2 event in Chicago, Evans was panned for a "cautious" and "uninspired" performance against "Mr. Wonderful," which may have resulted from his failure to finish the fight after 25 minutes of complete control.
Did that affect the opening lines?
Perhaps. Or it could have more to do with the fact that Jones has looked invincible as division champion, laying waste to everyone in his path before, during and after his UFC 128 title win over Mauricio Rua.
Evans remains the final hurdle before he's effectively cleaned out the division.
Anyone think "Bones" is getting too much respect? Let's hear your thoughts on the UFC 145 odds and betting lines in the comments section below and for more on "Jones vs. Evans" click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, event, division, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones: Rashad Evans Hasn't Progressed, Phil Davis Looked 'Like a Sheep'
Filed under: UFCUFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones had a comfortable seat as a FOX Sports analyst for Saturday night's main event in Chicago, but he wasn't particularly impressed with what he saw from either Rashad Evans or Phil Davis at the UFC on FOX 2 event, he told Ariel Helwani on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour.
Though Evans won the decision and the right to challenge for the belt, Jones said he "didn't really see much progression" from the former champion, and suggested that Evans hasn't benefited much from a change in training camps.
"I think his top control looked a little tighter," Jones said. "I think his guard passes looked pretty decent. With that being said, Phil, man, I don't know what got into him. He did not look like a lion. I think with fighters, no matter how tough you are, there's just lions and there's wolves and there's sheep. He just kind of looked like a sheep out there. He didn't come with much."
Though Jones admitted that his new role at the analysts' table caused him a little apprehension, he said the nerves might have likewise gotten to Davis, who was blanked on the scorecards by the more experienced Evans.
"I think he got a little intimidated by Rashad," said Jones. "And the pressure of being on FOX, how many millions of people were watching the fight, I just don't think he handled the situation well. That's why, when I was broadcasting, I said this is where we'll see where Phil's at, if he's going to be a top-level guy or a mid-tier fighter. Judging by the performance [Saturday] night, I don't know if I can consider himself a wolf."
Evans' victory cleared the way for him to face Jones for the UFC 205-pound title, most likely in Atlanta on April 21. While Jones said he plans to "do what I always do and tear him up," he suggested that Evans' lack of improvement in recent fights would cost him in the cage.
"I think that's going to be the biggest difference in the fight, is my youth, my ambition, my drive, my creativity. Rashad's been fighting for, I don't know, maybe eight years. Many of the years, he trained with the coaches that are coaching me to beat him. I definitely didn't see any progressions. I feel like he's coming down the other side of the hill. Even his body looked softer."
While Jones and Evans briefly trained side-by-side at Greg Jackson's gym in New Mexico, Jackson has said he wants no part of a fight between the former teammates. For that reason alone, Jones said, Jackson likely won't be in his corner when he defends his title against Evans.
"Rashad and Greg had some genuine moments and I wouldn't put him in that position. ...I could never imagine [Jackson] coaching against me, and I wouldn't put that pressure on him to coach against Rashad."
Thanks in part to Jones' own acrimonious history with Evans, the champ described the bout as one that he's much more interested in and motivated for than he was for his last title defense against former champ Lyoto Machida. And while he knows the trash-talk will be intense in the weeks leading up to the fight, Jones isn't going to shy away from it, he said.
"My plan is to let it get the best of me, and to train and bring out the best in me," he said. "...This is just a fight that I'm not going to lose. It's not happening."
Once it's all over, however, Jones said he hopes the two of them can put their differences aside and once again be cordial to one another, even if they may never be friends.
"I'd love to have a respectful relationship with him, because actually, deep down, I kind of just liked hanging with the guy," said Jones. "He was cool. We had good times. We did a lot of cool stuff together and it sucked that competition came between our friendship. After this fight, I just hope that the respect can be restored. Friendship is not necessary, but the respect should be restored." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: fight, jone, rashad, phil, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones Heavy Favorite Over Rashad Evans in Early Odds
Filed under: UFC, NewsRashad Evans has only lost one match in his MMA career, but oddsmakers strongly believe that when he and Jon Jones face off in Atlanta on April 21, Jones will hand him his second defeat.
According to the earliest line released on the fight, Jones (15-1) is a massive 6-to-1 favorite to successfully defend his belt for the third straight time.
Evans will only have 12 weeks to recover and prepare following his five-round unanimous decision win over Phil Davis at last Saturday's UFC on FOX 2 event.
Evans (17-1-1) has been the No. 1 contender in waiting since beating Quinton Jackson back in May 2010, but a series of circumstances including injuries and timing have left him unable to cash that chip in until now.
The two were quite infamously training partners at Team Greg Jackson in New Mexico before a Jones interview in which he said he would fight Evans if ordered to by UFC president Dana White fractured the pairing.
Jones captured the belt last March with a TKO destruction of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, and subsequently defended it with wins over Jackson and Lyoto Machida.
Evans admitted it was difficult to prepare for the Davis match with the title bout possibility hanging in the background. Now he finally gets it, but if odds are to be believed, he also faces a major uphill battle.
The fight takes place as the main event of UFC 145 at Philips Arena in Atlanta.
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Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, evan, philips arena
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 145: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans last stop before Rematchville for 'Bones'
It was the final hurdle in an exhausting journey, but Rashad Evans' win over Phil Davis Saturday night (Jan. 28, 2012) at the United Center in Chicago, Ill., secured him a chance to regain the light heavyweight title.
The long-elusive opportunity has been a quest for Evans, with only slightly less chapters than a Dostoyevsky novel. First slotted to take on Mauricio Rua, which was delayed by Shogun's knee injury, Evans subsequently was injured with then-teammate Jon Jones filling in for him against Rua last March. Then, after winning the title in a brutal performance over Rua, Jones claimed a hand injury prevented him from fighting Evans, and he followed it by defending against Quinton Jackson instead. This one's been cooking in the pot for while, folks, and when it's served up April 21, 2012, as the main event in UFC 145 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., it will be ready to serve. But the interesting subplot is that if Jones wins, it essentially cleans out the top-tier run of potential light heavyweight opponents for him, outside of the seemingly ageless Dan Henderson.
Jones hasn't just beaten Rua, Jackson and Lyoto Machida, but essentially dominated and destroyed them so much that it's going to be tough to promote more than one rematch. Why? Because Jones is improving with each fight, while all of these guys are either in their prime or merely getting old.
In a second go-round with any three of them, I'm predicting he beats them even easier, if that's possible. I feel confident saying this only because I predicted Jones in three over Rua and in a fourth-round submission over Jackson. I have been high on him for a while, because he's doing things that simply weren't done before, with a kind of easy mastery that only the truly great ones have.And the scary thing is he's probably three-to-four years away from his physical prime. That is plain scary.I don't expect Evans to give him much of a test, and that's why you have to wonder what the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and fans will want from Jones. Are they going to take him down a series of increasingly hard-to-sell rematches? He's already aced a vexing series of light heavyweight tests, and his 2011 -- with four wins over top-five opponents -- and a submission of then-undefeated Ryan Bader, was the single-greatest calendar year showing in the history of the sport (Rua's epic tear through Pride in 2005 runs a close second).Evans-Jones is a logical next fight. The two have legitimate bad blood with one another, and it's nicely placed in Atlanta, a city that prides itself as a showpiece of African American achievement. But I can't help but think that this is little more than a likely checkmark on Bones' hit-list until people start wondering when he'll move up against the big boys. Because while Evans did enough to win against Davis, there wasn't anything new he showed that suggested he'll have the striking to trouble Jones, or the kind of high-level takedowns he'll need to take the fight down to the mat.And while I'll always hold Henderson up as one of the all-time greats, he's going to have a really tough time against Jones, too. After Hendo's had his crack, what's left? But being champion also means performing at a consistent level that drives people to suggest future fights aren't competitive, and Bones will have to prove he can stay focused. It's enough to carry me through to UFC 145, but after this fight, my prediction is that people start openly asking when he moves up.
A tour through Rematchville will only be exciting for so long.
Jason Probst can be reached at www.twitter.com/jasonprobst or at jason@jasonprobst.com
Posted in: fight, jone, rua, evan, he
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC on FOX 2 results: Predictable failure in Chicago, UFC now 0-2 on network TV
My comrade Sergio Hernandez thinks the UFC on FOX 2: "Evans vs. Davis" event that took place last night (Sat., Jan. 28, 2012) wasn't nearly as bad as some have painted it out to be. He takes the "glass half full" approach and let's his optimism shine on through.
Good for you, Serg. It's nice to have a positive outlook on things.
That's not what you'll get from me, though, folks. Because this event was as bad as it seemed. And I'm not just talking about the fights themselves, which were severely lacking in anything resembling excitement, though that was likely by design, at least to an extent.
I'm also shocked at how poorly executed the broadcast was, from the booth down to the cageside commentary. If UFC on FOX 1 was a failure because it was a 64-second fight sandwiched between 55-minutes of mostly awkward analysis, UFC on FOX 2 was a failure for how long and arduous its fights were.
I've got a lot of gripes about this card, so let's hit the bullet points after the jump and run them down.
Curt Menefee was off his game and Jon Jones is a terrible analyst. One of the big reasons the FOX deal was supposed to be so good for the UFC was that they would get the professional treatment we see other major sports get, like the NFL. Except that's not really what's happened. Curt Menefee was excellent during his debut as a host in the booth for the pre and post-show but he was definitely off his game last night. He lacked the necessary umph to really sell the fights we were getting ready to watch. Randy Couture was fantastic and should be a permanent fixture for these broadcasts but Jon Jones couldn't have been worse in his role. For starters, fire whoever decided to give him a spinning chair. He was nervous and it showed in his child-like inability to sit still for longer than four seconds. Maybe it's a minor gripe but how can I take this man's analysis seriously while he's spinning back and forth in his chair? Not only that, he was literally staring at his notes and reading off them for long periods of time while the camera was on him. He's not the best talker as it is, putting him in this role was a terrible idea that produced a disastrous result.
I also found it troubling that the broadcast seemed unprepared to bleep out a curse word uttered by Mihcael Bisping in a pre-made promo that was already set to air no matter what happened. It's not like they didn't have time to be ready for it. Bisping was heard saying the word "goddamn" before the FOX broadcast bleeped it out with silence. Then, after he had already said it, the silence extended for another five or six seconds, to the point that most of his words were forever lost and not to be heard by the viewers who were getting ready to watch him fight. Another minor gripe perhaps? Maybe but they're adding up, folks.
Then we get to the cageside commentary from UFC mainstays Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan. On a normal day the former is serviceable and the latter is well-informed but they both did little to make this a memorable broadcast in any positive manner. Rogan was educational in spots, as he needs to be during FOX broadcasts, and that deserves credit. But at one point during a fight, he literally said these words: "This really doesn't look pretty but hey, it works." The number one rule in promotion -- and make no mistake about it, Rogan is a promoter as much as he's a commentator -- is to never bury your own product. What on Earth can be accomplished by telling the viewers that what they're watching isn't pretty? "You know what, he's right, change this crap."
Speaking of burying the product, Goldberg perpetuating negative stereotypes is the last thing the UFC needs at any point but during a FOX broadcast that seemingly features new viewers is unfathomable. It's asinine, in fact. During an extremely close bout between Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping, Goldberg could be heard saying these words -- "Never leave it in the hands of the judges." That really takes the cake, everybody. Even if the judges are terrible, you don't draw attention to that fact because it directly undermines your product. Like it or not, the judges are associated with MMA and have a great deal of effect on the sport. If we can't trust them to be competent, why should we care about the sport at all? It would be like NFL announcers calling out referees for being terrible at their job during a football game. Sure, you can remark that you felt something was a bad call but literally saying you should never utilize the judges because they can't get it right is to say you have a major flaw in your entire sport. "Hi, new viewers, don't take us seriously, we can't get it right!"
Finally, we get to the fights themselves, which were, by design, matched up to ultimately be the snoozefests we were given. I predicted -- correctly, I might add -- that all three fight bookings could ultimately produce three boring decisions and -- surprise! -- we got three boring decisions. This is, of course, the most damning aspect of this failure of a broadcast because new viewers tuning in most certainly did not get paid off with exciting action like they were undoubtedly hoping for. Instead, they were met with fights that even hardcore fans struggle to get into. And before you go rushing to defend these fights, hardcores, let's just admit that they failed to compel you beyond your expectations for what we knew they would be anyone.
On top of the fights being relatively boring and mostly uninteresting, they also adversely affected the upcoming title fights Sergio was cooing over in his post. Neither Chael Sonnen nor Rashad Evans did much of anything to make folks believe they are legitimate threats to Anderson Silva and Jon Jones, respectively. Sonnen struggled greatly to defeat Michael Bisping, a man he was supposed to run over on his way to the biggest rematch of the century. Instead he barely squeaked by, stole a pro wrestler's promo for his post-fight interview and generally looked like he poses as much a threat to Silva's reign as a banana peel "The Spider" doesn't notice before he slips on it. Evans was far better in his fight, mostly dominating Phil Davis en route to a unanimous decision win. But his win, while dominant, lacked the necessary punch and power to make fans feel he is a legitimate threat to Jonny "Bones," a physical specimen who is coming off the greatest year by a single fighter in MMA history. We're talking about a guy who made Mauricio Rua tap to strikes, submitted Quinton Jackson and choked Lyoto Machida unconscious ... in three consecutive fights within eight months time. Cruising to a decision win over Davis, who clearly wasn't ready to be in that fight to begin with, raises legitimate questions about Rashad's chances against Jones. It's now less about whether or not Evans can win but how long he can last as opposed to the foes the champion has vanquished before him.
I'll close with my biggest beef and the single biggest issue with this abomination of a broadcast: the failure to properly promote the two title fights that came about based on the results of the evening. Chael Sonnen's stolen promo was lame enough, but the fact that he didn't even mention Anderson Silva or his impending title shot is almost criminal. UFC wasted an opportunity here to have Silva come to the fight and get in the cage for an interview with both guys on TV to do a staredown and the full nine. Isn't that the point of the FOX deal? To deliver good fights on free TV while getting casuals to convert to pay-per-view buyers? This would have been a pretty damn easy way to do it and UFC missed the boat completely. It was shocking. It was even worse when Rashad Evans defeated Phil Davis in the main event of the evening and they didn't bring Jon Jones into the cage for a contentious interview and staredown between those two, who can't help but stare daggers into one another when they're within range of one another. They could have announced the date, time and place for their bout, right then and there, live on the air. The worst part in all this? JON JONES WAS ACTUALLY IN THE BUILDING DOING ANALYSIS FOR FOX. This was so bad on a promotional level, my brain cannot comprehend it. The UFC is usually very good with situations like this. Instead of having Jones inside the cage carrying his title and promoting a huge upcoming defense of said belt, they had him up in the booth, dying on the vine trying to be an analyst, a position he had no previous experience in and was doing a terrible job at. It was mind-boggling.
There you have it, folks. A nice little ribbon tied around an event that failed to do anything other than waste a few hours of everyone's time.
If you feel differently, come with some solid analysis as to why that is. Let's hear it, Maniacs, I'm all ears.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, fox, broadcast
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans official for UFC 145 in Atlanta
Shortly after UFC went live on FOX last night, company officials confirmed that UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones would make his third title defense on April 21. Less than two hours later, Jones’s opponent became official when Rashad Evans defeated Phil Davis in the main event of UFC on FOX. While Evans wasn’t spectacular in his victory over Davis, he managed to shut out “Mr. Wonderful” on the scorecards and set up the highly anticipated showdown between former friends and training partners, which is set to go down in Atlanta at UFC 145.
It’s been a long road back to the title for Evans, who was originally scheduled to fight for the belt after defeating Quinton Jackson back in May 2010. However, due to injuries suffered by him and then champion Mauricio Rua, “Suga” has had to defeat Tito Ortiz and Davis before being able to secure another shot at the gold. Now he returns to Atlanta, where his road to superstardom began when he knocked out UFC hall of famer Chuck Liddell with a highlight reel overhand at UFC 88.
When Evans went down with an injury, it was Jones who stepped up to face Rua in March 2011. “Bones” dominated “Shogun” en route to a third round stoppage and became the youngest fighter ever to hold UFC gold. Jones defended his title twice in 2011, stopping former champions “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida by submission and cementing his status as one of the best fighters in the sport.
Ever since Jones took the place of Evans and capture the title, the two have engaged war of words. Both men trained together under the guidance of Greg Jackson, but Rashad left the camp shortly after Jones became champion, feeling disrespected by the new 205 pound king. The two men will finally settle their differences later this year in a five round fight that is sure to produce fireworks.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, champion, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC on FOX 2 Post-Fight News & Notes: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans UFC 145, Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen II Brazil
Rundown of UFC on FOX 2 post-fight news and notes…
— 17,625 attendees filled the United Center in Chicago, Illinois for a $1.2 million live gate.
— Lavar Johnson picked up a cool $65,000 KO bonus for knocking out Joey Beltran in his UFC debut. Charles Oliveira was awarded Submission of the Night for finishing Eric Wisely with a calf slicer. Evan Dunham and Nik Lentz earned Fight of the Night.
— Rashad Evans didn’t get the finish he wanted against Phil Davis, but he did get the win and more importantly, the long-awaited title shot against former teammate Jon Jones. Evans wasn’t thrilled with his performance, but he was relieved he got the win and now looks forward to finally settling the score with Jones.
I don’t know. I just… I’m happy the fight’s over,” said Evans when asked about his subdued manner. “I’m happy I got the win, but I wanted to do better. I wanted to put on a more spectacular win for the Chicago fans and for the Fox fans. I didn’t do it like I wanted to or I envisioned myself doing it, but at the same time, I got the job done. I can’t be too overly critical because, nights like this, winning on this stage in the UFC, wins are hard to come by. So, I should really just be thankful. After I get offstage, I’ll probably smack myself into reality and think, ‘You know what? Things could’ve been a lot worse.’”
“I definitely wanna put the rivalry to bed and, more importantly, get a chance to get my belt back. I feel like I can beat Jon Jones. I see areas in his game where I can capitalize on, and I know it’s gonna be a good fight,” Evans told reporters. “Jon Jones has one thing over other opponents that he doesn’t have over me: we’ve faced each other before, many times. I’m not really too worried about the mystique of Jon Jones because I know what’s at Jon Jones’ core. I remember Jon Jones when he used to come up to me and be like, ‘Hey, man, what is it like when everybody takes pictures with you?’ So, I see Jon Jones a little bit differently than everybody else sees Jon Jones.
“He said something to me a while ago when we got into it. He said he wants to show everybody that I’m all hype and he’s gonna destroy me. That right there is the biggest motivation in the world. For him saying that, I’m gonna make him pay.”
Assuming Rashad passes all his medicals, Jones and Evans will finally meet on April 21 in Atlanta at UFC 145. The UFC confirmed earlier tonight that Jones will headline that card and with Rashad’s win tonight, he’s pretty much a lock to be Jones’ opponent. Both said they’re looking forward to fight after the show tonight.
“Yeah I’m ready to fight in April or whenever,” [Evans] said. “There’s a couple of things I need to work on. I look forward to going into camp and working on things, but I’m looking forward to fighting Jon and giving the fans the fight they want to see.”
“I can’t wait to get past this chapter in my career,” [Jones] said. “I’ve been calling him my antagonist because of all the hype and drama. So I’m a happy man. I’m looking forward to retaining my title on April 21st in the ATL.”
This is the part where everybody crosses their fingers that it actually happens this time.
— Pretty much everyone but Michael Bisping, his camp and his most loyal fans thought Chael Sonnen was going to smash him tonight. Well, everyone was wrong. Bisping put up one hell of a fight against the self-proclaimed “world’s greatest fighter.” So much so, many thought Bisping should have won the fight including Dana White. Heck, even Sonnen himself said he wasn’t confident the judges would give it to him at the post-fight press conference.
“Michael Bisping hit me so hard in the first round I didn’t even know what day it was,” Sonnen said during the post-fight press conference. “I remember when I came to, looking at him and thinking, ‘Oh my God you have no idea how bad you’ve hurt me or you’d step in and do something about it.’”
“I was never in a position tonight where I was comfortable, not one,” Sonnen said. “It was 15 awkward minutes. I got him down on the ground, and he’d throw a hook in, blocking me. As soon as I [would] create a space, he pushed away [and] popped up.”
“I knew we were in the middle of a close fight. I knew I needed to win the third round. I had a sense of urgency for sure; I think we both did,” he said.
“I said, ‘Hey what do you think?’ He said. ‘I don’t know, I think I got the first two.’ And I said, ‘I think you might be right,’” Sonnen recalled. “That doesn’t mean I disagree with the judges. They were close rounds.”
Nevertheless, Sonnen did win the decision and will go on to rematch Anderson Silva in Brazil in June, according to Dana White. Still, Sonnen isn’t sold that Silva will accept, however in a rare moment of honesty, Sonnen assured that he would do his part to make the fight happen.
“I know I’ll do my part,” he said. “Do I think [Silva] will sign to fight? No, I don’t. But we’ll see. I’ve been wrong before. But I’ve tried to get him to fight four times. That’s the one thing they don’t tell you, and I’m not trying to go against the brass here, but that’s the one thing they haven’t revealed. They’ve offered him the fight four times, and he said no four times. Mysteriously, he’s supposed to accept on the fifth?
“I’ll tell you this: I’ve never backed down, and I never will.”
Silva vs. Sonnen II. In Brazil. In a 80,000 seat soccer stadium. It doesn’t get any bigger than that. Cross your fingers that one happens too.
— Let’s be honest, the FOX broadcast opener between Demian Maia and Chris Weidman didn’t exactly set anyone’s hair on fire, but for Weidman, getting a win on FOX given the circumstances was awesome enough even if it wasn’t his most impressive performance.
“I took this fight on very short notice,” Weidman said. “My friends and family said I was crazy, but I couldn’t pass up this opportunity. To be able to fight a top contender like Maia on FOX was incredible.
“Walking out of the octagon after a fight like that with a ‘W’ was exactly what I wanted to accomplish. I showed everyone and myself what I am capable of. This win puts me pretty far up the middleweight ladder and right in the mix with the rest of the top fighters.”
Meanwhile, Maia said he regretted that he didn’t use more of his jiu-jitsu in the fight. I regret it too. Really miss Maia subbing people.
Image via Esther Lin for MMA Fighting
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, sonnen, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertRashad Evans Ready to Put Jon Jones’ Rivalry to Bed
Now that Rashad Evans is clearly defined as the new No. 1 contender for the UFC light heavyweight title, the questions have started about his long awaited fight with Jon Jones.
Posted in: jon, jone, rashad, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyWas it me or was Jon Jones awful tonight?
Jones was leaned back in his chair the entire time, he kept looking at his notes and what he was saying to me at least had me thinking "What is he talking about?". Couture was alright and I thought Menafee (spelling) was good setting them up. But please don't put Jones on the panel ever again. submitted by ProjectBadass [link] [9 comments]
Posted in: jone, jon jones, dont, menafee spelling, menafee
Read the full article at RedditUFC On Fox 2 Results: Rashad Evans Vs Phil Davis Video Fight Highlights
Rashad Evans faced Phil Davis Saturday night in Chicago for a shot at Jon Jones' light heavyweight title. For twenty-five minutes Evans was able to outwork and control Phil Davis on both the ground and on the feet. Rashad has made huge leeps in becoming a more well rounded fighter developing a heavy top game to compliment his speedy boxing.
The judges gave all five rounds to Evans for his dominant performance. This fight was original booked for UFC 133 but injuries to both fighters caused the extensive delays. Davis was unable to get the fight to the ground nor was he able to find his range when attacking on the feet.
Though Evans earned a shot at Jones' title, he wasn't impressive in his performance. The skills he showcased on Saturday night don't really offer any kind of threat to Jon Jones. He was also unable to find his range for an extended period of time and wasn't able to finish Davis within the time limit.
SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 2
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, davi
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones Next Fight Official for UFC 145 in Atlanta
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is set to defend his title in the main event of UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta, but who he will face has not been decided yet and depends on tonight’s UFC on Fox 2 main event between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis.
UFC President Dana White announced the news during UFC on Fox 2, which featured Jones as an analyst alongside hall of famer Randy Couture.
Jones (15-1) choked out Lyoto Machida in December for his second title defense and fourth win of the year. “Bones” planned to take several months off, but asked the UFC to book his next fight after only a few weeks and will likely meet Evans, his ex-teammate and former light heavyweight champion, or Davis, an undefeated NCAA wrestling champion.
Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com for more on Jones’ next fight at UFC 145.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, champion, title defense
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 145: Jon Jones is coming to Atlanta on April 21
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones will indeed headline the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion's upcoming pay-per-view (PPV) event at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on April 21, 2012.
The rumored appearance was confirmed during the UFC on Fox 2: "Evans vs. Davis" telecast, during which "Bones" was an expert guest on the panel alongside UFC Hall of Fame inductee, Randy Couture. And as FOX broadcaster pointed out, Jones has a vested interest in the main event this evening from the United Center in Chicago, Ill., between Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis.
If "Suga" comes away with a victory, he will finally get the opportunity to settle the score with Jones once and for all, as well as reclaim his 205-pound championship. However, if "Mr. Wonderful" pulls off the upset, the picture gets a little more complicated.
That's because Dan Henderson might get the nod, considering that Davis is still a bit behind him in the divisional pecking order. Unless, of course, Davis has a money performance this evening that leaves UFC President Dana White no choice but to book him for Atlanta, too, opposite Jones.
We'll know soon enough.
For more on UFC 145 be sure to check out our complete event archive right here. To check out the latest UFC 145 fight card and rumors click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, event, davi, philips arena
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones To Defend UFC Light Heavyweight Title In Main Event Of UFC 145
Just prior to the start of the tonight's UFC on Fox 2 main card broadcast, the UFC put out a press release stating that UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will be defending his title in the main event of UFC 145. Here's what the release had to say:
Las Vegas, Nevada -The Ultimate Fighting Championship®, the world's premier mixed martial arts organization, announced today that it will return to Atlanta with a championship card at Philips Arena on Saturday, April 21. UFC light heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones will defend his 205-pound crown in the night's main event.
Jones is serving as an analyst for tonight's card along with UFC legend Randy Couture, and it was announced on the show that Jones would defend his title against Rashad Evans if Evans manages to get through Phil Davis tonight (and doesn't get injured in the process). Davis winning would throw a wrench in that plan, but it isn't a given that Davis would get the UFC 145 slot with a win. Dan Henderson is waiting in the wings and could be inserted into the spot if need be.
Either way, a lot is riding on tonight's UFC on Fox 2 main event.
More SBN coverage of UFC 145
Posted in: ufc, jone, event, davi, tonights ufc
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones official as headliner for UFC 145 in Atlanta on April 21
It's official: UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will fight in Hotlanta.
UFC officials announced on Saturday night that a previously rumored April 21
event in Atlanta's Philips Arena will serve as UFC 145, and Jones will
fight a yet-to-be-named opponent in the evening's main event.
"Fans in Atlanta have been tweeting me and telling me over and over
again to bring the UFC back to their city," UFC president Dana White
stated. "Well, guess what Atlanta? The UFC is coming back to Atlanta
with the sport's fastest-rising star, Jon Jones, defending his light
heavyweight title."
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, official, atlanta
Read the full article at MMA JunkieUFC Announces Jon Jones to Headline UFC 145
The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday announced that light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will headline UFC 145... opponent to be determined.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, champion
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Title Match Set for UFC 145 in Atlanta
Filed under: UFC, NewsUFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones will defend his belt at UFC 145 in Atlanta, the UFC confirmed during Saturday night's UFC on FOX 2 event.
Barring any unforeseen issues, it will be against his former friend and current rival Rashad Evans.
By virtue of his unanimous decision win over Phil Davis on Saturday, Evans (17-1-1) held on to his No. 1 contender status, but after a fairly grueling five-rounder, he'd have only 12 weeks to heal up any injuries he suffered during the fight and prepare for a title bout. In the post-fight press conference, Evans didn't mention any physical issues stemming from the fight, saying that he was looking forward to the long-awaited grudge match and title bout with Jones.
"Yeah I'm ready to fight in April or whenever," he said. "There's a couple of things I need to work on. I look forward to going into camp and working on things, but I'm looking forward to fighting Jon and giving the fans the fight they want to see."
Evans admitted that it was difficult to prepare for Davis with the prospect of fighting Jones in the background.
"This is the monkey on my back I had to get over," he said. "It was hard to get ready for this fight because everybody kept talking about that fight [with Jones]. It was hard to get excited for a fight like this, but Phil Davis definitely brought it, and now that I won, I get the opportunity to fight Jon, and I'm very excited about it."
Atlanta is the site of Evans' star-making win, as he knocked out Chuck Liddell at UFC 88 at the same arena that will host UFC 145.
Jones, who was in Chicago as a member of the FOX broadcast team, was beaming after Evans' win, saying that he was happy to finally face his former teammate in the cage.
"I can't wait to get past this chapter in my career," he said. "I've been calling him my antagonist because of all the hype and drama. So I'm a happy man. I'm looking forward to retaining my title on April 21st in the ATL."
It's not a lock yet though, as Evans will have to pass a post-fight physical and hope to avoid any lengthy medical suspensions.
If Evans can't make the quick turnaround, former Strikeforce light-heavyweight champion Dan Henderson is likely to get the headlining slot opposite Jones.
The 41-year-old Henderson (29-8) is coming off his thrilling unanimous decision win over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 139, a scrap that many have called the greatest MMA fight of all time.
Jones originally won the belt at UFC 128, battering Rua en route to a fourth-round TKO. He then successfully defended it twice, beating Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Lyoto Machida to cap a banner 2012.
UFC 145 takes place on April 21 from Philips Arena. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, im
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC on FOX: ‘Evans vs. Davis’ Preview – The Main Card
Yeah, so, there’s a big UFC on FOX tomorrow night, a three-fight doozy featuring matchups whose results will have serious repercussions in two divisions. For the light-heavyweights, and particularly champ Jon Jones, there’s a top-contender slot at stake for Rashad Evans when he takes on Phil Davis. For the middleweights and their lord and king Anderson Silva, there’s Demian Maia, angling toward another shot at the belt in the future if he gets past up-and-comer Chris Weidman. And of course, there’s the piece de resistance 185-pound pairing (and what truly should be the headlining bout) of brash Brit Michael Bisping and ultimate trash-talker Chael Sonnen. The winner of that one gets Silva next, which is a whole lotta “yikes!” for a free fight on major network television. You know, the last time the UFC did their FOX thing, we got a heavyweight title bout that lasted just over a minute and left us all saying “That’s it?” Now we’re going to get a trio of worthwhile battles that could knock our socks off. Let’s break them down, shall we?
-Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis – There’s supposedly some kind of friction between Evans and Jones, which should in theory make us care about the TUF winner beating the stud wrestler on Saturday night. I say hogwash to that. The heat Evans and Jones generate couldn’t melt a snowflake. What is compelling, however, is the fact that the champ has cleaned out the division with such authority, there’s literally no one left to legitimately challenge him – save Evans, who’s still waiting for his turn to get his ass kicked. Granted, Davis a tough competitor who’s beaten the likes of Brian Stann and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, but no one in their right mind believes he’s even close to being worthy, or even close to being able to make Jones break a sweat. Evans, while certainly not the favorite if and when a Jones/Evans matchup materializes, is an ex-champ with a lot of tools. Of all the residents of the light-heavyweight division that Jones has yet to murder, “Sugar” is at the top of the list of guys who should be next. So how will things go when Evans squares up against Davis? Wrestling accomplishments notwithstanding, Davis is out of his league, and Evans is going to spend three rounds avoiding his takedowns and beating him up against the fence. Then, further down the road, Evans and Jones will do the dance, and Jones will Force Choke him from across the cage, rendering him unconscious with pugilistic powers as yet unseen in the Octagon (and unseen in normal human beings).
-Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping – As unlucky turn of events go, Mark Munoz pulverizing his own elbow in training yielded perhaps the best possible matchup in terms of finding champ Silva a suitable opponent. For while Munoz and Sonnen would’ve made for a decent fight, Sonnen versus Bisping makes for an even better one – whether we’re watching a mouthy dude get his comeuppance or a mouthy dude earn his shot, either way we’re going to be entertained, both now and later. Setting aside the fact that Sonnen is going to destroy Bisping by slamming him to the canvas and grinding him into chopped meat (which is guaranteed to be the outcome of Saturday night’s fight), whoever wins gets to be the foil Silva needs to make people want to tune in when next he defends his belt. If Sonnen crushes Bisping, we get to have the American spew the most outrageous things, amusing us with words that he can apparently back up. And if, by some miracle, Bisping defeats Sonnen, then further down the line we get to watch the Brazilian bust open the Brit like he was a poorly-constructed piñata. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter who wins at UFC on FOX 2, because at the end of the day both guys will make great foes for the champ.
-Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman – Maia looked okay when he tried to pry the belt from Silva’s uncaring middleweight hands. Not great, but not bad. Just okay. So although Munoz squeaked by him with a decision at UFC 131, you have to think the jiu-jitsu master is still in the running to face Silva again. On the flip side, Weidman, who’s filling in as a late-replacement but who’s got Division I collegiate wrestling skills, a modicum of jiu-jitsu knowledge and decent striking, has got absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain in this matchup. If Weidman loses, so what? He’s only had three fights in the UFC thus far, and seven fights overall. A loss (which would be his first) against such a high-caliber opponent would only make him more seasoned. And if he wins, well, there goes Maia’s title aspirations, and the American establishes himself as a force to be reckoned with in the middleweight division. Sadly, as much as I like Weidman (he’s a product of the Northeast MMA circuit), I see Maia’s jiu-jitsu and experience proving to be too much. But it should be interesting.
Posted in: ufc, jone, silva, sonnen, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC left off of Businessweek’s Top 100 in Sports
The UFC was shutout for the 2nd straight year in Bloomberg Businessweek’s Top Power 100 Sports Ranking. Notably, boxers Manny Pacquiao (28) and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (49) were on the list.Drew Brees edged out Aaron Rodgers for the top spot this year. Brock Lesnar and Fedor made it on the list in 2010. The list is based on an athlete’s performance, popularity and marketability.
Last year’s top spot, Peyton Manning, fell to 51st on the list. Lance Armstrong, No. 8 on the list last year, fell off the list completely as he announced his retirement last February. Despite retiring, Shaquille O’Neal remained No. 7 on the list.
Payout Perspective:
Will there be a UFC fighter on this list next year? Certainly, Jon Jones and Georges St. Pierre would be the two names that would come to mind when it comes to the criteria. Jones would be more likely to make the mainstream jump this year consdering GSP’s injury. A combination of Jones’ personality, his athletic ability and the UFC’s visibility through the Fox deal should help land Jones on this list.
Posted in: ufc, jone, year, list, year ’s
Read the full article at MMA PayoutRashad Evans Expects Jon Jones to Ruin His ‘Special Night’ at UFC on Fox in Chicago
Rashad Evans was accused by Jon Jones of ruining his "special night" after he won the UFC light heavyweight title. Now Evans thinks Jones will return the favor on Saturday at UFC on Fox: Evans vs....
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, evan, night ’
Read the full article at Heavy MMAThe Unfair UFC Career of Phil Davis
From the moment Phil Davis stepped into the Octagon, he was never given a fair chance.
In the second round of his first UFC fight against Brian Stann, Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan compared his skills and physique to Georges St. Pierre. In the third round, with three minutes remaining in the bout, Rogan was already bringing up the possibility of Jon Jones vs. Davis.
That’s right, before Davis had already collected his first victory in the UFC, he was already being linked to the current UFC light heavyweight champion. From that point on, various MMA personalities and media members have always linked him to “Bones” Jones due to their freak athleticism.
It wasn’t good enough for Davis to hit a power double in order to get guys to the ground; he had to suplex them. It wasn’t good enough for Davis to lock on submissions; he had to throw spinning back elbows. It wasn’t good enough for Davis to just win fights; he had to dominate opponents.
Davis and Jones are like #1 overall picks in different draft years. Jones is like LeBron James, the most gifted athlete in the sport today, with the ability to take over the game/fight like no else. Davis is like John Wall, a great athlete in his own right, but hasn’t quite taken the sport by storm the way Jones/James did. On their own, Wall and Davis are outstanding and any team/camp would be lucky to have them. When constantly put in the same sentence as LeBron and Jones though, well, that’s just not fair.
Now Kobe Bryant, better known in MMA circles as Rashad Evans, is coming to town.
Before we look ahead though, lets go back to when Evans and Davis were originally scheduled to meet, which was last August at UFC 133. Davis was so overlooked in that fight, that when he had to pull out with an injury and was replaced by Tito Ortiz, people were actually more excited and thought it would be more competitive. Maybe Ortiz fans were just so caught up in the nostalgia of Tito actually winning his bout against Ryan Bader that they thought he had another miracle in him, but no logical MMA fan could have truly believed that Ortiz stood a better chance than Davis.
As expected, Kobe dominated Mike Bibby.
Fast forward to now. In the build up to Davis vs. Evans, it’s been all about the former UFC light heavyweight champ.
Just look at the UFC on FOX promo. Evans is knocking out Chuck Liddell and Sean Salmon while also landing strikes on Forrest Griffin. Davis is throwing a head kick, which ended up being blocked, and they decided to show that from two different angles. That’s all the highlights they had of Davis? Not his submissions on Alexander Gustafsson or Tim Boetsch? How about his dominance against Stann or his ground and pound on Antonio Rogerio Nogueira? Nope. They just showed him throwing a kick that was blocked.
They had Kobe making game-winning shots and throwing down dunks while Wall was highlighted by taking a charge.
Furthermore, Davis isn’t guaranteed a title shot if he beats Evans on Saturday night, while Evans will get a title shot if he comes out on top. The consensus is that, unless Davis looks spectacular in victory, Dan Henderson will get the next crack at Jones and the 205 strap if Davis’s hand is raised at the end of the night. I guess remaining undefeated while beating a former champion who only has one loss on his record in front of what could be the largest UFC audience ever, isn’t good enough to get a fight that was brought up by one of the announcers 12 minutes into your UFC career.
Unfortunately, despite being brought up in his first fight, Jones vs. Davis isn’t the fight people want to see. LeBron vs. Wall might be the match-up fans are clamoring for in a couple of years, but right now, the people want LeBron vs. Kobe. The people want Jones vs. Evans.
“Mr. Wonderful” never had a chance to succeed in the UFC. If he hasn’t been compared to a fighter than might go down as the greatest light heavyweight ever, he’s been overlooked heading into the biggest fight of his career. He’s never been allowed to stand on his own due to the brilliance of Jones or the anticipation of a bigger fight. Davis can have his one shining moment on FOX. He could beat Evans in impressive fashion, have Goldberg and Rogan going crazy, have Dana White Tweeting nothing but exclamation points, and have fans begging for him to fight Jones.
If that’s going to happen though, Davis will have to put on the most flawless performance of his career in a building built by the flawlessness of Michael Jordan.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, ’t, davi
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones gives a shout out to NickTheFace
submitted by roguegambit [link] [comment]
Posted in: jone, jon jones, nicktheface, roguegambit link, roguegambit
Read the full article at RedditWhy Jon Jones Is a Real Threat at Heavyweight
Jon Jones is one of the greatest light heavyweights out there today. He has earned his right to be champion and has very few fighters left whom he hasn't already beaten at that weight.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, heavyweight, light heavyweights
Read the full article at Low KickRashad Evans Talks Phil Davis and What He’ll Do If Jon Jones Walks into the Cage Saturday Night
Rashad Evans talks to MMAWeekly.com about his upcoming fight at UFC on Fox 2 with Phil Davis and a potential bout with old foe Jon Jones.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, phil davis, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC Quick Quote: No Brazilian fighter can defeat Jon Jones
"Jon Jones is having a good phase, he's improving a lot. He's getting more and more experienced, he's very young, but he's getting more experienced. He's making his opponents fall into his game. He knows how to use his size very well. There's not much to say about Jon Jones. I don't see any Brazilian in conditions to face him, even more so because Brazilians don't tend to completely study what happens in there, there needs to be more studying done by the Brazilians in that division so that they can understand what really is going on in there. But it's hard for me to say this, because I'm Brazilian and I wish there was a Brazilian with the conditions to beat Jon Jones, but, this is a personal opinion of mine, I don't see anyone in Brazil that can beat him, at least not for now."
UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva tells Portal TV (translated by Tom Mendes) that light heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones is in no danger of losing his 205-pound strap to a fighter from Brazil, having already disposed of Mauricio Rua and Lyoto Machida in recent fights. "Bones" could be facing the winner of Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis, who fight at UFC on Fox 2, or, former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Dan Henderson, if Evans fails to have a "Wonderful" performance in Chicago. Anyone think "The Spider" is speaking out of turn? If so, can you name a Brazilian fighter capable of dethroning the champ?
Posted in: jon, jone, brazilian, he, brazilian fighter
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones: “Rashad’s chin sucks.”
With UFC on FOX 2 just days away UFC President Dana White has stayed true to form, releasing the first installment of his video blog for the event.
This episode of the vlog boasts extensive behind-the-scenes footage from last Friday night’s UFC on FX: Guillard vs. Miller card. In the clip viewers are shown several of the fighters in the back after their matches including the highly-amped Mike Easton before his bout. There are also segments featuring main event fighters Melvin Guillard and Jim Miller reflecting on their bout as well as a heartwarming moment between opponents Christian Morecraft and Pat Barry.
Near the conclusion of the video, UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones is interviewed and asked his thoughts on the upcoming FOX fight between rival Rashad Evans and unbeaten wrestler Phil Davis. If “Suga” wins, he will likely face “Bones” in Atlanta later this year at UFC 145, while “Mr. Wonderful” could vault himself into contention with a victory as well.
“I could see Phil Davis winning by knockout (because) Rashad’s chin sucks,” predicts Jones. “I could see Rashad winning by taking him down, trying to lay on him (but) I am rooting for Rashad to win the fight so I can fight Rashad and get past it, get it over with.”
Check out the video in the player below, complete with the Jones interview at the very end:
Posted in: ufc, jone, video, video blog, rashad
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones: “I could see Phil Davis winning by knockout.”
Even though UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has come out to say he’ll be rooting for Rashad Evans against Phil Davis when the two face off in the main event at UFC on FOX 2, that doesn’t mean he believes his former teammate is actually a lock to come away with the win. Jones sounded off on the match-up last Friday night while attending UFC on FX: Guillard vs. Miller where he expressed some uncertainty in terms of how he sees things playing out this weekend.
“I don’t know,” said Jones when asked to make a pick as part of Dana White’s latest video blog. “I could see Phil Davis winning by knockout. I mean, really, Rashad’s chin sucks.”
“I could see Rashad winning by, you know, taking him down…try to lay on him,” Jones continued. “It’s gonna be a great fight. I’m sure Phil Davis has gotten a lot better since his last appearance and Rashad’s showing some changes in his game, so I don’t know.”
In the end Jones again expressed his desire to see Evans win in order for the two of them to finally fight and settle their personal differences. Tune in this Saturday night on FOX to find out if he’ll get his wish.
Jones Explains His Desire to Finally Fight Evans
Check out Jones’ prediction as well as a ton of backstage footage at UFC on FX in the video below:
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Posted in: ufc, jone, phil davis, phil, davi
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC on FOX NFL Playoff Commericial Featuring Jon Jones
Here’s the new UFC on FOX commercial featuring Jon Jones that ran during yesterday’s 49′ers vs. Giants game.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, fox, jon jones
Read the full article at MMA ConvertChamp Jon Jones would be ready for UFC 145 headliner in Atlanta
This weekend's UFC on FOX 2 event could set up a title fight at April's UFC 145 event in Atlanta.
Top contenders Phil Davis and Rashad Evans headline Saturday's FOX-televised event, and a shot at UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones is on the line (for Davis, anyway).
And according to Jones, he could be ready to go for the newly announced UFC 145 event.
Posted in: ufc, jone, event, title fight, weekends ufc
Read the full article at MMA JunkieUFC on FOX commercial featuring Jon Jones from NFL Playoffs (Video)
For those mixed martial arts (MMA) fans who don't give a rat's ass about the National Football League (NFL) or its playoffs, you probably weren't glued to the idiot box this weekend, missing out on the latest commercial from the FOX network advertising its new partnership with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was front and center on Sunday (Jan. 22, 2012) afternoon in the above UFC on FOX commercial that took a soft but whimsical approach to the network's addition of cage fighting.
The timing couldn't have been better.
UFC on FOX two is less than a week away, going down this Saturday night (Jan. 28) live from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, and featuring a light heavyweight contendership fight between former 205-pound champion Rashad Evans and undefeated up-and-comer Phil Davis.
The winner?
They might be facing than yep, you guessed, "Bones" Jones. So what did you think of the commercial Maniacs? Doing anything for you? (Better quality coming soon.)
Posted in: ufc, jone, fox, chicago illinois, networks addition
Read the full article at MMA ManiaThe UFC's marketing department has hit a new low: Jon Jones kicking a child in a "UFC on Fox" commercial
submitted by Like_Wild_Potato [link] [3 comments]
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, likewildpotato, marketing
Read the full article at RedditJon Jones rooting for Rashad Evans against Phil Davis
When Rashad Evans takes on Phil Davis this coming weekend in the main event at UFC on FOX 2 he’ll have the current light heavyweight champion in his corner. Not literally, of course, as Evans’ rivalry with Jon Jones is well-documented with their days of professional kinship little more than dust in the Albuquerque wind at this point. Rather, Jones has come out to say he’ll be pulling for Evans based on an overwhelming desire to put his nemesis in his place on the biggest stage possible.
“I’m picking Rashad Evans. I’m in his corner. I want to fight Rashad,” said Jones on the post-event show from this last Friday night’s UFC on FX event.
“He’s the antagonist of my career. There’s no just pumping up pay per views when it comes to me and Rashad. Everything about us disliking each other is true,” the animated 24-year old title-holder continued. “After we fight each other it’ll all be clear and he can go have a seat somewhere.”
It is believed Jones will make his next title defense in Atlanta this April 21 at UFC 145. If Evans wins and remains healthy he has been guaranteed a crack at the divisional belt, while a victory for Davis could also earn him a shot or open up the door for Dan Henderson to slide in.
Jones Can See Davis Out-Wrestling Rashad
The issue between Jones-Evans stems from a comment “Bones” made while the two were teammates, saying he would fight Evans for the title if necessary. The two had been scheduled to face off a few times before in the past since the falling out but injuries have prevented the pairing thus far.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: jone, rashad, rashad evans, evan, davi
Read the full article at Fighters.comJon Jones picks Rashad Evans to best Phil Davis, says 'Suga' is antagonist of his career
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and former training partner-turned bitter rival Rashad Evans, absolutely do not like each other.
The pair have engaged in a well-publicized war of words over the last year and a half that caused former UFC light heavyweight champion Evans to split from long time training camp, Jackson's MMA, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. "Suga" packed his bags and headed east to sunny Florida to become a member of the "The Blackzillians" alongside mixed martial arts (MMA) stars Jorge Santiago and Antonio Silva just to name a few.
Jones, meanwhile, stayed with Jackson's and has since been coaches Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn's prized pupil.
So it makes you wonder, in a rivalry that seems to be "as real as it gets," why would "Bones" be rooting for Rashad to best Phil Davis when the two tangle next week (Jan, 28, 2012) at UFC on Fox 2?
The 205-pound champion explains in his comments at the "UFC on FUEL TV: Post-Fight Show" after the jump"
"I'm picking Rashad Evans. I'm in his corner. I want to fight Rashad. He's the antagonist of my career. There's no just pumping up pay per views when it comes to me and Rashad. Everything about us disliking each other is true. After we fight each other it'll all be clear and he can go have a seat somewhere."
No playing for cameras going on around here.
Jones is coming off of one of the most impressive years in MMA history, defeating Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida, three of the best light heavyweights in the world, in brutal fashion. He also pulled it off in a span of nine months.
Evans, on the other hand, is riding a three win streak himself, defeating Thiago Silva, Tito Ortiz and the aforementioned "Rampage" Jackson in his last three outings.
The much anticipated bout between two of the best light heavyweights in the world has been canceled on more than one occasion due to injuries from both parties. However, if all cards fall into place and Evans can get past the wrestling powerhouse that is "Mr. Wonderful" in Chicago, Ill., the fight just may finally go down and both Jones and Evans will finally have the chance to cash those hefty checks that their mouths have written over the last year.
What say you Maniacs, will this fight finally go down later this year? Or will Davis play the role of spoiler in "Chi-Town?"
Sound off!
Posted in: jone, jackson, rashad, light heavyweights, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 145 Fight Card Nearly Full; Is Jon Jones the Next Addition?
The newly retooled UFC 145 fight card is nearly complete with the UFC confirming nine bouts for the event. All signs are pointing to a Jon Jones main event.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, jon jones, card
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyDana White Talks Next Fights for UFC Champs St-Pierre, Silva, and Jones
UFC President Dana White discussed the next fights for UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, middleweight champ Anderson Silva and light heavyweight champion Jon Jones with Fuel TV following Friday’s UFC on FX 1 event.
Jones is expected to headline April’s UFC 145 event in Atlanta with his challenger decided by next Saturday’s UFC on Fox 2 main event between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis. If Evans beats Davis and isn’t injured he’ll earn a long awaited matchup with his former teammate Jones, while Dan Henderson would likely challenge Jones for the belt if Davis wins.
The next shot at Anderson Silva will be on the line when Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping square off at UFC on Fox 2, but Sonnen has expressed doubts that Silva will rematch him after nearly dethroning him in their first meeting in 2010. However, White “guaranteed” that Silva would fight Sonnen again this summer should he beat Bisping next Saturday and that the matchup would likely take place at a soccer stadium in Silva’s home country of Brazil.
Finally, Georges St-Pierre’s recovery from knee surgery is well ahead of schedule and the welterweight champion could return as early as this summer, especially if Nick Diaz claims the interim title over Carlos Condit at UFC 143 early next month.
Watch Dana White’s complete interview with Fuel TV below:
Pictured: Jon Jones
Posted in: ufc, jone, silva, rashad evans, fuel tv
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyLight heavyweight champ Jon Jones looking towards April defense in Atlanta
The pieces of the puzzle seem to be coming together in terms of what 2012 will look like for UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones. The 24-year old title-holder addressed speculation on his future last night when appearing as a guest on the post-event wrap up show for UFC on FX: Guillard vs. Miller.
According to Jones it’s looking like his next action will come in Atlanta, a city attached to April 21 and the still-developing lineup for UFC 145. The event was originally scheduled for Montreal in March but ultimately postponed with UFC officials saying they’d encountered a scheduling issue and wanted to deliver a championship caliber card.
The later date now allows for Jones’ chief rival, Rashad Evans, to potentially have three months to prepare for a title-fight if he indeed gets by Phil Davis next weekend at UFC on FOX 2 (much easier said than done). The same would of course be true if unbeaten Davis maintains his perfect record against an opponent with Evans’ credentials.
It also appears the third name in the mix, Dan Henderson, would also be completely healed from his classic clash with Mauricio Rua this past November as the former PRIDE/Strikeforce champion was already linked to a fight against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in mid-April.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, mauricio rua, jones ’, unbeaten davis
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainAnderson Silva Doesn't See Any Brazilian Who Can Beat Jon Jones
Portal TV had a chance to catch up with Anderson Silva and it on a variety of topics. Silva says that he still hasn't recovered from his shoulder injury and is simply doing enough working out to stay in shape. But, he also said that he doesn't believe that there is a Brazilian fighter who can beat Jon Jones right now.
Here's the video:
Translated quote (via Tom Mendes):
Jon Jones is having a good phase, he's improving a lot. He's getting more and more experienced, he's very young, but he's getting more experienced. He's making his opponents fall into his game. He knows how to use his size very well. There's not much to say about Jon Jones. I don't see any Brazilian in conditions to face him, even more so because Brazilians don't tend to completely study what happens in there, there needs to be more studying done by the Brazilians in that division so that they can understand what really is going on in there. But it's hard for me to say this, because I'm Brazilian and I wish there was a Brazilian with the conditions to beat Jon Jones, but, this is a personal opinion of mine, I don't see anyone in Brazil that can beat him, at least not for now.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, brazilian, he
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowAnderson Silva: I don't see anyone in Brazil that can beat Jon Jones
When looking at the UFC’s Light Heavyweight division at a macro level many have posited that, at this time, there are not any fighters out there that could beat the current Light Heavyweight Champion, Jon Jones.
One person that looked at the Light Heavyweight division at a more micro level was UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva. Silva, recently spoke to Portal TV about his feelings on how Brazilian fighters would fare against Jon Jones. "There's not much to say about Jon Jones. I don't see any
Posted in: jon, jone, heavyweight, silva, light
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones Says He'll Be Ready to Defend Belt by Upcoming Atlanta Event
Filed under: UFC, NewsAfter four dominant wins in a banner 2011 that saw him ascend to UFC light-heavyweight champion, Jon Jones said he was headed for a long vacation, but after about one month on the sidelines taking care of other business, Jones is ready to begin preparations to get back into the octagon.
During an interview on Friday night's UFC on FX post-fight show, Jones said that he's awaiting his next assignment, which is likely to come in the form of either Rashad Evans, Dan Henderson or Phil Davis.
Asked when he might return, Jones (15-1) said he was "hearing rumors" of a date in Atlanta for what would be UFC 145.
Given the current scheduling situation, Jones is a near lock to be slotted into the card, which will take place on April 21 at Philips Arena. The UFC has already announced 10 bouts for the event, but it is conspicuously missing a headliner.
Jones may know his fate as early as next weekend, when Evans and Davis battle in the main event of UFC on FOX 2. If Evans wins, he has been assured a chance to fight for the belt in a bout that would likely be the grudge match of the year. He would, however, have to come out of the fight injury-free, no sure thing against the grinding style of Davis. With less than three months between the January 28 FOX fight and the April date, Evans could miss out on another title opportunity should he suffer any injury setback.
If that were the case, Henderson would almost certainly be thrust into the spot ahead of Evans. Henderson is coming off his epic UFC 139 win against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in a bout that many are calling the best fight in UFC history. In the aftermath, Henderson turned down a fight with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in order to wait and see how Evans-Davis turns out. The calculated gamble may turn out to provide dividends.
A Davis win would muddle the picture greatly. Though UFC president Dana White has said he'd prefer the 41-year-old Henderson over a victorious Davis, a dominant performance by the young upstart might cause him to reconsider.
Either way, it seems likely that Jones will have one of the three queued up and ready to go within two weeks as the champion looks to follow up his brilliant 2011. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, davi
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones: Male Runway Model
If you’ve ever seen The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, then you’re probably familiar with the “Moment of Zen” that closes each show, which the best way I can describe is usually a humorous WTF? video clip of the day.
Well, this video CagePotato stumbled upon is a moment of zen if I’ve ever seen one. I have no idea how it came about, but while in Brazil this past weekend for UFC 142, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones moonlighted as a male runway model in a fashion show. I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that’s a first for a mixed martial artist.
Here’s a picture of Jones in his swanky new duds via Brazil Male Models along with a brief reaction to his first runway model experience via MiddleEasy.
Posted in: show, jon, jone, model, runway model
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones is a Brazilian fashion model. No seriously, watch this video...
Despite being the next best thing since DVR, just know that if Bones Jones catches you smoking marijuana, he will turn you into the authorities. That's a deal breaker for some. Well, replace 'some' with 'Joe Rogan and Eddie Bravo'. Jon Jones is also an avid fan of 'Angry Johny' by Poe which sort of makes up for the fact that he could have never partied with my roommates at the University of Arizona. Don't believe what your Chinese Calendar says, 2012 is the year of Jon Bones Jones. A suave dude from Rochester, NY has just given the entire world of MMA a much needed facelift -- and now he's traveled to Brazil to reinvigorate the fashion industry. Check out this clip of Jon Jones stomping the catwalk in Brazil last week.
Check out this photo of Bones Jones strutting his stuff as a Brazilian model. Props to Rob N. for the find.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, bone, bones jones
Read the full article at Middle EasyUFC plans April return for Jones; Evans-Davis winner, Henderson still top options
RIO DE JANEIRO - UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is just about done with his vacation.
UFC president Dana White told MMAjunkie.com he's
currently working on Jones' next outing, and both the champ and the
promotion hope to book that sooner rather than later.
"Maybe April," White said.
Posted in: ufc, jone, mmajunkiecom hes, promotion hope, options rio
Read the full article at MMA JunkieDan Henderson Waiting To See What Happens With Rashad Evans Fight Before Deciding Next Move
Dan Henderson has a simple explanation for turning down a fight with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira — he wants a title shot against Jon Jones and he wants to see if he’ll get it pending the outcome of next week’s Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis fight.
Hendo revealed the news on Clinch Gear Radio. Transcription via MMA Fighting:
“I was under the impression that [UFC President Dana White] still kind of was on the fence whether he was going to put me in front of Rashad or not, that’s assuming Rashad wins,” Henderson said. “[White] did offer me a fight with ‘Little Nogueira.’ I didn’t think the fans would be interested in that fight, and not as much time as I would like to prepare for a five-round fight. So I told him I would wait to see what happened with the Rashad fight. I would like to fight Jones now rather than if I took that fight with ‘Little Nog,’ it wouldn’t be fighting Jones until another eight-nine months.
“It would have kept me active right now, but I’m okay waiting a little bit. We’ll see what happens with the Rashad fight and go from there.”
Hendo says he would have given the fight more serious consideration if it was just a three-round fight, however that would have conflicted with the UFC’s new five-round main event policy.
There’s typically a negative stigma attached to turning down fights, but I think it’s the right move here. Hendo may still be at the top of his game, but let’s be honest, he isn’t getting any younger. As we’ve seen with other top fighters, when they fall, they fall hard and fast and who know how much longer Hendo has before that happens. If the possibility is there for Hendo to get a title shot sooner than later, I don’t see how anyone can blame him for wanting to wait a couple weeks to see what happens.
Image via Esther Lin for Strikeforce/Showtime
Posted in: fight, title shot, jone, hendo, rashad
Read the full article at MMA ConvertDan Henderson issues statement on turning down Antonio Rogerio Nogueira fight
UFC light heavyweight contender Dan Henderson wants a shot at reigning division champion Jon Jones, and from the sound of it, he wants it sooner rather than later.
"Hendo" was offered a headlining bout opposite former PRIDE FC rival Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, who submitted the Greco-Roman wrestler via first round armbar at "Total Elimination" back in 2005.
The rematch, as well as the opportunity to avenge his loss to "Little Nog," was a fight he "didn't think the fans would be interested in." In addition, he wanted "more time to prepare for a five round main event."
Considering Henderson recently went to hell and back against Mauricio Rua at UFC 139, it's a valid concern.
The former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion told the powers that be "thanks, but no thanks," and Nogueira was quickly paired off against Alexander Gustafsson for the UFC on FUEL TV fight card on April 14 in Sweden.
Henderson breaks it all down for Jeff Dotseth and Stephen Quadros via Clinch Gear Radio (Sirius 94 XM 208) after the jump.
"I was under the impression that [Dana White] was still kinda on the fence on whether he was gonna put me in front of Rashad (Evans) or not. That's assuming Rashad wins. He did offer me a fight with little Nogueira and I didn't think the fans would be interested in that fight and it's not as much time as I'd like to prepare for a five round fight so I told him I'd wait and see what happens with the Rashad fight. I'd like to fight Jones now rather than if I took that fight with Little Nog. I wouldn't be fighting Jones for another eight, ninth months. I'm okay waiting a little bit. It was more about having the time to prepare and I did inquire to say hey, I would be interested in doing it if it was a three round fight, I could have time to prepare."
How about it Maniacs, satisfied with his explanation?
And do you think he gets an immediate fight against "Bones?" Phil Davis, who battles Evans for a spot in the 205-pound contender's line at UFC on FOX 2 on Jan. 28, already said he has no problem giving "Hendo" first crack at the champ.
"Suga," however, may not be as sweet on the idea.
Either way, Jones is already itching to get back inside the cage, so expect to hear more on this division in the next few weeks, if not sooner.
And don't forget about Alexander Gustafsson, who took Henderson's place in his native land.
UFC on Fuel TV 2 goes down on April 14 in Stockholm, Sweden, and will be headlined by Gustafsson vs. Nogueira. Other interesting match-ups announced for the fight card include a middleweight tilt pitting Brian Stann vs. Alessio Sakara and a welterweight war between Paulo Thiago and Siyar Bahadurzada.
To check out the latest fight card and rumors for that event click here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, nogueira, henderson
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Will 'Get Going' if Evans Beats Phil Davis
Recently UFC president Dana White said that light heavyweight Jon Jones was ready to jump back in the ring as soon as possible and even said that he may want Jones to fight Dan Henderson before fighting Rashad Evans. That did cause a minor stir as, at some point, Jones and Rashad Evans need to get on the same schedule to deliver the fight that fans have wanted to see ever since Jones won the title.
Now, Dana is saying that that they're gunning to make a bout between Jones and Evans as long as Rashad can get by Phil Davis. Via Yahoo! Sports:
"We're working on it now. We're going to obviously see what happens in this Rashad fight at the end of the month. The next fight on Fox, Rashad is fighting (Phil) Davis, so we'll see what happens there," White said on Tuesday.
"If Rashad wins, if Rashad comes out injury free, we'll get the Jon ‘Bones' Jones/Rashad Evans fight going."
This is good news as Jones and Evans being about one month apart on all of their fights is hard to deal with when you're dying to see a fight between the two men.
It would now seem that the ball is fully in Rashad's court. As long as he doesn't slip up against Davis, he will finally get his shot at regaining the title.
Posted in: fight, jone, rashad, phil davis, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC Quick Quote: If Rashad Evans beats Phil Davis, he'll fight Jon Jones for light heavyweight title
"We're working on it now. We're going to obviously see what happens in this Rashad fight at the end of the month. The next fight on FOX, Rashad is fighting (Phil) Davis, so we'll see what happens there. If Rashad wins, if Rashad comes out injury free, we'll get the Jon ‘Bones' Jones vs. Rashad Evans fight going."
-- Dan Henderson just became a big Phil Davis fan. That's because UFC President Dana White today revealed on the Jim Rome Show that if Rashad Evans defeats Davis at the UFC on Fox 2 event on Jan. 28 in Chicago, Illinois, he'll earn the next shot at Jon Jones and his light heavyweight championship later this year. It's no surprise, really, considering the fact that "Suga" was promised this shot after defeating Tito Ortiz back at UFC 133 in Aug. 2011. Injuries and bad timing got in the way, leading to his taking the fight against "Mr. Wonderful," but that doesn't mean the promise of a title shot did, even if Jones is itching to get back inside the Octagon as soon as possible. Henderson is on the outside looking in and needs a Davis win to catapult him into the space currently occupied by Evans, who needs to defeat Davis so he can get to Jones, who just wants to fight ASAP. Get it? Got it? Good.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, rashad, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaDana White: Rashad Evans Wins and Remains Injury Free, He Gets Bones Jones Next
submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [comment]
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, bones jones, mattyblayze, mattyblayze link
Read the full article at RedditDana White: Rashad Evans Wins and Remains Injury Free, He Gets Bones Jones Next
When Rashad Evans faces Phil Davis on Jan 28 in Chicago, he will control his own destiny and his goal of facing former friend and training partner Jon 'Bones' Jones next.
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, phil davis, evan, bones jones
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJones to headline UFC 145 in Montreal?
Dana White says Jon Jones is ready to return and wants to fight as soon as possible. Could he be set to headline in Montreal on March 24?
Posted in: jone, jon jones, headline, montreal, montreal dana
Read the full article at sportsnet.caJon Jones Next UFC Fight Likely Against Dan Henderson or Rashad Evans
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones hopes to fight four times in 2012 and Dan Henderson could be his first opponent of the year before a potential showdown with rival Rashad Evans, UFC President Dana White said in a recent appearance on ESPN Radio in Las Vegas (via Cagewriter).
“[Jones] said he wanted to take all this time off and then they were calling me…saying he wanted to fight as soon as possible. He’s ready to go,” White said. ”What could end up happening is Dan Henderson fights Jon Jones first, then [Jones next fight] would be close to the time that Rashad fights. Or we could see how things go with Rashad [against Phil Davis] and Rashad fights him first.”
Jones (15-1) is less than a month removed from capping off a four-win 2011 with a second-round submission of Lyoto Machida in the “Fight of the Night” at UFC 140. Henderson (29-8) left Strikeforce, where he was the light heavyweight title-holder, and returned to the UFC with a unanimous decision over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in a “Fight of the Year” front-runner at UFC 139.
Meanwhile, Evans (16-1-1) must get past undefeated prospect Phil Davis in the main event of UFC on Fox 2 on January 28 before considering a potential showdown with his former teammate Jones, who he was rumored to face at UFC 133 and UFC 140 before injuries derailed the bouts.
The UFC has already booked main events through UFC 144, but UFC 145 on March 24 in Monteal does not yet have a headlining matchup and could be a potential date for Jones’ next fight.
For the latest UFC news stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Pictured: Jon Jones
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, rashad, rashad fights
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyJon Jones vs. Dan Henderson Headed to UFC 145?
UFC 145 in Montreal is currently sitting without a main event, but Jon 'Bones' Jones may once again swoop in like Superman to save the day.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, bone, superman
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyDana White: Jon Jones Cut Vacation Short To Fight ASAP, Rashad Evans & Dan Henderson Possible Opponents
It looks like UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is going to back in action sooner than expected.
Jones had planned to take a long vacation after fighting four times in 2011, but it seems he has changed his mind. In an interview with ESPN 1100 Radio, Dana White said Jones is cutting his vacation short to get back in the cage as soon as possible.
“[Jones] called about four days ago and said ‘okay let’s go, I’m done with vacation.’” UFC president Dana White said on “The MMA Insiders” on ESPN1100/98.9 FM in Las Vegas (12:37 mark). “He said he wanted to take all this time off and then they were calling me four days ago saying he wants to fight as soon as possible. He’s ready to go.”
In light of the news, it appears Rashad Evans is no longer a lock to get the first light heavyweight title shot in 2012 if he beats Phil Davis at UFC on FOX 2 later this month. It’s still a possibility, however Dana says Dan Henderson could snag the shot depending on how the timing works out.
“What could end up happening is Dan Henderson fights Jon Jones first, and then [Jones' subsequent fight] would be close to the time that Rashad fights. Or we see how things go with Rashad [versus Phil Davis] and Rashad fights him first,” said White.
I would think it would be difficult for the UFC to pass on Jones vs. Evans if Rashad comes out of the FOX victorious and healthy, but I don’t think anyone would be too surprised if it didn’t happen either considering how many times it’s fallen through before. It’ll happen eventually but the UFC should definitely strike while the iron’s hot if the stars actually align this time. If not, Jones vs. Hendo is a pretty darn good consolation fight.
Image via Esther Lin for MMA Fighting
Posted in: ufc, fight, time, jone, rashad
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones changes directions, wants to fight again ASAP
After racking up four wins in 2011, including three in title-fights against former champions, it looked like UFC light heavyweight king Jon Jones was in store for a nice, long vacation from the Octagon in 2012 while Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson sorted out the contendership picture. While the proposal may have initially sounded nice to “Bones”, now that he’s had a month off it appears the dynamic 24-year old is itching to get back in the cage again as soon as possible.
Jones’ interest in defending his belt before mid-year came to light courtesy of Dana White on ESPN Radio where the UFC President referred to a recent conversation he’d had with 15-1 fighter.
“He called about four days ago and said ‘Okay let’s go, I’m done with vacation.’ He said he wanted to take all this time off and then they were calling me four days ago saying he wants to fight as soon as possible. He’s ready to go.”
As far as how the company will handle his request, White explained Dan Henderson was a likely option with Evans being in line to face the winner assuming he gets by Phil Davis on FOX later this month. That means Jones-Henderson would need to take place in March to avoid creating too large a gap between title-defenses.
Currently UFC 145 is scheduled for March 24 in Montreal, traditionally a MMA-friendly city, and lacks a main event. All other PPVs/major shows prior to then have headliners in place.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, dan henderson, rashad evans, ufc president
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainBones jonesing to go
After terrifying us with the prospect of taking half a year off to relax, Jon Jones is doing a 180 and just told Dana White he's ready to fight:
"[Jones] called about four days ago and said 'okay let's go, I'm done with vacation.'" UFC president Dana White said on "The MMA Insiders" on ESPN1100/98.9 FM in Las Vegas (12:37 mark). "He said he wanted to take all this time off and then they were calling me four days ago saying he wants to fight as soon as possible. He's ready to go."..."What could end up happening is Dan Henderson fights Jon Jones first, and then [Jones' subsequent fight] would be close to the time that Rashad fights. Or we see how things go with Rashad [versus Phil Davis] and Rashad fights him first," said White.
With half the other UFC champions either injured or averaging 2 fights a year, it's nice to see we've got an workhorse we can rely on for consistent performances and asskickings through 2012. Unless something horrible happens in training. In which case we know the Lord has marked us with His curse and we should cease participating in our wicked sport, lest we displease Him more.
Posted in: fight, jone, rashad, phil davis, rashad fights
Read the full article at FightlinkerDana White: Jon Jones wants to fight as soon as possible, Dan Henderson is a possibility
"Jones called about four days ago and said 'okay let's go, I'm done with vacation. He said he wanted to take all this time off and then they were calling me four days ago saying he wants to fight as soon as possible. He's ready to go. What could end up happening is Dan Henderson fights Jon Jones first, and then [Jones' subsequent fight] would be close to the time that Rashad fights. Or we see how things go with Rashad [versus Phil Davis] and Rashad fights him first." - ESPN1100/98.9 FM via Yahoo!
Posted in: fight, jone, jon jones, rashad, rashad fights
Read the full article at Low KickDana White: Jon Jones Wants to Fight as Soon as Possible, May Fight Dan Henderson
Georges St. Pierre is out due to injury, Brock Lesnar has retired and even Anderson Silva is rehabbing a shoulder issue. With those big stars out of action, the UFC desperately needs some big fights and, according to Dana White on ESPN Radio in Vegas, Jon Jones is ready to step up and do his part.
Via Yahoo! Sports:
"[Jones] called about four days ago and said 'okay let's go, I'm done with vacation.'" UFC president Dana White said on "The MMA Insiders" on ESPN1100/98.9 FM in Las Vegas (12:37 mark). "He said he wanted to take all this time off and then they were calling me four days ago saying he wants to fight as soon as possible. He's ready to go."
...
"What could end up happening is Dan Henderson fights Jon Jones first, and then [Jones' subsequent fight] would be close to the time that Rashad fights. Or we see how things go with Rashad [versus Phil Davis] and Rashad fights him first," said White.
While I've been pushing for Jones vs. Evans to finally happen for some time, with the way the UFC needs big main events and the way Rashad is already booked for the UFC on Fox 2 card, Jones vs. Henderson is probably the right direction to go.
If Jones actually does fight four times in 2012 he'll have plenty of time to clear out the division and maybe focus in on a superfight against Anderson Silva or move to heavyweight.
Of course, by then we'll probably have a new list of challengers we want to see Jones against (King Mo, Gustaffson and others).
Posted in: fight, time, jone, rashad, rashad fights
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones Itching to Fight, So Dan Henderson May Be Next
Filed under: UFC, NewsDan Henderson may have leapfrogged Rashad Evans as the No. 1 contender in the UFC light heavyweight division.
With champion Jon Jones now saying that he wants to fight as soon as he can -- changing his mind after previously saying he needed some time off following a very busy 2011 -- it appears likely that Henderson will get the next crack at the champion, and Evans' quest for the belt will have to wait.
UFC President Dana White said on ESPN 1100 in Las Vegas that Jones had called him and said he's hoping to get back into the Octagon as soon as possible. Evans is already booked for a January 28 fight on Fox against Phil Davis, so Henderson may get the next title fight.
"He had said he wanted to take some time off (but) he called about four days ago and said, 'OK, let's go. ... Let's get back to work. I'm ready to get productive again,'" White said of Jones. "He wants to fight as soon as possible."
Based on the UFC's calendar, as soon as possible would likely be UFC 145, on March 24 in Montreal. That fight still needs a main event, and Jones vs. Henderson would be a big one.
"We've got to see how this thing plays out but what could end up happening is Dan Henderson fights Jon Jones first," White said.
But some would say it would be unfair to Evans: A former light heavyweight champion, Evans has been waiting for a title shot and wants to fight Jones, his former friend and teammate. The UFC has promoted Evans vs. Davis as the opportunity for Evans to earn his shot at Jones, but if the UFC wants to book Jones in the first quarter of 2012, then Evans is going to have to wait.
One way or another, White said, the light heavyweight division has plenty of challengers who can contend for Jones's belt. If Henderson gets the next shot, that just means the winner of the Evans vs. Davis fight would be first in line to face the winner of Jones vs. Henderson.
"I think we have a ton of guys," White said. "It's not like everything depends on one guy or two guys. The great thing about us is we've got 10 of 15 guys so it's never like we have to depend on one person." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, henderson, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseDana White: Jon Jones says he wants to fight ASAP, Dan Henderson and Rashad Evans possible opponents
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones said he wanted a vacation after his busy but highly successful 2011 fight campaign.
The young phenom fought four times in total last year, earning a crack at the 205-pound strap before winning it and then defending it twice against two former champions. In nearly every publication, he was awarded "Fighter of the Year" honors, including right here on MMAmania.com.
Following his impressive second round guillotine submission victory over Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Jones vowed to take some time off to allow his body to rest up. After all, the dude was in training camp almost all of last year.
Now, though, "Bones" has changed his tune. He's ready to get back in action and he's ready to do so ASAP.
That's what UFC President Dana White said, at least, in a recent interview (via Cagewriter):
"[Jones] called about four days ago and said 'okay let's go, I'm done with vacation.' He said he wanted to take all this time off and then they were calling me four days ago saying he wants to fight as soon as possible. He's ready to go. What could end up happening is Dan Henderson fights Jon Jones first, and then [Jones' subsequent fight] would be close to the time that Rashad fights. Or we see how things go with Rashad [versus Phil Davis] and Rashad fights him first."
A light heavyweight champion who wants to stay active -- as evidenced by his declaration that he's been thinking of competing four times in 2012 -- and two top challengers who both present interesting match-ups.
Sounds like a pretty good problem to have.
Essentially we could be looking at Jones vs. Henderson with Evans waiting in the wings or Jones vs. Evans with Henderson taking one more fight on the same card and earning the title shot with in a win in that fight.
Either scenario, I'm sure, is fine with you Maniacs, right?
Posted in: fight, time, jone, henderson, rashad fights
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Wants Four UFC Fights in 2012
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones hopes to fight four times in 2012 following a busy 2011 that also saw him fight four times, including winning the title on short-notice from Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and defending it over former champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida.
Jones had planned on taking up to five months off to start the year after submitting Machida at UFC 140 in December, but recently told ESPN that he now hopes to fight three or four times this year.
“My goal is to finish every fight in 2012. If I do that, a lot of other things will fall into place naturally. I want to finish every opponent,” Jones said “I’ve been thinking recently about trying to compete four times in the year again. I grew so much as a person that by doing that again in 2012 will just make me a better athlete.
“Originally I said I wanted to take off four or five months, but I may reconsider and come back sooner and have three or four fights this year.”
Jones’ next challenger will likely be decided when former champ Rashad Evans and undefeated prospect Phil Davis meet in the main event of UFC on Fox 2 on January 28.
For the latest UFC news stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Pictured: Jon Jones
Posted in: ufc, fight, time, jone, year
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyStrikeforce Video: ‘King Mo’ Lawal Analyzes Jon Jones, Lorenz Larkin
When observing a bout, "King Mo" Lawal analyzes the fighters to see where they're making mistakes and standing out. Jon Jones and Lorenz Larkin have been subject to Lawal's analysis of fighting.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, lorenz larkin, lawal, lawals analysis
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyPhil Davis: “I like to think that a win would put me in line for a title shot.”
Much has been made of Rashad Evans wrestling credentials and how he used them during his mixed martial arts career, but what some fail to realize is that his collegiate record is a mediocre 48-34 during his three years at Michigan State. Davis on the other hand has a superb record of 116-17. Will that translate for Davis when the two meet on January 28? “Mr. Wonderful” certainly thinks so.
“I don’t see how I wouldn’t have the advantage in wrestling,” a confident Davis stated in a conversation with Five Ounces of Pain. “When I say it like that it sounds cocky, but Rashad Evans’ wrestling record was barely over .500 while my record was well above that. Numbers can be misleading at times so I will give him the benefit of the doubt. I’m going to go ahead and say that I am probably the favorite as far as wrestling is concerned.”
The UFC has been trying to match Evans up with Jones for some time now and because of injuries to both men it just hasn’t come together. Dan Henderson recently staked his claim to the number one contender spot with a thrilling, Fight of the Year candidate with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 139. The assumption here is a win by Evans will finally see him face Jon Jones in a grudge match that could sell a million pay-per-views, but what happens if Davis walks away with his arm raised that night in light of Henderson’s recent success?
“I like to think that a win would put me in line for a title shot,” said a confident Davis. “At the end of the day let’s just see what a win over Rashad Evans in impressive fashion will mean for me. It kind of goes like this, if I beat him let’s find out what will happen, but if I don’t beat him I don’t really care either way. I’ve heard that I may or may not get a title shot if I win, but it doesn’t bother me. Winning will only point you in one direction and that’s up.”
Speaking of Jones, no one has yet to come close to figuring him out, yet Davis has seen a few things thus far he’s taken away and could utilize in the event that the two meet inside the Octagon in the near futur.
“Anyone who is going to beat Jones is going to need a first round that Machida had,” Davis explained. “He’s going to need a lot of things to go his way, but since no one has really done it it’s tough to say what is necessary to beat him. When someone defeats him then I can tell you what is needed to win. He has done very well for himself and will continue to do so.”
The UFC’s light heavyweight division has always been considered one of its deepest and until Jones defeated Machida at UFC 140 no one man had been able to defend the title more than once. In fact, before Jones three of the last four champions (Forrest Griffin, Evans, and Rua) were all unsuccessful in defending the title even a single time. So with the top five fighters at 205 constantly changing, who does Davis have on his personal list?
“To be 100% honest that’s a question that is tough for me to answer,” said a puzzled Davis. “Sometimes I catch myself following the sport, but not enough to know who’s in the top five. I would say Evans, Rampage, and Machida who are all former champions. Dan Henderson is up there, but after that I start drawing a blank.”
Many fighters are very confident and have no problem offering a prediction while other fighters have enough confidence in themselves without having to brag to anyone who will listen. Davis has been competing long enough to know that anything can happen, but he is the one who controls his own destiny.
“I do have a prediction, however I am not very descriptive,” offered Davis. “I’ve never been a very descriptive person ever since I was in school and had to write book reports. If I had to point out one of my faults it’s I lack detail. I definitely see this fight ending in a victory for me.
“I don’t really know how it will end and I’d rather not say,” Davis continued. “I don’t want to script an ending and say I am going to knock him out. That paints me into a corner. I am going to take what’s there, if a knockout is there I’ll take it, if a submission is available I’ll grab it. More than likely I’m going to take a win anyway that I can get it.”
Fans can catch Evans-Davis mix it up on January 28 in headlining action at UFC on FOX 2. Other bouts on the card include Michael Bisping-Demian Maia and Chael Sonnen-Mark Munoz.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, ’t, evan, davi
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones Plans To Fight 4 Times In 2012
Following his successful title defense at UFC 140 against Lyoto Machida, Jon Jones stated he wanted to take five months off. Dana White echoed this in post-fight interviews adding that the champ deserved the time off after his epic 2011. Well it appears that Jones has changed his mind regarding his plans for 2012. Jones recently appeared on Josh Gross' podcast for ESPN.com to discuss what has been described as 'the single most impressive year in MMA history' and what he hopes to accomplish in 2012. From the discussion with Josh Gross:
Yeah, you know my goal is to finish every fight in 2012. It's a goal of mine. I may do that and then things just naturally fall in line. Just to finish every opponent. Fight to finish the fight. And been thinking recently to try and compete four times again in 2012. I grew so much as a person doing that and trying to do that again will make me an even better athlete and put me in a pretty awesome spot in the sport. I was saying recently that I was going to take off four to five months but I'm starting to reconsider and come back sooner. Try and get three to four fights in this year.
This is great news for the UFC. After Jon's breakout year and the retirement of Brock Lesnar, they are desperate for a champion to carry the promotion. With hugely marketable fights awaiting with both Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson, Jones has the opportunity to cement himself as the PPV draw for the UFC, especially with Georges St. Pierre reportedly out for the majority of the year.
In 2011 he defeated the likes of Ryan Bader, Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson, and Lyoto Machida, a literal whose who of the division. Should Jones continue his run through the light heavyweight division, it will be very difficult for his detractors to not acknowledge that he's the best fighter of all time. The only question is can the rest of the division keep up or will they be left in the proverbial dust.
Posted in: fight, time, jone, year, lyoto machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones may compete four times in 2012
Which means there could be up to four light heavyweights who are about to have a very bad year.
UFC 205-pound champion Jon Jones, who is fresh off another dominant win inside the Octagon, this time over former division kingpin Lyoto Machida back at UFC 140 on Dec. 10 in Toronto, capped off what could be one of the most dominant years in the promotion's history with four straight wins (and four straight finishes).
That was 2011.
In 2012, he hopes to do it all over again, despite his initial plans to take some time off, because the busy schedule can help him become a "better athlete," if that's even possible.
"Bones" breaks it all down for ESPN:
"My goal is to finish every fight in 2012. If I do that, a lot of other things will fall into place naturally. I want to finish every opponent. I've been thinking recently about trying to compete four times in the year again. I grew so much as a person that by doing that again in 2012 will just make me a better athlete. Originally I said I wanted to take off four or five months, but I may reconsider and come back sooner and have three or four fights this year."
Jones kicked off his 2011 fight campaign by defeating Ryan Bader to earn a 205-pound title shot against Mauricio Rua. Just six weeks later, he made the most of his opportunity by dominating "Shogun" at UFC 128 in a way not seen before.
His first title defense came against Quinton Jackson and Jones once again dominated, becoming just the second man in the history of MMA to submit "Rampage." Less than three months later, the Greg Jackson-trained phenom became the first man to submit Machida, putting him out cold with a standing guillotine choke.
That's 4-0, two title defenses, all finishes, against the best competition available, namely three of the four opponents being former champions. All in one year, folks.
Is this going to be a championship run not seen since the likes of Anderson Silva? Or will "Suga" Rashad Evans have something to say about his success in 2012?
Thoughts?
Posted in: ufc, time, title, jone, year
Read the full article at MMA ManiaDoes UFC Need to Pad Records to Build New Stars?
Brock Lesnar retiring -- along with Georges St. Pierre likely being out of action for the entirety of 2012 -- has left the UFC in a dilemma. Not only were they the biggest draws for the company, but they were the most significant draws for a company that has yet to find a close runner up in audience attraction.
Anderson Silva has to be considered in the twilight of his career on age alone, and his drawing power is only just now being fully realised after years spent dominating his division. Had Silva not fumbled with a trio of bizarre, frustrating performances against title challengers he should have otherwise blown away, he'd arguably be the headline act UFC could most depend on without Lesnar or GSP.
Silva's ability to draw though is now dependent on a viable contender people believe has a shot at beating him, which partly explains why his fight with Vitor Belfort did a lot better on Pay Per View than his fight with Yushin Okami, and why a rematch with Chael Sonnen is perhaps the most anticipated fight in 2012.
This year it's expected Jon Jones will be looked on to carry the UFC as its most dominant champion, but fans and critics alike are already wondering who could possibly present a competitive challenge for him, and that this might pose a problem in Jones' ability to become a big attraction at the gate and on PPV.
Herein lies the issue. UFC fans have been conditioned into believing the best should always fight the best, and that there are no easy fights in the UFC because it's something that Dana White -- as the UFC's main spokesman and figurehead -- likes to to use to trumpet the UFC's promotional model over that of Boxing's. But if the fans perceive what they're given as anything less, there's usually outcry (for example - most European cards).
To their credit the UFC has managed to bring certain fighters along slowly in order to develop them, whether it be current and former champions in Junior dos Santos, Cain Velasquez or Jon Jones, but also with some prospects such as Alexander Gustafsson.
Bringing prospects along slowly, or even building their champions without appearing to feed them nothing but cans is going to be a difficult balance to strike. Casual fans and even some hardcores usually revel in one sided destructions, and generally speaking the more dominant and consistent a fighter is, the easier it is to build a following and fanbase. The problem is having mismatches that would likely result in quick finishes as PPV headliners.
Watching a fighter get squashed by an obviously superior opponent is ideal for free Television though, and the increased number of shows UFC plans to put on thanks to its new partnership with Fox is an ideal opportunity to puff up fighters the UFC has long term plans for.
For the UFC to build a fighter like a Mike Tyson or like a Roy Jones Jr, the raw talent MMA's equivalents have is out of their hands. But, like Tyson and RJJ, the UFC can protect certain fighters to a degree so they can develop but also so they can showcase their abilities against outmatched opponents and wow audiences.
Using the Fox/FX shows to build number one contenders and present occasional title fights will work best with the right opponents used to elevate them and we're less likely to see the pass-the-parcel of title contenders (or even title holders) that have become somewhat common in the UFC. Lightweight champion Frankie Edgar should be put on free TV to squash an opponent and build his base, but instead risks being ignored on an international show which will feature less press coverage as a result, against an opponent who could quite possibly beat him. Similarly, Fox opting out of showing Ben Henderson vs Clay Guida was a missed opportunity to build either as a title contender and sell some PPV's.
Phil Davis vs Rashad Evans headlining UFC on FOX 2 sounds like a fantastic match to give to fans, but you wonder if it would have made more sense to build both guys and line them up sequentially as the next to face Jones rather than set one of them back. Keeping Davis' undefeated record intact or almost guaranteeing Evans a chance to destroy a lesser fighter in a similar fashion to his fight with Tito Ortiz would have kept both in better standing going into a championship bout with Jones and may have generated a bigger buzz about their chances. As it stands, either Evans' grudge match with Jones is derailed, or Davis' streak ends and fickle fans write him off as a potential challenge. Neither scenario is particularly good for business.
The ability of the UFC to build new stars to fill the void left by Lesnar and GSP in 2012 is going to be a point of debate perhaps for the rest of this year, and it's safe to say the UFC would like to do better on PPV than it did in 2011. Building these stars starts with the matchmaking, and maybe a little padding of records on free TV needs to be part of the process.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, fighter, fan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones: I want to fight four times in 2012 and finish every opponent
During 2011 Jon Jones had one of the best years in MMA history, putting together a record of 4-0 and defeating some of the top names in the UFC’s Light Heavyweight division.
Jones started his 2011 run by defeating Ryan Bader via guillotine choke on February 5. That victory earned him a shot to replace an injured Rashad Evans in a bout against then UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio Rua. Jones dominated Rua, earning the third round TKO victory at UFC 128, which took place on
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, mma history, ryan bader
Read the full article at Low KickBest of MMA 2011: Jon Jones is Fighter of the Year
Jon Jones went an amazing 4-0 in 2011 – including three wins in light heavyweight title fights. The youngest-ever champ in the UFC had arguably the most impressive single year in MMA history and is...
Posted in: mma, jone, year, mma history, youngestever champ
Read the full article at Heavy MMAChael Sonnen: “If I was GSP or Jon Jones, I’d be swallowing real deep right now.”
Chael Sonnen seems to have had enough of Anderson Silva and the UFC middleweight title.
Sonnen, who will battle Mark Munoz to become the #1 contender to Silva on January 28 at UFC on FOX 2, has his sights set on facing off with another champion, or so he says during the first installment of Chael’s Corner for UFC Tonight on FUEL TV.
Sonnen is part of the weekly MMA show that will help highlight the UFC, including news, results and fight information courtesy of hosts Todd Harris and Kenny Florian. During his segment, Sonnen called out injured UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones, saying, “If I was GSP or Jones, I’d be swallowing real deep right now.”
UFC on FOX 2 takes place from Chicago, Illinois. Sonnen-Munoz will be the co-main event, while Rashad Evans and Phil Davis occupy the main event slot for the night.
Check out the video below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, sonnen, mark munoz, night check
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainHKL's 2011 MMA Awards: The Leonard Garcia Memorial Award (Robbery Of The Year)
It is time for us here at HKL to pass out the awards for the best and worst of 2011.
First up on the list of awards is the 2011 Leonard Garcia Memorial Award for Robbery Of The Year. Strangely enough, the man who's name appears on this award has not been chosen. He did, however take a stab at the crown with his absurd split decision victory over Nam Phan. Sadly for Leonard, it was not to be for him.
Let's go to the results to see who got the nod from the HKL staff:
MDH - Diego Sanchez’s "victory" over Martin Kampmann, hands down. How does a man win a fight in which he is successful on 1 of 15 takedown attempts, gets outstruck clearly in the first two rounds and has the appearance of someone who’s face got assaulted by a wolverine? We would have to ask Chris Lee, Sal D’Amato and Mattingly William who scored this fight 29-28 Sanchez across the cards. Perhaps it was his Leonard Garcia-esque style of ambling forward, windmilling haymakers ala Lisa Simpson all while getting absolutely busted apart by crisp counters. Perhaps they though it was all blood transfer from Kampmann that occurred while Martin was shaking off 93% of Diego’s takedowns. Who knows. Hopefully the massive $160,000 FOTN bonus Dana handed out to each fighter took away some of the pain for Martin. Surely rolling around in a huge pile of money helped heal Kampmann’s non-existent wounds.
Rainer - Fighter injuries vs. Fans. This year has played host to what feels like an unprecedented number of high-profile fighter injuries and illnesses, resulting in the cancellation of some potentially tremendous fights and leaving some of the sport’s biggest stars sidelined. Brock Lesnar’s career was put on hold for the year until he returned seemingly diminished and ready for retirement. Georges St. Pierre pulled out of his fight with Nick Diaz and won’t be back until late this year, at best. Jones vs. Evans has been set and then cancelled more times than I care to remember. Up and down the cards, UFC matchmakers and hopeful fans have been confounded. Plus, I hurt my knee, leaving the world of Brazilian jiu-jitsu bereft of a brilliant rising star. Chris - Gotta be Rashad Evans’s title shot. It’s been well over a year and a half since Rashad Evans earned his title shot in a victorious decision over Rampage Jackson. In March 2011, Jon Jones got that shot after Rashad suffered a knee injury in training. Then Jones pulled the ole’ bait and switch, after being set to face Evans this past summer. Again Evans was promised a shot after a destruction of Tito Ortiz and Jones first defense against Rampage Jackson. Once again, Rashad’s title aspirations were foiled when Jones was set to match Lyoto Machida instead. Who knows, maybe 2012 will finally be the year Evans finally gets another chance at the title or maybe not.
Poll
Who Gets Your Vote?
Sanchez v. Kampmann
Injured Fighters v. The Fans
Rashad Evans' Title Shot
These are all terrible! I'll tell you who should have won in the comments!
0 votes | Results
Posted in: jone, year, shot, evan, award
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendMMAWeekly.com Fighter of the Year: Jon Jones
If there was ever a definition of greatness in MMA, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon 'Bones' Jones may have surpassed that in 2011.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, mmaweeklycom, mmaweeklycom fighter
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyBest fighter of 2011: UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones
Earlier this month, we here at MMAmania.com embarked on a quest to determine the best of the best in the year 2011. Naturally, that means we had to find the man (or woman) who rose above the rest to earn the distinction of "Fighter of the Year."
And that honor belongs to UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones. Because who else?
Really, there was no other viable option and the voting reflected as much. "Bones" kicked the year off by defeating Ryan Bader to earn a 205-pound title shot against Mauricio Rua. Just six weeks later, he made the most of his opportunity by dominating "Shogun" in a way not seen before.
That right there warrants consideration. What he did next was downright astonishing.
His first title defense came against Quinton Jackson and Jones once again dominated, becoming just the second man in the history of MMA to submit "Rampage." Less than three months later, the Greg Jackson trained phenom became the first man to submit Lyoto Machida, putting him out cold with a standing guillotine choke.
That's 4-0, two title defenses, all finishes, against the best competition available, namely three of the four opponents being former champions. All in one year, folks. Get some.
It wasn't even close but there others who received votes. Check out the full results of our poll for the best fighter of 2011 after the jump.
Poll results:
Jon Jones -- 772 votes
Dan Henderson -- 150 votes
Junior dos Santos -- 115 votes
Nick Diaz -- 97 votes
Donald Cerrone -- 67 votes
Other -- 26 votes
Remember to check out winners in other categories including "Fight of the Year," "Knockout of the Year" and "Submission of the Year" by clicking here, here and here.
Posted in: jone, champion, vote, year, man
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 141 Video: Is Alexander Gustafsson the Next Jon Jones?
After Alexander Gustafsson's destruction of Vladimir Matyushenko at UFC 141, the young Swede is drawing comparisons to UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, alexander gustafsson, vladimir matyushenko
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyFive Ounces 2011 Year-End Awards: Oops, Oohs, and Arghs
The final week of 2011 has arrived, and though the year may not have delivered on the public’s long-standing dream of flying cars and laser-blasters it was certainly a period filled with memorable months from a Mixed Martial Arts viewpoint. We witnessed champions fall in dramatic fashion, prospects rise from the ranks to become divisional kings, and numerous fighters emerge victorious by the skin of their teeth. We saw shocking signings and ridiculous releases; countless classics and numerous nod-offers; moves in the ring unlike any other before and some hopefully never seen again.
With the close of the year, Five Ounces of Pain is bringing you our annual awards as we wind things down and get ready for the adventures 2012 will undoubtedly bring. Over the next few days we will announce our winners in somewhat unique categories with a final batch of standard distinctions handed out on Saturday, December 31.
As always, 5 Oz. invites our readers to offer their own opinions in the “Comments” section on who should have taken home the hardware (or in this case digital love). We would not be here without you, and rest assured the Staff not only appreciates your contributions from a “page view” standpoint, but genuinely enjoys reading our community’s take on topics. Have an incredibly fun, albeit safe, NYE weekend!
– Sometimes These Things Happen in MMA –
Quick Finishes: Sometimes you build up something so much and then it only lasts a minute or two, leaving everyone disappointed. If you don’t believe me, ask any virgin the night after prom. The “fight of decade” between Chris Leben-Wanderlei Silva lasted 27 seconds. The “biggest fight of all-time” between Cain Velasquez-Junior dos Santos> lasted 64 seconds. Even heavily hyped fights like the one between Chan Sung Jung vs. Mark Hominick only lasted seven seconds. You can hype fights as much as you want, but there are only two people that have control over the outcome and, unlike most sports where you play for a certain amount of time or to a certain score, that outcome can come in the blink of an eye. Quick knockouts are exciting although when you’re expecting a 15 or 25 minute war between two of the best fighters in the world, quick knockouts can leave you limper than the guy who doesn’t get his hand raised at the end of the fight.
– Beatdown of the Year –
Jon Jones vs. Mauricio Rua: Minutes after Jon Jones was done choking out then undefeated Ryan Bader, UFC commentator Joe Rogan had a surprise in store for the talented prodigy. In a cruel twist of fate, Jones’ then-training partner, Rashad Evans, pulled out of his scheduled title fight with champion “Shogun” Rua, and the UFC wanted Jones to step up on five weeks’ notice. Naturally, Jones wasn’t about to pass up on the opportunity, but many questioned whether it was too much too soon for “Bones.”
The answer was beyond anybody’s expectations, as Jones put an absolute beating on the much more experienced – and accomplished – “Shogun.” For three rounds, Jones battered Rua with knees, kicks, elbows, and some absolutely vicious ground-and-pound to the head and body.
What makes this beatdown stand out from any other one sided fight this year is the fact that not only did it take place in a UFC title fight, but it featured two world class mixed martial artists who looked evenly matched on paper. And yet, one was turned into an absolute practice dummy. More impressive is the fact that despite Rua being blessed with an otherworldly chin and inhuman toughness, he was destroyed into pieces by the freight train that is Jon Jones, who is quickly becoming violence personified.
– Trash-Talk Gone Wrong –
Quinton Jackson vs. Jon Jones: From the moment “Rampage” received his official shot at Jones’ title the colorful competitor started talking smack, referring to Jones as a “kid” who earned his title by beating a “rusty as hell” Rua. He amped things up throughout the build, accusing Jones of implanting a spy in his camp along with the standard tough-guy trash-talk insinuating he was going to break “Bones” in the cage. In the end Jones not only picked Jackson apart throughout their fight but became the first person to submit him in a decade.
Also, an honorable mention goes to Evans for attempting to insult upcoming opponent Phil Davis by referring to the systematic sexual abuse of children at Penn State.
Posted in: fight, title, jone, jon jones, rua
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones' Trainer Likes Champ's Chances Against Henderson, Davis and Evans
Mike Winkeljohn, trainer of Jon Jones, was recently on Sherdog Radio where he talked about Jones' chances of success against any of his major challengers. Winkeljohn thinks that Jones is simply too good to be beaten by Dan Henderson, Phil Davis or Rashad Evans.
Mike's take on the Henderson fight:
"They all present different challenges," Winkeljohn told the Sherdog Radio Network's "Savage Dog Show." "I'm not sure which one's the biggest. Dan's big right hand is always a big challenge. [He's] somebody that could be able to close that gap and find a hole and try to get to Jon's chin. That's probably the dilemma with him, but he's small. I don't think he can outwrestle Jon. I think Jon beats him everywhere. I don't think he can hit [Jones] with that right hand."
In addition to thinking that Hendo wouldn't be able to hit Jones or outwrestle him, he also thinks that Davis doesn't have the striking and that Evans would get picked apart at long range.
It's hard for me to disagree with any of those opinions at this point. Evans has the speed to get inside but Jones is simply too good in the clinch. Henderson is too slow to reliably get in with heavy shots, although he has far more determination and always seems to find ways to get the right hand in on his opponents even if they know it is coming. And Davis hasn't shown the level of effective wrestling of Jones in MMA and is not even on the same planet in terms of striking.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited to see all three men get their chance.
Posted in: jon, jone, henderson, evan, right hand
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowFebruary 2011 MMA Recap: The Rise Of Jon Jones, Fedor Gets Crushed, Michael Bisping's Spitgate
The MMA year that was 2011 will be remembered for a lot of big news events, great fights, a little controversy and always plenty to talk about. This continues our series looking back month-by-month at what happened, who did what and what was to come.
February 2011: Contenders & Champions
Going into his UFC 126 title defense against Vitor Belfort, Anderson Silva had his boss worried about whether it would be a "staring competition" or a great fight. Dana White's concerns were mitigated as Silva knocked out Belfort with a highlight reel front kick in the first round, taught to him by Steven Seagal. (Seriously.)
It would be one of two Silva title defenses in 2011, but following this win, it was expected that he would next face Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre in a superfight. We're still waiting on that one.
On this same event, Jon Jones began his march to an amazing 2011 with a dominant victory over Ryan Bader, handing the prospect his first career defeat. Following the fight, Jones was asked the question that would flare a rivalry as he was offered a shot at Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio Rua because of an injury to Rashad Evans. Jones accepted in the cage, the buzz was heavy and the fight was on.
Interestingly enough, Evans said he would move up in weight if Jones won as he didn't want to fight his friend. What a difference a few months makes. Lost amidst this whole deal: Quinton Jackson turned down a shot at Rua.****
Much of Fedor Emelianenko's shine was dimmed with his 2010 defeat to Fabricio Werdum. The remaining glitter was dulled at the hands of Antonio Silva who crushed the Russian in a second round TKO win in the Strikeforce Grand Prix opening round. That set off a barrage of 'Should he retire?' and 'What's his legacy?' pieces on BE with Fedor's face giving its opinion. A ton of people watched the event, which resulted in the next set of fights getting postponed to capitalize on the positive press. Uh huh.
****
The UFC's return to Australia yielded two newsworthy stories but for vastly different reasons. In a battle of top welterweight contenders, B.J. Penn and Jon Fitch went to an unsatisfactory draw that drew the ire of plenty. Fitch returned to the seemingly eternal role of "not the No. 1 contender" while people wanted to know where Penn was at this stage of his career, including Penn himself.
In the co-main event, Michael Bisping went into his bout with Jorge Rivera as the favorite but that didn't stop Rivera from picking at Bisping with some pre-fight videos. Bisping didn't take kindly to them and this fight played out in a fashion befitting the ill will with Bisping throwing an illegal knee and spitting at Rivera's corner post-fight in a bizarre victory. Bisping hate came quickly but some said he didn't deserve it. Regardless, Bisping became a major talking point in the business, even with a win over a middle of the road contender.
Other Stuff That Happened
Gilbert Melendez signed a new deal with Strikeforce. Can he call takebacks?....Fedor questioned Alistair Overeem's physical growth...Strikeforce reportedly banked $30 million for their fiscal year....the drunk driver that killed Tapout co-founder Charles "Mask" Lewis was sentenced to nine years in prison...Luke Thomas ventured off to SB Nation's new MMA page, while we launched Bloody Elbow Radio.
Storm clouds gathered on the horizon for Thiago Silva...Jose Aldo got his first UFC fight booked...Frankie Edgar followed St. Pierre's lead in dropping manager Shari Spencer...UFC 129 went on sale, breaking one record and then another one...we're still waiting for TUF Philippines.
For the full archive of the MMA month that was February 2011, click here.
Past Monthly Reviews
January 2011
Posted in: fight, mma, jone, event, bisping
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowWinkeljohn Analyzes Jones Versus Hendo, Evans
For his next title defense, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones could face the winner of the Jan. 28 matchup between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis. He could also face Dan Henderson, who’s coming off a win in November over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
Posted in: jone, dan henderson, rashad evans, phil davis, hendo evans
Read the full article at Sherdog2011 The Year in MMA: The Rise of Jon Jones
How will we remember 2011 in Mixed Martial Arts history? So much happened in our sport this year, from huge business moves to epic fights to legends falling. Here, we'll attempt to recap some of the biggest stories of the year and figure out just how to define MMA in 2011.
If 2011 was marked by the fall of the old guard, it was also marked by the rise of the new guard - or at least, the singular face of that new guard in MMA. The man who embodies the idea of pushing the sport forward - of setting a new standard for what can be achieved in the confines of an MMA contest. Can there be any doubt who this is?
Jon Jones is the best fighter of 2011 - that much is obvious and shouldn't even be up for debate. The question some have asked is: Is Jon Jones's 2011 the best single year for any MMA fighter in history? I'd have to say it is.
Jones started the year as an exciting prospect who many fans had high hopes for in the future. He ended the year as the UFC Light Heavyweight champion, with two successful title defenses and, in just one year, now finds himself only two fights away from cleaning out the upper most ranks of the UFC's most notoriously stacked and competitive division. Along the way, he dominated elite names in ways we had never seen them beaten before - Lyoto Machida choked into unconsciousness by a nasty guillotine variation, Rampage Jackson made to look like an amateur on the feet, Mauricio Rua unable to mount any offense. Jones faced some of the very best the division had to offer, and he crushed them all.
As good as this year was for the young champion, we still end the year with questions about him. How will he deal with the heavy hands of Dan Henderson? Will he finally meet Rashad Evans and add the former teammate to his list of victims? Why was Lyoto able to find success against him? And the big question - just how dominant will this kid be?
That's what is so exciting about Jon Jones in 2011. It's not just what he has accomplished, but the sense of what he still can accomplish. He's extremely young, both in age and in his career, and shows improvements every fight. Today, he is the best 205 pounder in the world, the best 205 pounder since Chuck Liddell, and already in talks as one of the top 2 pound for pound fighters in the world. Just how high can he go?
Jon Jones today reminds me a lot of his sort-of teammate Georges St. Pierre a few years ago. Young, destructive, and the kind of fighter that looked ready to elevate the sport to new levels. St. Pierre's career took an interesting path where a shocking loss led to increasingly cautious and fan-displeasing performances, while at the same time becoming one of the sport's biggest stars and most dominant champions. GSP has indeed helped bring the sport to new levels of popularity, but he is no longer pushing the envelope of what is possible inside the cage. Is this the fate that awaits Jones? Will he meet his own Matt Serra? And if he does, how will he respond? What does the future hold for this young phenom?
I don't have those answers - no one does. But I can't wait to find out in 2012.
Check back all week for more of 2011 in MMA History.
Posted in: mma, jone, jon jones, sport, year
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones Receives No AP Athlete of the Year Votes - Snub or Not?
Despite having what many (including myself) feel is, without a doubt, the greatest year in the history of mixed martial arts, Jon Jones did not receive a single vote in the AP vote for Athlete of the Year. To Mike Chiapetta of MMA Fighting, this was proof that it is the mainstream that needs to catch up to MMA, not vice versa.
From the article:
I'm not arguing that Jones should have won the award. The winner, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, had an amazing calendar year. He won the Super Bowl, led his team to a 19-game win streak and has them in position to possibly repeat. Runner-up Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers won both the American League Most Valuable Player and Cy Young awards, the first pitcher to do that in 27 years. Third-place went to tennis star Novak Djokovic, who won 10 tournaments -- including three majors -- and finished the year with an exceptional 70-6 record.
...
Jones, MMA Fighting's Fighter of the Year, had arguably the best calendar year in MMA history, winning four matches overall, defeating three former UFC champions and becoming the youngest title holder in UFC history. He wasn't exactly invisible doing it, either. He was a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and on the day of his title win, helped thwart a robbery, an act that resulted in major national attention.
If a boxer like Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather put together a year like that, you better believe that they would have earned votes.
But because Jones fights in a cage instead of a ring, his accomplishments go unappreciated and unrecognized. It's not like this was a small sample size; 212 alleged experts in sports cast ballots for the award.
The problem with saying this is an example of a larger ignorance of MMA is that to vote for Jones meant that the voters would have had to have not voted for who they truly felt was deserving of the award. Yes, maybe some (most) of the voters are ignorant of MMA, but would more information have caused them to vote for Jones over Rogers? Is a courtesy vote really that important?
And I'd also like to address the idea that a boxer would receive consideration. In 2008, Manny Pacquiao defeated Juan Manuel Marquez in a title bout at 130 pounds in a battle between two of the top three pound for pound fighters in the sport. Manny then went up to 135 and beat one of the top two lightweights in the world in David Diaz to capture a title, then went all the way up to 147 and decimated Oscar De La Hoya in a huge fight. He also received zero AP Athlete of the Year votes.
Manny would get some votes in 2010, a year where he beat a very overmatched, no-name Joshua Clottey and a badly tainted Antonio Margarito. A much less impressive year than 2008.
The difference between 2008 and 2010? Manny was mainstream.
It's a mainstream sports award. Yes, someone cast a vote for surfer Kelly Slater and another for indy car racer Dario Franchitti, but those are guys with years and years of dominance in their sport. Those are also votes likely by someone with a specific agenda (especially the Slater vote). There was simply no bigger mainstream sports star more deserving of the title than Aaron Rogers (or maybe Justin Verlander) so it seems like the voting did the job it is actually supposed to do.
Again, I just can't find a reason to truly care that no one cast a vote for Jones. Maybe with a few more years of dominance and additional mainstream attention from the Fox deal, we'll see Jones get some votes. But one big year in a fringe combat sport (boxing or MMA) isn't enough to get the votes right now.
Posted in: mma, jone, sport, vote, year
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowAP Athlete of Year Voting Snub Shows How Far Mainstream -- Not MMA -- Has to Go
Filed under: UFC, Sports Business and MediaEarlier this week, The Associated Press, which provides sports news to millions of readers around the world, named its male and female athletes of the year for 2011. Not a single mixed martial artist was named on a single ballot. It's not as if non-traditional, non-stick & ball sports were not represented. Among those who received votes were sprinter Usain Bolt, surfer Kelly Slater and marathon swimmer Diana Nyad.
But not a single voter thought to write Jon Jones' name on his ballot.
Given the consistent dismissal of MMA by the mainstream news establishment, this oversight is hardly a surprise. In the past, we've always shaped such snubs as part of a larger argument about how far MMA has to go. But not this one. Mainstream sports, this time, it's on you.
I'm not arguing that Jones should have won the award. The winner, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, had an amazing calendar year. He won the Super Bowl, led his team to a 19-game win streak and has them in position to possibly repeat. Runner-up Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers won both the American League Most Valuable Player and Cy Young awards, the first pitcher to do that in 27 years. Third-place went to tennis star Novak Djokovic, who won 10 tournaments -- including three majors -- and finished the year with an exceptional 70-6 record.
Those three are all deserving of the consideration they received, but it's a sign of the blissful ignorance of the AP voters that Jones wasn't considered alongside of other vote-getters like Derek Jeter, Robert Griffin III and Dario Franchitti.
Jones, MMA Fighting's Fighter of the Year, had arguably the best calendar year in MMA history, winning four matches overall, defeating three former UFC champions and becoming the youngest title holder in UFC history. He wasn't exactly invisible doing it, either. He was a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and on the day of his title win, helped thwart a robbery, an act that resulted in major national attention.
If a boxer like Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather put together a year like that, you better believe that they would have earned votes.
But because Jones fights in a cage instead of a ring, his accomplishments go unappreciated and unrecognized. It's not like this was a small sample size; 212 alleged experts in sports cast ballots for the award.
Some might suggest that awards like this don't matter. After all, in the big picture, it's the opinions of a few. But they are also the same people who help shape the national conversation of sports. As local newspapers continue their slow death spirals, the AP is called upon to provide more and more of the coverage that was once done in-house. That means a homogenized voice spreading a message that is not always indicative of the true, wider picture.
It's the same voice that shut MMA out of the newspapers for far too long. But at least on that front, there is progress. In 2011, AP consistently began to provide papers with UFC event results. It might not be enough, but it's a start.
Judging from their awards balloting, they still have a long way to go. MMA always blames itself for its shortcomings, and points out all the instances in which we're snubbed by the mainstream. It's proof, we say, that there is still much to do in order to truly break through. That's partly true, but we must also hold the sports experts to a higher standard. In any part of life, there's only so long you can disregard something popular before you can be accused of ignorance, and we've long passed that stage. At some point, it's up to the mainstream media to meet us halfway. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: mma, jone, sport, year, award
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseWanderlei Silva: 'Shogun' can defeat Jon Jones, has no beef with Vitor Belfort
With 47 fights to his credit, Wanderlei Silva is one of the most respected and accomplished mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters still in the game today.
After running roughshod in PRIDE, "The Axe Murderer made his way back stateside to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC); however, the success he found in PRIDE did not follow. Although he's just 3-4 inside the Octagon, Silva truly got a new lease on his storied career at UFC 139 when he defeated Cung Le on Nov. 19, 2011, with his vintage Muay Thai skills that, during his prime, instilled fear unto the opponents that stepped into the ring with him.
The win was enough for the UFC to award Silva a "Fight of the Night" bonus and also a coaching slot opposite Vitor Belfort in the first ever international edition of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Brazil .
Hoping to avenge his loss to "The Phenom", which went down 13 years ago at UFC Brazil, Wanderlei says that despite his past beef with Belfort, all is good between the two Brazilian brawlers.
In an interview with Sherdog.com, Silva touches on his past war of words with Vitor and who he feels can beat UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Check it out:
When asked if there is still tension between him and Vitor Belfort:
"No, times are different. I met him and apologized. Once in Las Vegas, I was disrespectful. I went back to old times and talked some nonsense. Then I apologized and admitted I had done wrong. You have to be man enough to take responsibility. It's alright now, and we'll solve it the way we have to: by trading punches. I have the best job in the world. I can go in there, settle my differences the best way possible and still make some money."
Silva, who took "Shogun" under his wing during their early days of dominance during their time in "The Land of the Rising Sun," says that if completely healthy, Rua is the man to defeat UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones:
"Shogun is the most talented guy I've ever seen. I was watching video of the Pride Shogun and saw a strong Shogun. Under these conditions, he can defeat Jones. He's the guy to beat the champion, but he has to be 100 percent."
With at least six months until his next fight, Silva will have plenty of time to rest his body, which has taken extensive damage throughout his 14 year career. In the meantime, Silva will put his best coaching hat on as he hopes to prevail as the first ever winning coach of TUF Brazil.
What do you say, Maniacs? Do you share the same sentiment that "Shogun" is the man to cool down the scorching hot career of Jon Jones, even though "Bones" already dismantled him? Or is he being a little biased due to his close relationship with his former Chute Boxe training partner?
And what are the chances he comes away from both his coaching stint and bout with Belfort victorious?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: ufc, jone, silva, shogun, vitor belfort
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones moves to No. 2 in latest Yahoo! Sports pound-for-pound poll
Following his UFC 140 victory over Lyoto Machida, UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones has supplanted Georges St-Pierre for the No. 2 spot in Yahoo! Sports' pound-for-pound MMA rankings.
Middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva retains the top spot.
However, Jones earned one first-place vote, which means Silva is no longer the consensus No. 1.
Posted in: jone, sport, silva, georges stpierre, firstplace vote
Read the full article at MMA JunkieRankings: Jones' stunning rise in 2011 (Yahoo! Sports)
Jon Jones went from unranked in 2010 to No. 2 a year later with an undefeated year that puts him in line as heir apparent to Anderson Silva.
Posted in: jone, silva, year, ranking, rankings jones
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsCoach: Jon Jones will soon have a jab comparable to Muhammad Ali
Slow it down there, Winky, those are some mighty big shoes to fill.
Striking coach Mike Winkeljohn has high praise for UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who is fresh off another dominant win inside the Octagon, this time over former division kingpin Lyoto Machida back at UFC 140 on Dec. 10 in Toronto.
The win for "Bones," the fourth of his 2011 fight campaign, further evolved the young champion's striking game, which may soon "be at the highest K-1 kickboxing level" with a jab that "will be comparable to a Muhammad Ali jab" in future fights.
Hear Wink's assessment, courtesy of Sherdog's "Savage Dog Show," after the jump.
"The sky’s the limit for the kid. People don’t understand. He does have knockout power in both hands, and his feet are getting to the point where people don’t want to be taking those kicks. They will be at the highest K-1 kickboxing level here soon. It’s just a matter of time through repetition and confidence to get there. People haven’t seen how explosive his knees are. We’ve seen him drop elbows on people, but he can do that standing up as well. I know one buzzed by Machida early in the fight. He’s capable of becoming so much better than he is right now. He’s just scary. I don’t know what people are going to do with him. Really. He’s getting faster. I think he’s going to have a jab that’s going to be comparable to a Muhammad Ali jab as far as dominating his opponent when he wants to use it."
Jones overcame a rocky start against "The Dragon" in the second round of their UFC 140 title fight, taking him down and splitting him open with a nasty elbow from the top.
Machida eventually made it back to his feet, where he was subsequently trapped against the cage and choked unconscious with a standing guillotine.
Anyone see anything from Jones in that fight -- or fights past -- that would indicate his jab will eventually be on par with "The Greatest?" Or is Winkeljohn simply enamored with his prize pupil?
Thoughts?
Posted in: fight, jone, people, hersquo, jab
Read the full article at MMA ManiaFighter of the Year: Jon Jones
Filed under: UFC, Strikeforce, BellatorIn October 2010, UFC president Dana White tried to slow down the expectations for Jon Jones. The light-heavyweight talent had just run through veteran Vladimir Matyushenko and the buzz around him had grown to the point where people were trying to project him into the title picture.
White, though, would have none of it. Jones was going to fight Ryan Bader in early 2011 and still probably have to win another 2-3 fights after that before fighting for the belt, White said. Just three months later, circumstances caused him to reconsider.
In a perfect storm of a day, Jones blitzed Bader and White discovered he needed a challenger for Mauricio "Shogun" Rua when Rashad Evans got hurt and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson declined the fight on six weeks' notice. Jones got the call and answered the challenge in historic fashion, annihilating Rua to capture the belt and become the youngest UFC champion in history.
Jones is the easy pick for fighter of the year, but in reality, his 2011 was more than that, arguably the finest single calendar year in MMA history.
Consider this: he became the first man in history to defeat three former UFC champs in a single year. But he didn't just beat them, he finished each one of them (and choked out Bader for good measure).
If you like statistics, Jones' dominance over the opposition can be proved numerically. In his four fights, he out-landed Bader, Rua, Jackson and Lyoto Machida by an obscene total of 233 to 56, according to FightMetric.
Keep in mind, those four came into their respective bouts with Jones with a combined winning percentage of .851, yet Jones won all 11 rounds against them and only Machida had any moments of success.
It's not easy to select a defining moment for Jones in 2011, but his title victory was certainly a moment of clarity for all the remaining skeptics. From the opening touch of gloves until the time referee Herb Dean pulled Jones away signifying the end, Jones' performance was nothing short of a masterpiece, MMA's equivalent of a perfect game.
Rua, a vaunted striker who was believed to have the standup advantage over Jones, was simply overwhelmed in every aspect. Jones out-landed him by a ridiculous amount, 102 to 11 by FightMetric's count. He took him down on all three attempts. He passed his guard repeatedly. And finally, he finished the fight for good with a liver punch that crumpled Rua midway through the third.
Showcasing his versatility, Jones became the first man in a decade to make Jackson tap out when he scored a fourth-round submission in his first title defense. And he saved his most mature performance for last, navigating his way through a rocky first round against Machida before dropping him with a straight left and finishing him by choking him unconscious in the second.
The year saw Jones jump from prospect to champion in seemingly an instant. Just a few months before 2011 began, White thought Jones wasn't yet ready to fight for the belt, but by the time it was over, White, like everyone else, had been converted.
"I don't know how you deny the guy anymore," he said. "He's literally walked through everybody. He fought four times this year, probably the nastiest schedule in the history of the company. He's incredible, man."
And an easy choice for 2011's Fighter of the Year.
2. Dan Henderson
When does time run out on Hendo? Judging from his 2011, it won't be anytime soon. The 41-year-old insists he's got a UFC title run in him, and his recent performances suggest he is indeed still a threat to either Jones or middleweight champ Anderson Silva. He started off the year in March by knocking out Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante to take the Strikeforce light-heavyweight title. Months later, he moved to heavyweight and scored a TKO over Fedor Emelianenko, and he capped off his year by outlasting Rua in an all-time classic at UFC 139.
3. Ben Henderson
With dominant wins over Clay Guida, Jim Miller and Mark Bocek, Henderson proved that he belonged in the UFC's lightweight division and that he was a legitimate challenger to current champ Frankie Edgar. Just as impressive as his performance was his quick climb back from disappointment. It was just about a year ago when he lost to Anthony Pettis during the infamous "Showtime kick" match. The victory was supposed to get Pettis a title shot, yet it's Henderson who got there first.
4. Michael Chandler
It wasn't a huge surprise when Chandler beat Marcin Held and Lloyd Woodard to advance to the Bellator lightweight tournament finals, but his tournament title win over Patricky "Pitbull" Freire raised some eyebrows, and then Chandler one-upped himself by toppling champ Eddie Alvarez in one of 2011's best fights, a wild back-and-forth classic that Chandler closed out with a rear naked choke win.
5. (tie) Nick Diaz
What a wild ride 2011 was for Diaz, who earned early wins over Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos and Paul Daley before vacating his welterweight belt to move over to the UFC. He came to fight champ Georges St-Pierre, but never got the chance after he missed media commitments and the UFC removed him from the bout. As it turned out, St-Pierre ended up getting hurt and would have missed the match anyway, but Diaz decided to take a fight with BJ Penn and smashed him in a way that we've only see GSP do lately, building more anticipation for a possible future bout between the pair.
5. (tie) Junior dos Santos
There's no way to keep the new UFC heavyweight champion off this list after he demolished Shane Carwin back in June, and then headlined one of the most important shows in UFC history in November. Sure, the 64-second knockout of Cain Velasquez at the inaugural UFC on FOX show seemed more than a bit anticlimactic, but it also put into perspective just how dominant dos Santos has been. Since signing with the UFC, he has never lost a round.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, title, jone, year
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseWinkeljohn: Jones’ Standup Will Be Silva-Like Soon
Jon Jones may have lost the first round against Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, but he stormed back in the second to choke him unconscious.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, lyoto machida, machida
Read the full article at SherdogEducated By Tough Times, Matyushenko 'Enjoying The Ride'
Other people’s funny stories involve someone breaking wind in yoga class or fainting before a ‘will-you-marry-me’ proposal. Vladimir Matyushenko’s notion of funny is telling you about the time he got his nose broken in a professional fight. No joke. “I fought in Brazil in the Jungle Fights a few years ago against Carlos Barreto,” said the Belarus-born light heavyweight fighter. “It was in Manaus, in the Amazon. I got there and looked at him and thought, “Really, I’m gonna fight this guy?” He was a big guy (6’4”, 230 pounds) and I was fighting at heavyweight. We exchanged a few punches and he kicked me really hard. My hands were up, but he broke my freakin’ nose with his leg – but he broke his leg and I won the fight!! (laughs). “He just fell down. He broke his leg or twisted his knee, I don’t know what happened, but he fell to the canvas and I was still standing. So I punched him a few times and they stopped the fight. He broke my nose but I won the fight.” The blow left Matyushenko sporting a grossly crooked beak, but the plain-talking veteran’s sense of humor is as lively as ever. When you’ve been fighting 14 years professionally, and grew up scraping by in Belarus, you learn to see the lighter side of a very rigorous and often unforgiving sport. At 40 years of age, the barrel-chested pro is one of the UFC’s senior statesmen and he’s still formidable, as evidenced by him winning four of his past five bouts (Jon Jones being the lone blemish, far from something to be ashamed of). Next up for Matyushenko, a former elite Russian wrestler who once beat U.S. icons Royce Alger and Kevin Jackson in the same tournament, is Alexander Gustafsson (12-1) of Sweden. The matchup is highly intriguing, partly because it harbors a potential referendum on just how good the highly-touted Gustafsson is, or isn’t. Jon Jones, the 205-pound kingpin, has looked superhuman inside the Octagon. But when fight fans are polled about which fighter stands the best chance of unseating him, Gustafsson’s name surfaces in the top five. The Swede knockout artist can match Jones’ length (Gustafsson is 6’5” to Jones 6’4”), but not Jones’ reach. Gustafsson is rather athletic and is dangerous with submissions as well. Yet Matyushenko refrained from anointing Gustafsson as something special. “He has a long reach, he’s young, athletic, whatever,” said Matyushenko (26-5), not sounding overly impressed, before stating the obvious. “I’m working my striking a lot, but I know if I take him down it will be a plus for me.” Where does he rank Gustafsson among the light heavies?“MMA has evolved so it helps to be tall with a long reach and at the same time be a strong guy, like Anderson Silva and Jon Jones,” Matyushenko said. “But there are other things involved. You have to be strong in your mind. Physically Gustafsson matches all the criteria, but can he do it? I guess that’s why people will be watching on TV, to see if he can do it.” Since Matyushenko has faced Jones, I ask him whom he would peg as most threatening to the emerging superstar’s throne. I’m expecting one of the usual suspects to appear – former champ Rashad Evans or the unbeaten Phil Davis. Who has the best chance to beat Jon Jones? “Me,” Matyushenko says with a hearty chuckle, a glaring prognostication to anyone who watched Jones smash the Russian with elbows and finish their Aug. 2010 contest in under two minutes. “I knew when I lost to him more than a year ago that he was The Real Deal,” Matyushenko said of Jones. “Do you want to step up and do it?” Matyushenko continues to train in the Los Angeles area, working regularly with fighters such as Antoni Hardonk and Jared Hamman. He has also worked with Lyoto Machida and Fabricio Werdum, among others. Yet Matyushenko is not one to hop around from team to team, as many younger fighters do while proclaiming the variety helps their games. “The camps don’t change,” he said. “When you have a good camp people come and go to you. I’m not the person who goes around and looks for people to train with; people come and train with me. I trained with Lyoto Machida for a long time. I was supposed to fight Gustafsson in August and I was training with Dan Henderson and Team Quest; we exchanged people, but then I got hurt.” It is one of the downsides of being a week shy of 41; the body doesn’t heal and recuperate as quickly. Otherwise, Matyushenko thinks age stereotypes are exaggerated, though he concedes he used to believe in them when he was much younger. “When I was 30 I thought, ‘Oh, it’s too late now,’” he said. “But to encourage the young fighters right now, no, it’s not too late. You can go very far (at an advanced age) but of course you need to take some precautions. There is a fine line between being in good shape and not being hurt. You have to rest more and train smart.” He came to the U.S. many years ago with barely $100 in his pocket. He spoke virtually no English at the time. “I bought a one-way ticket from New York to California and I’ve achieved so much, so I think it’s a big encouragement to kids. You can do whatever you want, especially right now,” he said. “The last two years have been good for me. I signed up with the UFC again, I bought a house, I got married in Vegas. My son graduated high school and he’s in the Air Force right now. I’ve got a dog. So a lot of good things have been happening. I’ve been working hard for many, many years and now finally I’m happy and where I’m supposed to be. “MMA is on a roll and so am I. I am MMA and MMA is me. I like being part of me so I’ll stick around and do as much as I can do. This is what I do best. I don’t think there is anything I do better. If I find something that I do better, then I’ll probably quit or retire. But so far I enjoy it. I really enjoy being part of the UFC. Finally we’ve gotten through the tough times and I want to enjoy the ride.”
Posted in: fight, jone, year, matyushenko, gustafsson
Read the full article at UFCSherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings
So far, December has witnessed the usual: the champions fought, and the champions won. On Dec. 10, Jon Jones had his most trying fight in memory, as Lyoto Machida was able to stifle Jones for all of five minutes.
Posted in: jone, champion, lyoto machida, arts rankings, sherdog official
Read the full article at SherdogDana White wants Anderson Silva to close career vs GSP or Jones
Dana White plans call for middleweight king Anderson Silva to rest up from a shoulder injury and face the winner of Chael Sonnen-Mark Munoz in 2012. After that, however, it may all be up to Silva. White, though, wouldn’t mind seeing the 36-year-old Brazilian finish up his career after a few more fights, including a finale bout with either UFC welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre or light heavyweight title-holder Jon Jones. “He’s probably the greatest fighter in history. He hasn’t lost and has been champion since 2006. I think he has two more title defenses and I do not know what he’ll do next or if he will retire,” said White, in an interview with Brazilian website Alpha. “He could end his career with a super fight against Jon Jones or Georges St. Pierre. He could end his career like that – fight in a different weight class. I would be happy with that. Then he could take a boat and sail into the sunset.” submitted by FeelsLikeChickenSkin [link] [2 comments]
Posted in: fight, jone, silva, career, – fight
Read the full article at RedditLyoto Machida has future plans at middleweight
Former UFC light heavyweight title-holder Lyoto Machida feels like he has solved the puzzle that is Jon Jones.
Thus, “The Dragon” hopes he can eventually get back in contention to face the current UFC 205-pound champ once again. However, Machida is currently just 1-3 in his last four bouts, including the submission loss to “Bones” recently.
That being said, for Machida, a future in the UFC’s middleweight division is what is his future apparently holds, especially once friend Anderson Silva retires from the sport. Silva is the reigning UFC 185-pound champion and a training partner of Machida’s.
“Now, I don’t want to change – but if I am not the light heavyweight champion, it really could happen,” said Machida, in a recent interview with Fighters Only. “I lost (to Jones), but I still have three more fights at UFC and now my main goal is to be the champion of the weight class and bring the belt back to Para. Now it is a challenge to beat Jones and bounce back.”
Machida’s three losses have come to some of the elite in the UFC’s light heavyweight division, as he has lost to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, and Jones. All three men have either worn the UFC title or are currently wearing the belt.
As for the loss to Jones, Machida says, “We already know the path to get to him and in the next fight the things should happen with more ease. I think we always have to be learning something out of this and it is through the loss that we learn more than with the victory. I am a professional and it is part of my career: to win or to lose. I hope the next time we can celebrate together.”
Machida was hitting Jones more than most have, as “The Dragon” seemed to be on top of his game through the first five minutes. But, once Jones landed with a big elbow that left a deep dash on Machida’s head, the end seemed to be near. Machida eventually passed out due to a standing choke in the second round, suffering his first career loss by submission.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, loss, i hope, machida
Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain.@JordanBreen: People wouldn’t intensely hate Jon Jones if he was white #ufc @MMASupremacy @SundogMMA @LucaFury
Jordan Breen is reiterating his claims from earlier this year that the major component in why there is so much hatred towards Jon Jones is due to the fact that he's black.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, wouldn, sundogmma
Read the full article at Fight OpinionJon Jones (2011) vs Mauricio Rua (2005): Who had the more impressive year?
Four fights, four finishes, three of them title fights against three former champions, all in a span of ten months.
That's the 2011 year Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight champion Jon Jones had, which is undoubtedly the greatest year in the promotion's history.
At the young age of 24 and only three years into the sports of mixed martial arts (MMA), "Bones" is on the highest of highs and just getting started with plenty of years ahead of him to add to his ever-growing and impressive resume.
The young UFC champion might have had the best year in UFC history, but does he have the best year in MMA history?
If we take a trip back in time, six years to be exact, before Jones was running wild in the UFC light heavyweight division and beating his opponents with relative ease, there was another light heavyweight setting the MMA world on fire.
That man was Mauricio Rua.
In 2005, before "Shogun" brought his talents stateside to the UFC and claimed the UFC 205-pound title, Rua was a human wrecking machine in Japan's premiere MMA organization, PRIDE FC.
Winning five fights in the span of six months, running through a who's-who of the top mixed martial artists on the planet in Pride's 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix, which included defeating two opponents in one night to become the youngest PRIDE FC champion ever; Rua had an equally impressive year that mirrors that of Jon Jones' 2011 year.
Ironically enough, both did it at the age of 24 and both became the youngest world champions in their respective organizations.
So the question remains, who had the more impressive year?
After the jump, I'll compare the two extraordinary years that these two great mixed martial artists had.
On February 20, 2005, before throwing his name into the tournament style Grand Prix, Rua took on Hiromitsu Kanehera at PRIDE 29; making short work of him in only one minute and 40 seconds into the opening round via soccer kicks, which were allowed in PRIDE.
Two months later, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) black belt took on Quinton Jackson in the opening round of the Grand Prix at Pride Total Elimination 2005. Again, Rua would make short work of his opponent, as he defeated "Rampage" halfway through the first round using his vicious soccer kicks.
After taking 63 days to recover, Rua drew fellow Brazilian Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in the second round at Pride Critical Countdown 2005. In what proved to be a very close contest, "Shogun" and "Lil Nog" put on a back and forth striking and grappling clinic through 20 minutes of action that became known as one of the best fights in MMA history.
When the final bell rang, the judges awarded the unanimous decision to Rua.
In June of 2005, just two months later, at PRIDE Final Conflict 2005; Rua was matched up against Alistair Overeem for a chance to earn a trip to the championship round. Alistair proved to be a worthy opponent throughout the first five minutes of the round, but "Shogun" turned up the intensity and finished Overeem via technical knockout at the six minute mark of the first round, advancing him to the Grand Prix finals against Ricardo Arona.
There was one catch though; the finale was scheduled for the same night.
After taking time to rest and recover from the previous bouts, the two competitors stepped into the ring, both ready to make history. The end to a goal that started six months prior came swift and quick as Rua ran through Arona in just under three minutes of the first round to become the Pride Middleweight Grand Prix champion, capping off one of the most impressive runs in mixed martial arts history to date.
Six years later, in today's premier MMA organization, the UFC; Jon Jones had an equally impressive 2011 year.
His ran began on Super Bowl weekend, February 5, 2011, against another up and coming prospect in Ryan Bader. Jones made short work of his opponent as he convincingly defeated the previously unbeaten Bader in the second round with a guillotine choke.
After the fight, "Bones," due to an injury to Rashad Evans, was surprised with the news that he was to be awarded a chance to vie for the UFC's 205-pound title just a month later.
His opponent?
None other than Mauricio Rua, who at the time was the UFC light heavyweight champion.
In what many would perceive as somewhat of the passing of the torch, at UFC 128 on March 19, 2011, Jones became the youngest UFC fighter to hold a world title by destroying "Shogun." From the opening bell, Jones tagged Rua repeatedly and often, not allowing the champion to get off any offense of his own. In the third round, Jones stepped on the gas and unleashed a barrage of strikes that forced the referee to step in and save a bruised and battered Rua.
Six months later on September 24, 2011, Jones was set to defend his title for the first time against former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson at UFC 135. "Rampage" who claimed to be in the best shape of his career, seemed to be the young champion's toughest test to date. In the fourth round, "Bones" found a way to take the fight to the ground and eventually submit Jackson, the first to do so in over a decade, to retain his title.
This time, there would be no long layoff for Jones, as he was immediately set up to take on yet another former UFC champion in Lyoto Machida three months later at UFC 140 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
After what proved to be a very competitive opening round, it seemed as if Jones had finally met his match. Not backing down, the crafty Machida tagged Jones, in what could very well be the first and only time the young star had seen trouble in the octagon.
In the second round, Jones adjusted and persevered, putting "The Dragon" to sleep via standing guillotine; capping the greatest single year run in UFC history.
Six years apart, two of the best 205-pound mixed martial artists in the world displayed unmatched skill, technique and will two put on two of the best single year runs in MMA history, forever cementing their place amongst the greatests light heavyweights of their era.
One, Rua, displaying his excellence Far East in "The Land of the Rising Sun" with little to no stateside exposure, the other, Jones, doing it at a time where MMA is at its highest point, with mainstream exposure worldwide. Both doing it against the highest level of competition.
So I leave it you, in comparison, who had the best single year in MMA history, Mauricio Rua in 2005 or Jon Jones in 2011?
Posted in: ufc, jone, round, year, rua
Read the full article at MMA ManiaHeavyMMA Podcast 65: UFC 140, The Greatness of Jon Jones, Strikeforce
The HeavyMMA podcast returns with a look back at UFC 142, discussion of how awesome Jon Jones could be and a look forward to tomorrow's Strikeforce event.
Posted in: ufc, strikeforce, jone, jon jones, heavymma
Read the full article at Heavy MMABones vs. The Rock in ESPN Poll
After his win this past Saturday, Jon Jones visited the ESPN campus to do some interviews. In addition, he shot this “informal” video to promote himself in a poll against the WWE’s Dwayne Johnson.ESPN SportsNation conducted the poll for its second annual “The Awesomest Dude of 2011.”
(H/t: MMA Mania)
Payout Perspective:
Its nice to see that the UFC and ESPN are playing nice once again. Its a silly award but Jones played along with it well. Jones is becoming a regular with ESPN and he is getting much more comfortable in front of the camera. With GSP out and the uncertainty of Brock Lesnar’s career, Jones could be the new face of North American MMA (with Anderson Silva being the face for most of South America).
And with the video, we see that the iPad gets some publicity as Jones kicks it but it still works.
Posted in: jone, espn, poll, awesomest dude, bones vs
Read the full article at MMA PayoutLopez Stops Jones Again, Retains KOTC Crown at ‘Magnaflow’
HIGHLAND, Calif. -- In what felt like a case of terrible déjà vu, Esteves Jones found himself under assault by Tony Lopez for the second time in three months, as Lopez retained his King of the Cage heavyweight title at KOTC’s “Magnaflow” Thursday night at San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino in Highland, Calif.
Posted in: jone, calif, lopez, kotc crown, magnaflow
Read the full article at SherdogUFC 140: Payout Perspective
Welcome to another edition of Payout Perspective. This week we look at the UFC’s return to Toronto’s Air Canada Center as Jon Jones defended his title against Lyoto Machida.
Jones chokes out Machida
Despite losing the first round, Jon Jones showed resolve to come back and defeat “The Dragon”. Jones used his size to complete a standing guillotine which rendered Machida limp. Up next for Jones will be the winner of Rashad Evans/Phil Davis in January. At this point, Jones looks like he is gaining confidence and looks real comfortable in the Octagon, something to worry about for those in his division.
Mir snaps Big Nog’s shoulder
Frank Mir broke Tim Sylvia’s arm for his black belt and may have earned another stripe for his kimura on Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera. Big Nog had Mir in trouble but Mir was able to gather himself to reverse Noguiera, grabbed his arm and locked in the kimura. The gruesome replay were shown over and over again with the crowd “ooing” each time the arm seemingly snapped.
Zombie surprises Hominick
It took only seconds for the Chang Sung Jung to defeat Canadian favorite Mark Hominick. A disappointing return for Hominick.
Attendance, Gate and Bonuses
As reported earlier in the week 18,303 fans attended for a gate of $3.9 million Canadian ($3.77 million U.S.).According to F4Wonline.com (subscription required), about 15,000 paid although it was not a sell-out. F4WOnline opined that the disappointing turnout may be due to the UFC coming back too fast.
MMA Junkie reported the bonuses for UFC 140 with each receiving $75,000.
KO of the night: The Korean Zombie
Submission of the night: Frank Mir
Fight of the Night: Jones-Machida
Sponsorships
The Octagon included Xyience, Toyo Tires, Dodge, TapouT, Musclepharm, the UFC’s Ultmate DVD Collection, StubHub, Batteflield 3 had the side pads (including graphics) and was on the mat, Bud Light was present on the ring pads and center.
Bony Acai, Harley Davidson and StubHub were presenting sponsors for UFC 140. The U.S. Marines had its usual “mini-fighter” matchup for Jones-Machida.
UFC.com Store owned the fighter prep point.
Harley Davidson is taking part in the UFC Hometown Throwdown promotion which had been previously promoted at other events as well as 140. Similar to the WEC version, it asks fans to pick a city in which they would want the UFC to hold an event. The promotion asks for fans to provide an email address in order to take part. The UFC will email the fans when the final cities are chosen.
Mark Hominick wore the CFL’s Hamilton TiCats gear once again.
Jon Jones wore his Form Athletics jacket in the back and during the walkout.
Brian Ebersole is now sponsored by TapouT as one witnessed via the logo shaved into his chest. He also was sponsored by BuyMMACards.com, which replaced MiddleEasy.com on his shorts.
Logistics company and fight sponsor Blue Grace made subtle changes to its logo including a visible web address for people to see.
Notably, EBX, which is a Brazilian investment company, sponsored the Nogueira brothers. We might expect more Brazilian and South American companies jumping into sponsorship with the upcoming card this January and with TUF: Brazil.
No Suffer on Mir this time as he sported a simple Jaco Hybrid Training Black t-shirt in his walkout.
The Korean Zombie did not wear his popular shirt but a white shirt with his Korean sponsors.
UFCstore.com had the Fighter prep point
More info on walkout wear here.
Jon Jones and Frank Mir broke out Xenergy drinks immediately after their win before their post-fight interview.
Not a lot of notable new sponsors here. The Octagon seemed UFC heavy. Perhaps this is due to the anticipated holiday shopping season. The UFC had indicated that new sponsors would not occur until the first quarter of next year.
Post-UFC 140 Headline
The only real headline coming out of this event is what’s next for Jon Jones. While some wish for a Jones-Anderson Silva matchup, its more likely that Jones face Rashad Evans provided he gets past Phil Davis and stays healthy enough to make it to the showdown.
Odds and Ends
- Tito Ortiz is now calling himself “The People’s Champ.” I thought the Rock was “The People’s Champ?” Copyright issues? Of course, I thought that Marshawn Lynch would have copyrighted “Beast Mode” too.
- UFC Countdown show aired on the Fox Regional Sports Networks as early as Sunday before the fight (according to the Direct TV guide) but either I was not paying attention or there was a lack of notice, but I missed the Countdown show when it was on my RSN. It appeared on the Audience Network later in the week and was online so I was able to catch it. Not sure if anyone else had a problem finding it on their RSN.
Buy Rate
Early estimations on the buy rate for UFC 140 by the Wrestling Observer have it at 440,000 buys in the US and 480,000 buys worldwide. This is a positive considering the UFC’s string of sub-400 PPV buys. It also shows that Jones is beginning to grow as a PPV draw. Jones vs. Rampage did 475,000 buys and it has improved if you take the worldwide buy rate.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, mir, sponsor
Read the full article at MMA PayoutRoy Jones Jr. still hunting for a title after recent decision win
When Roy Jones Jr. stepped into the ring this past weekend it’s likely he could have been doing so for the final time had things not gone his way. A loser of three straight prior to the bout against Max Alexander, the 42-year old had been stopped by strikes in two of the stumbles and appeared to have reached the end of the road in his storied career.
However, after picking up the Unanimous Decision win, the flashy Jones Jr. not only wants to keep fighting – he wants a divisional belt.
“I’m feeling wonderful. I want a cruiserweight title, the world title,” explained the former champion in a conversation with the Associated Press. “This is just a start. I’m not through yet.”
As far as what may have made the difference in the performance in comparison to the previous fights he’d lost, Jones stated, “The thing I worked on was not spending so much energy, so much useless energy. Don’t be bouncing around for nothing.”
After improving his record to 55-8 with the victory, as well as possibly finding a new lease on life, it sounds like Jones Jr. may have a reason to be bouncing around after all.
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Posted in: title, jone, jr, jones jr, max alexander
Read the full article at Fighters.comLyoto Machida mulls Jon Jones rematch, contemplates drop to middleweight
After beginning his mixed martial arts (MMA) career with 16 straight wins and earning a reputation as "untouchable" due to his elusiveness and unorthodox style of fighting with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Lyoto Machida has now dropped three of his last four fights within the promotion.
Dropping consecutive fights to Mauricio Rua and Quinton Jackson, the former UFC light heavyweight champion was able to get back to his winning ways by sending Randy Couture into retirement with a "Karate Kid" inspired front kick at UFC 129 this past April.
His momentum quickly came to a halt, as he suffered a second round submission loss, which put him to sleep after refusing to tap, to UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones at UFC 140 this past weekend (Dec. 10, 2011) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Soon after giving "Bones" what many would call his toughest five minutes of competition during his tenure with the UFC in the first round, Jones was able to catch "The Dragon" in a standing guillotine, forcing referee Big John McCarthy to step in and stop the fight only after Machida was out cold.
After taking some time to reflect on his loss, Machida tells Fighters Only that even though he lost to Jones at UFC 140, he feels he may have found a path to get to the young champion and also mentions a possible shift in weight classes.
"Of course any loss is painful for a fighter. I lost but I still have three more fights at UFC and now my main goal is to be the champion of the weight class and bring the belt back to Para. Now it is a challenge to beat Jones and bounce back. We already know the path to get to him and in the next fight the things should happen with more ease. I wanted to thank the fans for the support. I know we gave our best and I know we did our best. We hired everybody we could but the result is not always the way we want. I think we always have to be learning something out of this and it is through the loss that we learn more than with the victory. I have been reading some messages on Twitter, on the Internet, and I only got to say thanks and say everything is okay with me, it's alright, let's go to the next one. I am a professional and it is part of my career: to win or to lose. I hope the next time we can celebrate together!"
After seeing better days early in his UFC career, the Shotokan Karate specialist seems to have come to a crossroads. With plenty of contenders lining up to be the first to dethrone the 205-pound division kingpin Jon Jones, it could be a while before Machida earns another title shot. Perhaps a change in weight class could rejuvenate the former champion:
"Now, I don't want to change - but if I am not the light heavyweight champion it really could happen."
A drop down to the 185-pound division could be an option, but his hopes to capture another UFC world title could prove rather testy, as everything begins and ends with current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, who also happens to be one of Machida's training partners over at Team Black House.
Though "The Dragon" has competed as an undersized heavyweight at 225 pounds against B.J. Penn at a K-1 Heroes event in 2004; the heavyweights in the UFC are a whole different animal, tipping the scales of over 250-pounds and higher.
What do you say Maniacs, should "The Dragon" work his way back up the ladder of the 205-pound division and hope to earn a rematch against Jones, or whoever the champion may be at the time?
Or should the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) black belt look for greener pastures in another division?
If so, where?
Posted in: ufc, jone, heavyweight, champion, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRandy Couture: Jon Jones' reach not a huge issue in potential Dan Henderson fight
Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson?
The former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, fresh off a five-round bloodbath against former 205-pound titleholder Mauricio Rua last month in San Jose, is likely second in line for a crack at the division title behind the winner of Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis Rashad Evans.
But if "Mr. Wonderful" can pull off an upset at UFC on FOX 2, "Hendo" may become the number one contender by default.
That would put him in line for a fight against reigning division champion Jon Jones, who handily disposed of Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 back on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
But how would Henderson, who has spent a good portion of his career at 185-pounds, deal with the size of "Bones," as well as his almost insurmountable reach of 84.5 inches?
UFC hall-of-famer Randy Couture tells ESPN he "doesn't see it being a huge issue."
"It'd be interesting to see Danny against Jon Jones. At the ripe old age of 40 Danny is coming into his own. He's firing on all cylinders right now. He's got a tremendous wrestling background, he's got one of the best right hands in the sport, it'd be interesting to see how he'd deal with Jon and how Jon would deal with him. I don't see reach being a huge issue. I don't see Jon being able to stay on the outside and pick Dan apart. There's going to have to be an engagement at some point in that cage and we'd get to see what type of punch Jon can take."
Henderson is 7-1 over the past three years, his only blemish caused by a middleweight mugging from Jake Shields in early 2010 -- one that saw the former PRIDE champion struggle with his 185-pound weight cut.
He's never looked better -- but are you ready to buy into the Hendo hype? Or is he going to find out why no one is able to break "Bones" the hard way?
After what you saw against "Shogun" at UFC 139, what's the over/under on how many rounds a Jones vs. Henderson fight would last?
Thoughts?
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, henderson
Read the full article at MMA ManiaESPN MMA's Hot Button: Who is Jones' Greatest Threat?
Every week inside ESPN.com's MMA section, two scribes debate the most pressing issues in the sport in the Hot Button.
This week, Sherdog.com Administrative Editor Jordan Breen and ESPN.com's Franklin McNeil debate who the most dangerous challenger to Jon Jones' 205-pound throne is.
Is it his former training partner Rashad Evans, who has the key to crumbling Jones? Or, does former Strikeforce and Pride light heavyweight champion Dan Henderson's right hand represent the realest threat to Jones' divisional supremacy?
Click here to read the latest ESPN MMA Hot Button.
Posted in: mma, jone, button, scribes debate, espn mmas
Read the full article at SherdogJon Jones takes out latest foe with spectacular spinning kick
UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones is currently trying to win another title, although one with a little less at stake than in his “day job” as he is competing against Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the semifinals of ESPN SportsNation’s “Awesomest Dude of the Year” poll.
Currently, “Bones” is behind the WWE superstar/successful actor in the voting, so, while making a whirlwind media tour of ESPN this week, Jones put together a small video to try and win a few more votes.
Jones, who submitted Lyoto Machida this past weekend at UFC 140 to defend his title, delivered a spinning back kick to an iPad being held by SportsNation co-host Michelle Beadle. In standard pre-fight fashion, Jones made sure to talk a little smack into the iPad before knocking it to the ground.
To vote for Jones in the SportsNation poll click here…
Check out the video below:
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Posted in: jone, lyoto machida, sportsnation, week jones, votes jones
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainPassing the Torch from Anderson Silva to Jon Jones?
When Anderson Silva walks away from fighting, will Jon Jones be the one to take over his reign of destruction in the UFC?
Posted in: jone, jon jones, silva, anderson silva, anderson
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyCan Jon Jones Be Beaten by the Current Contenders?
The somewhat meteoric rise of Jon Jones from prospect, to contender, to the youngest champion in UFC history, has been well documented. Jones brings to the table a wide range of top level skills. One of the big reasons for his enormous amounts of success is that his skill-set is among the most unorthodox in MMA. He also has an advantage in the fact that he holds the longest reach in promotion at 84.5 inches. This allows him to showcase his wide range of kicks and more-flamboyant strikes. He also holds an excellent Greco-Roman wrestling game along with very high level submission skills. Looking at the numbers, since joining the UFC he has had ten fights, dropping only one to Matt Hamill due to disqualification after using illegal 12-to-6 elbows from the mount in what was an otherwise dominant performance.
Since successfully defending his title for the second time on Saturday against Lyoto Machida, speculation has been high about which top contender would get next crack at the champ. Over the past few months several top contenders have tried to lay claim to the coveted #1 contender spot. However, regardless of who emerges, will he fare any better than Machida did?
Rashad Evans has been the heir apparent since going on a three-fight run since losing the title back in May of 2009, but “Sugar” ‘Shad has been hampered by a sequence of injuries that have stopped his title fight chances in their tracks. Since the Ultimate Fighter winner has been on the sidelines, veteran and future Hall of Fame fighter Dan Henderson defected from Strikeforce to face former champ Mauricio Rua in a fight that many expected to earn the victor a title shot. Their clash happened last month and is now widely known as one of the best fights in the promotions history, a back and forth fracas earning ‘Hendo’ a Unanimous Decision and a improving his streak to four straight impressive victories.
The third big contender is the perpetual underdog Phil Davis. Whilst Davis has flown under the radar for much of his UFC career, not necessarily providing fireworks despite his success, he’s still coming off a series of solid and tough performances. “Mr. Wonderful” has an excellent wrestling pedigree, good submission skills, the ability to box, and knockout power in his hands. Davis is now scheduled to face Evans at UFC on FOX 2 with the man emerging with his hand raised also coming out of things as the top 205-pound contender.
The big question is can any of these contenders beat a consistently improving “Bones” Jones? To answer this we need to think about how Jones beats people. The dynamic 24-year old uses his unorthodox striking to disrupt his opponent’s stance so that his adversary is more worried about getting hit with a spinning back elbow or a flying knee than he is about getting taken down. He uses these strikes to set up the takedown, a strategy proving to me successful a lot more often than not. Once on the ground he can use his superior ground-and-pound skills which have been displayed in the fights against Brandon Vera, Vladymir Matyushenko, and most recently Machida who suffered a deep cut on his forehead with virtually the first elbow Jones landed. Adding to the conundrum, even if he is unable to get strikes in from the top, Jones often uses his long, slim arms to secure a choke.
Jones had a little trouble figuring out Machida’s striking technique and timing and may well have lost the first round, at least in the eyes of armchair officials. Evans may be able to take advantage of this based on having very good wrestling and solid boxing skills. He is known for being an aggressive striker and we have never really seen Jones under pressure in a striking situation. As for Evans’ grappling, though we have never seen Jones off of his back, or even on the wrong side of a clinch, I don’t anticipate it being a big issue in the fight. In fact it may be in Evans’ interest to keep the fight standing and use his speed and technique to get inside and use his hands. I am also frankly amazed that no one has taken the strategy of consistently kicking Jones insanely thin legs, as it could be a massive problem for the champion if anyone decides to go that route. I give Evans a chance as long as he stays standing but if Jones can take it to the ground and start beating on him then I can’t see him coming out with a ‘W’.
Davis is an excellent wrestler with decent stand-up, plus he poses a few problems that Jones hasn’t encountered before. First, Davis is the first fighter Bones would facedthat may well be able to out wrestle him. He has a good reach at 79 inches but doesn’t have the stand-up skills that Jones possesses so that’s a moot point. Jones would need to keep the fight standing or risks losing points from the scorecard. As I said we haven’t seen Jones on his back yet and can’t assume wrestling skills from the bottom, but if Davis can take Jones down and hold him there he would stand a very good chance. That level of ground-control, in my opinion, would be the key to this fight and beating Jones in general.
Finally, Henderson has fought a “Who’s Who” of the MMA world over the last 10-15 years. He has been a champion in every promotion he has fought for with one belt eluding him so far – a UFC title. He had an impressive performance against ‘Shogun’ and vaulted himself towards the upper echelons of the division with the gutsy, glorious performance. Henderson’s highlight reel is one of the best in MMA. His skill set includes excellent wrestling, good boxing, and put-you-to-sleep power in both hands. That being said, the question is can Henderson keep up with the speed of the 24 year-old Jones? If ‘Hendo’ can catch Jones with a decent shot there’s no question he could put him on his back in an instant. However, I don’t see him taking Jones down and keeping him there, nor do I think keeping the fight standing would be an effective strategy for Jones. The key to this fight would involve whether or not Jones could close the distance on ‘Hendo’ without taking shots, then take him down and be effective on top.
Jones brings a skill set that is completely unique and therefore very difficult to train for. He is the future, and very much the present, of the divisio, and I don’t see him being beaten any time soon. Expect to see “Bones at the peak of his weight class for many years to come.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: fight, jone, ’t, contender, skill
Read the full article at Fighters.comChristmas shopping is done for Jon Jones, now he's just roundhouse kicking iPads
Just a heads up for anyone seriously considering buying an iPad for the holiday seasons, it's rumored the iPad 3 will debut in February so let your pockets relax for a couple months. Also, if you want to know what 'retina display' means, I have a brief and concise explanation. It's called 'retina display' because the resolution is so high that the human eye can't discern a single pixel. Look at you guys, unintentionally learning stuff. One of the many benefits of MiddleEasy.com.
Whenever Jon Jones is not kicking a hole through the fabric of time and space, he spends his free time kicking brand-new iPads. Seriously, I'm not making this stuff up. Check out this video from ESPN SportsNation of Jones planting his foot on a beautiful Apple product.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, ipad, retina display, espn sportsnation
Read the full article at Middle EasyUFC 140: Why Jon Jones was not wrong for dropping Lyoto Machida after submission win
Jon Jones successfully defended his UFC light heavyweight title for the second straight time in his young championship reign this past weekend (Dec 10, 2011) at UFC 140, which went down in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
He's been the first to do so since Chuck Liddell way back in 2006.
"Bones," displaying brute power, defeated Lyoto Machida in the second round of their title fight with an impressive standing guillotine, and in the process, proved why he is the most dominant UFC champion today. However, much of the buzz in the mixed martial arts (MMA) community surrounds what happened after referee John McCarthy pulled Jones off Machida.
Instinctively, Jones let Machida go, causing his lifeless body to drop to the canvas, smashing his face on the mat, and simply walked away.
Now, the great debate is all about sportsmanship.
Jones didn't do a back flip; he didn't stand on top of the Octagon and jump down in celebration. He simply and calmly walked way without a care in the world, as if saying, "Business as usual." He simply did what was expected of him and anything else would have been a disappointment.
However, some people viewed it as disrespectful; some even say it was boastful or to prove a point to his future opponents.
After the jump, I'll discuss whether or not Jon Jones was wrong for letting Lyoto Machida drop to the canvas after he finished him with a standing submission:
Jon Jones didn't drop Lyoto Machida out of malice or to showboat his impressive submission.
It was simply a heat of the moment instinct. In a fight, it is not his, or any other fighter's responsibility to lay his opponent gently down to the ground.
Would it be nice to see a fighter care for the well being of another and making sure he doesn't suffer a possible injury? Absolutely, but it's not always possible, it's not a requisite, nor should one be judged for not doing it.
Does it look good when you do it? Of course it does, sportsmanship is always a great thing to see in any sport, specifically combat sports.
Submission specialists usually, almost immediately, let go of the hold in order to prevent any further injury. It's jiu-jitsu 101, it's instinct.
However, in a fight, after going toe-to-toe with another human being, one can't be faulted for his opponent dropping to the canvas after letting go of a submission hold when instructed to do so by the referee.
In a sport where a fighter is allowed to jump on his opponent and follow up with punches to make sure he is out for the count (see Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping) until the referee pulls him off; Jones shouldn't be criticized for simply letting go of a choke hold that caused his opponent, who was out cold, drop to the canvas.
Many times, there have been brutal one-punch knockouts that have caused a fighter to fall and hit his or her head on the mat, it's a hazard of the job. It's MMA and things like this happen more often than not and will continue to happen.
To quote a phrase from Jones' trainer Greg Jackson:
"You can dress it up, you can put lipstick on it, you can do whatever you want but at the end of the day it's a fight and when they tell you to let go, you let go."
At the moment, Jon Jones is on the brink of being the UFC's new poster boy, the new superstar that will lead UFC and mixed martial arts into the future. Jones is not necessarily a fan favorite, received by boos at the UFC 140 weigh-ins and at the UFC 140 event itself and has often been criticized for his "cocky" attitude that he at times portrays.
So it begs the question, is Jones getting a fair shake for what happened after the fight, because, well...he's Jon Jones and are people just looking for a genuine reason to really dislike him? Or was he out of line?
What's your take?
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones on ESPN SportsNation poll: 'Bones' not as awesome as WWE's 'The Rock' (Video)
If you've ever seen Jon Jones fight, you'd probably agree he's pretty awesome inside the Octagon -- just not awesome enough to make him "The Most Awesomest Dude of 2011."
Not yet.
That's because he's currently trailing World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar "The Rock," who has millions (and millions) of fans willing to cast their vote in favor of the part-time movie star in the ESPN SportsNation poll.
The Rock can next be seen as "Roadblock" in the upcoming G.I. Joe movie sequel "Retaliation."
Jones captured the UFC light heavyweight championship by putting the smackdown on Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 earlier this year and finished his 2011 fight campaign with a win over Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 last Saturday night (Dec. 10) on pay-per-view from the Air Canada Center in Toronto.
Those victories, coupled with his destruction of both Ryan Bader and Quinton Jackson, give Jones four wins this year, which is unquestionably "awesome" when you consider his level of opposition. But is it awesome enough to overcome the "People's Champion," Dwayne Johnson, who holds crossover appeal in Hollywood?
Find out by voting here. Just one vote can save the life of an iPad in ESPN offices around the world.
Posted in: ufc, jone, espn, rock, awesomest dude
Read the full article at MMA ManiaVIDEO: Jon Jones Calls Out The Rock, Spin Kicks An iPad
Last week, we told you about Jon Jones and his addition to the ESPN SportsNation Awesomest Dude Of The Year bracket. He's paired up against former WWE Champion and current movie star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and despite his win Saturday at UFC 140, he's still losing in votes to the first "People's Champ". (Sorry, Tito Ortiz.)Jones stopped by ESPN Tuesday and shot some video with SportsNation co-host Michelle Beadle calling out Johnson and then was asked whether he could spin kick an iPad. Yes, you're reading that correctly.
Here's the clip:
Jones is one of eight athletes nominated for this year's award. He recently became the first fighter in UFC history to beat three current/former UFC titleholders in one year with his second round submission win over Lyoto Machida last Saturday. Jones could be looking for four in a row if former 205-pound champ Rashad Evans can defeat Phil Davis at UFC on Fox 2 in January.
Posted in: ufc, jone, year, wwe champion, youre reading
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowMMA Top 10 Pound-for-Pound: Jon Jones Moves Ahead of GSP
Filed under: UFCJon Jones has just completed one of the greatest calendar years in MMA history. Georges St. Pierre is in the midst of the most disappointing year of his MMA career. As a result, Jones has leapfrogged St. Pierre on the latest list of the Top 10 pound-for-pound fighters in mixed martial arts.
And Jones is No. 2 with a bullet: He's getting awfully close to dethroning Anderson Silva as the top fighter in the sport, in any weight class. Considering that Jones is 12 years younger than Silva, it's only a matter of time before Jones is recognized as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
For now, I have Silva just ahead of Jones, and St. Pierre next. See how I rank the rest of the Top 10 fighters below.
Top 10 pound-for-pound fighters in MMA
(Number in parentheses is the fighter's rank in the last pound-for-pound list.)
1. Anderson Silva (1): The reckless style and killer instinct Jones has shown over the last couple years reminds me of the way Silva looked early in his UFC run. Silva is a little more cautious now, but his 14-0 record in the UFC leaves him a shade above Jones in my estimation.
2. Jon Jones (3): Jones's 2011 is the best year anyone has ever had in the UFC. In other MMA promotions, the only fighters I can recall who have had comparable years to Jones in 2011 -- in terms of staying active and earning quality wins over good opponents -- were Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in 2002 and Shogun Rua in 2005. Top-level fighters just don't fight more than three times a year these days, and for Jones to go 4-0 and beat four high-quality opponents handily, all in one year, is something to celebrate.
3. Georges St. Pierre (2): St. Pierre hasn't fought since April, and it will likely be late in 2012 before his surgically repaired ACL allows him to return to the Octagon. That's a year and a half of his prime without a single fight. That's a major disappointment for a great champion.
4. Frank Edgar (4): The lightweight champion of the world will finally get a new opponent when he faces Ben Henderson in February, after fighting only Gray Maynard in 2011 and only B.J. Penn in 2010. Edgar is the quickest fighter in the lightweight division and maybe the quickest in any division, and that should be a big edge against Henderson.
5. Jose Aldo (5): Aldo will defend the featherweight at home in Brazil when he faces Chad Mendes in January. Aldo has never fought a wrestler as good as Mendes before, but Mendes has never fought a striker as good as Aldo before.
6. Junior dos Santos (9): Dos Santos reached a big audience when he took the heavyweight title from Cain Velasquez on Fox. He'll have a huge fight in 2012 against the winner of the upcoming Brock Lesnar-Alistair Overeem bout.
7. Dominick Cruz (6): Cruz and Uirjah Faber will coach against each other on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter and then meet in the cage for the third (and, presumably) final time in the summer of 2012. Cruz hasn't really caught on with MMA fans yet, but being featured every week on FX will introduce him to a new audience.
8. Dan Henderson (NR): Two things we need to remember when ranking Henderson on a pound-for-pound list: One is that he's the only elite light heavyweight who has also had success fighting at middleweight. The other is that one of Henderson's recent wins was over a heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko. Henderson's ability to transcend weight classes earns him a spot on the pound-for-pound list.
9. Joseph Benavidez (NR): I've been saying for years that Benavidez would be the best flyweight in the world if he fought in a promotion that had flyweights, and the UFC's decision to launch the 125-pound class with a four-man tournament will be Benavidez's opportunity to prove that. Benavidez is 15-2 in his MMA career, with both losses coming to Cruz, despite fighting a weight class too high. He'll take on the reigning Shooto 123-pound champion Yasuhiro Urushitani in March.
10. Rashad Evans (NR): With one more win, against Phil Davis in January, Evans may finally get his chance to fight Jones. As great as Evans is, that's a fight hardly anyone will pick him to win. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: mma, jone, fighter, year, poundforpound
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseTime for the UFC to show confidence in Jon Jones
On UFC president Dana White‘s ever-changing pound-for-pound rankings, light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones is now the second best fighter on the planet. Whether that statement is true or false — it’s likely the latter — it is time for the UFC to start treating him as such. With the right push, Jones can become Zuffa‘s next PPV money-maker.
With continuous question marks surrounding Brock Lesnar‘s health and dedication to the sport, and Georges St-Pierre sidelined for most of 2012, the UFC is in desperate need of a PPV savior. While this might seem like a harsh depiction of reality, some of the PPV numbers this year have been absolutely brutal. UFC 136, a card headlined by two title fights, failed to surpass the 300 000 buys mark — previously thought to be the worst-case scenario number for any UFC event. More worryingly, only two events have resulted in over 500 000 buys; a number that just last year, was being achieved with near-routine frequency. Whether it is due to the end of the MMA boom, the over-saturation of the product, or simply a stretch of bad luck that saw some of the UFC’s top attractions plagued by injuries, 2011 has been an incontestably substandard year on the PPV market.
Lesnar is thirty-four years old, and can’t possibly be relied upon to drive the company forward in the next few years. By the time GSP returns from injury, he will be thirty-two. And while that definitely doesn’t make him old by any stretch of the imagination, ACL tears can severely hamper an athlete’s career. Anderson Silva will turn thirty-seven soon, and despite his immense success inside the cage, his drawing power has been mostly inconsistent. Consequently, the UFC is in dire need of a new star.
Enter a twenty-four year old innovator of violence with supreme athletic gifts and a virtuosic skill set. When reports of UFC 128‘s buy-rate first circulated, the numbers were deemed disappointing. Jones’ title-winning performance against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua drew 445 000 people on PPV. By comparison, Rua’s fights with Lyoto Machida both eclipsed the half million mark. In hindsight, relative to the year the UFC has had on PPV, Jones’ fights drew well for an unproven commodity. In fact, Jones has featured on the second, third, and fourth biggest PPV’s of the year in terms of buy-rate. And while it would be disingenuous to credit him for UFC 126‘s success — the card was headlined by Silva and Vitor Belfort, and Jones was merely on the undercard — the numbers for his bouts with Rua and Quinton Jackson were comparatively encouraging.
Jones has the charisma, swagger, and that aura of “stardom” around him… whatever that means. Moreover, he happens to be the light heavyweight champion of the world — a division that has long been MMA’s most appealing. And, most importantly, Jones is simply an exceptional, once-in-a-lifetime fighter. The brand of offense that he manages to produce on a fight-to-fight basis is incomparable, and the mixture of flash and substance in his game is particularly one-of-a-kind.
To the delight of some, and to the horrors of many, Jones is fulfilling his potential and making the most of his peerless talent. Yes, a large contingent of the MMA fan-base seems to be quite critical of Jones — at least when he’s not rag-dolling opponents and rearranging their facial features. Whatever their reasons — they vary from “fake” to “cocky” to “he has a sense of entitlement” — and whether valid or not (some are, others aren’t), not everyone has warmed up to Jones. Crucially however, most people care about him, one way or the other.
The interest in Jones is there, and the UFC should capitalize. It matters very little whether Jones’ efforts to “remain humble” are paying off, or whether Greg Jackson‘s pleas to “win some fans” end up prospering, as long as people tune in to watch him fight — regardless of whether or not their $60 are accompanied by a burning desire to see him clobbered. In fact, many have quite rightly argued that Jones would be better served to embrace his inner cockiness and put his real personality — if it is indeed that — on display.
Jon Jones just capped off arguably the most spectacular year of any mixed martial artist in history, having beaten — and finished — then unbeaten prospect Ryan Bader, and three of the greatest light heavyweights of all time in Rua, Jackson and Machida. Yet, as evidenced by this past week’s UFC 140, the UFC has been unwilling to go all out with their marketing campaign when promoting Jones. That is not inexplicable by any means, as with so many PPV’s per year, the Zuffa brass needs to carefully select its battles. And with Lesnar headlining UFC 141 later this month, the UFC’s decision not to unleash its inimitable hype machine for Jones vs. Machida is understandable.
However, with 2012 around the gates, it is time for the UFC to put its eggs in the Jon Jones basket. Trying to angle Jones’ next bout to take place right after a UFC on FOX event would be a step in the right direction, as using Fox to generate hype towards PPV’s is ultimately what the whole Fox deal is all about. With luck, Jones can finally fight bitter rival Rashad Evans next, in what is one of the few mega-fights for the UFC in 2012. Jones’ dislike for Evans has already resulted in him “breaking character”, and should the fight be made official, we may then finally see the champion in full blown arrogance mode.
Legit stars are hard to come by. Creating stars is even more difficult. The UFC was lucky enough to have one fall into their laps, and they better capitalize.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, ppv, time, jone, year
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC Quick Quote: Greg Jackson mispoke when he told Jon Jones to check on Lyoto Machida to 'get some fans'
"Fighters get into this place when they're fighting -- Jon choked him out but he was in this zone, so I said to Jon, 'Go check on Machida and get yourself some fans,' which was a dumb thing to say. What I was trying to convey to him was, you're a professional athlete and there's ring decorum, and I should have said 'Remember the fans because everyone is watching what you do.' I misspoke. 'Go check on him and the fans will appreciate it' was what I meant, but I'm a bonehead sometimes and it came out wrong, which wasn't my intention at all. I wasn't trying to manipulate Jon."
That's his story and he's sticking to it. Famed mixed martial arts trainer Greg Jackson explains to MMAFighting.com what he really meant when he was overheard telling his star pupil, Jon Jones, to check on a choked out Lyoto Machida just to get some fans. The soundbite was picked up by UFC.tv and it wasn't long before fans were outraged and making their voices heard. Jones defended his light heavyweight title against "The Dragon" at UFC 140 this past weekend (Sat., Dec. 10, 2011) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada by submitting the Brazilian with a standing guillotine in the second round. Instead of gently letting him down, Jones released the hold so Machida could fall to the mat like a sack of potatoes, which he did. "Bones" did check on his opponent but it was only after Jackson was heard urging him to do so. Then again, who's to say Jones wouldn't have done it himself anyway? Either way, Jackson wants to assure you that it was not his intention to manipulate his fighter and he's just a bonehead sometimes. Do you accept his apology and subsequent explanation?
Posted in: jon, jone, fan, check, lyoto machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones on ESPN Sportscenter: Honored to be considered number three pound-for-pound (Video)
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones hit Bristol, Conn., to rap with the folks at ESPN's Sportscenter on his recent successful title defense against Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 this past Sat., Dec. 10, 2011, in Toronto.
It's a short video but there was an interesting takeaway. Here's "Bones'" response when asked if he's the best pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC:
"You know, a lot of people are really starting to rank me up there in the top three of the UFC as a whole and that's a great honor. The two guys that are ahead of me are Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva and they've just simply been in the game a lot longer than I have."
There are surely those who will call him cocky for the last comment, and that may or may not be so. But there's no denying his confidence is at an all time high and why shouldn't it be? The dude just finished up what was quite possibly the greatest single year fight campaign in the history of MMA.
Here's my question for you, Maniacs. Is Jon Jones the number three pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC? Or would you rank him lower? Or higher, even?
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, poundforpound fighter
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Visits SportsCenter
submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [comment]
Posted in: jone, sportscenter, mattyblayze, mattyblayze link, visit
Read the full article at RedditJon Jones Talks MMA on ESPN SportsCenter
Video of Jon Jones on SportsCenter today.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, espn, sportscenter
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones Visits ESPN’s SportsCenter
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon 'Bones' Jones visits ESPN's SportsCenter on Tuesday to talk about his win over Lyoto Machida and his ranking in the sport.
Posted in: jone, espn, sportscenter, lyoto machida, visit
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyReaction From the Action: “UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida”
History is defined as “the branch of knowledge dealing with past events.” History is easy to identify since it is, ya know, everything that has already happened.But when it comes to witnessing history being made, that is much more difficult to identify. In terms of MMA and the UFC, names such as Fedor Emelianenko, Randy Couture, and Royce Gracie are mentioned regarding the history of the sport. But the current crop of fighters is the best this sport has ever seen. Current fighters like Jon Fitch, Kenny Florian, and Gray Maynard, who have never held a title, would have dominated the sport even as recently as ten years ago.But fighters that rise above this current crop, those are the truly elite, and ones that deserve to be mentioned amongst the greatest ever, even if it may be early in a fighter’s career. That can be argued to be the case for Jon Jones, even just sixteen fights into his career.The most fascinating aspect of history is that it is universal. It relates to any topic or subject.If a scientific breakthrough is made, it is historical. If a mathematical formula is created, it is historical.And much like that, if a fighter has a breakthrough like Jon Jones has had in 2011, it is historical.Jones fought four times in 2011, defeating four top opponents, including three former UFC Light Heavyweight Champions. He defeated Ryan Bader in February, then defeated Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua at UFC 128 in March to win the title. He then went on to dismantle Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson in September, and then this past Saturday night, he defeated Lyoto Machida at UFC 140.That is an incredibly impressive year, one that can be called arguably the greatest in MMA history.What does Jones’ 2011 compare to?For starters, his former opponent, ‘Shogun Rua’, had a spectacular 2005. Rua defeated ‘Rampage’ Jackson, ‘Little Nog’, Alistair Overeem, and Ricardo Arona that year. With that came being named the PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Champion.Then there is ‘Rampage’ Jackson’s 2007, in which he defeated Marvin Eastman, Chuck Liddell, and Dan Henderson.There are few instances in which a fighter had two impressive wins during the year, including Georges St. Pierre defeating both BJ Penn and Matt Hughes in 2006, Lyoto Machida defeating Rashad Evans and ‘Shogun’ Rua in 2009, and Randy Couture defeating both Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz in 2003. Even Fedor’s greatest year was not as amazing in comparison. In 2004 he defeated Mark Coleman, Kevin Randleman, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.When putting all of those resumes together, Jones very well might have put together the greatest year in MMA history. And he’s just 24 years old. Not only is that hard to believe, but it makes me feel old.On Saturday night, Jones looked to be patient in the first round, attempting to figure out the puzzle that is Lyoto Machida. Both try to use distance as their method in attacking their opponent. Machida’s best attacks on the night were actually when he attempted to split that distance, choosing to attack first. But that came to an end midway through the second, as he found his back on the mat. It was quickly over after that, as his forehead became a bunker for the 18th hole at The Masters.Now Jones can look back at his 2011 as he will get to enjoy a much deserved vacation. But with how easy he made it look inside the cage this year, he very well may relax less on vacation than he did while fighting this year.Biggest winner: Frank Mir Much like Jones’ victory possibly cemented one of the greatest years in MMA history, Mir’s submission win over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira possibly cemented Mir as the greatest submission artist in heavyweight history. Mir was the first person to ever knock out the Brazilian legend, and he is now the first person to submit him as well. This was Mir’s ninth victory by submission, but just his second in nearly four years. Perhaps not coincidentally, all nine of Mir’s submissions have occurred in the first round.With three straight victories, Mir is not far off from a title shot.Biggest loser: Mark Hominick Unfortunately for Hominick, it took me longer to write this sentence than his fight with Chan Sung Jung. Knocked out in seven seconds, Hominick certainly did not expect that to be his return to his hometown of Toronto. The last time we saw Hominick, he was making Christian Slater jealous over the size of his forehead. This time around, Hominick didn’t even have time to yell out Christian’s name before he was knocked down.While Hominick most certainly dealt with the emotions of returning to the cage for the first time since the death of his trainer Shawn Tompkins, Hominick is far too disciplined to make a mistake of that magnitude, especially that early.Biggest question: Was Joe Rogan correct in welcoming us to the ‘Machida Era’? Joe Rogan was of course speaking positively about Machida, as he dubbed it the ‘Machida Era’ after he defeated Rashad Evans for the light heavyweight title at UFC 98 in May 2009. But since then, Machida is 2-3, with both one win and one loss considered a toss-up. His victory over ‘Shogun’ Rua at UFC 104 and loss to ‘Rampage’ Jackson at UFC 123 were both very close, but in the two other losses, Machida was put away rather easily. His only true win was over a 47-year old Randy Couture, who went into the fight knowing it would be his last.Now yes, Machida is fighting elite competition, but much like the ‘era’ that Rogan proclaimed, there was also an aura over Machida. That no longer seems to be there.Perhaps that ‘era’ is Machida easily being able to confuse mostly inferior opponents, but struggling with the division’s elite.Future matchups:Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Now, this is only if Evans defeats Davis at UFC on FOX in March. I am not a big fan of the Evans/ Davis matchup since the two are at such different stages of their careers. Regardless, it does set up what occurs in the division in 2012. If Evans loses to Davis, then Dan Henderson would likely get the shot. For the sake of the hype of the fight, considering Jones and Evans’ history, the hope is that this is the fight to take place in summer 2012.Frank Mir vs. Cain Velasquez Mir mentioned he would be ready to step in for Alistair Overeem if he ended up being unable to fight at UFC 141 against Brock Lesnar in three weeks. But that seems to no longer be an issue, so Mir can enjoy his holiday break. Another person on a break is another former champion in Cain Velasquez. Undoubtedly still a top heavyweight, the pair can headline a pay-per-view card to decide who could possibly be fighting for the title in late 2012.Antonio Rogerio Nogueria vs. Rich Franklin The two were supposed to square off at UFC 133, but Nogueira pulled out of the fight. Franklin is currently recovering from shoulder surgery, but should be able to fight in late spring to summer of next year. With Little Nog’s brother nursing his injury, he will likely take some time off before returning to the cage.Chan Sung Jung vs. Manny Gamburyan/Diego Nunes winner The Korean Zombie does it big in the UFC. In March, he pulled off the first Twister submission in the organization’s history. Then on Saturday he tied the record for fastest knockout in history. Now he has his sights set on possibly making a title run in 2012. The division does not have much depth, but Gamburyan and Nunes both bring a big arsenal that would certainly test Sung Jung.Lyoto Machida vs. Alexander Gustafsson/Vladimir Matyushenko winner Quite simply, Machida just needs to get his confidence back. Even after the win over Randy Couture, a quick dismantling of the legend could not have done too much to help Machida recover from his recent slide. Jones did nothing but damage that confidence even more. In Matyushenko or Gustafsson, Machida can still be tested against a name opponent, but he should be able to return to the win column.
Posted in: ufc, jone, year, history, machida
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC CENTRAL: Post-Toronto
Looking back at UFC 140 in Toronto, where Jon (Bones) Jones was dominant again in his title defence.
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, toronto, defence
Read the full article at sportsnet.caThe Forward Roll: UFC 140 Edition
Filed under: UFCJon Jones is the most dominant force in MMA today. Yes, more dominant than Anderson Silva or Georges St-Pierre. That became strikingly obvious at UFC 140, when Jones choked Lyoto Machida unconscious in under two rounds.
Jones has absolutely crushed each of his last six opponents, finished every one of them. The last three of them were former UFC champions, a feat unprecedented.
His win over Machida wasn't the most lopsided of his recent run, but that actually made it more valuable as an assessment tool for those of us in the analysis business. Though he was never in any real trouble against Machida in the first round, it was clear he was a bit confused about the proper approach. Meanwhile, Machida was masterfully timing his attacks off counters and clearly felt comfortable with closing the distance between them.
This was the same Machida we had seen in his best days, when he was knocking out Rashad Evans and Thiago Silva, and there was nothing to suggest that Jones could suddenly figure things out between rounds after two months of preparation had left him looking a bit lost.
But whatever advantage Machida had was completely erased between rounds.
Jones made a few slight adjustments, re-took the center of the cage and suddenly seemed to understand everything that was in front of him. Machida landed nothing of any consequence in the round, and Jones drilled him once, cut him open with a slicing elbow, dropped him with a left hand, and finally finished him with a standing guillotine.
Among UFC champs, Jones has the longest streak of consecutive finishes, one that even heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos can't match. Because of it, he's the most dominant force in MMA, at least for now.
On to playing fantasy matchmaker...
Jon Jones
"Bones" will get a well-deserved vacation after four lengthy camps in 2011. Meanwhile, the UFC will wait to see how January's Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis fight plays out. If Evans wins and comes out unscathed, the UFC will sync him up with Jones for a long-awaited fight that is guaranteed to do big business.
Prediction: Jones vs. Evans, with Memorial Day weekend of 2012 as the target date
Lyoto Machida
Machida is likely still wondering what went wrong after a strong opening round against Jones, but he's hardly the only one who's ever been left scratching his head at how it had all gone awry so quickly. Upon losing, Machida is in a similar position from the one he had before being paired with Jones, with the prospect of waiting since no obvious pairing for him exists right now. He's faced a lot of the big names, already, and several of the other possibilities are locked into other fights.
Prediction: He faces Forrest Griffin
Frank Mir
For a second there, it seemed like Mir was going to be thrust into a replacement role against Brock Lesnar on short notice, but as long as Alistair Overeem passes his pre-fight drug screenings, he won't be needed. It's just as well. Mir would need more time to prep for Lesnar's wrestling style, particularly when the fight would carry with it such major implications. If Cain Velasquez was ready to fight again soon, a Mir-Velasquez fight might make some sense, but he might need some more time off. And since the winner of Lesnar-Overeem will be moved into a title match with champ Junior dos Santos, options are limited.
Prediction: Mir faces the loser of the Lesnar-Overeem fight
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
"Big Nog" is a proud man, but you have to wonder if pride is worth a broken bone and time spent on the sidelines when you're 35 years old and in the twilight of your career. It's easy for me to second-guess Nogueira here, so perhaps he thought he had one last escape attempt in him just before his arm cracked. That said, he apparently lucked out as the doctor he recently saw advised him against surgery, saying it would heal on its own in around five months. Still, add in time for a training camp and you're looking at a minimum of an 8-9 month layoff for him.
Prediction: Given the length of time away, it's impossible to predict an opponent, but someone like Matt Mitrione or Roy Nelson might be a possibility.
Tito Ortiz
Tito Ortiz did a very smart thing before his fight with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. He said he planned to retire in May 2002, 15 years from his first pro fight. That essentially meant that win or lose, he'd probably only fight once more after the Little Nog bout, which he lost by first-round TKO. It was smart because he basically publicly promised Dana White that they wouldn't have to continue the very public debate about his possible retirement. In essence, White wouldn't have to draw the line and be the bad guy since Ortiz drew it himself. That doesn't change the fact that he's 1-6-1 in his last eight fights, but it's probably enough to get him one last fight before calling it quits.
Prediction: I won't even guess the opponent, but the UFC gives him a winnable style matchup against a mid-level opponent.
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
A couple weeks ago, after Mauricio "Shogun" Rua lost his fight with Dan Henderson, I predicted he would next fight Thiago Silva, but I completely whiffed on the possibility that he could line up a rematch of his 2005 bout with Little Nog, a bout which was one of the best bouts of that year. With both coming off wins, it's now or never.
Prediction: He faces Rua
Chan Sung Jung
The "Korean Zombie" is the UFC's Mr. Excitement, win or lose, creating amazing moments. The latest was his record-tying, seven-second knockout of Mark Hominick, a former No. 1 contender Jung isn't quite ready for the title picture yet, but he's starting to creep into the conversation.
Prediction: He faces Ricardo Lamas
Igor Pokrajac
Pokrajac looked good against the durable Krzysztof Soszynski, needing just 35 seconds to finish him in a KO. The win made him 3-1 in his last four, so let's match the hard-hitting Croatian up with another striker and see what kind of magic they make.
Prediction: He faces Brandon Vera< Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, prediction, machida
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseNo sure bet: Who has the best odds to defeat UFC champion Jon Jones?
Ryan Bader, Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida ... who's next?
It is hard to believe (or imagine) a 24-year-old having such an illustrious career so fast. However, Jon Jones is doing something that none of us can believe, or at the very least, doing it the way he has so brilliantly.
Four top 10 light heavyweights, one The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) winner, three former world champions: Jones has finished them with only having one round raising any eyebrows. The only comparable meteoric rise to fame is that of what Russian heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko was able to do in Pride FC.
Who would you bet on in a fight with UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones?
Follow me after the jump as we explore all the possibilities:
There is little to no money to be made on "Bones" when you visit your local bookie or online -- he's emerged as the consummate heavy favorite. He has run through his division and opponents like a hot knife into butter.
On the flip side of that coin, perhaps there is a Matt Serra-like underdog waiting in the wings to land one big shot and turn the mixed martial arts (MMA) world upside-down.
As it stands today, the 205-pound division has three viable challengers; however, only two of them can secure a title fight in 2012. Dan Henderson, Rashad Evans and Phil Davis are all in the direct sight lines of the Greg Jackson-trained pupil and seemingly unbeatable champion.
None of them have the same elusive and unpredictable striking as Lyoto Machida, who at UFC 140 got the better of an impressive exchange over Jones, clipping the long-limbed champion with a solid punch when he threw a leg kick. In fact, it was perhaps the first time we've ever seen Jones in a position of danger inside the Octagon.
Can any of these three contenders replicate that striking?
UFC on Fox 2 is headlined by former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans taking on Phil Davis. It's an interesting match up as UFC president Dana White said that the winner would likely emerge as the next division contender tasked with dethroning Jones.
Several days later, White slightly backed off that position, saying that if Davis won, he probably would not earn a title shot. He's likely too green and his striking still to unrefined, even though his wrestling, which can set up submissions like the one secured over Tim Boetsch, can take him very far, very fast.
Evans, meanwhile, is a viewed as a small light heavyweight, standing only at 5'11" and doesn't cut drastic weight to make the 205-pound division limit. His reach is 75," which is on par with many other fighters at his weight class, but is still much shorter than Jones' 84" reach.
Having said all of that, Evans and Davis both posses some of the best wrestling in the sport as they both can wrestle their ways to unanimous decisions in most fights if required. And the upcoming fight between them will come down to who can impose their will to get to their strong hold.
Davis is a very good submission practitioner who trains under Llyod Irvin. He holds notable submissions over Alexander Gustafsson (UFC 112) and Tim Boetsch (UFC 123). If Davis can get Evans down and secure top position, then he could win this one fast. His long limbs and four each reach advantage will allow him to grabs limbs and twist them.
Evans will look to use his wrestling to keep the fight standing, possessing the power and striking advantage. Evans has been criticized for his chin even though he has only been knocked out once by Lyoto Machida (UFC 98), he has been buzzed in other fights. Evans holds notable stoppages over Jason Lambert (UFC 63), Sean Salmon (UFC Fight Night: 'Evans vs. Salmon'), Chuck Liddell (UFC 88), Forrest Griffin (UFC 92) and Tito Ortiz (UFC 133).
Both have faced fighters who create interesting insight into possible match ups with champion Jon Jones should they win ... and only one of them can.
In the case of Davis his, tilt with Gustafsson gives us an insight how he can elude a far better better striker with his wrestling. Gustaffson made the unlucky draw of getting Davis is his UFC debut at UFC 112. He had not faced anyone with the wrestling pedigree of the Penn State University (PSU) alum.
Davis wrestled Gustaffson with ease and secure a submission win. Gustafsson has some of the best striking in the light heavyweight division and since his loss to Davis, has gone undefeated (4-0) and holds a technical knockout win over Matt Hamill, another dominant wrestler who recently retired. "Wonderful" was able to impose his will without getting clipped and beat up on the feet.
His striking may not lead to highlight reel knockouts yet, but it sure has given him enough to use his wrestling to do what he wants, which is make dudes tap.
In the case of Evans, his best example may be his fights with Chuck Liddell and Brad Imes. Yes, Brad Imes at heavyweight. When "Suga" began in the UFC he fought at heavyweight on the second season of "The Ultimate Fighter," making it to the finals and facing the biggest man from Jefferson City, Missouri.
Imes, a former professional football player, was 6'7" and weighed more than 250 pounds. He was never a stud in the Octagon, but the "Hillbilly Hearthrob" could hit like a Mack truck. And at the finals he did just that.
Evans survived the massive size and reach advantage of Imes and fought a three round back-and-forth battle of attrition. He lit up Imes, with his superior boxing skill getting him past the reach advantage. His wrestling wasn't hugely affective, but it was more than enough to win a close split decision. We also learned that Evans competed tiny at heavyweight and could eat a punch from an actual giant man.
In another example, Evans took on former UFC light heavyweight weight champion Chuck Liddell, who was coming off his first loss in years when Quinton Jackson knocked him out cold at UFC 71. Evans was taking on his first huge challenge, which he passed with flying colors.
Evans would go on to knockout Liddell, who was the first elite striker he had faced to that point, in brutal fashion. Liddell may be predictable, but regardless, he can knockout anyone and put him down for the count with one punch. His takedown defense is one of the best ever and his use of his range is much like "Bones."
So, who would put my money on?
I'd place money on Evans because his range of arsenal is deeper then Davis' and his wrestling is top notch. Davis may be the better of the two at grappling while on the attack, but Evans has always used his to get up to his feet. These two only have one distinct difference and that's striking, which clearly favors Evans.
In short, my wallet and the cash within it would be put toward Evans if he can knockout or smash Davis for all five rounds. I think he is smart enough and holds the distinct advantage of having trained with Jones. He knows how his striking is used and how to carry his weight, too.
Now we have the wild card, Dan Henderson, who seems to have no apparent foe before him nor a reason he can't be the number one contender. His performance against Mauricio Rua at UFC 139 was phenomenal, and except for a debatable 10-8 in the final stanza, he delivered the performance for the ages.
Are we going to wait for "Shogun" to repair himself and get a rematch that many don't seem all too interested in?Jones may have had the best 2011, but Hendo's year wasn't too shabby, either, which included a Strikeforce light heavyweight title win over Rafael Cavalcante, a knockout of Fedor Emelianenko and a five round war with the aforementioned Brazilian.
Henderson has two things every bar patron wishes they had: An iron chin and a iron right hand to boot. Henderson is 7-1 in his past eight and his lone loss was at middleweight against a natural welterweight, Jake Shields. He doesn't leverage his Olympic-level wresting, but he does use his clinch game to look for trips and avoid going to the ground. He has wins over some of the best strikers (Mauricio Rua, Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort, among others) and some of the best best grapplers (Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Renato Sobral and Rousimar Palhares).
Henderson is 1-1 against competition considered to be the best in Emelianenko and Anderson Silva. "Hendo" lost a UFC-Pride FC middleweight title unification bout against Silva at UFC 82. Henderson in many eyes won the first round against "The Spider," but seemed gassed in round two, which led to the Silva's rear naked choke victory.
"Dangerous" Dan has never looked that great at middlweight and has always looked his best when he took heavyweights or competed at 205 pounds. At Strikeforce: "Fedor vs. Hendo" Henderson would become the first man to knockout Emeilanenko. Fedor swarmed in and put the pressure on Henderson who was able to get back to his feet and drop the Russian with a short uppercut.
The most comparable fighter to Jon Jones that Henderson has fought is Silva. Silva has unpredictable striking and long limbs that can create crazy power with little set up. As stated, Henderson isn't great at middleweight as he gassed hard in round two at UFC 82. The biggest difference between Silva and Jones is the wrestling, but Henderson does have some of the best takedown defense since Liddell's heyday.
If Henderson and Jones was announced today (or soon), I'd be okay betting Henderson and actually pretty confident that it be much closer than some others would believe. I think they match up pretty close and Henderson's knockout power is just too crazy even with that reach in favor of Jones.
I must say this though, even if i were to bet against Jon Jones it be a very small amount. He had what many will consider the best year in MMA history. Jones won't replicate his 2011 simply because of having cleared all possible contenders. And even though Machida just woke up about five minutes ago, his first round has people thinking he'd win a rematch.
If that's the closest we see anyone take out Jones, 24, then get a nice seat and enjoy the show because he could be here doing his thing for the next decade years or so. It's going to be hard to stop him and the odds will be stacked against whoever the promotion locks inside a cage with him.
In fact, it may not even matter.
Check out the full recap of the event that was UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" right here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, evan, davi
Read the full article at MMA ManiaBrydon on UFC's Jones: Youth is served
Jon Jones joined a group of dominant 24-year-olds in sports in 2011, and his year may have actually topped theirs.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, sport, brydon, group
Read the full article at sportsnet.caDana White sees Jon Jones as #2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world
Sorry Georges St. Pierre fans, but there’s a new #2, at least in the eyes of a certain high-ranking executive.
According to UFC President Dana White, due to a 4-0 record in the past year, including three wins over former UFC light heavyweight title-holders, Jon Jones now sits behind Anderson Silva in the pound-for-pound rankings.
Jones, who stopped Lyoto Machida this past weekend to successfully defend his UFC light heavyweight title for a second time, has defeated Ryan Bader, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson this year.
Silva, meanwhile, holds wins over Vitor Belfort and Yushin Okami in the past few months, and is currently rehabbing a shoulder injury.
“Number two. I mean, I don’t know how you deny the guy anymore, he’s literally walking through everybody,” said White, in an interview with MMAWeekly following UFC 140. “He’s fought four times this year, probably the nastiest schedule in the history of the company. He’s incredible, man. He’s just walkin’ though serious, serious guys. And bustin’ ‘em up bad. Stopping them, finishing them, you don’t see somebody come in and wreck people like this guy.”
That means, in the eyes of White, Jones has leaped UFC lightweight champ Frankie Edgar and UFC welterweight champ GSP with his recent victories.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, lyoto machida, wreck people, year silva
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainDana White Declares Jon Jones Is The #2 Pound-For-Pound Fighter In MMA
Anderson Silva may still have a stranglehold on the top spot of Dana White’s personal pound-for-pound list, but Jon Jones is quickly closing the gap.
Following Jones’ dramatic finish of former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, Dana didn’t hesitate to declare Jones as the number two pound-for-pound fighter in MMA when asked about it in a post-fight scrum. Transcription via MMA Mania:
“Number two. I mean, I don’t know how you deny the guy anymore, he’s literally walked through everybody. He’s fought four times this year, probably the nastiest schedule in the history of the company. He’s incredible, man. He’s just walkin’ through serious, serious guys. And bustin’ ‘em up bad. Stopping them, finishing them, you don’t see somebody come in and wreck people like this guy.”
It’s hard to argue with him. Georges St. Pierre has long occupied the second spot on many people’s lists, but he hasn’t fought in nearly eight months and won’t for at least another 10. Moreover, GSP hasn’t finished anyone since Matt Serra at UFC 83 unless you count BJ Penn’s corner throwing in the towel at UFC 94. He’s been dominant, sure, but not spectacular like Jones who hasn’t had a fight go to a decision since he fought Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94.
Just because Silva and Jones now sit at the top of Dana’s P4P list though, don’t expect him to start teasing a Silva vs. Jones super fight like he often did with Silva and St. Pierre. In fact, he’s still saying pretty much the exact opposite.
“I don’t see that fight happening anytime soon,” White said at this weekend’s UFC 140 post-event press conference at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre.
“I just think Jon Jones is young,” White said. “He’s 24 years old. He’s just getting out there and fighting all the best in the light heavyweight division.
“What people have to realize, too, is Anderson Silva is 37 years old. They’re in two different weightclasses.”
Unfortunately, we’ll probably never see it given Silva’s age. It’s a shame given that Silva and Jones are two of the most unique fighters in the sport, yet in some respects, they are more similar to each other than anyone else in MMA. I’ll concede it’s too soon for it to be seriously considered, but I’d still love to see it and I’m sure I’m not alone.
Image via Esther Lin for MMA Fighting
Posted in: ufc, mma, jone, jon jones, silva
Read the full article at MMA ConvertThe Scorecard – UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
The Scorecard hits the highs and lows of the latest big event offering in MMA. Points are assigned completely at random but stay between ten and negative ten because I hate math.
Fans in Toronto aren’t used to seeing winners. The Maple Leafs haven’t made the playoffs since 2004, the Raptors since 2008, and the Blue Jays since 1993. So it had to be a little shocking to fans in T.O. to witness what they witnessed this past Saturday night. They saw, not only one of the best UFC events of the year, but a couple of moments that won’t be forgotten in the fight world anytime soon. At least for one night, it was good to be a sports fan living in Toronto.
Lets go to the UFC 140 Scorecard:
*I’m a fan of John Cholish because he’s a fan of Gossip Girl. PLUS ONE
*Anyone that comes out to “Highway to the Danger Zone” from Top Gun is pretty cool in my book. Kudos to you Mitch Clarke. PLUS ONE
*It didn’t seem like Cholish threw a lot in the fight, but every time he threw he seemed to connect. Good accuracy. PLUS THREE
*An excellent scramble by Cholish prior to the finishing sequence. He went for a couple of submissions before taking the back, flattening out Clarke, and getting the stoppage. PLUS FOUR
*Props to Jake Hecht for not only coming out to “Won’t Back Down” by Eminem but also mouthing the lyrics on his way to the cage. I bet Tito was pissed someone else used an Eminem song on this card. PLUS TWO
*And Rich Attonito decided to mouth his walk out song, “Long Tall Sally” from Predator, as well. Seems to be a great night for walk-out music. PLUS ONE
*Some sick and powerful elbows by Hecht. I thought they might have been to the back of the head at first, but they were just extremely well placed. Big win for Hecht over a guy like Attontio, who is a solid hand. PLUS THREE
*Mark Bocek looks like Gray Maynard and he fought like him as well. Not an impressive performance from “the best grappler in the lightweight division.” MINUS THREE
*Somehow this fight will be changed to a draw so Nik Lentz remains undefeated in the UFC. MINUS ONE
*Everyone wrongfully says that Greg Jackson turns fighters boring but I think we should start pointing fingers at Firas Zahabi. MINUS TWO
*Three fights in and still no Brittney Palmer walking the cage? Shame on you UFC production staff. MINUS TWO
*Ah, maybe they were just saving Brittney for TV. Good job UFC production staff. PLUS TWO
*Wait, Mike Goldberg called Brittney “beautiful.” He only knows two adjectives but has to describe three ladies. SOMEONE HELP THIS MAN! MINUS THREE
*Very good first round of action between Yves Jabouin and Walel Watson. Pretty much expected considering both men are quick and creative strikers. PLUS THREE
*See what I mean? Goldberg called Arianny Celeste “beautiful” as well. Seriously, someone get him a thesaurus for Christmas. MINUS THREE
*Although the rest of the fight wasn’t as good as the first round, Yves Jabouin vs. Walel Watson was fun and competitive. Good job by both guys. PLUS THREE
*Of course the judges find a way to screw things up and give it to Jabouin via staying on the outside and nearly getting choked out twice. MINUS FOUR
*Nice job by Jabouin trying to throw his hat into the crowd only for it to hit the cage. MINUS TWO
*As always with guys who miss weight, I’m docking one point for every pound over the maximum limit. Since Dennis Hallman was 2.5 over, I’m just going to round up. MINUS THREE
*Come on John Makdessi, you can’t be grabbing the fence like that. MINUS FOUR
*Well now we know why Makdessi was grabbing the cage. He couldn’t do a thing with Dennis Hallman on top of him. MINUS FOUR
*Even though he missed weight, that was a dominant performance by Hallman. Credit to him for making short work of Makdessi. PLUS FOUR
*I don’t know about Hallman staying at lightweight, but at least he recognized that his victory is a bit hollow because he missed weight. PLUS TWO
*Movember might be over but don’t tell that to Jared Hamman. That was a manly mustache he was sporting. PLUS ONE
*You know what sucks about so many fights being on ION besides the fact that they’re not in HD? They don’t show the fight walk outs, which really limits my analysis in these columns. MINUS THREE
*Hamman might be able to take a punch, but being known for an outstanding chin and heart just means you get hit way too much. MINUS TWO
*Excellent performance and finish by Constantinos Philippou. He didn’t blow himself up trying to finish on the ground. He stayed patient, let Hamman up, and kept putting it down. PLUS FOUR
*Extra points to Philippou for his power and instincts. PLUS THREE
*Joe Rogan said, “Jones is easily the most dominant champion in the UFC next to Anderson Silva.” Jones has defended his title once and did Rogan just forget about Georges St. Pierre? MINUS FOUR
*And Goldberg makes me throw up by saying that Jones can become the Michael Jordan of MMA. MINUS SEVEN
*Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Igor Pokrajac was fun while it lasted, but it didn’t last long. PLUS FOUR
*That was some scary stuff by Pokrajac. He landed one shot that rocked Soszynski and then swarmed on him until he was out. PLUS FIVE
*Bad stoppage by Yves Lavigne though, who let it go on a bit too long. MINUS TWO
*How could they not interview Pokrajac after that performance? If it was just to get Bocek vs. Lentz on TV then that’s a complete joke. Any fighter who finishes a fight should be interviewed, especially a fighter who finishes a fight in 35 seconds. MINUS FIVE
*YELL AT ME JOE AND DANA! PLUS THREE
*Dana White says, “Tito wants to go out with a win. If he wins, he’ll probably fight again.” That doesn’t make sense Dana. MINUS TWO
*Of course Chan Sung Jung comes out to “Zombie” by Cranberries. PLUS TWO
*Even though “Coming Home” by Diddy is over-used, at least it makes sense when Mark Hominick uses it in Toronto. Also, it should prevent Jones from using it in the main event. PLUS THREE
*Wow, who the hell saw that coming? A seven second KO by Jung. PLUS SEVEN
*Extra points to Jung for that finish. Great job slipping, countering, and swarming on Hominick. Just incredible. PLUS FIVE
*Even more points to Jung for tying the official record for fastest UFC KO. PLUS SEVEN
*Any man that comes out to Garth Brooks is a great man. You’re a great man Brian Ebersole. PLUS THREE
*I have to take away point from Ebersole for shaving “Tapout” into his chest though. That was just wrong. MINUS TWO
*That said, props to the man for finding a new way to get paid. PLUS ONE
*Ever since Jason High used “All of the Lights” as his walk out song, it became very overused. Still a good song though, so I can’t hate on Claude Patrick. PLUS ONE
*Good on Rogan for giving Duane Ludwig his credit for the fastest KO. We all know he’s the true record holder. PLUS TWO
*The less said about Ebersole vs. Patrick, the better. It was a slow and lackluster fight. I thought the judges got it right, but I don’t think anyone really won that fight. MINUS FIVE
*Deducting more points because that fight put a halt to this card, which was moving along nicely. MINUS FOUR
*”The guillotine is a myth,” says Ebersole. Somewhere Chael Sonnen agrees. Somewhere Team Alpha Male disagrees. MINUS FOUR
*So UFC showed Dion Phanuef, but didn’t show his girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert? Lame. MINUS THREE
*I have a feeling that Antonio Rogerio Nogueira doesn’t listen to Redman and Method Man on the regular, but I enjoy the walk out music. PLUS THREE
*Obviously I’m not a fan of Tito Ortiz, but I always give him credit for coming out to an Eminem track. PLUS TWO
*I’m taking off points for Bruce Buffer actually calling Tito by his new nickname. MINUS FOUR
*Great start to Nogueira vs. Ortiz. Both guys came out swinging. PLUS THREE
*Great performance by “Lil Nog” He landed some brutal shots and it looked pretty clear that Tito wanted out of there after taking a barrage of body shots on the ground. PLUS FIVE
*Yes Joe, eye pokes are very common on the ground. That’s why Tito was wincing. MINUS THREE
*Extra points to Nogueira because he beat Tito, which always puts a smile on my face. PLUS THREE
*Not a fan of “Amazing” by Kanye West or Frank Mir still using it as his walk out song. MINUS TWO
*What a crazy fight between Antonio Rodrigio Nogueira and Mir. Mir was in trouble but somehow, not only survived, but submitted and broke the arm of Nogueira. Absoutely stunning finish. PLUS EIGHT
*Extra points to Mir for submitting Nogueira, which I thought was damn near impossible. PLUS TEN
*What a scary arm break for Nogueira. That one might be a career ender. EVEN
*Rogan gives Jones the edge in experience even though Machida has spent more time in the octagon and has more title fights. Can they please stop with these dumb segments? MINUS FOUR
*I still hate Lyoto Machida’s “Bleed It Out” mix. It’s probably the worst song mix in the UFC. MINUS THREE
*I stand corrected; Jon Jones might have the worst song mix in the UFC. MINUS FOUR
*Obligatory points for the obligatory Chuck Liddell mention. PLUS THREE
*Was Jones doing the moonwalk and dancing before the biggest fight of his life? That’s some confidence right there. PLUS TWO
*Great first round for Machida. He stayed patient, countered well, and picked his spots. Even though that I don’t really think he hurt Jones, he at least showed that he was going to make a fight of things. PLUS THREE
*Ok, Jones is a scary man. He easily took down Machida, who has above average takedown defense, cut him open, rocked him on the feet, and then choked him out with a standing guillotine. That’s a bad man right there. PLUS SEVEN
*Extra points to Jones, because seriously, that’s a bad man right there. PLUS SIX
*Goldberg said, “Jones survived the deep waters.” He lost the first round of a five round fight. Maybe Goldberg thought the fight was taking place in a kiddy pool. MINUS THREE
*I’m glad Rashad Evans wasn’t there to ruin Jones’ special night on Saturday. PLUS ONE
*Overall it’s pretty damn hard to be disappointed by UFC 140. All the big fights delivered, we got some brutal stoppages, and some memorable moments. PLUS TEN
Final Score: 49
For a more in-depth look at UFC 140, plus a preview of this weekend’s Strikeforce event, make sure to check out tomorrow’s Five Ounces of Podcast with Samer Kadi and myself.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, ’t, point
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 140 results: Lyoto Machida had a gameplan and Jon Jones was falling for it
Then he was just falling ... right on top of Machida with a violent elbow.
One that happened to split "The Dragon" in two and bring about the beginning of the end, which was unfortunate considering how well the opening round played out in their UFC 140 headliner last Saturday night (Dec. 10, 2011) at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
Machida explains to Tatame.com the "disturbing" moment that changed the outcome of their fight:
"We set a game plan that, from where I’m standing, until a certain moment, was working, but he landed that elbow and I got dizzy, I couldn’t see things straight anymore and it disturbed me because I couldn’t see. And on that moment I thought, 'I gotta do my best here and now.' I felt him lose a little on the first round, but I was focused on not making it a big deal, because each round was a different one and I had to win them all. I did my game and he was falling for it. He took me down, launching an elbow on me, and that surprised me a little, because I thought he would take me down but I would have a little time to think it straight. It was very fast and I had my head close to the fence, he hit me with an elbow, I couldn’t see and I tried to stand up and he hit me even more. I stood up and the judge interrupted, but we started fighting again and I didn’t have enough time to recover from that."
Following the conclusion of the first round, two cageside judges had it scored in favor of the champion; however, an argument can be made the challenger took the opening frame or at the very least, had it dead even.
From the MMAmania.com play-by-play:
Round one: Jones comes out crawling again then stands up traditional style. Leg kick from Jones. Side kick to the thigh from Jones. Spinning back kick from Jones misses. Leg kick from Machida. Hard leg kick from Jones. Good leg kick from Jones then he blocks a right from Machida. Kick to the thigh from Jones. Powerful leg kick from Jones and Machida counter with a right that barely misses. Jones is the faster man. Left from Machida lands. Good body kick and left from Machida. High kick from Jones misses. Good counter right from Machida. Machida again lands a stiff left that backs up Jones! Body kick from Machida he is finding holes now and he stunned Jones with that left. Good high kick from Jones glances the head of Machida. That is the bell and a close round but I think Machida landing the more significant blows in that round. 10-9 Machida.
While no one wants to break out the party hats every time a fighter (possibly) takes a close round on points, it's significant simply because we've yet to see anyone stay competitive against Jones since his unparalleled run through the UFC light heavyweight division.
Did Machida lay the foundation for breaking "Bones?" Or did he simply take advantage of a patient champion who made the necessary adjustments in the second stanza?
Re-watch their UFC 140" Jones vs. Machida" fight video highlights right here and let's hear what you think.
Posted in: jone, round, kick, leg kick, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaTrainer Jackson clarifies 'get some fans' comments following Jones' UFC 140 win
Just as Jon Jones was caught up in the moment following his submission win over Lyoto Machida, so too was trainer Greg Jackson when he told his fighter to "go check on Lyoto - get some fans."
"I shouldn't have spoken in that way, but that wasn't my intention," Jackson today told MMAjunkie.com. "It sounded bad, but moronic [expletive] comes out of my mouth sometimes."
The intention, he said, wasn't to be political but to remind Jones to conduct himself honorably inside the cage.
Posted in: jone, jackson, lyoto machida, moronic expletive, fans comments
Read the full article at MMA JunkieShowdown on UFC's Jones: Future is here
After his big win at UFC 140 in Toronto, Jon Jones is not only a dominant champion but he has the potential to be the greatest of all time.
Posted in: ufc, jone, toronto, champion, showdown
Read the full article at sportsnet.caLyoto Machida reflects on UFC 140 title-fight against Jon Jones
For the first five minutes of Saturday night’s UFC 140 light heavyweight title-fight between Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida, it seemed as if “The Dragon” had solved the puzzle that is “Bones.”
However, after receiving a powerful elbow to the head that left him cut open, Machida was choked out by Jones in the second round, dropping his record to 1-3 in his last four UFC bouts after opening his career up with sixteen straight wins.
Machida looked as if he had figured out how to avoid the long reach of Jones in the early stages, rocking the champion with a few kicks and punches of his own.
“The preparation was tougher in all aspects,” said Machida in an interview with Tatame. “We went there and tried to do our job. We set a game plan that, from where I’m standing, until a certain moment, was working. But, he landed that elbow and I got dizzy, I couldn’t see things straight anymore and it disturbed me because I couldn’t see.”
Machida seemed to be ahead on the scorecards in the eyes of many, but when the views of the fight judges were revealed later, Jones had won the opening round on two of the three cards, much to the surprise of Machida.
“There was a guy from the event who came to talk to me because he argued with the judges because they had scored the win for him, and he asked how could they do it, and they said that only on the replay they really saw it, so it was confusing,” Machida said. “But we never know how they evaluate it, if they have enough time to do it, so we gotta see their side too, but it’s an athlete’s life and career that is on line there.”
For now, Machida said he plans on continuing his training and awaiting word from the UFC who they would like to set him up against next.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, machida, ” machida
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainThe 'Is Jon Jones a douche?' post
Jon Jones is an amazing fighter but is he an amazing person? Maybe he is and maybe he isn't. The fact that he talks a noble game just seems to make us all the more eager to pierce it and see what kinda giant POS he is behind the facade. That's why this morning instead of being all 'OMG did you see Machida's dead eyes?' we're instead watching this video where Jon's coach Greg Jackson has to remind Jones to be a good sport and go check on Machida. Haters add this to other evidence such as the time Jones dumped Rampage on his face after the bell as proof Jon is a dickhead. I just call it proof that dickheads don't like Jon Jones.
Posted in: jon, jone, facade thats, time jones, dickheads dont
Read the full article at FightlinkerMachida: I couldn't recover from Jon Jones' elbow strike
Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida looked back at his performance at the main event of last weekend's UFC 140 in Toronto, Canada. Machida was submitted out cold by Jon Jones, who defened his UFC 205 belt for the second consecutive time. According to Machida, things went during the first moments of the fight, but the situation changed drastically when Jones landed an elbow strike that cut "The Dragon" towards the end of Round 2. From there, Machida admits it was only a matter
Posted in: ufc, jone, machida, elbow strike, machida things
Read the full article at Low KickFive Fights to Make After UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
What's next for Jon Jones, Frank Mir and the winners from UFC 140? Jeremy Botter takes our customary look at five fights to make coming out of the latest UFC event.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, jon jones, event
Read the full article at Heavy MMADana White: Jon Jones is #2 Pound-for-Pound behind Anderson Silva
UFC President Dana White shared the latest edition of his Pound-for-Pound rankings, placing Jon Jones on #2 behind Anderson "The Spider" Silva. White admitted that Jones' run in 2011 was "one of the nastiest in the UFC history" in combination with the competition he faced inside the Octagon. According to the White, at the age of twenty-four Jones is yet to reach his full potential, which could see him becoming the new Pound-for-Pound king for years to come.It's interesting to note that White's previous #2
Posted in: jone, jon jones, poundforpound, twentyfour jones, poundforpound rankings
Read the full article at Low KickDana White: Jon Jones is not the UFC's top-pound-for-pound fighter
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones handily disposed of Lyoto Machida in the headlining bout of the UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" pay-per-view event last Saturday night (Dec. 7, 2011) at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. His win over "The Dragon" pushed his record to 15-1 with seven straight finishes.
But 'round these parts, that's still just second-best.
"Number two. I mean, I don't know how you deny the guy anymore, he's literally walked through everybody. He's fought four times this year, probably the nastiest schedule in the history of the company. He's incredible, man. He's just walkin' through serious, serious guys. And bustin' 'em up bad. Stopping them, finishing them, you don't see somebody come in and wreck people like this guy."
Why is Jones number two? Because White, in this UFC 140 post-fight video with MMA Weekly, still has middleweight champion Anderson Silva at number one.
See for yourself.
Alright Maniacs, we know they'll probably never fight, but who wants to make a case for Jones being ahead of Silva in the pound-for-pound rankings?
For all the results and fallout from UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" click here.
Posted in: ufc, guy, jone, he, wreck people
Read the full article at MMA ManiaGreg Jackson Calls Comment to Jon Jones 'a Dumb Thing to Say'
Filed under: UFC, NewsAfter Jon Jones choked out Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, Jones's coach Greg Jackson stepped into the Octagon and urged Jones to check on Machida and see if he was OK. Jackson's comment was picked up by microphones and broadcast to fans watching on UFC.tv, and Jackson's phrasing was interpreted by some fans as an attempt to stage manage Jones and perhaps show a false concern for his fallen opponent.
But on Monday, Jackson said the whole thing was misunderstood.
After the fight, as Machida was on the ground getting medical attention, Jackson shouted to Jones, "Jon! Jon! Go check on him! Go check on Lyoto, get some fans!"
To MMA fans who think Jones comes across as a phony, that "get some fans" line was seen in a negative light, as though Jones and Jackson weren't really concerned about Machida, but Jackson thought it would be good PR for Jones to pretend to be concerned. But Jackson appeared on The MMA Hour on Monday and said he was kicking himself for the way he phrased his comment to Jones, because he hated the way it was interpreted.
"Fighters get into this place when they're fighting -- Jon choked him out but he was in this zone," Jackson said. "So I said to Jon, 'Go check on Machida and get yourself some fans,' which was a dumb thing to say. What I was trying to convey to him was, You're a profesional athlete and there's ring decorum, and I should have said 'Remember the fans' because everyone is watching what you do. I misspoke."
Jackson said he wasn't trying to suggest that Jones should only be concerned about Machida because that might make fans like him. He said he was pointing out that Jones is a role model and that fans would want to see how Jones reacted to choking Machida out.
"'Go check on him and the fans will appreciate it' was what I meant, but I'm a bonehead sometimes and it came out wrong, which wasn't my intention at all," Jackson said.
Jackson said he's disappointed that some fans are picking up his comment to Jones and beginning to believe that Jones's nice-guy image is an act that Jackson is trying to craft.
"I don't feel it's fair because it wasn't my intention," Jackson said. "I wasn't trying to manipulate Jon."
As for the fight itself, Jackson said he thought Machida's style, as a southpaw with an unusual counter-striking approach, gave Jones some trouble in the early going. But he said he was proud of the way Jones responded.
"Jon took some hard shots and really showed his jaw," Jackson said. "Machida's a true warrior, and what a smart guy. I was very impressed." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: jon, jone, jackson, fan, machida
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 140 Jones vs. Machida by the numbers and inside the box score
-Jon Jones has now beaten and finished three consecutive former UFC champions, a feat never accomplished before inside the UFC. -Excluding his DQ loss to Matt Hamill, Jones has stopped his last seven opponents in the UFC-Jones last went to decision in January 2009; a span of 35 months -The second round guillotine choke was the first time Lyoto Machida has been submitted in his career-After 16-0 start to begin his career, Machida has now lost three out of his last four bouts-Machida is 2-2 in UFC championship fights-Per FightMetric Jones went 16 for 26 (62% accuracy) on significant strikes in round two -Per Compustrike Machida out landed Jones 13 to 7 in total strikes in round one -Frank Mir became the first man to TKO Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 92. At UFC 140 Mir became the first man to submit Nogueira-Mir is 3-0 in his career versus former Pride FC heavyweights-Mir is 4-1 in his last five fights-With eight career submission wins in the Octagon Mir holds the record for most subs by a UFC heavyweight- Nogueira is 4-3 in the UFC-In his career Nogueira is 5-4 versus ex UFC heavyweight champions-Prior to December 2008 Nogueira had never been stopped in his pro career. Nogueira's last three losses have all come via submission or (T) KO. -Per Compustrike Nogueira out landed Mir 31-4 in total strikes before he was submitted-Betting favorites went 4-1 on the UFC 140 pay per view card. The biggest upset of the night was +300 underdog Chan Sung Jung's first round KO win. -On the undercard betting underdogs went a surprising 4-3. Constantinos Philippou paid out at +215. -The UFC returned to Toronto, Canada for the first time since April 2011 when UFC 129 was held at the Rogers Centre. UFC 140 was booked for the Air Canada Centre, home to the NBA's Toronto Raptors. With a max capacity of 19,800 for basketball games and concerts, UFC 140 managed a 18,303 in attendance for a live gate of $3.9 million.
Posted in: ufc, jone, round, nogueira, career
Read the full article at UltMMAUFC 140 results: Jon Jones vs Lyoto Machida full fight video highlights from Saturday night in Toronto
In case you missed it, Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida fight video full highlights from UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" on Saturday night (Dec. 10, 2011) from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. "The Dragon" had a strong showing in the opening frame, but came into the second round against a re-adjusted "Bones," who tore open the Brazilian's head with a horrific elbow from the top before slaying him for good with a standing guillotine choke. Jones finished his 2011 fight campaign with a 4-0 record that included wins over Ryan Bader, Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson and now Machida. Next up on the light heavyweight docket? The winner of Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis, who compete next month a UFC on FOX 2, or possibly Dan Henderson, who inserted himself into the 205-pound title chase with a win over Mauricio Rua last month in San Jose. Either of those candidates have a chance at stopping the champion? For a complete recap of "Jones vs. Machida" click here and for complete UFC 140 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.
Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira fight video full highlights after the jump.
Frank Mir vs. Cain Velasquez? Click here for more.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 Results: Dana White Calls Jon Jones Number Two Pound-For-Pound
In the UFC 140 post-event discussions, we've had several people talk about Jon Jones' status as an elite fighter. Yesterday, I claimed that Jones is the best fighter on Earth. It seems that Dana White isn't willing to go quite that far, but he is willing to put Jones at number two.
Check out the video:
From the video:
"Number two...I mean, I don't know how you deny the guy anymore. He's literally walked through everybody. He fought four times this year, probably the nastiest schedule in the history of the company. He's incredible, man. The guy is, I hate to talk too much about it...like nobody's gonna hear this (laughs)...because he's so young, you don't wanna put that kind of stuff in a guy's head who is that young but he's walking through serious, serious guys and bustin' 'em up bad."
Of course, it's worth noting that White recently put Frankie Edgar at number two behind Anderson Silva. So it would appear that Dana White's rankings go: 1. Silva, 2. Jones, 3. Edgar. I'm curious if he would consider Cruz and/or Aldo to be ahead of Georges St. Pierre as well.
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: guy, jone, number, frankie edgar, he
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 results recap: Jones vs Machida fight event wrap up from Toronto
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was back on pay-per-view this past Saturday night (Dec. 10, 2011) with UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida," featuring Jon Jones etching his name right alongside Anderson Silva in the pound-for-pound discussion after choking out Lyoto Machida in the second round of their light heavyweight championship bout.
Frank Mir made a statement, namely that he'll break the sh*t out of your arm if you refuse to tap when he has you in a deep kimura, by submitting Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in their co-main event rematch.
And that's not even mentioning Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, who sent Tito Ortiz to the hospital with a knee to the guts that knocked the wind out of Jenna Jameson.
In cased you missed any or all of it -- or just want to keep the discussion alive -- below are links to all the major storylines borne from Saturday night's event in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
In we go.
UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida"
Results and live fight coverage
Recap and discussion
Post-fight press conference video
Bonuses and awards
Event photos gallery
Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida fight video highlights
Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira fight video highlights
Facebook "Prelims" results and recap
Ion "Prelims" results and recap
Fight recap: Chan Sung Jung knocks out Mark Hominick in seven seconds
Fight recap: Brian Ebersole escapes with split decision over Claude Patrick
Fight recap: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira pounds out Tito Ortiz
Fight recap: Frank Mir breaks Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's arm in submission win
Fight recap: Jon Jones puts Lyoto Machida to sleep to retain light heavyweight title
Fight review and analysis: Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung
Fight review and analysis: Brian Ebersole vs. Claude Patrick
Fight review and analysis: Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Fight review and analysis: Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Fight review and analysis: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
UFC 140 post-fight fallout
Big winners and lowly losers
What it was like watching "Jones vs. Machida" on Xbox Live
What's next for Jon Jones and Frank Mir?
Jon Jones might be the best fighter on the planet
Jon Jones has the potential to be the best MMA fighter ever
Jon Jones next fight isn't near but he's willing to be the company man
Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva? Don't count on it ... ever.
Greg Jackson tells Jon Jones to check on Lyoto Machida after choking him out to "get some fans"
Dan Henderson asks Dana White to let him test Jon Jones' chin
Frank Mir breaks Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's arm and revels in the trauma
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is all smiles on the plane ride to get his broken arm fixed
The Gracies break down how Frank Mir broke Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's arm
A super awesome pic of Frank Mir breaking Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's arm
A super nasty looking pic of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira staring at his now mangled arm
Frank Mir is digging the idea of a fight against Cain Velasquez
Tito Ortiz wants one more fight after losing to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Pic: Brian Ebersole shaves "Tapout" into his chest hair
Mark Hominick explains how he was knocked out in just seven seconds by Chan Sung Jung
Dennis Hallman won his fight but he shouldn't have even stepped inside the cage
Brittney Palmer returned at UFC 140 and she looked really hot
That, my friends, should be enough to keep you talking -- at least for the time being. What gets your vote for the biggest story coming out of UFC 140?
Sound off, Maniacs.
Posted in: fight, jone, nogueira, vs, antonio
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC boss says Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva not 'happening anytime soon'
TORONTO - After defeating his third former champion in a nine-month
span, current UFC light heavyweight titleholder Jon Jones is unquestionably among the hottest fighters in the entire sport
of mixed martial arts.
In fact, UFC president Dana White is now certain "Bones" has leapfrogged
Canadian welterweight titleholder Georges St-Pierre and should now be
considered the second-best fighter on the planet.
But if a potential meeting between Jones and the man White (and most
everyone else) considers the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport,
Anderson Silva, piques your interest, don't get
carried away.
Posted in: ufc, jone, fighter, ninemonth span, interest dont
Read the full article at MMA JunkieBest Ever? Dana White Thinks Jon Jones is Going That Direction
After Jon Jones' big win over Lyoto Machida on Saturday at UFC 140, Dana White thinks his light heavyweight champ may be on the way to greatest-ever status.
Posted in: jon jones, lyoto machida, dana, jon, jone
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 140 Results Recap: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
At UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones successfully defended his belt for the 2nd time, choking out Lyoto Machida at 4:26 of round 2. Jones used a modified guillotine to choke The Dragon unconscious. Jones is now 15-1 in his career, and an astonishing 4-0 in 2011. Machida, after starting his career by going 16-0, is just 1-3 in his last 4.
The big question in this fight was how each man would approach his opponent's unique style. For round 1 and the start of round 2, it looked like Machida had come up with an answer, but the champion had not. Lyoto used his fast in and out movement to catch Jones more than once, staggering the young fighter like no one ever has before. By midway through round 2, it looked like Jones was in real trouble.
Then, Jones managed to get the fight to the ground and landed a fight-changing elbow. Those elbows from Jones are just brutal, as men like Brandon Vera and Vladimir Matyushenko (and Matt Hamill) can testify. Jones cut Machida open with one, and once they regained their feet, it was clear that Lyoto was in trouble. They clinched, Jones locked in a choke, and then turned Lyoto's head in an awkward angle. Lyoto went completely out cold, and when referee Big John McCarthy stepped in, the former champion fell in a lump to the mat in an image that rivaled the Nogueira arm break for its brutality.
What was the high spot of this fight?
Really, the entire thing was amazing to watch in the moment, as you had a chance to see two tremendous fighters try and figure out how to win. Jones's choke is the final highlight on a thrilling 10 minutes of action.
Where do these guys go from here?
One year ago, Jon Jones was a possible future contender with an exciting future. Today, he is the UFC Light Heavyweight champion, the first man since Chuck Liddell to defend the belt more than once, and has wins over Shogun, Rampage, and Lyoto - 3 of the last 5 champions. He's clearly the fighter of the year, maybe the best fighter in the world, and probably just had the single best year of any fighter in MMA history. So, what next? Either Dan Henderson, or Rashad Evans, should he get past Phil Davis at the UFC on Fox 2 card. Evans and Hendo are the two men still out there as a challenge to Jones, and either would make a great fight.
For Lyoto, I just don't know. He was seen as so invincible at one time, but it's just not going his way lately. Still, he had the most success anyone has yet had against Jones, and remains a fixture at the top of the division. He needs a win badly next time out.
Watch it now, later or never?
Now. Like, right now. Another spectacular performance, and another brutal highlight reel ending. And yes, that does make 4 of the 5 main card fights your should watch now - it was just that kind of show.
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 140 in the full entry.
UFC 140 Results: Dan Henderson Calls Out Jon Jones, Wants to Test His Chin - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Told to Check on Lyoto Machida Post-Fight to 'Get Some Fans' - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Jon Jones is the Best Fighter on Earth - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Frank Mir Uses a Kimura to Break Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Arm - Ben Thapa
UFC 140 Results: Winners, Losers, and Other Thoughts - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Did Fight Endings Prove MMA is Too Violent to Fully Go Mainstream? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results and Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Photo: X-Ray of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Broken Arm From Bout Against Frank Mir - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Event Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Video Results: Dana White Praises Jon Jones and Frank Mir - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Full Post-Fight Press Conference Video - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Vs. Lyoto Machida In Photos - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 108: UFC 140 Results Review - Matt Bishop
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Puts Lyoto Machida To Sleep With A Standing Guillotine - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Frank Mir Submits Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Via Kimura - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Stops Tito Ortiz in the First - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Brian Ebersole Picks Up Split Decision Over Claude Patrick - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Chan Sung Jung Knocks Out Mark Hominick Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Pay-Per-View Card - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Igor Pokrajac Knocks Krzysztof Soszynski Out Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Constantinos Philippou Stops Jared Hamman with Punches - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Dennis Hallman Chokes John Makdessi out In The First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Yves Jabouin Earns Split Decision Over Walel Watson - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for ION TV Undercard - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Mark Bocek Wins Unanimous Decision Over Nik Lentz - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jake Hecht Stops Rich Attonito In The Second Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: John Cholish Stops Mitch Clarke with Strikes - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play For Facebook Fights - Brent Brookhouse
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, matthew, roth
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowThis picture sums up the probablity of anyone defeating Jon Bones Jones...
Mircea Eliade states at the heart of all legends and myths is a 'coincidentia oppositorum.' Essentially, this means that within these individuals, the element of divine and evil reside in them. These individuals are peaceful, while simultaneously being violent. Coincidentia oppositorum states that instead of having a protagonist and antagonist within a storyline, both diametrical oppositions are expressed within one person/being. Eliade states the reason for this is a person's deep dissatisfaction with what is known as the 'human condition.' Eliade's theory relies on a strong rejection of our objective reality. In this model, our logic system collapses. Demons are represented as angels, gods are viewed as devils -- and Jon Jones is viewed as Jon Jones.
Check out the greatest example of coincidentia oppositorum the MMA world has in this picture captured by Esther Lin of Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida at UFC 140. You can check out the full version of Esther's work here.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, state, coincidentia oppositorum
Read the full article at Middle EasyUFC 140 results recap: A review of this past weekend's epic event in Toronto
Saturday night (Dec. 10, 2011), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) put the finishing touches on another top-notch pay-per-view (PPV) event, as UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" fully delivered for the fans in attendance at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones successfully defended his belt against Lyoto Machida, who many believed would give "Bones" his first real test inside the Octagon.
Frank Mir proved the first time wasn't a fluke, as he submitted Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (who had never been submitted before in his career) in brutal, arm-breaking fashion.
Mixed martial arts (MMA) fans were treated to several quick finishes, stunning knockouts and submissions, and a few fights that had to be decided by cageside judges.
After the jump, MMAmania.com reviews the highlights of the weekend that comprised UFC 140:
No matter what kind of performance a highly touted athlete puts on, there will always be critics.
People have called Jon Jones "cocky." There have been those who have criticized him for his ability to take a shot. If you spend some time on MMA message boards, you might even develop the conclusion that Jones has been lucky up to this point.
Enter "The Dragon."
Machida did, indeed, test Jones, early and often. For the majority of the fight, Jones looked a little tentative. He looked like he was having trouble solving Machida. He took some shots.
Apparently, it was all an elaborate ruse.
After about a round and a half, Jones turned things on and ended his opponent violently. It was stunning. It was impressive.
It had UFC President Dana White stating that Jones may end up being the greatest of all time.
Read the full recap with analysis of the Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida fight at UFC 140 here.
It was truly a fight that people will be talking about for a long time to come. Jones proved his merit and put on quite a show in the process.
If you missed the fight between Jones and Machida, have no fear.
Watch video highlights of "Jones vs. Machida" here.
The co-main event saw two of the greatest heavyweight jiu-jitsu practitioners in MMA history square off in a rematch as Frank Mir took on Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira to settle things once and for all.
The early proceedings looked dead even. It was anyone's fight -- and then it happened.
The action hit the mat and, at first, it looked as though "Big Nog" had the advantage.
Out of nowhere, Mir was able to reverse Nogueira, grab a hold of his arm and savagely snap it with a nasty kimura before the referee was able to step in and stop him.
Check out a picture of gruesome injury here.
Read a full recap of the Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira fight at UFC 140 here.
Tito Ortiz is that fighter everyone loves to hate. That doesn't go for everyone, though. Some people just love to love him.
After a surprise win over Ryan Bade at UFC 132 on July 2, it looked as though the "Huntington Bad Boy" may very well be back.
After a disappointing loss to Rashad Evans in his next fight at UFC 133 on Aug. 6 in Philadelphia, fans saw Ortiz's career continue to go for a roller coaster ride.
On Saturday night, Ortiz needed a win. He at least needed to look impressive. He went 0-for-2 in his pursuit.
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira showed that he is still a force to be reckoned with in the 205-pound division, as he finished Ortiz in the very first round.
Afterwards, Ortiz proclaimed that he isn't done yet, and that he wants at least one more fight before he hangs up the gloves.
Check out an in-depth summary of the "Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira" fight at UFC 140 here.
All in all, UFC 140 turned out to be a gigantic success.
We saw six separate (technical) knockouts. There were three excellent submissions. If you like seeing fighters finish fights, this was the event for you.
Peruse the list of bonus award winners for UFC 140 here.
That's just our two cents. We want to know what your favorite moments from UFC 140 were.
For complete UFC 140 results and a detailed recap of all the action click here. To check out a recap of the UFC 140 prelim fights that were seen on Ion Television and Sportsnet, click here. Want to know what happened with the UFC 140 Facebook Prelims portion of the card? To read a full recap click here.
And just in case you want to get up to speed on the entire UFC 140 fight card from top to bottom click here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, recap, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaGreg Jackson's advice during the fight
Greg Jackson said Machida was coming in with a straight left every time Jones would throw a kick. Jones asked him what stance and Greg said any. I'm not sure if he was referring to what stance he should be in or what stance the punch was coming in on. Greg Jackson tells Jones to fake the kick and get him at that point. Fast forward to the end of the fight. Jones fakes the left kick, sure enough Machida reacts with the left, leaves himself exposed on the right and that's where Jones' punch was already coming in to meet Machida's face coming toward it. submitted by ulees [link] [5 comments]
Posted in: jone, jackson, greg jackson, kick, greg
Read the full article at RedditUFC 140 results: Jon Jones vs Anderson Silva? Don't count on it ... ever
In the wake of Jon Jones second round standing guillotine submission win over Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 this past Saturday night (Dec. 10, 2011) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, fight fans are wanting to change some plans around.
For starters, let's scrap the stipulation that the Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis bout at UFC on Fox 2 on Jan. 28, 2012, is a number one contenders match. Let them fight it out and the winner can take on Dan Henderson towards the middle of next year.
Let's also have the other two fights on that Fox card represent a four-man tournament. Whoever wins in the contests pitting Chael Sonnen vs. Mark Munoz and Michael Bisping vs. Demian Maia can fight each other towards the middle of next year, maybe even on the same card as Evans/Davis vs. Henderson.
And that frees up Jones and Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva to do what more and more fans want them to -- get inside the cage and slug it out.
It would be a superfight for the ages, right?
Before we get ahead of ourselves and imagine all the insane scenarios a fight like that could bring, let's hear from UFC President Dana White, who was all too eager to rain on this parade at the UFC 140 post-fight press conference:
"I just think Jon Jones is young. He's 24 years old, he's just getting out there and fighting all the best in the light heavyweight division. It's not... I don't see that fight happening anytime soon. What people got to realize, too, is Anderson Silva is 37-years-old. They're in two different weight classes."
I don't know about you but that sounds like a blowoff to me. And not just for the time being while other matters sort themselves out. That was a complete and utter dismissal.
It's difficult to blame him, really. Silva is, in fact, 37-years-old and nearing the end of his illustrious combat sports career. Feeding the old dog, even if he hasn't looked like one (not even a little bit), to a young, hungry lion is just bad for business.
And let's not kid ourselves. Jones vs. Silva would sell big, sure, but it's a mismatch. The Brazilian is crafty, he's quick and his strikes are accurate on a level not seen before.
Kind of sounds like Lyoto Machida.
We all saw what happened to "The Dragon" last night. He found some success early, landing a shot or two that had Jones backing up and regrouping. But once he did, that was all she wrote.
As soon as the Greg Jackson trained New York native decided he wanted to finish the fight, he finished it.
Kind of sounds like Silva, actually.
These two may have been perfect for each other had Silva been born a few years earlier or Jones a few years later. But they weren't. So they're not.
We're all just going to have to deal with that.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, silva
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 Results Recap: Claude Patrick vs. Brian Ebersole
At UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, Brian Ebersole barely squeaked by Claude Patrick to take a split decision victory. Judges' scorecards had it 29-28, 29-28, and 28-29. This Welterweight fight was the 2nd on the PPV card, and was the only PPV fight to go the distance. Ebersole is now undefeated in the Octagon on a three fight win streak, while Patrick earns just the 2nd loss of his MMA career. He is now 14-2 overall, 3-1 in the UFC.
Fans expecting to see Ebersole's trademark unorthodox and exciting style were likely let down by this fight. The first two rounds consisted primarily of a clinch battle along the cage, with both men jockeying for position. In the third round, Ebersole came out sensing he was done on the cards and fighting much more aggressively, though that led to Patrick getting the most dominant position for either man in the fight with a close anaconda choke attempt. The Canadian crown booed the decision at the end, and while there is perhaps a bit to be unhappy about there, that was a very difficult fight to judge and could have gone either way.
What was the high spot of this fight?
That choke attempt from Patrick in round 3 was pretty nice. It looked deep, and Ebersole looked to be in real trouble, but the veteran gutted through it and escaped in a nice sequence.
Where do these guys go from here?
Ebersole is now 3-0 and his late career run up the UFC Welterweight ranks continues. Might as well put him in against a real contender now - I'd say a fight with Martin Kampmann would be a lot of fun.
Patrick doesn't lose much here as he had a good showing against a veteran, and was a late replacement for Rory MacDonald. He earned a decent fight next time out against a lower end top 25 opponent such as Charlie Brenneman.
Watch it now, later or never?
Never. It was mostly the cage battle, and never really managed to get going.
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 140 in the full entry.
UFC 140 Results: Dan Henderson Calls Out Jon Jones, Wants to Test His Chin - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Told to Check on Lyoto Machida Post-Fight to 'Get Some Fans' - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Jon Jones is the Best Fighter on Earth - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Frank Mir Uses a Kimura to Break Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Arm - Ben Thapa
UFC 140 Results: Winners, Losers, and Other Thoughts - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Did Fight Endings Prove MMA is Too Violent to Fully Go Mainstream? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results and Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Photo: X-Ray of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Broken Arm From Bout Against Frank Mir - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Event Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Video Results: Dana White Praises Jon Jones and Frank Mir - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Full Post-Fight Press Conference Video - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Vs. Lyoto Machida In Photos - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 108: UFC 140 Results Review - Matt Bishop
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Puts Lyoto Machida To Sleep With A Standing Guillotine - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Frank Mir Submits Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Via Kimura - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Stops Tito Ortiz in the First - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Brian Ebersole Picks Up Split Decision Over Claude Patrick - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Chan Sung Jung Knocks Out Mark Hominick Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Pay-Per-View Card - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Igor Pokrajac Knocks Krzysztof Soszynski Out Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Constantinos Philippou Stops Jared Hamman with Punches - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Dennis Hallman Chokes John Makdessi out In The First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Yves Jabouin Earns Split Decision Over Walel Watson - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for ION TV Undercard - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Mark Bocek Wins Unanimous Decision Over Nik Lentz - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jake Hecht Stops Rich Attonito In The Second Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: John Cholish Stops Mitch Clarke with Strikes - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play For Facebook Fights - Brent Brookhouse
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, matthew, roth
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Results Recap: Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung
At UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, Chan Sung Jung shocked Mark Hominick, knocking the former #1 contender out in just 7 seconds. The fast KO officially tied Todd Duffee's KO of Tim Hague for fastest knockout in UFC history. This was the opening PPV bout on UFC 140. Hominick has now lost 2 in a row, while The Korean Zombie is now 2-0 in the UFC.
Even those who picked Jung to win this fight probably didn't see things going down like this. Hominick, the superior technical striker, came in quickly, but left his hands down. With one punch, Jung made him pay for his casual approach, landing a perfect right hand that dropped Mark Hominick mere moments into the fight. Jung jumped on him and finished the fight. Hominick complained afterwards, but it was a fair stoppage as he was out. Shocking victory for Jung, and a real unfortunate loss for Hominick in Canada.
What was the high spot of this fight?
It was literally one punch and ground and pound. I'll pick the punch.
Where do these guys go from here?
Chan Sung Jung has always seemed like something of an attraction fighter, more there for entertaining fights than for actually being a contender. But by stopping Hominick in 7 seconds, especially in Hominick's first fight since going the distance with Jose Aldo, Jung immediately makes a huge name for himself. The Featherweight division is a bit thin at this point, and to be totally honest, if Hatsu Hioki doesn't win big at UFC 144, don't be shocked if Jung is your next challenger for the title.
This is a definite setback for Hominick, but he's still a contender at the top of the division. Hominick has long shown interest in avenging himself against Hioki (who holds 2 wins over Hominick) - maybe now is the time.
Watch it now, later or never?
It has taken you longer to read this sentence than it would to watch the fight. Watch it now.
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 140 in the full entry.
UFC 140 Results: Dan Henderson Calls Out Jon Jones, Wants to Test His Chin - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Told to Check on Lyoto Machida Post-Fight to 'Get Some Fans' - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Jon Jones is the Best Fighter on Earth - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Frank Mir Uses a Kimura to Break Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Arm - Ben Thapa
UFC 140 Results: Winners, Losers, and Other Thoughts - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Did Fight Endings Prove MMA is Too Violent to Fully Go Mainstream? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results and Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Photo: X-Ray of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Broken Arm From Bout Against Frank Mir - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Event Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Video Results: Dana White Praises Jon Jones and Frank Mir - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Full Post-Fight Press Conference Video - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Vs. Lyoto Machida In Photos - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 108: UFC 140 Results Review - Matt Bishop
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Puts Lyoto Machida To Sleep With A Standing Guillotine - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Frank Mir Submits Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Via Kimura - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Stops Tito Ortiz in the First - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Brian Ebersole Picks Up Split Decision Over Claude Patrick - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Chan Sung Jung Knocks Out Mark Hominick Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Pay-Per-View Card - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Igor Pokrajac Knocks Krzysztof Soszynski Out Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Constantinos Philippou Stops Jared Hamman with Punches - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Dennis Hallman Chokes John Makdessi out In The First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Yves Jabouin Earns Split Decision Over Walel Watson - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for ION TV Undercard - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Mark Bocek Wins Unanimous Decision Over Nik Lentz - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jake Hecht Stops Rich Attonito In The Second Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: John Cholish Stops Mitch Clarke with Strikes - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play For Facebook Fights - Brent Brookhouse
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, matthew, roth
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Musings - Bones & Mir
JONES MAKES HIS ‘BONES’Any article written about Jon Jones is laced with superlatives. Conversations border on hyperbole. Anyone who watched him compete on Saturday night now understands why.Jones ran into formidable opposition in the form of Lyoto Machida at UFC 140. The former champion was able to confuse and frustrate Jones throughout the first round. He darted in and out with punches. He countered Jones’ kicks with stiff left hands. And he continually moved and feinted.The youngest champion in UFC history simply could not figure out the Machida puzzle through the first five minutes of the fight. He went to his corner with a look of concern for the first time ever. But I seriously doubt that trainer Greg Jackson was overly bothered by what he saw, because for all the frustration that Jones suffered in the opening round, two things were made abundantly clear to those closely watching the action. First, Machida did not have the juice to stop Jones with a single shot. The champion ate at least two bombs right on the button. Both got his attention. Neither truly hurt him. That was in stark contrast to how Rashad Evans, Rameau Sokoudjou, Tito Ortiz, Thiago Silva and Rashad Evans reacted when Machida hit them. For that matter, even iron-jawed Quinton “Rampage” Jackson seemed more affected by the punching power of “The Dragon” than Jones was. Thus, the only real question hanging over Jones heading into the fight—the quality of his chin—was answered with an exclamation point.Second, Jones did not flip out when he faced a bit of adversity. He instead appeared to be adjusting to Machida’s speed and tactics as the round wore on. That is a major hurdle for most opponents to overcome. At first, Jones seemed completely befuddled by Machida’s speed. But toward the end of the round, he appeared to be settling down a bit. He appeared to be trying to time Machida coming in, something that would ultimately lead to the end of the bout.Jones scoring a submission win over Machida was nothing short of spectacular. Sure, Machida has now lost three of his last four fights, which raises some very real questions about where he truly stands among the division elite. But nobody has ever submitted him before. Jones is the first, and that is a very noteworthy accomplishment.Another noteworthy accomplishment is becoming the first champion since Chuck Liddell to successfully defend the 205-lb title more than once. In fact, Jones is only the fourth man in history to do that, joining Tito Ortiz, Liddell and Frank Shamrock in the ultra-exclusive fraternity. It suffices to say that Jones has now officially made his “Bones” as a champion.WHAT IS NEXT FOR JONES?That is the proverbial $64,000 question. My guess is that he will take a well-deserved, somewhat lengthy vacation. He has mentioned a couple of times this year that he wanted to take some time off to rest, recover and work solely on technique, rather than preparing for a fight. For someone who competed four times in the last 10 months, that is a very reasonable request. But remember that we are talking about a guy who is still only 24 years old. He is in his absolute athletic prime, though still not yet in his fighting prime. My guess is a “lengthy vacation” means a couple of weeks of absolutely nothing and then a fierce return to the gym shortly after the New Year with an eye on a spring return to action. That is what I would be pressing for, if I was managing the champion. He should be looking to remain active so that he can continue to build upon each win, rather than remaining stagnant or even regressing from the lack of gym time during a long layoff.A spring return quickly brings two names to mind—Dan Henderson and Rashad Evans.Hendo is fresh off his thrilling, Fight of the Year caliber win over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua a few weeks ago. He isn’t getting any younger, so my guess is that he will want a relatively short turnaround, which means February or March. But there is no doubt that he would wait a month or two longer, if it meant the opportunity to face Jones for the 205-lb championship.Evans is currently busy preparing for his January 28 battle against highly touted prospect Phil Davis on Fox. If he is able to defeat Davis, which is no safe assumption, by the way, then there is no doubt that he will get the title shot that has been promised to him for nearly a year. The key for Evans will be winning the fight without sustaining any injuries, so that he can quickly gear up for a spring bout.Either one of those guys is a great matchup to test Jones’ skills. Hendo is arguably right there alongside Rampage as the most powerful puncher in the division. Evans is just a hair slower than Machida, in terms of foot speed, but he probably has equally quick hands. And both men are tremendous wrestlers. While the questions surrounding the sturdiness of Jones’ chin were answered on Saturday night, nobody still has been able to question his ability to either get up from his back or successfully defend from that position. Hendo and Evans are probably the two most likely suitors to successfully put Jones on his back. Remember, styles make fights. Could either of those two men be Jones’ kryptonite? Is Phil Davis, a tremendous amateur wrestler in his own right, going to throw a wrench into everything and secure a shot against Jones by dominating Evans? It is tough to imagine someone apart from those three men getting the next shot, but UFC President Dana White and matchmaker extraordinaire Joe Silva have surprised me more than once.MIR BACK AMONG THE VERY BESTFrank Mir had to feel like he was at a career crossroad when he was annihilated by Shane Carwin back in March of last year. His title prospects seemed all but gone after losing twice in three fights to cartoon-sized monsters like Carwin and Brock Lesnar. Sandwiched in between there was an extremely impressive win over Cheick Kongo, one in which Mir knocked the kickboxer on his backside with a strike before choking him out. Nonetheless, the Carwin loss had to be frustrating for the former champion.Fast forward to today and everything seems different. Mir looked fantastic in his first round win over all-time great Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. The world has always known that Mir was one of the very best submission artists among all heavyweights. Many believed, however, that Nogueira was in a class of his own in that regard, standing a safe step above Mir and everyone else. Not anymore. Defeating Nogueira via kimura corrected that misconception. In my opinion, this is the best Frank Mir that the world has ever seen. He has completely evolved as a mixed martial artist since his terrible motorcycle accident in late 2004. Before the crash, he was nothing more than an average sized submission artist. He is now a monstrous submission guy with the standup chops to compete on the feet with just about anyone, except for maybe the very best strikers in the division. That makes for one heck of a fighter.I still think that Mir is likely to struggle with Lesnar and Carwin. Again, styles make fights. But I certainly think he matches up much better against current champion Junior dos Santos or former champion Cain Velasquez than he does Lesnar or Carwin. I also think he matches up extremely well against Alistair Overeem, the man who faces Lesnar on December 30 for the right to next challenge for the heavyweight crown. In other words, I firmly believe that Mir has a good shot at yet another run at the greatest title in sports. I think the perfect next fight for him would be a bout with newly conquered former champion Velasquez. That could easily serve as a next-in-line bout after Lesnar-Overeem. Plus, it is a terrific test for both men.Tune in tomorrow for more thoughts on last Saturday’s UFC 140 event…
Posted in: fight, jone, mir, champion, machida
Read the full article at UFCThe Dragon landing on Jones
submitted by johnmbrowning [link] [6 comments]
Posted in: jone, dragon, dragon landing, landing, johnmbrowning
Read the full article at RedditUFC 140 Results Recap: Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Igor Pokrajac
At UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, Igor Pokrajac blitzed Krzysztof Soszynski, stopping the veteran in just 35 seconds via knockout. This was a Light Heavyweight fight, and was the last fight on the ION prelims. Pokrajac has won 3 of his last 4 inside the Octagon; Soszinski sees a two fight win streak come to an end here.
I have to admit, I was not looking forward to this fight much, thinking it would be a relatively basic affair. I was wrong. Pokrajac has shown he is a finisher in the past, and he proved it again here with this fast win, leaving his veteran opponent out cold unconscious after a barrage of punches. No one has dominated Soszynski like this since he fought Heavyweight Ben Rothwell in the IFL back in 2007. Just a fantastic showing for Pokrajac.
What was the high spot of this fight?
The final flurry from Pokrajac. Some guys have a killer instinct, some don't. Pokrajac has it in spades and showed it off here.
Where do these guys go from here?
Pokrajac gains great momentum with this win, but he's in a tough spot. The UFC Light Heavyweight division doesn't offer many easy match-ups, and Pokrajac will need to demonstrate those skills against an even tougher opponent next time out. A fight with Kyle Kingsbury makes sense to me.
Soszynski can face almost anyone in the jammed lower half of the division. He's a good veteran to test an upcoming name. But that was a serious KO, and he may need a bit of time off before we see him again.
Watch it now, later or never?
Now. It's 35 second long, and ends in a lights out total KO - what is stopping you?
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 140 in the full entry.
UFC 140 Results: Dan Henderson Calls Out Jon Jones, Wants to Test His Chin - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Told to Check on Lyoto Machida Post-Fight to 'Get Some Fans' - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Jon Jones is the Best Fighter on Earth - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Frank Mir Uses a Kimura to Break Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Arm - Ben Thapa
UFC 140 Results: Winners, Losers, and Other Thoughts - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Did Fight Endings Prove MMA is Too Violent to Fully Go Mainstream? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results and Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Photo: X-Ray of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Broken Arm From Bout Against Frank Mir - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Event Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Video Results: Dana White Praises Jon Jones and Frank Mir - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Full Post-Fight Press Conference Video - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Vs. Lyoto Machida In Photos - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 108: UFC 140 Results Review - Matt Bishop
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Puts Lyoto Machida To Sleep With A Standing Guillotine - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Frank Mir Submits Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Via Kimura - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Stops Tito Ortiz in the First - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Brian Ebersole Picks Up Split Decision Over Claude Patrick - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Chan Sung Jung Knocks Out Mark Hominick Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Pay-Per-View Card - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Igor Pokrajac Knocks Krzysztof Soszynski Out Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Constantinos Philippou Stops Jared Hamman with Punches - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Dennis Hallman Chokes John Makdessi out In The First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Yves Jabouin Earns Split Decision Over Walel Watson - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for ION TV Undercard - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Mark Bocek Wins Unanimous Decision Over Nik Lentz - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jake Hecht Stops Rich Attonito In The Second Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: John Cholish Stops Mitch Clarke with Strikes - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play For Facebook Fights - Brent Brookhouse
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, matthew, roth
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Results Recap: Jared Hamman vs. Constantinos Philippou
At UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, Constantinos Philippou defeated Jared Hamman via TKO at 3:11 in round 1. This Middleweight fight was part of the ION prelims. Philippou now is 2-1 in the Octagon, with back to back wins over Jorge Rivera and Hamman. Hamman drops to 2-3 in the UFC, 13-4 overall.
With the exception of one good choke attempt by Costa Philippou, this fight was mostly contested on the feet. There, it came down to Hamman's superior kicks vs. Costa's superior hands. In that battle, it was the hands that prevailed, as Philippou was able to get through Hamman's defenses and find his chin a number of times. Hamman is known for his tough chin, but it couldn't hold up against Philippou's high level boxing. Hamman was dropped multiple times before John McCarthy stepped in and waved the fight off.
What was the high spot of this fight?
From that first heavy right that dropped Hamman clear through the end was all impressive. Phlippou really does have superb hands, and he showed it in this sequence by landing cleanly on Hamman again and again.
Where do these guys go from here?
With wins over Rivera and Hamman, it's time for Philippou to be considered in the midst of the division. I'd like to see him get a higher profile fight against someone who is a bit more well rounded and will test Philippou's overall game. I nominate either Alan Belcher or Ed Herman.
Hamman is entertaining, and is just one fight removed from defeating C.B. Dollaway, so his job is safe at the moment. But this didn't bode well for his future in the UFC, as he was totally outstruck, and his much heralded chin couldn't keep up. Whoever he faces next, he will likely be in a win or be cut situation.
Watch it now, later or never?
Now. It's just 3 minutes, shows some excellent boxing, plus announces the arrival of a new Middleweight player.
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 140 in the full entry.
UFC 140 Results: Dan Henderson Calls Out Jon Jones, Wants to Test His Chin - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Told to Check on Lyoto Machida Post-Fight to 'Get Some Fans' - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Jon Jones is the Best Fighter on Earth - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Frank Mir Uses a Kimura to Break Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Arm - Ben Thapa
UFC 140 Results: Winners, Losers, and Other Thoughts - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Did Fight Endings Prove MMA is Too Violent to Fully Go Mainstream? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results and Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Photo: X-Ray of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Broken Arm From Bout Against Frank Mir - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Event Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Video Results: Dana White Praises Jon Jones and Frank Mir - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Full Post-Fight Press Conference Video - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Vs. Lyoto Machida In Photos - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 108: UFC 140 Results Review - Matt Bishop
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Puts Lyoto Machida To Sleep With A Standing Guillotine - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Frank Mir Submits Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Via Kimura - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Stops Tito Ortiz in the First - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Brian Ebersole Picks Up Split Decision Over Claude Patrick - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Chan Sung Jung Knocks Out Mark Hominick Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Pay-Per-View Card - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Igor Pokrajac Knocks Krzysztof Soszynski Out Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Constantinos Philippou Stops Jared Hamman with Punches - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Dennis Hallman Chokes John Makdessi out In The First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Yves Jabouin Earns Split Decision Over Walel Watson - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for ION TV Undercard - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Mark Bocek Wins Unanimous Decision Over Nik Lentz - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jake Hecht Stops Rich Attonito In The Second Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: John Cholish Stops Mitch Clarke with Strikes - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play For Facebook Fights - Brent Brookhouse
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, matthew, roth
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Results Recap: John Makdessi vs. Dennis Hallman
Dennis Hallman ran through John Makdessi with ease at UFC 140. With the win, Hallman improved his record to 51-14-2 (1 NC) while Makdessi suffered the first loss ten career fights.
Hallman missed weight by two and a half pounds for the fight, his first UFC fight at lightweight since 2001.
From the opening bell, Hallman charged across the ring and clinched up with Makdessi, not giving his foe a chance to work his striking game. Once Hallman worked the fight to the floor he dominated with strikes and positional advancements. It only took 2:58 for him to secure the fight and lock in a rear naked choke for the finish.
What was the high spot of the fight?
Pretty much the whole fight was a high point given how much Hallman was pushing the pace.
Where do these guys go from here?
Hallman got the win but missing weight by that much is a big issue. He didn't look like he could really make the cut on Friday and it'll take a big change for him to be able to do it. If he can hit the 155 mark safely there are a world of options out there for him.
Makdessi was exposed on the ground. He needs to get back to work and maybe get matched up with some more wrestlers to see if he's a true mixed martial artist. Then again, if Anthony Njokuani loses to Danny Castillo at UFC 141 I'd be pretty excited to see Njokuani vs. Makdessi.
Watch it now, later or never?
Now. Not because it was particularly special or anything like that. But because it only takes two and a half minutes and Hallman looked like a beast.
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 140 in the full entry.
UFC 140 Results: Dan Henderson Calls Out Jon Jones, Wants to Test His Chin - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Told to Check on Lyoto Machida Post-Fight to 'Get Some Fans' - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Jon Jones is the Best Fighter on Earth - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Frank Mir Uses a Kimura to Break Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Arm - Ben Thapa
UFC 140 Results: Winners, Losers, and Other Thoughts - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Did Fight Endings Prove MMA is Too Violent to Fully Go Mainstream? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results and Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Photo: X-Ray of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Broken Arm From Bout Against Frank Mir - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Event Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Video Results: Dana White Praises Jon Jones and Frank Mir - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Full Post-Fight Press Conference Video - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Vs. Lyoto Machida In Photos - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 108: UFC 140 Results Review - Matt Bishop
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Puts Lyoto Machida To Sleep With A Standing Guillotine - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Frank Mir Submits Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Via Kimura - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Stops Tito Ortiz in the First - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Brian Ebersole Picks Up Split Decision Over Claude Patrick - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Chan Sung Jung Knocks Out Mark Hominick Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Pay-Per-View Card - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Igor Pokrajac Knocks Krzysztof Soszynski Out Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Constantinos Philippou Stops Jared Hamman with Punches - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Dennis Hallman Chokes John Makdessi out In The First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Yves Jabouin Earns Split Decision Over Walel Watson - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for ION TV Undercard - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Mark Bocek Wins Unanimous Decision Over Nik Lentz - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jake Hecht Stops Rich Attonito In The Second Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: John Cholish Stops Mitch Clarke with Strikes - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play For Facebook Fights - Brent Brookhouse
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, matthew, roth
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC Quick Quote: Dan Henderson asks Dana White to let him test Jon Jones' chin
"Congrats to @jonnybones -- great win. Hey @danawhite, I'd like to see if his chin is as good as he thinks & I'm ready to go."
-- In the main event of UFC 140 last night (Sat., Dec. 10, 2011), Lyoto Machida showed the world that Light heavyweight Champion Jon Jones has a chin that can, in fact, be touched. "The Dragon" was viciously choked unconscious in the second round of that fight, of course, but not before confirming that "Bones" is human and he does have his very own deficiencies. Immediately following the bout, Dan Henderson took to Twitter to campaign for a title shot, and he's using his patented "H-bomb" to make his case. His line of thinking is that if he can land one hard right to the jaw, we could very well see Jones on the floor taking a nap similar to the one he induced on Machida. The problem here is that Rashad Evans has already been promised the next shot ... if he can get past Phil Davis at UFC on Fox 2 in Chicago. Anyone think "Hendo" should leapfrog him either way? Or should the UFC wait and see on "Suga" Rashad?
Posted in: ufc, jone, phil davis, chin, amp im
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 Results Recap: Yves Jabouin vs. Walel Watson
Yves Jabouin escaped from his UFC 140 bout with Walel Watson with a split decision victory. Jabouin now sports a 17-7 record, with a 2-1 mark in the UFC while Watson moved to 9-3 and 1-1 in the UFC.
The majority of the three rounds were spent on the feet with Watson trying to use his long frame and Jabouin trying to get inside and land powerful strikes. Watson also managed to nearly finish the fight with chokes in both the second and third quarter. In the end, it was the Canadian native who got the nod on the scorecards.
What was the high point of this fight?
Watson had a very, very deep d'arce choke locked in during the third round which almost got him the win but Jabouin gutted through it. One of the most exciting moments of the fight if I'm looking to single out a single flurry of action.
Where do these guys go from here?
Jabouin has won two fights in a row now and is 2-0 since dropping to bantamweight, but both wins were split decisions. I scored this fight for Watson and it seemed many others did too. I think the best plan for Jabouin is sticking him in exciting fights and treating him more like an attraction than a contender.
Watson is 27 years old with an incredibly long frame for 135 pounds. He's a finisher and came close to getting the win a couple times in this fight. I don't know what his true upside is but I wouldn't take him too far down the ladder for this loss.
Watch it now, later or never?
Skip it. Not a bad fight, but there's better action on this card to catch. In the end it was a lot of moment without a lot of actual results.
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 140 in the full entry.
UFC 140 Results: Dan Henderson Calls Out Jon Jones, Wants to Test His Chin - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Told to Check on Lyoto Machida Post-Fight to 'Get Some Fans' - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Jon Jones is the Best Fighter on Earth - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Frank Mir Uses a Kimura to Break Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Arm - Ben Thapa
UFC 140 Results: Winners, Losers, and Other Thoughts - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Did Fight Endings Prove MMA is Too Violent to Fully Go Mainstream? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results and Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Photo: X-Ray of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Broken Arm From Bout Against Frank Mir - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Event Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Video Results: Dana White Praises Jon Jones and Frank Mir - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Full Post-Fight Press Conference Video - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Vs. Lyoto Machida In Photos - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 108: UFC 140 Results Review - Matt Bishop
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Puts Lyoto Machida To Sleep With A Standing Guillotine - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Frank Mir Submits Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Via Kimura - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Stops Tito Ortiz in the First - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Brian Ebersole Picks Up Split Decision Over Claude Patrick - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Chan Sung Jung Knocks Out Mark Hominick Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Pay-Per-View Card - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Igor Pokrajac Knocks Krzysztof Soszynski Out Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Constantinos Philippou Stops Jared Hamman with Punches - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Dennis Hallman Chokes John Makdessi out In The First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Yves Jabouin Earns Split Decision Over Walel Watson - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for ION TV Undercard - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Mark Bocek Wins Unanimous Decision Over Nik Lentz - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jake Hecht Stops Rich Attonito In The Second Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: John Cholish Stops Mitch Clarke with Strikes - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play For Facebook Fights - Brent Brookhouse
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, matthew, roth
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Results Recap: Mark Bocek vs. Nik Lentz
Mark Bocek became the first man to beat Nik Lentz in the UFC when he took a unanimous decision at UFC 140. With the win, Bocek raised his record to 10-4, 6-4 in the UFC. Lentz dropped to 24-2-1 (1 NC) for his career and 5-1-1 (1 NC) during his UFC run.
Bocek was able to win all three rounds on all judges' scorecards on the strength of his takedowns an top control. In each round Bocek was able to find ways to get the fight to the ground and work with punches and elbows. Lentz did a very good job of preventing Bocek from passing and attacking with submissions, but he wasn't able to do much offensively aside from some guillotine attempts. The chokes were deep at times but Bocek remained calm and survived and continued working his top game.
What was the high spot of the fight?
Not a whole lot of variety here but I guess I'd go with Lentz locking in a deep guillotine late in the second round. Once Bocek got out of that choke it was pretty clear that he was safe to take the decision.
Where do these guys go from here?
Bocek is a tough case. He has four career losses and three of them are to current top ten lightweights, the other was against Mac Danzig in one of Mac's best UFC performances. I'd like to see Bocek get another chance to crack the top 25 with a fight against the Sam Stout/Thiago Tavares UFC 142 winner.
As for Lentz? He's not exactly been fan friendly for a lot of his career and had one of the most fortunate runs I can ever remember in the UFC. You can't cut the guy off one loss but he may find himself in the strange position of being in a do-or-die fight next time out despite only losing one UFC bout to date.
Watch it now, later or never?
Never. It's a fine fight with interesting ground work. But given how much great stuff there was on the card, this one is skipable.
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 140 in the full entry.
UFC 140 Results: Dan Henderson Calls Out Jon Jones, Wants to Test His Chin - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Told to Check on Lyoto Machida Post-Fight to 'Get Some Fans' - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Jon Jones is the Best Fighter on Earth - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Frank Mir Uses a Kimura to Break Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Arm - Ben Thapa
UFC 140 Results: Winners, Losers, and Other Thoughts - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Did Fight Endings Prove MMA is Too Violent to Fully Go Mainstream? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results and Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Photo: X-Ray of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Broken Arm From Bout Against Frank Mir - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Event Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Video Results: Dana White Praises Jon Jones and Frank Mir - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Full Post-Fight Press Conference Video - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Vs. Lyoto Machida In Photos - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 108: UFC 140 Results Review - Matt Bishop
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Puts Lyoto Machida To Sleep With A Standing Guillotine - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Frank Mir Submits Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Via Kimura - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Stops Tito Ortiz in the First - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Brian Ebersole Picks Up Split Decision Over Claude Patrick - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Chan Sung Jung Knocks Out Mark Hominick Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Pay-Per-View Card - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Igor Pokrajac Knocks Krzysztof Soszynski Out Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Constantinos Philippou Stops Jared Hamman with Punches - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Dennis Hallman Chokes John Makdessi out In The First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Yves Jabouin Earns Split Decision Over Walel Watson - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for ION TV Undercard - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Mark Bocek Wins Unanimous Decision Over Nik Lentz - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jake Hecht Stops Rich Attonito In The Second Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: John Cholish Stops Mitch Clarke with Strikes - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play For Facebook Fights - Brent Brookhouse
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, matthew, roth
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Results Recap: Rich Attonito vs. Jake Hecht
Jake Hecht defeated Rich Attonito by TKO 1:10 into the first round of their Facebook preliminary bout on the UFC 140 undercard. This was Hecht's UFC debut and his career mark improved to 11-2 while Attonito fell to 10-5 for his career and 3-2 in the UFC.
In the first round, Attonito controlled the action after a takedown where he worked with a safe top game doing a little bit of damage. His success in the first proved to be his undoing in the second as he looked to get the takedown again, but as he pushed for the double leg it was Hecht throwing two elbows to the side of the head. Attonito crumbled to the mat and Hecht pounced and fired away with punches until the fight was stopped.
What was the high spot of this fight?
Hecht's elbows to the side of Attonito's head were shockingly effective. I initially thought they had to be to the back of the head as I didn't understand them putting Attonito out. They were clean though and were enough to flip the entire fight in a second.
Where do these guys go from here?
Hecht is an interesting fighter. He didn't look great against Attonito but clearly has some power and that power lets him change a fight in a single moment. A fight with a low-end welterweight on a prelim card is probably in his future.
Attonito has probably topped out in his career. He's 34 and now 3-2 in the promotion so his best spot may be in a fight getting someone back on track. Maybe even a fight against fellow UFC 140 loser Claude Patrick, since that fight was supposed to happen anyway prior to the card reshuffling.
Watch it now, later or never?
Later. It's nothing special and I don't think either guy has a huge UFC future but the finish was interesting enough that it's worth a watch.
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 140 in the full entry.
UFC 140 Results: Dan Henderson Calls Out Jon Jones, Wants to Test His Chin - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Told to Check on Lyoto Machida Post-Fight to 'Get Some Fans' - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Jon Jones is the Best Fighter on Earth - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Frank Mir Uses a Kimura to Break Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Arm - Ben Thapa
UFC 140 Results: Winners, Losers, and Other Thoughts - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Did Fight Endings Prove MMA is Too Violent to Fully Go Mainstream? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results and Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Photo: X-Ray of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Broken Arm From Bout Against Frank Mir - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Event Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Video Results: Dana White Praises Jon Jones and Frank Mir - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Full Post-Fight Press Conference Video - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Vs. Lyoto Machida In Photos - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 108: UFC 140 Results Review - Matt Bishop
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Puts Lyoto Machida To Sleep With A Standing Guillotine - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Frank Mir Submits Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Via Kimura - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Stops Tito Ortiz in the First - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Brian Ebersole Picks Up Split Decision Over Claude Patrick - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Chan Sung Jung Knocks Out Mark Hominick Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Pay-Per-View Card - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Igor Pokrajac Knocks Krzysztof Soszynski Out Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Constantinos Philippou Stops Jared Hamman with Punches - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Dennis Hallman Chokes John Makdessi out In The First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Yves Jabouin Earns Split Decision Over Walel Watson - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for ION TV Undercard - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Mark Bocek Wins Unanimous Decision Over Nik Lentz - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jake Hecht Stops Rich Attonito In The Second Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: John Cholish Stops Mitch Clarke with Strikes - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play For Facebook Fights - Brent Brookhouse
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, matthew, roth
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 results: Jon Jones vs Lyoto Machida event photos gallery from Toronto
UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" took place last night (Sat., Dec. 10, 2011) from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, featuring Jon Jones choking Lyoto Machida until he was unconscious in the second round of their light heavyweight championship fight.
Can you see the S on his chest?
Frank Mir also made it a night to remember, as he came through on his promise to defeat Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira even more impressively than the first time. He did this by snapping "Minotauro's" arm in half.
In other action, Tito Ortiz was felled by Antonio Rogerio Nogueira's ground and pound while Brian Ebersole escaped with a close split decision win over Claude Patrick. Oh, and Chan Sung Jung scored a seven second knockout of Mark Hominick, tying the current record for the fastest in recorded history.
A photo gallery (via MMAFighting.com) is available for your viewing pleasure after the jump.
Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Brian Ebersole vs. Claude Patrick
Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung
Posted in: jone, nogueira, vs, machida, antonio
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 Results: Erik Paulson Disappointed With Jon Jones and Frank Mir
Erik Paulson, noted trainer of men such as Josh Barnett, was not thrilled with what he saw from Jon Jones and Frank Mir in their wins at UFC 140. Mir snapped Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's arm while Jon Jones choked Lyoto Machida out with a front choke.
But it wasn't the way they won that disappointed Paulson, it was what they did after they won. From Paulson's Facebook page:
A little bummed out to see Mir break Nogeras Arm and not check to see if he was ok after the Fight. Also to see Jones Drop Machita on his face after he knew that he was out! safety and Well being of your Brothers after you share sweat and blood. then don't care about their well being. leaving a statement for the next generation of fighters that do it to you someday
Both incidents have caused a minor stir with some fans. I don't know that I can fully get on board with the idea that this is some generational issue that will come back to bite these guys, but Paulson's comments represent a certain segment of fans today for sure.
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, mir, paulson
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Results Recap: John Cholish vs. Mitch Clarke
At UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, John Cholish stopped Mitch Clarke with strikes at 4:36 of the second round. Cholish improved his career mark to 8-1.
Cholish and Clarke were both making their UFC debuts in a lightweight bout on Facebook. Clarke tried to come out quick and go on the attack but Cholish stayed calm before starting to work a rangy striking game that seemed to befuddle Mitch. It appeared that Clarke also had a problem with the ever dangerous "adrenaline dump" under the bright lights for the first time.
Cholish outworked him and in a brilliant scramble late in the second round, took Clarke's back and landed punches that Mitch had no answer for, forcing the referee to call a halt to the bout and save the bleeding Clarke from any further punishment.
What was the high spot of this fight?
The scramble on the ground at the end of the fight showed Cholish's awareness and technique as well as his killer instinct as he was not going to let Clarke get to the end of the round.
Where do these guys go from here?
Cholish is 27 so you can't take it too slow with him since he is just now cracking into the UFC. His wins over Mark Stevens, Jameel Massouh and now Mitch Clarke (all by stoppage) show that he's a real talent. I imagine the UFC gives him another prelim fight or two against lower level opposition and then proceeds once they feel that they know exactly how good he is.
Mitch Clarke was not impressive. He gassed and looked lost once Cholish started to come on. He should get another crack at proving he can handle the big show atmosphere, but it doesn't look too promising.
Watch it now, later or never?
I say later. It's not the best fight you'll ever see, but I am very high on Cholish's future and I think you'll want to have caught his first UFC bout.
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 140 in the full entry.
UFC 140 Results: Dan Henderson Calls Out Jon Jones, Wants to Test His Chin - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Told to Check on Lyoto Machida Post-Fight to 'Get Some Fans' - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Jon Jones is the Best Fighter on Earth - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Frank Mir Uses a Kimura to Break Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Arm - Ben Thapa
UFC 140 Results: Winners, Losers, and Other Thoughts - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Did Fight Endings Prove MMA is Too Violent to Fully Go Mainstream? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results and Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Photo: X-Ray of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's Broken Arm From Bout Against Frank Mir - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Event Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140 Video Results: Dana White Praises Jon Jones and Frank Mir - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Full Post-Fight Press Conference Video - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Vs. Lyoto Machida In Photos - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Video: Full Fight Highlights - Matthew Roth
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 108: UFC 140 Results Review - Matt Bishop
UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Puts Lyoto Machida To Sleep With A Standing Guillotine - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Frank Mir Submits Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Via Kimura - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Stops Tito Ortiz in the First - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Brian Ebersole Picks Up Split Decision Over Claude Patrick - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Chan Sung Jung Knocks Out Mark Hominick Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Pay-Per-View Card - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Igor Pokrajac Knocks Krzysztof Soszynski Out Early In First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Constantinos Philippou Stops Jared Hamman with Punches - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Dennis Hallman Chokes John Makdessi out In The First Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Yves Jabouin Earns Split Decision Over Walel Watson - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for ION TV Undercard - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Results: Mark Bocek Wins Unanimous Decision Over Nik Lentz - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: Jake Hecht Stops Rich Attonito In The Second Round - Matthew Roth
UFC 140 Results: John Cholish Stops Mitch Clarke with Strikes - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play For Facebook Fights - Brent Brookhouse
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, matthew, roth
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC offers look at Jon Jones in days leading up to last night's success at UFC 140
Have you ever wondered what a “fight week” looks like from the perspective of a UFC athlete, let alone promotional champion? If so you no longer have to, as a camera crew followed light heavyweight title-holder Jon Jones around last week while during the final build for his headlining bout against Lyoto Machida at UFC 140.
Highlights include “Bones” interacting with fans, displaying a variety of techniques at the event’s open workout, talking to media, and during the weigh-ins.
Take a Look at the Post-UFC 140 Fallout Here
“As far as all the media that I do, a lot of it is to promote the sport, you know sell the fight. And a lot of it is just having fun with it. I won’t be able to do this for the rest of my life,” Jones explains. “My intentions are straight. The reason I’m here is truly to win the fight. All of the side stuff is just to be enjoyed in life. I’m living in the moment.”
Check out the full “behind the scenes” video below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, side stuff, camera crew
Read the full article at Fighters.com
Jon Jones Proves Dominance Against Lyoto Machida
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones bounced back from a somewhat shaky first round to choke Lyoto Machida unconscious via standing guillotine choke.
Machida was able to use his striking and range style to test Jones’ chin — but the champion got through it and remained calm. He turned things around in round two, busting Machida up with elbows before sinking in the devastating choke.
Here is what UFC President Dana White had to say:
“He’s the real deal, man. He’s a young guy. He’s a young guy, and he’s got a lot of things to learn in the sport still – more than just fighting. But the potential? The potential is unbelievable. If he stays on the right track, does the right things, the guy could go down as the best ever. I just don’t see anyone beating this guy soon.”
Jones likely faces the winner of Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis, or former PRIDE superstar Dan Henderson sometime in early 2012. I’m doubtful Henderson, even with his dynamite right hand and iron chin, would be able to stand toe-to-toe with Jones for a five-round fight.
If Evans can get by Davis — which is expected due to Evans’ experience and skill set matching up well against Davis — the UFC could have a decent marketing matchup between the two former teammates.
Posted in: guy, jone, machida, range style, deal man
Read the full article at MMA OpinionUFC 140 Results: Jon Jones and the Best Year Ever
MMA is such a chaotic, upside down, black is white white is black sport that it's difficult, even among great fighters to identify long stretches of unfettered success. What's the golden standard? Many hardcore fans will tell you about Mauricio Rua's 2005 run in Pride which included Quinton Jackson, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Alistair Overeem, and Ricardo Arona.
All were legitimate top LHW's back in 2005. Three years before Jon Jones even turned professional, and was cutting his teeth on the wrestling circuit at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, Shogun was dominating.
Quinton was coming off a tough loss for Pride's Middleweight Championship. Rogerio was coming off a big win over Dan Henderson at Total Elimination (in a one sided fight that almost looked like Rogerio's whipping of Tito Ortiz). Overeem, still a legitimate fighter who had yet to develop an insatiable taste for horse meat, was coming off big wins over Igor Vovchanchyn and Vitor Belfort. And Arona, the guy everyone hated to admit to respecting for his conservative brand of top control jiu jitsu, was coming off a win over the champion and icon, Wanderlei Silva.
And yet all this context fades away in the presence of what Jones has accomplished in 2011. 'Best ever' is a phrase you don't use lightly. And it's not a phrase I think is applicable to Jones himself. But 2011 produced a string of performances you would only expect out of a future hall of famer, or all time great. Yes it's hyperbole, but it's completely valid hyperbole.
Rua earned his title off back to back brilliant performances against Lyoto Machida. Jackson dethroned the UFC LHW king, Chuck Liddell. And Machida was the last man standing when Forrest Griffin took the belt from Jackson, lost it to Rashad Evans, who then lost it to Lyoto. Jones took over the throne like these men had simply been saving him a seat all along.
It's a testament to Jones' skill that the criticisms are limited to his personality, and a move to HW. I don't have much to say on the former. It's worth analysis when we talk about how the man being called "the face of the sport" acts in sometimes 'phony', and often strange ways. But I don't expect Jones to be "down to earth". In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to hear anecdotes, like Jordan, of Jones cheating in a casual game of cards.
Success at the highest levels is intimately tied to two things: obsession, and performance. It's only natural for things like compassion, and humanity to be left behind. I'm not saying Jones is inhumane, or cruel. But Jones is merciless in the cage. With every punch, every choke attempt, and every kick, Jones is designed for violence. He's indifferent to his opponent's health. Maybe that indifference explains why it spills over into, say, an interview, or in response to a kid with a replica belt he wants signed.
But on the latter, I'm inclined to agree. There simply isn't much left for Jones at LHW. A fight with Henderson and Evans are interesting (assuming Phil Davis loses), and worth making. Jones should fight in the division for another year or two. But I don't expect anyone to beat him. Am I drinking the koolaid? Yes. But only because it's not spiked.
Poll
Who has the best chance at stopping Jon Jones at LHW?
Rashad Evans
Dan Henderson
Phil Davis
None of the above
4 votes | Results
Posted in: jone, jon jones, lhw, i dont, dont
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140: Without exaggeration, Jon Jones may be the greatest fighter on the planet
Five minutes into the UFC 140 main event, it seemed like Jon Jones might have finally met his match. Less than five minutes later, we were all slapping our collective foreheads for ever doubting the light heavyweight champion.
That's because after surviving a first round scare at the hands of former champ Lyoto Machida, "Bones" did exactly what fans have been seeing him do since he debuted for the UFC: dominate.
In the past year, we've seen the young champion run through Ryan Bader, Mauricio Rua, and Quinton Jackson. "The Dragon" was the icing on top of what has to be the most successful 12 month period in any fighter's career. Three of those men are former champions themselves and were at one point or another recognized as the best light heavyweight in the world.
That title now belongs to Jones. But besides being the best 205-pounder in the game, he might very well be the best fighter period.
Ladies and gentlemen of the Maniac jury, allow me to present the evidence.
Exhibit A: Level of competition
"Bones" is undefeated. That "L" on his record next to Matt Hamill's name? It's a mere technicality. "The Hammer" didn't beat Jones that night any more than he can hear the beat of a drum. Of the champ's 16 fights, 10 have been in the UFC, the highest level of the sport.
During his tenure, he has absolutely dominated each and every opponent he has faced. From Andre Gusmão in his Octagon debut at UFC 87 to last night's second round submission that put "The Dragon" to sleep -- a real life Skyrim hero! --, Jones doesn't seem to even break a sweat when he fights despite being inside the cage with some of the world's best fighters.
"Rampage" is the man who put Chuck Liddell on ice and unified the UFC and Pride Fighting Championships titles. "Shogun" went through a veritable minefield of light heavyweights in 2005 to win the Japanese promotion's grand prix that year. And Machida had lost only twice before last night -- to the two previously named fighters -- and is the only man to hold a victory over Rashad Evans.
Should Jones get past Dan Henderson and "Suga," there'd be nothing left for him to accomplish at light heavyweight. There'd be nowhere left to go but up.
Exhibit B: Youth
Jones is only 24-years old. You know what I was doing when I was that age? I was managing a clothing store at the mall and my biggest problem was running out of the t-shirt we were supposed to put on the front table. "Bones" is the youngest UFC champion in the promotion's history and already has enough talent to make most think there isn't a suitable challenge for him in his current weight class.
Being as young as he is, a move up to heavyweight could definitely be in the cards for him. He would give up the guaranteed size and reach advantage in some fights but would retain a lot of his speed. With rumors going around that Alistair Overeem might be out of his main event fight with Brock Lesnar at UFC 141, it wouldn't totally surprise me -- giving his history of taking fights on like, three hours notice -- if Jones stepped in to take on the former WWE Superstar.
Likely? No, of course not. But not unbelievable!
Exhibit C: Move over Kenny Florian...
And finally, Jon Jones finishes fights. Georges St. Pierre is as dominant a champion as there ever has been but his 25-minute bouts aren't so much wars of attrition between him and his opponent but rather between fans and Mr. Sandman.
When "GSP" is taking guys like Dan Hardy and Jake Shields to a decision and the next time they step inside the Octagon, they're getting laid out by Carlos Condit or Jake Ellenberger, one has to question if "Rush" even entertains the notion of being ... well, entertaining.
Judges must love scoring the 205-pound champion's fights because essentially, they don't have to. They can catch up on their Twitter timeline, grab some nachos and a brewski or hit the bathroom when "Bones" steps up to the plate. He hasn't needed a judge to name him the winner of a fight in nearly three years.
Ever since his "loss" to Hamill, he's had six stoppage victories, three by knockout or TKO and three coming via submission.
Ever since "The Iceman" lost the title, the light heavyweight division has been the most chaotic in the promotion. While the 170- and 185-pound weight classes are secured safely with St. Pierre's and Anderson Silva's bussom, the 205-pound strap has been hot potatoing around from fighter to fighter, never sticking around longer than a couple of fights.
With his victory at UFC 140, Jones earned his second defense, something that hasn't been done in over five years. He needs only four more victories to break Tito Ortiz's record but he might not reach that goal. Are there even four more light heavyweights who would stand a chance?
After last night, methinks not.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, fighter, heavyweight
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Is Now No 2 P4P Behind Anderson Silva
UFC President Dana White says there's no denying Jon Jones his place in the pound for pound rankings after UFC 140.
Posted in: ufc, pound, jone, jon jones, pound rankings
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyGreg Jackson Instructs Jon Jones To Check On Lyoto Machida To ‘Get Some Fans’
Despite his dominance in the cage, Jon Jones isn’t well liked by fans outside of it. He’s often criticized of having a public persona that is carefully managed by the team of people behind him. Or put more simply, he’s often accused of being “fake.” Well, Jones might as well get used to it, because this video of his lead trainer, Greg Jackson, yelling at him to check on Lyoto Machida to “get some fans” isn’t going to help him convince anyone otherwise.
HT: MiddleEasy
Posted in: jone, jon jones, fan, lyoto machida, fans ’
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 140 results: Greg Jackson tells Jon Jones to check on Lyoto Machida after choking him out to 'get some fans' (Video)
Here's an interesting video making the rounds following the UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" pay-per-view event last night (Dec. 10, 2011) in Toronto.
In it, Greg Jackson, lead trainer and cornerman for Jon Jones, tells his fighter to go check on his fallen foe, Lyoto Machida, after Jones choked him unconscious in the main event. What makes it interesting, though, is that Jackson tells him to do this to "get some fans."
Any Maniacs have a problem with Jackson instructing his pupil to check on his opponent just to look good for the fans instead of genuine concern for Machida's well being?
For a full recap of the fight click here. For all the analysis and a detailed breakdown click here. To watch the highlights click here and for complete UFC 140 results and coverage of all the night's action click here.
Posted in: jone, jackson, jon jones, click, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Thinks It’s His ‘Destiny’ To Be One Of The Best Ever
“I knew I could take a punch, and I’m glad that I got to prove it. But getting punched at practice and getting punched in the octagon is completely different. That’s what (head trainer) Greg Jackson told me backstage: ‘You really proved that you can keep your composure through adversity. You really handled it like a champion.’… I just feel like I’m meant to do this. I know in my heart and soul there is really nothing left on this planet I was meant to do. I believe it’s my destiny to be one of the best who ever lived.”
— Jon Jones at the UFC 140 post-fight press conference, via MMA Junkie, talking about his destiny to be one of the best fighters ever
Following yet another dramatic finish of a former UFC champion, many people are starting to buy into the notion that Jon Jones is on his way to becoming the best fighter to ever compete in mixed martial arts. That includes UFC president Dana White who said Jones could go down as the best ever “if he stays on the right track and does the right things.”
One person who isn’t buying it though is Dan Henderson. He made it clear after the fight that he wants the next shot at Jones.
Congrats to @jonnybones — great win. Hey @danawhite, I’d like to see if his chin is as good as he thinks & I’m ready to go.
If anyone is going to truly test Jones’ chin, it’s going to be Dan Henderson. Machida hit Jones with a pretty good shot last night that sent Jones scrambling, but it didn’t have the same kind of devastating power behind it that the H-bomb generates. I’d be really curious to see how Jones would react if Hendo was able to land the same kind of shots that he hit Shogun with.
Whether Hendo gets that opportunity though likely hinges on how the Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis fight plays out at UFC on FOX 2. Needless to say, no one is going to be a bigger Phil Davis fan that night than Dan Henderson.
Image via Esther Lin for MMA Fighting
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, mma junkie, planet i
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 140 Results Judo Chop: Jon Jones Front Chancery Chokes Lyoto Machida Unconscious
At UFC 140 last night, Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones successfully defended his title for a second time by defeating former champion Lyoto Machida in the toughest fight of Jones' career thus far. While the first round proved problematic for Jones as he was unable to adjust to Machida's timing and footwork, a well executed and persistent takedown in the second round helped turn the tide in the American's favor. Jones Landed a couple of elbows on the ground which split Machida's forehead open, and the challenger was visibly dazed when the fight resumed on the feet free of the clinch. Within seconds after an exchange Jones got the better of, Machida dropped to the mat unconsious after referee John McCarthy separated the fighters, recognizing Machida was out on his feet. Voice of the Octagon Bruce Buffer announced Jones the winner by Guillotine choke, though it was not the typical standing guillotine we see out of most fighters.
In the ring Joe Rogan asked Jones about the fight ending submission:
Joe Rogan: Now let's take a look at the standing guillotine where you put him to sleep; you caught him first with this left hand , and then when you locked up -- not only did you lock in the guillotine, you used your hand to push it up and forward, really twisting his neck in a horrible angle ... is this how you do this choke all the time?
Jon Jones: Yeah, you know ... it's not really a move that I practice, I think it's just something that comes natural from wrestling for so many years. It was a great lock, I realized that I had it and I knew that I just needed to be tough and hold the position, and eventually he would run out (of air).
After the jump, animated gifs and analysis of Wrestling's Front Chancery that won Jon Jones the fight.
As Jon Jones was adjusting the choke, Joe Rogan was quick to reference Cody McKenzie and the 'McKenzietine' during the commentary since the former TUF contestant has found a lot of success with this choke variant. Even before McKenzie brought it to our attention during his stint on Spike TV, the variant was more commonly known as a Prayer Choke in the grappling world. Among modern day grapplers the choke was originally done with your hands pressed together like you were praying, but it was realised pressing on a turned first was much better because it locked the wrist and forearm eliminating the natural give in the wrist. This is something wrestlers have known for years and is what's referred to as making a bar, and it's this bar that is used for leverage in grappling which is where we get the names for moves like 'armbar' from (You can find more information on the etymology of the word armbar in my article for Cageside Seats).
So before it was a Prayer Choke or a McKenzietine, we can go back further still and find that it was a Front Chancery. In standard Wrestling a century ago, strangleholds were barred and only allowed in 'No Holds Barred' matches. Holds could be modified so the arm would not go under the chin for chokes and strangles which has been the case in American Folkstyle wrestling as well as many other international styles for decades. But during these 'No Holds Barred' matches, as the name suggests almost anything goes including wrapping around the neck for a choke or strangle.
The name comes from the perilous position in which the head can be found in. A Head Chancery -- or Head in Chancery -- draws its name from Chancery Court, more commonly known as a Court of Equity which originally operated separately to a Court of Law, and judges were able to act in the Monarch's conscience when presiding over a case. It wasn't until later that only trained lawyers could be a Judge of a Chancery Court, where as before it could be clerics or clergy representing a King or Queen's interest, and not necessarily the interest of Justice. Originally if you found yourself in Chancery Court where only an argument of prosecution was given, you were usually in deep, deep trouble. Similarly if you're caught in a Chancery Choke, the end is near. As you can see in the photo provided, the awkward angle of the head is key meaning not only are you compressing the carotid arteries, but you're closing the windpipe restricting air as well.
But enough of the history lesson. The beginning of the end starts in an exhange where Machida tries to rush and blast Jones with a wide looking left punch, but Jones is able to land a short left hand which drops Machida to his knees. Jones tries to use the typical double collar tie or Plum from Muay Thai but Machida is already crashing forward. Jones tries to stay heavy and sprawled on Machida to work his punches, but opts to return to the front and prevent Machida from clasping his hands and look for a Single-Leg attack. Jones has a Front Headlock (arm-in) and drives Machida back to the fence landing a knee to the body for good measure. Machida is already trying to pull his left arm out of the Front Headlock showing how loose the control is but it's enough for Jones to keep Machida in place against the fence.
Jones lets go of the Front Headlock to quickly connect his hands together, but instead of wrapping his hand on top and pulling up as you would with a traditional guillotine choke, Jones pushes underneath his fist and adjusts so Machida's head is turning. More importantly, Jones is using his left side to block any gap along the fence Machida can use to escape and put his head back in natural alignment with his body. Unfamiliar with this choke, Machida doesn't know how to defend, trying to pull down on Jones right arm. Machida's best option in my opinion would have been to get his right foot and knee outside of Jones' left, and then use his right hand to C-grip at Jones knee and drive 45 degrees and down for all he's worth, dropping to a knee in the process so he's now perpendicular to Jones and ideally Jones would have dropped to one knee as well. If Jones hasn't automatically released to post because of being off balance, you should be able to pop your head free far more easily.
As mentioned though, Jones is using his left side to block an exit with his knee pressed against the fence. Just a few seconds with the Chancery on and Machida's right arm goes limp. Fortunately the watchful eye of John McCarthy catches it immediately and stops the fight, but the image of Machida crumpling in a heap is none the less a little unsettling especially when you see the completely glazed over look in his eyes.
Here's a video tutorial on the Prayer Choke from Combat Chaz of Lockflow.com
There is also another variation that can be done that's a Figure Four Chancery. Here's a video of it used as a neck crank also known as a Front Face Lock or Grovit, by Catch Wrestling master Billy Robinson. For it to be a choke, you simply take the bar of the arm off the face and put it on the side of the neck and under the chin. Extreme caution should be taken when trying any of these.
Posted in: jone, hand, front, machida, chancery
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 winners and losers discuss evening of action at post-event presser
Jon Jones, Frank Mir, and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira> all put on quite the show Saturday night at UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida.
“Bones” successfully defended his UFC light heavyweight championship with a thrilling second round submission victory over Lyoto Machida. Jones has now toppled three former UFC champs in the past year including two by submission and one via TKO.
Comparably, Mir earned his second career victory over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira while Nogueira’s twin brother, Antonio Rogerio, stopped Tito Ortiz.
UFC President Dana White was joined by Jones, Mir, Rogerio Nogueira and others at the UFC 140 post-fight press conference, where he announced several plans for the upcoming months and the bonus winners for the night.
Check out the video below…
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, night check, nogueira ’s, career victory
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 140 results recap: What's next for Jon Jones and Frank Mir?
Last night (Dec. 10, 2011), UFC 140 featured four of the biggest names in the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) in the main and co-main event, live from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The main event saw Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight titleholder Jon Jones taking on Lyoto Machida in what many predicted would be the greatest challenge of his still-young career.
The co-main event showcased a classic match-up between quite possibly the two greatest heavyweight jiu-jitsu practitioners we've ever seen in MMA.
Both fights delivered every bit of what was promised. "Bones" proved that he is in a class all his own, particularly amongst those fighting at 205-pounds. Mir showed that his ground game is second to none in at heavyweight and that the Frank Mir of old very well may be back for good.
After the jump, MMAmania.com takes a look at what's next for UFC 140 big winners, Jon Jones and Frank Mir:
For a round and a half, it looked as though Jon Jones had met his match. He got hit with a few big shots. He looked hesitant. He wasn't himself.
Or was he?
Late in the second round, Jones found the hole he had so patiently been waiting for. After softening Machida up with some ground and pound that left a disgustingly deep gash on "the Dragon's" forehead, Jones pinned his opponent against the cage, wrapped up a standing guillotine (comprised of almost all wrists and forearms and no biceps) and choked Machida completely unconscious.
It was a finishing move that even Steven Seagal himself would be proud of (and possibly take credit for).
So where does he go from here?
For starters. He's going to take a break. Jones just finished one of the most impressive one-year MMA campaigns we've ever seen by fighting four times, winning the belt and defending that same belt successfully twice against two very tough adversaries.
There are two options.
On Jan. 28, Rashad Evans will face Phil Davis at UFC on Fox 2 in Chicago, Illinois. If "Suga" is able to notch the victory (and avoid any more unnecessary press conference slip-ups), then it would only make sense for him to finally get the shot against Jones that everyone has been waiting for.
If he loses, I just don't see "Jon Jones vs. Phil Davis" being an easy fight for the UFC to sell. Not yet, anyway.
So, that really just leaves everyone's favorite 41-year old bomb thrower: Dan Henderson.
Would it be a good fight? Hard to say. Would "Anyone vs. Jon Jones" be a good fight, right now? If I'm being honest, the answer is: "probably not."
It looks certain that Anderson Silva is not moving up, so, sadly, we can forget about that. And Jones isn't moving up either, so slow your roll on that one too.
In short, who knows.
You might not like Frank Mir.
Like him or not, the guy is a stud when it comes to grappling and submissions. At UFC 140, Mir became the first fighter to ever submit Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
He didn't just submit him. He grabbed hold of the arm of one of the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) practitioners we've ever seen in MMA and snapped it like a twig.
"Big Nog" wasn't suffering from a staph infection this time, but he definitely made a trip to the Emergency Room afterwards, nonetheless.
So, what does the future hold for Mir?
On Dec. 30, Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem will face-off at UFC 141 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The winner has been promised a title shot against new belt holder Junior dos Santos.
It would appear that Mir's next opponent will be one of two fighters: Cain Velasquez or the loser of "Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem."
Look for the UFC to wait and see what happens at UFC 141 before they make a final decision.
Were you Maniacs impressed by the performances of Jones and Mir? If you had it your way, who would you want to see them both fight next?
Sound off!
Posted in: ufc, fight, jon, jone, mir
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 Results: Dan Henderson Calls Out Jon Jones, Wants to Test His Chin
Shortly after UFC 140 ended, former Strikeforce and PRIDE champion, Dan Henderson campaigned for a shot at Jon Jones. He turned to twitter to make the case for a title shot:
@danhendoDan Henderson Congrats to @jonnybones -- great win. Hey @danawhite, I'd like to see if his chin is as good as he thinks & I'm ready to go.Dec 11 via SeesmicFavoriteRetweetReply
Aside from the winner of Phil Davis vs. Rashad Evans, Henderson is probably the only light heavyweight that can draw a ton of interest in a match against Jones.
He has the wrestling, and that bomb of a right hand that can cause stylistic problems, plus he's riding high coming off a very impressive run in 2011. That hot-streak has seen him win the Strikeforce light heavyweight title, KO the greatest heavyweight of all-time in Fedor Emeliananko, and defeat Shogun Rua in a fight of the year candidate.
While it is a very interesting match up, there could be issues with timing, as Jones said during the post-fight press conference that he wanted to take a few months off. (Transcribed by MMA Mania):
"I would like to take up to four months of, maybe even five. Come on Dana, give me a break, give me a break please. Yeah, fighting maybe three times in 2012 would be nice, but you know a break sounds nice, too. So, it's really up to the UFC, one of my goals is to be a company guy, so if the UFC asks me to do something, I probably won't put up much of a fight. So it's really up to Dana."
If the bout against Jones does happen though, let's hope it comes sooner rather than later, as the 41-year-old Henderson isn't getting any younger.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, henderson, something i
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC Quick Quote: Jon Jones has the potential to be greatest MMA fighter ever
"He has had an amazing year; he is the only guy that has defended the title since Chuck Liddell. The title has been going back and forth. He continues to prove his dominance and how amazing and talented he is, and who knows. Again, the one thing about Jon Jones, I don't like to pump it up, but he is a young guy. He's got a lot of things to learn in the sport, more than just fighting. You know, but the potential, the potential is unbelievable, if he stays on the right track, does the right things, this guy could go down as the greatest ever. I just don't see anybody beating this guy anytime soon."
-- Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White makes the bold proclamation at the UFC 140 press conference that his young light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, may go down as the greatest ever when it's all said and done. That's quite the compliment, considering the promotion has had many great champions in the past, namely Matt Hughes and Chuck Liddell, among others. At the moment, Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva are neck-and-neck in the race to lay claim to the title of greatest of all time. However, a new candidate is slowly looking to make it a three man race, as Jones -- who seems unbeatable at his point of his career -- is slowly but surely creeping up behind the two long-time, established champions. "Bones" added to his ever growing legacy and put a ribbon on one of the most successful years in UFC history by defeating Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 last night (Dec. 10, 2011) at the Air Canada Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. What do you say Maniacs, is the UFC head honcho jumping the gun, or is he on point with his statements?
Posted in: ufc, guy, jon, jone, chuck liddell
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Told to Check on Lyoto Machida Post-Fight to 'Get Some Fans'
Jon Jones may be the best fighter int he world, but he still has a bit of an image problem. He's seen as having a very carefully manufactured public image. Some people have an issue with that image as being "phony" while others have taken issue with Jones as being "cocky." This has led to situations like the UFC 140 weigh-in where Jones was booed loudly by the crowd in attendance.
Cocky doesn't bother me at all, I expect the best in the world at anything to be cocky. But I have written in the past that I don't care for some of how he comes across so carefully managed in public. It's a personal thing and everyone is going to see different athletes through different lenses
There's a video circulating now from the aftermath of 140 where, after choking Lyoto Machida unconscious, Jones is told by Greg Jackson to check on Machida for the purpose of "getting some fans."
Here's the video:
Look, the truth is, it makes sense for Jones to make a good show of sportsmanship by checking on Machida there. And yes, it makes sense from a PR perspective. But this is only going to add to some people's dislike of Jones.
Jones will now look to many even more like a guy who has to be told what to do and why to do it. He doesn't check on Machida because he's concerned about his well being, he checks on him because his coach told him it'd be good for his image.
It's not even that it's the wrong thing to do from a PR standpoint, it's just that it's a bad look when it's caught on camera. And there are plenty of people who aren't going to forget this.
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: jone, check, machida, image, pr standpoint
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Jon Jones is the Best Fighter on Earth
I've made no bones about the fact that I don't care for Jon Jones' personality. Something about him rubs me the wrong way.
Until the bell rings and he starts to fight.
At UFC 140, Jon Jones put his amazing talent on display again when he faced Lyoto Machida.
Machida didn't make things easy on Jones. In fact, Lyoto won the first round using his solid game of movement and opportunistic striking from distance. Jon went back to his corner and actually looked a bit confused and even worried sitting on the stool between rounds.
But in the second round, something clicked. Jones stopped being so willing to stay on the outside, reach not being a huge asset against Machida, and took to the inside. In the clinch, Jones owned Machida and it became quickly clear that he knew it. Once he got a takedown and landed an elbow that opened up Machida's head you could see Jones get a surge of confidence (something he confirmed at the post-fight presser).
The choke finish by Jones seemed almost inevitable once Machida was cut and Jones came on strong.
In the aftermath of the fight I had to sit back and really think about it before typing this. But, I'm ready to call Jon Jones the best fighter in the world. I have trouble thinking of any fighter at 205 who can give him trouble. I'm a big fan of Rashad Evans, but I find it hard to believe that Rashad could stop Jones or win 3 of 5 rounds. The idea of Anderson Silva being able to withstand the attack of the much bigger Jones just doesn't click for me either.
Jonathan Snowden touched on this over at MMA Nation:
Jones looks completely unstoppable against the top fighters in the world. He's never looked like Silva did underneath Chael Sonnen before a miracle win rescued his title. There is no way a fighter like Jake Shields intimidates Jones the way the former Strikeforce star scared St. Pierre.
Jones is the one person in MMA who I can't see losing right now. That isn't to say he's unbeatable, no one in MMA has that claim. Simply that Jones should be a sizable favorite against anyone who isn't a top heavyweight (and maybe even then).
I feel like I'm in full hyperbole mode, but what we saw last night was a special fighter and one of the most amazing talents the sport has ever seen. And I'm sold on him as the best fighter in the world.
Posted in: jon, jone, fighter, round, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowNow Jon Bones Jones and Greg Jackson are in the middle of a sportsmanship controversy
If you’re not suffering from a severe hangover, your Saturday night was considerably more responsible than mine. In fact, hanging out with any of my friends is a bad idea unless you’re prepared to find your own way home from a mysterious massage parlor in the middle of nowhere while being bewilderingly intoxicated. You’d think someone would have called me to check and see if I was still alive, but the only evidence of last night that exists is a text message asking if I me if I wanted to get some vegan lasagna. If I were friends with Greg Jackson & Jon Jones, I’d never have that problem. They’d send Jon Jones to personally check up on me as clearly exclaimed in this sweet video grab. Props to @CursedDiamonds for the find.
{iframe}http://www.twitvid.com/embed.php?guid=CC7Q9&autoplay=0{/iframe}
Posted in: jon, jone, ’d, text message, vegan lasagna
Read the full article at Middle EasyFollowing UFC 140 win, the Jon Jones business is thriving
TORONTO - If you're in the Jon Jones business, well, business is good.
The 24-year-old phenom passed his latest test with flying colors, and in doing so, squelched any of the few remaining doubts about his abilities inside the cage.
Within the octagon, he seemingly has no peers. And outside the cage, he's been just as flawless.
Posted in: business, jon, jone, cage, cage hes
Read the full article at MMA JunkieJon Jones next fight not near, but willing to step up if UFC needs him
After fighting four times in 10 months against the toughest competition that the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 205-pound division has to offer, defeating three former champions, reigning light heavyweight kingin, Jon Jones, has earned some time off.
And then some.
Throughout his historic run in 2011, Jones, 24, has not taken sustained significant damage in any fight, allowing him to have quick turnarounds and compete often with limited breaks. He's made it look way too easy -- it's a feat unheard of in any combat sport.
Even though "Bones" may have yet to be on the receiving end of any major damage -- or fallen victim to a major injury in training or in competition -- one has to take into account the long, grueling training camps that the young champion has endured to prepare for his title defenses. One must also consider his family, who have sacrificed time away from their father, significant other, son and brother in order for him to achieve his goals.
Having said all that, it's easy to assume the UFC light heavyweight champion will take a much-deserved vacation after a breakneck fight schedule in 2011.
Well, maybe.
Speaking at the UFC 140 post-fight press conference (watch the full video here) after his submission win over Lyoto Machida (get all the details right here) in the main event of the evening, Jones admits he is ready to take a break; however, if the promotion needs him in a pinch, he is ready to start off 2012 the same way he ended 2011 ... and that's fighting:
"I would like to take up to four months of, maybe even five. Come on Dana, give me a break, give me a break please. Yeah, fighting maybe three times in 2012 would be nice, but you know a break sounds nice, too. So, it's really up to the UFC, one of my goals is to be a company guy, so if the UFC asks me to do something, I probably won't put up much of a fight. So it's really up to Dana."
Company man indeed.
Though no one will blame Jones if he decides to take a long break to enjoy the fruits of his labor and spend time with his family, the fact still remains: Jones is healthy, which is a state that other box office draws such as Georges St. Pierre and Brock Lesnar are not.
Therefore, a quick turnaround to fight in 2012 is not so far-fetched ... especially if FOX Sports comes a calling.
What's more, Dan Henderson has an empty dance card and the always stacked SuperBowl weekend event needs some much needed star power now that aforementioned Canadian superstar has been shelved because of a major knee injury.
What do you say Maniacs, should "Bones" take some well-deserved time off, or should he jump right back on the horse and keep riding his momentum and add to his rapidly growing legacy?
"Hendo," 41, isn't getting any younger.
Posted in: ufc, fight, time, jone, champion
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 Recap: Jon Jones and Frank Mir prove a point
Lyoto Machida was supposed to be the fighter that was going to put UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones to the test and he did, at least for the first five minutes of the fight. Once Jones took the fight to the ground and opened up a cut on Machida’s forehead the tide turned and it wasn’t long until Jones was choking out the former champ and unceremoniously dumping his unconscious body the ground like a sack of potatoes. The majority of the 11 fights leading up to the main
Posted in: fight, jone, ground, wasn ’t, machida
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 140 results recap: Jon Jones vs Lyoto Machids fight review and analysis
Former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida was expected to be Jon Jones' stiffest test to date when he challenged for "Bones'" title last night (December 10, 2011) in the main event of UFC 140.
And he was -- well, at least for five minutes.
Despite "The Dragon's" best effort, a terrific training camp and being in incredible shape, he would be Jon Jones' shortest title fight to date.
That makes three legendary champions finished in three tries for the 24 year old superstar.
So what key adjustment did Jon Jones make that helped him gain a victory? And what's next for both men?
Jon Jones came out to strike in the first round against Machida, wading forward looking to utilize his 10.5 inch reach advantage, and it wasn't the best idea in the world. It appeared that "Bones'" plan of attack was to utilize his kicks early targeting Machida's lead leg. He landed a few stiff strikes, but Machida remained elusive and kept his distance.
When Jones got a little frustrated and began to close the distance, perhaps getting a little cheeky with his attack, Machida finally pounced, exploding forward the second the champion threw a leg kick and cracking him with a big straight left hand to the jaw that sent him reeling at least temporarily.
This strike was definitely the hardest that Jon Jones had ever been hit in the UFC but "Bones" went to his instincts, closing the distance with a clinch and he immediately recovered.
Machida stole the round with that strike.
As Machida was brimming with confidence in the beginning of round two, Jones seemed a little more tentative with his striking, but at the mid-point of the round, the tides changed drastically.
As Machida tried to come inside and land a hook, Jones ducked into him and forced a clinch. Within seconds, he pushed forward with a failed trip takedown attempt but the second that didn't work, he was in prime position for a full double leg takedown and he proceeded to yank "The Dragon's" legs out from under him with great force to put him on his back.
Look closely, and you'll see that the instant Jones had Machida on his back, he attacked with an elbow and that single short blow was the strike which opened a nasty cut on the former champion's forehead, which only emboldened Jones.
Machida worked his way back to his feet, but he was bleeding heavily from the gash and was still in Jones' clutches. After a few heavy knees to the legs and body, he was able to back away and reset.
The next time Machida pounced with a lead left hand, he was greeted with a huge right from Jones which stunned him and temporarily dropped him.
As Machida tried to get to his feet, Jones swarmed him, wrapping up his neck with a modified standing guillotine choke which twisted his head in a painful position and he pressed him heavily against the fence.
With Jones' long limbs, the torque was unbearable and within seconds, Machida's right hand goes limp signalling that he had lost consciousness. As referee John McCarthy stops the bout, Jones dropped the former champion on the canvas in a heap, walking away like an action movie hero from an exploding building.
So much for Jon Jones' toughest test.
For Lyoto Machida, he fought the typical Machida style and it appeared to be working after about seven minutes. He had Jones flustered in the stand-up but unfortunately for him, striking is just one facet of "Bones'" lethal arsenal of attack. Once the fight went to the ground and in the clinch, Machida was overwhelmed with elbows and knees which eventually led to his gash and defeat.
Despite having now lost three of his last four, don't expect an easy fight for "The Dragon" in his next bout. Potential battles include a rubber match with Mauricio Rua, the loser of the upcoming Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis fight or perhaps Forrest Griffin.
For Jon Jones, this was the type of fight he needed to answer several questions from his critics. He proved he can take a punch, he proved he can come back from slight adversity and most important of all, he showed that he can adapt his gameplan flawlessly mid-fight. When the regular striking wasn't working, he transitioned to a clinch and takedown seamlessly and executed it perfectly, which allowed him to open up the cut and give him much-needed confidence. His victory capped off what is certainly the greatest single year of any fighter in MMA history.
There are only a few options for Jones in his next bout. He'll definitely face Rashad Evans next if "Suga" gets pasted Phil Davis this upcoming January. He could also face Phil Davis depending if he can beat Evans impressively enough to build interest for a pay-per-view bout and the last option is former Pride and Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson, who is patiently waiting to cash in his title shot he earned with his stellar 2011. Whoever this unlucky person is, they'll definitely have their work cut out for them against Jones.
So what do you think, Maniacs?
Did you see anything last night which made you think Jon Jones can be defeated any time in the near future? How impressive was his finish of Machida?
Sound off!
For complete UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire pay-per-view (PPV) event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here.
All gifs by Zombie Prophet via IronForgesIron.com.
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, jon jones, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results - Did Fight Endings Prove MMA is Too Violent to Fully Go Mainstream?
UFC 140 was a great event, filled from top to bottom with action and memorable fights. But it also ended with two shockingly violent endings to the featured bouts. I found myself wondering what the long-term ramifications of those fight endings would be should they ever happen on Fox.
The idea of the fights on Fox are to draw in new viewers, people who are curious about the product and turn them into long-term pay-per-view buyers. While the idea of something like a grotesque Corey Hill-esque leg break is something that has come up for some fans, I think that the UFC 140 endings are a much bigger threat to some public backlash.
While the Corey Hill break was horrifying to see, it was a fluke accident. No different from the infamous Joe Theismann leg break in 1985 or Robin Ventura's broken leg/dislocated ankle in 1997.
The real backlash could be from something like Frank Mir breaking Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's arm. The ultimate point of the maneuver Mir used was to cause so much pain as to make Nogueira submit and, if not, to break the limb. Mir was great in his application of the technique, ultimately doing everything correct. And in the end fans were "treated" to watching Nogueira's arm snap.
What may be a worse highlight for some ignorant member of the media to pick up and run with might be the ending of the main event. Jon Jones sunk in a brilliant deep standing guillotine choke on Lyoto Machida and cranked on his neck until Machida went limp. After holding the choke another few seconds until John McCarthy jumped in to make the save, Jones dropped the unconscious Brazilian to the ground.
That ten second clip of Jones choking out Machida and dropping him to the ground would make great news "Do you know what your kid is watching?" fodder.
Look, we all know that MMA is a great sport. And we all also know that it's a violent sport. But it's hard for me to not wonder if we won't eventually have a moment of such brutality as to cause a backlash against the sport on network TV that actually catches some steam.
Sure, every event will have some ignorant media member whining about fighting being on TV. But what happens when they have a clip that goes beyond a guy submitting or getting knocked out and actually looks like something...well, something like this:
via Ed Mulholland/ESPN.com on Twitter
The UFC isn't going anywhere, but there may be an ugly publicity battle somewhere in the future.
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: ufc, jone, machida, something, fight endings
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowIs Rashad Evans or Dan Henderson The One to Beat Jon Jones?
Filed under: UFCWith his second-round TKO win at UFC 140 on Saturday night, Jon Jones might well be off to the greatest career start in MMA history.
Through 16 pro fights, he has only lost once, in a fight he thoroughly dominated before making a mistake by throwing illegal downward elbows and getting disqualified. Since then he has been nearly flawless in the cage. He has defeated three former UFC champions in a nine-month span. He has finished each of his last seven wins in what has historically been MMA's most competitive division.
But there are still challenges waiting ahead of him. The two biggest threats? No. 1 contender Rashad Evans, who will risk his position to face Phil Davis in January, and sledgehammer-fisted Dan Henderson, who is fresh off his instant classic win over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.
After fighting four times in 2011, Jones has a well-deserved vacation coming to him. In the post-fight press conference, he said he would like to take 4-5 months off. But when he comes back, he'll likely have one of those two lined up to face him.
More Coverage: UFC 140 Results | UFC 140 Post-Fight Press Conference Video
From a business perspective, the Evans-Jones fight makes more sense as a gate attraction. The two have a built-in rivalry based on their time together as teammates at the Greg Jackson camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico and eventual split after Jones acknowledged that he would fight Evans if the UFC requested it. Since then, there's been plenty of trash talk between them, and as Jones' star grows, the possibility of a serious grudge match could sell big. After all, Evans rivalry with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson did over 1 million pay-per-view buys, so why not one with Jones?
From a style matchup, it is intriguing. Jones has yet to face an opponent who offers seamless transitions from striking to wrestling, yet that's exactly what Evans brings to the table. While the Lyoto Machida matchup puzzle is mostly based on timing, feints and distance, Evans is a legitimate threat with power striking, takedowns and work against the cage, offering a triple threat to contemplate.
But some of the same old, same old would apply. Namely, Evans would be at a massive disadvantage in reach and height, giving up 9.5 inches in the former and 5 inches in the latter, so his challenge like many would be to find a way to get into striking range without taking damage on the way in. That might be a bit tricky for Evans, who often likes to sit back and let his opponent come to him. That particular approach is never going to be the best one against Jones, who is long enough to hit you as you're simply trying to gauge distance.
Machida, for instance, had his best moments when he was aggressive and flurried while coming forward. When he sat back and countered, Jones fired off kicks to keep him on the defensive. The fight-ending sequence in fact began when Machida patiently waited with his back near the fence, waiting for Jones to fire. When he did, Machida's counter left hand was quite literally beaten to the punch by Jones' own left by virtue of his reach. The strike dropped Machida and led to the fight-ending guillotine choke.
Because Evans and Jones trained together for a time, they each have an insight into the other. But I would argue that it benefits Jones. Let's face it, Evans was much further along in his career at the time and a more fully formed fighter, while Jones was still in the neophyte stages of the game. Which one do you think is more different now? If your answer is Jones, Evans' memories from their time together are mostly useless.
The interesting thing about Evans is that he doesn't do any one thing exceptionally. He's very good at several things, and melds them all together well in a way that makes him hard to prepare for, and harder to beat. That's what he'd bring to the table against Jones.
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The other option is Henderson, the 41-year-old Californian who some consider the greatest American mixed martial artist in history. A winner of seven of his last eight fights, Henderson has smashed his way through other studs in the past, and his massive right hand can end anyone's night. Because of that, he might pose the biggest one-punch knockout threat of anyone Jones has ever.
While Jones' chin was once thought to be a question mark, after having gone through Rua, Machida and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, it's safe to assume it's just fine.
Like Evans, Henderson would have to navigate some serious distance to land his punches, as his 74-inch reach puts him at a full 10.5 inches less than Jones.
Stylistically though, a Henderson fight for Jones would be quite similar to his recent fight over Jackson. Henderson certainly has a much more decorated wrestling pedigree than Jackson, but in terms of functional MMA, Jackson is better statistically. According to FightMetric, Henderson successfully defends 58 percent of takedowns against him while Jackson defends 80 percent.
Striking-wise, both Henderson and Jackson are both reliant on their boxing first and foremost, trusting their hands to power them to victory. Obviously, most of the time it works out fine for them. Just because Jackson lost to Jones doesn't mean Henderson will, but the style and approach would not seem unfamiliar to him, and that's an edge in his favor.
Both men have legitimate routes to victory. Evans would need to keep Jones off-balance by changing his attacks minute by minute. Jones showed in the Machida fight that he can adjust if you continue the same attack, so variability is a key. And Henderson offers a pure power threat that is probably unmatched right now at 205.
When you look objectively though, Jones' overall package will continue to make him a favorite to win going forward. He has length and uses it smartly. He is generous with his kicks, keeping his opponent at bay. He switches stances. He throws unorthodox strikes. He is insanely strong in the clinch and has powered every one of his opponents down from the position. He is murder on the ground, particularly with his elbows. He is analytical, processing information and adjusting on the fly. And finally, he has a killer instinct that can not be taught.
Whether it's Evans or Henderson next -- or even Davis, who could crash the party by upsetting Evans -- Jones' next challenger will have his work cut out for him. And if the champion wins and defends the belt again, he will continue what is probably the best start to an MMA career we've ever seen. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: jone, jackson, henderson, evan, machida
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseGreg Jackson tells Jon Jones: Check on Machida, go get some fans
On Saturday night, UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones overcame his first taste of adversity, finishing Lyoto Machida with a standing guillotine choke. When Jones was instructed to release the hold by referee John McCarthy, he unceremoniously dropped the unconscious Machida to the mat, where he was attended to as he regained his senses.
While Machida was coming around, Jones’ trainer, Greg Jackson was caught on audio imploring Jones to, “Go check on him, go check on Lyoto, go get some
Posted in: jone, check, greg jackson, lyoto machida, machida
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 140 Video Results: Dana White Praises Jon Jones and Frank Mir
Following the UFC 140 post-fight press conference Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting caught up with UFC President Dana White. White was in great spirits following what many are considering to be one of the best cards of the year. The conversation quickly turned to a discussion about Jon Jones. Helwani notes that Jon Jones has a bit of a swagger now. White responds that he'd cocky too if he won in that fashion. White talked Jon Jones taking a vacation and said he'll likely be off for five months.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira had his arm x-rayed and will be getting surgery this upcoming week. Dana also comments on Frank Mir's performance and calls a fight with Cain Velasquez interesting. White and Helwani talk about Duane Ludwig's claims of having the fasted knockout in UFC history. White will take a look at it and get the record changed.
It is a 10 minute long video where Dana also talks about the flyweight division and the Miguel Torres termination.
Video after the jump...
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, dana
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 results recap from last night for 'Jones vs Machida' in Toronto on Dec. 10
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) brought another loaded pay-per-view (PPV) fight card to the rabid mixed martial arts fans in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida," emanating from the Air Canada Centre on Dec. 10, 2011.
The main event of the evening, featuring 205-pound champion Jon Jones defending his title against former division kingpin Lyoto Machida, was scheduled for five rounds.
"Bones" only needed two.
"The Dragon" gave Jones more resistance in the opening round than any other fighter to date, staggering the lanky light heavyweight with a Brazilian bumrush and prompting cageside play-by-play man Mike Goldberg to prematurely declare, "We've got ourselves a fight."
No Mr. Goldberg, we don't.
That's because Jones was able to reverse momentum in the second stanza with a huge takedown, which against him, is the equivalent of the death spiral in aviation. From the top, he sliced open Machida's forehead with a vicious elbow, forcing referee John McCarthy to pause the action for a doctor's evaluation.
The physician might be there to protect the safety of the fighter, but he did Machida no favors by sending him back out to compete.
Following the restart, Jones clocked him and rocked him, forcing a tie-up which allowed his lengthy limbs to snake their way around Machida's neck and put him to sleep. McCarthy stepped in to call the fight and "Bones" dumped his lifeless foe to the canvas, sending a symbolic message to the rest of the 205-pound division.
Can't touch this.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira asked for a rematch against Frank Mir in an effort to prove his UFC 92 loss to the former heavyweight champion was a direct result of his poor health and that he, at full strength, is the superior combatant.
Be careful what you wish for.
The UFC granted "Minotauro" a second go-round opposite the former Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8 coach and it cost him an arm and a leg. Nogueira, who had never been submitted in 40 professional fights, lost possession of his right appendage in a scramble, allowing Mir to lock in a painful Kimura.
Snap, crackle, pop.
They seemed content to let this thing play out on the feet, but Mir flopped to the canvas after wilting under the pinpoint striking of "Big Nog." When his attacker dove in for the kill, a poised and perhaps possum-playing Mir was able to secure the submission and force referee Herb Dean to step in and save the Brazilian's bones from further damage.
Warning: Watch the bone-crunching replay at your own risk.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz came into his 205-pound hoedown against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira trying to mix it up with the three-time Brazilian boxing champ.
Bad idea.
Despite catching "Little Nog" off guard in the opening minute, the former PRIDE star maintained his composure and patiently waited for his opening. Once it came, he floored "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" with a punishing knee to the body.
The same spot that cost Tito his UFC 133 fight against Rashad Evans.
Ortiz made a valiant effort to withstand the barrage of ground-and-pound that followed, but a series of unanswered blows to the ribs forced referee Yves Lavigne to call it a night -- and possibly a career. With one fight left on his ZUFFA contract, it's up to the UFC brass on whether or not we get to see Ortiz fulfill it.
Time will tell.
The Ontario boo birds had their feathers ruffled in the welterweight chess match between Claude Patrick and Brian Ebersole. UFC color commentator Joe Rogan noted how the closely-matched skill sets canceled each other out, leaving fight fans with 15 minutes of huggles and struggles.
A majority of the three rounds were spent jockeying for position against the cage. Ebersole was the superior wrestler, but didn't spend any time on the ground without being rewarded by multiple submission attempts from his wily foe.
In the end, "The Prince" likely spent too much time on his back, resulting in a split decision loss and one that snapped the Canadian's 13-fight winning streak.
You know the old saying about hands and judges.
Mark Hominick tried to bury "The Korean Zombie" in the opening fight of the night; however, "The Machine" missed with a reckless headshot right out of the gate, allowing Chan Sung Jung to return fire and silence the "Hog Town" crowd with a shocking first-round knockout.
There isn't much to dissect in this one, as Hommy went boom in just seven seconds, giving Jung a tie with exiled heavyweight Todd Duffee for the unofficial record of fastest finish in the UFC (Sorry, Mr. Ludwig).
"Bang."
That's enough from us. Now it's your turn to discuss UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" in the comments section below. Does the winner of Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis, or even Dan Henderson, have any kind of chance against Jon Jones?
Will Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira be able to recover and return to the fight game? Has Frank Mir (once again) established himself as a heavyweight contender?
Let's hear it, Maniacs.
Be sure to also check out our complete UFC 140 blow-by-blow coverage of the entire "Jones vs. Machida" event right here. While you're at it, check out our fight-by-fight recaps and immediate reactions for the UFC 140 PPV action:
Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida:
UFC 140 results: Jon Jones puts Lyoto Machida to sleep with standing guillotine to retain title
Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira:
UFC 140 results: Frank Mir breaks Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's arm in first round victory
Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira:
UFC 140 results: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira pounds out Tito Ortiz
Brian Ebersole vs. Claude Patrick:
UFC 140 results: Brian Ebersole scores split decision win over Claude Patrick
Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung:
UFC 140 results: Chan Sung Jung knocks out Mark Hominick in seven seconds
Last, and certainly not least, check out our complete UFC 140 results recap of the Facebook "Prelims" and ION Television line-up by clicking here and here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones promises to become a better fighter after UFC 140
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones defended his title for the second consecutive time, defeating Lyoto Machida via submission towards the end of Round 2. Triumphant Jones looked back at his performance and the training camp coming to this fight, promising to work on his mistakes (mostly in the first round) to become even a better fighter for the next title challenger the UFC puts in front of him.Further Reading: Full UFC 140
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, lyoto machida, himfurther reading
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 140 Morning After: Jon Jones, a Champ With Staying Power
Filed under: UFCJon Jones is already the most dominant UFC light heavyweight champion since Chuck Liddell. It seems like only a matter of time before he's the most dominant light heavyweight champion we've ever seen inside the Octagon.
Jones, who choked out Lyoto Machida in the second round of their main event showdown at UFC 140, has been the light heavyweight champion for less than nine months, and it might seem premature to proclaim him a dominant champion when he's been a champion for such a short period of time. But the talented 205-pound weight class has been an almost impossible class to rule for any significant period of time.
Until Jones, who in the last nine months has won the belt and dispatched two challengers, dominating all three of those title fights.
For those who don't know the history, Liddell won the UFC light heavyweight title by knocking out Randy Couture at UFC 57, then successfully defended the title four times before losing it to Rampage Jackson. Since then, the light heavyweight belt has been a hot potato: Rampage successfully defended the title against Dan Henderson before losing his second title defense, against Forrest Griffin. Griffin lost his first title defense to Rashad Evans. Evans lost his first title defense to Machida. Machida beat Shogun Rua in a controversial decision in his first title defense, then lost to Rua in his next fight. Rua lost his first title defense to Jones.
More Coverage: UFC 140 Results | UFC 140 Post-Fight Press Conference Video
Now Jones has defended his title by beating Jackson and Machida, making him the first light heavyweight champ since Liddell to defend the title more than once. But the really extraordinary thing about Jones is that he so thoroughly dominates his competition that it's hard to see anyone beating him any time soon. The three men who might be next in line for the light heavyweight title -- Dan Henderson, Rashad Evans and Phil Davis -- are all great fighters, but all of them would be huge betting underdogs against Jones.
The really amazing thing about the 24-year-old Jones is that he became a UFC champion before he even reached his prime. It's shocking to think this, but we might not have seen the best Jon Jones yet. He just completed a 4-0 record in 2011 that was as good a year as we've ever seen anyone have in the Octagon, and yet he might be a better fighter in 2012.
The bottom line is that we're seeing a champion in Jon Jones who might stay the champion for the better part of this decade. There's no telling how long he might be the best at what he does.
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UFC 140 notes
-- According to Compustrike, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira outlanded Frank Mir in total strikes, 31-4. And yet Mir still managed to survive the barrage of punches from Nogueira and get into position to finish Nogueira with a kimura. That was a gutsy showing from Mir.
-- It was nice to see Frank Shamrock on a UFC broadcast for the first time in more than a decade. You had to be looking closely to see him, but Shamrock was in Brian Ebersole's corner, marking the first time he's been spotted at a UFC event since the last time he fought for the promotion, in 1999. Here's hoping Shamrock and the UFC brass eventually bury the hatchet. Shamrock is an MMA legend whose career ought to be celebrated by the UFC.
-- The UFC has something special on its hands in the Korean Zombie, Chan Sung Jung. There are few fighters in the sport who are as consistently entertaining, win or lose, as Jung, who tied the UFC record for fastest knockout with his seven-second dispatching of Mark Hominick on Saturday night. I don't think Jung is good enough to pose much of a threat to featherweight champion Jose Aldo, but he's a legitimate opponent to almost anyone else at 145 pounds. The UFC desperately needs some star power in the featherweight class, and Jung is one of the few little guys who has really caught on with the fans.
-- Constantinos Philippou was about as impressive as anyone we saw inside the Octagon at UFC 140 in his first-round TKO victory over Jared Hamman. Philippou hammered away at Hamman standing and showed a real killer instinct on the ground, immediately pouncing on Hamman and going for finishes when he knocked him down. Philippou is a vicious striker and has now won two fights in a row.
-- It was surprising how bad Krzysztof Soszynski's striking defense looked in his first-round knockout loss to Jared Hamman, but maybe it shouldn't have been. Soszynski has been around a long time and had some very impressive fights, but he has too often shown a tendency to wilt when he gets hit hard. This was Soszynski's sixth loss by knockout or TKO.
-- It wouldn't be surprising if the UFC decides to tell Tito Ortiz to hang up the gloves after his loss to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, considering that Ortiz is now 1-6-1 in his last eight fights. But I think Ortiz has done enough in the sport that he has earned the right to go out on his own terms, and I'd like to see him get another fight, as he said he wants. Stephan Bonnar would make a lot of sense as an opponent for Ortiz.
UFC 140 quotes
"It's an honor to be here. One of my dreams was to be here with Joe Rogan. I did it!" -- Yves Jabouin as Joe Rogan interviewed him in the Octagon after his split decision victory over Walel Watson.
"This fight's kind of a wash. I apologize to John for missing weight. Put a little asterisk next to the victory because I didn't make weight." -- Dennis Hallman, being a stand-up guy after coming in 2.5 pounds over for his lightweight fight with John Makdessi. Hallman said his move down from welterweight is permanent, so he's going to need to do a better job of getting the pounds off.
"I feel so great. t's like a dream come true. Tito Ortiz is a legend of the sport. I want to say thanks for fighting him." -- Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, showing humility after beating Ortiz.
Good call
Referee Big John McCarthy stopped the first fight of the night at exactly the right time, with 24 seconds left in the second round, as John Cholish was teeing off on Mitch Clarke on the ground. Clarke wasn't very badly hurt and seemed disappointed with the stoppage, but he also wasn't doing anything to fight back, simply turtling up and letting Cholish hit him. With Clarke looking upset at McCarthy stepping in, McCarthy patted him and said, "You got hit with a good shot."
Bad call
Referee Josh Rosenthal should have taken a point away from John Makdessi for grabbing the fence immediately after Rosenthal warned him not to. As Dennis Hallman tried to take Makdessi down early in the fight, Makdessi grabbed the fence to stay up, and Rosenthal immediately warned Makdessi to let go of the fence. Makdessi complied, but only for a couple of seconds before he grabbed the fence again as Hallman tried to take him down again. Rosenthal warned Makdessi again, but at that point he should have also deducted a point. It didn't really matter because Hallman took Makdessi down in the first round and submitted him, but I'd like to see referees more assertively enforcing the rules against grabbing the fence. Too many fighters get away with stopping takedowns by breaking the rules.
Stock up
Jake Hecht looked good in his UFC debut, unleashing a brutal elbow to hurt Rich Attonito in the second round and then finishing him with punches on the ground. Hecht had also looked solid from his back in the first round, and he appears to be a promising UFC newcomer.
Stock down
Nik Lentz went 5-0-1 with one no contest in his first seven UFC fights, and he consistently used his superior wrestling and grappling to control his opponents and grind out wins on the ground. But on Saturday night Mark Bocek beat Lentz at his own game, controlling Lentz on the ground and winning a unanimous decision, 30-27 on all three judges' cards. Lentz is a solid lightweight, but we saw on Saturday night that when he runs into a superior grappler, there's not much else he can do.
Fight I want to see next
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans. I don't like any light heavyweight's chances against Jones, but I at least like the matchup of Jones against Evans, his former friend and training partner who's now a bitter rival. If Evans beats Davis, the UFC might finally book that long-awaited grudge match. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, time, title, jone
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 140 Post-Fight Interviews: Dana White, Jon Jones, Frank Mir & More
MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani caught up with Dana White, Jon Jones, Brian Ebersole, Mark Hominick, Chan Sung Jung, Dennis Hallman, John Cholish, Igor Pokrajac, Mark Bocek, Constantinos Philippou and Yves Jabouin to get their thoughts on UFC 140. Also, interviews with Jon Jones and Frank Mir via UFC.com.
Posted in: mark, jon, jone, jon jones, yves jabouin
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones Reflects on ‘Crazy’ 2011, Taking Several Months Off Before Return
Jon Jones once again impressed everyone with his dominant second round submission of former champion Lyoto Machida at UFC 140.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, machida, round submission
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 140 Results: Full Post-Fight Press Conference Video
Dana White opened the press conference announcing the official numbers for UFC 140. Attendance was 18,303. Gate was $3.9 million. White handed out the "of the Night" bonuses with Frank Mir pocketing $75k for the "Submission of the Century". Chan Sung Jung won "Knockout of the Night" and Jones and Machida took home "Fight of the Night".
Interesting points of note:
- White was questioned about the rumored Alistair Overeem injury. Dana was adamant there was no injury.
- Mir discussed the submission over Nogueira. He knew that Nog wouldn't tap. He also believes he has to be in title talks due to his winning streak.
- Jones addressed the rumors that he can't take a punch. Said he's glad he got to prove it at UFC 140. Greg Jackson was proud he stayed composed.
- Dana White had to praise for Jon Jones seeing him as a fighter with the potential to be the best fighter ever.
- Dana White announced a four man flyweight tournament to create the first champion in the division. Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson as well as Ian McCall will take part in the tournament.
Video after the jump...
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: ufc, jone, dana, official numbers, nog wouldnt
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJones, Team Knew Young UFC Champ Would Grow in Machida Bout
Jon Jones has had quite a year. In four Octagon appearances, the UFC light heavyweight champion has earned four finishes, three of which have come in title fights.
Posted in: octagon appearances, jones team, ufc champ, ufc, jone
Read the full article at SherdogUFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Vs. Lyoto Machida In Photos
The brilliant photographer for MMA Fighting, Esther Lin has uploaded her photo gallery for UFC 140. As usual, she did a fantastic job at capturing the atmosphere and best moments of the night. Below are just a few of my favorites. Check out the full UFC 140 gallery here.
Over 18,000 people at the Air Canada Center
Brittney Palmer made her return to the UFC. It was announced she will pose for the March issue of Playboy.
More photos after the jump...
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Jon Jones walks away after choking out Lyoto Machida. He joins Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz as the only 2x defending champions.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira looks at his broken arm for the first time. It was the first submission loss of his career.
Tito Ortiz clutches his ribs after suffering a TKO defeat. He has one fight remaining on his contract.
Chan Sung Jung knocked out Mark Hominick in :07. He is tied for the fasted knockout in UFC history.
Posted in: ufc, jone, photo, contract chan, favorites check
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 draws a reported 18,303 attendees for $3.9 million live gate
TORONTO - Saturday's "UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida" event drew a reported
18,303 attendees and generated a live gate of $3.9 million.
UFC president Dana White revealed the figures at the evening's
post-event press conference, which MMAjunkie.com attended.
Featuring a light heavyweight championship headliner between champion
Jon Jones and former titleholder Lyoto Machida, UFC 140 took place at
Toronto's Air Canada Centre. The night's main card aired on
pay-per-view, and preliminary contests were broadcast on ION Television
and streamed on Facebook.
Posted in: ufc, gate, jone, machida, ion television
Read the full article at MMA JunkieUFC 140 Post-Fight Press Conference Notes
Six fighters attended the UFC 140 post-fight press conference alongside company president Dana White: reigning light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, his opponent Lyoto Machida, and main card winners Frank Mir, Rogerio Nogueira, Chan Sung Jung and Brian Ebersole.The event's Fight of the Night bonuses went to headliners Jones and Machida. Jones stopped Machida in the second, but was rocked by the former champ in the first, seemingly the first time in his young career that Jones has been in danger. White reminded the media that Jones is the first light heavyweight since Chuck Liddell to defend his belt and said he has no doubt that "Jon Jones is the real deal."The award for Submission of the Night went to Mir. White dubbed the brutal armbar of Minotauro Nogueira the "Submission of the Century." KO of the Night went to Jung, aka the Korean Zombie, for tying the official UFC record for fastest knockout. Jung's fight against Canadian favorite Mark Hominick ended in just seven seconds.Each bonused fighter received $75,000.At the press conference, White also announced the introduction of the UFC's 125-pound flyweight division, beginning with the March 3 event. Video highlights from the following fighters are linked below:Jon JonesFrank Mir
Posted in: ufc, jone, fighter, card winners, century ko
Read the full article at UFCUFC 140: Drunken Thoughts and Awesome Fights
This was an absolutely incredible night of fights from top to bottom. Let's start at the bottom, Chan Sung Jung tied the official record for the UFC's fastest KO at 7 seconds. Hominick was coming forward throwing punches as the Korean backpedaled, with an ingenious change of direction Jung planted and threw a straight right, dropping The Machine. After some obligatory ground and pound, Jung got the quick win. Ranked 38th, and a 5:1 underdog, the Korean Zombie made easy work of a top ten fighter. With a two fight win streak, it's time for him to take a big step up in competition. I suggest Bart Palaszewski.
In a grinding battle, met with much disdain, Brian Ebersole edged Claude Patrick in a split decision. I didn't think this fight was nearly as bad as many others did, but it did show that neither fighter is really ready for the higher levels of the division. Lateral moves for both fighters, and there's plenty of options.
Rebounding from the slow pace of Ebersole-Patrick, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira ended the competitive career of Tito "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Ortiz. Tito came out swinging, but Lil Nog hurt him with his superior boxing. From Ortiz's guard, Nogueira punished Tito with some absolutely brutal body shots, leaving the former Light Heavyweight champion weeping. However, Rogerio's fights against Ryan Bader and Phil Davis are too fresh in my mind, so I think a welcome home match against Thiago Silva is his best match right now. Tito is a legitimate legend of the sport, and, if he wants to fulfill the last fight of his contract, he should have that privilege. Stephan Bonnar is the perfect opponent for him.
Big Nog against Frank Mir was just an absolutely incredible fight. The two traded early and wound up in the clinch. Mir scored a takedown, but the fight returned to the feet shortly after. With a hard right hand, Nogueira dropped Frank. Big Nog goes for the finish as Herb Dean warns against strikes to the back of the head. Mir gets a reversal off a desperate single leg attempt and tries to lock in a kimura. Nog says, "None of that!" and sweeps Frank, to which Frank responds, "Helllllll Nawwwww" and rolls Nog right over. Mir establishes a solid base and attacks the kimura like only he can, dislocating Nogueira's shoulder in the process.
Minotauro is 3-3 in his last six, however he looked great against Brendan Schaub and very good against Mir (in fact, there's some referees who would have stopped the fight when he had Frank hurt). He's still a competitive fighter in the division and Stephan Struve would be a great matchup for him. Since his KO loss to Shane Carwin, Frank Mir has defeated Cro Cop, Roy Nelson, and now Minotauro Nogueira, with Fabricio Werdum being rumored to return to the UFC, I think Mir is the perfect match to welcome him back.
A lot of people thought Lyoto Machida had the perfect style to slow down Jon Jones dominance of the Light Heavyweight division. And, throughout the first round, it looked like they would be right. Machida employed his patented elusive style to control distance and blasted Jones with hard strikes. The second round was a different story though. After The Dragon came in with a powerful flurry, "Bones" Jones was able to secure a clinch trip and open a massive cut on Machida's brow. Shortly thereafter, Jon Jones caught Lyoto in a standing guillotine, leaving in his wake a sleeping Dragon.
Lytoto Machida tested Jones in a way no fighter had before, yet still came up on the short end of the stick. Personally, I like him in a match up against Mauricio Rua, but I doubt that's possible, considering they're Blackhouse teammates. Alexander Gustaffson, however, is on the rise and a fight with Machida would show whether or not he's ready to fight against the top of the division. There's only two way to go with Jon Jones and it really just depends on how active he intends to be. He's fought four times in the last year and 5 times in the last 15 months. If he wants a break, he's earned it. If he doesn't, he should face Dan Henderson, who was promised a title shot in LHW or MW after decisioning Shogun at UFC 139. If Jones does want a couple months to relax, he can face the win of the upcoming bout between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis.
Posted in: fight, jone, nogueira, mir, nog
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendJon Jones vs Lyoto Machida fight video highlights from UFC 140
Jon Jones puts Lyoto Machida to sleep to retain his light heavyweight championship in the main event of UFC 140 tonight (Sat., Dec. 10, 2011) at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Machida looked good early, just long enough to make fans worldwide think he might have a chance at pulling off the upset. Jones quickly squashed all that talk with a strong left hand followed by the standing guillotine choke that ended it. "Bones" ends his 2011 fight campaign having gone 4-0 with wins over Ryan Bader, Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida. Can anyone stop this man? For a complete recap of the fight against "The Dragon" click here and for complete UFC 140 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida (205-pound limit)
Round one: Jones comes out crawling again then stands up traditional style. Leg kick from Jones. Side kick to the thigh from Jones. Spinning back kick from Jones misses. Leg kick from Machida. Hard leg kick from Jones. Good leg kick from Jones then he blocks a right from Machida. Kick to the thigh from Jones. Powerful leg kick from Jones and Machida counter with a right that barely misses. Jones is the faster man. Left from Machida lands. Good body kick and left from Machida. High kick from Jones misses. Good counter right from Machida. Machida again lands a stiff left that backs up Jones! Body kick from Machida he is finding holes now and he stunned Jones with that left. Good high kick from Jones glances the head of Machida. That is the bell and a close round but I think Machida landing the more significant blows in that round. 10-9 Machida.
Round two: Leg kick from Jones. Leg kick from Machida. Spinning back kick from Jones. High kick from Jones lands. Leg kick from Jones. Good body kick from Jones. Leg kick from Jones. Good right from Machida and now he is throwing wild punches at Jones and gets him to back off even though he didnt land. Jones looks hesitant now knowing Machida can land. Big right from Jones lands HARD. Now Jones with a big take down and he lands a big elbow right off the bat. Machida already bleeding badly from his forehead. Jones looking for a choke now. Machida working up to his feet and Jones lands a big knee to the leg. Ref stops it to check out the cut on Machida's forehead. Doctor gives the ok. Machida is cut bad. Foot stomps from Jones and then a knee to the body. More knees to the body from Jones. Jones lands a big right that drops Machida!!! Jones grabs a hold of a choke!! Its a standing guillotine and Machida will not tap!!! The ref stops the fight and Jones lets go of the standing guillotine and Machida crumples to the mat and he is OUT COLD! Machida is ASLEEP!!! Amazing win after some real trouble for Jones.
Final result: Jon Jones defeats Lyoto Machida via Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 4:26 of Round 2
Posted in: jone, leg, kick, land, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 bonuses and awards for 'Jones vs Machida' from Toronto
UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, has officially wrapped, which means it's time for those select fighters who went above and beyond in their respective fights to get a little extra grease for their efforts.
To the tune of $75,000 each.
The promotion dished out its standard post-fight monetary bonuses to four out of the 22 fighters on the card, and it's probably no surprise who's leaving "The Great White North" with a second sack of simoleons.
"Submission of the Night" has never been a more obvious choice, as Frank Mir lined his pockets with cash by grabbing hold of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's arm and torquing it until it snapped out of its socket. UFC President Dana White called it "Submission of the Century."
I'm not arguing.
Also hauling in a wheelbarrow full of cash is Chan Sung Jung, who tied the record for fastest (official) knockout in UFC history by pasting Mark Hominick in just seven seconds. It took "The Korean Zombie" just seven seconds to earn 75K with the "Knockout of the Night."
Finally, Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida were awarded "Fight of the Night" for their thrilling two round affair that saw the champ retain his title via sick standing guillotine. "The Dragon" was competitive in the opening frame but "Bones" showed exactly why he's the man up in this piece.
King Kong aint' got sh*t on Jones.
Here are the special fight bonuses for UFC 140:
Submission of the Night -- Frank Mir
Knockout of the Night -- Chan Sung Jung
Fight of the Night -- Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
Again, each fighter received $75,000 extra for their performances in addition to their respective base salaries, which we will pass along as soon as possible.
For complete UFC 140 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, night, jone, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Video: Full Fight Highlights
Jon Jones defeated Lyoto Machida with a standing guillotine choke to retain his UFC light heavyweight title Saturday night in Toronto, Canada. Jones became the first fighter since Chuck Liddell to successfully defend the belt more than once.
Entering the fight it was believed that Lyoto Machida could create enough of a style match up to really create problems for the champion. For the first round Machida landed several significant strikes that demonstrated Jon Jones' chin and ability to fight through adversity. Jones had difficulty finding his range in the first.
In the second round Jon Jones found his timing and opened up a cut on Lyoto Machida's forehead with a big elbow from Machida's guard. When Machida regained his feet he was visibly out of it and Jones sunk in a standing guillotine choke against the fence. Machida tried to work through the submission but went unconscious, forcing referee 'Big' John McCarthy to stop the fight in the second round.
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: fight, jone, lyoto machida, machida, lyoto
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Bonuses: Jones, Machida, Mir, ‘Zombie’ Net $75K Apiece
Jon Jones, Lyoto Machida, Frank Mir and Chan Sung Jung each took home $75,000 bonuses Saturday night for their performances at UFC 140.
Posted in: ufc, jone, mir, bonus, machida
Read the full article at SherdogUFC 140 Bonuses: Jones, Machida, Mir, and Jung Earn $75K Awards
Jon Jones, Lyoto Machida, Frank Mir, and Chan Sung Jung each earned $75,000 bonuses for their performances at UFC 140 on Saturday night in Toronto, UFC President Dana White announced at the UFC 140 post-fight press conference.
Jones and Machida earned “Fight of the Night” honors as Machida tested the champion in the opening round before Jones came back to choke Machida unconscious with a standing guillotine late in the second.
Mir survived an early knockdown to break Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s arm with a Kimura for UFC 140′s “Submission of the Night,” while Jung scored UFC 140′s “Knockout of the Night” as he tied the UFC record for fastest knockout with a 7-second KO of Mark Hominick.
MORE: UFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Chokes Out Lyoto Machida to Retain Title
Pictured: Frank Mir
Posted in: ufc, night, jone, mir, machida
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 140 bonuses: Jung, Mir, Jones and Machida earn $75K awards
TORONTO - Chan Sung Jung, Frank Mir, Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida
each earned $75,000 fight-night bonuses for their performances
at Saturday's UFC 140 event.
Jung earned the night's "Knockout of the Night" award, Mir picked up
the "Submission of the Night" bonus, and Jones and Machida earned "Fight of the Night" honors.
MMAjunkie.com learned of the bonus winners and award amounts at UFC 139's post-fight press conference.
Posted in: night, bonus winners, jone, bonus, award amounts
Read the full article at MMA JunkieUFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Results and Post-Fight Analysis
UFC 140 saw Jon Jones in his first true test as a champion with Lyoto Machida putting on a very good challenge. In the end, Jones wised up and got away from playing a distance striking game that played into Machida's strengths and got inside. Once it was an in close battle in the clinch and ground, it was all Jones.
The first round saw Machida use movement and his trademark elusiveness to avoid the punches and kicks of Jones. Machida won the opening frame through defense and landing his own flurries that did appear to hurt Jones a little bit.
Jones did what great champions do though and stopped doing what wasn't working. He got a takedown and it was only one or two elbows before Machida had a very bad cut opened on his forehead. The doctors allowed the fight to continue, but it didn't matter. A left hand by Jones hurt Machida and then Jones locked up a standing guillotine choke that put Lyoto Machida to sleep.
Let's run down some of the highlights of the evening:
Jon Jones in 2011 beat Ryan Bader, won the title from Mauricio Rua and defended against Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida. While some will argue for Shogun's 2005 year, Jones just completed the best year I've ever seen in MMA. I may not be crazy for his personality, but I'm no dummy. That guy is an absolute force of nature.
Frank Mir broke the everloving hell out of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's arm in a pretty crazy fight. Nogueira was busting Mir up with punches, first working off the jab, then landing a hard right that dropped Mir. Nogueira was punching Mir trying to get the finish and then decided to go for a guillotine which Mir escaped and eventually turned into a kimura. Nogueira refused to tap which resulted in his arm breaking. It was a nasty, nasty moment that keeps Mir in the title hunt.
Nogueira/Mir was another good example of why you never, ever, ever abandon position to go for a submission, especially on a very good submission fighter. Mir was much more likely to get finished by punches than that choke.
Just a reminder, trending on Twitter is meaningless. Old movies on cable TV trend on twitter all the time. Lamont Peterson was trending for his HBO fight with Amir Khan with Jon Jones was trending. It's got no deep meaning and it's time to stop celebrating every time something MMA related pops up. It should be expected, not celebrated.
Tito Ortiz looked pretty decent letting his hands go against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, but his body couldn't stand up to the attack of Lil' Nog. A knee to the body hurt and dropped him and then Nogueira keyed in on the other side of Tito's body, hitting the same exact spot over and over with punches and elbows until the referee was forced to stop it.
Tito says he wants to fight one more time (the last on his contract) and have that be it for his career. As much fun as it can be to make fun of Tito for some of the things he has said over his career, the guy has had a pretty spectacular near 15 year run.
I thought Claude Patrick pretty clearly defeated Brian Ebersole, given that he had the better offense throughout the fight. But being pushed up against the cage and taken down is still death on most scorecards even if the other guy isn't doing a lot. That being said, I don't think Patrick made a clear enough case for me to get upset over a robbery, and if there was home cooking at all it would have been in the other direction.
Mark Hominick came out with a sloppy right hand and lost because of it. The idea of Chan Sung Jung winning in under ten seconds seemed absurd coming in, but that's MMA for you.
I still think Jung vs. Jose Aldo is a good idea. The fans have taken a big liking to Jung and they generally don't care about the featherweights yet. I think this is a time for fan friendly fights more than stuff like Aldo vs. Mendes, which is certain box office death.
More after the jump
Krzysztof Soszynski was expected to run through Igor Pokrajac, instead he got punched in the head. A lot. Pokrajac looks downright scary at times against guys who have bad defense, unfortunately he can't fight K-Sos every time out.
Speaking of guys who looked scary, Constantinos Philippou absolutely trucked Jared Hamman. Hamman has a good chin. But against a guy who hits as hard as Costa, a good chin just delays the inevitable it you allow it to get touched repeatedly.
Dennis Hallman ran through John Makdessi in a way that had people saying that Hallman being 2.5 pounds over had no impact on the fight. That seems to ignore the physical toll that having to cut two and a half more pounds might have had on his body. So it's good to see Hallman suggest that it's basically a wash rather than a huge win given his weight problems.
Walel Watson and Yves Jabouin fought and it was...not particularly memorable. I had it for Watson, but like Claude Patrick, he didn't make a clear enough statement for me to get upset.
There is nothing as funny to me as Nik Lentz complaining that he got screwed by judges that valued top position to much. You're Nik Lentz!
I don't know that I feel like Jake Hecht is special, but those elbows that dropped Rich Attonito were something else.
John Cholish is a real fighter who is going to give people trouble. The scramble at the end of his fight with Mitch Clarke that led to him taking Clarke's back and landing punches to force the stoppage was beautiful.
Posted in: fight, time, jone, mir, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Puts Lyoto Machida to Sleep
Jon Jones continues his path of destruction at UFC 140 in Toronto.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, lyoto machida
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJones Puts Machida to Sleep, Retains Title at UFC 140
Jon Jones answered the first real adversity of his career in resounding fashion, choked Lyoto Machida unconscious to retain the UFC light heavyweight crown and completed perhaps the most remarkable 12-month run in mixed martial arts history.
Posted in: ufc, jone, lyoto machida, fashion, machida
Read the full article at Sherdog90% of /r/mma thinks this about Jones right now.
submitted by VictorDUDE [link] [12 comments]
Posted in: jone, right, rmma, jones right, victordude
Read the full article at RedditUFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Chokes Out Lyoto Machida
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones scored his fourth win of 2011 with a second-round technical submission of former title-holder Lyoto Machida in the main event of UFC 140 on Saturday night in Toronto.
Jones was tested in the opening round as Machida countered his leg kicks with punches that found their target on several occasions. Jones returned to form in the second as he opened a cut on Machida’s forehead that had to be checked by the doctor then hurt Machida with a left after the restart before grabbing a standing guillotine that left Machida unconscious and forced referee “Big” John McCarthy to stop the fight.
In the UFC 140 co-main event, Frank Mir survived being knocked down to break Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s arm with a fight-ending kimura, while Antonio Rogerio Nogueira pushed Tito Ortiz closer to retirement with a first-round TKO with body punches.
Stay tuned for complete recap…
The complete UFC 140 results were:
MAIN CARD
Jon Jones (c) def. Lyoto Machida via technical submission (standing guillotine) – Round 2, 4:26
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Frank Mir def. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira via submission (kimura) – Round 1, 3:38
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira def. Tito Ortiz via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 3:15
Brian Ebersole def. Claude Patrick via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Chan Sung Jung def. Mark Hominick via TKO (punches) – Round, 0:07
PRELIMINARY CARD
Igor Pokrajac def. Krzysztof Soszynski via KO (punches) – Round 1, 0:35
Consta Philippou def. Jared Hamman via KO (punches) – Round 1, 3:11
Dennis Hallman def. John Makdessi via submission (rear naked choke) – Round 1, 2:58
Yves Jabouin def. Walel Watson via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
Mark Bocek def. Nik Lentz via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27 ,30-27)
Jake Hecht def. Rich Attonito via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 1:10
John Cholish def. Mitch Clarke via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 4:36
Pictured: Jon Jones
Posted in: ufc, jone, round, tko, machida
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 140 Results: Jon Jones Puts Lyoto Machida To Sleep With A Standing Guillotine
Jon Jones defeated Lyoto Machida via Submission at 4:26 in the second round. Jones sunk in a standing guillotine choke and referee 'Big' John McCarthy stopped the fight as Machida was unconscious.
Jon Jones made his way to the octagon with an opportunity to create stability in the light heavyweight division. Lyoto Machida caused Jones difficulty with range moving in and out and avoiding Jones' strikes. Machida was able to land multiple kicks and punches on Jones. It was the first time that the champion has ever been in danger in his UFC career.
The second round was what fans would recognize as a Jon Jones fight. Working inside he landed multiple knees and elbows to the body. He used a tackling double leg to get the fight to the ground. Jones landed a huge elbow from the guard which cut Machida open. After Lyoto regained his feet, Referee John McCarthy stopped the fight to let the cage side doctor check cut. Machida had a huge gash on his forehead. As they got back into position Jones was able to sink in the choke and after readjusting his grips he put Machida to sleep standing.
Jon Jones has now finished 6 fights in a row and defended his light heavyweight title for the second time. He's the first fighter since Chuck Liddell to do that. His MMA record is 15-1 and he's 9-1 in the UFC. Machida drops his first fight of the year and picks up his third loss in his career. He is now 17-3 overall and 9-3 in the UFC.
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: ufc, fight, jon, jone, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJones finishes spectacular year with UFC 140 win (Yahoo! Sports)
Jon Jones rallied from a lost first round to defeat Lyoto Machida and return his UFC light heavyweight title on Saturday.
Posted in: ufc, jone, saturday, return, machida
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsUFC 140 results: Jon Jones puts Lyoto Machida to sleep with standing guillotine to retain title
The UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" pay-per-view event, going down tonight (Sat., Dec. 10, 2011) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, closed with a light heavyweight championship fight pitting titleholder Jon Jones against former division king Lyoto Machida.
This was a match-up that promised to put an emphasis on the arts in the mixed martial game, as well as provide the one true test for Jones' 205-pound strap. But did it live up to the hype?
Oh yes it did.
Machida looked good early but Jones overcame a lost first round to rock "The Dragon" before choking him out with a standing guillotine in the second.
Your winner and STILL UFC light heavyweight champion of the world, Jonny "Bones" Jones.
Jones came out low, utilizing the crawl he's showcased in so many of his UFC bouts. He used kicks to keep Machida at bay and stayed out of the elusive strikers range.
They looked like they were both working the same game plan, really.
It was Machida, though, who found his range and rhythm, as he landed a few effective shots and did enough to take the first round on the scorecards. In fact, he was the only one to land any real offense in the opening five minutes.
The second round started with the same distance game Jones said he wanted to play. It worked a bit more in this one but Machida's offense, explosive and in short bursts, seemed to work well against the champion.
Finally, Jones decided to use his size and strength to get the fight to the floor and as soon as he did, he landed an elbow that opened a cut on Lyoto's head.
It was bad enough that the referee stopped the fight to have the doctor's check it. Those elbows are vicious, folks.
It was a deep cut but the fight was allowed to continue. Whatever momentum Machida gained in the first round, he quickly lost after the cut. Once they got back to the feet, Jones landed a big shot to the temple and shortly after worked a standing guillotine choke that put the Brazilian to sleep.
Is this man unstoppable or what?
To check out all the UFC 140 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, round, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Bones Jones uses a guillotine to tell Lyoto Machida's neck a bedtime story
We just have to comprehend that we live in a world in which no one will defeat Jon Bones Jones at light heavyweight for the remainder of his career.
Congrats Affliction. Now all of those grungy angel wings finally mean something. Hopefully we'll be able to buy a limited edition Jon Bones Jones signature 'Jesus riding on the back of a dinosaur' shirt in the near future. If you thought God wasn't a Jon Bones Jones fan, then you are rudely mistaken.
It's confirmed, God friggin' loves Jon Bones Jones. I'm convinced noble creator. I will go to church on Sunday morning. There is a God, and I personally want to apologize for everything I've ever said about my ex-girlfriend. I didn't mean it -- really I didn't.
Tonight, our television served as portals for the future of the UFC light heavyweight division. We all time traveled, and we safely arrived back on our sofas unharmed. Bones Jones is an MMA deity. That brief moment in the first round when you had the glimpse of a feeling that Lyoto Machida may defeat Jon Jones is all you're going to get. That is the closest that anyone has ever come to placing Bones Jones in danger. In the second round, Bones extended his wings and exuded holiness by smiting Lyoto Machida with vicious elbows which provided ventilation for Machida's skull. Lyoto managed to stand up only to be robbed of his consciousness by a ridiculous standing guillotine mixed with a slight neck crank.
That's it. Conclusion concluded. Jon Jones is untouchable. Now go to church every Sunday and even you may have one of these sitting in your driveway.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, bone, machida
Read the full article at Middle EasyJONES vs MACHIDA Discussion (SPOILERS)
Well shit, Jones is the real deal. submitted by sucksatprogramming [link] [11 comments]
Posted in: jone, deal, spoiler, machida, shit jones
Read the full article at RedditNow That We Know He Can Take a Punch, Are There Any More Questions for Jon Jones?
Filed under: UFCTORONTO -- Want to know how dominant UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones has been in his MMA career? He showed up at the UFC 140 post-fight press conference after a second-round stoppage of former champ Lyoto Machida and told members of the media that he was actually happy to have had an opponent who managed to punch him in face a few times, and no one seemed to regard this statement as the least bit absurd.
Maybe that's because, by standing up to several blistering punch combos from Machida in the opening round of the main event bout, Jones effectively put to rest the last lingering questions about his perceived weaknesses.
"That's definitely something that's gotten made up by media, that I can't take a punch," Jones said. "I just felt as if it was something to address, just to kind of quiet more critics. ...I knew I could take a punch, and I'm glad that I got to prove it."
In fairness, it's not that critics had necessarily accused Jones of having a weak chin. It was just, since he had so thoroughly dominated his previous opponents, few of whom had even managed to get their fists in the general vicinity of his face, it was one of the only question marks left regarding his ability. Machida helped answer those questions in the first round, and then he paid for it in the second round.
Though two of three judges at cageside actually scored the opening frame in Jones' favor, Machida seemed to get the better of the action thanks to effective counter-punching and efficient combos. Even Jones admitted that the first round was "very, very confusing for me," and it resulted in him taking several direct blows to the head.
In the second, however, Jones began to figure Machida out. After hurting him with a well-timed right hand that wobbled the Brazilian challenger, Jones secured a takedown and opened up a nasty cut over Machida's right eye with an elbow strike from the top position. From there, Jones said, "that's when my confidence really started to skyrocket."
"I realized that, on the ground, I would have a pretty safe avenue to success there. And seeing the blood just really let me know that, he bleeds; let's do this."
If there were any doubters left who questioned whether Jones is indeed the world's best 205-pound fighter, they likely had a hard time clinging to their illusions after Jones wrapped up a standing guillotine to choke Machida unconscious near the end of the second round. There was the man who had once looked like an unbeatable UFC champ, who had only been stopped one previous time in his MMA career, and Jones left him lying limply on the mat like a wet towel on the bathroom floor.
Even UFC president Dana White, who had hedged his praise for Jones after prior victories, had to give the champ his due.
"I'm done with this whole, 'If he gets through the next one like he has all the others' thing," White said. "He's the real deal."
After the presser, White said he now sees Jones as the world's number two pound-for-pound fighter, behind only middleweight champ Anderson Silva, and in front of welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre. Ironic that he'd come around to that conclusion only after the rare fight that saw Jones actually look slightly mortal in the early going, but maybe it took that hint of vulnerability to remind the UFC president -- not to mention the fans -- that these are serious opponents Jones has been taking apart.
If anything, Jones has made it look too easy up until now. In 2011 he not only captured the UFC light heavyweight title, but also successfully defended it twice -- a feat that hasn't been accomplished since Chuck Liddell held the title. He dispatched MMA legends like "Shogun" Rua and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson with such ease that it actually seems newsworthy when he loses a round.
He's been almost too good for his own good, so maybe it's not such a bad idea to take a few punches from Machida, if only to show that he can. Now with this historic year of combat in the books, let the 24-year-old champ have a little time off. If anybody's earned a vacation, it's Jones. After all, he did just get punched in the face for our entertainment. Maybe other fighters regard that as just another aspect of the job, but for Jones it's still a relatively new experience, and one he'd probably rather not get too accustomed to. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, jone, round, champ, machida
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 140 Jon Jones video 'Behind the Scenes' in Toronto
Before watching him defend his light heavyweight championship tonight (Dec. 10, 2011) in the main event of UFC 140 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, against Lyoto Machida, go behind the scenes with Jon Jones.
Ride along as "Bones" goes through the open media workouts, the pre-fight press conference and weigh-ins, all leading into tonight's pay-per-view fight against "The Dragon."
He even has the Octagon girls, Arianny Celeste, Chandella Powell and Brittney Palmer, tell him why he would make a good model. Lucky dog.
To follow along with Jones' fight tonight, be sure to hit up our UFC 140 results post, which features round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action, by clicking here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, brittney palmer, lyoto machida, jones fight
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Pay-Per-View Card
As with every major show, Bloody Elbow will be here to bring you live results, play by play and commentary for UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida. Our live coverage will start with the beginning of the Facebook prelim stream (5:45 p.m. ET), continuing through the ION TV prelim broadcast (7 p.m. ET) and finally through the pay-per-view broadcast (9 p.m. ET) so make sure to make Bloody Elbow your home for this event.
This post will cover live results and thoughts on the PPV broadcast.
Light heavyweight champion Jon Jones looks to defend his title against former champion Lyoto Machida in the evening's main event. In the co-main event of the evening, heavyweights Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira rematch. The "other Nogueira brother" in Antonio Rogerio Nogueira faces Tito Ortiz on the card as well. Rounding out the PPV broadcast is a welterweight bout between Claude Patrick and Brian Ebersole as well as a featherweight bout between Chan Sung Jung and Mark Hominick.
Make sure to come back during the event and share your thoughts as the event goes down.
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: jone, pm, event, broadcast, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones Chokes Out Lyoto Machida at UFC 140
Filed under: UFCIt wasn't easy, but Jon Jones is still the UFC light heavyweight champion.
In a sensational main event to cap a great UFC 140 card in Toronto, Jones choked out Lyoto Machida in the second round with a deep standing guillotine, winning only after being tested in a hard-fought first round.
"He did punch me pretty good and wobble me a little bit so it was good," Jones said. "I think one of my biggest critic points is that I can't take a punch, so I'm glad to prove it to myself and to everyone that I can take a legit hit."
There was a long feeling out process at the start of the fight, with Jones trying a few flashy strikes but mostly missing, and Machida landing a leg kick but not doing much else. Later in the round Machida landed a hard body kick that had Jones backing up, and Jones landed a couple of kicks of his own. In the final minute of the first round Machida landed a left hand to Jones's head that was probably the hardest Jones had ever been hit in his MMA career, and although that appeared to stun Jones, he recovered quickly. The first round was fought the way Machida likes to fight, with both men moving in and out and countering each other, and Machida took the round.
The second round started in much the same way, with Machida's elusive style appearing to frustrate Jones, and Machida biding his time before landing a couple of hard punches. This time, however, Jones managed to get to the inside and take Machida down, and on the ground Jones landed one of his trademark elbows, opening up a big cut on Machida's forehead. After a brief pause for the doctor to check Machida's cut, Jones went back to work and sunk in that standing guillotine. After cranking for a few seconds, Machida went limp, and referee Big John McCarthy told Jones to let go. Machida slumped to the ground unconscious, and Jones celebrated his successful title defense.
It was a tremendous fight, one that showed Jones can handle himself if he faces adversity. There may be nothing Jones can't do: He's as good as there is in MMA. And he's still the champion. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: jone, round, lyoto machida, machida, round machida
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play for ION TV Undercard
As with every major show, Bloody Elbow will be here to bring you live results, play by play and commentary for UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida. Our live coverage will start with the beginning of the Facebook prelim stream (5:45 p.m. ET), continuing through the ION TV prelim broadcast (7 p.m. ET) and finally through the pay-per-view broadcast (9 p.m. ET) so make sure to make Bloody Elbow your home for this event.
This post will cover live results and thoughts on the ION broadcast.
Four bouts are scheduled for the prelim broadcast. In the featured bout on the undercard, Krzysztof Soszynski takes onIgor Pokrajac in a light heavyweight fight. John Makdessi and Dennis Hallman square off while Jared Hamman will face Constantinos Philippou. Also on the broadcast, Yves Jabouin faces Walel Watson.
In the evening's main event, Jon Jones will take on Lyoto Machida on pay-per-view.
Make sure to come back during the event and share your thoughts as the event goes down.
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: jone, event, broadcast, prelim, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Live Blog: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Updates
Filed under: UFCTORONTO -- This is the UFC 140 live blog for Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida, the main event of tonight's UFC pay-per-view from the Air Canada Centre.
Jones (14-1), who is fighting for the fourth time this year, is making his second title defense. Machida (17-2) fought once this year, knocking out Randy Couture at UFC 129 in April.
The live blog is below.
More Coverage: UFC 140 Results | Latest UFC 140 News
Round 1:
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Round 4:
Round 5:
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Posted in: ufc, jone, round, blog, machida
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 140 Fight Card Primer: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
At UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, Jon Jones (14-1; 8-1 UFC) will defend his title against challenger and former champion Lyoto Machida (17-2; 9-2 UFC). This Light Heavyweight title fight will be the main event of the evening. According to the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings, Jones is currently the #1 Light Heavyweight in the world, with The Dragon just outside the top 5 at #6. The PPV card begins Saturday night at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
One of the big stories of this fight deals with the history of the UFC Light Heavyweight title. Ever since Rampage Jackson KO'd Chuck Liddell, the title has bounced around, from Rampage to Forrest, to Rashad, to Lyoto, to Shogun, to Jones, with no one successfully defending the belt more than once. It's a fierce division, and this kind of revolving door at the top shows just how even it is. But with this fight, one of these two men will distinguish himself from the pack. Either Jones will become only the 4th man in the history of the division to defend the belt more than once (joining the likes of Frank Shamrock, Tito Ortiz, and the Iceman), or Lyoto will become just the 2nd man to regain the crown (alongside Randy Couture). The stats nerd in me gets excited about that.
How do these two stack up?
Jones: 24 years old | 6'4" | 84.5" reachMachida: 33 years old | 6'1" | 74" reach
What have these two done recently?
Jones: W - Quinton Jackson (Sub) | W - Mauricio Rua (TKO) | W - Ryan Bader (Sub)Machida: W - Randy Couture (KO) | L - Quinton Jackson (SD) | L - Mauricio Rua (KO)
How did these two get here?
Jones rides a wave of well deserved hype heading into this fight. 2011 has been absolutely huge for the young fighter, who went from highly touted prospect, to champion of the toughest UFC division. If he wins against Lyoto, there can be no question that he is the fighter of the year. His last two fights in particular have been masterpieces. First, he outwrestled and just plain beat up champion Shogun Rua, then he outstruck and outsmarted Rampage. It really feels like we are in the Jones era, as many are wondering if anyone can beat him.
When you say "era", it's hard to forget the ill-fated "Machida era." After Lyoto won the belt from Rashad Evans, Joe Rogan famously declared this the Machida era, stating that Lyoto would be champ for some time. It wasn't to be, as he won a very close and controversial decision over Shogun in his first defense, and was KO'd by Shogun in his second. He followed that up with a loss to Rampage that many (including myself) thought he rightly won. He comes in as the challenger on just a 1 fight win streak. That fight was the Karate Kid style highlight reel KO of Randy Couture - an impressive KO, but not an opponent that at this point should launch you into a title shot. Still, he's a former champion, and a Jones vs. Lyoto fight was inevitable.
Why should you care?
I said it at UFC 135, and I'll say it again here - Jones stands beside Anderson Silva as one of the most exciting and best fighters in the world. The eventual Evans fight may have more drama, but I think this is, from a pure sports standpoint, his best match-up out there right now. It's going to be a technical beauty from both men, and I can't wait.
More UFC 140 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Video: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Undisputed 3 Fight Prediction - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Predictions
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Full Weigh-in Video - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Is Lyoto Machida Sick Heading Into Fight With Jon Jones? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Claude Patrick vs. Brian Ebersole Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Fight Odds - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC's Jon Jones Nominated For ESPN SportsNation Award - Josh Nason
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 3 - Fraser Coffeen
Dana White On Lyoto Machida's UFC 140 Title Shot: 'Do You Think That This Fight is Going to Suck?' - Brent Brookhouse
Lyoto Machida: The Mystery May Be Gone, But is There Still Room for Romance? - David Castillo
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 107: UFC 140 Preview - Matt Bishop
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - ION Television Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston
Video: UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Pre-Fight Press Conference - Matthew Roth
Chan Sung Jung Talks Underdog Status to Hominick at UFC 140: "Wait And See!" - Dallas Winston
Judo Chop: Shogun Rua's Half Guard Game and How Jon Jones Shut It Down - Ben Thapa
UFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140's Tito Ortiz Talks Repairing Relationship With Dana White - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Facebook Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Round Table: Is Jon Jones' Lack Of Star Power to Blame for UFC 140 Not Being Sold Out?
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 2 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140's Jon Jones Talks Lyoto Machida, Religion and Says Rashad Evans Has No Chin - Brent Brookhouse
UFC Light Heavyweight Division State of the Union - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Main Card Betting Lines - Tim Burke
UFC 140 Still Not Sold Out A Week Out From The Event - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Lyoto Machida Talks About His Preparation for Jon Jones - Tim Burke
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 1 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Video: Tito Ortiz Considering Retirement - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Fight Card: Jones vs. Machida - Tim Burke
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140: Jones vs. Evans - Live Results and Play-By-Play for ION TV Undercard
As with every major show, Bloody Elbow will be here to bring you live results, play by play and commentary for UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida. Our live coverage will start with the beginning of the Facebook prelim stream (5:45 p.m. ET), continuing through the ION TV prelim broadcast (7 p.m. ET) and finally through the pay-per-view broadcast (9 p.m. ET) so make sure to make Bloody Elbow your home for this event.
This post will cover live results and thoughts on the ION broadcast.
Four bouts are scheduled for the prelim broadcast. In the featured bout on the undercard, Krzysztof Soszynski takes on Igor Pokrajac in a light heavyweight fight. John Makdessi and Dennis Hallman square off while Jared Hamman will face Constantinos Philippou. Also on the broadcast, Yves Jabouin faces Walel Watson.
In the evening's main event, Jon Jones will take on Lyoto Machida on pay-per-view.
Make sure to come back during the event and share your thoughts as the event goes down.
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: jone, event, broadcast, sbn coverage, walel watson
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Fight Card Primer: Frank Mir vs. Minotauro Nogueira
At UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (33-6-1, 1 NC; 4-2 UFC) will face Frank Mir (15-5; 13-5 UFC). This Heavyweight fight is the semi-main event of the evening. The USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings currently has Minotauro as the #10 Heavyweight in the world and Mir above him at #6. The PPV card begins Saturday night at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
This match is all about one thing - the rematch. Nogueira and Mir first met 3 years ago at UFC 92 after a coaching stint on season 8 of The Ultimate Fighter. At the time, Big Nog was the interim UFC Heavyweight champion and the heavy favorite, as Mir was still somewhat recovering from his lengthy absence. But Mir pulled off the huge upset, using a vastly improved stand-up game to TKO Nogueira in the 2nd round. Post-fight, it was revealed that Nogueira had been very ill from a serious staph infection. Minotauro fans said this invalidated Mir's win. Mir fans (and Mir himself) say he won already and has nothing to prove in the rematch.
How do these two stack up?
Mir: 32 years old | 6'3" | 79" reachNogueira: 35 years old | 6'3" | 77" reach
What have these two done recently?
Mir: W - Roy Nelson (UD) | W - Mirko Filipovic (KO) | L - Shane Carwin (KO) Nogueira: W - Brendan Schaub (KO) | L - Cain Velasquez (KO) | W - Randy Couture (UD)
How did these two get here?
Nogueira was, at one time, one of the definitive best Heavyweight fighters in the world. When Pride folded, he came to the UFC, and was 2-0 in the Octagon when he first met Mir. Since that loss he's gone 2-1, fighting very infrequently. There has been talk of him retiring since about 2006, and that talk heated up earlier this year. But at UFC 134, in front of a hometown Brazilian crowd, he KO'd Brendan Schaub to show that there is still life in the career of this beloved veteran. Big Nog is one of the most resilient, but abused, fighters we have ever seen. How much does he have left to give?
Frank Mir is a former UFC Heavyweight champion, who had the belt taken away when a motorcycle accident nearly ended his career. It looked like he would never recover from that, but the win over Minotauro showed that he was indeed back. He's 3-2 since then, and has been increasingly using his improved striking instead of his traditionally strong jiu jitsu game. Mir desperately wants to regain the title he never rightfully lost, and his quest back towards the top has been fascinating to watch.
Why should you care?
I found the first fight to be an intriguing strategic encounter, and I expect the same here. These are two absolute pros and veterans, who are coming in with a plan. It will be interesting to see how the fight goes, and who can come in and execute the better plan. Plus, it's Big Nog, and who knows how many more times you're going to get to see him fight?
More UFC 140 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Video: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Undisputed 3 Fight Prediction - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Predictions
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Full Weigh-in Video - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Is Lyoto Machida Sick Heading Into Fight With Jon Jones? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Claude Patrick vs. Brian Ebersole Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Fight Odds - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC's Jon Jones Nominated For ESPN SportsNation Award - Josh Nason
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 3 - Fraser Coffeen
Dana White On Lyoto Machida's UFC 140 Title Shot: 'Do You Think That This Fight is Going to Suck?' - Brent Brookhouse
Lyoto Machida: The Mystery May Be Gone, But is There Still Room for Romance? - David Castillo
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 107: UFC 140 Preview - Matt Bishop
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - ION Television Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston
Video: UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Pre-Fight Press Conference - Matthew Roth
Chan Sung Jung Talks Underdog Status to Hominick at UFC 140: "Wait And See!" - Dallas Winston
Judo Chop: Shogun Rua's Half Guard Game and How Jon Jones Shut It Down - Ben Thapa
UFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140's Tito Ortiz Talks Repairing Relationship With Dana White - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Facebook Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Round Table: Is Jon Jones' Lack Of Star Power to Blame for UFC 140 Not Being Sold Out?
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 2 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140's Jon Jones Talks Lyoto Machida, Religion and Says Rashad Evans Has No Chin - Brent Brookhouse
UFC Light Heavyweight Division State of the Union - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Main Card Betting Lines - Tim Burke
UFC 140 Still Not Sold Out A Week Out From The Event - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Lyoto Machida Talks About His Preparation for Jon Jones - Tim Burke
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 1 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Video: Tito Ortiz Considering Retirement - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Fight Card: Jones vs. Machida - Tim Burke
Posted in: ufc, jone, mir, vs, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Real Time Results
Two masters of their craft collide tonight in Toronto at UFC 140, as seemingly unbeatable divisional king Jon Jones defends his light heavyweight championship against real life “karate kid” Lyoto Machida. The fight will mark Jones’ fourth in 2011 and third in a row against a former UFC title-holder.
Also set for the evening’s lineup, Octagon icon Tito Ortiz fights for what is expected to be one of two remaining bouts before retirement, taking on well-rounded PRIDE veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, while Frank Mir looks to solidify his bid for a shot at the heavyweight belt by taking out recently resurgent Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira out for a second time.
As always, Fighters.com will be watching things go down and providing results in real time to readers as things unfold from the Air Canada Centre. The show starts at 5:45 PM EST (Facebook) with ION TV prelims at 7:00 PM EST and the PPV taking over two hours later.
Here is a full rundown of UFC 140 outcomes:
John Cholish vs. Mitch Clarke
Rich Attonito vs. Jake Hecht
Mark Bocek vs. Nik Lentz
Yves Jabouin vs. Walel Watson
John Makdessi vs. Dennis Hallman
Jared Hamman vs. Constantinos Philippou
Igor Pokrajac vs. Krzysztof Soszynski
Mark Hominickvs. Chan Sung Jung
Brian Ebersole vs. Claude Patrick
Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: vs, ufc, antonio, nogueira, jone
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC 140 Fight Card Primer: Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
At UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz (16-9-1; 15-9-1 UFC) meets Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-5; 2-2 UFC). This fight in the Light Heavyweight division is the third bout of the evening. In the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings, Nogueira is ranked the #12 Light Heavyweight, with Ortiz at #16. The PPV card begins Saturday night at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Right now, we are in an interesting transitional time in MMA. Many of the stars of the earlier days are coming to the ends of their careers, with the new guard stepping in. Sometimes this leads to "new" vs. "old" match-ups, and sometimes it leads to a sort of "legends" fight. This one is definitely in that legends category. Lil Nog and The Huntington Beach Bad Boy have both been at or close to the top of the Light Heavyweight ranks at some point in their careers - Nogueira in Pride, Ortiz in the UFC. And they're both winding down those careers. The result is a sort of dream match that is, admittedly, not super relevant to the current UFC Light Heavyweight division, but is still a great contest between two men who should meet before their careers are done.
How do these two stack up?
Nogueira: 35 years old | 6'2" | 75" reachOrtiz: 36 years old | 6'2" | 74" reach
What have these two done recently?
Nogueira: L - Phil Davis (UD) | L - Ryan Bader (UD) | W - Jason Brilz (SD)Ortiz: L - Rashad Evans (TKO) | W - Ryan Bader (SUB) | L - Matt Hamill (UD)
How did these two get here?
Rogerio Nogueira is the twin brother of Minotauro, and can unfairly get lost in his brother's shadow. Unlike Minotauro, Rogerio has focused his MMA career on his boxing, with his jiu jitsu being the secondary weapon. That boxing led him to great success in Pride, including an all-time classic 2005 fight with Shogun. After the close of Pride, he floated around a bit, then came to the UFC in 2009, winning his first two Octagon fights before being derailed by Ryan Bader. He had some success in his fight with Phil Davis (in a fight where Davis stepped in for an injured Ortiz), but Davis's wrestling proved to be too much, and Nogueira is now on a two fight losing streak.
Tito Ortiz has had a wild 2011. After a four year winless streak from October 2006 to October 2010, it looked like the former UFC Light Heavyweight champion was done. Then he did the unthinkable. He won. Against heavy favorite Ryan Bader no less. That emotional win propelled him to a main event against Rashad Evans, which Tito lost, but the good feelings from that Bader win remain. In the lead-up to this fight, Tito has talked about having only one more fight after this one on his UFC contract, and has stated that he may retire when that contract ends. After 14 years in the sport and countless back injuries, it's hard to fault him for making that choice.
Why should you care?
There's just something about Tito Ortiz. Even at his career low, the man knows how to light a fire under the crowd and get you invested in his fights. I always find myself entertained by Tito fights, and I think against an opponent who is in a similar place as him, we'll end up with more of an even fight. And I admit it, I'll miss Tito when he's gone, so if this is close to the end, I will savor the moment.
More UFC 140 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Video: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Undisputed 3 Fight Prediction - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Predictions
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Full Weigh-in Video - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Is Lyoto Machida Sick Heading Into Fight With Jon Jones? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Claude Patrick vs. Brian Ebersole Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Fight Odds - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC's Jon Jones Nominated For ESPN SportsNation Award - Josh Nason
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 3 - Fraser Coffeen
Dana White On Lyoto Machida's UFC 140 Title Shot: 'Do You Think That This Fight is Going to Suck?' - Brent Brookhouse
Lyoto Machida: The Mystery May Be Gone, But is There Still Room for Romance? - David Castillo
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 107: UFC 140 Preview - Matt Bishop
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - ION Television Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston
Video: UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Pre-Fight Press Conference - Matthew Roth
Chan Sung Jung Talks Underdog Status to Hominick at UFC 140: "Wait And See!" - Dallas Winston
Judo Chop: Shogun Rua's Half Guard Game and How Jon Jones Shut It Down - Ben Thapa
UFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140's Tito Ortiz Talks Repairing Relationship With Dana White - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Facebook Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Round Table: Is Jon Jones' Lack Of Star Power to Blame for UFC 140 Not Being Sold Out?
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 2 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140's Jon Jones Talks Lyoto Machida, Religion and Says Rashad Evans Has No Chin - Brent Brookhouse
UFC Light Heavyweight Division State of the Union - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Main Card Betting Lines - Tim Burke
UFC 140 Still Not Sold Out A Week Out From The Event - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Lyoto Machida Talks About His Preparation for Jon Jones - Tim Burke
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 1 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Video: Tito Ortiz Considering Retirement - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Fight Card: Jones vs. Machida - Tim Burke
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Fight Card Primer: Claude Patrick vs. Brian Ebersole
At UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, Claude Patrick (14-1; 3-0 UFC) steps in as a replacement to face Brian Ebersole (48-14-1, 1 NC; 2-0 UFC). This Welterweight fight is the third bout of the evening. Ebersole is currently ranked as the #21 Welterweight in the world according to the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings; Patrick is unranked. The PPV card begins Saturday night at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
This is a replacement for the originally scheduled Ebersole vs. Rory MacDonald fight. That was changed when MacDonald had to drop out due to injury. Patrick, originally set to face Rich Attonito on the undercard, got the call up to fill in for MacDonald. That's a shame, because I don't want to take anything away from Patrick, but Ebersole vs. MacDonald was a great fight between two men who have surged in the division over the past year. Still, there is definite intrigue added to this fight thanks to the recent news that Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre is sidelined and an interim champion will be crowned. This is the chance for new Welterweight contenders to make a move - let's see if either man here can take advantage.
How do these two stack up?
Patrick: 31 years old | 5'11" | 75" reachEbersole: 31 years old | 6'0" | 73" reach
What have these two done recently?
Patrick: W - Daniel Roberts (UD) | W - James Wilks (UD) | W - Ricardo Funch (Sub) Ebersole: W - Dennis Hallman (TKO) | W - Chris Lytle (UD) | W - Hamish Robertson (TKO)
How did these two get here?
Ebersole is a ridiculously well-travelled veteran, with over 60 fights all over the world. He made his UFC debut in his adopted home of Australia earlier this year, and made the most of it, defeating veteran Chris Lytle. After that, he had the absurd Dennis Hallman fight, best known for Hallman's crotch exposing tights. Ebersole is a goofy guy, with some very weird techniques, but he's also an extremely dedicated and talented fighter. This UFC run is the culmination of 11 years of hard work as a professional, and Ebersole seems on a mission to make the most of it.
Claude Patrick is 3-0 in the UFC. The Canadian fighter trains out of Elite Training Center. His only loss comes against UFC veteran Drew McFederies in Patrick's 2nd ever pro fight, and he has been winning ever since. He's done well against increasingly tough UFC competition, but will be making a big step up here. This is a huge opportunity that has fallen in his lap - if he can pull off the upset, it will quickly elevate him in the division.
Why should you care?
I don't tend to love fighters that rely on being goofy above all else, but Ebersole combines that weird streak with a real focus on winning. He's a crafty veteran, and I am interested to see just how far this run will take him. He also always makes his fights fun. If he does lose to Patrick, then we'll be seeing the arrival of a new player in the division, which is always good to see.
More UFC 140 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Video: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Undisputed 3 Fight Prediction - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Predictions
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Full Weigh-in Video - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Is Lyoto Machida Sick Heading Into Fight With Jon Jones? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Claude Patrick vs. Brian Ebersole Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Fight Odds - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC's Jon Jones Nominated For ESPN SportsNation Award - Josh Nason
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 3 - Fraser Coffeen
Dana White On Lyoto Machida's UFC 140 Title Shot: 'Do You Think That This Fight is Going to Suck?' - Brent Brookhouse
Lyoto Machida: The Mystery May Be Gone, But is There Still Room for Romance? - David Castillo
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 107: UFC 140 Preview - Matt Bishop
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - ION Television Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston
Video: UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Pre-Fight Press Conference - Matthew Roth
Chan Sung Jung Talks Underdog Status to Hominick at UFC 140: "Wait And See!" - Dallas Winston
Judo Chop: Shogun Rua's Half Guard Game and How Jon Jones Shut It Down - Ben Thapa
UFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140's Tito Ortiz Talks Repairing Relationship With Dana White - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Facebook Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Round Table: Is Jon Jones' Lack Of Star Power to Blame for UFC 140 Not Being Sold Out?
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 2 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140's Jon Jones Talks Lyoto Machida, Religion and Says Rashad Evans Has No Chin - Brent Brookhouse
UFC Light Heavyweight Division State of the Union - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Main Card Betting Lines - Tim Burke
UFC 140 Still Not Sold Out A Week Out From The Event - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Lyoto Machida Talks About His Preparation for Jon Jones - Tim Burke
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 1 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Video: Tito Ortiz Considering Retirement - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Fight Card: Jones vs. Machida - Tim Burke
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Results and Play-By-Play For Facebook Fights
As with every major show, Bloody Elbow will be here to bring you live results, play by play and commentary for UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida. Our live coverage will start with the beginning of the Facebook prelim stream (5:45 p.m. ET), continuing through the ION TV prelim broadcast (7 p.m. ET) and finally through the pay-per-view broadcast (9 p.m. ET) so make sure to make Bloody Elbow your home for this event.
This post will cover live results and thoughts on the Facebook stream.
This card only has three fights that will air on Facebook thanks to a longer prelim broadcast on ION. On the webstream, Mitch Clarke takes on John Cholish and Rich Attonito squares off with Jake Hecht. The top fight on the stream will be when Mark Bocek takes on Nik Lentz in a lightweight bout.
In the evening's main event, Jon Jones will take on Lyoto Machida on pay-per-view.
Make sure to come back during the event and share your thoughts as the event goes down.
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: jone, event, facebook, machida, attonito squares
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Fight Card Primer: Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung
At UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, former #1 contender Mark Hominick (20-9; 3-1 UFC) fights Chan Sung Jung, "The Korean Zombie" (11-3; 1-0 UFC). This fight is in the Featherweight division and is the opening bout on the PPV card. Hominick is surrently the #8 Featherweight in the world according to the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings, while Jung is unranked. The PPV card begins Saturday night at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
These are two complete mixed martial artists, with submission wins on their resumes, but let's be honest, this one is going to be a stand-up war. Both men love the striking game, though Jung comes at it from more of a fast-paced slugfest standpoint, while Hominick is much more technical. It's the perfect kind of PPV opener - fast, exciting, with two very skilled opponents.
How do these two stack up?
Hominick: 29 years old | 5'8" | 68.5" reachJung: 24 years old | 5'9" | 72" reach
What have these two done recently?
Hominick: L - Jose Aldo (UD) | W - George Roop (TKO) | W - Leonard Garcia (SD)Jung: W - Leonard Garcia (Sub) | L - George Roop (TKO) | L - Leonard Garcia (SD)
How did these two get here?
How did they get here? Apparently by fighting George Roop and Leonard Garcia quite a lot...
Mark Hominick is looking to get back to the winning side after falling short in his effort to win the UFC Featherweight title from Jose Aldo. That UFC 129 fight saw Hominick suffer a nasty hematoma that deformed his head. But Hominick was game, and fought on against the very tough Aldo. Before that loss he was on a 7-1 streak with some of the best work of his career. This will likely be an emotional fight for Hominick, as it will be the first time he returns to the ring since the sudden death of his long-time trainer, mentor, and friend Shawn Tompkins. Hominick's stand-up game is a direct result of his work with Tompkins, and that loss had to have been tough for The Machine.
The Korean Zombie will forever be known for his wild Fight of Year brawl with Leonard Garcia at the WEC: Aldo vs. Faber PPV. Jung ended up on the losing end of that fight, though many felt he should have had the judges' decision. He's 1-1 since then, suffering the first stoppage loss of his career at the hands (or, more accurately, foot) of George Roop, then submitting Garcia in a rematch earlier this year. That submission vis twister remains a highlight of UFC action in 2011. Jung feels like he is being overlooked in this fight, and will look to make a huge impact by beating the top 10 Hominick.
Why should you care?
This fight is going to be a blast. Jung may have slowed down his Korean Zombie style offense, but he is still very unpredictable and fun, as that twister on Garcia showed. And if you are a fan of stand-up, it doesn't get much better from a technical standpoint than Hominick.
More UFC 140 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Video: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Undisputed 3 Fight Prediction - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Predictions
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Full Weigh-in Video - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Is Lyoto Machida Sick Heading Into Fight With Jon Jones? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Claude Patrick vs. Brian Ebersole Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Fight Odds - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC's Jon Jones Nominated For ESPN SportsNation Award - Josh Nason
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 3 - Fraser Coffeen
Dana White On Lyoto Machida's UFC 140 Title Shot: 'Do You Think That This Fight is Going to Suck?' - Brent Brookhouse
Lyoto Machida: The Mystery May Be Gone, But is There Still Room for Romance? - David Castillo
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 107: UFC 140 Preview - Matt Bishop
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - ION Television Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston
Video: UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Pre-Fight Press Conference - Matthew Roth
Chan Sung Jung Talks Underdog Status to Hominick at UFC 140: "Wait And See!" - Dallas Winston
Judo Chop: Shogun Rua's Half Guard Game and How Jon Jones Shut It Down - Ben Thapa
UFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140's Tito Ortiz Talks Repairing Relationship With Dana White - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Facebook Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Round Table: Is Jon Jones' Lack Of Star Power to Blame for UFC 140 Not Being Sold Out?
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 2 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140's Jon Jones Talks Lyoto Machida, Religion and Says Rashad Evans Has No Chin - Brent Brookhouse
UFC Light Heavyweight Division State of the Union - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Main Card Betting Lines - Tim Burke
UFC 140 Still Not Sold Out A Week Out From The Event - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Lyoto Machida Talks About His Preparation for Jon Jones - Tim Burke
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 1 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Video: Tito Ortiz Considering Retirement - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Fight Card: Jones vs. Machida - Tim Burke
Posted in: ufc, hominick, jone, vs, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Fight Card Primer: Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Igor Pokrajac
At UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, Krzysztof Soszynski (26-11-1; 6-2 UFC) faces Igor Pokrajac (23-8; 2-3 UFC). This is a Light Heavyweight fight and will be the last fight on the ION prelims. Neither man is currently ranked in the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings. The prelims air for the first time on ION (not Spike) starting Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.
This fight has the distinction of being the first main event on the ION network UFC prelims. And honestly, that's about the most that can be said here. This is a pretty basic fight between two guys who are both kind of just there in the Light Heavyweight division. Soszynski seems locked into his role as a middle of the pack guy, while Pokrajac showed potential earlier in his UFC run, but may have stalled out. If he can win big here, it could help get things going again.
How do these two stack up?
Soszynski: 34 years old | 6'1" | 77.5" reachPokrajac: 32 years old | 6'0" | 74" reach
What have these two done recently?
Soszynski: W - Mike Massenzio (UD) | W - Goran Reljic (UD) | L - Stephan Bonnar (TKO)Pokrajac: W - Todd Brown (TKO) | L - Stephan Bonnar (UD) | W - James Irvin (Sub)
How did these two get here?
Soszynski came into the UFC through the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter. He came into that show with a lot of experience, as he was a veteran of Strikeforce, the IFL, and more. After losing in the semi-finals, he was quickly picked up by the UFC and started his Octagon career with three straight wins, two via his favored hold - the kimura. He's 3-2 since then, with his highest profile fight coming at UFC 116 in the rematch with Stephan Bonnar.
Pokrajac has been in the UFC for just two years. Before this run, he had success in Europe, largely in his homeland of Croatia. He had a tough debut opponent in Vladimir Matyushenko, and went 0-2 before getting his career best win over James Irvin, but he's 1-1 since that victory. He's coming off a win, so is no going to be cut with a loss here, but really needs to get some consistency if he hopes to stay in the UFC.
Why should you care?
Honestly, I've got nothing for you here. This will be a very workmanlike bout - nothing more, nothing less.
More UFC 140 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Video: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Undisputed 3 Fight Prediction - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Predictions
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Full Weigh-in Video - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Is Lyoto Machida Sick Heading Into Fight With Jon Jones? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Claude Patrick vs. Brian Ebersole Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Fight Odds - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC's Jon Jones Nominated For ESPN SportsNation Award - Josh Nason
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 3 - Fraser Coffeen
Dana White On Lyoto Machida's UFC 140 Title Shot: 'Do You Think That This Fight is Going to Suck?' - Brent Brookhouse
Lyoto Machida: The Mystery May Be Gone, But is There Still Room for Romance? - David Castillo
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 107: UFC 140 Preview - Matt Bishop
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - ION Television Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston
Video: UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Pre-Fight Press Conference - Matthew Roth
Chan Sung Jung Talks Underdog Status to Hominick at UFC 140: "Wait And See!" - Dallas Winston
Judo Chop: Shogun Rua's Half Guard Game and How Jon Jones Shut It Down - Ben Thapa
UFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140's Tito Ortiz Talks Repairing Relationship With Dana White - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Facebook Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Round Table: Is Jon Jones' Lack Of Star Power to Blame for UFC 140 Not Being Sold Out?
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 2 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140's Jon Jones Talks Lyoto Machida, Religion and Says Rashad Evans Has No Chin - Brent Brookhouse
UFC Light Heavyweight Division State of the Union - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Main Card Betting Lines - Tim Burke
UFC 140 Still Not Sold Out A Week Out From The Event - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Lyoto Machida Talks About His Preparation for Jon Jones - Tim Burke
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 1 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Video: Tito Ortiz Considering Retirement - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Fight Card: Jones vs. Machida - Tim Burke
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, vs, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowHow to Watch UFC 140 Online, on TV, at a Bar or on Your Phone
Tonight's UFC 140 card sees Lyoto Machida challenge Jon Jones for Jones' light heavyweight championship. That main event should be great, but there's plenty more action from top to bottom on this card.
So how do you make sure you don't miss a moment of the action?
Online
The night's action kicks off with three preliminary fights being featured on the UFC's Facebook page. The free prelim stream is scheduled to kick off at 5:45 p.m. but may be moved 15 minutes one direction or the other.
The UFC has an online PPV available at UFC.tv.
Yahoo! Sports offers an online PPV of the event as well which can be ordered directly from their event page.
The UFC's UStream page also offers an option to stream the PPV online.
Television
Four preliminary bouts will play on ION TV starting at 7 p.m.
Almost every major cable or satellite carrier offers the PPV's in standard definition and hi-def. A list of carriers is available here.
Bar
The UFC has a list of all authorized bars and restaurants which will be showing the pay-per-view on a dedicated page.
Mobile
If you're all out of other options but have an iPhone or Android phone you are able to order the PPV on either platform. The iPhone app can be located here with the Android app available here.
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: ufc, ppv, jone, page, bar
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Fight Card Primer: Jared Hamman vs. Constantinos Philppou
At UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, Jared Hamman (13-3; 2-2 UFC) fights Constantinos Philippou (8-2, 1 NC; 1-1 UFC). This Middleweight fight is third of four to air as part of the ION prelims. Neither man is currently ranked in the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings. The prelims air for the first time on ION (not Spike) starting Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.
This Middleweight contest is an interesting clash. Both Hamman and Philippou came into the UFC with solid credentials and impressive records, but each has had a bit of trouble getting his footing in the Octagon. They now sport matching .500 records in the UFC. This is a chance for one of them to take a nice step forward.
How do these two stack up?
Hamman: 29 years old | 6'3" | 75" reach Philippou: 32 years old | 5'11" | 73" reach
What have these two done recently?
Hamman: W - C.B. Dollaway (TKO) | L - Kyle Kingsbury (UD) | W - Rodney Wallace (UD)Philippou: W - Jorge Rivera (SD) | L - Nick Catone (UD) | W - Uriah Hall (Maj Dec)
How did these two get here?
Jared Hamman made a name for himself on the regional level fighting in California. There, he put together a very nice 11-1 record (and that 1 loss was questionable) in organizations like Strikeforce and EliteXC. He got the call up to the UFC in 2008, but has spent much of the past 3 years on the sidelines. After going 1-2 in the UFC Light Heavyweight division, he dropped down to Middleweight, and immediately picked up a big win over CB Dollaway. I've been a fan of Hamman for awhile, and he has a world of potential, especially at Middleweight.
Philippou also came to the UFC with just 1 loss. He started in New Jersey, fighting for Ring of Combat, before moving up to the UFC earlier this year. He's 1-1, and coming off a win over Jorge Rivera at UFC 133. That win came via split decision, and wasn't the prettiest victory ever, but it got the job done. Philippou trains with Matt Serra and his team.
Why should you care?
Both of these fighters have potentially strong futures in the UFC, and both are capable of exciting fights, with Hamman earning Fight of the Night honors in his last two outings. This is not only a relevant fight in the division, it's also a sleeper contender to take home that bonus once again.
More UFC 140 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Video: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Undisputed 3 Fight Prediction - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Predictions
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Full Weigh-in Video - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Is Lyoto Machida Sick Heading Into Fight With Jon Jones? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Claude Patrick vs. Brian Ebersole Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Fight Odds - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC's Jon Jones Nominated For ESPN SportsNation Award - Josh Nason
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 3 - Fraser Coffeen
Dana White On Lyoto Machida's UFC 140 Title Shot: 'Do You Think That This Fight is Going to Suck?' - Brent Brookhouse
Lyoto Machida: The Mystery May Be Gone, But is There Still Room for Romance? - David Castillo
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 107: UFC 140 Preview - Matt Bishop
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - ION Television Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston
Video: UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Pre-Fight Press Conference - Matthew Roth
Chan Sung Jung Talks Underdog Status to Hominick at UFC 140: "Wait And See!" - Dallas Winston
Judo Chop: Shogun Rua's Half Guard Game and How Jon Jones Shut It Down - Ben Thapa
UFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140's Tito Ortiz Talks Repairing Relationship With Dana White - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Facebook Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Round Table: Is Jon Jones' Lack Of Star Power to Blame for UFC 140 Not Being Sold Out?
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 2 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140's Jon Jones Talks Lyoto Machida, Religion and Says Rashad Evans Has No Chin - Brent Brookhouse
UFC Light Heavyweight Division State of the Union - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Main Card Betting Lines - Tim Burke
UFC 140 Still Not Sold Out A Week Out From The Event - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Lyoto Machida Talks About His Preparation for Jon Jones - Tim Burke
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 1 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Video: Tito Ortiz Considering Retirement - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Fight Card: Jones vs. Machida - Tim Burke
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Fight Card Primer: Dennis Hallman vs. John Makdessi
Dennis Hallman (50-14-2, 3-5 UFC) and John Makdessi (9-0, 2-0 UFC) were set to meet on the undercard of UFC 140 in a lightweight bout, but Hallman missed weight by a full two and a half pounds. Hallman was unable to cut any more weight so gave up part of his purse to make it a catchweight fight.
How do these two stack up?
Hallman: 36 years old | 5'9"Makdessi: 26 years old | 5'8"
What have these two done recently?
Hallman: L - Brian Ebersole (TKO), W - Karo Parisyan (TKO), W - Ben Saunders (Dec)Makdessi: W - Kyle Watson (KO), W - Pat Audinwood (Dec), W - Bendy Casimir (Dec)
How did these two get here?
Dennis Hallman is a veteran of the sport, fighting since 1996, with 67 fights as a professional. His biggest claim to fame is two wins over Matt Hughes, both in under twenty seconds. His unlikely return to the UFC in 2009 has been met with mixed success as he has gone 2-2. Missing weight in his attempt to drop to lightweight did him no favors and he'll be in for a real tough fight against the young Makdessi.
Makdessi has a long history with traditional mixed martial arts and kickboxing and that has translated into success in mixed martial arts. His spinning backfist knockout of Kyle Watson is a highlight that we'll be seeing as long as he is fighting. He remains one of the top young fighters to keep an eye on in the UFC.
Why should you care?
Hallman missing weight put a slight taint on the fight, but Makdessi is must-see at this point and Hallman is a significant test for him.
More UFC 140 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Predictions
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Full Weigh-in Video - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Is Lyoto Machida Sick Heading Into Fight With Jon Jones? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Claude Patrick vs. Brian Ebersole Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Fight Odds - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC's Jon Jones Nominated For ESPN SportsNation Award - Josh Nason
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 3 - Fraser Coffeen
Dana White On Lyoto Machida's UFC 140 Title Shot: 'Do You Think That This Fight is Going to Suck?' - Brent Brookhouse
Lyoto Machida: The Mystery May Be Gone, But is There Still Room for Romance? - David Castillo
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 107: UFC 140 Preview - Matt Bishop
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - ION Television Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston
Video: UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Pre-Fight Press Conference - Matthew Roth
Chan Sung Jung Talks Underdog Status to Hominick at UFC 140: "Wait And See!" - Dallas Winston
Judo Chop: Shogun Rua's Half Guard Game and How Jon Jones Shut It Down - Ben Thapa
UFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140's Tito Ortiz Talks Repairing Relationship With Dana White - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Facebook Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Round Table: Is Jon Jones' Lack Of Star Power to Blame for UFC 140 Not Being Sold Out?
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 2 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140's Jon Jones Talks Lyoto Machida, Religion and Says Rashad Evans Has No Chin - Brent Brookhouse
UFC Light Heavyweight Division State of the Union - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Main Card Betting Lines - Tim Burke
UFC 140 Still Not Sold Out A Week Out From The Event - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Lyoto Machida Talks About His Preparation for Jon Jones - Tim Burke
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 1 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Video: Tito Ortiz Considering Retirement - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Fight Card: Jones vs. Machida - Tim Burke
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, vs, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 fight card: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida, eras (not just a world title) on the line
Mistakes happen.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) color commentator Joe Rogan prematurely (and incorrectly) christened the beginning of the "Machida Era" moments after Lyoto Machida destroyed then-light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans at UFC 98 back in 2009.
Who could blame him, really, "The Dragon" was undefeated (15-0) at the time and none of his opponents seemingly were able to put up much of a fight. Mauricio Rua changed all that in short order, exposing a chink in the Brazilian's armor in his next fight and then completely exploiting it in their immediate rematch seven months later at at UFC 113 with a vicious knockout victory.
Machida hasn't been the same fighter since.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Jon Jones impressively climbed the 205-pound contender ranks and ultimately secured the top spot with one-sided beatdown of "Shogun" earlier this year. He's already defended his light heavyweight belt, which is no small task, considering Quinton Jackson -- the man he defeated little more than two months ago -- has been the only other man to do it in the past five years.
With another former champion teed up to take out, this time at UFC 140 from the Air Canada Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, later tonight (Dec. 10, 2011), "Bones" is on the cusp of doing something special:
Demonstrably declaring the start of his very own "Jones Era."
Jones has been absolutely dominant, finishing six of his last seven opponent inside the Octagon with a sinister blend of (technical) knockouts and submissions. And he's been able to do it, seemingly, without getting touched ... certainly not hurt. In fact, no one has ever wobbled the 6'4" young phenom, who is just 24 years old.
It wasn't too long ago, however, where guys like Rogan, as well as an entire chorus of impressed fans, were saying the same things about Machida. He was an elusive enigma, a fighter that appeared flawless and was able to turn in seemingly effortless winning performances.
Sure, he didn't have the same finishing prowess that Jones possesses, but at the time, we didn't know any better,
When Jones and Machida touch gloves in the UFC 140 main event, it's going to be a test of strong wills and styles -- Jones the calculated and dynamic aggressor, Machida the careful and economic counter striker. On paper, it's terribly difficult to predict an outcome because both fighters are so unpredictable in their very own unique ways.
One fighter will look to usher in his era, while the other will look to reclaim his. Both will need to be mistake-free to make that happen.
Posted in: ufc, jone, fighter, era, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 Fight Card Primer: Yves Jabouin vs. Walel Watson
Yves Jabouin (16-7, 1-1 UFC) and Walel Watson (9-2, 1-0 UFC) will kick off the ION TV broadcast for the UFC 140 in a bantamweight bout. Jabouin will have the "home field advantage" being a Canadian fighting on a card in Canada.
How do these two stack up?
Jabouin: 32 years old | 5'6"Watson: 27 years old | 5'11"
What have these two done recently?
Jabouin: W - Ian Loveland (Split Dec), L - Pablo Garza (Sub), W - Brandon Visher (Dec)Watson: W - Joseph Sandoval (TKO), W - Ismael Leon (Sub), L - Cody Gibson (TKO)
How did these two get here?
Jabouin got a trip to the UFC through an exciting three fight stint in the WEC. While he only went 1-2 in those bouts he lost a very close split decision to Rafael Assuncao, got fight of the night while losing to Mark Hominick and then beat Brandon Visher. He's an exciting striker who is usually good to put on an exciting fight but at a certain point his combined 2-3 record in Zuffa promotions and losses in the past to Jonathan Brookins and Sam Stout on smaller shows has to be seen as an indicator of his long-term prospects in the UFC.
Watson is a finisher, having never been to the judges scorecards in his career and scoring submissions in seven of his nine career wins. His 5'11" frame is very long for a 135 pounder and those long limbs allow him to have success when attacking with submissions.
Why should you care?
Watson may be around the UFC for a long time if his top-end career outlook comes through and Jabouin is always down for a good fight. It should be an interesting scrap.
More UFC 140 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Predictions
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Full Weigh-in Video - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Is Lyoto Machida Sick Heading Into Fight With Jon Jones? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Claude Patrick vs. Brian Ebersole Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Fight Odds - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC's Jon Jones Nominated For ESPN SportsNation Award - Josh Nason
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 3 - Fraser Coffeen
Dana White On Lyoto Machida's UFC 140 Title Shot: 'Do You Think That This Fight is Going to Suck?' - Brent Brookhouse
Lyoto Machida: The Mystery May Be Gone, But is There Still Room for Romance? - David Castillo
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 107: UFC 140 Preview - Matt Bishop
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - ION Television Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston
Video: UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Pre-Fight Press Conference - Matthew Roth
Chan Sung Jung Talks Underdog Status to Hominick at UFC 140: "Wait And See!" - Dallas Winston
Judo Chop: Shogun Rua's Half Guard Game and How Jon Jones Shut It Down - Ben Thapa
UFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140's Tito Ortiz Talks Repairing Relationship With Dana White - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Facebook Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Round Table: Is Jon Jones' Lack Of Star Power to Blame for UFC 140 Not Being Sold Out?
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 2 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140's Jon Jones Talks Lyoto Machida, Religion and Says Rashad Evans Has No Chin - Brent Brookhouse
UFC Light Heavyweight Division State of the Union - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Main Card Betting Lines - Tim Burke
UFC 140 Still Not Sold Out A Week Out From The Event - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Lyoto Machida Talks About His Preparation for Jon Jones - Tim Burke
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 1 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Video: Tito Ortiz Considering Retirement - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Fight Card: Jones vs. Machida - Tim Burke
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, vs, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 fight card: Previews, predictions and a complete guide to 'Jones vs Machida'
For fans of mixed martial arts, this past week has been a slow crawl of steadily rising anticipation for tonight's "Jones vs. Machida" event, going down at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
UFC 140 will feature a light heavyweight championship showdown pitting current titleholder Jon Jones putting his strap on the line against former 205-pound deity Lyoto Machida.
Other match-ups on the card include the rematch between Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and the return of "The People's Champ," Tito Ortiz, against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
It's been a flurry of non-stop news, analysis, quotes, predictions and previews for the past week and it's certainly understandable if you missed out on a few stories.
But don't worry, Maniacs, we've got you covered.
In cased you missed any or all of it — or just want to keep the discussion alive — below are links to all the major storylines heading into tonight's broadcast.
In we go:
UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida"
Fight card and line-up
Results and live fight coverage
UFC 140 predictions and previews:
Predictions from the myth himself, Nostradumbass
Ion TV "Prelims" preview and predictions
Facebook "Prelims" preview and predictions
Fight preview: Claude Patrick vs. Brian Ebersole
Fight preview: Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung
Fight preview: Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Fight preview: Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Fight preview: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
UFC 140 press conferences:
Pre-fight press conference
Press conference video
Press conference staredown pics
UFC 140 weigh-ins:
Weigh-in results
Weigh-in video
Weigh-in staredown pics
Weigh-in photos gallery
Lyoto Machida shows off 22 pounds of new muscle
Brittney Palmer returns at weigh-ins
UFC 140 odds:
Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
Complete odds and betting guide
UFC 140 news:
How to watch the event
Event poster
Conference call live blog
Open workouts photo gallery
Exclusive interview with Nik Lentz
Complete statistical breakdown of Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
Complete statistical breakdown of Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Jon Jones nominated by ESPN for "Most Awesomest Dude of 2011"
UFC 140 editorials:
History in the Making: Tito Ortiz fends off retirement by choking out Ryan Bader
History in the Making: Chan Sung Jung and Leonard Garcia go to war
Jon Jones admits he's not invincible
Jon Jones already has blueprints to defeat Lyoto Machida
If Lyoto Machida wants to play the distance game, Jon Jones is down
Jon Jones expecting the best Lyoto Machida ever
Is Lyoto Machida sick heading into his title shot against Jon Jones?
Randy Couture says Jon Jones will not walk through Lyoto Machida
How far away from a title shot is Frank Mir?
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is back and more explosive and confident than ever
Frank Mir won the first fight with Big Nog because he was the better fighter, not some staph infection
Tito Ortiz contemplates retirement
Tito Ortiz is now "The People's Champ"
UFC 140 videos:
Dana White video blog episode one
Countdown to UFC 140
Extended video preview
Jones vs. Machida in UFC Undisputed 3
Jon Jones leg kicks the crap out of Jim Norton
Jones vs. Machida fight preview
Lyoto Machida is going to get his belt back
Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira winner could determine next title contender
An in shape Big Nog can beat Frank Mir
Tito Ortiz aiming for "Knockout of the Night" win
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira hoping to knock out hard-headed Tito Ortiz
Tito Ortiz: When I don't have fun in the gym anymore, I'll retire
Chan Sung Jung thinking knockout or submission over Mark Hominick
That, my friends, should be enough to keep you talking -- at least for the time being.
What has been the biggest story heading into this event? The artsy-fartsy match-up between Jones and Machida? The return of Tito Ortiz? Something else?
Sound off, Maniacs.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, vs, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Main Event Dissection
In the five-round light-heavyweight championship match headlining UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, 205-pound phenom Jon Jones defends the crown against former champ Lyoto Machida.
Jon Jones is one of the most -- if not the most -- innovative and sensational new faces in the sport. A surefire sign of incredible success is a fighter who not only steadily embraces new challenges and continues to augment his level of opposition, but looks even more devastating and unstoppable in each performance.
His heavenly ascension began with shades of creative panache against Andre Gusmao and Stephan Bonnar, progressed dramatically in dominating a series of accredited wrestlers in Jake O'Brien, Matt Hamill, Vladimir Matyushenko and Ryan Bader (along with shattering Brandon Vera's face), and recently crescendoed when "Bones" picked off two perennially elite veterans and former champions in Mauricio Rua and Quinton Jackson.
Lyoto Machida fits the same description of Jones' last two victims as well, marking the third former light-heavyweight champion and top-five ranked fighter he's faced in a row. Along with the re-acquired Dan Henderson and his skull-cracking H-bomb, Machida stands as essentially the last bastion of 205-pound contenders who could pose a legitimate threat.
Leading up to and during his reign as champion, Machida's style was concisely distinguished by the unorthodox effectiveness of his Shotokan karate background. It exuded in everything from his unusual stance -- differentiated by the wide and low base with his upper body retracted and held peculiarly upright -- to his flashy success with poetic standing foot sweeps to the demoralizing complexity of his footwork.
In fact, it wasn't too long ago that fans, commentators and media were shaking their collective heads in fascinated disbelief, wondering who could possibly contend with an idiosyncratic virtuoso like Machida. Now, just two years later, Jon Jones has assumed that same lofty pedestal and aura of invincibility, but Lyoto Machida has the ideal opportunity to repossess the mantle.
Gifs and analysis in the full entry.
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Elusive. No reputable analysis on Lyoto Machida is complete without inserting that word. His elusive tactics and clever motion have the greatest bearing on his success and failure and tonight's title fight is no exception.
Machida's mystique was built around his unique ability to avoid being tied up or controlled and skate out of reach while stinging with punches. Conversely, Jones has carved out a niche for being able to voraciously devour all comers in whatever phase of combat he chooses. Each fighter employs drastically opposing methods to achieve the same advantage, which is dictating the pace by having control over the fighting area.
Thus far against Jones, all conventional approaches have failed rather miserably, so I think Machida should summon up every unorthodox and eccentric technique in his arsenal.
These first two clips show Machida's nonpareil sweeps from the standing position. Above, when Vernon White aggressively closes distance, he flashes out a left hand to disguise the crafty sweep he slides underneath it to topple White over. This was the exact technique and set up Machida duped Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou with at UFC 79. From the clinch, using his upper-body to off-balance him, Machida catches Rich Franklin.
Besides retreating with a variety of circling and angles, the other staple in Machida's arsenal for aggressive opponents has been his straight knee to the body.
After setting the tone of moving back and out of range most of the time, Machida will suddenly switch directions and vault straight forward with a low knee, using the momentum of his attacker against them. He scored regularly with this technique against Rua and, to the left, against Ortiz.
What was downright befuddling is how poorly Machida's movement was in his consecutive losses to Shogun and Rampage. It wasn't just "not as amazing as usual", it was just plain bad.
To the left are some uncharacteristic examples of Machida making the mistake of retreating in a straight line. Rampage came straight at him but still was able to find the mark with punches and constrain him against the fence. Those same errors could be fatal against Jones.
It was equally concerning to see these lapses occur after he'd demonstrated such a commanding grasp of evasive footwork in his entire fight career. Regardless, it's crystal clear that an emphasis on feints, unpredictable footwork and avoiding straight-line retreats at all costs will be imperative, especially since Jones can cover more ground faster and as both a striking and takedown threat.
Should Jones and Machida clinch up, I'm interested to see how Lyoto fares. Jones has been devastating in the clinch with throws, dirty boxing and knees, but Machida has also displayed a surprisingly substantial base and balance with under-rated takedown prowess of his own.
Again shifting gears from running away eternally to moving ahead and attacking aggressively, Machida snares a strong body lock on Ortiz to the right and establishes a deep center of gravity by planting both feet on either side of Ortiz's outside leg. Gathering himself, Machida plants and torques his upper body to send Ortiz flailing backward to the mat. I'm not saying Machida will do the same to Jones, but he might hold his own more so than others.
What first really attracted my attention was the spinning back elbow of Jon Jones. Not only was it unbelievably effective here against Bonnar, but the way he set it up against Gusmao by knifing low for a single leg and then landing it square to the face when Gusmao dropped his hands to defend the takedown is one of my favorite combinations of all time.
The spectacular ability to piece together an assortment of different martial arts technique is what I find most impressive about Jones.
His intelligence in strike selection and vastly diversified arsenal become even more ominous when delivered by the utterly freakish length of his wiry frame.
It's no coincidence that the fighters who are currently dominating their weight classes (Jones, Georges St. Pierre, Anderson Silva) all have the same physical features of being incredibly long and lean while still maintaining significant strength.
The jaw-dropping 84" reach length of Jones is virtually unheard of in MMA for his division. I can't think of anyone who even comes close to that. Jones gangly reach is the same as heavyweight Stefan Struve who is almost seven-feet tall. To have a reach comparable with the UFC's tallest heavyweight while simultaneously being one of the strongest and best wrestlers is an absolutely unequivocal package.
The kid is so insanely talented in all areas that attempting to analyze him is almost futile.
His striking is powerful and diverse, with his hands and his feet, his control of range of ridiculous, his clinch game is rife with brutal knees, dirty boxing and takedown wizardry and he's taken down the best wrestlers he's ever faced.
He's also highly intelligent, as we see to the left in his precise timing with the kick just as Rua no longer qualifies as a downed opponent.
Though you could probably get away with saying he's unproven against elite submission fighters, his composure, top control and his own submission voracity has been so insurmountable that it's hard to imagine it as a flaw. Either way, Lyoto is slick with submissions but I wouldn't deem him as elite in that aspect.
For the final touting on Jones, his confidence and creativity to step over for the ankle lock against Shogun is astounding (as is the slicing back fist that he lands precisely to the face, almost as an afterthought).
I don't think the question is who should be favored, but rather whether Machida has a legit chance. I was just as shocked as some of our readers to see a good number of the staff picks for Machida. I've been pretty reluctant to hop on his bandwagon, but I'm pretty sold on the skills and potential of Jones, who miraculously continues to improve.
Lyoto should be slippery and unorthodox enough to avoid getting finished but I see him losing a convincing decision.
My Prediction: Jon Jones by decision
All gifs via MMA-Core and Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com
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Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
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Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, machida, lyoto
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Fight Card Primer: Mark Bocek vs. Nik Lentz
On the undercard of UFC 140, Mark Bocek (9-4, 5-4 UFC) looks to do something that has proven shockingly difficult for other UFC fighters and beat Nik Lentz (21-3-2, 5-0-1 UFC) when they meet in a lightweight fight. While it's easy to look at Bocek's slightly above .500 record in the UFC and dismiss him, it becomes much more impressive once you realize that three of those losses came against top ten talent.
How do these two stack up?
Bocek: 30 years old | 5'9"Lentz: 27 years old | 5'8"
What have these two done recently?
Bocek: L - Ben Henderson (Dec), W - Dustin Hazelett (Sub), L - Jim Miller (Dec)Lentz: NC - Charles Oliveira, W - Waylon Lowe (Sub), W - Tyson Griffin (Split Dec)
How did these two get here?
Bocek has fought in the UFC since UFC 73 when he lost to current lightweight champion Frankie Edgar in Edgar's second UFC bout. He's had a fairly up and down career in the Octagon where he beats some mid-tier opposition and then runs into a tough fight, dropping fights against Griffin, Jim Miller, Ben Henderson and (less impressively) Mac Danzig.
Lentz has escaped defeat time and time again in the UFC. He has scored dramatic last round submissions, won split decisions, been saved by a majority draw, won controversial decisions and picked up a no contest. He hasn't appeared to be an elite level talent, but seven UFC fights without a loss has to count for something.
Why should you care?
Lentz's ability to win (or at least not lose) fights where he appears outgunned is becoming somewhat legendary. Bocek is a legitimate fighter and I have a sneaking suspicion this is going to turn out to be a good bout.
More UFC 140 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Predictions
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Full Weigh-in Video - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Is Lyoto Machida Sick Heading Into Fight With Jon Jones? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Claude Patrick vs. Brian Ebersole Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Fight Odds - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC's Jon Jones Nominated For ESPN SportsNation Award - Josh Nason
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 3 - Fraser Coffeen
Dana White On Lyoto Machida's UFC 140 Title Shot: 'Do You Think That This Fight is Going to Suck?' - Brent Brookhouse
Lyoto Machida: The Mystery May Be Gone, But is There Still Room for Romance? - David Castillo
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 107: UFC 140 Preview - Matt Bishop
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - ION Television Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston
Video: UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Pre-Fight Press Conference - Matthew Roth
Chan Sung Jung Talks Underdog Status to Hominick at UFC 140: "Wait And See!" - Dallas Winston
Judo Chop: Shogun Rua's Half Guard Game and How Jon Jones Shut It Down - Ben Thapa
UFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140's Tito Ortiz Talks Repairing Relationship With Dana White - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Facebook Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Round Table: Is Jon Jones' Lack Of Star Power to Blame for UFC 140 Not Being Sold Out?
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 2 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140's Jon Jones Talks Lyoto Machida, Religion and Says Rashad Evans Has No Chin - Brent Brookhouse
UFC Light Heavyweight Division State of the Union - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Main Card Betting Lines - Tim Burke
UFC 140 Still Not Sold Out A Week Out From The Event - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Lyoto Machida Talks About His Preparation for Jon Jones - Tim Burke
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 1 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Video: Tito Ortiz Considering Retirement - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Fight Card: Jones vs. Machida - Tim Burke
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Fight Card Primer: Rich Attonito vs. Jake Hecht
Rich Attonito (10-4, 3-1 UFC) returns to the UFC Octagon to welcome newcomer Jake Hecht (12-2) to the big stage at UFC 140. The two middleweights are looking to make their mark and climb up to the main card for fights in the future. Attonito was originally set to face Claude Patrick but Patrick was moved into a bout with Brian Ebersole and Hecht got the call as a replacement.
How do these two stack up?
Attonito: 34 years old | 5'10"Hecht: 27 years old | 6'0"
What have these two done recently?
Attonito: W - Daniel Roberts (Dec), L - Dave Branch (Dec), W - Rafael Natal (Dec)Hecht: W - Michele Verginelli (Dec), W - Craig White (Sub), W - Eddie Larrea (TKO)
How did these two get here?
Attonito was a successful collegiate wrestler who eventually made the transition to mixed martial arts after former teammate Phil Baroni found success in the sport. He had a career of mixed success until landing himself a spot on eleventh season of The Ultimate Fighter. Attonito would have to leave the season's competition after breaking his hand but did get a spot on the season finale where he stopped Jamie Yager with punches in the second round. He has found himself with a 3-1 UFC record and new life in the sport.
Hecht fought on the regional scene for several years before getting the chance to step up his competition when he faced Che Mills in England in 2010. Mills took the fight by decision but Hecht rattled off three straight wins. He's now based out of Ireland where he works as a trainer and has had pro fights.
Why should you care?
Hecht is trying to prove that he belongs in the UFC after a fortunate series of events led to this opportunity while Attonito is looking to run his UFC record to 4-1, something few would have predicted.
More UFC 140 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Predictions
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Full Weigh-in Video - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Is Lyoto Machida Sick Heading Into Fight With Jon Jones? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Claude Patrick vs. Brian Ebersole Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Fight Odds - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC's Jon Jones Nominated For ESPN SportsNation Award - Josh Nason
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 3 - Fraser Coffeen
Dana White On Lyoto Machida's UFC 140 Title Shot: 'Do You Think That This Fight is Going to Suck?' - Brent Brookhouse
Lyoto Machida: The Mystery May Be Gone, But is There Still Room for Romance? - David Castillo
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 107: UFC 140 Preview - Matt Bishop
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - ION Television Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston
Video: UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Pre-Fight Press Conference - Matthew Roth
Chan Sung Jung Talks Underdog Status to Hominick at UFC 140: "Wait And See!" - Dallas Winston
Judo Chop: Shogun Rua's Half Guard Game and How Jon Jones Shut It Down - Ben Thapa
UFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140's Tito Ortiz Talks Repairing Relationship With Dana White - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Facebook Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Round Table: Is Jon Jones' Lack Of Star Power to Blame for UFC 140 Not Being Sold Out?
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 2 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140's Jon Jones Talks Lyoto Machida, Religion and Says Rashad Evans Has No Chin - Brent Brookhouse
UFC Light Heavyweight Division State of the Union - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Main Card Betting Lines - Tim Burke
UFC 140 Still Not Sold Out A Week Out From The Event - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Lyoto Machida Talks About His Preparation for Jon Jones - Tim Burke
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 1 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Video: Tito Ortiz Considering Retirement - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Fight Card: Jones vs. Machida - Tim Burke
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, vs, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140: Jon Jones chokes Lyoto Machida out cold to retain his title
Jon Jones retained his UFC Light Heavyweight title for the second time, defeating Lyoto Machida in the main event of UFC 140 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Just like everyone expected, Machida's unorthodox movement and perfectly-timed striking combinations resulted in Jon Jones' toughest test to date. "The Dragon" won the first round, after avoiding the majority of Jon Jones' attacks and connecting with clean punches that wobbled champ's knees.
Jones proved he's a high caliber martial artist by adjusted
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, lyoto machida
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 140 Fight Card Primer: Mitch Clarke vs. John Cholish
The UFC 140 undercard kicks off with two men making their UFC debut when John Cholish (7-1) and Mitch Clarke (9-0) step into the cage. It's Cholish who has fought on bigger shows in the past, having scored a win by kneebar on the Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva undercard. Both men have finished the vast majority of their opponents to this point in their careers.
How do these two stack up?
Clarke: 26 years old | 5'10"Cholish: 27 years old | 5'11"
What have these two done recently?
Clarke: W - Eddie Rincon (Dec) | W - Josh Machan (Sub) | W - Brandon MacArthur (Sub)Cholish: W - Jameel Massouh (Sub) | W - Marc Stevens (Sub) | W - Rich Moskowitz (Sub)
How did these two get here?
Cholish kicked off his pro career in late 2007, picking up a submission loss in just over two minutes. He would not fight in a recorded bout again for almost 15 months. He rattled off seven consecutive wins to get to the big stage, with the last six coming by stoppage. He comes from a wrestling background and uses that as a part of his strong submission game.
Clarke is also a former wrestler turned successful mixed martial artist with a good submission game. With an undefeated 9-0 record, he has won seven fights within the distance. He'll have the advantage at UFC 140 of fighting in front of a "home crowd" being a Canadian.
Why should you care?
Cholish is a legitimate talent who doesn't get talked about much and Clarke is undefeated and could turn out to be a real talent himself. It's the first step in one of these men proving if they can compete at the highest level in the sport.
More UFC 140 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Predictions
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Full Weigh-in Video - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Is Lyoto Machida Sick Heading Into Fight With Jon Jones? - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Claude Patrick vs. Brian Ebersole Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Fight Odds - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC's Jon Jones Nominated For ESPN SportsNation Award - Josh Nason
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 3 - Fraser Coffeen
Dana White On Lyoto Machida's UFC 140 Title Shot: 'Do You Think That This Fight is Going to Suck?' - Brent Brookhouse
Lyoto Machida: The Mystery May Be Gone, But is There Still Room for Romance? - David Castillo
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 107: UFC 140 Preview - Matt Bishop
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - ION Television Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston
Video: UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Pre-Fight Press Conference - Matthew Roth
Chan Sung Jung Talks Underdog Status to Hominick at UFC 140: "Wait And See!" - Dallas Winston
Judo Chop: Shogun Rua's Half Guard Game and How Jon Jones Shut It Down - Ben Thapa
UFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena
UFC 140's Tito Ortiz Talks Repairing Relationship With Dana White - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Facebook Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 140 Round Table: Is Jon Jones' Lack Of Star Power to Blame for UFC 140 Not Being Sold Out?
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 2 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140's Jon Jones Talks Lyoto Machida, Religion and Says Rashad Evans Has No Chin - Brent Brookhouse
UFC Light Heavyweight Division State of the Union - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Main Card Betting Lines - Tim Burke
UFC 140 Still Not Sold Out A Week Out From The Event - Matthew Roth
UFC 140: Lyoto Machida Talks About His Preparation for Jon Jones - Tim Burke
UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 1 - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 140 Video: Tito Ortiz Considering Retirement - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 140 Fight Card: Jones vs. Machida - Tim Burke
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, vs, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJones Vs Machida
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Posted in: jone, vs, machida, newuploader
Read the full article at RedditUFC 140 Aftermath: Who has the best chance to defeat Jon Jones?
Once again, Jon Jones proved he's one of the best fighters to ever compete in Mixed Martial Arts, defeating Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida via a standing Guilloitine Choke in Round 2. With Machida out of his way, there are a few contenders left before Jones "cleans out the division". Who has the best chance? Make your vote!
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, machida, dragon machida
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 140: Will Lyoto Machida Give Jon Jones a History Lesson?
In the waning hours of May 23, 2009, Rashad Evans tumbled to the mat and landed in a crumbled mess. This markied both an end to UFC 98 and his own brief reign as Champion. As medics attended to the former champion, it was Lyoto Machida who had his hand raised and the belt strapped around his waist. It was then that Joe Rogan utter the now infamous phrase, "Welcome to the Machida Era!".
And at the time it made perfect sense, the Brazilian was now 15-0 and in four UFC matches had dazzled and puzzled his opponents with his karate based style. He had defeated Pride super-prospect Rameau Sokoudjou, former champion Tito Ortiz, and Brazilian Muay Thai machine Thiago Silva. All these wins came in impressive fashion using techniques not often seen in the UFC. And by claiming the Championship, it felt like Machida was the man to finally bring sanity back to the Light Heavyweight division. He was a Nogueria black belt in Jiu Jitsu and Judo and an enigma on the feet that fighters all over were scrambling to solve.
When Machida was crowned champion, Jon Jones was preparing for his UFC 100 date with Jake O'Brien. Jones was coming off his head turning win over Stephan Bonnar but title dreams were still off in the distance. His skills were impressive but still raw.
At UFC 104, Machida had his fateful encounter with Mauricio "Shogun" Rua where Rua's athleticism, aggression and leg kicks proved the perfect foil to Machida's footwork and lunging strikes. Their first meeting resulted in the one of the most controversial judges decisions in MMA history. Machida's aurora of perplexing invincibility was removed, but he was still champion.
Then in the rematch, where fans and pundits alike expected another five round classic, a heavy right hook from Shogun floored Machida in the first round and just like that the Machida era was over. It is a story that has been repeated over and over in the sport of MMA.
Be it Chuck Liddell being knocked out by Randy Couture, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic being flattened by Kevin Randleman, Matt Hughes being submitted by B.J. Penn or Georges St. Pierre's famous defeat at the hands of Matt Serra, fighters are often the most vulnerable when they seem invulnerable.
Jon Jones certainly seems invulnerable and into the cage steps his most interesting challenge in Lyoto Machida. Jones' striking is still developing and he is most comfortable keeping fighters at the edge of his range and that range is where Machida thrives. The Brazilian's calling card in the UFC is dashing in openings created by countering and landing quick, accurate and hard punches and then escaping from the pocket before an opponent can respond. On the feet Jones does have the explosive athleticism to match and exceed that which Shogun used to catch and punish Machida, but does not have the technique or fluidity of footwork to replicate the success. Jones will have to either catch Machida on the way in or take Machida down for victory.
Now Jones certainly looks unbeatable and he may very well be, his blend of skills and ability make him look like an all time great in the making. But MMA is full of upsets and there is nobody better than a former champion who is motivated, focused and still on top of his game to provide that excitement. Losing brings a certain wisdom in MMA, and Machida would love to impart some wisdom to Jon Jones and keep imparting that wisdom until the ref pulls him away.
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, champion, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Video: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Undisputed 3 Fight Prediction
The UFC 140 light heavyweight championship bout between Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida is a very interesting battle of styles.
In the weeks leading up to this event, you have probably heard all the analysis, predictions, and breakdowns from all the experts and pundits. Now, here's a fun and interesting take, as the makers of the upcoming video game, UFC Undisputed 3, simulated the fight 25 times in AI matches and made a prediction.
Here's the outcome of those simulations and the interesting stats they got from it:
- Jones won 18 out of 25 bouts, only 1 of these wins were by submission- Machida only won 7 out of the 25 simulations- Only 1 of those 7 wins from Machida were by KO, the rest were decisions.- On those 25 bouts, Jones landed 61% of his takedown attempts.- Jones also landed 42% more strikes than Machida.
Interestingly enough, the current betting odds that have Machida close to a 4-1 underdog. This means that according to bookmakers, Lyoto only has a 20% chance of winning the bout. That's 5 out of 25 bouts, and pretty close to the game's simulation.
Did the game predict it correctly? I guess we'll find out in a few hours.
Posted in: jone, bout, machida, prediction heres, simulation
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones first UFC fight: Talent led 'Bones' to UFC 140 main event, but chance got the ball rolling
Quick, what do you remember best about UFC 87: "Seek and Destroy"?
Was it when -- for 25 minutes straight -- Georges St. Pierre pretended he was Jon Fitch's big brother and beat the living hell out of him for ratting out to mom and dad that "Rush" was sneaking booze out from the liquor cabinet? Or was it the equally one-sided beatdown Brock Lesnar handed to Pride FC veteran Heath Herring? That somersault the "Texas Crazy Horse" did after getting bulldozed by the cinderblock at the end of Lesnar's arm is rather memorable.
Of course, your fondest memory might be when loudmouth Manny Gamburyan got shellacked by Rob Emerson in hilariously brutal fashion. I wouldn't even blame you if what you remember from the Minneapolis, Minn., event is the fact that it is -- to date -- the only time the Octagon appeared in the "North Star State." That little nugget of knowledge might earn you some cheddar poppers on trivia night.
UFC 87 can be remembered for many things, but one thing -- maybe above all else -- it should be remembered for is the birth of a champion and a potential future mixed martial arts (MMA) legend.
It was none other than UFC 140 headliner Jon Jones. And it almost didn't happen.
It would be great if the story behind Jones' debut was that Joe Silva or even Dana White saw footage of this young phenom and saw the potential for a future champ. However, what makes for an even more interesting story if the real reason "Bones" stepped inside the Octagon against André Gusmão.
He was the last minute replacement for an injured fighter.
Seven days removed from his sixth professional bout, Jones stepped in for Tomasz Drwal on two weeks notice. Jones was lauded by some and questioned by others for taking on Mauricio Rua on such short notice after defeating Ryan Bader, but for him, it was old hat.
On top of the insanely short turnaround time, his opponent was quite the step up in competition for the young fighter. His six previous opponents have a combined 20-16 record, each of them nothing more than high end regional talent.
Gusmão had impressed in the defunct International Fight League (IFL), earning stoppages in three of his four wins. Walking into the Octagon with an equally unblemished record as the one "Bones" had, the oddsmakers had the Brazilian as the heavy favorite.
But for 15 minutes Jones' power, reach and unorthodox striking felled his opponent like it would all the others. The first round started well for the IFL veteran, but you could see the energy being sapped from his body as a result of Jones' strength. Every time they clinched, the future Greg Jackson-trained champion's giant frame took its toll on Gusmão, who was forced to carry most of the weight.
The flashy strikes "Bones" would become known for -- like spinning back fists and elbows -- were in full effect during the first two rounds. The third round played out as the previous two had with Jones imposing his will on his opponent. Despite the Brazilian raising his arms after the final horn sounded, everyone in the arena knew he had lost the fight.
The UFC light heavyweight champion made his Octagon debut that evening and nine fights later, he finds himself opposite Lyoto Machida in tonight's main event and on the cusp of becoming the most dominant 205-pound champion since Chuck Liddell.
Derailing the hype train of another seemingly equally promising prospect in Bader, "Bones" was offered the title shot former teammate Rashad Evans was too injured to cash in himself. Six weeks and 12 minutes later, the Greg Jackson product joined the ranks of legends like Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz and Frank Shamrock.
He then defended his title against Quinton Jackson, a feat that hasn't been matched since "Rampage" himself did it when he bested Dan Henderson at UFC 75. Before his title tilts, Jones was dominating Vladimir Matyushenko and literally breaking Brandon Vera's face. A submission win over Jake O'Brien and a decision victory over Stephan Bonnar round his out UFC conquests.
The only bump on the road on the way to championship gold was his disqualification loss to Matt Hamill for nailing the retired fighter with several illegal elbows. Losing without really losing, "Bones" shed the pressure of remaining undefeated in the easiest way possible. It's actually quite fitting for how effortlessly he's made his way to the top.
And it all started at UFC 87.
Some might blame the last-minute change in opponent for Gusmão's loss, but watching the fight it becomes obvious over the course of 15 minutes that the Brazilian simply didn't have the perfect combination of skill and talent to beat Jones.
Then again, does anyone?
Posted in: ufc, jone, opponent, bone, minute
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 Breakdown: The Main Event
“Welcome to the Machida Era”, were the words uttered by UFC color commentator Joe Rogan as Lyoto Machida turned in one of the most jaw-dropping Octagon performances to dispose of then champion Rashad Evans and capture the UFC light heavyweight title. Machida was the epitome of an unsolved riddle in MMA: a man with an unorthodox yet extremely efficient style who was making his opponents look like rookies by virtually connecting with every single strike and absorbing none. One fight into his title reign however, that all changed. After being made to look human for the first time by Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in a fight many thought “The Dragon” should have lost, Machida fell victim to his compatriot’s power in the rematch… and so ended the Machida era before it ever really began. One year later, a phenom by the name of Jon Jones made headlines with his utter destruction of Rua, the same man who put an abrupt end to Machida’s stint at the top of the division. Armed with otherworldly offense and freakish athleticism, Jones has turned into one of MMA’s legitimate can’t-miss fighters, and he has a serious claim to being the most exciting talent in the sport. This Saturday, arguably the two most talented fighters in the division square off, as Machida bids to reclaim his crown from MMA’s latest “unsolved riddle”, Jon Jones.
Light Heavyweight title fight: Jon Jones (c) vs. Lyoto Machida
Any attempt to analyze Jones’ skill set should be prefaced by the reality that, at such a young age and a relatively early stage in his career, he will keep improving on a fight-to-fight basis, which is quite scary. Whatever flaws Jones might have shown in his game (and there were certainly some), they could well be reduced — if not rectified entirely — come the next fight.
From a technical perspective, Jones’ striking isn’t exactly textbook. At times, his footwork can be iffy. Moreover, he has yet to learn to sit on his punches in order to create maximum power (he has a tendency to overextend), and when pressed, he doesn’t offer much in terms of countering. In fact, in his fight with Quinton Jackson, there was a couple of instances where he resorted to running away. He won’t have that luxury against Machida, as unlike “Rampage”, the Brazilian will not predictably move forward, plant his feet and look to throw the same left hook-right hook combination. Machida’s ability to suddenly leap in and tag his opponents with remarkable accuracy is something Jones and his camp should no doubt have been on the lookout for in their preparation for this bout. The speed and deceptiveness of Machida’s attacks mean Jones can’t afford to implement some of the methods he did against Jackson, especially given that Machida, while at a reach disadvantage, can cover distance much better than “Rampage.”
To Jones’ credit, despite the technical holes in his striking (his kicking technique could still use a lot of polishing, despite its efficiency), he has learned to make the most of his reach seemingly overnight. Against Ryan Bader, Jones’ striking looked somewhat poor. Despite his immense reach advantage, he threw unnecessary techniques that put him in compromising positions (a useless superman elbow could have cost him early). However, five weeks later, he showed a completely different approach against “Shogun” Rua. While he wasn’t exactly pumping his jab and sticking it in Rua’s face, Jones’ kicks gave Rua, as well as Jones’ next opponent, Jackson, all sorts of trouble. With his lanky frame, Jones’ kicks allow him to stay even further on the outside, and give his opponents very little opportunities to counter.
This is where Machida’s mastery and impeccable timing will be put to the test. A counter-puncher at heart, Machida feeds on split second windows where his opponent is most vulnerable. With Jones’ reach however, this will be an extremely difficult task. As the champion inevitably kicks Machida’s legs and body, “The Dragon” could well endure a frustrating night with very little openings for counters. As such, the Brazilian needs to be a bit more aggressive than usual. That is not to suggest that he needs to move forward constantly, but he certainly needs to throw with more volume than we’re used to seeing from him, and occasionally be the first to engage. Volume could ultimately prove to be the deciding factor, as if Machida is simply content to sit back and wait for the right moment to counter, Jones will be peppering him with leg kicks which, at the very least, will allow him to get ahead on the judges’ scorecards.
Admittedly, employing a more aggressive approach is easier said than done, in part due to quality of Jones’ offense and in part due to the fact that Machida has been used to fighting a certain way for so long, and it might be unrealistic to suddenly expect him to change. Timidity is what ultimately cost Machida his fight with Jackson, as it wasn’t until the third round that he finally decided to step in, cut “Rampage” off and counter, as opposed to simply moving away. Finding the right balance between his usual patience and aggression will be key. Ideally, Machida throws some body kicks (from distance, as he wouldn’t want to risk being taken down), throws his usual lead feints, and leap in with his trademark left cross. if Machida is to win this fight, then a pinpoint leaping left to Jones’ chin is his most likely way to victory.
That being said, Jones’ offense, both on the feet and on the ground, is something Machida has never had to deal with before. In fact, Jones might just be the best offensive fighter in MMA at the moment. Think of the punishment Mauricio Rua was able to withstand from Dan Henderson, then think of what Jones was able to do to him. The equal efficiency that he possesses from distance and close-quarters is quite unique. In fact, on the inside, Jones is even more dangerous. His knees and elbows from the clinch are quite the sight, and his ability to punish his opponent’s body makes him truly stand out from the pack. Be it spinning back elbows from up close, left hooks to the liver, or some brutal knees from the clinch, Jones overwhelms his opponents like very few fighters can.
More worryingly for whoever comes up against “Bones”, not only can they get roughed up in the clinch, but they can just as easily find themselves going for a ride. Jones’ unpredictable takedowns from the clinch could well be his most effective weapon. Machida is very good in the clinch, possesses an extremely solid base, and he is incredibly tough to taken down, but if there is anyone who’s capable of planting him on his back, it’s Jones. In fairness, “Rampage” Jackson did show that Jones’ takedowns aren’t impossible to defend, but he still found himself on the bottom eventually. Machida’s footwork will make it more difficult for Jones to close in on him however, and if Jones is to take him down, he will have to earn it first.
Jones has displayed some versatile wrestling in the past, as he effortlessly took Bader down with a double leg from the outside. However, Machida’s speed and reflexes, coupled with his great takedown defense should make that hard to pull off. Nevertheless, it is difficult to envision Machida managing to stay upright for twenty-five minutes. At some point, Jones’ clinch work will wear on him, and he will find himself on his back. From there, it is vital for Machida to get back to his feet rather quickly. In the past, he’s proven to be difficult to hold down, but having someone like Jones on top is a different proposition altogether.
Jones has the luxury of being able to stay in guard and land some cringe-inducing elbows to the head and body, or show his ever-improving grappling by advancing his position. Ever since the Vladimir Matyushenko fight, Jones has shown some terrific guard passing skills and overall submission grappling ability. This level of diversity is hard to find in MMA. Even harder is finding someone with Jones’ size and frame who can move so fluidly on top. Machida should be wary of getting overzealous in his attempts to regain his feet, as any scrambles will give Jones the opportunity to get a front headlock and transition to a guillotine (or its variations), or take the back and sink his hooks in. Worse yet, If Machida gets stuck on the bottom, his chances of winning the fight will be over, whether it’s due to the referee pulling Jones off or Bruce Buffer reading the judges’ scorecards. Crucially for Machida, he needs to stay clear of being taken down in the middle of the cage, as he will need the fence to wall-walk without giving his opponent many opportunities to get dominant positions in the scrambles.
Machida has a chance in this fight, and it is bigger than that of any other light heavyweight in the world. As long as the fight is on the feet, Machida is the most equipped fighter to make Jones pay for his occasional lazy habits on the feet. Furthermore, he possesses the mixture of power and accuracy to outright end Jones’ night with a well-placed counter. However, if Machida has one path to victory, Jones has many, and it is tough to overlook the diversity and flat out brutality of his skill set. “The Dragon” will have his moments, but ultimately, Jones will prove too much as he puts on yet another dominant display on his way to a clear decision victory or late stoppage.
Official Prediction: Jon Jones to defeat Lyoto Machida by Decision
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: fight, jone, feet, opponent, machida
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainFighter vs. Writer: UFC 140 Predictions with Dan Hardy
Filed under: UFCUFC 140 goes down from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Saturday night, so my original plan was to square off against a Canadian fighter in this edition of Fighter vs. Writer. But then, this card isn't like the UFC's last trip here, which had a distinct Canada vs. USA feel to it. Of course, it also didn't seem right to take on an American fighter, so I had to find a compromise.
Enter British welterweight Dan Hardy, who graciously agreed to match wits with me in a prediction battle to the bitter end. Dan's been given his instructions in the dressing room, and me? I stay ready. So I ain't got to get ready.
Let's do this, Mr. Hardy.
Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
Hardy: Jones via TKO. I don't see anybody beating Jones at the moment. Athletically, physically, he's too dominant for anybody in the division, really. The only person who comes close is Rashad [Evans], and I don't even think Rashad can beat him. I think Machida's going to run out of options very quickly.
Fowlkes: Jones via TKO. The champ's range and speed will prove to be too much for Machida, who lacks the one-punch power to give him even the outside chance that his last two predecessors had against the phenom Jones. I predict a one-sided destruction from start to finish.
Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Hardy: Mir via TKO. I've been sparring with Frank and he looks good. I've been doing his first and last round of sparring with him, and he's been the doing the rounds in between with Roy Nelson, Mike Whitehead, and Forrest Griffin. He's been working really hard and he's really invested himself in this fight. I think it's a first-round knockout.
Fowlkes: Mir via TKO. Big Nog rose from the ashes to knock out Brendan Schaub, but maybe he should have called it quits there. He can't take it quite like he used to, and he's even less fleet of foot now than he was back in his heyday. That's a troublesome combination. He won't be able to get Mir down, which leaves Mir with all the options.
Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Hardy: Ortiz via decision. I've always respected Little Nog's boxing, and for me, that's Tito's weakness. He's got a cookie-cutter boxing style. But on the other hand, Tito can put him on his back, which I think he might be able to do. I don't think the fight will be stopped either way, though.
Fowlkes: Ortiz via decision. This is shaping up to be a boring edition of Fighter vs. Writer, what with all this polite agreement, but I also think that Ortiz's takedowns will probably make the difference, just like I also think it will go the distance either way.
Brian Ebersole vs. Claude Patrick
Hardy: Ebersole via submission. I have to take Ebersole because of his experience. He gets in there and he's so confident because he knows he has that experience, and he's not afraid to take a few risks. I don't know how Patrick is going to deal with that. He's not fought a guy like that before. Not many people have.
Fowlkes: Patrick via decision. Okay, I can't go along with "The Outlaw" any more. I'm leaning toward Ebersole, but I'm flipping over to the Patrick camp because a) this is a close one that could go either way, and b) I can't keep parroting Dan's answers. That's just no fun.
Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung
Hardy: Hominick via TKO. Without a doubt, Hominick is safe money in that one. He's probably one of the best guys in that division, as far as technical boxing. I think the Korean Zombie is a little too wild. I think Hominick will expose him.
Fowlkes: Hominick via TKO. Even I can't bring myself to be enough of a contrarian to pick against Hominick in this one. He has all the advantages, and I think the Zombie will end up taking a beating.
Hardy picks: Jones, Mir, Ortiz, Ebersole, Hominick
Fowlkes picks: Jones, Mir, Ortiz, Patrick, Hominick Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: hominick, jone, mir, vs, he
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 140: Lyoto Machida dealing with sickness before Jon Jones fight?
Time for a little graveyard water cooler chit-chat, Maniacs.
Word on the street is Lyoto Machida, who will fight Jon Jones tonight (Sat., Dec. 10, 2011) for the light heavyweight championship at UFC 140 in Toronto, is feeling under the weather.
Jordan Breen from Sherdog dishing the dirt:
Also, word round the campfire here in Toronto is that Machida is battling a cold, flu, pneumonia, or some other such thing. Pretty much been holed up in his room moreso than usual. We'll see if that ultimately amounts to anything.
Naturally, talk like this should be taken with a grain of salt. I can't count how many times I've had folks hit my e-mail inbox with something along the lines of -- "I'm in Toronto for the fights, heard GSP had a tough weight cut." He, of course, made weight without incident and went on to win his fight with no issues.
But, I've also gotten e-mails that said, "Hey, in Jersey, Rashad's limping around with a bum knee, word is Jones is going to get offered the title shot if he beats Bader tonight." All of which turned out to be true.
My point? Let's just take this for what it is: a potentially meaningful tidbit that could also be nothing more than general misinformation. After all, Machida looked and sounded just fine at the weigh-ins.
Anyone got any inside info they care to share? Danago, any word?
Posted in: fight, jone, machida, word, jersey rashads
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC Undisputed 3: Jon Jones defeats Machida in 18 out 25 fights
According to the upcoming UFC Undisputed 3 video game, Jon Jones will defend his UFC Light Heavyweight title tonight against Lyoto Machida without too many obstacles. The game predicted a decisive victory for Jon Jones, whose computer-generated clone was able to defeat (also computer-generated) "The Dragon" in 18 out of 25 bouts. Machida knocked out Jon Jones only once in his seven UFC Undisputed 3 victories, which could support the idea of Jon Jones' fans that Machida's somewhat legendary striking
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, machida
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 140 Main Event Results - Jones Finishes Off Year For The Ages With Sub Of Machida
TORONTO, December 10 – We can’t say UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones looked human yet, but in his second title defense in the main event of UFC 140 at Air Canada Centre Saturday night, “Bones” did actually get punched by challenger Lyoto Machida. But soon enough, the inevitable sunk in, Jones found his range, and he cut, hurt, and then submitted the Brazilian in the second round, capping off a year in which he handed Ryan Bader his first loss, defeated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua for the 205-pound title, and then defended his belt with submissions of former champs “Rampage” Jackson and Machida.And he’s only 24. Just how do you top that in 2012? Expect Jones to find a way.“He’s just smart,” said Jones of Machida. “He’s definitely a very tough puzzle. He didn’t have me hurt, but he did punch me pretty good and wobbled me a bit.”But that was it. From there, it was all Jones, but Machida did present some interesting problems for the young champion at first.Coming out of his corner in a crouch, Jones slowly rose to his feet and scored first with a leg kick. Machida, eyes fixed on the champion, did his best to stay out of range as he backpedaled and looked for an opening to fire back. Jones did his part, staying the aggressor as Machida aimed to counter, but neither fighter was landing with anything of consequence and the brief exchanges were sloppy at close range. A slapping left kick from Machida drew a roar from the crowd, with Jones firing back but missing. With a minute left, a quick flurry knocked Jones off balance, and the crowd erupted. In response, Jones kept pressing, but he was unable to get a clean shot off before the bell sounded.Jones continued to seek out Machida’s legs for kicks as round two commenced, following the strategy Mauricio “Shogun” Rua used in his first fight with “The Dragon.” With two minutes gone, Jones moved in, but got cracked with a hard right hand for his trouble, but moments later, he landed with a hard right of his own before shooting for and getting his first takedown of the fight. After eating a couple strikes, one that cut his forehead, Machida made it to his feet, but referee John McCarthy wanted to have the Octagonside physician check the cut out. After getting the green light to resume, Machida escaped Jones’ grasp against the fence, only to get nearly dropped by a left hand. Jones, staying calm, locked in a guillotine choke on the stunned challenger. Seconds later, at the 4:26 mark, Machida was asleep and the new champion had finished perhaps the greatest year a UFC fighter has ever had with another impressive victory.With the win, Jones improves to 15-1; Machida falls to 17-3.
Posted in: ufc, jone, champion, machida, range
Read the full article at UFCUFC 140 weigh in photos gallery for 'Jones vs Machida' in Toronto
UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" is all set to pop off tomorrow night (Sat., Dec. 10, 2011) from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The pay-per-view (PPV) event features a light heavyweight championship clash, as 205-pound titleholder Jon Jones puts his belt up for grabs against former ruler of the roost, Lyoto Machida.
Also on tap is a heavyweight rematch three years in the making pitting a now healthy Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira against the first man to ever knock him out, Frank Mir. Finally, Tito Ortiz will try to get back into the win column when he squares off against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
Check out the photo gallery from today's (Dec. 9, 2011) UFC 140 weigh in event (via UFC.com) after the jump. Click here for complete UFC 140 weigh in results, click here for UFC 140 staredown pics, and click here for the UFC 140 weigh in video.
Jon Jones
Lyoto Machida
Frank Mir
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Tito Ortiz
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung
Brian Ebersole vs. Claude Patrick
Posted in: ufc, jone, nogueira, vs, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 fight card: Jon Jones vs Lyoto Machida preview
The UFC light heavyweight title is on the line for the third time this year tomorrow night (Dec. 10, 2011) as champion Jon Jones looks to defend his strap against former division deity Lyoto Machida in the main event of UFC 140.
From humble beginnings, Jon Jones has exploded to the top of the MMA world in 2011. He's already handed Ryan Bader his first loss, dethroned Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and knocked off "Rampage" Jackson. If "Bones" can put a stop to Lyoto Machida tomorrow night, it will cap off perhaps the most impressive one year run in MMA history.
Lyoto Machida wants to make the most of his opportunity. Coming off one of the most exciting knockouts of the year against UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture, he's had plenty of time to prepare for Jon Jones. Many analysts have speculated that Machida's defensive karate style could be the perfect counter to "Bones." We'll find out the answer to that question on Saturday.
Will the 24-year-old Jones continue his torrid run through the gauntlet of light heavyweight champions? Will Machida's unique fighting style pose problems, or has Jones figured him out just like everyone else? What's the path to victory for each man come tomorrow night?
Let's find out:
Jon Jones
Record: 14-1 overall, 8-1 in the UFC
Key Wins: Quinton Jackson (UFC 135), Mauricio Rua (UFC 128), Ryan Bader (UFC 126)
Key Losses: none
How he got here: Jon Jones' path from can't-miss prospect to world champion has been very fast. Just five months into his professional MMA career, he was already 6-0 and making his UFC debut in place of an injured Tomasz Drwal at UFC 87. He defeated his opponent, Andre Gusmao via decision but his star turn didn't truly take place until his next fight against Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94 in which he showcased a diverse array of attacks and all kinds of slams and throws.
"Bones'" star continued to brighten as he began finishing his opponents in increasingly impressive fashion, smashing tough light heavyweights Brandon Vera and Vladimir Matyushenko in the first round. After handing Ryan Bader the first loss of his career in another two round destruction, Jones was offered a title shot in place of his injured teammate Rashad Evans.
The young gun took it to the champ, smashing "Shogun" over the course of three rounds and stopping him to become the youngest titleholder in UFC history.
If there were any doubts at all about his ability to be a long-reigning champion, Jones answered them in September with a four round thrashing of former champion "Rampage" Jackson which resulted in a rear naked choke submission victory.
When Rashad Evans' shot was delayed for a third time, Jones was offered Lyoto Machida and accepted the challenge.
How he gets it done: Jones has a plethora of weapons and he's capable of finishing a fight by multiple means. The best plan of attack, at least at first, will be to keep his distance to a point where he can still snap his jab while Machida hits nothing but air. He's got a 10 inch reach advantage and that should account for something.
Jones is capable of utilizing all kinds of tricky attacks like spinning elbows, push kicks to the knee and more, but those tricks are more than likely something that could get him countered by the spry Machida.
If "Bones" really wants to hurt him, the best plan of attack is to wear him down, frustrate him with his reach and attack his legs with repeated kicks. With the way Machida leans back to avoid punches, he leaves his legs very vulnerable to punishment. Jones can slow him down with some kicks over time and once he's lost a step, it will be time to pounce with a clinch attack.
Jones has a lethal clinch, with his long limbs, his knees and elbows are especially dangerous. If he can get his hands on Machida, he could hurt him with strikes or perhaps throw him to the canvas with his expert use of leverage. If he can put Machida on his back, watch out for his elbows. He didn't get much opportunity to showcase them against Jackson in his last fight but they were vital to his success in many of his stoppages.
Lyoto Machida:
Record: 17-2 overall, 9-2 in the UFC
Key Wins: Rashad Evans (UFC 98), Thiago Silva (UFC 94), Randy Couture (UFC 129)
Key Losses: Mauricio Rua (UFC 113)
How he got here: At one point in his career, Machida looked unbeatable. His unorthodox fighting style, mixing Shotokan karate with Brazilian jiu-jitsu, wrestling and even some Sumo, baffled his opposition and fight experts alike. "The Dragon" rode an impeccable 16-fight win streak all the way to the UFC title, crushing everyone in his way including former UFC champions BJ Penn, Rich Franklin, Tito Ortiz and eventually Rashad Evans.
It only took one perfectly timed right hook to the temple to bring the hype crashing down. Machida's aura of invincibility was left in Montreal at the hands of "Shogun" and he wants it back badly. The now ex-champ came out of the gate gun-shy against "Rampage" Jackson in his last bout at UFC 123 and finally exploded forward with a burst of harnessed energy in the third round to nearly finish the fight but it wasn't enough to sway the judges.
Machida got back on track in a big way this past April, scoring one of the most shocking knockouts in UFC history with a jumping front kick to Randy Couture's face. He was sidelined for quite a while waiting for the right fight and his patience paid off when he was offered a shot to reclaim his light heavyweight title.
How he gets it done: Machida needs to be patient, poised and ready to strike with a hard counter at any moment. Jones is youthful, full of energy and if Machida plays the waiting game, he may force him to make a mistake. Machida has a very powerful straight left hand but perhaps his sneakiest attack is his counter knee to the body, which he throws as his opponent comes in towards him before side-stepping to safety.
"The Dragon" also needs to avoid the clinch and the ground game. He might have better Brazilian-jiu-jitsu credentials than Jones, but Jones is a significantly better wrestler and he's capable of manhandling him if he can get both hands on him.
Machida must counter if he wants to win, and that requires him to keep his distance and wait for something to happen first. It may not be pretty and it may force some boos from the crowd, but I guarantee Jones would blink first, perhaps get frustrated which would play directly into his counter-striking style.
If Machida sees an opening, he can't let it slip away because Jon Jones does not leave many. He will need to explode forward with everything he's got and not stop until the ref pulls him off.
Fight X-Factor: The biggest X-Factor for this fight has to be the reach advantage/disadvantage. Jon Jones has the longest reach in the UFC and with all the time he's spent with Mike Winklejohn, he's learning to utilize it better and better each time out. He not only used his jab against Jackson, but he also mixed in push kicks to the knee. It may look dirty, but it made "Rampage" was kept guessing and he even admitted afterwards that the strikes messed with his head a bit.
Machida is a fighter that loves to be on the outside and wait for the proper moment to come in aggressively, but what happens when he feels he's at an adequate distance and all of a sudden, Jones is snapping his jab in his face? It could force Machida to have to adjust his gameplan mid-fight. How Machida responds to Jones' improving use of reach and how Jones continues to evolve his ability to keep his opponents at bay will be perhaps the key battle in this fight.
Bottom Line: This is perhaps one of the most unique style match-ups of the year, if not longer. Jon Jones is adept at just about every aspect of MMA and is continuing to improve and evolve his game. Lyoto Machida has a style which has perplexed just about everyone he's ever fought. This has the makings of a very entertaining showdown, although there is a possibility it turns into a staring contest. The reward though, is worth the risk. Jones likely has enough tricks up his sleeve to handle any situation so expect something incredible to happen at some point.
Who will come out on top at UFC 140? Tell us your predictions in the comments below!
Poll
Who will exit the Octagon tomorrow night as the UFC light heavyweight champion?
Jon Jones
Lyoto Machida
3 votes | Results
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, machida, he
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Predictions
Jon Jones vs Lyoto Machida
Brent Brookhouse: The Rampage fight keeps hanging out in the back of my mind. Yes, Machida came out in the third and almost got the finish, but he felt his way through the first two rounds so much that it allowed Rampage to build up a lead. If he plays around for two rounds, he’s going to possibly put himself in a bad position as Jones will attack and attack hard from the opening bell. Jones is dynamic, versitile and able to do things that almost no one else can. Still, Jones has issues with his footwork and I don’t buy his conditioning for a competitive fight (not one where Rampage doesn’t try to do much of anything). Machida is going to make it hard for Jones to find him, make him chase and work for everything. I think Jones will wear down some in the third round and Machida will turn it up. I feel weird picking this given that I’m reading everyone else’s picks and seeing that I’m very much not alone, but Machida by TKO, round 4.KJ Gould: This may be the hardest pick of the night. It’s easy to get caught up in the Jon Jones hype storm, but Machida remains one of the most awkward fighters out there. We’ve seen what Jones can do in the clinch, but Machida is hard to engage and is very good defensively from -- would you believe it -- training in Sumo. Also because of this I’m not sure how much of the fight will take place on the ground. I think this will simply come down to Machida’s straight line attack of Karate versus Jones’ curve line attack of Muay Thai. Can Machida get inside and do damage with his crafty footwork, or has Jones learned enough in his young career to angle to the outside as Machida’s coming in and put pressure on him to go for a finish like Shogun did? Could it be Machida who works sneaky trips if he ends up catching a kick from Jones, and would he choose to work on top on the ground or just use trips to wear down Jones who has to get up again? Could we see a dangerous guard used from Jones lanky legs and could we see Machida caught off guard and submitted? There are loads of unknown variables in this fight and an in-shape Machida should be seen as the biggest test of Jones’ career thus far. I’m going to take a gamble and call for an upset. Machida by TKO.T.P. Grant: Jon Jones fights are becoming the hardest fights to pick. It is completely reasonable and defensible to expect him to walk into the cage and dominate. But there are so many unanswered questions about Jones, what does he look like off his back? How would his cardio hold up in a truly close fight? How quickly can he recover when he is hurt? Lyoto Machida maybe the fighter to make Jones pay for his inability to throw more than one or two strike combos, his training in both Judo and Sumo may allow him to fend off Jones’ clinch game. Or it may not. All I know is that Machida is known for throwing hard, accurate strikes and has solidly struck every opponent he has faced square on the jaw at least once. This fight literally could have any outcome from a quick Jones highlight reel win to an ugly spilt decision, but I’ll jump off the cliff with KJ. I say Jon Jones gets squarely punched by Machida and does not like it one bit. Machida by TKO, round 2. Tim Burke - During the rise of Bones, I've often wondered if Machida's unique elusive style could be the answer to Jones' length and ridiculous athleticism. Now that it has come about, I'm not confident in Machida's chances. Machida's normal method of staying on the outside for long periods of time isn't something Bones is likely to put up with, and his wrestling will likely be too much for Machida to handle, sumo or not. Jones is going to tool him. Jon Jones by TKO.David Castillo: Honestly, I expect an ugly fight. I think Machida can avoid the takedown since they typically come from the clinch with Jones, and on the feet it’s not like they’re gonna be exchanging like Shogun and Henderson. Jones will keep range, Machida will stay outside, and whatever action occurs on the inside will likely get canceled out. It’s kind of a bad fight for Jones in terms of the public perception, and whether or not he’s liable to look good, but who knows...maybe I’m overselling Machida’s chances. Still, I don’t feel like Machida will be active enough to secure himself a victory. Jones by Decision. Fraser Coffeen - Wow, so much Machida love! I seriously contemplated picking Lyoto earlier this week, and I still think he has a shot, but I’m going with the champ for a few reason. 1) Lyoto really only has one area where he may have an advantage and that is inside/in the clinch. 2) Jones is a smart, strategic fighter who will not give the fight away by letting Lyoto control him inside. 3) I have not seen anything from Lyoto off his back that tells me he has an answer for Jones’s mighty top control. It’s a great, close fight, but I think Jones slowly ups the pace, puts just a bit more hurt on Lyoto every time, and eventually gets ahead of him. Jon Jones by TKO, round 4.Ben Thapa: I think people are making too much of Machida’s long-past sumo training and judo. The man is difficult to take down, but nobody we’ve seen in the Octagon has given Jones much of a problem at all with his takedowns. Jon has the timing and the power to finish those. That being said, once he gets on the ground, Machida is probably popping right back up and isn’t going to give up an easy submission like Bader did. On the feet, I think Machida can find the range, explode at the right times to score points and frustrate Jones all night long. This will be a growing experience for the young champion. Lyoto Machida by decision.Dallas Winston: I was convinced that Rampage could upset Jones but I don’t have much hope for Lyoto, which makes no sense. The catalyst of Jones’ offense is his dynamic cage motion, which is precisely what distinguished Machida initially. Maybe I’m putting too much emphasis on it, but I thought Machida’s footwork and motion against Rampage was uncharacteristically shoddy and the main reason he lost. If he can revivify the vintage "Machida-era" footwork and striking I think he’ll give Jones a good run but still struggle to fend off his takedowns. Jon Jones by decision.Staff Picking Jones: Castillo, Burke, Coffeen, DallasStaff Picking Machida: Grant, Gould, Brookhouse, Thapa
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. MachidaFrank Mir vs Antonio Rodrigo NogueiraBrent Brookhouse: It’s pretty easy to pick Mir here. I mean, other than assuming Nogueira is healthier this time around, there’s no reason to expect much different from the first fight other than maybe Big Nog making it to a decision. But I’ve made this very clear in the past, I will not be picking against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira any time soon. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira by decision.T.P. Grant: This fight is pretty simple to me. Frank Mir has real heavyweight go-to-sleep power and Nogueira gets hit flush in the face by every man he fights. Unless Mir is completely overlooking Nogueira this should be a repeat of the first match. Mir by KO, round 1. KJ Gould: I like that Mir is training with Ricky Lundell. A LOT. If you’ve not heard of Lundell as a trainer, I think you may do soon enough. Just know he’s a BJJ blackbelt that was able to be a walk on for Cael Sanderson’s Iowa State Cyclones at the D1 level with no Folkstyle background. I think his experience with high level Jiu Jitsu and Wrestling gives him better insights than most in the importance of staying on top in MMA. Of course all this might be a non-factor, since Mir is more than capable of beating Nogueira on the feet and Nogueira may favor fighting from the guard anyway. If it does end up on the ground, I can see Mir doing his best to shut Nogueira’s guard down. I just don’t think a win over Schaub means Nogeuira has had a total career resurgence and Mir is constantly adding more relevant tools to his belt to succeed at high level MMA. Frank Mir by TKO.David Castillo: Mir, all day, everyday. I do think Nog is better now than the flicking corpse we got in their first match, but it’s still a bad match-up for Nog. Mir is a big guy, and I think he has enough power in his hands to put Nog away yet again. Nog’s no longer a jiu jitsu fighter at this point and Mir is the better striker at this point. Mir may not have better fundamentals, but I expect him to maintain effective offense - and if he’s being effective, that means he’s landing. Frank Mir by TKO, round 2. Fraser Coffeen - Second verse, same as the first. These guys aren’t going to roll their way to a jiu jitsu battle, as much as I’d like to see that. This will be a stand-up fight. Mir surprised us with his improved stand-up last time - this time it’s even better, just not a surprise. The way to beat Mir standing is to be explosive, and while Big Nog is many things, that ain’t one of them. Frank Mir by decision.Ben Thapa: I’m still not sold on the Mir hype wagon. In his last three fights, he decisioned a pneumonia-ridden Roy Nelson, miraculously finished a decrepit Cro Cop (in one of the worst main events ever) and capitalized on several dumb mistakes by Kongo. Big Nog nearly finished Couture a couple times, got starched by Cain and had the feel good moment of UFC: Rio when he knocked out the rising Brendan Schaub. I don’t expect this to be a brilliant technical match on the ground, but I do think Nog still has the smarts to not make a series of terrible mistakes Mir can take advantage of on the feet and the boxing chops to batter Mir for a few rounds. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira by decision.Dallas Winston: I’m actually a big fan of both fighters but agree with Mr. Grant. it sure seems like Mir’s punching power and improved wrestling offer many more avenues to victory, especially considering Nog’s standing defense. Frank Mir by decision.Staff Picking Mir: Grant, Gould, Coffeen, DallasStaff Picking Nogueira: Brookhouse, ThapaTito Ortiz vs Antonio Rogerio NogueiraBrent Brookhouse: I initially was willing to write Ortiz off here. I don’t think he’s a very good fighter anymore but then I really looked at the recent fights from both guys. As long as Tito is smart, he’s going to take Nogueira down pretty much at will and tear him up with elbows. This isn’t another guy who is simply a bad style match-up and can keep the fight standing. This is a guy with really bad takedown defense. Tito Ortiz by TKO, round 2.T.P. Grant: Both of these fighters are easy to dismiss as both on are on the declining ends of their careers, but they have both made efforts to round out their game. Tito’s striking, while not excellent is much improved, and Nogueria showed impressive strides in defensive wrestling in his match with Phil Davis. I expect a good deal of this match to take place on the feet, where I feel Nogueira has the technical advantage while Tito has the power. On the mat, Tito I think actually has the advantage as he will likely be on top and able to use his base to deliver elbows at a sedate pace. If Tito fades in rounds two and three, as he has been prone to do lately, I think slightly smaller Nog gets his hand raise. Nogueira by DecisionKJ Gould: Yeah, I can’t see Ortiz doing much here. Lil’ Nog is the better striker, and Ortiz is not the wrestler Davis is who had problems taking Nog down until he switched to Single-Leg takedowns, something I have a hard time recalling Ortiz ever doing. Ortiz will try to strike on the feet, Lil Nog should be able to pick him apart, Ortiz will try to shoot Double-Legs, Nogueira will stuff them, Ortiz will get frustrated but will be unable to adjust thus losing a lopsided decision. Nogueira by decision.David Castillo: I don’t think Lil Nog has terrible takedown defense. Sure it’s rudimentary, and Davis had little trouble getting him down once he switched to single legs, but Ortiz is not the kind of wrestler capable of adjusting like that. Still having said that, I don’t like what I see from Nog. He’s got skills on the feet, and has a mean half guard, but he gets hit a lot. Ortiz may not be a power puncher, but he’s been fighting with conviction lately. In stark contrast to Nog, who doesn’t. I’m being bold here, and not for boldness sake. Ortiz by Guillotine, round 2. Fraser Coffeen: Tito Ortiz gets beat when he faces guys who are better strikers than him (unless those guys are Ryan Bader), and Nog is a better striker. Nog gets beat when he faces guys who are better wrestlers than him, and Tito is a better wrestler. So, a pick em? Well, it would be if Tito fought like a wrestler. But he doesn’t. Tito likes to stand and trade. He’ll do so again here, and he’ll get picked apart for it. Nogueira by decision.Ben Thapa: I’ve been accused of jiu jitsu bias before and sometimes it’s been true. I don’t think it applies here and the first round of Phil Davis vs. Lil Nog seems to bear my logic out. Lil Nog shut down those half-hearted double leg takedowns of Davis and won the edge on the feet. I don’t see this as being as vicious a beatdown as the second half of the Evans/Ortiz fight was, but I do believe that Tito won’t adjust in the second and third rounds by abandoning the cage double legs he likes so much. All Lil Nog has to do is watch out for that sneaky left Tito works and stay smart. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira by decision.Dallas Winston: I thought Nog’s hands, takedown defense and scrambling looked pretty damn sharp against Bader and Davis, and he will exact vengeance for judges worshipping too much the takedown with a surprisingly crisp sprawl and brawl. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira by TKO.Staff Picking Ortiz: Brookhouse, CastilloStaff Picking Nogueira: Grant, Gould, Coffeen, Thapa, DallasClaude Patrick vs Brian EbersoleBrent Brookhouse: I don’t like Brian Ebersole for some reason. I think it’s that I don’t really think he’s all that good combined with some weird personality thing that just doesn’t do it for me. I don’t know why, but somehow I was shocked when reminded that Patrick was 3-0 in the UFC. I’m not even picking based on who I do or don’t like, it’s simply a style match-up thing. I think this turns out to be one of the worst fights of the night and one that Patrick wins. At least the home crowd will be happy. Claude Patrick by decision.KJ Gould: Catch-As-Catch-Can! Ebersole and Frank Shamrock, back together! I’m not sure how much help Frank Shamrock will truly be for Ebersole especially since Shamrock seems to have shied away from his grappling roots and focused far more on striking at the tail end of his career. Having shot knees doesn’t help either, but it makes you wonder how much he’s forgotten when having to endure him on Strikeforce commentary. I’d like to think he’s helped Ebersole on the finer points of Kneebars or maybe helped out with organising his strength and conditioning, but who knows really. Ebersole is experienced and unorthodox enough to give most mid-level fighters problems, and he also has the ability to finish when the tide turns in his favor. Patrick is on a role and is riding a 13 fight win streak in a 14-1 record, but who has he beaten? Ebersole beating Lytle and running through Hallman is more impressive than Patrick’s entire record, even his 3 fights in the UFC. I can see Ebersole being a test Patrick’s not ready to pass just yet in his career. Ebersole by TKO.T.P. Grant: Brian Ebersole is the more experienced, more tested fighter and I think Claude Patrick will be out gritted over the course of this fight. Ebersole by DecisionDavid Castillo: I hate picking Patrick. His fight with Roberts was terrible, and the action Ebersole brings to the cage has been the opposite of that. Still, I think Claude has the type of top game to neutralize Brian’s ground game. As he showed against Roberts, he’s more than willing to grind out a uninteresting decision. Not to sound like the guy that complains about "wrestlers wrestling" (I defend Jon Fitch), but Patrick is a limited fighter, and his few strengths play into Ebersole’s few weaknesses. Patrick by Decision. Ben Thapa: Tasers are illegal in the cage. Despite Ebersole’s crowd-pleasing pluck and improving skills so late in life, Patrick has the ground game to stay out of trouble and the aggression to control Ebersole. Claude Patrick by decision.Dallas Winston: I could be dead wrong but I see Ebersole’s strength and aggression dictating this one. Every one of Patrick’s subs came from a dominant perch, which I don’t see him getting here. Brian Ebersole by TKO.Staff Picking Patrick: Brookhouse, Castillo, ThapaStaff Picking Ebersole: Grant, Gould, Coffeen, DallasMark Hominick vs Chan Sung JungBrent Brookhouse: Bad, bad, bad fight for Jung. He’s going to run into strike after strike and while his chin is good, it’s not that good. Mark Hominick by TKO, round 2.T.P. Grant: Chan Sung Jung is a fun fighter, but his brawling style is not going to serve him well against a striker on the level of Mark Hominick. I fully expect the Canadian to survive an early storm, find his range and the work over the Korean Zombie. On the ground I think Hominick is able to escape from the bottom and damage from the top. Hominick by TKO, round 3. KJ Gould: Hominick all the way. This is one of the clearer examples of two fighters at different levels competing, with Hominick showing how big the gap in skill and ability is as he dismantles Jung wherever the fight goes. I think it stays on the feet, and while Jung is durable he’ll get beaten soundly and fairly with none of that Leonard-Garcia-esque judging nonsense needed. Hominick puts him away whenever he wants. Hominick by KO Round 1.David Castillo: Ugly fight for Jung. Hominick doesn’t always fight to the best of his abilities (see the Grispi loss), but Jung doesn’t have the skills to exploit Hominick even on his worst day. I do think Jung can have success on the ground, but that would require patience, and sound technique on the feet when they do exchange. Jung may not be the brawling goon from an extra in a Double Dragon game that Leonard Garcia is, but Hominick ‘minds the gap’, and will pepper shots through his defense with ease. Hominick by TKO, two minutes into Round 1.Fraser Coffeen: Yeah, this is a disaster for Jung. Hominick is just way too precise and will pick him apart. But the Roop fight aside, Jung is notoriously hard to finish, and Hominick has no issues pointing a guy into oblivion if needed. Mark Hominick by decision. Ben Thapa: There are two MMA-related shirts that I own. One is the Don’t Be Scared Homie steez and the other is of the Korean Zombie in a graveyard holding his own arm. It is unreservedly awesome and Jung’s fights reflect that ethos. I can’t pick against Chan Sun Jung, even if my brain tells me Hominick is a better puncher. I feel as though KZ can walk through those punches, put Hominick against the wall and push him down for three rounds. Or get another gigantic hematoma on Hominick’s face going. Yeah, that’s the ticket. Elephant man redux... Chan Sun Jung by decision.Dallas Winston: Damn haters. I feel like his uncharacteristically disappointing showing against Roop sucked out any and all hopes for Jung and the first match with Garcia is held against him. Coming up overseas, he was a smooth killer on the mat and his wrestling and sub-game is better than Hominick’s, who also happens to have five losses via submission. Throw in his solid chin and reach advantage and … mark it, dude. Chan Sung Jung by submission.Staff Picking Hominick: Grant, Gould, Castillo, Brookhouse, CoffeenStaff Picking Jung: Thapa, DallasKrzysztof Soszynski vs Igor PokrajacBrent Brookhouse: As the guy who has to liveblog this one, thanks a lot, UFC. Pokrajac is really good at stopping really average talent. I’d put Krzysztof in the "above average" group where Pokrajac gets beat down over a couple rounds before getting finished. Krzysztof Soszynski by TKO, round 2.T.P. Grant: Soszynski has proven himself an able gatekeeper for entry into the UFC’s Light Heavyweight divisson and Igor Pokrajac shall not pass. Soszynski by kimura KJ Gould: Hmm, it’s tempting to pick K-Sos from experience, but I’m battling my prejudice against spelling Polish names once again. Croation names aren’t a problem though. Pokrajac is coming off a win, but then who the hell is Todd Brown other than a 0-2 UFC fighter who lost to Patrick Cote his first fight after leaving? Yeah, my social tolerance is clearly improving. K-Sos by Submission (Kimura)David Castillo: Soszynski, like Bonnar, is a durable gatekeeper type. Pokrajac is a gatekeeper too, but less durable. There’s no reason why Krzysztof shouldn’t do what Stephan Bonnar did to Igor. Soszynski by TKO, round 1. Ben Thapa: Krzysztof made me crack a giant smile with his Aussie Aussie chant at UFC 110 after the unfortunate ending to the first Bonnar fight. Burke hates him. K-Sos trains with Munoz and the Reign guys regularly, so I think he’s refining his abilities to put people down and get his favorite submission - the kimura. Krzysztof Soszynski by submission, Round 2.Dallas Winston: Pokrajac might have the more polished sub-game but K-Sos should be a little stronger and better everywhere Pokrajac excels. Unless the Croatian can connect on a homerun, Krzysztof Soszynski by TKO.Staff Picking Soszynski: Brookhouse, Grant, Gouldszynski, Castillo, Coffeen, Thapa, DallasStaff Picking Pokrajac: John Makdessi vs Dennis HallmanBrent Brookhouse: Hallman will likely look good early but Makdessi tends to get things going as he figures out timing on the fly. Hallman is going to start getting caught in the second and, while I think he makes it to the cards, I don’t think he can win two rounds against Makdessi. John Makdessi by decision.T.P. Grant: Dennis Hallman is a great veteran on MMA and is 2-0 lifetime against the great Matt Hughes, but I’m not sure the modern Lightweight division is the place to breath life into his career. Too many good fighters at 155 lbs and he is running head long into one of them. John Makdessi will be too fast and too fresh later in the fight for Hallman to over come, and as Hallman slows down I fully expect Makdessi to pour on the spinning kicks. Makdessi by TKO, round 3KJ Gould: Hallman deserved a beating in his last fight for two reasons, both of which presented themselves during the course of his loss to Brian Ebersole. I’m of course talking about spending too much time on his back, and for being sponsored by Training Mask. Ahem. Hallman is clearly being used as a step up in competition for Makdessi and if Hallman’s destruction at the hands of Ebersole was anything to go by, it’s hard to think Makdessi won’t find similar success against ‘Superman’. It’s a shame as I’d like to see more Submission Wrestling from Hallman. Oh well. Makdessi by TKO.David Castillo: I’m shocked that Hallman is back in the mix in the UFC after washing out with a loss to Jorge Rivera in 2005. Although not as shocking as his bikini at UFC 133, I tend to favor him in this fight. Makdessi, for all of his skills, hasn’t fought anyone of real consequence. Hallman will be focused to get the fight to the ground where Makdessi’s striking won’t mean much, but I can’t ignore Hallman’s history of gassing terrible. Makdessi by TKO, round 3. Ben Thapa: Am I alone in saying that I thought the Hallman banana hammock was hilarious? And so is his complete ownage of Matt Hughes? A fighter can be caught once, but to do it twice inside 20 seconds means that he has Hughes’ number dialed in. Remember that Hallman was winning the Howard fight until that last minute KO and Makdessi has a tendency to go Shlemenko at times with his spinning strikes. I am going to juke here and say Hallman by late submission. Hallman, submission, Round 3.Dallas Winston: No Ben, you are not alone. Makdessi is an exciting and creative new prospect but his takedown defense is unproven and his grappling is unseen. Audinwood barely attempted any takedowns and Watson is a slick sub-guy but not a strong wrestler. His appearance at the weigh ins and missing the mark make me even more nervous about it, but Dennis Hallman by submission.Staff Picking Makdessi: Gould, Grant, Castillo, Brookhouse, CoffeenStaff Picking Hallman: Thapa, DallasYves Jabouin vs Walel WatsonBrent Brookhouse: Really difficult fight to pick because I feel like I need more information on Walel at this level than we have. Jabouin is a gamer with flaws and this kind of strikes me as a fight that was set up with a purpose in mind. Watson by submission, round 2T.P. Grant: Yves Jabouin is a great guy to test young Bantamweights and Walel Watson made a good impression on UFC and in his debut at UFC on Versus 6. The 27-year-old Watson is looking to climb the ranks in a division still sorting itself out while Yves is fighting to stay relevant. That said I think Yves fights desperate here and lets his heavy hands go, putting the young lion to sleep. Jabouin via KO, round 2. KJ Gould: Jabouin has more experience, being a WEC vet before moving to the UFC, Watson is an up and comer looking to make a name for himself. Jabouin looks to TKO guys, Watson though has a string of success with a variety of chokes -- the most efficient submission fight ender. Jabouin being caught with a flying triangle at the hands of Pablo Garza may have been a one-time only deal as almost anyone can be caught off guard, but I can see Watson hunting for guillotines and anacondas should Jabouin mistakenly present his neck for them. I think Watson continues his rise and Jabouin is a good scalp to collect. Watson by submission.David Castillo: I like what I saw from Watson, but he’s clearly dealing with a better fighter. Yves Jaboiun’s fight with Hominick was a personal favorite of mine. But he lost for the same reason he loses in every other fight: a really bad gas tank. I’m not sure Watson is the guy to exploit that, but Yves lacks power, and so I think Watson will be there all night, with just enough time to lean on Jaboiun and threaten with a submission. Watson by Guillotine, round 2. Ben Thapa: The Brazilians booed Jabouin for slowing this fight down to a pace where he wouldn’t gas out in the Loveland fight, but Yves did get the (split) decision win. Walael gets all of his subs done in the first or early in the second. Jabouin can pull this one long and get the nod again. Jabouin by decision.Dallas Winston: Watson might turn out to be a serious talent with Jones-like proportions for the weight class, but as of now he’s in deep waters with a powerful and technical striker. Yves Jabouin by TKO.Staff Picking Jabouin: Grant, Coffeen, DallasStaff Picking Watson: Brookhouse, Gould, CastilloMark Bocek vs Nik LentzBrent Brookhouse: I like Bocek here on his ability to finish the fight at any point vs. Lentz being more of an opportunistic guy. I don’t really think there’s an area where the fight can go that Bocek isn’t more dangerous and slightly better. Mark Bocek by decision.KJ Gould: I can’t pick against Minnesota MMA guys out of principal, since I really rate Greg Nelson as an MMA coach. Of course that doesn’t mean all his fighters follow his advice to the ‘T’ and can get in all sorts of problems like Lentz did against Oliveira. Both Lentz and Bocek are veterans with the Canadian being a bit more experienced UFC-wise. I just think Lentz’s clinch game against the wall is a big factor, plus his general improvement in looking for finishes might surprise a few people. Some say Wall’n’Stall, I say Lentz’n’Fence. The Carnie by Decision.T.P. Grant: The name Nik Lentz receives almost as much venom from fans as Jon Fitch. His style is decried as "Wall and Stall" or "Lay and Pray", but the man has real skills, just ask Brock Lesnar and is excellent at drawing fighters into his game. Mark Bocek is a very underrate fighter also, lost in the shuffle of lightweight. His grappling is flat out excellent and should be enough to counter Lentz’s brand of fighting and earn a submission win. Bocek by Submission David Castillo: Bocek, Bocek, Bocek. As much as I enjoy the fact that Lentz came out of his "lay and pray" shell for the Bronx fight, he’s still not quite as talented as Mark, and if anything, the best comparison I’d make for Lentz is as a poor man’s version of Bocek. Let’s not forget Mark has been consistent, and fought a very close fight with Jim Miller. He’s the much more polished fighter, and Lentz isn’t dynamic enough to end the fight early. Bocek by D’Arce, round 1. Ben Thapa: I believe in Nik Lentz as a UFC-caliber fighter, but I also believe in Bocek’s ability to flip Lentz over and work on Nik until the submission comes. Lentz won’t stop coming forwards and he’ll be able to get out of quite a few submission attempts by Bocek, but those wear you down and when you get tired, you make mistakes. Can Nik avoid these mistakes? This seems an awful lot like the Bendo/Miller fight to me, with Bocek being the more dangerous submission fighter, but Lentz having the stamina and the situational awareness even after two high paced rounds (which he’ll need to build his points lead) to squeak out and maintain his lead. Calling the upset here in Nik Lentz by decision.Dallas Winston: This seems to be a stylistic nightmare for Lentz. Bocek is slow in all aspects on the feet but has surprising power and is quite graceful on the ground and in scrambles. I don’t see many options for Lentz, who also has a tendency to drop his hands when trading in the pocket. Mark Bocek by submission.Staff Picking Bocek: Brookhouse, Castillo, Coffeen, Grant, DallasStaff Picking Lentz: Gould, ThapaRich Attonito vs Jake HechtKJ Gould: Everyone should support Rich Attonito for TKO’ing Jamie Yager last year. Attonito and Hecht have similar records but since Attonito has the UFC experience and this is a debut for Hecht, those good ol’ Octagon jitters may well be a factor. Attonito by Decision.David Castillo: I do support Attonite for TKO’ing Yager. And that’s why I’m picking him here. But also because Hecht isn’t UFC-level. He’s a top position kind of fighter, and if you want a blueprint for what to expect, watch Hecth’s loss to Che Mills. Attonito will defend his takedowns with ease, and score some savage punches on the feet. Attonito by TKO, round 1. Ben Thapa: Hecht loves the early rush out and takedown strategy. Problem is that Attonito sprawls pretty effectively. Tape shows Hecht to be a fighter who prefers to control his opponent and deal out little bits of damage over time, rather than busting some heads, passing guard and/or grabbing smooth submissions like a fledgling elite fighter should be doing. Rich decisioned Daniel Roberts back at UFC Live on Versus 4 and looked like he wasn’t ever in danger. This is a similar stylistic match-up and I bet Attonito can get to Hecht’s back and finish from there. Attonito, submission, Round 2.T.P. Grant: I also support Attonio for KO’ing Yager. That said I also suppor Jake Hecht’s 100% legit credentials for making his UFC debut, a 10-2 prospect with wrestling and boxing experience to go with a Ricardo Liborio black belt makes him high on my list of new welterweights I want to see compete. Jake Hecht by Decision Dallas Winston: Hecht, on paper, reminds me of Lance Benoist, who was a firecracker in his debut. Hecht is a Liborio black belt, a good wrestler and a former Golden Gloves boxer. I took Attonito in my preview but I’ll change it up and take a chance on Jake Hecht by decision.Staff Picking Attonito: Brookhouse, Gould, Castillo, Coffeen, ThapaStaff Picking Hecht: Dallas, GrantMitch Clarke vs John CholishKJ Gould: I’m assuming this is 9-0 Canadian Mitch Clarke making his UFC debut taking on New York’s John Cholish, who will also be entering The Octagon for the first time. Very similar fighters who like to grapple. Cholish does have a win over former TUFer Marc Stevens at a Strikeforce event, but otherwise both have fought at the regional level. Could we see another phenom emerge from the Great White North, or will the tough New Yorker prevail? Both have wrestling backgrounds, Cholish getting his mat time at Cornell while Clarke’s experience is with the Canadian CIS program (think Canadian NCAA). Clarke making his UFC debut in front of a partisan crowd will either boost him or overwhelm him. It’s a hard pick, but since Cornell is one of the top Division I universities for Wrestling in the USA I would think that would have to give Cholish the edge in a hard fought decision. Cholish by decision.David Castillo: I favor Cholish. Against Marc Stevens, Cholish looks relatively fluid, on the feet, and on the ground, where he has solid chops with his ground and pound. He’s not world class, but I think the fact that he’s more dynamic than Clark, who is your standard wrestle-sort-of-boxer type, will net him the victory. Cholish by Decision. Ben Thapa: Cholish is a genuinely witty person - and a pretty mean fighter in his own right. I watched the Stevens kneebar live and what I took away from that - other than Cholish’s odd gait that looks quite a bit like Sherriff Bullock’s from Deadwood - is that Cholish is apt to bust out a dangerous submission at any given time. It clicks in his head in a way that it doesn’t for many fighters with more years in the sport. Clark looks like a tough, game opponent, but I doubt he has the chops to stifle Cholish for three rounds. Cholish, submission, Round 2.Dallas Winston: I’m not overly familiar with Clarke but know Cholish is a well-trained beast with a better level of competition. John Cholish by TKO.T.P. Grant: I’m also not overly familiar with either fighter but what I do know about Cholish I like. Cholish by DecisionStaff Picking Clarke: CoffeenStaff Picking Cholish: Brookhouse, Gould, Castillo, Thapa, Dallas
Posted in: fight, jone, fighter, round, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRandy Couture: Jon Jones will not walk through Lyoto Machida at UFC 140
UFC Hall of Famer and former light heavyweight and heavyweight champion, Randy Couture, has been giving his thoughts on the upcoming 205-pound title fight pitting Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida, which will go down tomorrow night (Dec. 10, 2011) at UFC 140 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
According to "The Natural," Jones has made it look easy throughout his young mixed martial arts (MMA) career, walking through each of his opponents with relative ease. But he won't have it easy when he steps inside the Octagon to take on the always crafty Machida.
Couture has firsthand experience when it comes to "The Dragon," as he went to-to-toe with Brazilian buttkicker at the record-breaking UFC 129: "St. Pierre vs. Shields" event that went down this past April 30.
"Captain America" was on the receiving end of a flying front-kick to the face that would have made Mr. Miyagi proud. The loss ended Couture's three fight win streak and ultimately marked the final fight of his mixed martial arts (MMA) career.
Speaking to ESPN.com, Couture says that while Jones is on a roll at the moment, he will have trouble dealing with the elusiveness of Machida:
"Machida's style was everything I expected it to be. I studied the tapes but he's just hard to get a handle on. I certainly don't thing Jon's going to have an easy time of it catching up with him. He's elusive, he's a great athlete, he's a tremendous counter-fighter and he has a lot of interesting tools. It was an interesting camp for me to prepare for him because he just does a lot of things differently to others guys that I've prepared for. Jon will find the same issues. I don't think it'll be a walkover, I don't think Jon will blow Machida's doors off, but Jon does have everything firing for him right now; he's long, he rangy, he's a tremendous wrestler, he's a tremendous athlete and he can strike with anybody. If Jon can get his hands on Machida he can take him down and it will be interesting to see how Lyoto deals with being under a guy like Jon."
Jones has cruised through the opening 15 bouts of his career, having never been in any kind of trouble in any of his previous nine UFC contests.
Once hailed as an unsolvable human version of a Rubik's cube, Machida has proven time after time that his elusiveness and unorthodox style of striking is difficult to prepare for or compete against, though Mauricio Rua may have something to say about that.
Any of you Maniacs have a solid rebuttal for Couture's argument?
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, machida, he
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJones and Machida stare down UFC 140 - shot by me!
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Posted in: ufc, jone, shot, machida, mannaze
Read the full article at RedditUFC 140: ‘Jones vs. Machida’ Preview
What a year for Jon Jones, eh? In three trips into the Octagon he crushed TUF winner Ryan Bader like an empty can of Diet Coke, smashed Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and took his belt, and demolished Quinton Jackson in the kind of title defense that resembled more of a mugging than a fight. And now, with UFC 140 slated for Saturday night, “Bones” once more gets to flex his unmatched talent and ever-improving skill against karate’s last great representative in Lyoto Machida. Man, oh man, Machida is going to get obliterated. But more on that in a second. First, a little lip service to the other fighters on the card, such as the aging Tito Ortiz, the stalwart Nogueira brothers, the intrepid Frank Mir and the undead Chan Sung Jung, all of whom make for the kind of rock-solid fight roster that the UFC only gives us once every few months and must be savored now that it’s upon us. It should be great, it should be grand, and at the end of the night, light-heavyweight champ Jones is going to add another name to his “confirmed kill” list. Preview time!
-Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida – We thought Bader was going to test Jones’ wrestling, and Jones tossed the poor guy around like a ragdoll. We assumed Shogun was going to Muay Thai the hell out of the American youngster, and instead Jones out-struck him. And we guessed that maybe, just maybe Rampage was going to be able to land some of his dangerous counter-punches, but nothing even came close, and with his impossibly-long limbs Jones beat him up from the halfway across the cage. What, then, will Machida offer to challenge the champ? Clearly, the former 205-pound champ, who got KO’d by Shogun and slightly outworked by Rampage before knocking out the ancient Randy Couture to earn his title shot, has got his karate. So there’s probably some katas “The Dragon” knows that will give Jones pause in a kind of “what the hell is this guy doing” way. Regardless, Machida is doomed. The only question is how Jones wants to end it (stunning strike or submission after said strike?) and when.
-Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira – When not getting pounded out by behemoths, ex-champ Mir is usually employing ace submissions and chin-checking strikes to great effect. “Big Nog”, meanwhile, is like a battered old warhorse that still has the occasional successful charge in him (see: Brendan Schaub), but more often than not shows his age. That, and the fact that when last these two guys met Mir was feeding him enough knuckle-sandwiches to feed a cafeteria of starving third graders (if kids ate those kinds of sandwiches), does not bode well for the beloved Brazilian. Watch for Mir to need over two rounds to put away Nogueira this time around, and for everyone – Mir included – to feel bad about hurting one of the nicest guys in the sport afterwards.
-Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira – The clock is ticking on Ortiz, and though he’s evolved and now wields a sufficient amount of standup to stun those who aren’t expecting it, his wrestling ability has faded like an old “Clash: Combat Rock” T-shirt that your mom has washed about a thousand times since the late 1980s. Sadly, “Little Nog” is fantastic at boxing (he medaled in boxing at the Pan American Games, which means he can throw leather), and his lone weakness for unstoppable wrestlers provides for a riddle that Ortiz no longer has the answer for. Sure, the former light-heavyweight champ likely has a few double-legs left in him, but after the first round, if Nogueira is still around, Ortiz is dead meat. And therein lies the prediction: Little Nog via TKO in Round 3.
-Brian Ebersole vs. Claude Patrick – In 15 bouts, Canadian Patrick has lost only once, and that was back in 2002. Now he’s a damn good sub machine, and a threat to anyone. Ebersole, however, is not everyone. He’s got 64 fights to his name, and is riding a nine-fight win streak that includes Octagon victories over Chris Lytle and Dennis Hallman. Unless Patrick casts a Magic Missile spell or uses heretofore unknown mutant powers, he’s got nothing Ebersole hasn’t already seen and figured out how to deal with. Ebersole is getting the decision here, and he’s going to look calm, cool and collected while doing it.
-Chan Sung Jung vs. Mark Hominick – Hominick took a monstrous beating at the hands (and shins) of champ Jose Aldo, but would not give up and even poured it on the featherweight king in the last round of their UFC 129 scrap. Jung, a.k.a. the “Korean Zombie”, is cut from similar cloth in that he keeps coming until he’s unconscious. Where does that leave us? Thankfully, with something that promises to be exciting and satisfying, although given Jung’s somewhat sloppy striking defense, it could end anytime Hominick draws a bead on him. I see the Canadian KOing the Korean, but it should be fun until then.
Posted in: jone, nogueira, mir, vs, machida
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 140 weigh in video (full) for 'Jones vs Machida' in Toronto
UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" weigh-in event went down today (Dec. 9, 2011) at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where all 24 competitors tipped the scale to make their respective bouts official for tomorrow's (Dec. 10, 2011) historic event.
In the video above, the first fighter steps on the scale around the 14-minute mark.
Light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and number one contender Lyoto Machida, who will main event tomorrow night's pay-per-view broadcast, both came in on point, making their 205-pound title fight officially official.
For complete UFC 140 weigh in results click here and for staredown pics click here.
Ready to rumble yet or what, Maniacs?
Posted in: ufc, jone, event, bouts official, fighter steps
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Weigh-In Video
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and challenger Lyoto Machida hit the scales at the Air Canada Centre on Friday for their bout at UFC 140.
Posted in: ufc, jone, challenger, heavyweight, machida
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyMixed reaction to Jones at UFC 140 weigh-in
Light-heavyweight champion Jon (Bones) Jones drew some boos as he weighed in at the 205-pound limit Friday for UFC 140 main event with former title-holder Lyoto (The Drago) Machida.
Posted in: ufc, pound, jone, machida, titleholder lyoto
Read the full article at sportsnet.caJones - Machida staredown - intense!
submitted by bglodde [link] [12 comments]
Posted in: jone, staredown, machida, bglodde
Read the full article at RedditUFC 140 Weigh-In Results
The UFC 140 weigh-ins took place this afternoon at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
Interestingly, Toronto tried to boo light heavyweight champion Jon Jones right out of the building. Guess they don’t care for all that talk about destiny and stuff. Reaction to Lyoto Machida was mixed, but it seemed pretty clear that the crowd likes him more than Jones.
On another note, Dennis Hallman, who drew ire from Dana White for wearing a pair of speedos at UFC 133, came in heavy at 158.5 pounds.
The weigh-in results:
Jon Jones (205) vs. Lyoto Machida (204)
Frank Mir (260) vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (239)
Tito Ortiz (206) vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (204.5)
Brian Ebersole (170.5) vs. Claude Patrick (171)
Mark Hominick (145) vs. Chan Sung Jung (145.5)
Krzysztof Soszynski (206) vs. Igor Pokrajac (205)
Jared Hamman (185) vs. Constantinos Philippou (185)
Dennis Hallman (158.5) vs. John Makdessi (155.5)
Yves Jabouin (136) vs. Walel Watson (135.5)
Nik Lentz (156) vs. Mark Bocek (156)
Rich Attonito (170.5) vs. Jake Hecht (170.5)
John Cholish (156) vs. Mitch Clarke (154.5)
Fighters in non-title fights are allowed to weigh in one pound over the weight class limit.
UFC 140 “Jones vs. Machida” will take place tomorrow, Dec. 10, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada and will air live on pay-per-view at 9pm ET/6pm PT. The pay-per-view will be preceded by prelim specials on ION TV and Facebook.
More UFC 116 weigh-in pics at CombatLifestyle.com. Video via MMA Fighting.
Posted in: ufc, jone, toronto, vs, weighin
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 140: Is Lyoto Machida Sick Heading Into Fight With Jon Jones?
Lyoto Machida made weight just minutes ago for his UFC 140 bout with Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight championship. He looked to be in his usual level of shape while Jones looked very fit but also was booed loudly by the Toronto crowd.
Still, there are rumors that, despite what may be a very pro-Machida crowd, all is not well for the challenger. This came from Sherdog's Jordan Breen on his pre-event chat:
Of course, these are just rumors at this point and it's not the first time we've heard such information heading into a fight. But it is worth noting that the word is out there and Machida may face more than Jones' dynamic attacking style when the two men step into the cage.
We'll keep you up to date on any new information or developments as best we can heading into the event.
(HT: AcidicLactor on Twitter)
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, machida, toronto crowd
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJones, Machida All Clear for UFC 140 Headliner
At the start of 2011, Jon Jones was a fast-rising prospect with a few more questions surrounding him than answers.
Posted in: jone, prospect, machida, jones machida, fastrising prospect
Read the full article at SherdogUFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Weigh In Results
UFC 140 is this weekend headlined by Jon Jones defending his light heavyweight title against Lyoto Machida. The weigh ins are live today at 4 PM ET/1 PM PT. Join Bloody Elbow for a discussion of the weigh ins. The weights will be updated live as well.
Follow @bloodyelbow for live weigh in coverage.
Light Heavyweight Title Fight: Jon Jones () vs Lyoto Machida ()
Heavyweight: Frank Mir () vs Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira ()
Light Heavyweight: Tito Ortiz () vs Antonio Rogerio Nogueira ()
Welterweight: Claude Patrick () vs Brian Ebersole ()
Featherweight: Mark Hominick () vs Chan Sung Jung ()
Light Heavyweight: Krzysztof Soszynski () vs Igor Pokrajac ()
Welterweight: John Makdessi () vs Dennis Hallman ()
Bantamweight: Yves Jabouin () vs Walel Watson ()
Lightweight: Mark Bocek () vs Nik Lentz ()
Welterweight: Rich Attonito () vs Jake Hecht ()
Lightweight: Mitch Clark () vs John Cholish ()
Video after the jump....
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: jone, heavyweight, vs, light, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Weigh-in Results
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida will try to derail the Jon Jones train on Saturday night in Toronto, but they first have to weigh-in on Friday afternoon.
Posted in: ufc, saturday night, jone, machida, weighin
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Fight Odds
Saturday night sees Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida step into the cage in the main event of UFC 140 to battle for Jones' UFC light heavyweight championship. While the fight is tremendously interesting from a stylistic standpoint, the oddsmakers don't see it being particularly close. According to Best Fight Odds, Jones is as high as a -575 favorite to retain his title.
Here is the full rundown of the best odds available on each bout:
At one point, Jones was actually hovering around a -350 favorite on average but has become a much more heavy favorite as fight time has approached.
Jones is the heaviest UFC pay-per-view main event favorite since...Jon Jones at UFC 135 against Quinton Jackson, when his best line was -500.
We will, of course, have much more on UFC 140 over today and the weekend, so make sure you keep your browser locked in to Bloody Elbow. Or leave and come back lots of times and inflate our page view count. Whatever.
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, fight time, oddsmakers dont
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJones tries to finish off historic year at UFC 140 (Yahoo! Sports)
With a win over Lyoto Machida on Saturday, Jon Jones would cap one of the most brilliant years in mixed martial arts history.
Posted in: jone, year, lyoto machida, machida, art
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsJon Jones Smiles at the Haters at UFC 140 Weigh-Ins
Filed under: UFCTORONTO -- The pressure that comes with wearing a UFC championship belt might take its toll on some fighters, but light heavyweight champ Jon Jones seems to only get more comfortable with the idea as time wears on. The 24-year-old phenom soaked up the cheers and the jeers with a calm smile and a friendly wave at the Air Canada Centre on Friday afternoon, weighing in at 205 pounds on the nose for his title defense against former champ Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 on Saturday night.
Machida, on the other hand, seemed gripped by a nervous intensity from the moment he hit the stage. The 33-year-old Brazilian kept a stone-faced countenance as he clocked in at 204 pounds for the bout. Jones, meanwhile, seemed less affected than ever by the mixed response, looking loose and relaxed all the way through the afternoon's proceedings.
The weigh-in wasn't such a light-hearted affair for every fighter on the card, however. Dennis Hallman's move to lightweight got off to a rocky start as he weighed in at 158.5 pounds for a 155-pound bout. Elsewhere on the undercard, Canadian Mitch Clarke looked like he'd stumbled onto the stage straight from the sauna, wavering on the scale as if he might pass out at any moment. However nasty the cut may have been, at least Clarke was successful. He might have even been too successful, as he came in a half-pound under the lightweight mark at 154.5 pounds.
Full weigh-in results are below.
Main card (pay-per-view)
Jon Jones (205) vs. Lyoto Machida (204)
Frank Mir (260) vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (239)
Tito Ortiz (206) vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (204.5)
Claude Patrick (171) vs. Brian Ebersole (170.5)
Mark Hominick(145) vs. Chan Sung Jung (145.5)
Televised prelims (ION and Sportsnet)
Krzysztof Soszynski (206) vs. Igor Pokrajac (205)
Constantinos Philippou (185) vs. Jared Hamman (185)
Dennis Hallman (158.5) vs. John Makdessi (155.5)
Yves Jabouin (136) vs. Walel Watson (135.5)
Prelims (Facebook)
Mark Bocek (156) vs. Nik Lentz (156)
Rich Attonito (170.5) vs. Jake Hecht (170.5)
Mitch Clarke (154.5) vs. John Cholish (156) Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: pound, mark, jone, vs, weighin wasnt
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseFor Jon Jones, UFC 140 provides another test, but real challenge lies within
TORONTO - We've got it all wrong, according to Jon Jones.
We're looking for arguments, points of debate, and statistics to support
reasons why this contender or that contender is more or less of a
challenge to the UFC light-heavyweight champion. In short, we're looking for some cracks in his armor. Any cracks. Something to report, debate to stir.
Jones says we're looking at the wrong things. Jones is not fighting others, but fighting himself.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, things jones, arguments points, report debate
Read the full article at MMA JunkieIs Jon Jones’ 2011 The Best Single Year in MMA History?
If Jon Jones beats Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, will he have set the mark for the greatest single year for any fighter in MMA history?
Posted in: mma, jone, jon jones, mma history, lyoto machida
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyLyoto Machida Prepared To Surprise Jones
Lyoto Machida says he's more than capable of solving the Jon Jones puzzle, and he's ready to capture the light heavyweight title.
Posted in: jone, lyoto machida, machida, lyoto, he
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC's Jon Jones Nominated For ESPN SportsNation Award
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones is in the spotlight this weekend for his title defense against Lyoto Machida and a win would complete a great 2011. Regardless of the result at Saturday's UFC 140, ESPN SportsNation is giving fans the opportunity to cement his status for what he's done.
The popular show has named Jones one of eight finalists in their second-annual "Awesomest Dude Of The Year" contest, a bracket where online voting decides who moves onto the next round. Jones is the only MMA representative and fans can vote exclusively on Facebook for who they think should move on.
Jones is paired up against someone that watches him frequently in big MMA fan, actor and WWE talent Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Jared Allen and Tim Tebow from the NFL, Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin from the NBA, extreme sports star Travis Pastrana and women's soccer player Hope Solo are also in the tourney. (Yes, Solo is nominated for 'Awesomest Dude'). Over 270,000 votes were collected for 2010 winner and soccer star Landon Donovan.
Jones is 3-0 so far in the calendar year with wins over Ryan Bader, Mauricio Rua and Quinton Jackson. A victory over Machida Saturday would give Jones wins over three former UFC champions in one year, which would be a first.
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: ufc, jone, quinton jackson, title defense, machida saturday
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 3
This weekend, Jon Jones will defend his UFC Light Heavyweight title against Lyoto Machida in the main event of UFC 140. To gear up for this huge title fight, we are looking through the complete career of the young champion. In part 1, we watched Jones's meteoric rise from debuting fighter to exciting UFC prospect, and in part 2, we saw his arrival as the dominant young gun in the UFC.
Before we continue, one quick note from part 2. In discussing the Jones vs. Jake O'Brien fight from UFC 100, I made it sound like Jones got the TKO victory over JOB. That's not the case, as Jones finished him with a guillotine in the 2nd round. This is a significant switch for two reasons - first, because it was only the second time Jones used a submission for the win. Second, it's his first stoppage in the UFC. After 6 straight stoppage wins, his first two UFC fights went the distance. This time, Jones still used his striking to gain the advantage, but then switched to submissions to close the show, showing a nice change in his game-planning. Thanks to reader Eric H. for pointing it out. OK, back to business...
Today we wrap it up, as part 3 begins with the 11-1 Jones entering the biggest fight so far in his career - and no one even knew just how big it would be until it was all over.
Jon Jones (11-1) vs. Ryan Bader (12-0)February 5, 2011 - UFC 126
Big, big fight here with two virtually undefeated young fighters both on a run through the division. It's great match-making where you know the winner will be a new name at the very top of the division.
This fight again continues the trend of Jones's last few fights, where he is much more focused and deliberate in his attack. At first, he uses little stand-up, instead preferring to keep the fight on the ground and use his superior side and top control to dominate Bader. Smart move there as Bader is also a wrestler, but has had the best success with his heavy KO power. Jones avoids those punches, keeping the fight down. As the fight moves into the 2nd, he does begin to stand more, adding in a little more flash. Jones throws a superman punch, and Bader tags him, but Jones walks through it with no trouble.
End comes about in a somewhat odd way, as Jones gets Bader down, then very subtly sneaks in a choke. Bader doesn't seem to ever realize what trouble he is in until he is tapping - at no point does he even truly try to defend the choke. It wasn't the most dramatic finish, but the way Jones quietly lured Bader in and slowly sprung the trap is impressive indeed. I remember being a bit let down by this fight live, but it's a very strong performance, and just shows how spoiled we had become by the fireworks of his previous fights.
Post-fight, Joe Rogan famously announces that Rashad Evans is out, and Jon Jones is now the #1 contender to the Light Heavyweight title and Shogun Rua, leading to both Jones's greatest opportunity, and opening the door for his greatest rivalry.
More fights, along with gifs, in the complete entry.
Jon Jones (12-1) vs. Mauricio Rua (19-4)March 19, 2011 - UFC 128
Six weeks after choking out Bader, Jon Jones is fighting for the belt in Shogun's first title defense.
This fight starts completely differently from the Bader fight, as Jones comes out swinging, pushing a fast pace with a lot of quick, flashy strikes. It's the kind of quick offense Shogun himself favored earlier in his career, but as a more seasoned (and battle-worn) veteran, no longer employs. They go to the mat, where Shogun tries to use guard to keep Jones at bay, but has no success. Ben Thapa broke this guard game down in a Judo Chop yesterday, which is well worth your time. They get back to their feet, Jones blasts Shogun against the cage, and though it took another two rounds, that moment is essentially the end of the fight. Shogun is hurt, comes out wobbly, and Jones just starts picking him apart.
Watching that slow dissection is a thing of beauty. Jones is just so deliberate in his attacks on the hurt Shogun. He throws every shot with power, carefully set up so that each shot does maximum damage. He also begins working the body in order to drain the gas tank of the already hurt Shogun. Jones is calm, focused, and surgical in his attack. Finally, Shogun gets stuck against the cage, Jones unleashes a final salvo, and the champion crumbles, defeated, to the mat. Jon Jones is the new champion.
I have to ask - is this the most dominant winning of a belt in UFC history? Sure there have been quicker flash victories, but there is something about the way Jones just demolishes Shogun over 3 rounds without ever being in even a second of trouble that is even more impressive than any 1 round KO or submission. Just an amazing performance.
And then... a whole lot of Rashad Evans nonsense over the summer. That is an issue that absolutely needs to be resolved, as fans are forced to wait for that confrontation will finally happen. In the meantime, Jones had a title to defend.
Jon Jones (13-1) vs. Quinton Jackson (32-8)September 24, 2011 - UFC 135
If, for some reason, you were not all that impressed by Jones after the Shogun fight, then this fight should end any doubt in your mind. Jon Jones is for real.
What is amazing about this defense against Rampage is that it is almost as dominating as the Shogun fight, and yet Jones fights it in a completely different style. For Shogun, Jones was all about the wrestling, the top control, and the deliberate strikes. Against Rampage, Jones gives up the wrestling, and even his hands for the most part, and turns it into a kickboxing fight. Where he steamrolls.
Of course, some of that switch comes as a result of Rampage. The former champion actually has a pretty good round 1 defensively, as he avoids Jones's previously unstoppable takedowns, and uses good movement to slip a lot of the punches. But he doesn't defend the kicks. Jones picks up on that, and begins using kicks to slice Rampage apart. And he does so with an enormous variety of kicks. He's got leg kicks, body kicks, front kicks, head kicks, side kicks, kicks to the knee, lead leg kicks, rear leg kicks... he throws from south paw, from orthodox... adds in elbows, jabs, knees...
In short, it is a striking clinic. Jones throws every kind of strike imaginable at Rampage, flowing them together seamlessly so that Rampage has no clue what to do. It is the best striking we have yet seen from Jones, and some of the best striking seen in the Octagon all year.
Plain and simple - this performance is brilliance.
Jon Jones (14-1) vs. Lyoto Machida (17-2)December 10, 2011 - UFC 140
So, what to expect this Saturday? It's hard to say for sure. Jones has developed into an extremely well-rounded fighter, capable of wrestling, clinch-fighting, striking, or submitting opponents. But most importantly, he's developed into a supremely strategic fighter, who is not only capable of fighting in a way that plays to his strengths and his opponent's weaknesses, but also making adjustments mid-fight to respond to his opponent's own game.
Against Lyoto, I would look for Jones to mix in the striking from distance with takedowns to ground control. The one area he should avoid against Machida is the clinch and fighting inside, where The Dragon has been very successful in the past, and where Jones won't be able to use his reach advantage.
But who knows? Maybe that's exactly where Jones will take the fight, and maybe he'll control Machida from that very position. If this trip through Jones's career has taught us one thing it's this - Jon Jones evolves. He learns from his past, makes adjustments, and comes out stronger. Looking at his last few fights, that's a scary thought. Because just how much better can he get?
Thanks for reading - see you on Saturday.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jon, jone, shogun
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140: By the Odds
Filed under: UFCCovering MMA events in a foreign country -- even a minimally foreign country like Canada -- is always a fun and slightly confusing experience. For instance, is gambling on sporting events legal here, or is viewed the same way that smoking marijuana on the street seems to be, which is to say not openly encouraged, but not really a problem, either?
I have no idea, but I do think there are some interesting lines worth taking a look at with UFC 140 heading to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Saturday night. Below, let's break them down and see what the oddsmakers have to say about it.
Jon Jones (-550) vs. Lyoto Machida (+375)
Can we be honest with each other? I don't want to say that Machida has no chance, because a) this is MMA, so no one ever really has no chance, and b) this is a former champ we're talking about here, but come on. How do you see Machida beating Jones? Jumping crane kick to the face? Five rounds of elusive, tactical striking? Again, I can't say it's not possible, but it's certainly not likely. Machida will have a hard time getting in close enough to hurt Jones and still getting back out again before those go-go-Gadget arms stick him. Even if he does get in close, Jones might just toss him and decide to test his wrestling skills. Machida has so few ways to win this, and Jones has so many. I realize we all said more or less the same thing about Fabricio Werdum and Fedor Emelianenko, but here the underdog line isn't even attractive enough to be worth a second look. If Machida were at 5-1, then maybe. If he's only getting "Korean Zombie" odds, then forget it.
My pick: Jones. I'll stick in the parlay, and then I wont give it any more thought.
Frank Mir (-285) vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (+225)
While talking with Nogueira's wrestling coach this week, he mentioned that the whole team had been curious to see which Mir showed up this week: the 240-pound version, or the 265-pound one? Judging from open workouts, he looks more in the 260 range, which could be good for Nogueira, but only if the fight gets out of the first round. When Mir sticks to his game, he's a wrecking ball. Nogueira was once the kind of fighter who, even when he couldn't get out of the way, could still take it better than anyone. Age and injuries have hampered his ability to do either now.
My pick: Mir. Big Nog made a fool out of me when he upset Brendan Schaub, but I just can't see that brand of lightning striking twice. Put this one in the parlay.
Tito Ortiz (+160) vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (-200)
Before showing up in Toronto, I thought this was Little Nog's fight all the way. But after seeing them both on the mats earlier this week, I'm starting to think that Ortiz's takedowns might prove superior to Nogueira's suspect defense. If it becomes a boxing match, Nogueira wins. If Ortiz can put him on his back early, get ready for three long rounds of ground-and-pound. It's one of those fights where each man knows exactly what the other one wants to do, and has known ever since the fight was announced. You just have to wonder who's better prepared to get his way.
My pick: Ortiz. I need an underdog every time out, and if I have to side with "The People's Champ" in the twilight of his career, so be it.
Brian Ebersole (-115) vs. Claude Patrick (-115)
Oddsmakers are right to think of this one as being essentially too close to call. Patrick has a stellar record, but he has nowhere near the experience of Ebersole, nor has he faced the same caliber of competition lately. If I were him, I might be tempted to compensate for those disadvantages by stealing Ebersole's thunder and shaving some clever design into my own chest hair, but somehow I think Ebersole would only be encouraged by that. This could easily go either way, and the odds don't encourage much action in any direction.
My pick: Ebersole. I guess. But I'm not risking the safety of my parlay on it, so I'll steer clear.
Mark Hominick (-500) vs. Chan Sung Jung (+350)
Here's one where oddsmakers have the right guy, but the line has gotten more than a little carried away. Should Hominick pick Jung apart? Probably, yeah. He's sharper, more technical, and has better defense. But could Jung conceivably get him down and work some submissions magic? You can't rule it out. It's a little wild to think that Jung and Machida are being given roughly the same chance of winning, when I actually think Jung has a significantly better shot. It's still not enough to make me take the bait, though.
My pick: Hominick. Parlay city, all the way.
Quick picks:
- Krzysztof Soszynski (-250) over Igor Pokrajac (+195). Oh, God. I just realized I'm going to have to type their names over and over again in my liveblog. Somebody put a bullet in my head now.
- Nik Lentz (+135) over Mark Bocek (-165). You can't stop "The Carny." You can only hope to contain him.
The 'For Entertainment Purposes Only' Parlay: Jones + Mir + Hominick + Soszynski Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: jone, way, nogueira, machida, ebersole
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 140 weigh-in results and preview videos
UFC 140 Jones vs. Machida weigh-in resultsToronto, Canada 12/10/11Jon Jones () vs. Lyoto Machida ()Frank Mir () vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira ()Antonio Rogerio Nogueira () vs. Tito Ortiz ()Brian Ebersole () vs. Claude Patrick ()Mark Hominick () vs. Chan Sung Jung ()Igor Pokrajac () vs. Krzysztof Soszynski ()Jared Hamman () vs. Constantinos Philippou ()Dennis Hallman () vs. John Makdessi ()Yves Jabouin () vs. Walel Watson ()Mark Bocek () vs. Nik Lentz ()Rich Attonito () vs. Jake Hecht ()John Cholish () vs. Mitch Clarke ()The weigh-ins for UFC 140 will take place at Toronto's Air Canada Centre. The first fighter will step on the scale at 4:00 PM EST (1:00 PM PST). Jon Jones (14-1) vs. Lyoto Machida (17-2) Frank Mir (15-5) vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (33-6-1) Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-5) vs. Tito Ortiz (16-9-1)
Posted in: jone, nogueira, vs, machida, weighin
Read the full article at UltMMAUFC 140 weigh in results and video LIVE from Toronto for 'Jones vs. Machida'
The official weigh in event for UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" is set to take place TODAY (Fri., Dec. 9, 2011) from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 4 p.m. ET.
MMAmania.com will provide up-to-the-second coverage of the UFC 140 weigh-ins below, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they conclude. We will also share the UFC 140 weigh in video of all the scale-tipping action the moment it becomes available.
UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" will be headlined by light heavyweight champion Jon Jones defending his title against former division kingpin and elusive "Dragon" Lyoto Machida. The Nogueira brothers are also getting in on the action, as Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will rematch Frank Mir, while Antonio Rogerio Nogueira will go head-on against Tito Ortiz.
Check out complete UFC 140 weigh in results after the jump:
205 lbs.: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida265 lbs.: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir 205 lbs.: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Tito Ortiz 170 lbs.: Brian Ebersole vs. Claude Patrick 145 lbs.: Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung 205 lbs.: Igor Pokrajac vs. Krzysztof Soszynski 155 lbs.: Dennis Hallman vs. John Makdessi 185 lbs.: Jared Hamman vs. Constantinos Philippou 135 lbs.: Yves Jabouin vs. Walel Watson 155 lbs.: Mark Bocek vs. Nik Lentz 170 lbs.: Rich Attonito vs. Jake Hecht 155 lbs.: Mitch Clarke vs. John Cholish
For those fortunate enough to be in "Hog Town" this weekend, remember the weigh-in is FREE to attend and open to the public. Doors to the weigh-in will open at 3 p.m. ET.
In addition, UFC Fight Club members will be able to attend a special Q&A session with middleweight contender Mark Munoz at 2 p.m. ET.
Remember, too, MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., Dec. 10), which is slated to air at 9 p.m. ET on pay-per-view. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 5:30 p.m. ET with the "Prelims" fights on Facebook and ION Television.
For the latest UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" news and notes click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, lb, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 Main Event Breakdown: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting ExclusiveIf Jon Jones beats Lyoto Machida in UFC 140's main event on Saturday, he will have completed one of the greatest calendar years in modern MMA, having defeated Machida, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Ryan Bader.
Going into their fights with Jones, the quartet entered with a collective .851 win percentage and three of the four had been champions in the UFC. So far, Jones has manhandled Bader, Rua and Jackson, having not lost a single round en route to three stoppage wins.
The last of the four fights comes less than three months after his previous win. Stringing consecutive camps together is not easy, but Jones (14-1) can draw on his experience from earlier this year, when he smashed through Rua to win the light-heavyweight championship despite just six weeks of notice and preparation.
Machida (17-2) does present Jones with a new challenge, however. He is the first true southpaw Jones has faced since making his octagon debut in 2008.
Machida's offensive style has been analyzed for a few years now, to the point that the once seemingly unsolvable riddle is better understood. His success starts with his footwork, which creates angles and spacing designed to benefit his counterstriking preferences. Machida is constantly working to keep his right foot outside his opponent's left foot so that when his opponent strikes, he avoid it and still have his left hand in position for a straight down the middle.
His footwork also quite often sets him up for his favored foot sweep takedowns, a particularly useful tool against orthodox-style fighters. Judging from the numbers, he has a strong handle on the style, as his 58 percent connection rate on significant strikes ranks him in the top 10 in the UFC all-time by FightMetric's count.
He is also a very balanced fighter, firing off punches and kicks in a fairly even ratio. His complexity of attack coupled with his bent-back karate stance never allows his opponent to truly settle in and feel comfortable.
Some of his advantages can be negated by Jones' ability to switch stances. While not much has been made of the fact, Jones is essentially ambidextrous in the cage, routinely moving from southpaw to orthodox and back. Video of Jones' early fights showed that he fought as a right-hander, and his best power punch is a straight right, but he is a natural lefty.
Most fighters will tell you that against top competition, it takes a bit of time to find the rhythm of the fight and their range against any given opponent. When you think about Jones' ridiculous 84.5-inch reach and then you add his ability to switch stances on top of it, it gives his opponents so much information to process, probably too much. Just when you start zeroing in on him, he switches stances and becomes a completely different fighter.
As seems to be the case in every fight, Jones will have a massive advantage in reach, over 10 inches against Machida, who has a 74-inch reach. That, of course, makes Jones very hard to hit.
In fact, though much is made of Machida's elusiveness, you might be surprised to find out that Jones actually avoids more strikes than Machida does. According to FightMetric, opponents trying to hit Jones whiff 67 percent of the time. By comparison, Machida's foes miss 61 percent of their strikes.
One part of the fight that might prove interesting is the clinch game. Jones has showed a mastery of the position, using it to fire off knees, elbows and take his opponents down at will. But Machida has displayed excellent skills there as well, and his balance in the position may negate Jones' ability to overwhelm his foes there.
Both fighters have been murderous on the ground. It's the one place Machida allows his killer instinct out with little regard for his own safety, and Jones is always an elbow or two away from ending things if he has the top position. The question is, who is going to get the top position?
This is the part where we stop with the facts and numbers and I theorize what's going to actually happen. It's hard to know exactly how Jones will look. If you look at his last two fights, for example, against Rua he worked a precision striking game, going to the body quite a bit and obliterating him on the ground. Meanwhile, against Jackson, he turned into a kickboxer and attacked Jackson's lower body and legs with a seemingly endless array of kicks. That ability to offer a new look each time out shows a level of maturity that belies his age (24).
Machida always lets his opponent open up the offense, so he will probably do the same on Saturday. That is never going to be a good idea against Jones. I think he will use the southpaw stance quite a bit against Machida, who hasn't faced a southpaw since beating Vernon "Tiger" White in July 2006.
I think this fight will look more similar to the Jackson fight than the Machida fight. He'll hack away at Machida's legs and body. If Machida wades inside, he'll look to clinch and take him down. Around the middle of the fight, the takedowns will start coming as fatigue sets in. And once it goes to the ground, it's over against him. You may survive there, but you're not going to win there.
Jones seems to scout well and prepare well, so Machida's best bet would be to do something unexpected. Offer more aggression. Look to take him down. Offer him a look he hasn't prepared for. The element of surprise is his best weapon. But Machida has always been calculated and measured, and I don't know if he has that in his constitution. If he doesn't, that's going to be what gets him against Jones.
The champ is well schooled and follows his plan. Even the flashy strikes are within the context of what he's trying to accomplish. Since Machida rarely shows variance, Jones knows what's in front of him. And a knowledgeable Jones is the most dominant force in the game right now. Jones via fourth-round TKO. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, opponent, machida
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseThe Spiritual Jon Jones
Jon Jones' reliance on faith, spirituality and Christ makes him one of the most intriguing fighters in the sport today. He's also one of the best.
Posted in: jon, jone, sport, faith, faith spirituality
Read the full article at Heavy MMAJones and Machida Both Enjoyed ‘Karate Kid’ Video
The internet is always buzzing with a new viral video, but ahead of UFC 140 one of the most creative ones hit the web featuring Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, video, machida, web
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 140 Quick Results
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida quick results on Saturday, Dec. 10, in Toronto. The main event features Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida.
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, vs, machida
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones - What Does He Do For An Encore?
Despite being at the center of a whirlwind 2011 campaign that saw him go from phenom to champion to defending champion in the space of the year, Jon Jones likes to keep things as simple as possible when it comes to his fighting career. There’s no running down the list of contenders, no tape watching of challengers he may fight a year from now. It’s all about what’s right in front of him – now.“I watch the fights, especially if there are top contenders involved, but as far as really studying them or being obsessed with them or anything like that, I just take them as they come and I just focus on the one I’m fighting next,” said Jones, who’s upcoming opponent, Lyoto Machida, may be the only fighter out there to break that mold.See, the former 205-pound titlist has been attached to Jones for longer than the time it took to announce their UFC 140 main event this Saturday night in Toronto. And Machida might not even know it, but Jones certainly does. “I remember it vividly.”It was Machida the champion who Jones was asked about by a USA Today reporter in June of 2009, and when the New Yorker replied that the Brazilian was “very beatable,” he got caught in a storm of criticism considering that he was only two fights into his UFC career and here he was, talking about the champion of the division.Little attention was paid to the fact that Jones was the one asked about Machida, and that he later explained that “a great Muay Thai champion” would be the one to beat Machida.“It started me off with a big group of haters because they were like ‘who’s this kid to be talking about Lyoto Machida?’” recalled Jones. “’ That was my first controversy of my career where people lashed out at me for what I said. But it was something I felt that was true, and my prediction was a hundred percent correct – “Shogun” (Rua) was that great Muay Thai fighter.”The backlash was a taste of what Jones would get in the aftermath of his March 2011 win over Rua, and that’s usually how it goes for young, gifted, and charismatic athletes like the 24-year old, who has nonetheless taken the negativity with grace and a smile. And as soon as he defended his title for the first time with a fourth round submission win over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in September, the critics began to fade into the background. Even Jackson gave the champion his just due in a post-fight interview, something that made the fight a win on a number of levels.“It meant a lot to me,” said Jones of Jackson’s post-fight praise. “But the way I look at Rampage means more. He was so gracious, and he totally earned my respect. He made me a huge fan.”More importantly though, the win let Jones know that he is on the right track as a fighter and champion.“That fight really just helped me to believe even more in my abilities, that nothing’s been a fluke, and that our hard work is truly paying off in the Octagon,” he said. “That’s what I believed the whole time, even when I had no right to believe, and I’m really starting to believe now and getting even more comfortable in my own skin, more comfortable with my skill set, and trusting in it.”The statement of Jones believing when he “had no right to believe” is a telling one, mainly because it shows you how a fighter must think if he’s going to do anything in this sport. You may not blurt it out to the world, but if you want to make it, you have to believe, even against all odds. Jones, despite his status as a junior college national wrestling champion, had no other significant fighting credentials when he entered the UFC for the first time in 2008 against Andre Gusmao, and he’s even admitted to learning some of his early striking moves off youtube.com videos. So what gets you by in situations like that, in addition to natural talent? Guts, smarts, and belief.“I just realized how cold the world can be, and this is a world with very little mercy,” said Jones. “You gotta go out there and make something of yourself, believe in yourself, and trust in your own abilities, or else the world will pass you by. There’s a quote that says ‘you might as well be happy, because nobody cares if you’re miserable,’ and it’s kind of the same way in MMA. You gotta believe in yourself because the odds are always against you.”Not anymore. In fact, as Jones encounters Machida, he is the favorite and no longer the hunter, but the hunted. He kinda likes it though.“I’m definitely very comfortable with it,” he said. “Where they can all watch and try to come up with a strategy for what they need to do, I’m watching the one that’s in front of me and becoming obsessed with his style and everything about that guy. I think that target being on my back is only gonna force me to become better.”As for Machida, Jones says, “I don’t think he’s adjusted his game too much. The thing about karate is that it’s strict on form and strict on repetition and a way of thinking, and he’s been doing it for so many years that it’s in his hard drive to fight a certain way. No matter who he fights against, it’s nearly impossible for him to try to truly change his style for a certain fighter. I guess he can become better at wrestling or learn some more skills of Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu, but he’s a karate fighter because that’s his life. It’s almost impossible to change a fighter who’s been fighting his whole life a certain way. The Lyoto Machida that fought Shogun, the Lyoto Machida that lost to Rampage, the great Lyoto Machida that originally came to the UFC, I’ve been studying his fights repeatedly, and it’s the same exact thing. There’s not that much unpredictability once you really break him down and study to see what he’s doing.”If you were anyone else but Lyoto Machida, this would be the right time to hit the panic button, because it’s the moment you realize that as good as young Jon Jones has proven to be thus far in his career, he’s also studied your every move in order to knock you out or submit you. That’s scary, but it’s also something Machida has done to his opponents in the past. On Saturday, we’ll find out who has done their final homework assignment of 2011 the best.Jones is betting he’s the one. And he hasn’t been wrong yet.
Posted in: fight, jone, fighter, champion, machida
Read the full article at UFCBehind the UFC 140 numbers: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida fight complete statistical breakdown
This Saturday night (Dec. 10, 2011), reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones will defend his belt against Shotokan Karate specialist Lyoto Machida as UFC 140 invades the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada.
The fight will be Jones' second title defense. It will also be his fourth fight in the 2011.
Originally, "Bones" was supposed to square off against former training partner and current nemesis Rashad Evans. However, after a hand injury sidelined "Suga," keeping him off the UFC 140 fight card, Machida was more than willing to step in and take another stab at getting his 205-pound belt back.
Mixed martial arts (MMA) fights don't happen on paper -- they happen in the cage. With that said, if you're looking to make any wagers on this massive headlining bout, it's best to go in knowing exactly what you're working with.
Let's get it on!
Jones and Machida have both fought the following common opponents:
-- "Rampage" Quinton Jackson-- "Shogun" Mauricio Rua-- Stephan Bonnar
Against these shared competitors, Machida holds a record of 2-2. Jones is a perfect 3-0.
The math wizards over at CompuStrike took the time to analyze nine of Jones' bouts, as well as 11 of Machida's. And they were decent enough to share their findings with us, which we are now passing on to you to digest.
Don't say we never gave you anything.
Striking is a big part of both fighters' arsenals. Let's examine who the stats reveal should hold the bigger overall striking advantage:
Total Strikes:
Jones -- 47 of 86Machida -- 51 of 82Percentage:
Jones -- 55%Machida -- 62%
Total Power Strikes Landed:
Jones -- 31Machida -- 34
Total Non-Power Strikes Landed:
Jones -- 16Machida -- 17
I don't know about you, but those numbers surprise me. It's certainly not a runaway, but I don't think a lot of people would assume Machida would have the edge in this category.
How about "arm strikes," isolated from the entire picture? Here's what it looks like:
Total Arm Strikes Landed:
Jones -- 10 of 31Machida -- 14 of 31
Percentage of Arm Strikes Landed:
Jones -- 32%Machida -- 45%
Power Strikes Landed:
Jones -- 7Machida -- 9
Non-Power Strikes Landed
Jones -- 3Machida -- 5
The numbers reveal that "The Dragon" has been a bit more accurate in his fights than has the champion. We've seen what Machida can do with his kicks. Just ask Randy Couture.
Jones is known using vicious knees. Just ask pretty much everyone he's ever fought.
But, which of the two have been more successful with their arsenal of leg strikes? Let's dig in:
Total Leg Strikes Landed:
Jones -- 17 of 26Machida -- 18 of 25Percentage of Leg Strikes Landed:
Jones -- 65%Machida -- 72%Power Leg Strikes Landed:
Jones -- 9Machida -- 11Non-Power Leg Strikes Landed:
Jones -- 8Machida -- 7
Again, Machida is in the lead almost entirely across the board.
Finally, unless this fight ends quickly, we will probably see some element of the ground game of each fighter. In this scenario, who comes out on top?
Ground Strikes Landed:
Jones -- 20 of 29Machida -- 19 of 26Percentage:
Jones -- 69%Machida -- 73%Power Ground Strikes Landed:
Jones -- 15Machida -- 14
Non-Power Ground Strikes Landed:
Jones -- 5Machida -- 5
Takedowns:
Jones -- 24 of 30 for 80%Machida -- 13 of 15 for 87%Submission Attempts:
Jones -- 5Machida -- 8Dominant Positions:
Jones -- 16Machida -- 26
As you can see, Machida holds the statistical advantage in every major category.
Ultimately, the numbers fly out the window when the cage door closes and the actual combat begins. However, it does help to look at the fighters' tendencies and past history in regard to making decisions about the future.
Are you swayed at all? Do Machida's mathematical advantages make a difference to you or will he be just become another notch on Jones' belt?
Comments, please.
Posted in: fight, jone, strike, machida, arm strikes
Read the full article at MMA ManiaLyoto Machida: The Mystery May Be Gone, But is There Still Room for Romance?
The words "welcome to the Machida Era" uttered by Joe Rogan May 23rd, 2009 at UFC 98 are a well worn punchline at this point. But it wasn't always so funny. Who wasn't entranced by Lyoto Machida's unique style? Who didn't find his methods intoxicating?
Sure, Machida had his critics. But it certainly seemed like his win over Rashad Evans had ushered in a new 'era'. Nobody was gonna figure out his unique style. Machida was more Fermat's Last Theorem than a Rubik's Cube. But with two official losses behind him (many would argue three), the mystery is gone: the scrutiny of his skills resigned to the equivalent of a Ninja Turtle arcade game.
But is that to say he has nothing to offer Jon Jones this weekend at UFC 140? You would think so. I think it's fair to say there are not many people who think Machida stands a good chance. And why should they? Jones just obliterated Quinton Jackson and Mauricio Rua: the only two guys to beat Machida.
You're not gonna see me laying down money on Machida. But I do think, that on paper, Machida is an interesting opponent. Against Jackson, Jones had to deal with Quinton's lunging combinations. Against Rua, Jones had to deal with whether or not he'd break his hands on Shogun's face. But I wonder, for devil's advocate sake, if Jones' own style of intoxicating violence hasn't deluded us into thinking he too, is invincible?
Jones is a world class fighter, and his potential to dominate LHW is something I find difficult to question. But he's still young. His boxing still leaves a bit to be desired, and he maintains range with just his feet. He does these well, be he's done them well against opponents who either only knew how to come forward, or who stayed in range.
I don't think Machida lends himself to these descriptions: he's a counter puncher, but he moves forward, and he gets out fast. In addition, if Jones does have success taking down Machida, expect it to be limited. Jones is not a double leg wrestler, and typically scores his takedowns from the clinch. Machida happens to thrive in the clinch, and his sumo background, while atypical, has aided him immensely.
While Dallas Winston will no doubt break this fight down far better than I ever will, the old cliche is worth repeating: styles make fights. Machida only ever took a stupid breath in his second fight with Rua at UFC 113: watching that fight recently I was struck by how aggressive Machida was early on. When he gets caught, it's while he's lunging in for a left: something highly uncharacteristic of a fighter typically heralded for his ability to maintain distance.
I don't expect Machida to make that same mistake, and he hasn't, despite the controversial loss to Quinton Jackson. The talking point when it comes to Jones often centers around his maturity. Jones can be disagreeable, and the Evans fiasco inflamed that perception.
But what I find interesting about this fight is that Machida will, I think, reveal much about Jones' maturity in the cage. The perception of Machida may not be what it once was, but that's not to say he should be taken any less seriously. Every opponent who beat Machida had to tweak bits of their game: Shogun was never more measured, or calculated with his striking than in their first match (I'd argue it was the best Shogun has ever looked, Pride days included), and Quinton fought with a real gameplan in successfully pressuring Machida (to the extent that he was successful).
Fighting Machida requires at least some adjustment. And so it's at least moderately shocking that he's flown so low under the media radar. I don't think he'll win. But I do think Jones can look vulnerable if he ignores whatever adjustments Machida will force him to make. Less Modern English, and more Talking Heads, Machida is no one hit wonder. Jones would do well to remember that.
Poll
Is Lyoto Machida a legitimate threat to Jon Jones?
Yes. Jones is still raw on the feet, and Machida will exploit that.
No. Machida will never close the distance.
2 votes | Results
Posted in: fight, jone, quinton, machida, he
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones motivated by cementing legacy, conquering challenges
As a 14-1 as a Mixed Martial Artist who has dominated some of the sport’s top stars without ever breaking much of a sweat and whose only loss was essentially the result of beating an opponent up too badly, as Jon Jones is, it might be understandable for there to be a dip in drive. However, Jones is anything but your average fighter and regardless of how successful he’s been the desire to head to the gym and keep evolving is still as strong now as it’s ever been.
The 24-year old, who defends his light heavyweight title against Lyoto Machida this weekend at UFC 140, spoke some about what motivates him to and remained remarkably humble in his comments.
“Yeah, it’s exciting to watch me fight because I have a cool style but outside of that, I really haven’t done anything.. I haven’t even gotten a knockout in the UFC yet. This is something that Anderson Silva gets every other fight,” said Jones in an interview with Newsday. “So that’s what keeps me on the prowl, realizing that if I was to leave tomorrow, I probably wouldn’t be remembered in the sport.”
“Bones” is also pushed to excel by his understanding of the sport he’s involved in and what his opponents are capable of.
“Once you get to that certain level, they’re all monsters, and they all present very different challenges that I’ve never seen before,” Jones began. “That’s what makes me smile. I don’t look at them as a problem but a new challenge to rise up to. That’s why it’s a game. That’s why I love it. I’m trying to conquer something new I haven’t done before. That’s what wakes me up in the morning.”
“It’s definitely safe to say Machida presents different challenges, different angles,” he continued. “Lyoto Machida is a southpaw, throws straighter punches, faster high-kicks. He’s elusive, and maybe sharper at evading getting touched.”
With such a centered it’s likely going to be a long decade for light heavyweights as Jones appears to have no interest in changing things up now. Fans can watch him fight Machida on the UFC 140 PPV when it fires up at 9:00 PM EST.
Full Highlights from Thursday’s UFC 140 Press Conference
Other bouts on the card include Chan Sung Jung vs. Mark Hominick, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Tito Ortiz, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, challenge, machida
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC 140: Jon Jones admits he's not invincible, doesn't really know anything about MMA
At the young age of 24, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones is on a vision quest to become one of the (if not the) most dominant champion in the promotion's history. That's quite a tall task, given the fact that his mixed martial arts (MMA) predecessors have had very impressive runs in the past.
Tito Ortiz defended his 205-pound title a record five times, while Chuck Liddell and Matt Hughes have each had some of the most impressive championship reigns during their respective tenures as UFC light heavyweight and welterweight champions.
Today, Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva currently are riding two of the most impressive championship runs in the history of the UFC. "Rush" has defended his 170-pound title six consecutive times, while "The Spider" undoubtedly has the greatest championship success ever, defending his 185-pound belt a record-breaking nine times.
With one title defense under his belt, Jones has his work cut out for him if he ever wants to be mentioned in the same sentence as the aforementioned greats to ever compete in the sport. Consecutive wins over two former light heavyweight champions in Mauricio Rua and Quinton Jackson are a good start.
And one major advantage that "Bones" has going for him is youth. He has time to slowly but surely build an impressive streak much like the champions of yesteryear and present day. However, with youth comes inexperience, and with inexperience comes lack of knowledge. And according to Jones, he really doesn't know anything when it comes to MMA.
Read the young champion's explanation at today's UFC 140 press conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, after the jump:
"I think to start, the reason why I know I'm not invincible is because I have seen lots of people do great and then they end up losing you know. I want that to never happen to me, so I stay on the prowl and I always work hard. The biggest part is training with Greg Jackson and Jackson's mixed martial arts center. I am surrounded by some of the top talent in the world. You guys just saw Diego Brandao and Jon Dodson win The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) and those are just the little guys. Our whole team is stacked with studs; Cowboy, Carlos Condit, Diego Sanchez, Andrei Arlovski, Travis Browne, Keith Jardine and myself, there is so many of us that I can't' even name us all, Cub Swanson. I can keep going. I am four years into my MMA (mixed martial arts) career and there is so much that I don't know. Jiu-Jitsu is a whole culture, Tae Kwon Do is a whole culture, Muay-Thai is a whole culture, boxing, the sweet science, I'm not even close to that yet. There is so much that I don't know and there is so much stuff that my teammates are way better than me at. I just happen to be one of the better ones at merging them all together, but I have teammates that are so much farther ahead at different disciplines and that is what keeps me aware of the fact that I don't really know anything. A lot of times people will come in and see me do pads and they will be like, "Wow his pad work isn't really that nice." Well, that's because there are better kick boxers on my team, and there is way better everything on my team. Being around Jacksons MMA makes me realize that I am good at mixing it all together, but I am not the best at any discipline."
Jones has a chance to wrap up an impressive year by defeating another former UFC light heavyweight champion in Lyoto Machida when the two meet this weekend (Dec. 10, 2011) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at UFC 140.
In the process, he will have the chance to be the first UFC light heavyweight champion in the past five years to defend the division title more than once. The last person to do it was Chuck Liddell way back in 2006, when he defended his belt four consecutive times.
The always growing and still inexperienced Jones feels there is still tons of room for improvement in his ever expanding repertoire if mixed martial arts skills.
Which begs the question:
If Jon Jones is this good now, how great will he be five years from now? And does he have the potential to have the greatest championship era when it's all said and done?
Posted in: ufc, time, jone, champion, championship
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones: UFC 140 Pre Fight Press Conference
Jon Jones is set to defend his UFC light heavyweight title for the 2nd consecutive time, and his 4th fight overall in 2011.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jon, jone, pre
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyBrydon on MMA: The genuine article
Jon Jones is a big studier of himself and feels that's the key to his success.
Posted in: jone, brydon, article, that, success
Read the full article at sportsnet.caJon Jones vs Lyoto Machida staredown pic from UFC 140 press conference
We're just days away from UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida," which is all set to pop off from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, this Sat., Dec. 10, 2011, live on pay-per-view.
That means pre-fight activities are well underway, with open workouts going down yesterday and tomorrow holding the official weigh-in event. Today, though, was the pre-fight press conference.
After fielding questions on each of their upcoming fights, all six of the top competitors on the card did the staredown thing, dressed fresh to impress.
In the main event, Jon Jones defends his light heavyweight title against former champion Lyoto Machida. The co-main will see the long awaited rematch pitting Frank Mir against a healthy Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria and the co-co-main will see Tito Ortiz take on Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
More staredowns in suits after the jump. For complete UFC 140 press conference quotes and notes click here.
"You don't mind if I take a nap, do you?"
Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
I always feel like ... somebody's watching me.
Posted in: jone, vs, dont mind, staredown thing, antonio
Read the full article at MMA ManiaMalki Kawa Discusses Condit vs. Nick Diaz, Jon Jones’ Hype and More
Manager Malki Kawa discusses his client Carlos Condit being placed back in a UFC title fight after GSP's injury, Jon Jones facing Lyoto Machida and more.
Posted in: jone, condit, lyoto machida, kawa, malki kawa
Read the full article at Heavy MMAVideo: UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Pre-Fight Press Conference
This Saturday is UFC 140: Jones vs Machida in Toronto, Canada. As they do with every event, the UFC is holding a pre-fight press conference for fans and media this morning. The presser will be the final media appearance for the fighters before the weigh-ins tomorrow afternoon.
It will be Jon Jones' second title defense, a feat that hasn't occurred since Chuck Liddell held the light heavyweight belt. Since Liddell only Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida have recorded a title defense. Many fans consider Machida to be the only many in the division to challenge Jones due to his unorthodox style. The last time Lyoto fought was in Toronto against Randy Couture.
In the co-headlining position, Frank Mir faces Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera for the second time in his career. Mir was the first man to stop Big Nog by TKO but after the fight it was discovered that Antonio entered the night with a slew of injuries. Since then there's always been the question of "Could Frank finish a healthy Noguiera?"
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: ufc, jone, quinton jackson, title defense, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140 Betting Odds: Jon Jones is the Huge Favorite to Beat Lyoto Machida
The way the MMA odds breakers are laying out the Jones vs Machida betting lines may seem almost ridiculous to some. For example, BetDSI Sportsbook places Jones as the betting favorite by a difference of 150! Check out the UFC 140 betting odds below: LYOTO MACHIDA PK+375 JON JONES PK-525 There is no doubt that [...]
Posted in: jon, jone, odd, lyoto machida, machida
Read the full article at Fighthub TVIs Jon Jones 'The Most Awesomest Dude of 2011?'
Is Jon Jones "The Most Awesomest Dude of 2011?'
That's up to you, the fans, to decide by voting in the new ESPN SportsNation poll. If "Bones" is going to take the top prize, he first has to get past the millions (and millions) of "Rock" fans from the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) universe in the opening bracket.
Jones captured the UFC light heavyweight championship by putting the smackdown on Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 earlier this year and could end his 2011 fight campaign with a win over Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 this Saturday night (Dec. 10) on pay-per-view from the Air Canada Center in Toronto.
Those wins, coupled with his destruction of both Ryan Bader and Quinton Jackson, would give Jones four wins this year, which is unquestionably "awesome" when you consider his level of opposition. But is it awesome enough to overcome the "People's Champion," Dwayne Johnson, who holds crossover appeal in Hollywood?
Find out by voting here.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, quinton jackson, awesomest dude, crossover appeal
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Weigh-In Video and Results (Friday, 4PM EST)
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida participants will step on the scales at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, as part of the official weigh-in procedure for this Saturday's fight card. The event will be headlined by the UFC Light Heavyweight title collision between the reigning champion Jon Jones and former champion Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida, while Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira go toe-to-toe in a rematch from UFC 92.
Also on the card, Tito Ortiz returns to action against Big Nog's brother,
Posted in: ufc, jone, dragon machida, champion lyoto, toronto ontario
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, Frank Mir vs. Big Nog Countdown (Full Video)
UFC 140 will take place this weekend, headlined by the UFC Light Heavyweight title clash between the reigning champion Jon "Bones" Jones and Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida. Former UFC Heavyweight champion Frank Mir will rematch the PRIDE legend Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira in the co-main event of the night.
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida will take place at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Don't forget to submit your picks for the
Posted in: ufc, jone, comain event, dragon machida, nog countdown
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones Doesn't Envy Lyoto Machida's Tough Task, and He's Not Alone
Filed under: UFCTORONTO -- Jon Jones strolled into Wednesday's open workouts with the look of a man who knew he was walking into his own surprise birthday party. He smiled and bowed his head at all the attention, as if somehow shocked by how many people had filled the sturdy little bomb shelter of a gym, but he knew this was coming. He knew he'd be the main attraction, and he didn't mind one bit.
And why shouldn't it be this way? Just a few days away from his second light heavyweight title defense -- this time against Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 -- few are expecting anything other than another demonstration of Jones' physical and technical superiority.
"I think it's a rough fight for Machida, to be honest with you," said fellow UFC 140 main card fighter Frank Mir.
"Is [Machida] capable [of beating Jones]? Of course he's capable, 100 percent," said former Machida foe Tito Ortiz. "Will he do it? I don't think so. I think Jon Jones is on a roll. His confidence is through the roof. He feels untouchable."
Maybe that's because, at least thus far in his three-and-a-half-year stay in the UFC, Jones has been almost literally untouchable. Forget tested, Jones hasn't even been effectively pressured by any opponent yet. Not as an up-and-comer in this sport, and not as the UFC champion.
That helps to explain why Jones seems to be feeling so good this week. If the pressure of holding a UFC title has gotten to him in the least, you sure wouldn't know it. He laughed and joked with reporters on Wednesday, calmly swinging his long arms as he explained why he -- and probably a lot of other light heavyweights, if we're being honest -- wouldn't want to be Machida this week.
"That's a question I get a lot is, how crazy is it to prepare for Lyoto? But I truly think, how crazy is it to prepare for me?" said Jones. "I'm a big studier of myself, and I realize I do a lot of things people don't do -- flying knees, spinning attacks, and southpaw and just efficient orthodox -- I'm sure he's confused."
To Jones detractors, it might sound like arrogance. To Jones fans, hard-earned confidence. To anyone who's been paying attention lately, it probably just sounds like the truth, whether you like it or not.
For Machida, who will give up about three inches in height and a little over ten inches of reach, it's hard to see how he beats MMA's wunderkind. Maybe the old Machida, the one from "the Machida era," back when the combat sports world thought he was some kind of god of fancy footwork who couldn't be hit, let alone beaten. But now? Now he's a mere mortal. Now he's been knocked out by "Shogun" Rua and out-pointed (barely) by "Rampage" Jackson, both of whom Jones has stopped in the past year.
Don't think the champ hasn't made that connection, either.
"Everyone keeps asking me, how are you going to solve Lyoto Machida's puzzle?" he said. "But it's been solved already, you know what I mean? I have blueprints, and I really think I have more technique than he does, more skills, more tools."
Not that absolutely everyone is picking Jones, mind you. The other Brazilians on the main card -- the Nogueira brothers -- both said they liked Machida's chances. But then, what else are they going to say? Their endorsements are only one remove from Machida picking himself to win, such as when he was asked, via the softest of all softball questions, whether he thought Jones' reach or his own elusive movement would be the more important factor in Saturday's title fight. You can probably guess which side Machida came down on.
For Jones, these high expectations and assumptions of dominance come at a price. Machida merely needs to win; Jones needs to perform. He needs to put on a show that's better than the last, just to live up to the hype that is far beyond his control at this point. He's the light heavyweight who everyone else is looking at. He's the star who all the others snipe at from afar, and he knows it.
"I'm sure there are a lot of fighters who want to beat me, but they have to wait their turn," Jones said. "I don't really feel like there's a target, because the guy who's targeting me, I'm shooting right back at him. I don't look at it like me versus the division. It's just me versus one at a time, just like it is for everyone else, really."
And sure it is, at least once they finally get in the cage together. It's only everyone else where things are completely different. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, jone, machida, he, i dont
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC Quick Quote: Jon Jones already has blueprints to defeat Lyoto Machida
"It's interesting because everyone keeps asking me, 'how are you going to solve Lyoto Machida's puzzle?' But it's been solved already. I have blueprints. I really think I have more technique than he does, more skills, more tools. I can fight southpaw and do the same exact techniques and combos that I can do in an orthodox stance. That's something that he can't do. I have a really solid ground game. I have a third degree black belt in wrestling, even though that's not possible. I'm a strong wrestler. I really feel as if I'm the one that he should be worried about."
-- Tip: If you get the chance to ask UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones a question before this Sat., Dec. 10, 2011, don't ask him how he'll solve the Lyoto Machida puzzle. Because that's already been done, you see, by Mauricio Rua, who obliterated "The Dragon" back at UFC 113 in May 2010. Jones, of course, won the 205-pound strap by destroying "Shogun." MMA math notwithstanding, "Bones" need look no further "Machida vs. Shogun" to see exactly what it is he needs to do to defeat the crafty Brazilian. Hell, even Quinton Jackson took a split decision from the Karate king. "Rampage," of course, was Jones' first light heavyweight title defense. Does this all add up to another successful trip to the Octagon for the youngest champion in UFC history this weekend in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at UFC 140? Or are we headed right back for the "Machida Era?" Opinions, please.
Posted in: ufc, jone, machida, lyoto, that
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 Pre-FIght Press Conference: Jones and Machida go face-to-face
UFC 140 entertainers shared their thoughts ahead of this weekend's action. The press conference featured Jon Jones, Lyoto Machida, Frank Mir, Nogueira brothers, and the newly-branded "The People's Champ" Tito Ortiz. UFC President Dana White hosted the press conference, answering on questions from fans and the media.
Here are some of the best quotes from the press conference, for more, please visit MMAMania.com.
Dana White: Jon Jones wants to take some time off after this fight. He's fought four times this
Posted in: ufc, jone, press conference, conference, press
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 140 ‘Jones vs. Machida’ Open Workout Highlights
Highlights from the UFC 140 open workout via MMA Fighting.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, workout, machida
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 140 ‘Jones vs. Machida’ Pre-Fight Interviews: Machida, Big Nog, Mir, Lil Nog, Kawa
MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani caught up with Lyoto Machida, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Frank Mir, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Jon Jones’ manager Malki Kawa to talk about the fights this Saturday.
Posted in: jone, mir, machida, kawa, nog
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJones an ever-evolving fighter and man
To see him fight is to be inspired. To listen to others talk about
him is to feel his dedication. To know he's the champion is to
understand how it all comes together.
But to hear Jon Jones tell it, none of that amounts to much.Read Full Article
Posted in: jone, jon jones, none, everevolving fighter, muchread
Read the full article at UFCUFC 140 - Let's Be Frank
For years fighters tried in vain to solve the Lyoto Machida puzzle. Now it is Machida’s turn to try and solve his own puzzle – 205-pound wunderkind Jon Jones. This fight is a prime example of how quickly a fighter’s stock can soar or sour in the eyes of pundits and fans (Jones’ career doing the soaring and Machida’s doing the souring, relatively speaking of course). It is educational that Machida enters this contest as a heavy underdog. Only two years ago the real-life Karate Kid was UFC champ and unbeaten. People were raving about “The Machida Era” – and I didn’t object. Only the experts who had christened Machida were quickly dispelled. After a 16-0 start, the fight game’s most perplexing riddle dropped two of his past three bouts (to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson). So you don’t have to spend much time scratching your head about why Machida enters the UFC 140 title matchup as a sizable underdog (though not nearly as big an underdog as Matt Serra was four years ago when he knocked out Georges St-Pierre and won the welterweight world title). Jones – already crowned 2011 Fighter of the Year at the World MMA Awards - now represents an aura of untouchability and unstoppability that Machida himself exuded not too long ago. Jones is 14-1, though that single blemish is incredibly misleading (his lone loss came via disqualification for illegal elbows in a bout that saw Jones manhandling Matt Hamill. It was a beatdown so memorable it had the power to send shudders through future opponents, making them think twice about signing on to fight Jon Jones). Jones, a New York native, has never come close to losing a fight and has never encountered even so much as a three-second slice of a fight that didn’t feature him essentially toying with his prey. In one regard, Jones’ domination reminds me of Mike Tyson before his 21st birthday: The only suspense that arises in a Jon Jones fight involves how long the other guy can survive. “Who wants it more?” and “Who’s going to win?” are NOT questions you asked yourself while watching Tyson in his short-lived prime. And they are not questions you ask yourself during a Jon Jones fight. And yet, mindful of the landmines that lurk when you underestimate an opponent, Jones has called Machida his most dangerous foe to date. I don’t think it’s lip-service; I think the champ is sincere – and he’s absolutely right. A UFC.com online poll was recently conducted which asked visitors, “How long will Jon Jones reign as champ?” The results surprised me. 31% said at least another year. 15% said at least three more years. 11% said at least five more years. 43% of voters picked Machida to dethrone Jones this Saturday in Toronto. Now, the polls are not scientifically conducted here, meaning one person with a computer could vote 10 times if they wanted to (not the case with a scientific poll). And I suspect that the raging nationalism and loyalty of Brazilian fans is pushing the needle a lot. But perhaps fans are also acknowledging that Machida is probably the only man in the 205-pound division who can match Jones’ unorthodox tendencies with his own equally unorthodox tendencies. Unorthodox usually means unpredictable, and unpredictable means the chances of “anything can happen” shoot way up. Make no mistake, these are the two kings of unorthodox in the UFC. An esteemed colleague of mine, Jon Anik, also conducted an informal survey among his 25,000 or so fans on Twitter. Anik posed the question: Who is the 205er best equipped to beat Jon Jones? The responses: Rashad Evans (34%); Lyoto Machida (24%); Dan Henderson (20%); Phil Davis (16%), etc…And hey, just for some extra ammunition in Lyoto’s favor, Machida and Jones were pitted against each other on the UFC Undisputed 3 video game. The results: Jones triumphed 18 times, Machida won 7. But, as Chael Sonnen would say, “we’re going to find out” who the better man is. Titles aren’t won or defended on paper, or by reporter debates, or online fan posts, or polls, or video games. Lest we forget, Rashad Evans is one heck of a fighter. 21 wins. And the only man to beat Rashad Evans is …. Lyoto Machida. So Machida, a former UFC champ, has been here before. He knows what it feels like to hold the UFC light heavyweight title, which, if ever there was a hot potato among UFC belts, the 205-pound belt is it. I’m very much looking forward to this fight. And it wouldn’t surprise me to see Machida pull the upset. But my guess is that the challenger must come into the Octagon with a few new surprises, something nobody has ever seen before (something like the front kick that TKO’d Randy Couture in his last fight, knocking out a front tooth). It will take some new tricks to overcome the superior athleticism of Jones and his massive reach advantage (Jones’ wingspan is a whopping 84.5 inches versus 74” for Lyoto. And that reach advantage is obviously key for Jones because it allows him to be in range to hit and kick – without being in range to be hit and kicked by the other guy). MIR VS. BIG NOGBoth of these guys, both victims of serious accidents involving motor vehicles, are lucky to be alive, let alone sharing the co-main event at UFC 140. I’ve got to say that I have seen a lot of super-tough guys in this sport – Wanderlei Silva, Frankie Edgar, Donald Cerrone and BJ Penn jump to mind – but Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira is the pinnacle of toughness. He is the Gold Standard, the Bushido code personified. I’ve never seen a man time and again endure more pain and suffering and exhaustion in the pursuit of victory than the 35-year-old Brazilian. A black belt in judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Big Nog is unquestionably one of the great heavyweights in history, but there are lingering questions about whether all of those wars have taken their toll. His chin is granite no longer, as Cain Velasquez demonstrated, as Frank Mir proved during his first go-round with Nogueira three years ago. I must confess, I never saw Mir beating Nogueira. I had presumed it was a bad stylistic matchup for him, presumed that if they fought 10 times, Big Nog might win all 10 of ‘em. In my mind … the better standup: Big Nog. The better ground game: Big Nog. Who wants it more: Big Nog. So I stood inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena that night literally shocked as Mir abused Big Nog, put on a boxing clinic and floored Nogueira three times. I ran into Mir a week or so later and told him to his face that I was stunned that he not only beat Big Nog, but did it in such convincing fashion. “No disrespect, I like you Frank, but I didn’t see you winning.” Mir was 260 pounds; I weigh 146 on a good day. This was actually my first ever meeting with Mir (before either of us would start training Brazilian jiu-jitsu under renowned black belt Robert Drysdale). So I’m standing there alone talking with Mir and being probably a lot more candid than I should (a bad habit of mine). “Before this fight I questioned your heart, I questioned your cardio, I questioned how much you wanted it,” I told him. “I thought you were a little bit lazy in the gym. Very skilled and talented, but a little lazy as fighters go.” I had thought of Mir as many had, particularly after the 2004 motorcycle accident that broke his femur and threatened his career. And I told him what I thought, and congratulated him for making a complete and utter liar out of me and many others. The way Mir responded spoke volumes about him. He just looked me in the eye, let me have my say, and even shared some of the techniques such as that uppercut/jab hybrid that came at a weird angle and kept rocking Big Nog. He was a gentleman the entire time, never raising his voice, never becoming defensive. I’ve spoken with Frank Mir many times since then, not always in agreement on issues, and I’ve been impressed by how thick-skinned he is to the criticisms that every fighter must endure. Mir is a very confident man, a nimble heavyweight who thinks like a lightweight, who can pull off moves most heavyweights wouldn’t dare try. And I must say, the big guy has come a long way in the gym and it shows because now he can fight three rounds hard. I learned my lesson never to count him out. In addition to being a wordsmith, Mir is a technician, and if his wrestling continues to improve, as it has, the 32-year-old BJJ black belt is going to really be able to keep opponents guessing.I was one of the people who thought Mir’s win over Nogueira may have been a fluke, but I don’t think so any more. Mir is just that good. Big Nog has only fought three times in the past three years, but says he feels rejuvenated after three surgeries. The win over Brendan Schaub was one of those turn-back-the-clock moments for Nog and he’s going to have revenge on his mind Saturday in Toronto. He thinks it was a staph infection that weakened him against Mir. That’s what makes this rematch so intriguing. Fluke or Trend? We'll find out Saturday.
Posted in: fight, jone, mir, machida, nog
Read the full article at UFCUFC 140: The Star-Power of Jon "Bones" Jones
Despite Jon Jones continued dominance of the UFC Light Heavyweight Division, the champion does not suffer from lack of criticism. Across the blogosphere, fan complaints and analyst speculation has abound concerning Jones less-than-warm reception by the UFC fanbase, especially the "hardcores". Additionally, since his emergence as the champion, many have been questioning Jones's ability as a legitimate PPV draw. The question being ignored, however, is: What is a realistic expectation for Jones as a drawing power going in UFC 140?
"Bones" Jones has had three opportunities to perform as a feature of PPV events. First, at UFC 126, Jones and Ryan Bader were highly visible as Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort drew a strong 700k buys. Six weeks later, Jon headlined his first PPV against PRIDE legend Mauricio Rua at UFC 128. With a supporting cast including Mirko "CroCop" Filopovic, the LHW title bout drew 445k buys. Finally, at UFC 135, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson challenged Bones for the title. The co-main event between UFC legend Matt Hughes and notorious heel Josh Koscheck, helped bring in a healthy 475k buys.
These solid, but not above average numbers, have caused many people to conclude that Jon Jones is not a strong draw in his own right, as the buyrates of his PPV's reflect more on the drawing ability of the established draws also appearing on the cards. Simply put: they are correct. At this point in his career, Jones has very little drawing power on his own. However, few people note that it is very early in Jones's career for him to be a serious draw. It is important to remember that all of Jones most important and high profile fights have taken place within the last ten months. That is simply not enough time to build a high caliber draw.
Assuming Jon Jones continues his career success and transcends in to a position of viable star power, he will be among a very small group of peers. As has been previously discussed at length, the UFC has historically had difficulty growing their own superstars. Georges St. Pierre is without a doubt the most successful as the Canadian MMA poster boy. Yet, even he didn't start breaking 500k buys until his first title defense against Matt Serra. And even after that fight, he was often helped by the draws of more established stars like Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, and BJ Penn.
Anderson Silva is, perhaps, the best example of the time it can take for a dominant fighter to truly break out as someone fans will pay $60 to see consistently. Without a doubt, Silva has been one of the most unequaled fighters in UFC history, but it took him until his seventh title bout and 9th UFC fight before he drew more than 500k buys. Even fan favorites like Chuck Liddell and Ortiz didn't hit their drawing peak until UFC 66 in 2006, almost a decade in to each fighter's fighting career.
Going into UFC 140, no one should be expecting Jon Jones to set record breaking PPV numbers. It is far too early in his career to expect him to compete with the likes of GSP or Brock Lesnar, or even Anderson Silva (who only drew a paltry 335k at UFC: Rio II back in August). He is on the right track, though, with destructive wins over established stars like Rampage and Shogun. And with names like Noguiera, Mir, and Ortiz on the UFC 140 lineup, a number in the range of 500k buys should be right on par for the realistic expectations of Jon Jones.
Posted in: ufc, ppv, jon, jone, jon jones
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendUFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Countdown Show Full Video
In case you missed it, here's the full video for the UFC 140 countdown show that features the three main bouts on the card - Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida for the light heavyweight title, Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 2, and Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
Unorthodox athletes who've held UFC gold - see why it's impossible to predict what will happen when current champion Jon Jones takes on Lyoto Machida in the main event of UFC 140.
Check out the next two parts after the jump.
The first time Frank Mir and Minotauro Nogueira fought, Mir TKO'd Big Nog in the second round. Three years later, they're rematching to get back in the heavyweight mix.
Two light-heavyweight legends will step into the Octagon and show they world they've still got the skills that made them stars. Watch as Tito Ortiz and Rogerio Nogueira prepare for UFC 140.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, nogueira, vs
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowFight Day: Jon Jones Pre-Fight Interview
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones discusses his UFC 140 title defense against Lyoto Machida on Saturday night.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, saturday, lyoto machida
Read the full article at Heavy MMAGeorges St. Pierre's Injury Places Extra Importance on Brock Lesnar and Jon Jones' Upcoming Fights
2011 saw a significant dip in the number of overall pay-per-view buys for UFC events. Everything from an over-saturation of events to some significant injuries to top drawing fighters played a part in this.
Today news broke that Georges St. Pierre's ACL was blown and that he'd be out for at least ten months. With St. Pierre representing one of the few stars in the UFC that can reliably draw big PPV numbers, it places an extra emphasis on the rest of the top stars succeeding and the UFC making all the right moves.
We've spent a good amount of time this week talking about Jon Jones and how it appears that he still isn't a huge name in terms of drawing power. I still think that this goes back to a general mishandling of the Rashad Evans situation. Jones needed a true rival to help build up his name and Evans was set to be that man.
After Jones won the title from Mauricio Rua, the fight with Rashad was set and filled with bad blood and the kind of storyline that would have sold and made the winner into a star. Instead, a hand injury forced Jones out and the two men ended up fighting a little over a month apart.
Now, we're about to see the same thing yet again but with Rashad having pulled out and now Jones fighting this Saturday and Rashad fighting at the end of next month.
With St. Pierre out, the UFC needs major fights in 2012 and Evans vs. Jones fits the bill.
That means that Saturday night's title defense for Jones against Lyoto Machida carries a lot of importance. While Machida is a good fighter and a former champion, he lacks the same kind of starpower that Jones may be capable of with the right fights.
And Evans has to do his part in a very tricky Fox fight in January with Phil Davis. I like Evans to win that fight, but Davis isn't an easy out and could bring the whole Jones/Evans thing crashing down. And, I'm sorry, but Jones vs. Davis is not a major fight.
Brock Lesnar, Anderson Silva, Fox's impact on 2012 and more after the jump..
Brock Lesnar remains a superstar even after taking some beatings in his last two fights (one of which he won). If he loses at UFC 141 at the end of the month to Alistair Overeem, it's yet another star down. Lesnar vs. Junior dos Santos can make for a big PPV main event, but dos Santos vs. Overeem will need a strong co-main event or to be put on Fox to avoid a bad buyrate.
Fox is bringing good attention to the UFC but in the wake of a hugely successful debut we've seen a UFC 139 card that did well under 300,000 buys and now a UFC 140 card with Jones that isn't selling well and seems to lack any major buzz.
Fox is in no way a bad thing, but it is not going to serve to be the lone saving factor for a big 2012.
Even the major rematch between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen, one of the few seemingly sure things for 2012, could fall apart if Sonnen loses to Mark Munoz at the January Fox show. In that case Silva would likely get matched up with Michael Bisping, but Bisping has to win on the Fox card as well (vs. Demian Maia).
Basically, 2012's loss of GSP could be the first step in a bad year for the UFC. Jones may beat Machida, Evans may beat Davis, Lesnar may beat Overeem, Sonnen may beat Munoz and Bisping may beat Maia. The UFC should hope so anyway because:
Jon Jones vs. Rashad EvansBrock Lesnar vs. Junior dos SantosAnderson Silva vs. Chael SonnenSilva/Sonnen Winner vs. Michael Bisping
Sure looks like a lot more money than:
Lyoto Machida vs. Phil Davis (or Jon Jones vs. Phil Davis/Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson)Alistair Overeem vs. Junior dos SantosAnderson Silva vs. Mark Munoz
The fate of the UFC's 2012 may all hang in the balance over the next 2 months.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, fox, vs
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJones says he has more tools than Machida
Light-heavyweight champion Jon (Bones) Jones says he has more tools than Machida.
Posted in: jone, champion, machida, lightheavyweight, tool
Read the full article at sportsnet.caJon Jones: Lyoto Machida’s Puzzle Already Solved
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has a tremendous amount of respect for Lyoto Machida ahead of UFC 140, but he still believes he'll pick up his 4th win in 2011 in dominant fashion.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, lyoto machida, machida
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones UFC 140 Open Workout Video
Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, VideosTORONTO -- Watch below as UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones works out in front of the fans and media at Wednesday's open workout at Xtreme Couture in Toronto.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, jone, workout, ufc mma, workout video
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseNo need to wait for UFC 140, check out this simulation of Jones vs. Machida from UFC Undisputed 3
No matter who you are or how old you get, never forget the things people are saying about Jon Bones Jones mirrors what people said about Lyoto Machida back in 2008-2009. The term 'Machida Era' wouldn't exist if it didn't have some sort of merit. For years, no one could develop a method to successfully tag Machida in a fight. He was elusive, sort of like that low-hanging booger residing in the back of your nose. You know it's there, you've exerted all efforts on fishing it out with your finger -- but it's simply impossible to remove. That's Machida, he's snot -- but only in the most positive way imaginable. Never count out a guy that did this to an incredibly tough Rashad Evans. Now that Machida has spent time in Brazil training with King Mo and Anderson Silva, don't be surprised if heads across the country explode in sheer amazement during UFC 140 in Toronto.
However, don't let me convince you who may win in the main event. I'm just human. Let an array of overly complex algorithms and slick graphics dictate how Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida will pan out. THQ has manifested a computer simulation of the bout through UFC Undisputed 3, and it's something you need to see immediately. [Source]
Posted in: ufc, jone, machida, king mo, lowhanging booger
Read the full article at Middle EasyUFC 140 Round Table: Is Jon Jones' Lack Of Star Power to Blame for UFC 140 Not Being Sold Out?
Matthew Roth: Most major UFC cards are sold out weeks prior to the event. Does the fact that UFC 140 isn't sold out yet reflect on Jon Jones' lack of star power or should it be attributed to the UFC's inability to market events on a week's notice? Dallas Winston: I would definitely lean toward the latter and the risk of over-saturating the market with so many events. I'm not sure how much more marketable you can get than Jon Jones: he is virtually undefeated and one of the most creative and charismatic champions in UFC history. Even if you happen to dislike him -- which doesn't really make him any less of an attraction -- he definitely has that "What will he do this time?" factor that generally intrigues the audience.
The core foundation for my enjoyment of breaking down match ups at the granular level was back when UFC and Pride shows were several months apart. This left an enormous window between marquee fights that definitely built more excitement and anticipation. I spent those months watching a ton of film and absorbing myself in all the relevant elements of the match up, then discussing my opinions at length on the internet with others. I found that this process heightened my anticipation for the event dramatically and I'd be counting down the days 'til the show.I'd wager the high frequency and quantity of events is geared towards permeating the market strongly and attracting new fans or luring casual fans farther in, but the drawback is a feeling of almost monotony. I guess, if you take anything you absolutely love as an individual and completely indulge in it about once every week compared to once every month or so, the latter will typically make you savor and appreciate the finer qualities more. This version of "Deep Thoughts" on the human psyche as it relates to UFC buy-rates brought to you shamelessly by Dallas Winston.
Tim Burke: I don't think it's either, really. I think it's the UFC's inability to understand how to market cards in Canada when GSP isn't on them. Not having a Canadian on top is devastating to local ticket sales, especially in a fickle market like Toronto. It certainly doesn't help that the locals see this show as a bit second-rate considering the last one in town was the biggest UFC show of all time.
T.P. Grant: I feel it is a little of both.
Jon Jones is still a rising star, combat sports athletes are at their height of drawing power normally after their decline has started. Casual fans just aren't all that aware of him yet and the UFC hasn't put serious muscle into marketing him yet the way say Cain has gotten.
Also I think we are still in the post-UFC on Fox hang over, so much marketing energy went into that I think things are still getting back to normal with Zuffa.
Additionally Canada card with no GSP just isn't going to do as well, this is something we've seen several times.
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
KJ Gould: Canadian cards can and have done well without GSP, but Toronto strikes me as a different market to Montreal. Not to be disparaging to either, but Montreal strikes me as more of a Fight town, and Toronto as a Sports & Event town. Name value may be more important to Toronto and Jones just hasn't connected with certain fans yet. I think just because you become champion doesn't automatically mean you can carry an event especially in new markets and it might have better served the UFC to develop Jones further on American soil before testing his ability to draw elsewhere.
The UFC's spat with Spike hasn't helped either, but the "weird transitional period" excuse already feels exhausted. Generally speaking too many events too close to each other is a factor, and flooding the market will decrease value no matter the commodity. It's especially true if cards are put on with more frequency featuring fights that have no meaning beyond short term entertainment. Dana White likes to counter the saturation argument with something like "You don't hear people saying there's too much Football", but Stick and Ball sports have seasons, and the leagues people care about involve teams competing to progress to a championship finale. It's pretty rare you'll find teams paired against each other just for the hell of it because it might produce an exciting game. Sports fans almost always want less sizzle and more steak.
David Castillo: Definitely the latter, rather than the former. It's easy for us to see what makes Jon Jones a star: he's talented, exciting, and violent. Plus he's very presentable, hence the appearances on the various talk shows. Media wise, he's diligent, so you'd think he'd slither his way onto GQ by now. The guy just has 'it', even if the MMA media has been hypercritical of just what 'it' means. But on paper, he's a star.
However, I don't think he's had an adequate amount of time for the public to think about him. It was only February of this year that he was choking the hell out of Ryan Bader in a fight many felt was 50/50 at the time. When he fought for the title, it was against a champion who was coming off a year long layoff. His 'exposure' to the masses has been brief. He's established himself as the dominant force in the division in less than a year (with this being his 4th fight of 2011). I'm not sure we can claim Jones "lacks star power", and certainly not by gauging how he draws in an indifferent market like Toronto.
Matthew Roth: Well then what does this say for next year when the UFC is running 34 shows plus however many for Strikeforce?
KJ Gould: It says they better do a better job of pacing their event schedule and make sure the PPV side doesn't have filler fights that have no business being there.
Dallas Winston: Further to KJ's point about seasons and "normal sports" teams progressing toward a goal, I've always thought the UFC direly needs some rough form of rankings or basic establishment of a divisional hierarchy. That's another advantage of hosting a Grand Prix, which they've been clear is not of interest.
Even we, the dedicated hardcore followers, don't always know who will get the next title shot or who's trying to break into the top five or ten of the weight class. I would love to see Rogan and Goldie discuss who the top guys are, their recent history of wins and losses and a graphic or some type of visual with a list of names. I know that the UFC publishing their own rankings could be messy, but it doesn't even have to really be a concrete ranking. It could just be a list they show of who the top guys in the weight class are and where they think they stack up as contenders.That's just been my idea for a long time that might break up the monotony of so many events. For example, anytime a fight is announced as a number one contender bout, it's immediately given a certain luster that makes it seem more important and also carries a storyline and continuity because the winner goes on to fight for the belt.
TP Grant: I agree with you Dallas. It is something I thought was odd when I first crossed over from traditional sports to first watching MMA that there was no rankings, not even a general these guys are contenders put out by the UFC. I think it is something that casual fans could use as to instantly understand who is important and who to watch.
Fraser Coffeen: Agreed about the rankings. What made K-1 so awesome during it's peak years was that there was this system, where the winner of THIS tournament moved on to here, who moved on to here, who then fought in the big Grand Prix. And at the end of every year, you knew definitively who the #1 guy in the world was. Come back K-1!
As for the original question - I think it's a bit early to say, as we may be confusing "lack of ticket sales" with "lack of PPV buys." Questions of burn-out or star power for the mass audience - let's revisit those after the buyrates come in.What I do think is a factor is the UFC in particular, and MMA in general, failing to capitalize on the regionalism that pretty much every other major sport uses as a massive marketing technique. 129 was huge largely because it was GSP fighting in Canada. Look at the great response live to the Rio show. Strikeforce used to get this when they would do great ticket sales business in San Jose with Cung Le and Frank Shamrock at the top. WEC even did a good job with this when they had Faber fighting in Sacramento. I'd like to see the UFC push this idea more.
Example: I live in Chicago, and I see Clay Guida on billboards, Clay Guida on TV ads - why when the UFC returns to Chicago am I not seeing Clay Guida FIGHT?
KJ Gould: UFC could do their own internal 'Power Rankings' based on who's been on a tear and who's been impressive in their run, have it as a fan interactive segment on their website to get their audience more involved (or at least make them feel more involved, which may be all that's needed). Because it's 'Power Rankings' it won't matter that much if it's at odds with independent rankings, as long as some case is made for the UFC's charting - even if it's just promotional fluff, that'd be better than Dana White saying something like "He's the best, end of discussion, I'm right, you're wrong, f**k you".
Fraser Coffeen: I really loved when the UFC used to do that in the early Zuffa days. I remember they would show a top 5 in the division that would even (gasp!) include Pride fighters. They weren't quite as cutthroat to all competition back in those days.
Matthew Roth: I think Jones may be falling into the same trap that Anderson Silva did for years. He's just too dominant of a champion that even legitimate challengers just feel like they're not in his league. The easy in which he defeated Bader, Shogun, and Rampage just makes it a hard sell. It's absurd to say that out loud but without the real chance that he can be defeated entering the fight, it just doesn't make sense to pay for his headlining bouts.
On the other side, it's not even the fact that the media just isn't there on the internet for this card. Based on reader responses, the local media just doesn't care. There's no advertisements. It's a tough sell when the pricing is different from 129 and you lack the Canadian champion at the top.
KJ Gould: The dominance of champions used to be what drove combat sports from a commercial standpoint. It seems pretty strange to think a similar dominance in MMA would turn fans off. The bigger issue is Jones not connecting with the audience. He's trying too hard with his wannabe role model Martial Artiste persona and many fans feel it's contrived. It's like Carlton Banks trying too hard to impress, instead of the Fresh Prince being cool and natural.
Yeah, I decided to squeeze some 90's pop culture in hear, so sue me.
Josh Nason: I'm surprised I haven't read more here about the lack of Machida being seen as a powerful contender. It's not like he's been on the path to this title through a dominant run. I don't think he earned it by any means and the only reason this fight is happening is because the UFC felt like this show needed a true main event. Live gate wise to this point, that doesn't seem to have helped. Dana White said that by far, Toronto is the strongest market they have and this has to shake that a bit.
I look forward to seeing him fight, but it's not like a true "I can't wait until Saturday" anticipation. I'd really like to see him in a tough fight. The greatest athletes are made through battling through adversity and he's just made it look too easy. That can work one of two ways and I don't think it's fully swung in his favor yet. Honestly, it won't until he fights Rashad Evans.
Matthew Roth: That's a good point. I think a lot of Machida's mystique is gone after the knockout against Shogun and losing to Rampage. The crane kick against Couture was awesome but it doesn't make him a top light heavyweight in the same sense that Dan Henderson, Rashad, Evans, and Jon Jones are. And yes, I do realize that Machida beat Rashad. That doesn't change the fact that Rashad is a better 205er than Lyoto. And it really goes back to my point, since Machida doesn't really seem like a legitimate challenge, why should anyone buy the card?
Josh Nason: I think there are some fun fights if you like names. No one is talking about Mir/Nogueira or Ortiz/Nogueira. Mark Hominick gets back on the road to be a contender again. Casual fan-wise, this is the same as a lot of cards recently. It's a dead horse story but they need perceived stars to help move the needle. I think we'll have the same discussion in January when Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes headline a PPV and everyone's like, "Huh?"
TP Grant: I think Dan Henderson is getting overvalued right now as the #2 LHW in the world and I actually think Lyoto is being underplayed. I still consider Lyoto in that elite contender's class of fighters at 205 lbs. I don't ignore his loss to Rampage, but also don't consider it a massive indictment against him either.
Not many complained about Rampage as a contender when his most significant win was in fact that iffy split decision over Lyoto since his 2007 win over Hendo. And Rahsad's biggest enemy is becoming inactivity. Shogun needs a big win or two to warrant a rematch. Holes can be poked in everyone's resume, I have no problem with Lyoto challenging for the belt.
Josh Nason: But what about the "win" over Rua that was really a loss and then, the KO loss to Rua in the rematch? The last time he really impressed was in that title win over Rashad Evans...which was May 2009. Yes, he beat Couture in April but it's not like he was an elite fighter at that point. Perhaps the reason Hendo is being pushed so heavily in circles is because the LHW division needs something extra at the top.
TP Grant: I said I don't ignore Rampage's win, but didn't hold it over him as a indictment of him as an elite fighter. I approached Lyoto/Rua I the same way.
Josh Nason: I'm curious and this may be off-topic: in your opinion, what makes one an elite fighter?
TP Grant: Consistent success, including against proven veteran gatekeepers, well rounded skills, and wins over Top 10 competition.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, event, doesnt
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 2
This weekend, Jon Jones will defend his UFC Light Heavyweight title against Lyoto Machida in the main event of UFC 140. To gear up for this huge title fight, we are looking through the complete career of the young champion. In part 1, we watched Jones's meteoric rise from debuting fighter to exciting UFC prospect.
Now, in part 2, we pick up with the 7-0 Jones taking a big step up in competition, and doing so on the biggest stage of his extremely young career - the PPV card of UFC 94 and the heavily hyped Georges St. Pierre vs. B.J. Penn rematch.
Jon Jones (7-0) vs. Stephan Bonnar (11-4)January 31, 2009 - UFC 94
For a large percentage of fans, this is the fight that introduced Jonny "Bones" Jones, and for good reason. UFC 94 was a major event, featuring the only clash between two reigning UFC champions. Jones's fight would be seen by literally a million people, placing him on the kind of grand stage few athletes ever reach, and even fewer less than one year since turning pro. With this stage before him, Jones did not disappoint.
There is, of course, one moment that stands out in this fight - a moment that has become iconic in Jones's career. The unknown fighter grabs his veteran opponent around the waist and hoists him overhead in a German suplex that would have made Karl Gotch proud. Moments later, Bonnar regains his feet, throws a kick, and Jones blasts him with a spinning elbow that sends him crashing to the mat with a violent thud. Joe Silva's reaction in the background says all you need to know - this was an authentic "Holy S*" moment and the singular move that spectacularly announced Jones's arrival.
Of course, there's much more to this fight. Jones states pre-fight that he is out to show his technique, not just his wild side. And, to some degree, that's what he does, focusing on a wide variety of throws, primarily from the clinch. This shows an increased maturity to his game as he is playing to his strengths and not forcing a wild stand-up duel against an opponent who thrives in those duels. We do see Jones tire a bit here, but it only comes after really pushing hard for the first 2 rounds.
Smart performance, capped by a highlight reel for the ages. Welcome to the big leagues Jon Jones.
More fights, along with gifs, in the complete entry.
Before we move on, let's relive some highlights. First, here's that German suplex. Note the beautiful bridge, and the way Jones keeps his hands locked, rolls over, and starts to bring Bonnar back up. I think he is actually going for the Chris Benoit style rolling German suplexes here, which is... well, it's insane and brilliant to even contemplate.
Next up, the elbow. He's caught Bonnar's left leg, then quickly fires off a shot that Stephan never sees coming. Yes, it connects with the back of the head somewhat, though I don't fault Jones there, as that comes because Bonnar begins leaning down. The force with which Bonnar crashes to the mat is just nasty.
And finally, one quick throw from the Thai clinch. I marvel at the ease with which Jones chucks Bonnar here, like he's throwing around a man 3 weight classes below him.
Jon Jones (8-0) vs. Jake O'Brien (11-2)July 11, 2009 - UFC 100
Jones follows it up by earning a spot on the historic UFC 100 show, though it was such a stacked card that he is sadly relegated to the prelims for the 2nd, and final, time in his career. This time, Jones focuses much more on his striking, which again shows an improved sense of game-planning. O'Brien is a solid wrestler, so why not fight him where he is less comfortable - on the feet? The big development in his stand-up game here is his new emphasis on reach. Jones's reach is one of his best natural tools, and this is where he really starts using it, as his strikes accentuate that distance. He uses a lot of lunging jabs, as well as kicks from the lead leg - both of which allow Jones to land while outside O'Brien's range. He also starts heavily using that nasty kick to the knee here, which is a great, but vicious, attack. Jones keeps up a steady stream of strikes until O'Brien just can't hang anymore, wilting under the constant pressure.
Jon Jones (9-0) vs. Matt Hamill (7-2)December 5, 2009 - UFC Ultimate Fighter Season 10 Finale
And now we come to this.
This was meant to be the big Jones coming out party where he firmly established his place as THE dominant young name in the UFC. It wasn't to be. Chances are you know the story - Jones dominates, takes Hamill down, and begins the ground and pound. When the fight is not stopped, Jones ups the fury of his attack, switching to illegal 12 to 6 elbows that cause referee Steve Mazzagatti to step in. When Hamill can not continue, the fight is ruled a disqualification win for Hamill. You can see the fight ending elbows on the right.
So what to make of this whole situation? For my money, though some are slow to call this a real loss, I do see this as a legitimate blemish on Jones's record. Hamill may not have "won", but Jones's inability to follow the rules and keep his cool cost him, and that's a loss in my book. Jones seems frustrated by the fight not yet being stopped, and his response is to throw these illegal elbows. What is truly unfortunate is how unnecessary they were. Hamill was nearly done, and had Jones remained patient, the fight would have been stopped soon. The elbows were a lapse in focus, and at this level, you can't afford a mistake like that.
Other quick notes from the fight - Jones again shows a big reach on the jab, but is still keeping his hands low and clowning his opponents a bit.
Jon Jones (9-1) vs. Brandon Vera (11-4)March 21, 2010 - UFC Live on Versus 1
After that last mishap, we get the Jon Jones Coming Out Party, Take 2, this time as the first headlining fight on Versus. It's funny looking back on this just how big a deal this was - today it's a laughable mismatch, but at the time, it was such a great, anticipated fight.
Jones comes in seemingly on a mission, knowing that the Hamill fight was a bump and needing to get that behind him. He is deadly in his focus here and turns in what can only be described as the best performance of his career. His takedowns are absolutely unstoppable. On the mat, he completely controls Vera, despite Joe Rogan's attempts to make it sound like Vera is getting him in trouble with a stealthy armbar attempt.
And then, from that ground control, Jones lands one of the single nastiest ground and pound elbows I have ever seen. Check out the force behind that shot, as it just slams into Vera. The pain is immediate, as Vera shows the kind of anguish you almost never see inside the Octagon. As it turned out, Jones had broken bones in Vera's face in three different places. And he had done so seemingly with ease.
Jon Jones (10-1) vs. Vladimir Matyushenko (24-4)August 1, 2010 - UFC Live on Versus 2
The new, more focused Jones returned against Matyushenko for the next Versus card. At the time, this seemed like, at best, a step sideways for Jones, if not a step backwards. Fans were eager to see this surging phenom move up the ranks, and a fight with a solid journeyman like The Janitor just wasn't going to cut it.
It played out pretty much exactly as many suspected it would. Jones has not even a moment of difficulty dispatching his veteran opponent, coming in with a clear gameplan to take him down and pound him out ASAP. And that's exactly what he does, finishing with a flurry of elbows from the crucifix position (but, of course, all legal ones this time). The phrase "imposing your will" gets used a lot in MMA, but that is the best way to describe this one - Jones imposes his will on Vladdy, making the fight go the exact way he wants.
Clearly, it was time for something bigger. And for Jon Jones, 2011 would prove to be big indeed.
Check back Friday for part 3.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jon, jone, elbow
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJones visits Connected studio to talk UFC 140
UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon (Bones) Jones visited the Connected studios to discuss his rise to stardom and his bout at UFC 140.
Posted in: ufc, jone, champion, studio, jones visits
Read the full article at sportsnet.caJones visits Connected to talk UFC 140
UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon (Bones) Jones visited the Connected studios to discuss his rise to stardom and his bout at UFC 140.
Posted in: ufc, jone, champion, jones visits, visit
Read the full article at sportsnet.caJon Jones: Less Like Jordan, More Like Tebow
Jon Jones has been compared to a lot of people during his rise to the top of the UFC light heavyweight division.
The two most comparisons are Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali. I must say, the similarities between the two are pretty outstanding. Jones and Jordan are both winners and they’re both black while Jones and Ali are both cocky (although you’re crazy if you think Jones is anywhere near as cocky and brash as Ali), they’re both winners, and they’re both black.
Yup, I totally see where people are coming from when they say that Jones is like Jordan and Ali.
Fact is, they have very little in common. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted, and still want, Jones to act more like Ali and embrace his cocky side, but I’m not naive enough to believe that they’re on the same level of importance.
Ali and Jordan took their sports to new heights. People tuned in every single time they fought or played, everyone in the world knew who they were, and everyone in the world had an opinion about them. Jones hasn’t taken his sport to a new level (in fact, while it’s not the fault of Jones, PPV numbers are down compared to previous years) and he’s not nearly as popular or talked about as Ali and Jordan. Will he get there one day? Maybe. But lets hold off on putting him on the same pedestal of those two until he does.
You know who Jones reminds me of? Tim Tebow.
Now I know that it’s like an unwritten rule of journalism that you can’t cross races when comparing athletes but hear me out.
Young, very open about his religion, unorthodox with his style, is a winner, inspires the people around him, everyone in his sport has an opinion about him, and saves elderly women and little babies, ran the previous alpha dog out of town, hasn’t taken their sport to a new level.
That sounds like both Jones and Tebow to me.
People either want to put Jones and Tebow on a pedestal or they want to tear them down. The truth is, neither should be compared to the greats of all-time in any sport (yet) but there’s also no reason to tear them down.
Tebow isn’t a natural quarterback who can stay in the pocket and read the defense, but he gets the job done by making timely throws and extending the play with his legs. Jones isn’t a technically sound fighter but he gets the job done with his creativity, strength, and athletic ability.
Both men are very open about their religion and often times mocked for it by people who believe that God doesn’t play favorites. Both men inspire their teammates and take them to new levels. The Broncos have the same team they had when Kyle Orton was the QB and yet they were 1-4. With Tebow, they’re 6-1. You know who won TUF 14 this year? Two Greg Jackson fighters who happen to train with Jones.
Prior to the arrival of Tebow, Orton was the man at the helm in Denver, but due to the fan backlash and Orton’s poor play, Tebow took over and now Orton is no long in the Mile High City. And we all know about the whole saga between Jones and Rashad Evans, who was the top dog at Jackson’s before Jones.
Tebow and Jones haven’t taken their sports to new levels, especially to the level that Jordan and Ali did. I don’t think people who link Jones to those two really understand the cultural and worldly impact that Jordan had on basketball and Ali had on boxing. Tebow and Jones, at least for right now, are interesting stories who are captivity today’s fans. They’re not transcending generations because they haven’t been around long enough to do so and they’re definitely not well-known outside of the sports realm.
Here is my overall point in case you actually think I’m 100% serious with this comparison: stop comparing Jon Jones and current MMA fighters and fights to some of the all-time greats in the respective sports.
Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua was not even close to Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier 3. If you think that, then I advise you to read Ghosts of Manila or watch the HBO documentary on the fight to see what kind of impact the Thrilla in Manila had on boxing, the two fighters, and the world.
Just because guys like Jones, Georges St. Pierre, and Anderson Silva are three of the best fighters in the world, doesn’t mean they should be linked to Ali, Wayne Gretzky, and Pele. It’s a lazy comparison done by people who either don’t understand what those players meant to their sport and beyond or it’s a lazy comparison done by people who are just trying to get attention.
As dumb as the comparison might be, Jones is a lot more like Tebow than he is Ali or Jordan, but don’t tell that to MMA personalities with an inferiority complex.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/NFL
Posted in: jone, ’t, people, ali, tebow
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 140 Predictions
Filed under: UFCWill Jon Jones continue his domination of the light heavyweight division, or will Lyoto Machida get the belt back? Can Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira avenge his loss to Frank Mir? Will Tito Ortiz continue his surprising career resurgence, or will he be sent a step closer to retirement by Antonio Rogerio Nogueira?
We'll answer those questions and more as we predict the winners at UFC 140.
What: UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
When: Saturday, the Facebook stream begins at 5:45 PM ET, the Ion televised card starts at 7 and the pay-per-view starts at 9.
Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto
Predictions on the five pay-per-view fights below.
Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
With a win, Jones would put a bow on what may have been the best year any fighter has ever had in the UFC: Jones has already destroyed Ryan Bader, Shogun Rua and Rampage Jackson in 2011, and adding Lyoto Machida to that list would be an incredible feat.
Machida, however, may be the light heavyweight whose style is the trickiest for Jones to handle. Machida is so elusive that Jones is going to have a hard time getting to him even with his decided reach advantage, and Machida is such a good counter-striker that Jones is going to have to be careful not to get too fancy. Machida has frustrated a lot of great fighters, and it wouldn't shock me to see him win a decision.
But Jones has been so dominant of late that I simply can't pick against him. If Jones is able to take Machida down he should be able to use his superior strength to bully him on the ground, and even if the fight remains standing, Jones is eventually going to tag Machida the way Shogun Rua did. Of all the light heavyweights in the world, I give Machida the best chance of beating Jones. But right now I'd pick Jones over anyone.
Pick: Jones
More Coverage: UFC 140 Fight Card | UFC 140 Results
Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Mir has made no secret that he's a little annoyed that he even has to give Nogueira a rematch, three years after Mir won by TKO. And Mir really doesn't like the fact that Nogueira and his supporters have suggested that an illness prior to the last fight is the reason Nogueira won.
This time around there should be no excuses, and the fight should go more or less the way the last one did: Mir will get the better of Nogueira standing, and he won't even try to engage Nogueira on the ground. Nogueira did earn a solid win over Brendan Schaub in August, but to the extent that these two have changed since the last time they fought, I think Mir has become bigger and stronger while Nogueira has become older and slower.
Pick: Mir
Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogério Nogueira
A year ago Ortiz was largely written off as washed up, but he deserves a lot of credit for persevering: He beat Ryan Bader soundly and then fought a good fight in a losing effort against Rashad Evans. And the mere fact that Ortiz is now preparing to fight for the third time in less than six months, after fighting only once a year every year from 2007 to 2010, says a lot about how much healthier he is after his recovery from back surgery.
Nogueira, on the other hand, is on a two-fight losing streak and hasn't had a really strong performance since he TKO'd Luiz Cane more than two years ago. If either one of these guys has looked washed up recently, it's Little Nog.
However, in this particular matchup Nogueira's boxing is going to carry the day: Nogueira should be able to keep Ortiz at range and batter him with punches, and eventually Nogueira will wear Ortiz down enough to win by TKO.
Pick: Nogueira
Claude Patrick vs. Brian Ebersole
Patrick is 3-0 since signing with the UFC lat year, and if he can win this one he'll start to make some noise in the welterweight division. But Ebersole, who's been fighting for 11 years, is much more experienced than Patrick and has a more versatile ground game, and should be able to win a decision.
Pick: Ebersole
Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung
My pick for fight of the night, Hominick vs. Jung has all the makings to be one of those fights that makes you lean forward, clench your fists and stare in awe of the intensity of the action. Hominick will have the hometown crowd on his side in Toronto, just as he did the last time he fought, when he lost to Jose Aldo at UFC 129, but in that fight it was a Rocky-like crowd, cheering him because he simply wouldn't quit no matter how much punishment he took. In this fight, Hominick will be the better striker in the cage, and he should be able to out-land Jung and win convincingly.
Pick: Hominick Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: fight, jone, nogueira, year, machida
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseDamon Martin Joins Press Row
Every Wednesday, Administrative Editor Jordan Breen welcomes a member of the mixed martial arts media into “Press Row” on the Sherdog.com blog. This week, Breen is joined by MMAWeekly.com lead writer Damon Martin.
Before UFC 140, Breen and Martin examine the rise of Jon Jones before his title defense against former champion Lyoto Machida. The pair size up the contest, whether or not it is preferable to Jones facing Rashad Evans, and if a win for Jones would give him MMA's greatest single-year campaign ever.
Breen and Martin also examine the 205-pound division on the whole, comment on the Rashad Evans-Phil Davis bout and discuss Dan Henderson as a foil for “Jonny Bones.”
Grab your credential and get a seat in “Press Row.”
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, breen, martin, singleyear campaign
Read the full article at SherdogJon Jones Nominated "Awesomest Dude of 2011"
UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones, the youngest champion in UFC history, is one of eight finalists in ESPN SportsNation’s 2nd Annual Awesomest Dude of the Year contest.The contest is held in a bracket format with the winners of each round being determined by online fan voting. Voting in the first round is now open. All voting will be held exclusively on SportsNation’s Facebook page, located at www.Facebook.com/SportsNation.In the first round, Jones is matched up against WWE Superstar and actor Duane “The Rock” Johnson.
Posted in: jone, round, round jones, wwe superstar, awesomest dude
Read the full article at UFCWandy, Lopez say Machida Can Outpoint Jones
In a recent interview with MMAInterviews.TV, UFC legend Wanderlei Silva and his protege Jorge Lopez said they believe Lyoto Machida has what it takes to earn back the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship belt at UFC 140."Jon Jones is great, but Machida is Machida," said Silva."Via decision, Machida can win by outscoring Jon Jones on points," added Lopez. "Machida has something a lot of fighters don't -- footwork."Silva also pointed to Machida's experience as a factor that could give him an edge over the phenom Jones.Watch full video
Posted in: ufc, jone, machida, lopez, machidas experience
Read the full article at UFCJon Jones vs Lyoto Machida: 'Undisputed' fight video prediction for UFC 140
UFC 140 will be headlined by light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, defending his title against former division kingpin, Lyoto Machida, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Sat., Dec, 10, 2011.
"Bones" has already mowed through two established champions this year, taking out Mauricio Rua via technical knockout to win the 205-pound belt and submitting Quinton Jackson in his first title defense. He'll attempt to go three-for-three against the elusive and enigmatic Brazilian.
And if the PS3 "Undisputed" demo video above is any indicator, Jones will have no trouble hunting down Machida and finishing him with a brutal barrage of elbows.
Agree or disagree?
For everything you need to know about the championship fight between Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida this weekend be sure to hit up our comprehensive fight archive right here.
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, quinton jackson, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140: Jones' rise to stardom
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon (Bones) Jones talks about his rise to stardom in the UFC and his upcoming fight with Lyoto Machida.
Posted in: ufc, jone, rise, machida, stardom
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUrijah Faber settles up on TUF 14 Finale bet with Jon Jones
Urijah Faber and Jon Jones made a friendly wager through Twitter this past weekend concerning The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale match between T.J. Dillashaw and John Dodson.
Dillashaw, who trains with Faber as part of the Team Alpha Male unit out of Sacramento, California, was defeated by Dodson, a Jackson MMA student alongside Jones. Due to Dodson’s victory, Faber was forced to post a video of him doing 100 pushups, while saying Dodson’s name each time.
“Here you go ‘Bones’ Jones, Dodson looked tough, T.J. will be back better. Same bet for a rematch,” Faber wrote on Twitter.
Enjoy watching how fast “The California Kid” executes his pushups in the video below (and feel like less of a man in the process to boot)…
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: jone, faber, urijah faber, dodson, time “
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC Undisputed 3: Jones Dominates Machida in Title Bout Simulation
As the year comes to a close, 2011 has been the hottest in its closing months for MMA action. Exciting, epic fights have been delivered by some of the rising stars and true veterans of the sport and this Saturday night in Toronto will be nothing less as Jon “Bones” Jones will put his title on [...]
Posted in: saturday night, title, jone, mma action, epic fights
Read the full article at Fighthub TVJon Jones: “Rashad does not have a chin, trust me.”
UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones may be defending his title against Lyoto Machida this weekend at UFC 140 but “Bones” appears to still have rival (and former teammate) Rashad Evans on his mind.
Evans, who faces 9-0 grappler Phil Davis at UFC on FOX 2 in late January, first butted heads with Jones after the 24-year old sensation implied he would be open to a bout between the two while still active members of Greg Jackson’s group in New Mexico. The two have exchanged words a number of times since though things have cooled down as of late, at least until now.
“Rashad doesn’t have a chin. Rashad does not have a chin, trust me,” Jones candidly explained in a recent conversation with The MMA Hour.
Evans has only been stopped with strikes a single time in his eighteen-fight career albeit in devastating, “stanky leg” fashion against Lyoto Machida at UFC 98.
“Sugar” ‘Shad Comments on Jones’ Match-Up with Machida
Though Jones stopped short of saying Davis would defeat Evans let alone knock him out he did mention the bout could be extremely competitive as long as “Mr. Wonderful” trusts in his own abilities rather than succumbs to the pressure of fighting someone with Evans’ reputation as a 16-1-1 former champion.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, lyoto machida, chin trust
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC Quick Quote: Dan Henderson matches up 'real well' with Jon Jones
"It's unfortunate that Rashad got hurt, but you know, it's happened twice now. He's had people step in. ... All I know is, if I have to, I'll pull out the age card and just say I should have seniority here. I'm getting older. Rashad's got a little more time than I do. ... I think I'm a tough fight for anybody. If you're in a fight with me, you're definitely going to know you're in a fight. I don't know if really Jon Jones has felt that too much in his career. I definitely would test that out. I think style-wise I match up real well with him."
-- Former Pride and Strikeforce Champion Dan Henderson tells Sherdog.com he's running out of time to win a UFC title before he calls it a career and his seniority should get him a crack at Jon Jones before Rashad Evans, provided "Suga" defeats Phil Davis on Jan. 28, 2012, at UFC on Fox 2 and "Bones" gets past Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 this Saturday night (Dec. 10, 2011). That and "Hendo" feels like he matches up "real well" with the 205-pound king. Jones may be lanky and move with the speed and agility of a cat but a well timed and even better placed overhand right "H-bomb" will put a stop to all that noise with the quickness. And that's what Henderson thinks he can do, if given the opportunity, of course. At 41-years-old and counting, if it's going to happen, it needs to happen soon. But will it? Is Jones vs. Henderson a sexier match-up than Jones vs. Evans? And will a certain "Dragon" throw a wrinkle in all this and take the title back to Brazil? Sort it out, Maniacs.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, henderson, youre
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones: ‘Trust Me, Rashad Evans Does Not Have A Chin’
Jon Jones has been nothing but complimentary towards Lyoto Machida in the lead-up to their title fight this weekend at UFC 140.
Rashad Evans, not so much. During an appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani yesterday, Jones hit Evans with another verbal jab when asked about his thoughts on his former training partner’s upcoming fight against Phil Davis. Transcription via MMA Mania:
“It’s an interesting fight. I’ll go with Rashad because of the experience factor. But Phil Davis can win more than he realizes, he has to be comfortable striking. I won’t say too much because I have my own ideas on how to beat Rashad, but, I don’t think Rashad has a chin at all. Trust me Rashad does not have a chin. But it will be a closer fight that people will realize.”
Ironically, it was Jones’ next opponent, Lyoto Machida, who showed us a couple years back that Evans’ chin isn’t exactly made out of granite. Granted, that doesn’t mean his chin’s as weak as someone like Andrei Arlovski’s as Jones implies, but he’s definitely not impossible to knock out like Dan Henderson.
Speaking of Hendo, Jones and chins, Henderson thinks he’s the man to test the champ’s if Machida doesn’t do it this weekend.
“Lyoto’s real quick and he’s a little bit goofy,” Henderson said. “He’s got a nice straight left hand. He definitely could catch Jon Jones. I don’t think Jon Jones’ chin has really been tested much because he is hard to hit. Anything can happen in a fight, but I definitely see Jones picking him apart from the outside and probably taking him down and beating him up.”
“I think I’m a tough fight for anybody,” Henderson said. “If you’re in a fight with me, you’re definitely going to know you’re in a fight. I don’t know if really Jon Jones has felt that too much in his career. I definitely would test that out. I think style-wise I match up real well with him.”
Hendo added that he should get the next title shot, mainly because he’s older and Evans has a lot more time left in the sport than he does. Truth be told, as much as I’d like to see this Jones-Evans rivalry get settled sooner rather than later, I would like to see Hendo get a shot at Jones before it’s too late.
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, rashad, chin
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones vs Lyoto Machida odds for UFC 140 fight on Dec. 10 in Toronto
Here comes the money.
Lyoto Machida will challenge reigning 205-pound champion Jon Jones in the headlining bout of the UFC 140 pay-per-view event, scheduled for this Saturday night (Dec. 10, 2011) at the Air Canada Center in Toronto.
The same Jones that has utterly destroyed the competition since his 2008 debut.
It should come as no surprise then, to hear that "Bones" is a -440 favorite against his Brazilian foe. That leaves Machida at +350, which is only the second time in his UFC career that he's been labeled an underdog.
"The Dragon" was +115 against Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou at UFC 79: "Nemesis" back in 2007.
Like Jones, Machida was able to enjoy a run at the top that was considered untouchable.
That is, until Mauricio Rua usurped the throne at UFC 113. Since then, he's split a pair of bouts between Quinton Jackson and Randy Couture, sending the latter into retirement with a dented grille.
Will Jones bring out the best in Machida? The violent aggressor who spot-welded Thiago Silva to the canvas before cutting power to the consciousness of Rashad Evans?
Or will he be the "elusive" Machida, like the one that out-maneuvered Tito Ortiz? More importantly, does either version stand a chance against Jones?
For more UFC 140 odds and betting lines be sure to check out our wagering partner Odds Shark.
Posted in: ufc, jone, odd, mauricio rua, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaHenderson: I match up real well with Jon Jones
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Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, likewildpotato, henderson i
Read the full article at RedditJon Jones Thinks Rashad Evans Has a Suspect Chin
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Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad evans, mattyblayze, mattyblayze link
Read the full article at RedditUFC 140's Jon Jones Talks Lyoto Machida, Religion and Says Rashad Evans Has No Chin
Jon Jones is set for a tough defense of his UFC light heavyweight championship this Saturday night at UFC 140. Should he pull off the win he'll have completed one of the best years in MMA history with wins over Ryan Bader, winning the title from Mauricio Rua, defending against Quinton Jackson and beating Machida. Of course, getting that win is not a given.
Jones joined Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour yesterday to talk about several topics including Saturday night's fight (thanks to MMA Mania for doing the transcribing heavy lifting).
On Machida getting the title shot despite being 1-2 in his last 3:
"He looked great against Randy Couture, whether he deserves a title shot or not, he is Lyoto Machida, I'm happy for him. He has the name and recognition to get the title shot and now I'm here."
On his religion:
"God has way more important things to think about than me winning a fight or Tebow winning a game, but religion is a big part of me, and if people can't accept that, then maybe I'm not meant to be that mainstream athlete."
And then he chimed in on the bout between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis:
"It's an interesting fight. I'll go with Rashad because of the experience factor. But Phil Davis can win more than he realizes, he has to be comfortable striking. I won't say too much because I have my own ideas on how to beat Rashad, but, I don't think Rashad has a chin at all. Trust me Rashad does not have chin. But it will be a closer fight that people will realize."
I will say that I find Jones much more likable in the build up to this fight because he seems to be forcing it much less. He's much more natural. Yes, he's cocky at times, but that's fine. I think the best fighter in his weight class and possibly the world should be cocky. I just want to believe the things he is saying and for him to not come across as incredibly carefully managed and straight-up manufactured. That's the difference between the build-ups to this fight and the Rampage fight.
Of course, there has been less of a media build-up for this fight than the Machida fight. But it seems like something changed and we're getting more of the "real Jon Jones" and I think that's great.
SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
Posted in: fight, title shot, jone, rashad, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones: Trust me, Rashad Evans has no chin
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones shared his thoughts about the upcoming UFC on FOX 2 main event bout between "Suga" Rashad Evans and Phil Davis. It seems like Evans is still in Jon Jones' head, after the fight between the two arch rivals has been cancelled for a second consecutive time.MMAFighting.com (via MMAMania.com)
"It's an interesting fight. I'll go with Rashad because of the experience factor. But Phil Davis can win more than he realizes, he has to be comfortable striking. I won't say too
Posted in: jon, jone, rashad, phil davis, evan
Read the full article at Low KickAhead of UFC 140, champ Jon Jones wants to help carry promotion to primetime
UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones sees a much
bigger role in the UFC than just a delivery man for punches, kicks, and
throws.
Jones sees himself as an ambassador of the sport, and hopefully, a
figure that will elevate the industry-leading promotion to new heights
as it transitions to network TV.
"One of my main goals in the UFC is to try to change the sport for the
better (and) try to elevate the UFC organization to a different level
with the demographics," Jones said in advance of his title
defense this weekend against Lyoto Machida at UFC
140.
Posted in: ufc, jone, title defense, network tv, demographics jones
Read the full article at MMA JunkieJon Jones Thinks Rashad Evans Has a Suspect Chin
Filed under: UFC, NewsJon Jones and Rashad Evans have a long history, having gone from friends and training partners to enemies and rivals, and eventually, most likely, competitors for the UFC light heavyweight title.
But a Jones-Evans title fight has already been delayed a couple times and can't happen unless both men win their upcoming fights, with Jones taking on Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 and Evans fighting Phil Davis at UFC on FOX 2. And Jones has some doubts about whether a fight with Evans is going to happen at all.
Instead, Jones said on The MMA Hour, he believes it's entirely possible that Davis will expose Evans as a fighter who has a suspect chin and can't handle a more powerful opponent.
"Rashad doesn't have a chin," Jones said. "Rashad does not have a chin, trust me."
Saying Evans doesn't have a chin wouldn't seem to mesh with Evans' career record: In 18 professional MMA fights, Evans has only been beaten once, by Lyoto Machida. It's true that Machida knocked Evans out in brutal fashion, but Evans has managed to beat a lot of guys with significant punching power, including Rampage Jackson, Chuck Liddell and Thiago Silva. However, Jones's comments may reflect what Jones has witnessed in training with Evans, as the two of them sparred plenty of times when they were both based at Greg Jackson's gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Jones said he expects Davis to give Evans a competitive fight, and it wouldn't surprise him if Davis is the one who earns a shot at the light heavyweight title.
"If Phil can have faith in his stand-up abilities and faith in his grappling abilities this will be a closer fight than people realize," Jones said.
But if Evans gets by that tough fight with Davis, it may finally be time for Jones and Evans to stop talking about each other, and actually fight each other. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: fight, jone, evan, davi, chin
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones: Trust me, Rashad Evans does not have a chin ... at all
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Jon Jones, will step into the Octagon this weekend (Dec. 10, 2011) at UFC 140, which goes down at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, defending his 205-pound title against the always crafty and elusive, Lyoto Machida.
The fight will mark the fourth fight for "Bones" in a span of only 10 months, including two title fights -- one against Mauricio Rua at UFC 128, who he destroyed to become the youngest UFC champion ever, and the other against Quinton Jackson at UFC 135, which he won via fourth round submission (rear naked choke) on Sept. 24, 2011, in Denver, Colorado.
Certainly not the easiest of fight schedules. And in the UFC, where winning impressively is seemingly everything, no good deed goes unpunished.
Should "Bones" be victorious this weekend once again, he will end 2011 on the highest of notes, marking one of the best championship runs in recent memory with three victories over former champions in as many fights. In the process, he could possibly set up a much anticipated championship fight against former training partner-turned bitter rival (also a former champion), Rashad Evans.
Appearing on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani earlier today, Jones talked about the rigors of a busy year, Phil Davis vs. Rashad Evans, and the reason many people have branded him as "cocky."
Check it out:
On the difficulty of a busy fight year:
" I have been training four times a day, and i rest in between training sessions. It's not like in the NFL, where you have one Super Bowl game a year, and once you play it and you win, you can breathe and relax and rest and look forward to next year. This is going to be my third Super Bowl this year and it's hard to keep that same focus and energy for each fight, but I have done it and will continue to do it."
On whether Machida, who is 1-2 in his last three fights, deserved a title shot:
"He looked great against Randy Couture, whether he deserves a title shot or not, he is Lyoto Machida, I'm happy for him. He has the name and recognition to get the title shot and now I'm here."
On people's views on him and changing as a fighter and person:
"I only mean well, a lot of things I say I can come off as arrogant, but I only mean well. I can't control the way people perceive me, it's just who I am. My ideals are just thoughts I share, I could just keep them bottled up. I realize that not everyone is going to love you. I have changed as a fighter and I do think I am the best fighter. I won't lose to Lyoto, I wont lost to Rashad or to Henderson or any other guy. Yeah I am a little cocky, and I think it's important to be that way. But I won't change as a person; I stay true to my friends, my family, Endicott, New York. But as Jonathan in the real world, anyone that has ever met me, they know I'll treat you with the upmost respect. Buy yeah; Jon Jones the fighter will beat you up."
Jones does not shy away from his religious views, proudly displaying a Philippians 4:13 tattoo on his chest:
"God has way more important things to think about than me winning a fight or Tebow winning a game, but religion is a big part of me, and if people can't accept that, then maybe I'm not meant to be that mainstream athlete."
Of course, "Bones" touched on the upcoming number one contenders fight between his former training partner Rashad Evans taking on wrestling powerhouse Phil Davis:
"It's an interesting fight. I'll go with Rashad because of the experience factor. But Phil Davis can win more than he realizes, he has to be comfortable striking. I won't say too much because I have my own ideas on how to beat Rashad, but, I don't think Rashad has a chin at all. Trust me Rashad does not have chin. But it will be a closer fight that people will realize."
Jones, who trained alongside "Suga" over at Jackson's MMA in Albuquerque, NM.M., may know more about Evans than most because of their extensive training time -- the two were together on-and-off for more than two years. Perhaps he also watched Machida dim Evans' lights in brutal fashion not too long ago.
Their much publicized rift and rivalry has hung in the headlines since Jones replaced Evans opposite "Shogun" earlier this year and won the title. Now, Jones may finally get his chance to test his "Rashad has no chin" theory, should he defeat Machida at UFC 140 in five days.
Of course, Evans has to do his part and defeat an undefeated Davis when the pair headline UFC on Fox 2 on Jan. 28, 2012, which is set to take place at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Nonetheless, at the young age of 24 years old, Jones truly has accomplished in little time what many fighters haven't in their entire careers in the mixed martial arts (MMA) world.
He has the looks, the personality, charisma and most of all, the skill set to be marketed as the future of the the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). It's scary to think that Jones has competed in the sport for only 3.5 years, making his debut on April 12, 2008. The sky is truly the limit for the young champion who says that just four years ago he was applying for a position as a janitor.
Jones is now a full-time swagger-jacker. And he's damn good at it.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, year, rashad
Read the full article at MMA ManiaShogun: I'd Bet on Machida
"Shogun has already pegged the man to dethrone [UFC light heavyweight champ Jon] Jones: Lyoto Machida."'He has every chance to beat Jones,' Rua told Sherdog.com. 'His counterattack style is very strong and tough to beat. I think his style could match perfectly with Jones” style. I'd bet on him if I had to.'"Read full article
Posted in: jone, style, machida shogun, counterattack style, jones rua
Read the full article at UFCUFC 140: Lyoto Machida Talks About His Preparation for Jon Jones
Lyoto Machida will be looking to put the UFC light heavyweight title back around his waist when he meets current champion Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 140 this Saturday in Toronto. He has changed up a few things and brought in some high-level guys to help him prepare for anything that might happen in the cage. Machida documented some of that in a recent interview with Tatame. Who has he brought in to help him out! Anderson Silva!
Actually, I also brought Anderson Braddock (Silva), who’s a guy that fights in K-1, he’s a great K-1 fighter. I brought him and Glover (Texeira) on the first moment. They stayed here for two weeks. On that period we tried to do many sparrings, simulating similar situations I’ll might confront during the fight, also on the clinch, the takedowns. We know Glover is a high lever fighter and why he’s been smashing everybody down here in Brazil, and I’m sure he’ll make a good career abroad, and Bradock also helped me a lot to simulate the fight. Then Glover had to go because he was fighting and then I brought King Mo to add a lot. He’s a high level fighter in Wrestling, he has been a world champion on the Pan Am, he has defeated Olympic champions, so he knows the details of the position that can help me block his game during the fight, and I guess that’s the main aspect. I guess the technical part is the most important one for a fight like that, because I’m fighting a very technical guy. Jon Jones knows many techniques, he’s can do many things, so that’s why I’m trying to improve more and more my wrestling.
He states that he might be looking to put Jones on his back, as opposed to just working takedown defense:
Well, I guess it’s hard to predict how things will go on during the fight, but we trained a lot offensive wrestling, me taking him down. Besides the takedown defenses, we trained counterattacks with the takedowns, so if I take him down, it won’t be a surprise for me, for my team, because we know what we’ve been doing here. Our greatest goal is to win the fight, in any area it takes place, no matter if it’s on the stand-up, the wrestling or on the ground. I want to have an advantage in all areas.
He also explains where he thinks he holds advantages over Jones right now:
I believe I can control my distance and how long does it take for me to get in and out of his radar. Since Jon Jones is very versatile, I also ought to be to try to be versatile to make it settled. We trained many attacks too on the stand-up so that we can have another tools. Many times, Jon Jones prefers to use the counterattacks, waiting for the fight to happen, so we need also to have this tool so we can defeat our opponent.
Oh, and the real Anderson Silva never actually helped him with this camp:
I talked to Anderson on the phone like three or four times, and we talked a lot. He sent me a video, telling me to train that. He shoot a video there saying what he thought I should focus more my training on for this fight, he showed me a different coup, saying I can use it. So, he always tries to help me the way he can. We can tell Anderson is very helpful, mainly with his friends. You can see his worry to come and talk to me. I know he wants me to bring another title to our Brazil.
Will all this be enough for Machida to overcome the freight train that is Jon Jones? We'll find out on Saturday.
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, anderson silva, anderson
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones UFC 140 Pre-Fight Interview
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones talks his UFC 140 fight with Lyoto Machida.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, champion, machida
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 140 weigh in results, information and details for 'Jones vs Machida' on Dec. 9 in Toronto
The official weigh in event for UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" is set to take place at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Fri., Dec. 9, 2011.
The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 4 p.m. ET.
As usual, MMAmania.com will provide up-to-the-second coverage of the UFC 140 weigh-ins, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they conclude.
UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" will be headlined by light heavyweight champion Jon Jones defending his title against former division kingpin and elusive "Dragon" Lyoto Machida.
The Nogueira brothers are also getting in on the action, as Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will rematch Frank Mir while Antonio Rogerio Nogueira will go head-on against Tito Ortiz.
Here is the current UFC 140 fight card and line-up:
Main event:
205 lbs.: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
Main card (PPV):
265 lbs.: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir 205 lbs.: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Tito Ortiz 170 lbs.: Brian Ebersole vs. Claude Patrick 145 lbs.: Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung
Preliminary card (ION Television):
205 lbs.: Igor Pokrajac vs. Krzysztof Soszynski 155 lbs.: Dennis Hallman vs. John Makdessi 185 lbs.: Jared Hamman vs. Constantinos Philippou 135 lbs.: Yves Jabouin vs. Walel Watson
Preliminary card (Facebook):
155 lbs.: Mark Bocek vs. Nik Lentz 170 lbs.: Rich Attonito vs. Jake Hecht 155 lbs.: Mitch Clarke vs. John Cholish
For those fortunate enough to be in "Hog Town" this weekend, remember the weigh-in is FREE to attend and open to the public. Doors to the weigh-in will open at 3:00 p.m. ET. In addition, UFC Fight Club members will be able to attend a special Q&A session with middleweight contender Mark Munoz at 2 p.m. ET.
MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., Dec. 10), which is slated to air at 9 p.m. ET on pay-per-view. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 6:30 p.m. ET with the preliminary bouts.
It's going to be a fun night of fights so don't miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC 140 coverage you can handle
For the latest "Jones vs. Machida" news and notes click here.
Posted in: vs, lb, ufc, machida, jone
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones: 'I'm the Best Fighter I've Ever Been Right Now'
Filed under: UFC, NewsUFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones says he'll be better than ever when he steps into the Octagon with Lyoto Machida at UFC 140.
Jones said on The MMA Hour that he's been training four times a day, and that he's physically stronger, in better shape and a better mixed martial artist than he's ever been before.
"Judging on my numbers in the weight room, judging on my numbers in the cardio tests, it's the best I've ever been," Jones said. "I'm the best fighter that I've ever been right now."
If that's true it would be bad news for Machida, as in Jones's last two fights he had no trouble running through two fighters who have previously beaten Machida, Shogun Rua and Rampage Jackson. Jones also said that he believes that dealing with Rampage before their previous fight -- when Rampage frequently denigrated Jones -- has made him mentally stronger.
"Rampage elevated me in a way of being able to handle future opponents who are going to get under my skin and try to trash talk me," Jones said.
As Jones has become one of the freshest faces and brightest young stars in the UFC, there's been something of a backlash among MMA fans , and Jones said he hears from fans on Twitter who tell him he's too cocky or arrogant. Jones said he's not sure what he's done to inspire that kind of backlash, but he has learned to accept it.
"I could see if I was Floyd Mayweather," Jones said, referring to the brash boxing champ who seems to delight in making fans hate him. "I deal with it by realizing that not everyone's going to love you."
Although Jones has become a star, he says that hasn't changed who he is deep down -- even though he has changed as a fighter and become, in his own mind, better than ever.
"In high school I got the free lunch because we didn't have the finances to go to Wendy's for lunch like the other kids," Jones said. "That I got good at fighting ... that changes nothing about the real world. I have changed as an athlete -- I believe in my heart that I'm the best, I believe I won't lose to Lyoto, or Rashad [Evans], or [Dan] Henderson or any of the other guys. ... As 'Bones' I'm growing and yeah I'm a little cocky and it's important to be that way. But as Jonathan, in the real world, everyone who meets me will say I treated them with the utmost respect." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: rampage, jone, fighter, he, im
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 1
At UFC 140, Jon Jones will attempt to make the second successful defense of his UFC Light Heavyweight title as he faces Lyoto Machida. It's been an incredible run for Jones, as the 24 year old with less than 4 years pro experience has already made his claim as one of the top fighters in the world. In this series, we'll take a look at that run, starting with Jones's MMA debut and making our way through his entire 15 fight career, examining how he has evolved, and what we can expect when he faces The Dragon.
Today, part 1 takes a look at when Jones was a relative unknown in those early, pre-UFC fights, including early fight video when available. Check back later this week for part 2 and the conclusion.
Jon Jones (Debut) vs. Brad Bernard (0-1)April 12, 2008 - FFP: Untamed 20
I love debut fights. Sometimes they are just a perfect little microcosm of a fighter's career. And that's definitely the case here. This is Jones making his pro debut on a tiny card in Massachusetts at the ripe old age of 20 years old. Really, I must encourage you to watch this - if you only watch one video from this post, make it this one. I'll be back after you're watched...
Awesome, right? Things start off going along as you would expect from the debut of a future champion. Jones is controlling the ground, looking good in the process, and then he hits this stunning suplex seemingly out of nowhere, hurling Bernard straight onto his head. From there, we get a glimpse of the Jon Jones that a lot of people don't love, as he gloats over the fallen body of Bernard, then throws some shots, gets up, and viciously punts Bernard straight in the ribs. Nothing illegal about any of this, but it's certainly not the most sportsmanlike conduct you've ever seen. Still, it makes an impression, and 92 seconds into his career, it's clear this is a kid to watch.
More fights, including video, in the complete entry.
Jon Jones (1-0) vs. Carlos Eduardo (2-2)April 19, 2008 - Battle Cage Xtreme 4
Fight number 2 comes just one week later, again on the Northeast regional scene. Three minute rounds here, which is kind of weird, but whatever. Here, we start to see a lot of what would make Jones successful. First off, there's the flashy striking offense, here represented by a big jumping switch kick. You also get some nice takedown defense, as Jones uses his collegiate wrestling experience to keep the fight standing. We also get more of that gloating, this time in the form of some clowning of his opponent straight out of the Anderson Silva playbook. Jones keeps his hands down in the style of recent Spider fights. And like Silva, he gets away with it, ultimately using those hands to catch Eduardo with a nice right hand counter punch for the KO. The confidence from the young fighter is astonishing here.
Jon Jones (2-0) vs. Anthony Pina (Debut)April 25, 2008 - ICE Fighter
Sadly, no video from this fights exists, and we're just left with the results - a 1:15 submission of Pina via mounted guillotine. Oh well.
Jon Jones (3-0) vs. Ryan Verrett (1-3)May 9, 2008 - USFL: War in the Woods 3
I'm fairly confident the video below if indeed Jones vs. Verrett, though it is sometimes labeled as Jones vs. Parker Porter. Either way, it's Jones's most impressive win yet, and remains the best KO of his young career. The two men come together, and Jones drops him with the very first punch he throws. Once again, he celebrates prematurely, then when he sees the fight has not been stopped, jumps on for some quick ground and pound to close the show. Total time: 15 seconds. Exactly 4 punches thrown by Jones in those 15 seconds, and all 4 landed clean. If there's one thing we are seeing from these early fights, it's that Jones is simply a step above this level of competition, even if he is less than a month into his MMA career.
And if there's one more thing we're seeing, it's that Jon Jones is a big fan of showboating and arrogance.
Jon Jones (4-0) vs. Parker Porter (2-0)June 20, 2008 - World Championship Fighting 3
Again, no footage, though the Verrett fight is sometimes labeled as this one. The result is similar - a 36 second TKO via punches. If anyone has a lead on this footage (or the Pina fight) please speak up.
Jon Jones (5-0) vs. Moyses Gabin (2-1)July 12, 2008 - Battle Cage Xtreme 5
Jones's final fight before being signed by the UFC comes just shy of three months since his MMA debut. In those three months, this is already his 6th fight, with none of his opponents yet challenging him in any way. Gabin is Jones's best opponent to date, as he came in with experience in EliteXC and M-1, and has since competed primarily for Bellator. We're back at Battle Cage Xtreme here, though this time Jones has moved up to 5 minute rounds.
Perhaps it's the success of back to back KO's, but Jones comes into this fight clearly focusing on the stand-up, choosing to strike with Gabin rather than use his wrestling. And that striking is definitely entertaining. Jones pours it on, unleashing a crazy stand-up flurry. Spinning back kicks, spinning back fists, jumping knees - Jones brings the entirety of his wild striking arsenal. The interesting thing is, Jones is very busy, but he's not very clean. The strikes are not crisp, not executed all that well, and though he is using some more advanced techniques, his striking looks somewhat amateurish here. Still, the sheer volume of strikes combined with aggression is too much for Gabin, who eventually succumbs, leaving Jones a perfect 6-0 on his way into the big leagues.
Jon Jones (6-0) vs. Andre Gusmao (5-0)August 9, 2008 - UFC 87
And here we go - the UFC debut of Jon Jones. He's 6-0 here, but the ridiculous thing is that all 6 of those fights came in less than 4 months. Think about that for a minute - four months prior, Jon Jones had never fought professionally, and now is is an undefeated, heavily hyped prospect making his UFC debut. Crazy. He's facing another hyped and undefeated prospect in Andre Gusmao, though obviously their careers would take very different paths after this fight.
What I find fascinating in this fight is that Gusmao actually has a fair amount of success against Jones, particularly standing. As we've seen in the last few fights, Jones focuses more on his stand-up, and he uses a high volume of more unorthodox techniques while standing. Lots of spinning back fists and spinning elbows - seriously a LOT of them. But Gusamo simply has superior striking technique. He's crisper, gets his shots inside faster, and is able to find the holes when Jones is using those wild moves - at one point he really tags Jones mid-spin. From a striking standpoint, I watch this fight and think that Jones is fun, but really needs to work on refining his technique. This is also apparent in the fact that he kicks Gusmao low on multiple occasions - either a sign of intentional fouling (Cheick Kongo, I'm looking at you) or a lack of control on your strikes. Either way, it's not great.
Don't take that to mean Jones is dominated here. Far from it - that volume of strikes again gets him past Gusmao. He also adds back in some of his wrestling, including what has by this point been established as his takedown of choice - the lateral drop.
Overall, it's a bit of an ugly fight thanks to the low blows, but a flashy debut for Jones that shows promise and also demonstrates the need for some more striking work. But that flashiness was enough to get Jones the call up from prelim to main card status for his next fight - a fight that would see the young fighter make the most of the opportunity.
Check back later this week for part 2.
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Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones: I believe in my heart that I am the best, I believe that I won't lose
Jon Jones has been on a rollercoaster ride since replacing Rashad Evans in the main event at UFC 128. Evans was originally scheduled to face UFC Light Heavyweight champion Mauricio Rua on the card, but was forced to withdraw due to a training camp injury. Jones, a training partner of Evans’ at Jackson’s Gym stepped in and took the fight.
The acceptance of the fight started a rift between Jones and Evans and when Jones captured the UFC Light Heavyweight title from Mauricio Rua at UFC 128
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Read the full article at Low KickGive Jon Jones the Ball, He Wants to Run With It
Jon Jones embraces his role as champion and face of the UFC, and no amount of interviews will distract him from his goal of being the best fighter on the planet.
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Read the full article at MMA WeeklySoares: Machida Has Intangibles to Dethrone Jon Jones
Lyoto Machida has the skillset to take out Jon Jones, according to Ed Soares.
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Read the full article at SherdogThe Blueprint - Jones vs. Machida
There truly is no rest for the weary when it comes to Jon Jones.Seventy-seven days after facing Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in the first defense of his UFC light heavyweight championship, Jones will return to action to face one of the toughest puzzles in all of mixed martial arts, Lyoto Machida. Eleven weeks is a short turnaround time for any elite fighter facing top competition, not to mention a champion defending his belt. It is common for prospects building their competitive resumes to fight monthly or even bi-weekly when building their resumes against grossly overmatched foes. But most UFC champions compete two, maybe three times a year, if the fans are lucky. This will be Jones’ fourth fight in just over 10 months. That is a ridiculous pace. Conventional wisdom suggests that he cannot keep it up. Not if he wants to hold onto that shiny gold belt that currently sits around his waist. The question, of course, is whether it will impact Saturday’s main event. Will Jones be a bit overtrained? Is he getting mentally burned out? Only time will tell. I’m not sure if Team Jones even knows the answer to those questions just yet. The fear over overtraining and burnout isn’t the only things working against Jones. History also favors the challenger.Eleven men have reigned as the UFC’s 205-pound champion. Only three have successfully defended the title more than once. Chuck Liddell was the last man to accomplish that feat, and his reign ended nearly five years ago. Of the six champions since Liddell, only Rampage, Jones and Machida successfully defended even once. Those are startling statistics. The numbers clearly demonstrate the incredible parity in the UFC’s glamour division. They also suggest that Saturday might be Machida’s night to finally make Jones seem human. The problem with all of that is the fact that numbers are nothing more than numbers. People fight. Numbers don’t. And I’m quite certain that Jones couldn’t care less about the fact that his level of activity is far beyond the norm or that nobody since Liddell has successfully defended the title more than twice.How am I so sure of that? Well, nobody in history had ever won a UFC title at the ripe young age of 23 until Jones did it back in March. No fighter had ever won UFC gold with less than eight weeks to recover and prepare since his previous bout in the Octagon. Jones snatched the title from Shogun a mere six weeks after bludgeoning Ryan Bader.Only one man in the last decade has scored a submission win over Rampage. Yep, you guessed it. Jon Jones.This guy breaks the mold in so many ways it is tough to keep up at times. He is anything but ordinary in terms of his fighting style and career accomplishments, so I’m going to go out on a rather short limb and suggest that neither his competitive frequency nor history will play any role in this fight. Jones will show up at his best—properly trained, physically strong and mentally ready to go.I also fully expect Machida to show up at his absolute best. No other fighter in the sport lives mixed martial arts more than “The Dragon.” This guy personifies bushido in every aspect of his life. He would never disrespect himself, the sport or his opponent by taking a haphazard approach to preparing for a fight. No chance whatsoever.This will be a fight decided by styles and skills, not extraneous factors, which raises the question of how these guys matchup against each other. Readers who regularly peruse my big fight breakdowns probably expect me to write that Jones, who has some of the best takedowns in the division, needs to put Machida on his back. While I’m confident the champion will do just that at some point in the fight, I don’t think he should hesitate to stand with Machida. Jones is an extremely effective standup fighter, despite the fact that he has only been training that part of his game for a couple of years. One thing that makes him so unique is his record-setting 84.5-inch reach. No other fighter in the UFC, not even guys in the heavyweight division, can match that wingspan. As a result, he can land strikes from distances that are virtually impossible to prepare for. His crazy reach gave Rampage and Shogun, two standup experts, tremendous problems. It will do the same to Machida.Another unique thing about Jones’ standup is that he is almost perfectly ambidextrous with his punches, seamlessly switching between orthodox and southpaw stances at will. When he remains committed to the jab, his standup is masterful from either side. He can do that and score against Machida, dominating the fight from the outside. The problem, and all fighters have problems, is that Jones tends to lunge with a lazy left when he leads with a power shot from a southpaw stance. It is one of the only shots that he throws without excellent snap. As a result, the shot doesn’t have much juice on it, and, worse yet, he tends to pull it back very low. Machida is an expert counterstriker. An expert of the first order. He will absolutely be trying to key off of that shot with a right hook over the top, a left of his own down the middle, or a right high kick. If I were in Jones’ corner for the fight, I would hammer home the need to remain in the orthodox stance because I don’t think he can resist leading with a lazy left. In my opinion, that flaw in his game, particularly when matched with a lightning-quick, expert counterstriker like Machida, overrides the fact that it is easier to shoot for takedowns from a southpaw stance. Remember, Jones’ right is his dominant hand. Unlike kickboxers and boxers, who typically keep their dominant hand back, wrestlers want their dominant hand forward to assist with takedowns. Of course, that isn’t the only way that Jones can get the fight to the ground. He is freakishly good at Greco or Judo throws. Just ask anyone he has faced to date. Machida is excellent in the clinch. But he will get thrown by Jones from that position. Guaranteed.Once he throws him, Jones should use his amazing ground control to keep the Brazilian on his back. Forget submissions because Machida is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. Jones wants no part of that game. It should be all ground and pound all day. Jones can win by decision or stoppage that way.Jones’ standup might be tremendous, but Machida is not overmatched on the feet. Not by a mile. As written above, I think he has one of the most awkward, difficult to solve styles in the sport.Machida stands with his shoulders perpendicular to his opponent, which is a traditional Karate stance, with his weight well behind his center point and his upper body noticeably leaning toward his back foot. That is all designed to make him difficult to hit, not to maximize his ability to strike. Indeed, Machida isn’t trying to be effective offensively. Not in the traditional sense, at least. He instead uses his stance to feint in exaggerated form from a safe distance. He uses quick jab steps and sudden exaggerated shoulder movements in very herky-jerky movements to set the distance and pace of the fight. He wants an opponent to react to those movements by covering up or starting a counter. If he gets no reaction, Machida will throw the occasional lead high kick on the end of one of those jab steps or he may sprint in briefly with piston-like punches, never more than two or three at a time. Neither attack is overly dangerous, nor are they meant to be. The progression of feints and the occasional strikes are designed to accomplish two goals. First and foremost, he wants to set up his money move, which is leading with a kick to the body followed immediately by a short straight left. Machida caught Rashad Evans with that kick-punch combination late in the first round and dropped him. It wasn’t the force of the blow that led to the knockdown, rather the fact that Evans’ attention was wholly focused on defending the kick to the body. The other goal is to tempt his foe to throw tentative one-strike counters that he can counter back. The counters are tentative because opponents are so confused by Machida’s movements. Hesitation is disastrous against a laser-sharp counterstriker like Machida. Why? Machida has seriously underrated power. His knockout wins over Thiago Silva, Randy Couture and Evans vividly demonstrate that he is a killer on the feet, when he wants to be. But again, he is not a slugger. His power comes from perfect technique and timing mixed with insane speed. Suffice to say, this fight will be a chess match, not a slugfest. Saturday’s main event features two amazing, though very different, technicians. One wrong move by either man can bring the fight to a violent end. Then again, neither has shown a great tendency to make mistakes, so this one may go to the judges. In fact, everything points to a bout that lasts the distance, but I don’t think it will unfold that way. I think this fight is going to end by knockout. I just have a feeling. QUICK FACTSJon Jones• 24 years old• 6’4, 205 lbs• 84.5-inch reach• 14-1 overall • Lone UFC loss was a DQ for illegal elbow strikes to Matt Hamill in a fight Jones was dominating• Reigning UFC Light Heavyweight Champion• 266-day reign as champion; 1 successful defense so far• Last 7 fights ended inside the distance• 57.1% of wins by KO/TKO • 28.6% of wins by submission • 14.3% of wins by decision • Knockout of the Night, Fight of the Night, Submission of the Night winner• Current layoff is 77 days • Longest layoff of career is 188 days Lyoto Machida• 33 years old• 6’1, 205 lbs• 74-inch reach• 17-2 professional record • 3-2 in last 5 fights• 8-2 in last 10 fights• 16 straight wins to start professional career• 6-2 against 7 current or former UFC champions• Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion• 350-day reign as champion; 1 successful title defense• 52.9% of wins by decision • 35.3% of wins by KO • 11.8% of wins by submission• Knockout of the Night three times • Current layoff is 224 days • Longest layoff of career is 308 days• 2-2 in career following layoffs over 190 days
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Read the full article at UFCLyoto Machida: Traning to have an advantage over Jon Jones in all areas
Jon Jones will defend his Light Heavyweight title on Saturday, December 10 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His opponent will be former UFC champion, Lyoto Machida.
Jones will be defending his title for the second time when he meets Machida. His first defense of the belt he won from Mauricio Rua in March of this year occurred at UFC 135, when he forced Quinton “Rampage” Jackson to tap in the fourth round.
For his part, Machida will be looking to regain the title he
Posted in: title, jone, jon jones, mauricio rua, machida
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 140 poster for 'Jones vs Machida' on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" is set to take place at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on Sat., Dec. 10, 2011, in the promotion's return to pay-per-view (PPV).
Headlining the event is an intriguing light heavyweight championship bout pitting titleholder Jon Jones against former champion Lyoto Machida. It should be a barnburner.
But that's not all.
Also penciled in for the UFC 140 fight card is a heavyweight rematch that should see a definitive conclusion to the rivalry between Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. And don't forget about the freshly christened "People's Champ," Tito Ortiz, who will square off against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
For all the latest news and notes on UFC 140 be sure to hit up our event archive right here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, canada, payperview ppv, promotions return
Read the full article at MMA ManiaLyoto Machida talks training for Jon Jones
Fifteen men have stepped into the ring with Jon Jones and all have failed in terms of successfully game-planning for the dynamic 24-year old’s attack. The next man to take on the challenge the UFC light heavyweight champ poses is, of course, Lyoto Machida who is a former title-holder himself once viewed as being unbeatable.
Machida recently opened up about his preparation for the perilous quest at hand, explaining he worked hard on his wrestling and even plans to use it in an offensive manner to take Jones down rather than constantly being on the lookout for “Bones” shooting in.
“It’s hard to predict how things will go on during the fight, but we trained a lot offensive wrestling, me taking him down. Besides the takedown defenses, we trained counterattacks with the takedowns, so if I take him down, it won’t be a surprise for me, for my team, because we know what we’ve been doing here,” said Machida in an interview with Tatame. “Our greatest goal is to win the fight, in any area it takes place, no matter if it’s on the stand-up, the wrestling or on the ground. I want to have an advantage in all areas.
Jones Thinks he has the Key to Beating Machida
The Brazilian has also brought in a few special training partners including a K-1 striker, surging countryman Glover Teixeira, and decorated grappler/fighter Muhammed Lawal. Unfortunately, one of the individuals in his camp was not middleweight champion Anderson Silva who had originally volunteered his services when the UFC 140 match-up was originally made. However, “The Spider” still offered some assistance despite his busy schedule.
“I talked to Anderson on the phone like three or four times, and we talked a lot. He sent me a video, telling me to train that. He shoot a video there saying what he thought I should focus more my training on for this fight, he showed me a different (idea), saying I can use it,” Machida began. “So, he always tries to help me the way he can. We can tell Anderson is very helpful, mainly with his friends. You can see his worry to come and talk to me. I know he wants me to bring another title to our Brazil.”
Whether his improved wrestling and strategy in general will pay off remains to be seen but it appears obvious Machida has packed his toolkit with technique. Fans can see if he pulls out the title-win on December 10 when the two meet on PPV. Other bouts on the UFC 140 card include Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir and Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC 140 Videos: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Pre-Fight Interviews
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will defend his title against former champ Lyoto Machida in the main event of UFC 140 on December 10 in Toronto, Canada. Check out what Jones and Machida had to say about the matchup in their official pre-fight interviews below.
Jon Jones:
Lyoto Machida:
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, machida, lyoto
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyJon Jones admits he’s an Anderson Silva groupie
Despite being the next best thing since DVR, just know that if Bones Jones catches you smoking marijuana, he will turn you into the authorities. That's a deal breaker for some. Well, replace 'some' with 'Joe Rogan and Eddie Bravo'. Jon Jones is also an avid fan of 'Angry Johny' by Poe which sort of makes up for the fact that he could have never partied with my roommates at the University of Arizona. Scientists should harness the power of Bones Jones' elbows and do something productive like -- fuel the entire nation of Indonesia or have a really cool pyrotechnic show at some monster truck rally in Arkansas. Alternatively, you can use it to break every bone in Brandon Vera's face. There are very few things that exist on this earth that are worse than being ground and pounded by Jon Bones Jones and one of those things is to wake-up one morning only to discover that you drunkenly signed a contract to fight Anderson Silva. There would be absolutely no preparation nor training, you would just be thrown in a cage with the greatest fight on the planet -- and hundreds of thousands of people would be watching your demise. If this same scenario happened to Bones Jones, he would most likely give Anderson a hug and ask for his autograph prior to fighting The Spider. We caught up with Jon Jones this week to get his take on Anderson Silva, and here's what he said.
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Read the full article at Middle EasyLyoto Machida ready for whatever "spectacular things" Jon Jones will do at UFC 140
Former Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida, who will challenge current title holder Jon "Bones" Jones at UFC 140, discusses his opponent, as well as his training and preparation for the bout. Machida acknowledges the element of surprise that Jones brings to the cage, but says he will be prepared for whatever "spectacular things" the champ will do. Photo: Francis SpeckerLyoto Machida"I watch and study Jon Jones' fights thoroughly, and really, it's about preparing for everything. What spectacular thing
Posted in: jon, jone, lyoto machida, machida, bout machida
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones believes he’s figured out the key to beating Lyoto Machida
UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones is a complete MMA fighter. “Bones” spends just as much time in the gym training as he does outside of it, breaking down his opponent and finding their weakness.
In Lyoto Machida, the next challenger to Jones’ reign as UFC 205-pound champion, the Greg Jackson-trained fighter feels like he is understanding what makes “The Dragon” so strong – and so weak at the same time.
“I know myself. I know my weaknesses, I am not naïve to them,” Jones said in a UFC interview promoting the event. “And I am starting to understand my opponent. I am starting to understand what makes Lyoto, Lyoto. Where he’s strong, where he’s weak. I will defeat Lyoto Machida. I believe that it’s my destiny to be the UFC champion for many years.”
Jones has already successfully defended his crown once this year against a former UFC title-holder, having earned a submission victory over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. He was scheduled to meet Rashad Evans, but Evans was forced to pull out of the planned bout due to a hand injury. Instead, “Bones” gets another in the form of Machida.
“I’ve always felt confident with martial arts, and I always knew that I would fight Lyoto one day,” Jones said. “Lyoto’s a great opponent, man, he’s game. I think he takes this sport seriously. I think he’s unpredictable, he’s fast. Lyoto loves distance and I love distance, but I have the longer limbs, and I believe I’m just as fast.”
Machida and Jones will face off at the main event of UFC 140 on December 10 in Toronto.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 140 videos: Lyoto Machida is going to get his belt back from Jon Jones on Dec. 10 in Toronto
Borrowing a tried and true line from Tito Ortiz, former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida vows to get his belt back from current titleholder Jon Jones, whom he'll take on this coming Dec. 10, 2011, at UFC 140 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
As "The Dragon" explains, it's all about preparation:
"I watch and study Jon Jones's fights thoroughly and really it's about preparing for everything. What spectacular thing is he going to do? Is he going to fly or is he going to be diving in? There's always going to be a surprise factor with Jon Jones. All you can really do is prepare for everything he might try to do. If I do that I will be ready to face whatever he is going to bring during the fight. I have been preparing and training 100-percent and I'm gonna be 100-percent the day of the fight. I am going to go in there and win and get the belt back. I will be the champion again."
With his elusive style and unorthodox striking, Machida just might be the one to finally figure out how to solve the "Bones" Jones puzzle. Or is he?
Any Maniacs putting money down on the Brazilian butt-kicker?
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Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 ‘Jones vs. Machida’ Pre-Fight Interview: Lyoto Machida
Lyoto Machida challenges Jon Jones for his UFC light heavyweight title on Saturday, December 10, at UFC 140.
Posted in: ufc, jone, machida, prefight, lyoto
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 140 ‘Jones vs. Machida’ Conference Call Audio
Full audio from today’s UFC 140 conference call via MMA Weekly. Jon Jones, Lyoto Machida, Frank Mir, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Tito Ortiz were on the call.
Posted in: ufc, jone, conference, tito ortiz, machida
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 140 ‘Jones vs. Machida’ Pre-Fight Interview: Jon Jones
Jon Jones puts his UFC light heavyweight title on the line against Lyoto Machida on Saturday, December 10 at UFC 140.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, lyoto machida, machida
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 140 Jones vs Machida Conference Call (Audio)
The top tier of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, including main eventers Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida, fieled questions from the media on Thursday. Listen to the full audio.
Posted in: ufc, jone, conference, vs, machida
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyNow we can officially let the Tim Tebow/Jon Jones comparison begin
Jon Bones Jones and Tim Tebow have an undying urge to attribute all of their accomplishments to an intangible being with no evidence of his/her existence. By definition, this makes them cousins -- perhaps even brothers if we can get the DNA test back from the lab on time. Let's see, Tebow claims to be a virgin while Bones Jones has a child. According to the Christian scorecard, Tebow's score total slightly edges out Jones in this category. Next we have 'Wins that can be attributed to God.' Clearly, Jon Jones takes this category by a landslide, aside from that one time when God favored Matt Hamill. However, when it comes to 'Tebowing' (praying on one knee shortly before or after something awesome happens), then both athletes are essentially at a dead heat. Check out Jon Jones pulling a Tim Tebow after he grabbed his award for Fighter of the Year at the 2011 MMA Awards. [Source]
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Read the full article at Middle EasyJon Jones ready for all aspects of Toronto
UFC champion Jon (Bones) Jones likes to meditate before each fight and says he knows just the place in Toronto for UFC 140 next week.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, toronto, jon jones
Read the full article at sportsnet.ca2011 World MMA Awards: Jon Jones voted Fighter of the Year
The 2011 World MMA Awards went down last night from The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fourth annual ceremony, which was organized by Fighters Only Magazine and hosted by UFC Middleweight Chael Sonnen, alongside CBS Sports' Molly Qerim, revealed winners in 22 different categories.Among those honored were UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones, who was voted the Charles "Mask" Lewis Fighter of the Year, as well as the late Shawn Tompkins, nominated for a Special
Posted in: ufc, jone, fighter, year, shawn tompkins
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 140 Conference Call: Jon Jones fearless ahead of Lyoto Machida fight
Reigning Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones will put his title on the line when he meets Lyoto Machida in the UFC 140 headlining bout, set to take place December 10th from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Also featured will be a Heavyweight rematch between Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in the co-main event, as well as a Light Heavyweight showdown pitting Tito Ortiz against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.Below are highlights from today's UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Conference
Posted in: jone, jon jones, tito ortiz, lyoto machida, heavyweight rematch
Read the full article at Low Kick'Countdown to UFC 140' preview show debuts Dec. 7 on FUEL TV
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is currently focused on wrapping up
the 14th season of "The Ultimate Fighter," but the promotion transitions
to Toronto next week for "UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida" and its main
event, a light heavyweight title fight between current champ Jon Jones
and top contender Lyoto Machida.
In anticipation of that championship matchup, FUEL TV debuts "Countdown to UFC 140" on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
"UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida" takes place at Toronto's Air Canada Centre.
Posted in: ufc, jone, fuel tv, machida, promotion transitions
Read the full article at MMA JunkieLyoto Machida not impressed with the rise of Jon Jones
The Light Heavyweight title bout between Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida is fast approaching and as is often the case, the gamesmanship is beginning to ratchet up. Jones, the current champion and Machida, the former champion will meet on December 10 in Toronto, Ontario.
Machida will be Jones’ fourth fight this year, and many believe he will present the biggest challenge to date for the 14-1 champion. On the other hand, many have said that Jones is the future of the Light Heavyweight division, with
Posted in: jone, jon jones, champion, lyoto machida, machida
Read the full article at Low KickUFC Quick Quote: If Lyoto Machida wants to play the distance game, Jon Jones thinks that's awesome
"I always knew that I would fight Lyoto one day. Lyoto's a great opponent, man, he's game. I think he takes this sport seriously. I think he's unpredictable, he's fast. Lyoto loves distance and I love distance but I have the longer limbs and I believe I'm just as fast. So if Lyoto wants to play the distance game with me, I think that's going to be awesome. ... I will defeat Lyoto Machida. I believe that it's my destiny to be UFC champion for many years."
-- UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones thinks (via UFC.com) that it would be "awesome" if Lyoto Machida, the number one contender to his title, tries to fight him using distance when the two lock horns at UFC 140 on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. That's because Jones feels like he's just as fast as Machida but his "bones" are much longer, giving him the natural advantage. "The Dragon" has to move in and out to score with effective offense, while the champion can simply stay on the outside and use his freakish length to control the contest. That's not necessarily what he's going to do come fight night but at the very least, he'll be prepared if that's what Machida wants to do. Jones is prepared for anything, in fact, because he feels as though it is "his destiny" to hold the 205-pound title for "many years" to come. Any Maniacs out there picking the Brazilian for the upset? Or do we all agree with Jones that the belt is going to stay with him for a while?
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Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones vs Lyoto Machida: 'Dragon' finishes 'Bones' with Crane Kick to the face at UFC 140 (Video)
Finish him!
Behold, the Karate Kid-inspired ending to the upcoming UFC 140 main event between Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida, which will take place at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Dec. 10, 2011.
Machida plays the underdog, Daniel Larusso, taking on Cobra Kai Darth Maul Johnny Lawrence, who is played by none other than the favored light heavyweight champion, Jones. Mixed martial arts (MMA) trainer to the Brazilian stars, Steven Seagal, naturally assumes the role of Mr. Miyagi, while Greg Jackson was cast for the role of mean-spirited sensei, John Kreese.
Dana White, Anderson Silva, Herb Dean, Arianny Celeste and even Ed Soares also make animated cameo appearances.
Will life imitate ridiculous art in less than a fortnight, returning us to the Machida Era, or will Jones wax the Brazilian's hopes with a trick of his own?
Posted in: jone, greg jackson, machida, crane kick, cameo appearances
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140: Machida Crane Kicks Jones in the Face
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Read the full article at RedditUFC 140 Preims to Air on Spike TV
The UFC will air four bouts from the preliminary card of “UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida” on Ion TV on December 10, Heavy reports.
The broadcast will include Igor Pokrajac vs. Krzysztof Soszynski, Jared Hamman vs. Constantinos Philippou, John Makdessi vs. Dennis Hallman, and Yves Jabouin vs. Walel Watson.
The untelevised UFC 140 prelims will likely stream on Facebook.com/UFC, including Mark Bocek vs. Nik Lentz, Rich Attonito vs. Jake Hecht, and John Cholish vs. Mitch Clarke.
UFC 140 is headlined by light heavyweight champion Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida and also features Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir and Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
The UFC will return to Spike TV for the last time on Dec. 30 with the UFC 141 prelims before moving the broadcasts to FUEL TV and FX in 2012.
For complete coverage of UFC 140 stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Pictured: Jon Jones
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Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 140 Preims to Air on Ion TV
The UFC will air four bouts from the preliminary card of “UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida” on Ion TV on December 10, Heavy reports.
The broadcast will include Igor Pokrajac vs. Krzysztof Soszynski, Jared Hamman vs. Constantinos Philippou, John Makdessi vs. Dennis Hallman, and Yves Jabouin vs. Walel Watson.
The untelevised UFC 140 prelims will likely stream on Facebook.com/UFC, including Mark Bocek vs. Nik Lentz, Rich Attonito vs. Jake Hecht, and John Cholish vs. Mitch Clarke.
UFC 140 is headlined by light heavyweight champion Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida and also features Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir and Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
The UFC will return to Spike TV for the last time on Dec. 30 with the UFC 141 prelims before moving the broadcasts to FUEL TV and FX in 2012.
For complete coverage of UFC 140 stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Pictured: Jon Jones
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, tv, ion tv
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyJon Jones Spars Boxing Champ Holly Holm (Video)
Preparing for his upcoming title defense against Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has been sparring with world boxing champion Holly Holm.
Posted in: jon, jone, boxing, title defense, lyoto machida
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyDo Hendo’s Hands Hold the Jon Jones Kryptonite?
What’s it gonna take to beat UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones? That’s a legitimate question without a clear answer, but could the answer be: Dan Henderson's hands?
Posted in: jon, jone, question, hand, answer
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones vs Lyoto Machida: early look at UFC 140 main event
UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones will face Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 on December 10 from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The fight will be Jones’ fourth in 2011, none of which have gone the distance. In fact, Jones has gone the distance only twice in his UFC career, in his first two fights. Jones’ opponent, Machida, a former UFC Light Heavyweight champion himself, is looking to capitalize on his last fight, a knockout win over Randy Couture at UFC 129.
Some have
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, lyoto machida, jones ’
Read the full article at Low KickLyoto Machida feels more prepared than ever entering fight against Jon Jones
Adversity is one of life’s great teachers. As infants we fall in order to learn how to stand back up; as children we learn the dangers of hot/sharp items by suffering minor burns/cuts. The same is true when it comes to Mixed Martial Arts, a fact former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida can attest to.
The 33-year old Brazilian spoke about how losing his title to Mauricio Rua at UFC 113 served as an educational tool in an extended preview for UFC 140, an event at which he’ll have a chance to reclaim the belt in a bout against dynamic divisional king Jon Jones.
Machida and Jones Face Off for First Time at UFC 140 Press Conference
“When I lost the belt it was difficult for me but I learned a lot,” Machida explained. “Now I feel more prepared to fight for the belt. I have learned to work better under pressure and channel it. It’s a lifetime of work preparing for this moment…I have even more will and desire to win this belt again. I want it more than ever.”
Machida also made it clear Jones’ meteoric ascension from newcomer to pound-for-pound threat doesn’t phase him, stating, “Jon’s rise in MMA doesn’t impress me. I had my moment in the UFC too. This is the toughest division in the UFC. Every fight is a test.”
In a week the world will see whether or not the lessons he’s learned over the past few years will pay off. Other match-ups on the December 3 card include Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Tito Ortiz and Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
Check out the full UFC 140 preview below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC 140 ‘Jones vs. Machida’ In-Depth Preview
UFC 140 “Jones vs. Machida” takes place on Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto and will air live on pay-per-view at 9pm ET/6pm PT. The official UFC 140 fight card can be found in our fight cards section.
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Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 140 video preview for 'Jones vs Machida' on Dec. 10 in Toronto (Extended)
The world's largest fight promotion returns to pay-per-view this coming Dec. 10, 2011, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, for UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida."
The event features Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones defending his title for the second time against a man many feel has all the tools to dethrone him, former belt holder and Karate master Lyoto Machida.
That's not the only great fight on the card, though, as former heavyweight champions and bitter rivals Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will hook 'em up for a second time to prove who really is the better of the two.
And don't forget about the return of "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy," Tito Ortiz, who will take on Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in a light heavyweight match-up.
Looks like a great night of fights, no? For all the latest UFC 140 news and notes click here.
Posted in: fight, jone, huntington beach, notes click, belt holder
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones, Lyoto Machida discuss importance of title in extended UFC 140 preview
The UFC’s 205-pound champion, Jon Jones, will look to put a cap on his incredible 2011 when he meets Lyoto Machida in the main event at UFC 140 on December 10 from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Jones successfully defended his title against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson earlier this year, adding to his championship victory over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
“I believe it is my destiny to be the UFC champion for many years,” Jones said in an extended preview for the event.
Machida lost the light heavyweight title to Rua after earning a controversial decision victory against “Shogun” last year. After losing to Jackson, “The Dragon” rebounded with a devastating knockout of Randy Couture.
“I want to feel it again, that belt around my waist,” Machida explained of his longing for divisional gold.
Along with Jones-Machida, Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will compete in a match pitting former UFC heavyweight champs against each other for a second time. Mir defeated Nogueira in 2008.
Check out the full video below:
PHOTO/VIDEO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, year, machida
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Video Preview
Check out this sweet trailer for the light heavyweight championship fight between Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida at UFC 140.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, lyoto machida, machida
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 140: Jon Jones spars against top female boxer Holly Holm (Video)
Heading into his UFC 140 main event against Lyoto Machida, reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones learns how to fight like a girl. In this case it's a compliment, as "Bones" is mixing it up with two-time female fighter of the year and women's boxing champion across six different weight classes Holly Holm. For more on Jones and his training for "The Dragon" on Dec. 10 from the Air Canada Center in Toronto, click here.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, lyoto machida, toronto click
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones spars with top female boxer Holly Holm ahead of UFC 140
Reigning Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones sharpens his stand-up ahead of his UFC 140 title defense against Lyoto Machida by sparring with top female boxer Holly Holm. Holm, who has a pro boxing record of 30-1-3, is in Albuquerque, New Mexico training with Jones to prepare for her upcoming IBA title bout with Anne Sophie Mathis.
Posted in: jone, lyoto machida, holm, mexico training, boxing record
Read the full article at Low KickVideo: UFC Champ Jon Jones Sparring With Top Female Boxer Holly Holm
Here's footage of UFC light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones sparring with one of the top female boxers in the world, in Holly Holm, as she prepares for her IBA title bout this December:
The best female boxer in the world Holly Holm and the best light heavyweight in MMA Jon Jones train together at Jackson's Winkeljohn MMA. In Albuquerque To prepare for Anne Sophie Mathis height advantage Holly Holm has been training and sparring with some of the best mixed martial artists in the world in current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and welterweight contender Carlos Condit.
Holm has a professional boxing record of 30-1-3. She also has kickboxing experience, and is currently 2-0 in MMA with her latest bout being a TKO victory over one of Cyborg's former victims challengers, Jan Finney.
Jones, on the other hand, is preparing for his second title defense against Lyoto Machida at UFC 140.
HT: BE Reader Ian Parr
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, holm, holly
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowMMA Top 10 Light Heavyweights: How High Does Dan Henderson Go?
Filed under: UFC, Rankings, Light HeavyweightsOther than Jon Jones, no light heavyweight in mixed martial arts has been more impressive than Dan Henderson in the last 12 months.
Henderson brutally knocked out Renato "Babalu" Sobral in December, won the Strikeforce light heavyweight title with a TKO over Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante in March, took another TKO victory over Fedor Emelianenko in July as a light heavyweight fighting against a heavyweight, and then beat Shogun Rua in an all-time classic at UFC 139.
So where does that put Henderson? He's certainly in our light heavyweight Top 5, but it's still tough to justify Henderson going higher than fifth. Henderson did, after all, lose to Rampage Jackson, who lost to Rashad Evans, who lost to Lyoto Machida (who also lost to Rampage). The light heavyweight division has been so competitive for so long, with so many of the top fighters picking each other off, that after Jones, any of the next five guys could easily be put in any order. My order is below.
Top 10 Light Heavyweights in MMA
(Editor's note: The fighter's ranking the last time we did light heavyweights are in parentheses).
1. Jon Jones (1): The light heavyweight champion has easily separated himself from the pack, with two dominant wins over two other Top 10 light heavyweights, Shogun Rua and Rampage Jackson. Jones will try to make it three dominant wins over three other Top 10 light heavyweights when he takes on Lyoto Machida on December 10 at UFC 140.
2. Rashad Evans (2): Evans is a tough one to rank because he's been so inactive of late: He's only fought three times in the last two and a half years. But he's been impressive in all three of those fights, beating Tito Ortiz, Rampage Jackson and Thiago Silva, and he has earned the light heavyweight title shot that he'll supposedly get whenever he and Jones are healthy and able to fight at the same time.
3. Lyoto Machida (4): Machida is a tough one to rank: Should he be below Evans, even though he brutally beat Evans? Should he be above Rampage and Shogun, even though both of them beat him? There's really no fair way to rank them, since Evans, Machida and Jackson all went 1-1 in their fights against each other. Machida will get a chance to show where he belongs in the light heavyweight division when he takes on Jones.
4. Rampage Jackson (5): Jackson has fought all the best of the best in the light heavyweight division, beating Machida, Henderson and Shogun, and losing to Jones, Evans and Forrest Griffin. With a 3-3 record against the Top 7, No. 4 sounds about right.
5. Dan Henderson (6): As great as Henderson has looked in the last year, I can't rank him ahead of Rampage, given what happened when Rampage and Henderson fought. I'd sure love to see a rematch of that one, though.
6. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (3): Shogun is only 2-3 in his last five fights, but it's about as impressive a 2-3 record as a light heavyweight could possibly have: The two wins were brutal first-round knockouts of Machida and Griffin, while the three losses were close decisions against Machida and Henderson, and a loss to Jones in which he admittedly looked bad -- but then again Jones makes everyone look bad.
7. Forrest Griffin (7): The biggest question about Griffin is whether, at age 32 and having a wife and kid, he's still interested in completely committing himself to MMA. When Griffin is on, he's good enough to beat high-quality opponents like Rich Franklin, Rampage and Shogun. He looked decidedly off in his rematch loss to Shogun in August, however.
8. Rafael Cavalcante (8): Feijao bounced back from his loss to Henderson and beat Yoel Romero Palacio in September, and now would be a good time to see him in the UFC, where there are a lot more good fights for him.
9. Phil Davis (9): The 9-0 Davis was pulled from a fight with Evans in August because of a knee injury, and there's still no word on when he'll be ready to return. A former NCAA wrestling champion, Davis is one of the most talented athletes in the light heavyweight division, and he'll be fighting for the belt eventually.
10. Thiago Silva (10): I've been waiting for someone to step up and take the bottom spot in the Top 10 from Silva, who's been suspended all year for taking performance-enhancing drugs. But no one has really been able to do that, and so Silva stays. He should return early in 2012. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: rampage, jone, heavyweight, henderson, light
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC Quick Quote: Jon Jones expecting to fight the best Lyoto Machida ever
"We're going to have to watch Machida's speed, and his distancing is key. He's also a very creative fighter. He's very quick on the in and out. He's going to try to get past Jon's length, I'm sure, with his jumping in and jumping out style and moving side to side. We have to be extremely careful with that. He does have one-punch power, so we need to be careful of his power. He'll be very motivated because once somebody supposedly has that stature that Jon has now of this invincible machine, everybody trains really, really hard -- partly out of fear, partly out of ambition -- to take you down. I fully expect us to fight the best Machida that has ever fought, and hopefully we'll be able to get around that and those problems."
-- Greg Jackson, lead trainer for MMA superstar and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, breaks down (via Sherdog.com) the match-up between his prized pupil and man who will challenge "Bones" for the 205-pound title, Lyoto Machida, at UFC 140 on Dec. 10, 2011, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Jones camp is expecting -- and preparing -- for the greatest version of "The Dragon" we've ever seen. That's a scary thought, considering the extensive list of accomplishments the Brazilian already has. There are many who believe Machida is the man with the elusive style and unorthodox striking to match Jones punch for punch without getting overwhelmed like every other Jones opponent before him. Jackson, it seems, recognizes the strong possibility of this and is preparing accordingly. Anyone think the light heavyweight belt turns back into a hot potato at the Air Canada Centre next month?
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, machida, jones opponent
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC releases preview for UFC 140: Jones vs. Machdia
In just over three weeks’ time, UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones will put his belt on the line for the second time after choking out Quinton Jackson at UFC 135 in his initial defense. “Bones” will look to continue his incredibly impressive run by defeating former champ, Lyoto Machida, at UFC 140.
Machida brings with him an impressive 17-2 MMA record and will be looking to recapture the title he lost to Mauricio Rua last year. Machida hasn’t fought since winning an impressive knockout over Randy Couture in April despite being rumored for a match-up with Rashad Evans at UFC 133.
Machida and Jones Face Off for First Time at UFC 140 Presser
Other fights on the card include a heavyweight clash between Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira with both former champs looking to move back into title contention with a win, as well as a battle between apt adversaries Tito Ortiz and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
The UFC has now released a preview hyping the December 10 event scheduled for the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada.
Check out the full UFC 140 video below:
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Read the full article at Fighters.comJon Jones vs Lyoto Machida fight video preview for UFC 140 on Dec. 10
"Art comes alive" as Jon Jones defends his 205-pound title against former division kingpin Lyoto Machida at UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" on Dec. 10, 2011, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. Anyone think "Bones" will break at the hands of "The Dragon?" Or will Jones make it a clean sweep as he heads into 2012? How do you see this one playing out?
Posted in: jone, jon jones, vs, canada, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 ‘Jones vs. Machida’ Trailer
UFC 140 “Jones vs. Machida” takes place on Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto and will air live on pay-per-view at 9pm ET/6pm PT. The official UFC 140 fight card can be found in our fight cards section.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, machida
Read the full article at MMA ConvertRyan Bader Anxious to Return to Winning Ways
Prior to UFC 126 in February, Ryan Bader might not have been at the top of the world, but he certainly had a great view of everything below him.
Then it all changed for him, seemingly in an instant. Bader lost his first career match to future light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. He seemed to struggle with Jones’ athleticism and surprising strength that overpowered Bader, something he had never had to worry about before.
Losing to Jones, while not necessarily excusable for Bader, it was certainly understandable. Jones is a top pound-for-pound fighter, and has potential that has rarely been seen since the beginnings of mixed martial arts.
But as Bader puts it, the organization is always seen in the light of “what have you done for me lately”.
Unfortunately for Bader, “lately” still stands as a sour note in his career, as he went on to lose to Tito Ortiz at UFC 132 in July. A heavy underdog going into the fight, Ortiz surprised many, Bader most importantly, by knocking down the All-American wrestler and choking him out in the first round.
“I took that loss to Tito very hard,” said Bader. “It happens in this organization, and all I can do is learn what I did wrong, which I have.”
That brings us to this Saturday at UFC 139, where Bader will have the opportunity to show what he learned, as he takes on Jason Brilz, who is also on a two fight loss streak.
“I am definitely fired up about this matchup,” said Bader. “Jason is a tough opponent who is a strong wrestler with heavy hands. Plus he pushes the pace, which I like.”
“I am very confident about this fight. I switched some things up with my camp, as I brought in a new boxing coach and a new head coach. I had to re-evaluate things following my loss to Tito.”
Now Bader says he is in the best shape has ever been in. That can be accredited to his continuing work with the gym he helped create, Power MMA, with fellow Arizona State wrestlers CB Dolloway and Aaron Simpson. Plus he feels he is not overtraining, something he feels he was doing in his previous fights.
“Getting to train with guys like CB and Aaron, along with big guys above 220 to train for Brilz has been great,” Bader said. “I get to train for Jason and his size plus his wrestling pedigree. This is the best camp I have ever had.”
“Regarding those fights against Jon Jones and Tito Ortiz, the fact is I was overtraining before those fights. That is one of the things I learned I was doing wrong. I feel much more prepared for this fight.”
When asked if there is something else he would like to change, other than the current losing streak, Bader mentioned the running nickname he has been given by many fans.
“I get told to use ‘Master’ as my nickname at least every other day,” said Baider. “Getting that a couple of times a week can get annoying. Perhaps it is time for something new.”
When choosing between one aspect to change, chances are Bader can live with the fan-desired nickname, as it not only means he has returned to the win column, but continues to make his own name in the organization.
For complete coverage of UFC 139, stay tuned to mmafrenzy.com
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, something, bader
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyDan Henderson isn't buying into the Jon Jones hype, says "Bones" has a lot to improve on
After his meteoric rise to the top of the division, many have already began to proclaim Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones as one of the all-time greats at 205. But, make no "bones" about it, former PRIDE champ, Dan Henderson, isn't one of them. According to "Hendo", the 24-year-old presents an exciting challenge, but at this point, still has a lot to improve on before the veteran is willing to buy into what some are selling.
Posted in: jone, henderson, dan, lot, alltime greats
Read the full article at Low KickDan Henderson: Shogun first then Jon Jones
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Read the full article at RedditDan Henderson: Shogun First Then Jon Jones
Dan Henderson is more than happy to face Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua at UFC 139, but then he hopes to crack that code that is UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, shogun, dan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC Quick Quote: Jon Jones is just as tough a puzzle to figure out as Lyoto Machida
"Lyoto's a pretty crafty guy. I believe that I'm pretty crafty as well. You know, everyone just keeps asking me, 'How are you going to figure out this tough puzzle?' My answer to that is that I feel as if I'm a pretty tough puzzle to figure out. So I really just need to focus on what I need to do to win the fight and let everything take care of itself."
-- Jon Jones talks to MMA Heat about his upcoming light heavyweight title defense against the crafty and complex Lyoto Machida at UFC 141 on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. No, Jones isn't facing the "Dragon" of a few years ago, the one no 205-pound fighter on the planet could figure out how to handle. But the Karate kid is still a formidable foe and dangerous at every aspect of the game. Then again, so is Jones, who, for all intents and purposes, hasn't suffered a legitimate defeat in his young mixed martial arts career. In fact, "Bones" may have even more hype surrounding him than Machida did when he won the division title from Jones' arch rival, Rashad Evans, back in 2009. That was a long time ago, though, and much has changed. The question now isn't so much will Jones have an answer for Machida; it's will Machida have an answer for Jones? Anyone think another Brazilian is about to become champion once again?
Posted in: jone, machida, lyoto, jones isnt, jones anyone
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones: Lyoto Machida is a crafty guy, but I'm a pretty tough puzzle to figure out
Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones, who will look to make his second title defense when he meets Lyoto Machida at UFC 141, discusses his opponent, as well as his growth as a fighter. Jones acknowledges the difficulties that Machida's style presents, but insists he's a "pretty tough puzzle" as well.
Posted in: jone, title defense, lyoto machida, machidas style, fighter jones
Read the full article at Low KickRashad Evans: Anderson Silva Would Defeat Jon Jones If They Fought
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans did an hour-long Q&A session before UFC 138, and while most of it was not really newsworthy, one comment definitely was. Rashad was asked who he thought would win if current UFC light heavyweight champion (and Rashad's biggest rival) Jon Jones faced off with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Who he picked isn't really surprising, but his reasoning behind it is (transcription by MMA Mania):
"Honestly, I think... I would say Anderson would win. I think he would catch Jon standing up because I think Jon does a lot of crazy stuff but, fundamentally, sometimes he does it just to do it. But I think Anderson has a reason, like Anderson, fundamentally and technically, is better in that respect and I think he would catch (Jones) doing something stupid. If the fight was to go a little bit longer and Jon used his wrestling then I think the fight may go to Jon. But for the most part, early on in the fight, Anderson would catch Jon trying to do something crazy."
He does leave it open to Bones winning with his wrestling at least, but that's a pretty one-sided answer. Rashad, of course, was expected to face Jones in his next title defense but a hand injury kept him out of the bout for now. Instead, Lyoto Machida will face Jones at UFC 140.
You can catch the whole Q&A after the jump, which is pretty entertaining at times.
Video HT: Bobby Cavian
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, rashad, anderson
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans: Anderson Silva would beat Jon Jones by 'catching him doing something stupid'
Yes, Rashad Evans is still talking about Jon Jones.
That's mostly a function of his being asked about the light heavyweight champion, though, and that was the case this past weekend. "Suga" was the featured fighter at the UFC 138 Fight Club Q&A in Birmingham, England, and fans wanted to know who would win if Jones fought Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva.
Rashad's reply:
"Honestly, I think... I would say Anderson would win. I think he would catch Jon standing up because I think Jon does a lot of crazy stuff but, fundamentally, sometimes he does it just to do it. But I think Anderson has a reason, like Anderson, fundamentally and technically, is better in that respect and I think he would catch (Jones) doing something stupid. If the fight was to go a little bit longer and Jon used his wrestling then I think the fight may go to Jon. But for the most part, early on in the fight, Anderson would catch Jon trying to do something crazy."
Silva's speed, technique and pinpoint accuracy would be enough to defeat Jones' superior size, length and unorthodox striking. That's one way of looking at it.
Another is to say that "Bones" would stifle "The Spider" with a suffocating top game, much like Chael Sonnen did to the middleweight champ back at UFC 117. Of course, Sonnen went on to lose that fight via triangle choke.
This one would be a tough call, no question. Who do you Maniacs think wins?
Evans answered plenty more questions during his near hour long on stage session in front of fans, including more on his feud with Jones and fighters he wishes he could have fought before they retired from MMA.
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, rashad, anderson
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans eager to work his way back to getting a title shot
Jon Jones or Lyoto Machida?
It doesn't matter who he gets, Rashad Evans just wants a fight.
On one hand, we have "Bones," the current UFC light heavyweight champion and "Suga's" former training partner. The former Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA stablemates have built up quite a rivalry over the last few months. Without recapping the roots and whole story of their beef again, it's safe to say that they simply do not like each other.
On the other hand, we have the "Dragon," the only blemish on Evans' near-perfect record (16-1). Evans and Machida first collided at UFC 98 back in 2009, a night that Evan's would like to erase from the history books.
If he can even remember it in the first place, of course.
Machida became the first man to defeat Evans by viciously knocking him out in the second round of their main event clash. In the process, the Brazilian took Evans' 205-pound strap and thus began the short lived "Machida Era."
Evans tells SportsVibe.co.uk that it doesn't matter who he fights, as he stands to gain something from each opponent, but he does have an event and date in mind:
"The recovery is going well and ideally I want to be back in February. We have an event on Super Bowl weekend so that would be great if I can fight on that card. Ultimately I want to work my way back to getting a title shot again so we'll have to see how things plan out. I would love to fight Lyoto again and rectify my loss against him and I would like the opportunity to fight Jones as well. I want to be the guy that solves the puzzle because I use to train with Jones; I know where I can beat him."
"Suga" and "Bones" were originally set to collide for the UFC light heavyweight championship at UFC 133 last August. However, an injury to Jones postponed the much anticipated fight.
In the interim, Evans participated in the UFC 133 event and picked up a victory over Tito Ortiz. A month later, Jones defended his title against Quinton Jackson at UFC 135, re-setting up the title fight with Evans.
Unfortunately, the fight would not come to pass as the injury bug reared its ugly head once again.
This time, it was Evans who was sidelined because of a nagging hand injury he picked up during his fight with Ortiz. UFC officials then awarded Machida the next shot at Jones. Evans is still next in line to battle the winner of Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida, which is set to go down on Dec. 10, 2011, at UFC 140 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Regardless of who he draws, a fight with Jones or Machida would have to serve as co-main event if indeed it took place over super bowl weekend. That's because the much anticipated event, which his tentatively scheduled to serve as UFC 143 on Feb. 4, 2012, is set to feature a colossal welterweight clash between UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre and Nick Diaz.
If both fights do get scheduled for SuperBowl weekend, the UFC will definitely have a massive success at the box office.
Who would you like to see welcome Evans back to the Octagon? The only man to ever defeat him in Machida, or the man who once considered Evans a brother in Jones?
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaPhoenix Jones needs to fight in Strikeforce
As if getting arrested for indiscriminately pepperspraying a group of post-club shit kickers wasn't bad enough, Phoenix Jones aka MMA fighter Ben Fodor also had his 6000 supersuit taken away by the cops. Not content to stop messing with him there, the government has now also stepped in and gotten him fired from his day job. His more superhero job than his actual superhero job: working with developmentally disabled autistic children!
Last week, Jones received a letter from the state Department of Social and Health Services, informing him he is no longer allowed to work with kids. PubliCola was not able to determine exactly why DSHS disqualified Jones from working with kids, but it appears to be due to his pending assault case.When contacted for a comment, Jones said he had been advised not to speak extensively about the circumstances of his apparent termination, but confirmed he was no longer able to work with autistic children.“They all knew I was Phoenix Jones,” he says.Jones says that because of his arrest, he’s on “a list” that prohibits him from working with children, because he has “a history of interjecting myself into situations that are dangerous.”Jones, naturally, disputes that characterization. “I would say I have a history of fighting crime,” he says. “The whole point of what I do is to keep people safe.”Jones isn’t sure how he’ll pay the bills now. He says he’s received offers for fight bouts from the Strikeforce mixed martial arts organization, and plans to start fighting crime in the daytime, in addition to his night patrols around Seattle. Other than that, he says, “I really don’t know.”
Normally I'd say what's the point of getting a job with Strikeforce because you're going to end up just as unemployed in a few months. But in this case I'll stop being a giant cynic and say yeah, it would totally be cool if Phoenix Jones joined Strikeforce. Not only does it totally sound like the plot to comic book, but the guy is essentially being punished for being awesome by getting fired from a job that desperately requires awesome people. Those kids need a real life superhero, and I'd say Jones had a resume that fit that description.
Posted in: strikeforce, jone, job, phoenix jones, phoenix
Read the full article at FightlinkerJon Jones in Rolling Stone: Is 'Bones' the Michael Jordan of MMA?
Too soon?
Well, UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer once said Jones would be the Muhammed Ali of MMA, so perhaps comparing him to Michael Jordan is just another way to say "Hey, this guy is pretty damn good."
Good enough to make it into Rolling Stone Magazine's "Hot Issue," which gives readers a closer look at the light heavyweight champion following his UFC 135 win over Quinton Jackson.
But points off for the headline, calling it a sport where "anything goes."
Blessed with a six-foot-four frame and a freakish athleticism that runs in the family (his brother Arthur plays linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens), Jones, 24, brings a set of skills the UFC could only dream of in its early days of eye-gouging and head butts. His moves – spinning elbows, flying knee kicks – seem like the stuff of kung-fu flicks, and yet he's just as deadly on the ground. Urijah Faber, one of MMA's biggest stars, says Jones could become the Michael Jordan of the sport. "I don't really know what to say to that," Jones says as a trainer adjusts the ice on his feet, which are nearly broken from all the punishing kicks delivered to Jackson. "I don't want to sound cocky, but I do hold myself in high regard."
"Bones" has every reason to hold himself in high regard.
Not only has he blown through the 205-pound division with relative ease, he's done it against the top of the food chain. The next man to try his luck at solving the unorthodox riddle will be Lyoto Machida in the main event of UFC 140 on Dec. 10 in Toronto.
Would slaying "The Dragon" convince you he's the Air Jordan of caged combat? Or not yet? Who's holding out for the Rashad Evans fight before passing judgement?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jordan, michael jordan, judgement opinions
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones: The Michael Jordan of MMA
Rolling Stone magazine takes a look at Jon Jones and what he could become in this compelling interview.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, michael jordan, stone magazine
Read the full article at Heavy MMARashad Evans: Jon Jones is going to need a therapist
“Suga” Rashad Evans is currently in the UK for UFC 138. WHOATV caught up with the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion in the days before the Chris Leben versus Mark Munoz fight card and spoke to Evans on a variety of topics, one of which, of course, was current Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.
Evans pulled no punches when talking about Jones, "What happened between us, it’s all gonna play out, so it’s not so much about, it’s about like stealing your
Posted in: jone, heavyweight, champion, chris leben, evan
Read the full article at Low KickBooking Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz Shows UFC Learned Lesson From Jones vs. Evans
It feels like ages ago that we were talking about a fight between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones the same way we talk about Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz. Both situations involved a title fight that people wanted to see but each situation had a much different outcome.
Jones may have just won the title, but the storyline that existed based on broken loyalties, betrayal and stolen title shots had a fight with Evans set to be a starmaking performance. Jones needed "that guy" to become something more than just an amazing talent in the cage, something that never has sold incredibly well on its own in the fight game, and he had it in Rashad.
A hand injury to Jones which initially was announced to need surgery and then was announced not to led to Evans fighting at UFC 133 against Tito Ortiz and Jones fighting at UFC 135 against Quinton Jackson, a little over one month separating the fights.
The interest in Evans vs. Jones is still there but it has cooled, and the UFC's unwillingness to shift things around to make the fight happen in September led to two lukewarm events instead of creating one major fight. Now it's Evans who is hurt and we will see Jones face Lyoto Machida in an interesting fight but one that will still fail to provide that huge fight for Jones.
It appears that the UFC has learned their lesson from missing a major opportunity with the GSP vs. Diaz situation. I didn't buy Diaz's ability to sell a fight with St. Pierre at UFC 137, thinking he didn't yet have the cache with UFC fans needed to make the event truly big. I think they received a major blessing when they were forced to shuffle Diaz in against Penn.
The performance Nick gave created an instant buzz and the in-cage call-out of St. Pierre and Georges' reaction to the situation provided solid gold for promoting a fight. Now you had an established UFC star with a huge win and plenty of buzz set to face your top PPV draw.
Alas, UFC president Dana White had guaranteed the media that it would be Carlos Condit still receiving his title shot at St. Pierre "no matter the outcome."
Taking a promoter at his word is a losing game though as Dana smartly realized what he had and the need to strike while the iron was hot. Condit can wait, the public wants to see Diaz vs. Penn.
Had they passed on making the fight they'd have had to have given Diaz another fight before his title shot, he couldn't have waited on the sidelines until the Summer. At that point there is a risk of him losing or either fighter getting hurt and blowing a big event.
It's okay to feel bad for Condit, but this is a business and he was the hardest product to sell in the situation. The UFC made the move they needed to make and that shows growth since the Jones/Evans situation only a few months earlier.
Posted in: ufc, fight, diaz, jone, situation
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC Quick Quote: Jon Jones can make his fight against Lyoto Machida very, very easy
"He’s going to be scary. In fact I think he’s already got people scared. There’s no doubt about it. He’s an anomaly with his length and the fact that he believes in himself. The neat thing about Jon is you can show him something and he goes OK, and five minutes later, you’ll put him in sparring and he’ll be trying it. He’ll just be doing it. Most of the time he pulls it off. He does the same thing in fights. He’s just a believer in his skills and his abilities, and that’s so huge in the fight game. It’s so mental. You’ve got to believe in yourself and have the confidence to incorporate these moves and these techniques into your game ... To fight Machida again with Jon Jones, I think it’s going to be great. I know Jon’s a believer. He’ll pull it off. He can make this fight very, very easy if he’d like to. Jon has those abilities."
More high praise for UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, who will defend his 205-pound strap against former division titleholder Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 on Dec. 10 from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Coach Mike Winkeljohn tells Sherdog's Beatdown Radio show that "Bones" can make his fight against "The Dragon" very, very easy if he'd like to. Is the Jackson camp sounding a little too overconfident? Or does Jones warrant all the accolades? Let's hear it Maniacs, who calling for an upset?
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, fact i, hersquo
Read the full article at MMA ManiaWhat’s Next for Jon Jones after Lyoto Machida, a Drink and Umbrella?
When 2011 is over, Jon Jones will have had four fights, three of which were title bouts, an almost unheard of rate for anyone in the UFC.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, lyoto machida, title bouts
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones doesn’t see Lyoto Machida as the same fighter he once was
Jon Jones knows what it feels like to be called the next superstar of MMA, much like Lyoto Machida was once hailed as before he lost his UFC light heavyweight title.
Now, Jones, who is the current 205-pound champion, gets his opportunity to test out “The Dragon” when the two meet in the main event of UFC 140 on December 10 from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
“Bones” has already competed three times this year, defeating Ryan Bader to earn a shot at the title, as well as the fighter who took the belt from Machida – Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Jones stopped Rua, having since successfully defended his crown with a submission victory over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson earlier this month.
In terms of Machida, who was last seen knocking out Randy Couture and sending him to retirement, Jones believes the mystique of Machida is no longer the same due to a pair of losses he suffered against Rua and Jackson.
“We’re not fighting the undefeated Lyoto Machida anymore,” said Jones, in an interview with The Fight Network recently. “I’ve watched him lose several rounds now through studying and I just happen to have two coaches that are southpaws now as well, so there’s a lot of knowledge in my camp about fighting guys with opposite stances.”
Ever the student, Jones is already breaking down video of Machida, saying, “We feel comfortable, we feel as if there’s been some blueprints laid out (in terms of defeating Machida). Obviously, we will come up with our own blueprint, take from what we’ve seen and make it an even greater defeat. We’re excited. We’re up to the challenge.
Along with Jones-Machida, UFC 140 will feature Frank Mir meeting Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Tito Ortiz taking on Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, lyoto machida, machida, lyoto
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainMailbag: Jones the favorite for Fighter of the Year (Yahoo! Sports)
With one more win, Jon Jones will be a lock for Fighter of the Year. But what if he loses to Lyoto Machida?
Posted in: jone, fighter, jon jones, year, mailbag jones
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsVideo: Jon Jones or Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans will fight them both
From Greg Jackson's to Blackzilions, UFC light heavyweight Rashad Evans is still chasing the elusive 205-pound championship. He'll have to wait for the winner of Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 on Dec. 10 but who does he want that to be?
"I want to fight 'em both and I want to fight 'em in the same night. In seriousness, it doesn't really matter to me. I'm looking to compete against the best and whoever wins is obviously the best. I just want to compete and have fun."
On the one hand, if it's Jones he'll get to settle a grudge that has been many, many months in the making. On the other, if it's Machida he'll get the chance to avenge the only loss of his stellar career and take the title from the man that took it from him.
Which fight would you rather see, Maniacs?
Posted in: fight, jone, greg jacksons, machida hell, jones hell
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad feels Machida has a good shot at beating Jones
submitted by red1392 [link] [2 comments]
Posted in: jone, rashad, shot, machida
Read the full article at RedditJon Jones Feels Comfortable With Blueprint to Defeat Lyoto Machida
Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida have the two hardest styles to figure out in the light heavyweight division. When the two meet at UFC 140 it will be Jones looking to defend his UFC title, a title once held by Machida prior to getting knocked out by Mauricio Rua.
Jones feels that the blueprint has been established to beat Machida and all he has to do is follow the plan. Here's Jon explaining just that to Fight News:
From the video:
We're not fighting the undefeated Lyoto Machida anymore. I've watched him lose several rounds now through studying and I just happen to have two coaches that are southpaws now as well so there's a lot of knowledge in my camp about fighting guys with opposite stances. We feel comfortable, we feel as if there's been some blueprints laid out. Obviously, we will come up with our own blueprint, take from what we've seen and make it an even greater defeat. We're excited. We're up for the challenge.
Jones is the favorite in the fight, and rightfully so. But he must keep in mind that having a blueprint and being able to build the house are two different things.
Posted in: jone, lyoto machida, machida, lyoto, blueprint
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 140: Jon Jones prepared to hand Lyoto Machida 'an even greater defeat' than before (Video)
"We're not fighting the undefeated Lyoto Machida anymore. I've watched him lose several rounds now through studying and I just happen to have two coaches that are southpaws now as well so there's a lot of knowledge in my camp about fighting guys with opposite stances. We feel comfortable, we feel as if there's been some blueprints laid out. Obviously, we will come up with our own blueprint, take from what we've seen and make it an even greater defeat. We're excited. We're up for the challenge."
Jon Jones will defend his 205-pound title against former division kingpin Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 on Dec. 10 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto for what will be the fourth bout of his 2011 fight campaign. Anyone think "Bones" will break at the hands of "The Dragon?" Or will Jones make it a clean sweep as he heads into 2012? How do you see this one playing out?
Posted in: jone, lyoto machida, machida, lyoto, there
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans jokes that he wants to face Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida tournament style
For a brief moment it looked as if former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans was finally going to get his long awaited shot at Jon Jones. However, the hand Evans injured while facing Tito Ortiz at UFC 133 did not heal fast enough to allow Evans to participate in UFC 140, which is scheduled to take place on December 10 at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre. Instead of facing Evans on that card, Jones will face another former Light Heavyweight Champion and the only man to defeat Evans, Lyoto
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, hand evans, card jones
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones says "The More Active The Better" on his 2011 run
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones reflected on his activity throughout 2011, and the fact that the UFC 140 encounter with Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida will be his fourth fight this year. According to Jones, "the more active the better", especially when you're a twenty-four year old Champion "with a small window of opportunities to do great things". Other UFC Champions defended (or will defend) their title only twice this year, excluding Cain Velasquez who will have his first title defense
Posted in: jone, jon jones, champion, year, ufc champions
Read the full article at Low KickUFC Quick Quote: Dana White thinks Jon Jones still hasn't arrived
"I've said it many times that this guy is the whole package. At such a young age, taking on the names and beating the guys that he has. He might not be a household name, but when he beat Matyushenko, I was blown away with how he's done it. He's dealing with a lot of stuff that puts a lot of pressure on people and at a very young age. It's unbelievable. Before the Rampage fight people were talking pound for pound but I don't want to put the pressure on this guy. You're not in your prime until you're 27, 28, 29 years old. It's really impressive. You have to respect what he's been able to do at such a young age and how he's done it. If Jon Jones can walk through Machida the way he walked through Rampage than he has arrived, he is the real deal. The sky's the limit for this kid. He's got the Rashad fight after that and Rashad claims he's getting his number. Machida is stylistically very tough and I think this is a fun fight."
-- UFC President Dana White is, before anything else, a promoter. That means his word should usually be taken with a grain of salt or, at least, one must realize he'll speak with words that will make his business more successful. That means saying things like "Frankie Edgar is the number two pound-for-pound fighter in the world, I don't care if you think differently, you're wrong and I'm right." But he's taken a different approach with UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones. Instead of calling him the second coming of christ, like so many others have, White is exercising caution with his 205-pound prized possession. "Bones" is a star in the making, a potential future two-division champion who may very well go down as the greatest of all time. He's certainly got all the physical tools to make such a dream a reality, as well as the mental capacity to continue to grow into his skin. But he's still young, just 24-years-old, actually, and despite his massive success against veterans of the fight game like Vladimir Matyushenko and Quinton Jackson, there's most certainly a long road ahead. The light heavyweight surf is filled with sharks who all present a new and interesting style match-up. If Jones can navigate the waters with the skillful ease of which he's done so far, he may very well be the best ever. White just isn't ready to say as much yet. And you know what? This time he's right. Agree or disagree?
Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, jone, jon jones
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUpset Alert: Why Lyoto Machida Will Beat Jon Jones
At this point in his (still young) career it seems crazy to pick against the UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones. He has achieved a level of dominance at 205 pounds that has not been seen since the heydays of former company poster boys Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz, and you could make a good argument that Jones has fought better competition than either man. The craziest part of all this is that Jones is only 24 years old and has probably not even achieved the pinnacle of what he can do as an athlete in combat sports.
Even with all that being said, I think Lyoto Machida will beat Jones on December 10 in Toronto.
I may be wrong, as I’ve certainly been wrong about Machida before. Jones has appeared virtually unstoppable since arriving in the UFC, but of course the same was said about Machida during his run up to the title. MMAth certainly doesn’t help me, since Machida lost to Shogun and Jones beat Shogun with ease. Machida’s mystique has already been cracked yet Jones appears to be Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America every time he’s in the cage.
So why do I think “The Dragon” will dethrone “Bones” Jones?
The first reason is a matter of timing. Jones is a warrior and one of the best embodiments of a pure athlete, but he is also human. When Jones meets Machida in the center of the octagon in December it will be his fourth fight in a little over ten months. Add in to that the fact that he’s been training essentially nonstop between those fights and fatigue is a very real possibility.
Let’s not forget that those three fights he’s already had have been against some of the best fighters in the UFC. All three men were top ten fighters when Jones faced them, and you could make the case that the biggest challenge is yet to come. Machida may not be the invincible warrior he was a few years ago but he’s still one of the most unique fighters in the sport of MMA. I know Greg Jackson has a world-class facility in New Mexico but I doubt he has any guys on his team that are masters of Shotokan karate.
If this fight stays on the feet I have to believe that the edge goes to Machida. He’s still extremely hard to hit, although he’s obviously never faced anyone with the reach of Jones. If the two do engage any back-and-forth exchanges it’s probably going to be Jones that takes the most punishment. Let’s also not forget that Jones has yet to show any true knockout power since joining the UFC, and at the same time we don’t know how well his chin will hold up if it’s hit repeatedly over the course of a potential five rounds. If you don’t think Machida can knock Jones out, I’ve got a UFC Hall of Fame member’s tooth that I’d love to sell you.
It’s also important to note that this is Jones’ first time facing a southpaw. Jones is still learning how to be an effective striker, as his genetic gifts have been able to cover up a lot of the holes in his boxing. If there’s a single fighter at light heavyweight who is great at finding those holes and exploiting them, it’s Machida.
The easy solution may be for Jones to turn this into a ground battle, and it’s this area where he will likely win the fight if he is indeed victorious. Jones has some of the best ground and pound of any fighter in the modern era of the sport, and Machida will likely be in trouble if he’s put on his back.
That being said, I’m not sure if Jones can get the fight there. Jones brings those amazing throws and trips that work so well, but Machida’s balance is simply uncanny. He’s got plenty of experience in wrestling and sumo and has proven several times over that his takedown defense is top notch. If Jones decides to clinch with Machida he could be making a big mistake given how well Machida utilized the clinch in his destruction of Thiago Silva.
Again, Jones is a genetic freak so if anybody can put Machida on his back it’s probably the champ. We can’t forget that Machida is a black belt in BJJ even though we rarely see his ground game in effect during his fights. Jones’ reach advantage could work against him should the two fighters spend any real time on the ground, as those long limbs give Machida even more to grab a hold of before attempting any limb-based submissions.
Let’s review. Jones is facing (arguably) the toughest opponent of his career, on shorter notice than usual, at the tail end of a four-fight blitz through the upper levels of the division. Jones will have to figure out how to defeat the fighter that is like no other, who has very real knockout power, and who will probably test his chin like it’s never been tested before. If Jones wants to take Machida down he will likely have a very hard time doing so, and even if he gets the fight there he’s dealing with a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
It’s so hard to try and accurately predict what will happen in the cage when these two meet in eight weeks. This is the fight I wanted to see from the moment Jones won the strap, and I can’t wait to see how it unfolds. Seeing as we’re still two months out I reserve the right to change my mind, but for now I like Machida’s chances to hand Jones the first legitimate loss on the young champion’s record.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, fighter, machida
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainHere's that Machida vs. Jones staredown yesterday that we didn't see on the UFC stream
Initially, I was going to use this picture of Dhalsim vs. Ryu as a banner for Jones vs. Machida, but not enough people would have fully understood the reference. In my search to find the perfect illustration, I came across this picture of two apparent geeks paying homage to the legendary match-up by using a whiteboard and erasable markers as 'special effects.' Just when I thought the geek level in my Chrome browser reached critical levels, I stumbled upon two guys cosplaying 'Ryu vs. Dhalsim' in the lobby of a hotel. Judging from that picture, it appears that Ryu has put on a few pounds throughout the years, but props for still being able to manifest a 'hadoken' when necessary.
Yesterday, the UFC 140 presser went down in Toronto, Canada and if you weren't on location for the event, you probably missed out on the faceoff between the two headliners. For some odd reason, the UFC stream cut to an infinite loop of space travel followed by the sounds of someone sucking through a straw, repeatedly. Fortunately, TheMMADigest was on location and managed to grab this brief clip of the staredown between Lyoto Machida and Jon Jones.
Posted in: jone, vs, picture, ufc stream, ryu
Read the full article at Middle EasyHere's yesterday’s Machida vs. Jones staredown that we didn't see on the UFC stream
Initially, I was going to use this picture of Dhalsim vs. Ryu as a banner for Jones vs. Machida, but not enough people would have fully understood the reference. In my search to find the perfect illustration, I came across this picture of two apparent geeks paying homage to the legendary match-up by using a whiteboard and erasable markers as 'special effects.' Just when I thought the geek level in my Chrome browser reached critical levels, I stumbled upon two guys cosplaying 'Ryu vs. Dhalsim' in the lobby of a hotel. Judging from that picture, it appears that Ryu has put on a few pounds throughout the years, but props for still being able to manifest a 'hadoken' when necessary.
Yesterday, the UFC 140 presser went down in Toronto, Canada and if you weren't on location for the event, you probably missed out on the faceoff between the two headliners. For some odd reason, the UFC stream cut to an infinite loop of space travel followed by the sounds of someone sucking through a straw, repeatedly. Fortunately, TheMMADigest was on location and managed to grab this brief clip of the staredown between Lyoto Machida and Jon Jones.
Posted in: jone, vs, picture, ufc stream, ryu
Read the full article at Middle EasyUFC 140: Lyoto Machida Thinks He Can Crack the Code of Jon Jones
Lyoto Machida has been one of the most successful light heavyweights over the past few years in the UFC. An injury to Rashad Evans has opened the door for Machida to get a shot at regaining the UFC light heavyweight championship. At UFC 140 Machida will get the chance to face Jon Jones, a fighter that no one has yet been able to figure out.
Machida thinks that he will be able to find the chink in the armor of the champion on December (via Vancouver Sun):
"I've been studying Jon Jones thoroughly. I've been watching his game. It's not something impossible to do, to come up with a game plan. I think I'll be able to crack that code,"
Machida does present interesting challenges in his timing in the striking game, but he will have to figure out a way to get inside the reach of Jones and will have to be more aggressive than he showed in the first two rounds of his fight with Quinton Jackson at UFC 123. In the Jackson fight Lyoto fought far too measured and gave away the opening two rounds. When he came back to almost knock Rampage out in the final frame it was simply too little, too late.
Aside from the risks presented by Machida, ESPN's Chuck Mindenhall wonders if burnout may present just as much of a danger to Jones:
What Jones is doing is unprecedented. Chuck Liddell defended his strap three times in 2006; two of those defenses -- against Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz -- were against former champions. That comes close.
Georges St. Pierre fought four times in 2005, but none of them had title implications. Jones will have fought three former champions and one previously undefeated prospect. The annals of the UFC's history can't produce his equivalent.
So far he's handled the pressure of these events fine, though he's taking his time more as he goes along. He's finishing everybody, but chronologically speaking it's taking him an extra round to do it: Matyushenko (first round), Bader (second round), Rua (third round), Jackson (fourth). Of all of these, Machida is arguable the hardest to solve, and is possibly the best reactionary fighter in the game. The style match-up will be fun to contemplate.
It is absolutely one of the most intriguing style battles in the sport and we'll get to see it this December.
Posted in: ufc, jone, round, jon jones, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones and Lyoto Machida face off for first time in Toronto
Though the card is still two months away with four other UFC shows preceding it the buzz surrounding UFC 140 was in full force yesterday during a press conference promoting the event where headliners Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida weighed in, figuratively, before actually stepping on the scale in December to do so literally.
Jones and Machida were both extremely respectful towards the other marking a significant change in climate from the one the light heavyweight champion found himself in prior to his UFC 135 bout against Quinton Jackson (or beforehand with rival Rashad Evans).
However, had Machida strayed from the norm and taken any verbal swings at him the talented 24-year old would not have been phased nor would he need the additional motivation, explaining at the presser he was fully aware of how high the stakes are no matter what words come out of his opponent’s mouth. As far as how Jones plans to deal with “The Dragon”, he made it clear he has no plans to change up what’s worked for him so far and will simply study Machida to refine his gameplan on December 10.
In terms of Machida’s approach to the fight, the Brazilian explained, “I can overcome his athleticism with my technique,” though didn’t elaborate beyond the statement. The 17-2 Machida also revealed that he plans to train with middleweight title-holder Anderson Silva at some point in the future to help prepare him for Jones, saying “The Spider” had already called him to work on setting something up.
You can watch the entire press conference including comments from both fighters and UFC President Dana White below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, press conference, machida, plan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainIs Jones burning the candle at both ends? ESPN
submitted by DeadFlux [link] [3 comments]
Posted in: jone, espn, end, deadflux, candle
Read the full article at RedditLyoto Machida gets a present from Ed Soares: A shot at 'cracking the code' of Jon Jones at UFC 140
Some friend Ed Soares turned out to be.
The Blackhouse manager decided to pick up a "thinking of you" gift while tooling around a South American Hallmark and instead of a yellow snow-globe, he got Lyoto Machida a title fight against reigning 205-pound champion Jon Jones.
"The Dragon" talks to The Vancouver Sun:
"I got the call from (manager) Ed (Soares). Ed said ‘Hey, I got a present for you.' ‘You got a present for me?' Ed said, ‘Yeah, you're fighting for the belt.' I've been studying Jon Jones thoroughly. I've been watching his game. It's not something impossible to do, to come up with a game plan. I think I'll be able to crack that code."
Machida will do his code cracking in the headlining bout of the UFC 140 pay-per-view event, scheduled for Dec. 10, 2011, at the Air Canada Center in Toronto.
The pee drinker was elevated into the championship contest because original opponent, Rashad Evans, was still on pins and needles when it came time to book the bout.
Like Jones, Machida was once considered difficult to figure out, until Mauricio Rua finished him at UFC 113 to capture the crown. Since then, he's split a pair of bouts between Quinton Jackson and Randy Couture, sending the latter into retirement minus a few teeth.
Will Jones bring out the best in Machida? The violent aggressor who spot-welded Thiago Silva to the canvas before cutting power to the consciousness of Evans?
Or will he be the "elusive" Machida, like the one that out-maneuvered Tito Ortiz? More importantly, does either version stand a chance against Jones?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, ed, lyoto machida, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJones, Machida Respectful but Focused at UFC 140 Presser
With the UFC crisscrossing the globe and hosting events almost every other weekend, it’s difficult to tell which region is the Octagon’s favorite. That was until UFC President Dana White said at Wednesday’s UFC 140 presser in Toronto, Canada, that “Without a doubt, this is the strongest market on the planet.” To which the crowd of rowdy fight fans from the Great White North cheered most appreciatively. Yes, Canada loves the UFC and the UFC loves Canada. On April 30th, 2011, Toronto was the staging ground for the biggest night of fights in UFC history for UFC 129. A record 55,000+ screaming fans packed the Rogers Center to see two titles on the line, including that of the country’s favorite son, UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. Less than a year later, the Octagon returns to “The Megacity” on December 10th with another bit of gold on the line: the UFC light heavyweight championship.In the span of nine months, Jon “Bones” Jones earned himself a title shot by defeating Ryan Bader at UFC 126, won the belt from Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128, and defended the title for the first time in a dominant submission victory over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135. Now, Jones will put the 205-pound division’s prize on the line against former champion Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida. But before these two can clash in the cage, they had to make a pilgrimage to Toronto to meet the Canadian fans and answer the media’s questions. And if one thing was learned, Jones and Machida won’t be trash-talking each other anytime soon. “I'd prefer if the fights were a bit more respectful - this is martial arts,” admitted Jones, who had to sling just as many punches in the cage as heated words in the lead up to the fight with “Rampage”, but things are very different in this title defense with Machida. “Some guys have that discipline, honor, warrior spirit, and the other guys have that ‘I'm going to knock you out’ cagefighting attitude. I'm getting used to dealing with both.”To add to the pre-fight politeness, both “Bones” and “The Dragon” see the other’s advantages in this main event bout exactly the same. “My biggest advantage is my youth and versatility and the way I approach the sport,” said Jones, and Machida countered, “I guarantee I will be very well prepared and I'll overcome his athleticism with my technique.” In conclusion, neither fighter can deny Jones of the physical foothold being 6-foot-4 with an 84 inch reach and being nine years Machida’s junior. Meanwhile, “The Dragon” is one of the most versatile light heavyweights the UFC has ever seen, with elusive speed, knockout power, a dynamic grappling game, and a downright tricky style in the Octagon. For the 24 year old champion, Jones’ 2011 seems almost never ending as he prepares to tangle with his third former UFC light heavyweight champion in just as many fights, but “Bones” is still hungry. “I realize what I can lose and what I can lose in this upcoming fight, so it's not hard to get up for the fight,” explained Jones, who reached the top of the 205 pound mountain in his eighth fight in the organization, and has not shown any wear from the pressure, even in his first title defense last month. “I feel as if I’m handling it pretty well and balancing it pretty well. I envisioned myself as the champion and I’ve always tried to carry myself as the champion before I even had the belt. Not too many negatives come with a dream coming true.”For the challenger, the people of Toronto get to see “The Dragon” in action for the second time this year, as Machida delivered arguably the Knockout of the Year to Randy Couture at UFC 129. “I felt very welcomed by the crowd here and I fought a legend in Randy Couture and I'm very excited to fight for this crowd,” asserted Machida, who dropped the Hall of Famer with a jumping front kick, aka the “Crane Kick” from The Karate Kid, and who is already planning on some new moves from a very reputable source: the UFC middleweight champion. “Anderson (Silva) has already called me and he wants to come out to my hometown and show me some things.”On December 10th at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, another slab of UFC gold will be disputed in the Octagon in front of the raucous and loyal Canadian fan base. UFC light heavyweight champion Jones will be put to the test against the title’s former owner and a savvy veteran in “The Dragon”. A contrast of styles of raw athleticism vs. honed experience should prove UFC 140 to be another can’t miss event in what’s become the Octagon’s favorite home.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, champion, machida
Read the full article at UFCUFC 140 fight card and rumors for 'Jones vs Machida' on Dec. 10 in Toronto
Event: UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" Date: Sat., Dec. 10, 2011, at 9 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV)Location: Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Main event:
205 lbs.: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
Main card (PPV):
265 lbs.: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir205 lbs.: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Tito Ortiz170 lbs.: Rory MacDonald vs. Brian Ebersole145 lbs.: Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung
Preliminary card (May not be broadcast):
155 lbs.: Mitch Clarke vs. John Cholish155 lbs.: Mark Bocek vs. Nik Lentz170 lbs.: Rich Attonito vs. Claude Patrick155 lbs.: Dennis Hallman vs. John Makdessi205 lbs.: Igor Pokrajac vs. Krzysztof Soszynski
*Fight card and line-up subject to change
Posted in: jone, vs, lb, card, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaDana White has high praise for Jon Jones at UFC 140 presser
It appears fans and fighters are not the only individuals impressed by the poise and prowess UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones has exhibited thus far in his career.
UFC President Dana White shared his thoughts on the 24-year old title-holder earlier today while speaking to a group of media and enthusiastic Canadians at a press conference relating to the UFC’s December 10 stop in Toronto for UFC 140. Jones and opponent Lyoto Machida were also on hand at the proceedings.
“If Jones runs through Machida like he’s run through everyone else then the sky’s the limit for this kid,” said the exuberant executive. “I can’t even really tell you how impressed I am with him.”
Machida Relishes Status as the Underdog against Jones
Specifically, White mentioned he was not only in awe of Jones’ performances inside the Octagon but the way he’s handled himself out of it considering the amount of pressure involved and his relative youth.
You can watch an entire video of the UFC 140 press conference below:
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Posted in: ufc, jone, sky ’s, kid ,”, .” machida
Read the full article at Fighters.comDana White: Jon Jones Could Go Down As ‘The Greatest Ever’
MMACanada.net caught up with Dana White following today’s UFC 140 press conference in Toronto. Dana called the Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida fight a “dream” match-up and said “the sky is the limit” for Jon Jones. If he continues to run through the light heavyweight division like he has thus far, he could go down as “the greatest ever.”
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, dana, ’. mmacanada.net
Read the full article at MMA ConvertSilva vs. Jones Super Fight Possible, but Silva vs. Sonnen Rematch Likely to be Next
Fans are clamoring for a Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva showdown, but both fighters have a few other matters to attend to first says UFC president Dana White.
Posted in: jone, vs, silva, silva vs, sonnen rematch
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 140's Jon Jones knows the only way to Rashad Evans is through Lyoto Machida
Rashad Evans is still hanging over Jon Jones' head.
Today during a press conference in support of UFC 140, Jones' eyes widened at UFC president Dana White's mention of Evans and a recent proclamation of having the champ's number.
But it's Lyoto Machida who is next, and Jones said it would be unwise to take his eye off the immediate task ahead.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, lyoto machida
Read the full article at MMA JunkieJones, Machida promote UFC 140 in Toronto
Jon (Bones) Jones and Lyoto (The Dragon) Machida were in Toronto Wednesday to promote UFC 140 at the Air Canada Centre on December 10.
Posted in: ufc, jone, toronto, machida, toronto wednesday
Read the full article at sportsnet.caRashad Evans Thinks Lyoto Machida Can Give Jon Jones Trouble
Rashad Evans can’t catch a break. Well, at least not in his bid to challenge his friend-turned-rival Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title.
Evans took the news surprisingly well when the UFC announced that Lyoto Machida would fight Jones for the title next. He even thinks Machida has a good chance of beating him, as he recently told Fight Hype.
I’m always wanting to fight Jon, so I’m hoping Jon can pull through it, but if anybody can give him trouble, I would think it would be Machida, and for a couple of reasons. One reason is because Machida’s used to that kinda craftiness and movement because he trains with Anderson Silva, so he’s used to seeing that. That’s where Jon Jones got a lot of his style from is Anderson Silva. So Lyoto is used to training with the originator. Now one thing that Jon Jones brings to the table that Anderson doesn’t is the ability to take the fight to the ground. He brings that ground and pound and Jon is very good at that, so there are a couple of areas where Lyoto will have to watch out for Jon, but for the most part, if he can use his footwork and watch out for some of the tricks and not stay on the outside and watch like everyone else does…but I think he could do pretty good in this fight.
Anderson Silva would definitely be the ideal training partner for Machida in this fight, but as Machida told Sherdog recently, he can’t count on Silva helping since Silva has so many obligations these days.
“We told Ed and Joinha that we would want to bring in Anderson to help,” Machida said, “but I can’t count on that because he has so many obligations, and I respect that. He’s the biggest name in MMA. I would love to have him beside me for this camp and he will be welcomed if he joins us, but I don’t want to count on him and not have it happen.”
Well, there’s always Steven Seagal! I’m sure he’ll want to help Machida after Jones shot him down at UFC 136.
Back to Rashad, it’s unclear what’s next for him. He could simply wait to fight the Jones-Machida winner or take another fight in the meantime. According to Dana White, Evans is leaning towards the latter.
“I told him that, ‘you’re the unluckiest guy I ever met.’ Depending on the timing and how all this shit works out he will fight again. He wants to. He was like ‘I’m not gonna sit around and wait again.’ So he probably will (fight). We’ll see how this whole thing goes down, we’ll see what happens. Plus Jon Jones has fought four times in 10 months. It’s crazy.”
That’s probably a wise choice considering how waiting backfired on him before. As much as he’d like to get his hand on Jones, I’m sure he’d like to get his hands on his next paycheck just as much, and the UFC typically doesn’t hand those out to fighters sitting on the sidelines. All he can do is fight and hope the stars eventually align.
Image via Dave Mandel for Sherdog
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, anderson silva, machida
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones on Facing Rashad Evans, ‘It’s a Fight That I Absolutely Cannot Lose’
Jon Jones is 100-percent focused on his fight with Lyoto Machida, but still can't avoid the questions about Rashad Evans.
Posted in: fight, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, lyoto machida
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 140 ‘Jones vs. Machida’ Press Conference Streams Live at 1pm ET
A special UFC 140 ‘Jones vs. Machida’ press conference will stream live in the video player above at 1pm ET. UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and challenger Lyoto Machida will be in attendance.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, video player, machida
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Live Video of Press Conference
The press conference for UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida gets underway today at 1 p.m. ET today and we'll have your live video right here on Bloody Elbow. UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and challenger Lyoto Machida will meet in the main event of that event in a bout for Jones' title. Co-headlining the event is a heavyweight rematch between former champions Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
The event takes place December 10, 2011 from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Full UFC 140 Card
Main Card:
Jon Jones vs. Lyoto MachidaFrank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo NogueiraRory MacDonald vs. Brian EbersoleTito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio NogueiraMark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung
Preliminary Card:
Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Igor PokrajacJohn Makdessi vs. Dennis HallmanClaude Patrick vs. Rich AttonitoMark Bocek vs. Nik LentzMitch Clarke vs. John Cholish
Live streaming video of the press conference can be found after the jump.
Video:
Posted in: ufc, jone, press conference, vs, event
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones' Knows His Long Road to Rashad Evans Goes Through Lyoto Machida
Jon Jones makes it clear he still wants Rashad Evans, and we know Evans still wants him. But the road to each other has been filled with potholes and detours, and the waiting game continues, though neither is ever very far from the other's view.
With the specter of Evans hanging over the proceedings, the UFC on Wednesday officially announced UFC 140 and its main event of champion Jones against challenger Lyoto Machida.
The surprise main event was originally released by UFC president Dana White last week, after Evans' follow-up doctor visit determined he would need more time to rest his injured fight hand. Of course, the new pairing -- cemented by Jones, Machida and White at Toronto's Air Canada Centre -- promises a vastly different dynamic both in and out of the cage, with no past history between the men. For Jones, who had been expecting the long-awaited grudge bout, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
"I would prefer each fight to be a little more respectful. It is martial arts. But I'm OK with the other side of it, too. I understand there are two different fan bases. Some people like more of that warrior spirit, discipline and honor, and other people like more of the cage fighter, I'm-gonna-knock-you-out type stuff. So I'm getting more comfortable with both of them, and it is what it is."
That said, Jones (14-1) was clearly disappointed his chance at Evans was scuttled, even if he does have great respect for Machida, who is also a former UFC light-heavyweight champion.
Jones said he fully realizes that just because Evans will not be standing in front of him on December 10, there won't be any less to lose if he should fall to defeat. As such, he doesn't expect motivation to be an issue, even with this fight coming so close on the heels of his successful September 24 title defense against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
"I realize what I could lose in the fight that's in front of me, so when it comes to the question of getting up for the fight, it's definitely not an issue," he said. "And as far as getting up for the Rashad Evans fight, after all the drama of last year or so, it's a fight I absolutely cannot lose. I'm actually taught to think that no fight is a big fight. Don't fight the legend, just fight his body and see what happens.
'With Rashad, I'm really trying to teach myself, 'This is not a big fight, Jon. It's not a big fight, Jon,'" he continued. "But it's a huge fight to me right now. I wouldn't want to lose either one of them. So as far as getting up for fights, I'm up."
If Jones is to look past Machida, it could end up as a grave mistake. Despite losing two of his last three, Machida (17-2) is still a complex fighter with knockout power and a strong all-around game. Jones acknowledged that he's "never competed against anyone like him," and said he would spend time studying and learning Machida's tendencies.
Machida, as usual a man of few words, admitted that the initial offer to fight Jones took him by surprise, and that he believes his experience will "speak louder in this fight." Machida did reveal one interesting nugget though, saying that UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva has already called him about working with him in preparation for the fight.
"I guarantee on December 10, I will very well prepared, and I can overcome his athleticism with my technique," Machida said.
If Jones emerges successful in the fight, he will have won four fights in 10 months, and run through a gauntlet of three former champions in the process. He's also gone from relative obscurity to fame in that time, a transition that has been known to affect many.
For Jones though, everything feels just about right.
"when i joined the sport, I always envisioned wanting to be the best, and trying to be the champion. So I tried to carry myself and think in that type of life, as if it was already so, even before it happened. So now that I'm here, I have this feeling as if I'm right where I'm supposed to be, and right where I worked to be, so i feel comfortable with everything that's happened."
UFC 140 will mark a quick return to Toronto for the promotion, which put on its landmark UFC 129 show in April, drawing over 55,000 fans and a gate surpassing $11 million at the Rogers Centre. The Air Canada Centre is a more traditional sports arena that seats just shy of 20,000 fans in its maximum seating configurations. In his remarks during the press conference, UFC president White called Toronto "without a doubt, the strongest market on the planet." In Jones, the promotion will be showcasing one of the strongest fighters on the planet, even if he comes with an unexpected opponent. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, evan, machida
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseRashad Evans: If anyone can give Jon Jones trouble, it's Lyoto Machida
Here comes trouble.
Lyoto Machida will challenge reigning 205-pound champion Jon Jones in the headlining bout of the UFC 140 pay-per-view event, scheduled for Dec. 10, 2011, at the Air Canada Center in Toronto.
The same Jones that has utterly destroyed the competition since his 2008 debut.
Hoping to derail the hype train was former Jackson's MMA training partner Rashad Evans, who was (twice) booked to try and break "Bones," only to have the opportunity slip away following untimely injuries on both sides.
Enter "The Dragon."
Machida, who stanky-leg'd Evans at UFC 98 way back when, will now take his place. And as "Suga'" tells Fight Hype, if there is one man that can give the champion trouble, it's the Brazilian:
"If anybody can give him trouble, I would think it would be Machida, and for a couple of reasons. One reason is Machida's used to that kind of craftiness and movement because he trains with Anderson Silva, so he's used to seeing that. That's where Jon Jones got a lot of his style from is Anderson Silva. So Lyoto is used to training with the originator. One thing Jones brings to the table that Anderson doesn't is the ability to take the fight to the ground. He brings that ground and pound and Jon is very good at that, so there are a couple of areas where Lyoto will have to watch out for Jon. But for the most part, if he can use his footwork and watch out for some of the tricks and not stay on the outside and watch like everyone else does... I think he could do pretty good in this fight."
Like Jones, Machida was able to enjoy a run at the top that was considered untouchable.
That is, until Mauricio Rua usurped the throne at UFC 113. Since then, he's split a pair of bouts between Quinton Jackson and Randy Couture, sending the latter into retirement with a dented grille.
Will Jones bring out the best in Machida? The violent aggressor who spot-welded Thiago Silva to the canvas before cutting power to the consciousness of Evans?
Or will he be the "elusive" Machida, like the one that out-maneuvered Tito Ortiz?
More importantly, does either version stand a chance against Jones?
Posted in: jon, jone, anderson silva, lyoto machida, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaDana White says Jon Jones has a lot of business to take care of at light heavyweight
Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida joined UFC President Dana White on Wednesday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, ON to discuss their upcoming main event bout at UFC 140, which will take place at the Air Canada Centre December 10.
One of the fan questions that was asked of White was if the UFC fans could expect to see a bout between Jones, the reigning UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva after Jones “takes care of Machida and then Evans.” The question
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, light heavyweight, fan questions
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 140 press conference LIVE updates today (Oct. 12) for 'Jones vs Machida' in Toronto
Ultimate Fighting Championship will hold a public press conference today (Oct. 12, 2011) to promote UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, which is scheduled for December 10, 2011.
The conference will begin at 1 p.m. ET live from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, the home city of the event.
Scheduled to attend will be UFC president Dana White, as well as the headlining fighters of the evening, Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida.
Jones is the current UFC light heavyweight champion. "Bones" has risen to the top of the light heavyweight heap in 2011, winning the title from Mauricio Rua and then recently defending it last month against Quinton Jackson.
On the opposite side of the podium will be the challenger to his title, former champion Lyoto Machida. "The Dragon" was awarded a title shot after a knocking out MMA legend Randy Couture in highlight reel fashion at UFC 129. He stepped up when Rashad Evans couldn't heal up his injured thumb in time.
We'll have complete updates of the UFC 140 press conference after the jump:
Brian Hemminger here. The conference is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. eastern time.
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, conference, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140 Tickets on Sale Thursday
Toronto, Ontario (CANADA) – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® returns to Toronto this December with an epic light heavyweight title fight pitting champion and rising superstar Jon “Bones” Jones against dynamic striker and former titleholder Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida. A mere eight months after holding its largest event ever in Toronto, UFC® 140: JONES vs. MACHIDA hits the Air Canada Centre on Saturday, Dec. 10.UFC’s return to Toronto will also feature a rematch between former UFC heavyweight champions Frank Mir and “Minotauro” Nogueira, as well as a highly anticipated light heavyweight collision between former champion Tito Ortiz and “Lil Nog,” Rogerio Nogueira. Plus, Ontario’s own Mark “The Machine” Hominick takes on “The Korean Zombie,” Chan Sung Jung, in featherweight action, while British Columbia’s Rory MacDonald looks to continue his ascent up the welterweight ranks when he meets Brian Ebersole.“After his performance against Rampage, there’s no doubt that Jon Jones is one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport,” UFC President Dana White said. “He’s already beaten Shogun and Rampage this year and now he gets Machida, a former champion. Machida is one of the most elusive and dangerous strikers in the UFC and he’s motivated to get the belt back. We’re giving the fans in Toronto a really great title fight.”Tickets for UFC® 140: JONES vs. MACHIDA, which is presented by TapouT, go on sale on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 10 a.m. ET and are priced at $700, $500, $350, $225, $175, $125 and $85. Tickets will be available at the Air Canada Centre Box Office, by calling Ticketmaster at 1-855-985-5000 or online at Ticketmaster.ca. UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Thursday, Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. ET via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. Non-members may join at Ticketmaster on Thursday to take advantage of the pre-sale. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter
subscribers Friday, Oct. 14, starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.UFC® 140: JONES vs. MACHIDA will be available live on Pay-Per-View at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on UFC.TV, iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, BellTV, ShawTV, SaskTel,Viewer’s Choice Canada and Canal Indigo for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$54.99 CAN for Standard Definition and $54.99 US/$59.99 CAN for High Definition.After capturing the UFC light heavyweight crown by stopping Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in March, Jon Jones (fighting out of Endicott, N.Y.) made his first title defense at UFC 135 in Denver by dominating Rampage Jackson to improve to 14-1. The 24-year-old also owns wins over the likes of Stephan Bonnar, Vladimir Matyushenko and Ryan Bader, but knows Machida brings another dimension that he has never faced in the Octagon – one he must prepare intensely for.“I am thrilled to be fighting Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 in Toronto, which is just a few hours from my hometown, Endicott, N.Y.,” Jones said. “He is an incredibly skilled fighter and one who poses numerous challenges inside the Octagon. He has only been defeated twice in his career and is coming off a big victory in April. For me, it will be important to just continue to focus on making myself better as a fighter, and keeping the fight at my intensity and aggression levels. It is my goal to become the first UFC fighter to defeat three former champions in one year.”With his unique and unorthodox style, Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida (fighting out of Belem, Brazil) is one of the most dynamic and technical fighters in mixed martial arts today. The 33-year-old former lightweight champion has defeated the likes of Randy Couture, BJ Penn, Rich Franklin and Stephan Bonnar and looks to end Jones’ reign as 205-pound champion. “I’m really excited to be fighting for the light heavyweight title again,” Machida, owner of a 17-2 record, said. “Jon Jones is a great fighter and a great champion. It’s going to be my experience and technique against his youth and athleticism. It’s going to be a great fight.” In a long-awaited rematch, Frank Mir (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) faces “Minotauro” Nogueira (fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in a clash of former heavyweight champions. The 32-year-old Mir (15-5) returns to the Octagon® following a unanimous decision victory over Roy Nelson in May. He’ll look to stretch his win streak to three straight when he meets the Brazilian legend. The 35-year-old Nogueira (33-6-1, 1 NC) is coming off a highlight reel knockout of Brendan Schaub in August and looks to avenge his 2008 loss to Mir when the two meet again in Toronto.Meanwhile, Nogueira’s brother Rogerio (also fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) faces off against a candidate for comeback fighter of 2011, Tito Ortiz (fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.). “Lil Nog” and the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” were originally set to meet in the main event of UFC Fight Night in March, but an injury sidelined Ortiz, and Phil Davis fought in his place. Since that time, the 36-year-old Ortiz (17-9-1) has had a resurgence in his storied career, scoring a submission win over Ryan Bader in July and battling with Rashad Evans on short notice in August. Now he meets Rogerio (19-5), a powerful boxer and grappler who owns wins over Alistair Overeem, Dan Henderson and Luiz Cane. Ontario native Mark “The Machine” Hominick (fighting out of Thamesford, Ontario, Canada) returns to Toronto – site of his valiant battle with featherweight champion Jose Aldo – to face sensational UFC contender “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung (fighting out of Po-Hang, South Korea). The 29-year-old Canadian striker looks to return to his winning ways, having won five of his last six. He now faces Jung, who became the first fighter to pull off the ‘twister’ submission in the UFC to defeat rival Leonard Garcia at UFC Fight Night in March. Two fighters fresh off wins at UFC 133 in August will now battle each other to see who comes out on top in the jam-packed welterweight division as highly-regarded phenom Rory “Ares” MacDonald (fighting out of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada) meets the always entertaining and unorthodox Brian Ebersole (fighting out of Melbourne, Australia). The third youngest fighter in the UFC at 22 (behind Michael McDonald and Charles Oliveira), MacDonald (12-1) has impressed with wins over Mike Guymon, Nate Diaz and Mike Pyle en route to becoming one of the organization’s hottest contenders. His opponent, “Bad Boy” Ebersole (48-14-1, 1 NC), made quick work of Dennis Hallman in Philadelphia and dispatched of veteran Chris Lytle in Sydney to move to 2-0 in his UFC career.All bouts live and subject to change.
Posted in: ufc, jone, fighter, champion, machida
Read the full article at UFC
Machida trains with Anderson but no GSP for Jones
Lyoto Machida will be training with Anderson Silva as he prepares to fight Jon Jones for the UFC light-heavyweight title.Young champion Jones is often...
Posted in: jone, anderson silva, lyoto machida, machida, machida trains
Read the full article at Fighters OnlyDana: "If Jones walks through Machida he has arrived"
Are we on the verge of a ‘Jon Jones era’?UFC president Dana White seems to think so, according to comments he made at today’s UFC 140...
Posted in: ufc, jone, dana, &rsquo, machida
Read the full article at Fighters OnlyJon Jones being careful with his words
Despite his new-found fame and the increasing number of carriages that have been attached to his hype train, Jon Jones is staying level-headed.Just 24...
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, hype train, level-headed.just
Read the full article at Fighters OnlyUFC 140 poster for "Jones vs. Machida" on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Expect the bigger...
UFC 140 poster for "Jones vs. Machida" on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Expect the bigger and better version to appear as we get closer and closer to fight night. The event features Jon Jones defending his light heavyweight title against Lyoto Machida, as well as the Nogueira brother, Rodrigo and Rogerio, taking on Frank Mir and Tito Ortiz, respectively. For complete UFC 140 fight card and line-up click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jones vs, lyoto machida, line-up click
Read the full article at MMA ManiaAn amateur MMA fighter is a real life superhero...Kinda
I've been wanting to move to the Pacific Northwest for years now but Zeus always dissuades me. He says it's depressing there and I would kill myself within six weeks. I take his word for a grain of salt but he is well traveled and wise, so I've stayed in Chicago...For the time being at least. Now that I know Seattle has real life superheroes (vigilantes) running around pepper spraying all the evil doers in the Emerald City, I think it's time that I officially relocate.
It turns out the brother of Strikeforce's Caros Fodor, Ben "Flattop" Fodor, is not only an amateur MMA fighter, but is the alias of Seattle crimefighter Phoenix Jones! Rare footage was caught Sunday night as Phoenix Jones chased down a group of alleged criminals and taught them a lesson they won't soon forget.
Phoenix Jones was later arrested and charged with four counts of assault.
[source]
Posted in: jone, phoenix jones, phoenix, life superheroes, caros fodor
Read the full article at Middle EasyLyoto Machida: 'I can get Jon Jones to the fifth round'
Battle of Stalingrad? Or game of cat and mouse?
Only one of those scenarios is likely to get Lyoto Machida into the fifth and final round of the main event at UFC 140, where he challenges reigning division champion Jon Jones for the 205-pound strap on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
"The Dragon" tells Sherdog.com he knows what it takes to win:
"It's hard to say what the perfect style is to stop Jones. I have a lot of trust in my skills against any fighter. I won't change what people have seen, and I'd rather show them in the Octagon instead of talking about it beforehand. Jones wasn't my problem until the UFC booked the fight. I'll spend a lot of time studying him and find the best way to stop him. I know he's versatile, but I have my own talents and know what it takes to win. The fight will be decided in the Octagon. Let him be the favorite. He'll enter with the label of being a prodigy, but I'll be stronger because of that. I can get Jones to the fifth round. I believe in myself, in what I'm doing and in my teammates."
Machida hasn't seen the inside of a cage since his crane kick knockout of Randy Couture at the UFC 129 event back in April. He's been itching to get back into action and now has the chance to reclaim the strap he coughed up to "Shogun" Rua in their second encounter.
Anyone think the Brazilian can do what no other fighter has done to date? Or is he just another victim, kid? For more on the UFC 140 headliner featuring Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida click here.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, lyoto machida, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaLyoto Machida motivated by status as an underdog against Jon Jones
Former UFC light heavyweight title-holder Lyoto Machida is used to being the favorite whenever he steps into the ring. A 17-2 competitor, the Brazilian has beaten a number of apt adversaries and has a unique style often making him nearly impossible to hit cleanly. However, when it comes to his upcoming fight against current champion Jon Jones there’s no doubt the odds will be against “The Dragon” pulling out a win.
While the situation may be new to Machida it’s certainly not one affecting him in a negative way. In fact, he actually plans to use it to his advantage.
“The fight will be decided in the Octagon,” Machida explained in an interview with Sherdog. “Let him be the favorite. He’ll enter with the label of being a prodigy, but I’ll be stronger because of that. Since I’m the underdog, I will enter the fight even more motivated to show that I deserve to be here and to show why they offered me the chance.”
That isn’t to say Machida is looking past the challenges “Bones” is sure to offer. In fact, he’s still unsure of exactly what it will take to beat the dynamic 205-pound champion even though he’s confident in his ability to do so.
“It’s hard to say what the perfect style is to stop Jones,” said Machida on the subject. “I have a lot of trust in my skills against any fighter. I won’t change what people have seen, and I’d rather show them in the Octagon instead of talking about it beforehand. Jones wasn’t my problem until the UFC booked the fight. I’ll spend a lot of time studying him and find the best way to stop him. I know he’s versatile, but I have my own talents and know what it takes to win.”
Machida may also have a secret weapon in his corner to assist in the task at hand – Anderson Silva. The 33-year old revealed he had already reached out to the pound-for-pound great in hopes “The Spider” might be able to fit it into his schedule though he’s not relying on Silva’s assistance.
“I can’t count on that because he has so many obligations, and I respect that. He’s the biggest name in MMA. I would love to have him beside me for this camp and he will be welcomed if he joins us, but I don’t want to count on him and not have it happen.”
Jones and Machida will meet on December 10 in Toronto as the main event of UFC 140. Other match-ups on the card include Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Canadians Mark Bocek, Mark Hominick, and Rory MacDonald are also booked for action at the show.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: jone, ’t, “ i, machida, i ’ll
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainDana White Says Rashad Evans 'Won't Wait' for Title Shot This Time
Rashad Evans' shot at regaining the UFC light heavyweight championship seems to be cursed. Originally scheduled to face then champion Mauricio Rua, the fight was delayed due to a Rua knee injury. Evans sat on the sidelines waiting for Rua to recover rather than staying active, only to suffer a knee injury of his own and see the title shot go to Jon Jones.
Evans was then put into position to face Jones for the title at UFC 133 but Jones pulled out of the bout with a hand injury. After Evans beat Tito Ortiz (the replacement for Phil Davis who replaced Jones) and Jones beat Quinton Jackson, it appeared we would finally see Rashad get his title shot. Instead, a hand injury for Evans forced him out and now Jones will fight Lyoto Machida at UFC 140.
So will Rashad take a chance like he did with the Rua fight and wait on the sidelines for the champion to be ready after his own recovery?
Dana White says no. Via MMA Weekly:
He was like 'I'm not gonna sit around and wait again.' So he probably will (fight). We'll see how this whole thing goes down, we'll see what happens. Plus Jon Jones has fought four times in 10 months. It's crazy.
I'm not exactly sure what fight you go with for Evans that is relevant. The winner of the Rua/Dan Henderson fight would make sense, but White already laid out that whoever won would be in line for a shot behind Rashad. Not that they can't change the plan, but it made sense to have a clear path set up that the title fights would go down.
I'm sure we'll know more over the coming months.
Posted in: fight, title shot, title, jone, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowLyoto Machida will study to find the "best way" to stop Jon Jones
Set to return to action for the first time since his dramatic front-kick knockout victory over Randy Couture in April, Lyoto Machida will challenge reigning Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones at UFC 140. Yet to be beaten, Jones has managed to escape each of his nine octagon appearances unscathed, becoming the first fighter to stop Mauricio Rua in March and only the second to submit Quinton Jackson, who he defeated in his first title defense last month.
Posted in: jone, quinton jackson, mauricio rua, lyoto machida, octagon appearances
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 140 results and LIVE fight coverage for 'Jones vs Machida' on Dec. 10 in Toronto
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is close to putting the finishing touches on its upcoming pay-per-view fight card from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011.
UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" will be headlined by Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones defending his title against former division kingpin and elusive "Dragon" Lyoto Machida.
The Nogueira brothers are also getting in on the action, as Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will rematch Frank Mir while Antonio Rogerio Nogueira will go head-on against Tito Ortiz.
Here is the current UFC 140 fight card and line-up:
Main event:
205 lbs.: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
Main card (Pay-per-view):
265 lbs.: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir205 lbs.: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Tito Ortiz170 lbs.: Rory MacDonald vs. Brian Ebersole145 lbs.: Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung
Preliminary card (May not be broadcast):
155 lbs.: Mitch Clarke vs. John Cholish155 lbs.: Mark Bocek vs. Nik Lentz170 lbs.: Rich Attonito vs. Claude Patrick155 lbs.: Dennis Hallman vs. John Makdessi205 lbs.: Igor Pokrajac vs. Krzysztof Soszynski
*Fight card and line-up subject to change
MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC 140, beginning with the pay-per-view telecast at 9 p.m. ET on Dec. 10. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action much earlier on fight night.
We're still a couple of weeks away from showtime; therefore, feel free to share your thoughts and predictions for "Jones vs. Machida" in the comments section below. And remember that MMAmania.com will be the spot for the latest news and event-related highlights before, during and after the event.
To get up to speed on all the news and notes for UFC 140 check out our extensive event archive right here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, lb, card
Read the full article at MMA ManiaMain Card Set For UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida
The pay-per-view portion of the UFC's return to Toronto has been confirmed with Jon Jones facing Lyoto Machida for the light heavyweight title in the main event.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, lyoto machida, machida
Read the full article at Heavy MMA'UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida' main card set
The five-fight main card for December's UFC 140 event is now set.
As officials announced this past week, the Toronto shows features a light-heavyweight title fight between champion Jon Jones and ex-titleholder Lyoto Machida.
Four other bouts are part of the pay-per-view lineup, which takes place Dec. 10 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
Posted in: ufc, jone, card, machida, place dec
Read the full article at MMA JunkieDespite hectic turn, UFC champ Jones insists Evans no distraction for Machida bout (MMAJunkie.com)
HOUSTON – UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones has been on quite the whirlwind adventure in the past...
Posted in: ufc, jone, machida, whirlwind adventure, machida bout
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsRole Reversal: Jon Jones says Rashad Evans is ducking him
Rashad Evans didn’t want to wait around this past summer for Jon Jones’ hand injury to heal, so Evans remained in the main event slot for UFC 133 where he went on to defeat Tito Ortiz. Jones, however, saw another specialist who revealed he could fight through the injury, and subsequently signed to face Quinton “Rampage” Jackson who he ultimately beat by way of submission.
To Evans, the entire scenario looked as if Jones was just trying to get out of their fight, so he called out “Bones” on the matter and the two had a nice, pleasant exchange (sarcasm implied). Now, with Evans recovering from a hand injury and not having enough time to prepare for Jones, the champion is calling out “Suga” for not taking the title fight at UFC 140. Instead, Jones will meet Lyoto Machida, who took the crown from Evans last year.
“(UFC President) Dana White basically needed someone to save (UFC) 140. I didn’t necessarily want to fight at 140, but because it was Rashad, I said, ‘You know what? I would take the fight in nine weeks. I’m already in shape. I already know what I want to do,’” said Jones, in an interview with MMAFighting. “Rashad, predicting that I would say no, he kind of kicked himself in the butt because I said yes, he turns around and says, ‘Oh, I didn’t expect Jon to say yes. I don’t want to fight him that soon.’ So, in reality, he’s kind of the one who’s ducking the fight. I feel like he’s ducking the fight.”
Jones mentioned in several reports following his win over Jackson that he was looking to take the rest of the year off from fighting to spend time with his family and allow some minor injuries to heal up. But, the chance to get Evans in the cage was enough for him to put those decisions on hold. Now, he must prepare for “The Dragon” in a match-up that is sure to present problems.
“I just got a new car, I want to drive that around. I want to hang out with my family and relax and sleep in my own bed for once,” Jones said. “Dana White called me and said Rashad wants this fight. I gave him the fight he wanted and then he pulled out.”
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 140: Lyoto Machida the Only Option After Jon Jones, Rashad Evans Near Miss
The UFC dropped word on Thursday afternoon that UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones would face former champion Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 in Toronto, Canada on December 10th. The news contradicted an earlier report by MMAFighting.com's Mike Chiappetta that Jones could face Evans on the same card. The long-awaited showdown between the squabbling former teammates hinged on whether Evans' hand injury would be cleared by doctors. Unfortunately, Evans stated that he needed three weeks rest following a procedure to remove pins from his hand on Wednesday before he could begin training again.
Naturally, shelved former champion Lyoto Machida, whom White stated in multiple interviews this past week had nobody to fight, moved into the role of contention due to the UFC's lack of a main event for UFC 140. The move bred mixed emotions from fans, many citing that Evans has once again been wronged by the UFC. Others loved the intrigue behind a showdown with Machida, a fighter who has an elusive style that could challenge Jones. Jones himself focused Evans, telling Ariel Helwani that Evans is "ducking the fight".
Understandably, some fans agree. Evans has been a thorn in Jones' back for months. Jones stepped up to the plate with nine weeks to train, and Rashad was unable to fulfill his end of the bargain. Evans had already previously stated that Jones would find a way to get hurt or say no to a proposed match-up. Jones proved him wrong.
Evans may have failed to put his money where his mouth is, but it isn't exactly his call. The implication that he had a choice was the furthest from the truth in this case. He had to be cleared to fight, and having pins removed from your hand the day of the proposed announcement isn't a good sign. Evans could have waited the three weeks to get back in the gym, putting himself and the UFC at a disadvantage. We want to see the best possible version of both fighters, correct? Rushing that fight as a UFC 140 main event showdown shouldn't happen then.
Even more perplexing in the aftermath of the change is the disgust among fans in White's choice of Lyoto Machida. It isn't a consensus opinion by any means, but it seems ludicrous to suggest Machida isn't an intriguing match-up. His 1-2 record in his last 3 appearances doesn't scream title contention and kicking the consciousness out of UFC legend Randy Couture is far a win that puts him into that role. Stylistically however, there is value in that fight.
Why didn't the UFC move Jones vs. Evans back to UFC 141 on December 30th? It gives Evans the three weeks he needs to recover and makes this inevitable showdown the headliner for the last event of the year. Historically, the last event garners high revenue, hitting 800,000 buys last year at UFC 124: St. Pierre vs. Koscheck II, a respectable 620,000 buys at UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez in '09, and over 1 million buys at UFC 92 in '08. Surely, pushing that fight back would guarantee a spectacular end of the year event.
Brock Lesnar, who will headline UFC 141 against Alistair Overeem, is going to bring in buys despite going up against a relatively unknown fighter to casual fans. The supporting cast doesn't need to compensate for anything, and we're still a long ways out from the event. Marquee match-ups can still be made for the event that aren't on the level of a Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans showdown. Why waste a perfectly good main event match-up that can produce serious heat on a card that already has enough drawing power?
UFC 140, on the other hand, needs help. With most of the star power locked up or hurt, there aren't any other options. Jones vs. Evans would have been fantastic, but it isn't possible at this point. Save it for an early event next year or a UFC on Fox card.
Complain all you want about the flawed logic in the progression of your new title challenger, it doesn't change anything. Machida offers an interesting style match-up, only lost to top five opponents, and is the only legitimate test available at this moment. Name another legitimate option. There aren't any.
Posted in: ufc, jone, event, evan, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones Says Rashad Evans Ducked UFC 140 Fight
When Jon Jones pulled out of the initially planned bout with Rashad Evans for a hand injury that he and his camp originally claimed would require surgery, only to not have any procedure done and take a fight with Quinton Jackson instead, many people (myself included) said that the way things broke down made Jones look like he had ducked Evans. Now, the tables have (kind of) been turned and Jones accepted the fight for UFC 140 only to have Evans say that a hand injury will have him unable to fight on the card.
Now, Jones is doing the very savvy thing and telling MMA Fighting that Rashad is now the one doing the ducking:
Did you tell the UFC that since Evans wasn't ready to fight in December that you would rather wait a month or two to fight him so you can finally put this beef behind you?
Well, Dana White basically needed someone to save 140. I didn't necessarily want to fight at 140, but because it was Rashad, I said, 'You know what? I would take the fight in nine weeks.' I'm already in shape. I already know what I want to do. Rashad, predicting that I would say no, he kind of kicked himself in the butt because I said yes, he turns around and says, 'Oh, I didn't expect Jon to say yes. I don't want to fight him that soon.' So in reality, he's kind of the one who's ducking the fight. I feel like he's ducking the fight.
Rashad put himself in a dumb position by swearing up and down that he could fight at 140 and then, once the fight is offered, saying he can't get cleared. Jones is doing exactly the right thing in terms of handling it in the media.
He was made to look bad previously, and now he has flipped it and giving it right back.
How disappointed I am in not seeing Evans/Jones finally is totally separate from how happy I am to see Jon be aggressive in the media.
Posted in: fight, jone, jon jones, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones respects Lyoto Machida, but can't wait to put Rashad Evans "out of his misery"
Reigning Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones, who will put his title on the line against Lyoto Machida in December, discusses his opponent and shares his thoughts on having to once again postpone his encounter with Rashad Evans. Jones says that he has a great deal of respect for Machida, but admits that he cannot wait to put Evans out of his own misery once and for all.
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, evan, lyoto machida, machida
Read the full article at Low KickRashad Evans “Understands” UFC Booking Jones vs. Machida for UFC 140
Rashad Evans will now have to wait even longer to get his long-awaited shot at reclaiming the UFC light heavyweight title, but says he “fully understands” the UFC’s decision to have champion Jon Jones face Lyoto Machida instead at UFC 140 in December while he recovers from a hand injury:
“After my last fight against Tito Ortiz, I dislocated my right thumb, which required it to be set back in place and held with pins. 24 hours ago, my physician removed the pins. At that time, I learned that it would require another three weeks of rehabilitation before engaging in any exercise or training that would require the use of my hand.
Dana White and I spoke earlier today, and I fully understand his decision to put Machida against Jones for the title at UFC 140. Given the rehabilitation time I require for my dislocated thumb, I would not be 100 percent ready by December 10. The UFC has to keep making fights that entertain the fans. I would have done the same thing as Dana in his position. I’m asking for the fans to support me as I rehabilitate my hand, and I promise I will be back fighting very quickly.”
Meanwhile, the war of words between Jones and Evans continues with no end in sight until at least 2012 as Jones told MMAFighting he feels his former teammate Evans is the one ducking their matchup:
Well, Dana White basically needed someone to save 140. I didn’t necessarily want to fight at 140, but because it was Rashad, I said, ‘You know what? I would take the fight in nine weeks.’ I’m already in shape. I already know what I want to do. Rashad, predicting that I would say no, he kind of kicked himself in the butt because I said yes, he turns around and says, ‘Oh, I didn’t expect Jon to say yes. I don’t want to fight him that soon.’ So in reality, he’s kind of the one who’s ducking the fight. I feel like he’s ducking the fight.
Did the UFC make the right call having Jones fight again as soon as possible even though it’s not against the top-contender, or should they have waited to have Jones fight Evans just a few weeks later?
For the latest UFC news and UFC rumors stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyDespite hectic turn, UFC champ Jones insists Evans no distraction for Machida bout
HOUSTON - UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has been on quite the whirlwind adventure in the past 14 days.
After defeating Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Jones was planning to take a
little vacation. Then came a challenge from Rashad Evans, which Jones
answered. Now, it's Lyoto Machida. No sweat, says "Bones."
"Obviously taking Lyoto on nine weeks has sped up a lot of things, but I
feel between every great challenge lies great reward," Jones today told
MMAjunkie.com. "I think I'm on the verge of
something amazing happening by beating three champions in one year. I'm
honored."
Posted in: jone, rashad evans, whirlwind adventure, machida bout, jones today
Read the full article at MMA JunkieUFC Quick Quote: Lyoto Machida can take Jon Jones down
"It'll be a strategic bout, he's a guy who studies his opponents and so do I. Our team is a lot focused and anything can happen. It's hard, he is very versatile and knows a lot of techniques, but we play a similar game. He kicks, I kick, he punches and goes to the ground, I can defend myself and take him down too. Stamina and game plan are things that could define this bout's outcome. Nobody is invincible. We're training for the best, looking to enlarge our body and mind, and that's what I'm gonna do."
-- Sudden light heavyweight title challenger Lyoto Machida tells Tatame.com what he's going to do in his UFC 140 championship fight against current king of the 205-pound mountain Jon Jones on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. "The Dragon" was afforded this opportunity thanks to Rashad Evan's busting up his hand on Tito Ortiz's melon back in August and he's more than prepared to take advantage of it. He thinks his stamina and game plan are the keys to defeating "Bones," who's looked all but untouchable since he made his way to the world's largest fight promotion in 2008. Nobody is invincible, though, and Machida thinks he can even take Jones down if the fight dictates such a necessity. Let's be honest, Maniacs. Is there any chance Jon Jones isn't the light heavyweight champion on Dec. 11? Any chance at all?
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, game, game plan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaShowdown exclusive with Jon Jones
In a UFC Central exclusive, Showdown Joe Ferraro chats with Jon 'Bones' Jones about his upcoming fight against Lyoto Machida at UFC 140.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, showdown, lyoto machida
Read the full article at sportsnet.caRashad Evans comments on Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida match-up
Former UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans hasn’t been one to bite his tongue when it comes to criticism of former teammate, and current title-holder, Jon Jones. However, rather than criticize news relating to Jones’ accepting a fight with Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, Evans spoke out on the matter this afternoon and only offered insight into his injury while showing acceptance of the UFC’s decision to make the December 10 match-up.
“After my last fight against Tito Ortiz, I dislocated my right thumb which required it to be set back in place and held with pins,” Evans stated in a press release from his management team. “24 hours ago my physician removed the pins. At that time, I learned it would require another three weeks of rehabilitation before engaging in any exercise or training that would require the use of my hand.”
Evans’ Finish of Ortiz Most Memorable Moment at UFC 133
“Dana White and I spoke earlier today, and I fully understand his decision to put Machida against Jones for the title at UFC 140,” Evans continued. “Given the rehabilitation time I require for my dislocated thumb, I would not be 100 percent ready by December 10. The UFC has to keep making fights that entertain the fans. I would have done the same thing as Dana in his position. I’m asking for the fans to support me as I rehabilitate my hand, and I promise I will be back fighting very quickly.”
Today’s news regarding Jones vs. Machida marked the second time a scheduled scrap between “Bones” and Evans was laid to waste due to a hand injury with Jones having to withdraw from a planned pairing in August at UFC 133.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Tweet
Posted in: ufc, jone, hand, evan, machida
Read the full article at Fighters.comRashad ducked me, says Jones
Not long ago, Rashad Evans suggested that light-heavyweight Jon Jones was ducking a fight with him by overplaying a hand injury. Now Jones has returned...
Posted in: jone, rashad, hand injury, injury, rashad evans
Read the full article at Fighters OnlyRashad Evans ‘Fully Understands’ UFC’s Decision To Book Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
“After my last fight against Tito Ortiz, I dislocated my right thumb, which required it to be set back in place and held with pins. 24 hours ago, my physician removed the pins. At that time, I learned that it would require another three weeks of rehabilitation before engaging in any exercise or training that would require the use of my hand. (UFC President) Dana White and I spoke earlier today, and I fully understand his decision to put Machida against Jones for the title at UFC 140. Given the rehabilitation time I require for my dislocated thumb, I would not be 100 percent ready by December 10. The UFC has to keep making fights that entertain the fans. I would have done the same thing as Dana in his position. I’m asking for the fans to support me as I rehabilitate my hand, and I promise I will be back fighting very quickly.”
— Rashad Evans’ official statement on the UFC’s decision to book Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida at UFC 140
I really don’t get why some people think that Jon Jones is ducking Rashad Evans here. I mean Jones’ whole hand injury fiasco from earlier this summer was definitely questionable. I’ll give you that, but this situation seems to be a simple matter of Evans being injured and the UFC needing a main event for UFC 140. I don’t agree with the direction they went in booking Lyoto Machida, but if they needed Jones to fight at UFC 140 and Evans is hurt, I fail to see how Jones is ducking him. If Rashad believed that, I’m quite sure he would have said something. Just saying.
Image via Dave Mandel for Sherdog
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad, evan, machida
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones: I feel like Rashad Evans is ducking the fight
Shots fired!
After Jon Jones won the light heavyweight championship by defeating Mauricio Rua at UFC 128, he was booked to square off against Rashad Evans at UFC 133 on Aug. 6.
That fell through when "Bones" had to pull out due to an injured thumb that he apparently needed surgery on. Only it later turned out he didn't need surgery, a fact that only came to light once "Suga" was already matched up with a replacement.
Naturally, this led to Evans claiming Jones was ducking him. But oh how the tables have turned.
Now that Rashad has defeated his UFC 133 challenger and Jones won his first title defense against Quinton Jackson this past Sept. 24, the UFC attempted to set up their fight once again for UFC 140 on Dec. 10 in Toronto.
This time, it was Evans who was forced to pull out with an injury. And now it's Jones' turn to make some ducking accusations, as told to MMA Fighting.
"Well, Dana White basically needed someone to save 140. I didn't necessarily want to fight at 140, but because it was Rashad, I said, You know what? I would take the fight in nine weeks. I'm already in shape. I already know what I want to do. Rashad, predicting that I would say no, he kind of kicked himself in the butt because I said yes, he turns around and says, Oh, I didn't expect Jon to say yes. I don't want to fight him that soon. So in reality, he's kind of the one who's ducking the fight. I feel like he's ducking the fight. ... He's tried to call me out on nine weeks notice. Obviously, who wants to fight on nine weeks notice? I just got a new car, I want to drive that around. I want to hang out with my family and relax and sleep in my own bed for once. And now Rashad calls me out, predicting that I would say no, to make me look like I was ducking him again, and I say yes, and now he says, Oh, I didn't know he would say yes. I don't want to fight him. He called Dana White, asked for 140, Dana White called me and said Rashad wants this fight. I gave him the fight he wanted and then he pulled out."
And the war continues in every venue possible ... except the Octagon.
Jones' time will now be almost completely occupied with preparing for Lyoto Machida, who he'll take on in nine weeks time on Dec. 10 in his second title defense.
It's a formidable test for the 24-year-old champion and one that, if he passes, will surely usher in a new era in the light heavyweight division.
If he hasn't already.
That means Evans will have to become an afterthought ... for now. But that doesn't mean the bad blood between former friends and training partners will go away any time soon.
As for Jones' claims, do you believe him? Is Evans really ducking the champion now instead of the other way around?
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaLyoto Machida was at a birthday party when he accepted the fight against Jon Jones
Whenever I feel the need to inject caffeine into my body through a fruit flavored drink, I always go with the one that has the face of a guy that single-handedly saved the world from terrorists while rocking a chef outfit. Under Siege 2 was cool because it involved satellites and Native Americans. The only thing I remember from the first movie was that topless chick jumping out of the cake and my friend Cameron stealing my X-Force comic (both of which happened on the same day). When I was a kid, topless chicks meant something. They still do, but they used to too.
We can all assume Lyoto Machida will employ the wizardry of Steven Seagal in his upcoming fight with Jon Jones at UFC 140. According to TATAME, Lyoto was at a birthday party when he immediately accepted the fight against Jon Jones. There's little to no chance that a topless chick emerged from a birthday cake that evening, but we can still imagine that one did
"I was at a birthday party last night and I heard I’d be fighting Jon Jones. I accepted immediately, I couldn’t announce it at the time, though. Ed and Joinha told me to hold the information and it was complicated, I had to stop talking at all (laughs). In the morning I want to give a class and, when I came back, the contract was there for me to sign it. It was a reason for me to be happy, because that’s why we enter these battles for."
It’s hard, he’s is much versatile and knows a lot of techniques, but we play a similar game. He kicks, I kick, he punches and goes to the ground, I can defend myself and take him down too. Stamina and game plan are things that could define this bout’s outcome. Nobody is invincible. We’re training for the best, looking for enlarging our body and mind and that’s what I’m gonna do.
Lyoto Machida still refuses to believe that Jon Jones is invincible. Bones fights like he's forever in Game Genie mode. [Source]
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, lyoto machida, birthday party
Read the full article at Middle EasyJones vs. Machida set for UFC 140
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones will defend his title next against former champ Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 on December 10th. Dana White announced the fight via twitter.The fight comes as news spread that Rashard Evans injured his hand in training. Once again, Evans is shelved and misses out on another title shot. For his part, Evans understoodthe decision and took the news with grace despite the likely frustration.UFC 140 will be held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In the co-main event, Frank Mir will face Big Nog in a rematch from 2008 in which Mir won the interim Heavyweight championship. Also, Tito Ortiz will face Little Nog on the same card.
Payout Perspective:
Its a little disappointing that we will not see Jones vs. Evans considering the genuine bad blood and intense staredown in the Octagon at UFC 135. It seems soon for Jones to defend his title again but Jones does not seem worried about it. The UFC needed a big title match-up considering the great fans in Canada. Mir vs. Noguiera just isn’t a top draw main event. Machida was the best opponent available although you may argue that Shogun Rua could have received a rematch after Rua KO’d Forrest Griffin in Rio. It will be interesting to see if Machida is a big enough name for the casual MMA fan. Also, we will see if Jones will improve as a PPV draw.
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, jones vs, machida
Read the full article at MMA PayoutJon Jones vs Lyoto Machida odds: Who opened as the -375 favorite for UFC 140?
According to noted oddsmaker Nick Kalikas of BetOnFighting.com, it's none other than Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones. "Bones" opens as a big -375 favorite headed into his showdown against Lyoto Machida, which is scheduled for UFC 140 on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
"The Dragon" comes in as the big underdog at +275.
Anyone jumping on this line with wallets wide open? Or do you expect a dramatic shift as we get closer and closer to fight night?
It's interesting to note that when the line opened for Jones vs. Rashad Evans just last week, "Suga" was an even bigger underdog than Machida, coming in at +325. But while oddsmakers believe the Karate master is a better match-up for the 205-pound champ, one constant remains -- the consensus opinion is that Jones is damn near unbeatable.
Is there any way Machida will be the man to dethrone him?
Jones is fresh on the heels of his first successful title defense, a fourth round submission victory over Quinton Jackson at the UFC 135 event on Sept. 24 in Denver.
Machdia, for his part, hasn't been in action since April 30 when he sent UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture to his retirement home with a jumping front kick knockout.
Prior to that, however, he had lost consecutive fights, a crushing knockout loss to Mauricio Rua, who Jones defeated for to win the title, and "Rampage," who Jones defeated in his first title defense.
Three for three?
We're still a ways away from fight time, Maniacs, but who do you like for your money and who ya' got straight up?
To see the "Jones vs. Machida" odds and betting lines plus all the action for upcoming UFC and Strikeforce events click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jones vs, title defense, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans issues statement on decision to book Jon Jones vs Lyoto Machida at UFC 140
You mad?
One might think Rashad Evans would be after news dropped today that his light heavyweight title shot, along with his grudge match, against Jon Jones went up in smoke.
And even worse, the one man that knocked him out cold, Lyoto Machida, would be taking his place at UFC 140 on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
However, in a statement released today, "Suga" takes the complete opposite track and, in fact, says he's not upset at all. Injuries are an unfortunate part of the fight game and he knows that better than anyone.
It's because of that -- and his business savvy -- that he understands why the UFC made the decision to pass him up yet again. Here's what he had to say:
"After my last fight against Tito Ortiz, I dislocated my right thumb, which required it to be set back in place and held with pins. 24 hours ago, my physician removed the pins. At that time, I learned that it would require another three weeks of rehabilitation before engaging in any exercise or training that would require the use of my hand. Dana White and I spoke earlier today, and I fully understand his decision to put Machida against Jones for the title at UFC 140. Given the rehabilitation time I require for my dislocated thumb, I would not be 100 percent ready by December 10. The UFC has to keep making fights that entertain the fans. I would have done the same thing as Dana in his position. I'm asking for the fans to support me as I rehabilitate my hand, and I promise I will be back fighting very quickly."
Should the UFC have waited an additional three weeks to make the big money grudge match between Jones and Evans? Or did they make the right call inserting Machida and letting him take his best shot?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: ufc, jone, today, evan, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaLyoto Machida Says Jon Jones Is Not ‘Invincible’
I was at a birthday party last night and I heard I’d be fighting Jon Jones. I accepted immediately, I couldn’t announce it at the time, though. Ed and Joinha told me to hold the information and it was complicated, I had to stop talking at all (laughs). In the morning I want to give a class and, when I came back, the contract was there for me to sign it. It was a reason for me to be happy, because that’s why we enter these battles for… It’ll be a strategic bout, he’s a guy who studies his opponents and so do I. Our team is a lot focused and anything can happen… It’s hard, he’s is much versatile and knows a lot of techniques, but we play a similar game. He kicks, I kick, he punches and goes to the ground, I can defend myself and take him down too. Stamina and game plan are things that could define this bout’s outcome. Nobody is invincible. We’re training for the best, looking for enlarging our body and mind and that’s what I’m gonna do.
— Lyoto Machida talking to Tatame about his newly signed title fight against Jon Jones at UFC 140
I’m not gonna lie, I’m not crazy about this fight given the circumstances (which makes me a “f-ing moron” apparently), but since it’s happening regardless of what I think, it’s certainly worth talking about.
My initial gut reaction is that Jones takes this one pretty easily. We know Machida likes to stay on the outside and pick at his opponents from range, but that’s going to be a much bigger challenge than normal given Jones’ extraordinary reach. Jones should also have the advantage in the clinch and while Machida is certainly capable on the ground, we don’t see him there much. To be honest, I’m not sure how Machida wins this fight, but it is an interesting clash of styles that could yield unpredictable results.
What do you think? Does Machida have the skill set to beat Jones? Or should he just drink a lot of urine in training camp and hope for the best?
Image via FIGHT! Magazine
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, jon jones, machida
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 140 headliner features champ Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida (MMAJunkie.com)
UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones (14-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) will fight in UFC 140's headliner, but it...
Posted in: jone, headliner, jon, lyoto machida, ufc
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsUFC 140: Did Lyoto Machida deserve the next light heavyweight title shot?
Lyoto Machida will challenge Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title at UFC 140 on Dec. 10, 2011, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
How did "The Dragon" go from 1-2 since 2009 to division number one contender? Well, I'll let UFC President Dana White explain it the way only he can (via Twitter):
rashad hurt dickhead. Evans is Hurt, Hendo is fighting shogun and Davis is hurt. U have to be a fuckin moron not to love machida vs jones.
Considering the back-story, build-up and anticipation of "Jones vs. Evans," the question has to be asked why "Bones" was unable to wait another three weeks after Evans’ manager, Glenn Robinson, told Heavy MMA that's all it would take to get his injured fighter back into training camp following surgery to remove pins from his hand.
It certainly does nothing to dispel the accusations that Jones is avoiding a "Suga" showdown.
But putting that aside, assuming this was all the promotion's doing and that Jones fights "whoever they put in front of him," the question still arises: Did Lyoto Machida deserve the next title shot?
MMA Nation explains why he's not a "credible opponent:"
Prior to dispatching old man Randy Couture, a UFC legend who happened to be 48 years old when Machida kicked his face off in April, Machida had lost consecutive fights. He was outboxed by Rampage Jackson and outhustled by Mauricio Rua. Simply put, Machida hasn't earned a title shot.
If Rashad will really be out for an extended period, I understand Jones can't wait forever. But Machida is not the answer. As the UFC becomes more sport and less spectacle, it's more important than ever that there be method to White's madness. A fighter who has lost his last two competitive fights doesn't belong in a title bout. Credibility is key - and right now Machida is not a credible title challenger.
An argument can be made for Mauricio Rua, who rebounded from losing his UFC 128 title fight by pounding out Forrest Griffin at UFC 134, but "Shogun" was thrashed so mightily by the young phenom, it may be difficult to sell a rematch so close to their initial encounter.
So where does that leave us?
That's up to you, fellow fight fans. Was the few extra weeks Evans needed to recuperate a deal breaker? And if so, how do you feel about "Jones vs. Machida?" The only sellable fight outside of Rashad?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: ufc, fight, title, jone, machida
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida set to headline UFC 140
Dynamic light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will look to continue his already incredible run in Mixed Martial Arts this December 10 when the UFC stops in Toronto with Lyoto Machida, not Rashad Evans, standing in his way of getting a step closer to doing the unthinkable and cleaning out the organization’s 205-pound division.
News of the match-up was revealed today by Dana White after the UFC President informed fans earlier this week that Evans was on the shelf while recovering from a medical procedure on an injured hand.
Jones is 14-1 since turning pro less than four years ago with the only flaw on his otherwise perfect record involving a disqualification against Matt Hamill (who he was soundly beating beforehand). The December 10 dance with Machida will mark the fourth fight for “Bones” in 2011 with finishing performances against Ryan Bader, Mauricio Rua, and most recently Quinton Jackson.
Comparably, Machida is 17-2 overall but hasn’t had Jones’ success as of late after splitting his last four fights. However, digging deeper also reveals one of his two wins came against over-the-hill Randy Couture with the other being a controversial decision against Rua at UFC 104.
UFC 140 will also feature former heavyweight title-holders Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Frank Mir mixing it up on the main card, as well as MMA icon Tito Ortiz throwing down with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Posted in: ufc, jone, mauricio rua, lyoto machida, machida
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones vs Lyoto Machida Announced by Dana White for UFC 140: But Why So Soon?
In a move that will most assuredly confound those who watched Jon Jones complain about Rashad Evans spoiling another big night at 135 for him, it will be Machida, not Evans, who will contend for Jones' belt at UFC 140 in Toronto.
Jonathan Snowden is making the case that this is not a proper matchup. The facts are more or less on his side: Machida blasted Randy Couture with a move he learned from Mr. Miyagi, but Couture is almost 50 years old. Prior to that particular waxing, Machida had suffered the only two losses of his career: to Shogun, and a questionable decision to Quinton Jackson.
Snowden is right, but if it's true Evans is injured, then this is simply the best fight available for Jones right now. And it's certainly not a bad one. For one, Machida is not a fighter that can be shopped around to available contenders: his style is too difficult for relative neophytes to deal with, and so as much as it might be interesting to see Machida against a Gustaffson or Davis, there's simply no upside.
Second, Machida offers an interesting style matchup. I've long been a defender of Jones, but I've always defended Jones against the ham fisted criticism thrown his way. His abilities are still a work in progress. Machida offers unique challenges in terms of how Jones will respond to a fighter with very different fundamentals on the feet. I don't think Machida will win, but it's an interesting matchup.
The second part of this story (besides Rashad Evans' rotten luck) is why the UFC has chosen to announce the fight so soon. This was part of a minor twitter debate between writers as the story broke.
I realize the UFC wants to garner interest in this fight, especially as they try to cover the tracks of leading fans to believe Jones was fighting Evans. But I'd like to see the UFC show a little more confidence in their smaller cards. With FOX on the horizon, there won't be any room for the UFC to hide the little guys, and pretend fans only care about HW, LHW, and St. Pierre.
Now while they near the eve of UFC 136, the MMA media are overly concerned with questions about Jones, Evans, and Machida: hogging the spotlight (in a seeming never ending saga) that the main eventers in Houston deserve. Zuffa was willing to "take one on the chin" going to the UK. Why not "take one on the chin" for the lighter weights? UFC 136 is an absolutely great card: the type of card you'd want to show to a mass audience with the level of talent and ability on display. It'd be nice if Zuffa didn't just pay lip service to the quality of the card. Something that could have been accomplished with just the small gesture of not announcing Jones/Machida so early. But then how much is three days worth for UFC 140? Shows what I know I guess.
Poll
On a scale of 1 to "Exposed", what chance does Machida have against Jones?
Exposed. Machida will expose Jones' deficiencies on the feet and it will be the greatest upset of all times. Sort of.
1. Machida's getting destroyed. He's got no way of getting inside.
1 votes | Results
Posted in: ufc, jone, card, evan, machida
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendJon Jones scheduled for title-fight in Toronto
UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones has an official opponent for his next title-defense but, as it turns out, he won’t be facing Rashad Evans. Rather, Jones will lock horns with Lyoto Machida on December 10 at UFC 140 as the main event of a stacked card already featuring Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir.
The UFC announced the pairing earlier today. Evans, who was next in line for a shot at his former teammate’s belt, was unable to accept the fight after undergoing a procedure to repair damage in his hand suffered during an August win over Ortiz.
While Machida may not make for an ideal opponent given his recent record the former 205-pound champion should make for an interesting match-up from a stylistic standpoint. Only 2-2 in his last four fights with one win involving a questionable decision over Mauricio Rua and the other a beatdown of Randy Couture, “The Dragon” holds an overall record of 17-2 with impressive wins in the past over Evans, Ortiz, and Thiago Silva.
Jones has been untouchable for the most part since bursting onto the UFC scene three years ago. He is 14-1 in his career with the only loss involving a disqualification after landing an illegal elbow in a bout he was clearly en route to winning. The 24-year old New Yorker is coming off submission success against Quinton Jackson in September, the first time “Rampage” had been finished in more than five years.
“Bones” Baffles Jackson in Dominant UFC 135 Win
The card for UFC 140 also includes Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung and Brian Ebersole vs. Rory MacDonald.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, rory macdonald, evan
Read the full article at Fighters.comJones to face Machida at UFC 140 in T.O.
Light-heavyweight champion Jon (Bones) Jones will face former title-holder Lyoto (The Dragon) Machida at UFC 140 in Toronto in December.
Posted in: ufc, jone, machida, face machida, title-holder lyoto
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC 140: Jon Jones Will Be Facing Lyoto Machida
In an unexpected move, Dana White announced that Jon Jones will not be facing former training partner Rashad Evans. Instead he'll meet Lyoto Machida in Toronto at UFC 140. Some might be a bit disappointed by the announcement but if anyone can give Jones a good fight, it's Machida.
Rashad was in line for the next title shot but just had pins removed from his hand yesterday and wont begin training for another 3 weeks. Personally, I like Jones vs Machida a bit more. No one in the UFC will be able to test Jones' striking like Machida and with his solid takedown defense, this is sure to be an interesting fight. It may not have the pre fight heat that Rashad would bring, but this seems to be the more compelling match up.
Posted in: jone, lyoto machida, machida, test jones, takedown defense
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendDana White Announces Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida at UFC 140
Alright Toronto!!! Dec 10th UFC 140 tix go on sale next weekend and ur main event is Bones Jones vs Machida!!!about 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite@danawhiteDana White
From out in left field comes word from UFC president Dana White that Lyoto Machida, not Rashad Evans, will fight Jon Jones at UFC 140.
Alright Toronto!!! Dec 10th UFC 140 tix go on sale next weekend and ur main event is Bones Jones vs Machida!!!
Obviously, Rashad Evans was the ideal candidate for this fight, but he’s still injured says Dana. That doesn’t leave a lot of options in a division that routinely recycles its contenders, but I still think there was a better option than Machida considering he’s 1-2 in his last three with his only win over Randy Couture in the final fight of his career — certainly not the kind of credentials you’d expect of a title contender. If you ask me, they should have moved Dan Henderson into a UFC/Strikeforce title unification bout at UFC 140 and let Lyoto Machida and Shogun Rua have their rubber match at UFC 139. Who knows, maybe they tried, but for whatever reason that’s not how it played out. Bummer.
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, lyoto machida, machida
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 140: Jon Jones vs Lyoto Machida (not Rashad Evans) announced for Toronto
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones will defend his 205-pound title in the main event of UFC 140, currently scheduled for Dec. 10, 2011, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, according to UFC President Dana White's official Twitter account.
But it won't be against Rashad Evans.
That's because "Suga" recently had surgery to remove pins from his reconstructed hand following his UFC 133 win over Tito Ortiz last August. The timing of the surgery, as well as the mandatory recuperation period, prohibited Evans from starting a training camp in time to make the Dec. 10 contest.
Enter "The Dragon."
Former division champion Lyoto Machida, who knows a thing or two about ruling the 205-pound roost, will bring his elusive style to try and combat the unorthodox offense of the lanky Jones, who to date has looked virtually unstoppable inside the cage.
You know the old cliche ... "styles make fights." Early predictions?
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad evans, evan, recuperation period
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140: Dana White Announces Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
UFC president Dana White tweeted today that a light heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida will headline UFC 140 in Toronto on December 10, 2011. Yesterday reports surfaced that it would be Jones vs. Rashad Evans but White quickly squelched those reports.
Here's Dana's tweet:
@danawhiteDana White Alright Toronto!!! Dec 10th UFC 140 tix go on sale next weekend and ur main event is Bones Jones vs Machida!!!Oct 06 via Twitter for iPhoneFavoriteRetweetReply
Jon Jones (14-1, 8-1 UFC)
W Quinton Jackson UFC 135 Submission (rear naked choke)W Mauricio Rua UFC 128 TKOW Ryan Bader UFC 126 Submission (guillotine choke)
Lyoto Machida (17-2, 9-2 UFC)
W Randy Couture UFC 129 KOL Quinton Jackson UFC 123 DecisionL Mauricio Rua UFC 114 KO
More UFC 140 coverage from SBNation.
Posted in: ufc, jone,  , lyoto machida, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida set to headline UFC 140 in December
Reigning Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones will put his title on the line for the second time when he meets Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida in the UFC 140 headlining bout.UFC President Dana White made the announcement today via Twitter, "Alright Toronto!!! Dec 10th UFC 140 tix go on sale next weekend and ur main event is Bones Jones vs Machida!!!"The news comes following multiple reports earlier this week that the champ would face perinnial contender Rashad Evans on the same card. However, it now
Posted in: ufc, jone, lyoto machida, machida, announcement today
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
Filed under: UFCThe main event for UFC 140 is set, with Jon Jones set to defend his light heavyweight title against former champion Lyoto Machida.
UFC President Dana White announced on Twitter that Jones vs. Machida will be the main event for the card, which takes place on December 10 in Toronto.
The decision to give the next shot at the light heavyweight title to Machida comes as a surprise because Rashad Evans has long been declared the No. 1 contender. But Evans, who wore a cast on his hand when he faced off with Jones following Jones' victory over Rampage Jackson last month, will apparently not be ready to fight in time for Jones' next title defense.
For Jones, the matchup means he will fight four times in 2011: He beat Ryan Bader in February, Shogun Rua in March and Jackson in September. Fighting this often is rare in the UFC, especially among championship-level fighters, but Jones is apparently ready, and the UFC apparently wants to keep their young star active.
He'll have an interesting stylistic matchup in Machida, whose striking is unlike anything Jones has ever faced before. Then again, Jones' strength, speed and reach is unlike anything Machida has ever faced before. This should be a great fight. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, title, jone, machida, anything machida
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseRashad Evans understands the reasoning behind Jones vs. Machida
Yesterday there was some speculation that UFC 140’s main event would feature the long awaited bout between current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and former Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans. When UFC President Dana White got wind of that talk he quickly put it to rest, flatly stating, via Twitter, “Don't listen to these HACK s**t websites!! Jones vs Evans is not true.”
Earlier today White announced the fight that was going to headline the December 10 card, Jones versus
Posted in: ufc, jone, jones vs, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Low KickJones vs Machida at UFC 140
Jon Jones will defend his belt for a second time before 2011 is done.Today it was announced that he faces Lyoto Machida in the headline bout of UFC 140...
Posted in: ufc, jone, lyoto machida, machida, headline bout
Read the full article at Fighters OnlyRehab Time on Injured Hand Forced Rashad Evans Out of Potential UFC 140 Bout with Jon Jones
Rashad Evans really, really wanted to fight Jon Jones in December.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan, rehab time
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Not Happening at UFC 140
A grudge match between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former teammate Rashad Evans is unlikely to take place until 2012 after UFC President Dana White denied reports on Wednesday that the fight was in the works for UFC 140 in December while Evans continues to recover from hand surgery following his August win over Tito Ortiz.
Jones (14-1) defended his title for the first time with a fourth-round submission of former champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135 on Sept. 24 and Evans joined him in the Octagon to be announced as his next challenger, but the UFC is waiting for Evans to recover before setting a date for their matchup.
White said at Wednesday’s UFC 136 press conference that the main event is not yet set for UFC 140, with the card already featuring Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir and Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
For the latest UFC news and UFC rumors stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Pictured: Jon Jones
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, evan, ufc news
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyGray Maynard: Jon Jones has skills, but he doesn't like to get hit
On Sat., Oct. 8, Gray Maynard will look to settle a score against current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 136 in Houston, Texas.
Apparently, training for a much anticipated "rubber match" isn't enough to keep Maynard's competitive juices flowing.
On Monday night (Oct. 3), "The Bully" appeared on everyone's favorite mixed martial arts (MMA) radio program, Pro MMA Radio, to talk with Larry Pepe about his upcoming fight, the state of the lightweight division and who he'd like to defend his title against if he comes away with the win over Edgar this time.
That wasn't all Maynard had to say.
During the interview, the topic came up regarding the upcoming title bout between current Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and Maynard's former college roommate and wrestling teammate, Rashad Evans.
Apparently, Maynard doesn't have a lot of respect for "Bones'" ability to take a punch.
Here's what Maynard had to say when asked to make a prediction on who will win the approaching fight between Jones and Evans:
"Rashad Evans. For sure! Cuz he's gonna hit him and Jon Jones doesn't like that.
I saw him (Jones) fight a guy...it was after the (Stephan) Bonnar fight, I think. I forgot who it was. But, every time he hit Jones, he turned his back and ran. It was really an eye opener. I was like, 'He's got skills but, he doesn't like to get hit.' "
Maynard elaborated further, stating hat he believes Evans has the advantage anywhere that the fight could end up going.
"You've got a long guy, then you've got a more explosive, powerful guy. I'd say Rashad. You know, he can scramble, he has it all. Jon Jones, you know, he's had 'Rampage,' Bader and a couple different guys. He did a good job, but I don't think he can beat my boy, Rashad."
Hard to say that Maynard isn't biased.
Is he right? Does "Suga" really have the striking and wrestling advantage in the match-up against his future opponent and former training partner?
Sound off!
Posted in: fight, jone, jon jones, rashad, maynard
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans could headline UFC 140 in December
The UFC brass is looking to strengthen their return to Canada in December by adding a title fight to headline the show. Not just any title fight though. UFC president Dana White is hoping that the highly-anticipated light heavyweight title showdown between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans will headline UFC 140. Whether or not the fight will take place in December hinders on the health of the two combatants.
News of the bout was first reported by MMAFighting.com.
At UFC 133, Evans injured his hand in a victory over Tito Ortiz. After finishing “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” in the second round of their bout, Evans had to have pins inserted into his right hand and has been in a cast since the bout. He is scheduled to see the doctor on Wednesday and hopes to be cleared for competition. The former light heavyweight champion has had a string of bad luck when it comes to the 205 strap ever since losing the title to Lyoto Machida at UFC 98. Scheduled to get a title shot at UFC 128, Evans had to pull out of the fight with Mauricio Rua due to a knee injury. Jones replaced Evans in that fight. The bout between the former training partners was originally set to go down at UFC 133, but Jones “faked a hand injury” according to Evans, leaving Rashad to fight Tito and Jones to defend his title against Quinton Jackson a month later.
Jones submitted Jackson in the fourth round of their title fight on September 25, and the December 10 turnaround might be too quick for the 24-year-old to handle. Also standing in the way is the fact that Jones was suspended for six months following UFC 135 and needs to be cleared by a doctor before he can step foot back in the octagon. Following his victory over Jackson, “Bones” refused to talk about Evans saying, “he’s ruined my moment twice now” in reference to Evans entering the octagon after Jones’ victories over “Shogun” and “Rampage.”
UFC 140 is scheduled for December 10 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. Also on the card is a heavyweight rematch between former champions Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
*PHOTO CREDIT – UFC*
Posted in: ufc, fight, title, jone, evan
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Targeted For UFC 140
The UFC is targeting a grudge match between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans for UFC 140 in December.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMAReport: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans targeted for UFC 140 on Dec. 10 in Toronto
The sooner, the better.
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones versus division number one contender Rashad Evans could be the new main event for UFC 140 on Dec. 10, 2011, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, according to a report from MMA Fighting.
This marks the second time this year the promotion has attempted to pair them off to settle their longstanding feud.
Jones pulled out of was forced to withdraw from his title defense against "Suga" earlier this year to have surgery on his mangled thumb following his championship win over Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 last March.
Evans, who was torched by UFC President Dana White (and most of the mixed martial arts community) for waiting out his title shot against "Shogun" back in 2010, was pressured into decided to get back into action against former division champion Tito Ortiz at UFC 133 on Aug. 6 in Philadelphia while "Bones" was on the mend.
And before the ink was dry on the "Evans vs. Ortiz" contract, Jones re-emerged to announce he wouldn't be needing surgery after all and had agreed to defend his title against Quinton Jackson at UFC 135.
Of course that went over like the proverbial lead balloon with Evans, and the former teammates have launched verbal nukes via their Twitter accounts and even had to be separated at a Las Vegas nightclub.
In summary: Jones is a fake-ass white boy and Evans is a jealous snake.
While nothing is official at this time, the report indicates that an announcement is expected within the next 48 hours, pending medical clearance of Jones, who needed to check-in with his doctor following his win over "Rampage" earlier this month.
Until then, let's have at it. Any stateside fight fans bummed this contest is being considered for Toronto and not "Sin City" or even California?
Or is it all the same since most of us just get it through some choppy online stream on pay-per-view anyway?
Thoughts?
Posted in: ufc, jone, evan, twitter accounts, arts community
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Likely for Main Event in Toronto
According to a report from MMAFighting.com's Mike Chiappetta, the UFC is targeting UFC 140 as the event to host a light heavyweight title bout between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans:
The UFC is targeting December's UFC 140 for the long-awaited Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans light-heavyweight title bout, MMA Fighting has learned from sources with knowledge of the situation.
The fight is not yet official, but appears likely to be announced within the next 24-48 hours. UFC president Dana White told MMA Fighting that he could not yet announce a UFC 140 main event, but might possibly be able to do so by the end of the day.
Before that can happen, at least one hurdle must be overcome. Evans has to be cleared from a hand injury suffered in his recent UFC 133 win over Tito Ortiz. That injury required pins to be inserted into his hands, but Evans' coach Mike Van Arsdale told MMA Fighting that he was scheduled to visit the doctor on Wednesday and expected Evans to be cleared.
The grudge match has been in the making ever since Evans and Jones exchanged barbs following a falling out as teammates under Greg Jackson. The heated animosity between the two men hasn't softened one bit as Evans has consistently talked about how Jones is fake publicly. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, Jones' latest victim, had similar comments for the young champion in the lead-up to their UFC 135 showdown two weeks ago. The 'beef' should provide the perfect background for an attention-grabbing, action-packed main event.
Posted in: ufc, jone, event, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowReport: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Planned For UFC 140 Main Event
So much for giving Jon Jones a little time off.
MMA Fighting is reporting that the long anticipated friends-turned-rivals showdown between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans is being targeted for the UFC 140 main event in Toronto.
The UFC is targeting December’s UFC 140 for the long-awaited Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans light-heavyweight title bout, MMA Fighting has learned from sources with knowledge of the situation.
The fight is not yet official, but appears likely to be announced within the next 24-48 hours. UFC president Dana White told MMA Fighting that he could not yet announce a UFC 140 main event, but might possibly be able to do so by the end of the day.
According to the report, the only obstacle is Rashad Evans’ hand that he injured during his fight against Tito Ortiz at UFC 133. Rashad still has to be cleared before they can make it official, but his coach Mike Van Arsdale believes that will happen as soon as today when Rashad sees the doctor.
Maybe we won’t have to wait after all.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC Targeting Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans for UFC 140 Main Event
submitted by ju11ce [link] [16 comments]
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at RedditYou can't swagger jack the naked body. Bones Jones poses nude in ESPN The Magazine
So it has come to this. The one thing Jon Jones can definitively say he has done before Rashad Evans: pose naked in ESPN the magazine. How can you swagger jack when there is no swagger on? That thought probably ran through Jon Jones' brain as ESPN came to him with the offer to pose naked next to a pool with an expertly placed left arm covering his butt crack. In fact I think that was the word by word pitch they gave him.
For some reason I don't think this is what Rorion Gracie had in mind when the UFC was invented, but then again what do I know, everyone is close to naked in Brazil all the time anyways so more power to the UFC light heavyweight champ. View his glistening body below. It is God's will.
[source]
Posted in: jone, espn, bones jones, fact i, word pitch
Read the full article at Middle EasyUFCs Jon Jones poses naked for 'ESPN The Magazine' (Pic)
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones poses in his birthday suit for ESPN Magazine's annual "The Body Isssue" for 2011.
"Bones" is the latest mixed martial artist to join the list of athletes to pose nude, which includes Christiane Santos, Randy Couture and Gina Carano.
If you want to pick up this year's edition, which also features gymnast Alicia Sacramone and soccer player Hope Solo, the magazine hit newsstands this past week.
And now that you've seen this, we just know you're rushing to purchase your very own copy.
Photo taken by Jeff Reidel for ESPN.
Poll
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Posted in: jon, jone, espn, magazine, birthday suit
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Appears In ESPN Magazine’s The Body Issue
Jon Jones will be appearing in the next edition of ESPN Magazine’s The Body Issue. The (naked) pic of the UFC light heavyweight champ has been released, but I realize many of you probably don’t care to see Jones sans clothes so I pushed it way down this post. You’re welcome.
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Image via ESPN
Posted in: jone, jon jones, espn, issue, body issue
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC Targeting Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans for UFC 140 Main Event
Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsHOUSTON -- Get ready for the grudge match.
The UFC is targeting December's UFC 140 for the long-awaited Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans light-heavyweight title bout, MMA Fighting has learned from sources with knowledge of the situation.
The fight is not yet official, but appears likely to be announced within the next 24-48 hours. UFC president Dana White told MMA Fighting that he could not yet announce a UFC 140 main event, but might possibly be able to do so by the end of the day.
Before that can happen, at least one hurdle must be overcome. Evans has to be cleared from a hand injury suffered in his recent UFC 133 win over Tito Ortiz. That injury required pins to be inserted into his right hand, but Evans' coach Mike Van Arsdale told MMA Fighting that he was scheduled to visit the doctor on Wednesday and expected Evans to be cleared.
Van Arsdale told MMA Fighting he had no knowledge of the rumored December date, but said a clean bill of health would make Evans' participation in a Dec. 10 fight feasible.
"I think if they give us any date, I can get him ready to beat Jon," he said. "I'm not overly concerned about Jon like everyone else is. My fighter has the ability, tools and the determination to beat him. As long as he's healthy, and I have eight or nine weeks with him -- and it's right around that right now, that's all I need."
Jones, meanwhile, is coming off his fourth-round submission win over Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 135 just two weeks ago. A bout at UFC 140 would mark a quick turnaround for the 24-year-old.
If UFC officials could navigate these issues, Jones and Evans will finally bring their long-held grudge to the octagon. The two were infamously once teammates at the Greg Jackson camp in New Mexico before parting ways earlier in 2011.
UFC 140 will take place in Toronto's Air Canada Centre. It will be the promotion's first time back since its massive Rogers Centre spectacle set records by drawing over 55,000 fans and an $11 million gate. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, mma, jon, jone, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones Buys First New Car, A $190,000 2012 Bentley
Today was a good day for Jon Jones. Actually, “one of the best days of [his] life,” as he put it. Jones bought himself his first new car — a very expensive first new car in the form of a 2012 Bentley Continental GT. Jones didn’t say how much he paid for it, but the sticker price for that particular model comes in at a whopping $190,000. It’s good to be the champ.
Images via Twitter.com/Jonnybones
Posted in: jone, jon jones, car, car —, sticker price
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones: I'm going to go into 'turbo mode' against Rashad Evans
The grudge match between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans is finally set to go off next year.
"Suga" has been the one doing most of the talking, thus far, and "Bones" said after his recent title defense at UFC 135 against "Rampage" Jackson that he would be doing no such thing in the build-up to this one.
I guess he decided he had something he wanted to get off his chest to MMA Weekly:
"He's flapping his gums, talking to himself, to try and convince himself that he's ready and he has this and he has that over me. Rashad is saying he has my number, he knows what he can do, and he knows all this stuff. I know all this stuff as well (about him). I do really good on improv. I'm excited to see what I can do with somebody I've went with several times before. When I spar my team, there's a level of respect that's always there. To let that clutch off for the first time and go into turbo mode on him, it's gonna be interesting. I know where he's open and I know where he's gonna try and take the fight.
Sounds like Jones isn't too concerned about his past training with Rashad coming back to haunt him in their highly anticipated match-up, tentatively scheduled for early 2012.
But should he be?
What do you think Maniacs?
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad, rashad evans, turbo mode
Read the full article at MMA ManiaDana White Giving Jon Jones Some Time Off, Rashad Evans Afraid Jones Will Pull Out Again
Jon Jones was seen limping around backstage after handily defeated Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135. Jones claimed he only had sore shins, but of course some skeptics wondered if it was something worse.
Well, according to Dana White, it wasn’t. He told MMA Junkie over the weekend that he spoke to Jones and the only thing bothering him now is a sore calf. That doesn’t mean Jones will be back in the cage right away though. Dana also said he’s going to give him and Rashad Evans some time off before they finally settle their beef.
“He’s good,” White, who recently met with the 24-year-old champ, told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “He’s 100 percent. I talked to him [on Saturday], and he said he feels great. The only thing that’s sore on him is his calf. It’s a little sore.”
“I’d like to give these guys time to rest and give them a little break, so we’ll see what happens,” White said.
If you ask Rashad Evans about it though, he isn’t quite as confident the fight is going to happen. In an interview with Pro MMA Radio last week, Evans voiced concern that Jones is going to pull out of their fight again. Transcription via MMA Mania:
“I just want to fight this dude bad. Jon knows what I can do to him. Do you think that Jon pulled out of the first fight because he was confident? No! He was afraid, and watch him try to pull out of this fight too. Watch him be like ‘Oh my foot is hurt’ or something like that to try and get out of this fight to try and make me fight somebody else. When it comes down to it, the kid, he doesn’t want it.”
Well, if it does happen, it doesn’t look like it’s going to until next year. Hopefully, it’s worth the wait.
Image via Dave Mandel for Sherdog
Posted in: fight, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA ConvertRashad Evans: Watch Jon Jones get hurt and try to pull out of our fight ... again
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Rashad Evans and Jon Jones really don't like each other.
Evans was supposed challenge the UFC light heavyweight champion back on August 6 at UFC 133 in Philadelphia; however, a pesky thumb injury forced Jones to pull out of the fight -- one that was booked just a few weeks after his UFC 128 title win over Mauricio Rua.
"Bones" was set to have surgery to repair a reoccurring injury he said was bothering him since his college days, sit out a couple months to recover, then defend his newly-won title. Much to the chagrin of Evans, who had already been out of the cage for over a year, he accepted a replacement fight against rising 205-pound powerhouse, Phil Davis.
Fast forward a few days after the "Evans vs. Davis" fight announcement and news broke that Jones had elected to not have surgery and was ready to take a fight.
Here is Jones manager, Malki Kawa, explaining the situation via Twitter back on May 13th:
"We went to meet with the surgeon on wed and after he looked at @Jonnybones he thought that surgery was a bit invasive and bones didn't have ... to have if he didn't want to. @Jonnybones decided against surgery and we immediately met with dana and lorenzo the next day to get his next fight scheduled ... No @Jonnybones is not fighting rashad. Rashad is fighting phil davis.
Of Course, Evans was quick to hit Twitter with his thoughts:
"Question: if u r or were so confident then y fake a thumb injury? Cuz just between me & y'all he don't need surgery! ... but I ain't one 2 gossip so u didn’t hear it from me! (ala Living Color) 4 u young folk! Lol ... If I'm lying, I'm dying! Ask @jonnybones when is his surgery & who was his dr! He so fake he fake surgeries!! Now that's fake!"
Twitter me this, twitter me that.
Moving past the tweet war, both Jones and Evans received new match-ups in Quinton Jackson and Tito Ortiz, respectively. They both defeated their opponents, rather easily, to finally set up the much-anticipated fight between the former training partners.
The anticipation is unbearable and the tension is at an all-time high, but will the fight ever happen? If you ask Evans, he thinks we may have a case of Deja-Vu.
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 2 champ, doing his best Ms. Cleo impression on Pro MMA Radio, has a feeling that Jones might come down with another injury to buy more time and avoid the fight:
"I just want to fight this dude bad. Jon knows what I can do to him. Do you think that Jon pulled out of the first fight because he was confident? No! He was afraid, and watch him try to pull out of this fight too. Watch him be like 'Oh my foot is hurt' or something like that to try and get out of this fight to try and make me fight somebody else. When it comes down to it, the kid, he doesn’t want it."
Oh the drama.
Evans claims he would repeatedly get the best of Jones during their days of training together and truly feels he has Jones number. Jones, on the other hand, feels Evans is merely reliving over and over one successful training day the two shared where Rashad did indeed keep Jones on his back for the majority of the session.
"Suga" will have the chance to prove once and for all that he is the one to dethrone the young champion and have the final laugh against his former team and training partners. In the process, he can reclaim the title that was once his, the one he longs to have around his waist.
For the sake of avoiding the "I told you so" speech from Evans and fans alike, Jones can truly not afford to get injured from here until the date is set for their pending match-up. If Jones does indeed get injured again, Rashad states he has no problems waiting for him.
He has benched himself before in order to preserve his title shot, and seemingly has no problems doing it again; especially if it means he can finally teach "Bones" a lesson.
This has truly become a great rivalry and one of the most anticipated match-ups in recent memory. Not since the trash-talking days of "Liddell vs. Ortiz" or "Ortiz vs. Shamrock" has there been genuine dislike for each other from opponents.
This fight promises to deliver on all levels and one can’t help but to eagerly await the day when we get to see these two bitter rivals step into the Octagon and have the cage door shut and locked behind them.
Of course, barring any injuries occur. Anyone think Evans has predicted the future? Or is he just stuck in the past?
Sound off!
Posted in: fight, jone, day, evan, surgery
Read the full article at MMA ManiaTWIQ: MMA Quotes for the Week of September 25 - October 1
JON JONES UNDER SIEGE
"I don't know how he got my number." - Jon Jones, on a call he received from Steven Seagal. I'm sure that conversation went swimmingly and was not strange at all. (The Jim Rome Show)
"He was like 'Hey listen, I think you're gonna win the fight, and when I predict someone's gonna win I'm never wrong and there's some things I wanna go over with you.' It was all very strange." - Jones, on a separate conversation with Leland Roling.
"I don't wanna bad mouth him too bad, he had good intentions, I think. But yeah, I definitely wasn't having Steven Seagal in my corner." - Jones, who didn't want to bad mouth Seagal too much or too little. He wanted to bad mouth Seagal just the right amount.
"I could see if it was Jet Li or something, Jet Li would be pretty cool. I would definitely take that call, for sure." - Jones
...AND IT BEGINS
"He's ruined my special night twice now. The time will come." - Jon Jones, on Rashad Evans entering the cage at UFC 135 to officially challenge him. (MMA Mania)
"Think about how stupid that sounds. Like it's my idea to get in the cage. ... Say the UFC and Dana White ruined your night! We're selling a fight, stupid! Just shut up!" - Rashad Evans
CAN WE GO BACK TO HATING LARRY MERCHANT AGAIN?
"Anyone who can make a multimillion dollar business out of street fighting has to be respected." - HBO color commentator Larry Merchant, reacting to critical comments made by UFC President Dana White. Merchant, of course, being the same guy who called a world championship bout involving blatant headbutting, what some would call a sucker punch, and a 94-year-old curmudgeon wishing for a Delorean and threatening to kick the ass of an undefeated champion. But yeah, street fighting. (BoxingScene.com)
"My opinion is that anyone is allowed to put up a tent, put on a show, and invite people to come." - Merchant. What a filthy old man you are, Larry.
"I don't get a so-called sport in which you can have a 6-2 record and be called a world champion." - Merchant. Title belts, how do they work?
THE WEEK IN CHAEL
"I don't think that treatment for Anderson's problems is prohibited by the UFC, even right before a match. Some medications are limited, as you know, but Anderson is in a state of medical legitimacy because I don't think that Midol is prohibited, nor are chocolate or Gerard Butler movies. I have never personally had to deal with his sort of condition, but I feel for him and I really want to see what his top fighting form actually is, since we apparently haven't seen it yet." - Chael Sonnen (PaulLazenby.com)
"I can't remember the last time that he didn't say he was hurt for a match, and it's starting to alienate the fight fans. So he should take care of himself when he's suffering, or else the public will be stuck with the same unengaging fights and lackluster victories until he either dies or finally hits menopause." - Sonnen
"But the fact of the matter, whether I like to admit it or not, is he's done a better job than anybody, he's done a better job than me, and he's the champion. That's not going to stop me from sticking my finger in his chest, but at some point fairness has to kick in, and you have to look at what he's done, and tip your hat to him." - Sonnen (MMA Torch)
WHITE NOISE
"We’re going to bring Melendez over ASAP. We’re looking to bring him over now." - UFC President Dana White, on Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez. That would leave one Strikeforce division free from UFC poaching. (MMA Weekly)
"When we go to Japan next year, we are going to be putting on a show at the same time in Las Vegas." - White, wanting to recreate Wrestlemania II. (Yahoo! Sports)
"The fight in Japan would go live on free TV before the pay-per-view [in Las Vegas]." - White. So, are we talking about 20-fight, 8-hour UFC Saturdays? (MMA Torch)
PARTING SHOTS
"I’d be there in a heartbeat. Money doesn’t really mean nothing at this point, my money’s good, I’m happy with my money, if he told me to come fight for the same price, I would do it." - Gilbert Melendez, an excerpt from his new book "Negotiating for Dummies." (MMA Weekly)
"One thing about him (Kawa), I didn't like him, because ... he talks too fast. When people try to talk too fast, they're trying to hide something. He talks down on people, like he's better than them." - Rashad Evans, on friend of Bloody Elbow Malki Kawa. (Pro MMA Radio)
"The only way you really lose is if you come out of an experience and you don't take anything away from that." - Pat Barry. Trasnlated: The only way you really lose is if you still have yet to develop competent grappling defense ten fights into your MMA career. (MMA Mania)
Posted in: ufc, fight, mma, jone, ." 
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC champ Jon Jones suffered no serious injuries, but UFC giving him a rest
Jon Jones entered UFC 135's post-fight press conference with as many ice packs as bruises.
Despite a fourth-submission victory over Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in his first title defense, Jones was issued a six-month medical suspension, and he needed a doctor's examination to rule out any serious injuries.
But UFC president Dana White said Jones essentially got a clean bill of health. Still, he's in no hurry to bring Jones back.
Posted in: ufc, jone, title defense, ice packs, fourth-submission victory
Read the full article at MMA JunkieJon Jones Excited to See What Happens When He Goes Turbo on Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans talks about training with Jon Jones and knowing what he's got; Jones knows the same is true in reverse. He's just ready to see what happens when they go turbo.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan, turbo
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyStefan Struve vs Jon Jones staredown pic from UFC on Versus 6
At the Verizon Center last night (Oct. 1) at UFC on Versus 6: "Cruz vs. Johnson," heavyweight Stefan Struve took some time away from his duties, namely submitting Pat Barry in the co-main event of the evening, to have a good old fashioned staredown with UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.
Jones is listed at 6'4'' and 205-pounds while Struve comes in at 6'11'' and weighed in at 261-pounds. This should only serve to foster the belief that "Bones" is fighting below is natural weight class.
He's the light heavyweight king for now but is he also a future heavyweight champion?
Posted in: ufc, jone, heavyweight, co-main event, struve
Read the full article at MMA ManiaHere's a prime example of why Jon Jones is way way more interesting as a HW..
submitted by tekprodfx16 [link] [2 comments]
Posted in: jone, tekprodfx, jon jones, way, way way
Read the full article at RedditUFC champ Jon Jones moves to No. 3 in Yahoo! Sports pound-for-pound poll
With his fourth-round submission win over Quinton Jackson at UFC 135, UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones scored his first successful title defense. He also moved to the No. 3 slot in the latest Yahoo! Sports pound-for-pound poll.
Jones, who debuted in the poll back in March in the No. 4 spot, leapfrogged UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo in the latest installment.
Twenty-one MMA journalists, including MMAjunkie.com's John Morgan and Dann Stupp, vote in the monthly rankings.
Posted in: ufc, jone, title defense, fourth-round submission, poll
Read the full article at MMA JunkieDon't Worry, 'Rampage' Jackson Isn't Going Anywhere Just Yet
Filed under: UFCQuinton "Rampage" Jackson is, yet again, fed up with MMA. I guess that means it's time to rotate the tires on my Toyota and change the air filter in my furnace. Who needs a calendar or a planner for that stuff when you've got Jackson, whose frustration with this sport is the most reliable natural phenomenon outside of Yellowstone National Park?
This time, Jackson told an ESPN UK podcast that, after his loss to Jon Jones at UFC 135, he's tired of "fighting people who are scared."
"That's why I'm going to go to boxing," said Jackson. "I'm going to try boxing because they've got to stand with you. If I get knocked out I don't care, because at least it's a fight."
Right. Because that was his big problem with Jones. The champ was "scared" to stand up and fight him. That must be how Jackson ended up getting kicked around the cage like a hacky sack at an Ani DiFranco concert.
Not that any of us should be surprised to hear Jackson threatening to take his talents elsewhere. As recently as May he proclaimed that "as soon as movies start paying me more than I make to fight, I'm gone."
A year and a half before that, when the UFC gave him a hard time for taking the A-Team role rather than fighting Rashad Evans right away, he declared he was "done fighting" and "hanging it up."
His movie career must not be panning out like he'd hoped, because now boxing is his new frontier. Six months from now he may decide wants to be a male model instead, or maybe an astronaut. In other words, anything but MMA, the one thing he's made a reliable living at for the last decade or so.
It's not that I don't understand the motivation behind comments like these. We've all romanticized the notion of a different career in our minds. No matter how good you have it in your current job, other people seem to have it better. Especially when you've never actually tried that line of work, the way Jackson has never tried to be a full-time professional boxer. Then it exists solely as an idea, wholly perfect and unmolested by reality.
How else could Jackson have convinced himself that boxing is a sport where he won't have to worry about supposedly scared fighters running from him? Has he not heard that boxing has its share of "elusive" fighters? That even if opponents aren't shooting for takedowns or tenderizing his legs and ribs with kicks, there are still plenty of ways for them to avoid slugging exchanges in the ring?
If he thinks boxing is a sport where men stand directly in front of each other and trade haymakers, he's about a hundred years late to the party. These days, boxing has its share of runners. It also has its share of skyscraper heavyweights who could jab him from across the street and give him the same distance problems that Jones did. That is, unless he thinks he can drop down to cruiserweight (quick: name your favorite cruiserweight, and no, Chris Jericho doesn't count), where there'll be less money on the table than he seems to think.
I don't blame Jackson for feeling like he wants to do something else after the loss to Jones. That fight was so thoroughly one-sided that he has to know he'll never get his belt back as long as Jones is breathing air in the light heavyweight division. That leaves him with limited options. He could rematch "Shogun" Rua or Forrest Griffin, both of which he seems open to. But what then?
And of course, there's always the need to find some excuse for a loss, a pastime that even Jackson will admit he's an old pro at. Jones dominated every second of the fight? So what. It's only because he was running scared. Things will be different in the faraway land of boxing, where the streets are paved with gold and there's not a college wrestling All-American in sight.
Sure, it doesn't really make sense, but it doesn't have to. A few months from now the UFC will have given Jackson another fight, another guaranteed payday, and he'll have forgotten all about it. He'll be back to doing the one thing he knows and kind of hates, and all be well again.
At least until the next time. And you know there will be a next time. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: fight, time, jone, jackson, boxing
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseRankings: Jones edges Aldo for third (Yahoo! Sports)
Jon Jones has climbed another spot in his quest to reach the top of the pound-for-pound rankings.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, ranking, pound-for-pound rankings, spot
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsJon Jones Knows Rashad Evans Could be a Tough Fight or Easiest of His Career
The talking between champion Jon Jones and challenger Rashad Evans has already started to heat up and the fight hasn't even been scheduled yet.
Posted in: fight, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, fight hasn
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones details his 'strange' conversation with Steven Seagal on The Jim Rome Show (audio)
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones wants no part of Steven Seagal.
The bloated B-movie action star made a surprise phone call to "Bones" prior to his UFC 135 title fight opposite "Rampage" Jackson back on Sept. 24 in Denver, Colorado.
But what did he have to say? Jones details his "strange" conversation with Seagal in a recent appearance on the Jim Rome show:
"First off, you never know what people's motives are, especially with a guy who coaches Lyoto Machida. Machida is definitely someone I want to fight in my near future and I just didn't want to share my psychology with him or anything that would put me at a disadvantage in the future. It was just confusing, really, to bring in someone you don't work with at all to give you last second advice, it can actually be more detrimental than helpful. I don't know how he got my number. He was like 'Hey listen, I think you're gonna win the fight, and when I predict someone's gonna win I'm never wrong and there's some things I wanna go over with you.' It was all very strange. I don't wanna bad mouth him too bad, he had good intentions, I think. But yeah, I definitely wasn't having Steven Seagal in my corner. I could see if it was Jet Li or something, Jet Li would be pretty cool. I would definitely take that call, for sure."
Is Steven Seagal a spy for the Lyoto Machida camp? Or just a camera hog who wants to piggy back on the success of yet another UFC fighter?
Hear the complete audio, as Jones breaks it all down, after the jump.
How about it Maniacs, have we seen the last of Seagal after getting stuffed at UFC 135? Or will he be back in black (house)?
Posted in: jone, steven seagal, seagal, steven, jet li
Read the full article at MMA ManiaFight Day: Rashad Evans Talks Jon Jones, More
Rashad Evans joined the Fight Day set last Saturday to preview Jones vs. Rampage and much more. Check out the full video inside.
Posted in: fight, jone, rashad evans, fight day, evan
Read the full article at Heavy MMAAre Racial Undertones What Underline the Criticism of Jon Jones?
Regardless of how you answer the question, there is something unique about the way Jon Jones has garnered himself criticism. Yes, some of it is valid, as he has acted in odd and disagreeable ways. But the criticism can be equally odd and disagreeable. Derek Suboticki likes to say that "only internet weirdos hate Jon Jones", and while it speaks to fans having too much time to sift through meaningless information, the chaos of twitter, and empty op-eds from bloggers, there appears to be a larger narrative.
This is something Jordan Breen recently touched on responding to a caller, making the observation that black fighters seem to garner not just criticism, but excessive criticism (tireless worker of all things transcription, big thanks to Zach Arnold for the tip).
But I do think in a lot of cases, yeah, there’s… you know… it’s not everybody, it’s not like every white male reacts viscerally to, ‘oh, a high-level black athlete.’ But many do, many do, you know? I think maybe sometimes it gets harped on too much but there’s a reason that, you know, people like (King Mo) are called ‘cocky’ and ‘arrogant.’ Part of it is because they are but the way the context in which it’s constantly framed is often times a very implicitly racist one. It’s widespread. It’s not everybody, but it exists.
Where does this come from? It's one thing to look at someone like Jon Jones, and mock his sometimes odd behavior, but when Breen talks about the way the criticism is framed, he's talking about how fans and observers produce a larger narrative out of these parts to create what is an unjustified sum. It's weird how Chael Sonnen, who has pled guilty to money laundering in connection to mortgage fraud, and continues making not at all vague and racist statements, is characterized as a man with quirks ("Chael being Chael"). But for people like Jones, Lawal, et. al, their identity is synonymous with their faults.
Last week I wrote a sprawling tale over Jones, genetics, and effort. Something I cut in the story was my suspicion that perhaps our stereotypes of black athletes as simply genetically gifted, plays a role here. Which is to say, we subconsciously view black athletes as "spoiled" in some way. Generalizations tend to ignore diligence as a factor in their road to success: they're just reaping the rewards of their genes. And you see this in the way some fans have emphasized Jones' reach in the context of his success, as if reach alone makes Jones a special fighter.
Which is ridiculous insofar as there is nothing unique about reach that makes it any more advantageous than any other physical trait, be it speed, strength, or dexterity, And just like the rest, reach can be mitigated in a variety of ways (not that this is meant to deny Jones' reach is an advantage: but it's merely one ingredient). Jones is a special case, and one that probably requires further discussion, but this doesn't really explain cases like Muhammed Lawal, or Rashad Evans who have done nothing of any real significance to make them "villains". On the point that some of it is "self induced", Breen continues:
So, yeah, it is an unfortunate place to be in at times and the other thing that needs to be said for it also is a lot of it is intra-squad warfare there. A lot of it is to take a page out of Quinton Jackson’s book, black-on-black violence, you know? You have these guys going out there calling one another Uncle Toms and all this kind of other stuff. That’s pretty volatile and difficult stuff to be just throwing out there and that’s from black fighter to black fighter in a lot of cases. So, it’s wrong to also see it as a case of, oh, it’s like white media and white fans hating Black fighters or treating them differently and coding their language.
"It goes the same way, you know, being a black athlete is also made difficult by the way black athletes trend to treat other black athletes in some cases especially and I would even go so far as to say uniquely to some extent in the Mixed Martial Arts sphere where more so than some other sports, you know, the issue of being an Uncle Tom and these kinds of silly issues come up more prominently, you know. You don’t see it as much in a lot of other sports, it comes up very, very much in prizefighting especially…
Poll
Is there a hint of racism that characterizes the Jon Jones criticism, and black fighters in general?
Yes. Nothing sinister, but it's definitely an element in people's perception of people like Jons, Evans, Lawal et al.
No. They all just happen to be disagreeable people.
2 votes | Results
Posted in: jon, jone, way, &rsquo, criticism
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendJon Jones Sees Himself In ‘High Regard’, Envisions Being ‘Something Special To The Sport’
“Well, I definitely think of myself in a high regard. I think it’s important as an athlete to have a good self-esteem and look at yourself in a very high light. I think that’s the only way you can ever become something great, is if you fake it until you make it… So I’m not gonna really defend myself with him saying that I think I’m something special to the sport, because I truly do and I’m working towards that so that it may come true one day.”
— Jon Jones on The Jim Rome Show (transcribed via 5thRound) responding to Rashad Evans’ claims that he is full of himself
Jon Jones is definitely taking a different approach to his meteoric rise through the ranks than say pound-for-pound staples Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre have. I don’t think I’ve ever heard either of them say they were anything special since they’ve dominated their respective weight classes. I’m sure they know it inside, but they’ve never let it go to their heads despite their continued success. As invincible as Jones seems in the cage, I can’t help but wonder if the first person to beat Jon Jones will be Jon Jones. Time will tell.
In the meantime, Jones is as confident as he’s ever been that he’s going to take care of business when he meets Rashad Evans. Jones told Jim Rome that he has the “blueprint” and the “how-to manual” on how to beat his former teammate. He thinks it will either be a “really tough fight” or the “simply the easiest”, but either way he’s going to win.
Below, check out MMA Fighting’s footage of Greg Jackson teaching Jones some new moves during his training camp for Rampage Jackson.
Image via Esther Lin for MMA Fighting
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, i ’m, ’m
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones explains why he kept Steven Seagal away
Jon Jones has revealed why he barred former action movie star Steven Seagal from entering his dressing room prior to last weekend’s fight with Quinton...
Posted in: jone, jon jones, steven seagal, seagal, dressing room
Read the full article at Fighters OnlyA Thin Line Between Love & Hate: The Great Jon Jones Divide
Filed under: UFCThere have been few champions in recent UFC history that have engendered such diversity of opinion as Jon Jones. In fact, there's only been two in the same ballpark. One was Brock Lesnar, and the other is Jones' next opponent, Rashad Evans. Both of those fighters have heard many boos in their day, but for very different reasons.
From the minute he made a serious run at an MMA career, Lesnar was a lock for polarizing reactions. First, there were the people who knew nothing of his decorated amateur wrestling background, choosing only to see him through the prism of his work in professional wrestling. Then, there were the others who resented his immediate elevation to major fights. And finally, there were those who were turned off by his aloof attitude and disinterest in engaging the MMA community past fighting.
For Evans, it was different. He was the little guy among heavyweights when he began his career on The Ultimate Fighter and easily could have turned himself into an underdog story, but instead he forged a first impression that many couldn't and still can't shake. He quickly tangled with the respected veteran Matt Hughes, and was initially seen as a showboater without the skills to warrant it.
But what about Jones?
Unlike Lesnar, Jones had no fame before coming to the UFC. And unlike Evans, he didn't have a built-in audience from a reality show stint. So when he entered the UFC after just eight months of MMA training in 2008, he entered with a blank slate.
Early impressions were good. Jones opened up many eyes in his debut fight, a win over Andre Gusmao on just three weeks' notice. He followed that up with a surprising win over Stephan Bonnar five months later, and from a career standpoint, he was off and running.
With each time out, it became more clear that Jones was heading for big things. He was beginning to finish fights, his fight IQ and confidence were growing, and the headlines were quick to follow. So was the backlash.
Like many reporters that travel to events, I've had the chance to speak to Jones on a few occasions, and find him friendly, smart and engaged. Even though fame has come quickly for him, he doesn't appeared jaded by it. I remember him being the last fighter in the room at the UFC 126 press conference, just hanging out and making conversation. Even though fortune has come quickly for him, he doesn't flaunt it. He doesn't wear flashy jewelry, and last I'd heard, he'd yet to even spring for a new car.
In the cage, he's parts spectacular and effective, stopping all of the last six fighters he's beaten.
With his mix of personality and success, you think Jones would be a lock for a crowd favorite, but that's yet to completely materialize.
Why?
He's overrated. He's phony. He's cocky. He stretches the rules.
He's been accused of everything. Let's run down the laundry list: snitching, spying, swagger-jacking, fighting dirty, ripping apart a training camp, arrogantly signing autographs as the champion before he was one, arrogantly declining to sign autographs on replica belts as the champ after he was one, fighting no one, fighting past-their-prime someones, too religious, too fake, too manufactured.
He also doesn't hand out autographed $100 bills, that monster.
Maybe it's different with Jones because the bandwagon didn't slowly stop along the way, picking up fans as it went. It was a rocket ride, and few had time to join before he blasted off. Maybe it's because the media has spent time force-feeding Jones down their throat.
But the reaction, I just don't get. You watch fights to be entertained, and few will disagree that he's delivered the goods time after time. That's why many boos have greeted Jones to his fights, but he almost always leaves them cheering. The funny thing is I've seen and read many people say that they like watching him fight, but they don't like him. If you like watching him fight, you at least partially like him. You're just rooting with your wallet and time.
The standard reason for disliking Jones is his perceived arrogance. Is he confident? Of course. Wouldn't you be, if you were him? He made it to the UFC after nine months of MMA training. He was the champion at 23. He's a millionaire today. Even with hard work, that type of progression makes him an outlier, a prodigy.
Most 24-year-old males couldn't handle that meteoric rise. Jones has handled it just fine.
If you don't "like" Jones, I'm probably not going to change your conscious mind, but if you appreciate his fighting style, the seeds of fandom are already planted. You're Darth Vader just waiting to cross over from the dark side. And that's a good thing, because rooting against Jones is cheering against progress. If you really want to see what the sport can be and where it can go, this is the type of talent that's going to take us for that ride. This is the type of talent that will stretch the boundaries of what's possible. You want evolution? Here it is, in a 6-foot-4 package. If he loses his way, if he loses his motivation, we miss out.
At some point, maybe those boos will turn to cheers for good. At some point, maybe he'll no longer care about the negativity grenades lobbed his way. Maybe. But for right now, we need Jones. We need to love him or hate him. Sometimes, the two emotions are rooted in the same thing. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, time, jone, fighter
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones among three UFC 135 fighters facing possible six-month suspension
Though UFC light heavyweight title-holder Jon Jones may appear superhuman at times it appears he in fact a mere mortal, as the 24-year old champion was apparently injured during his bout with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135 and could miss up to six months as a result.
The name was listed in an official report from Colorado’s regulatory commission along with eleven other competitors who took to the Octagon this past Saturday night. Joining him with a potential six-month stint on the sidelines were Aaron Riley and James Te Huna.
No specifics were listed in terms of the actual affliction Jones, or any fighter, suffered though it was stated “Bones” could be cleared by a doctor to return in as little as 45 days.
Jones’ opponent at last weekend’s event, Jackson, was suspended for sixty days meaning “Rampage” should be ready for a bout in February when the UFC heads to Japan as he’d hoped for.
Here is a full list of UFC 135 medical suspensions:
James Te Huna – Suspended 180 days for injuries, reduced to 30 days with physician’s clearance
Ricardo Romero – Suspended 60 days with 45 days no contact
Cole Escovedo – Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact
Eddie Yagin – Suspended 30 days
Nick Ring – Suspended 30 days
Aaron Riley – Suspended 180 days, reduced to 90 days with physician’s clearance
Takanori Gomi – Suspended 30 days
Ben Rothwell – Suspended 60 days with no contact 45 days
Mark Hunt – Suspended 45 days with no contact 30 days
Matt Hughes – Suspended 45 days with no contact 30 days
Quinton Jackson – Suspended 60 days with no contact 45 days
Jon Jones – Suspended 180 days, reduced to 45 days with physician’s clearance
PHOTO CREDIT – UFCSimilar Posts:
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Posted in: ufc, jone, day, suspension, contact
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainFight Journal: Jon Jones Pre-UFC 135 Edition
Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, VideosMMAFighting.com's E. Casey Leydon was granted exclusive behind-the-scenes access as Jon Jones was training in New Mexico for his UFC 135 title fight against Quinton Jackson, which he won on Saturday night.
Watch below as Jones and trainer Greg Jackson devise a game plan to defeat Jackson, which, as you will see. included a hefty dose of leg kicks. In the end, Jones landed 35 leg strikes en route to his fourth-round submission victory, according to FightMetric.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: jone, jackson, quinton jackson, fight journal, defeat jackson
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseFight Journal: An inside look at Jon Jones preparing for Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones, alongside head coach Greg Jackson, opens the doors to the Jackson's MMA training center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, granting an inside look at the champ's preparation for his UFC 135 title defense against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.In the end, the training camp produced positive results for Jones, who went on to defeat "Rampage in dominate fashion, marking the first of what many expect to be several successful title defenses for the 24-year-old. Up next for
Posted in: rampage, jone, training camp, fight journal, title defenses
Read the full article at Low KickMMA Top 10 Light Heavyweights: Jon Jones Continues Division Dominance
Filed under: UFC, Strikeforce, Rankings, Light HeavyweightsThe UFC's light heavyweight division has been so talented for so long that it's been impossible in the last few years for anyone to stay on top for long. Rampage Jackson looked like a force when he took the belt from Chuck Liddell, but it wasn't long before Forrest Griffin took the belt from Rampage. Rashad Evans then took the belt from Griffin, but Evans lost the belt in his first title defense -- at what was supposed to be the dawn of the Lyoto Machida Era. Except that Machida promptly lost his belt to Shogun Rua.
Now we have Jon Jones at the top of the division, however, and I think the belt is going to stay in place for a long time. Jones has absolutely obliterated both Jackson and Rua, and now he'll get another former champion in Evans -- with, I believe, similar results.
So as we list the top light heavyweights in mixed martial arts, we're looking at an extremely talented division. But a division with one unique talent that stands far above the rest.
Top 10 Light Heavyweights in MMA
(Editor's note: The fighter's ranking the last time we did light heavyweights are in parentheses).
1. Jon Jones (1): There was never a moment during Jones' victory over Jackson at UFC 135 that I even thought Jones was in the slightest bit of trouble. Jackson is a great fighter who appeared to be in good shape and ready for a big fight, but he simply wasn't on Jones's level. I don't think anyone is.
2. Rashad Evans (2): Evans is finally close to the title shot that he's been waiting on for more than a year, but I don't think he has much of a chance of getting his belt back. Against Jackson, Jones did a great job of using his long legs to effectively fight at a distance, and if anything Jones will have an even greater reach advantage over Evans. It's hard to see anywhere that Evans has an advantage over Jones. That title fight will not go well for Evans.
3. Shogun Rua (3): Shogun has a very big fight ahead of him against Dan Henderson at UFC 139, and if he wins that he'll have a strong case that he's the No. 2 light heavyweight in MMA. But given how thoroughly Jones beat Rua, it's almost impossible to see the UFC giving Rua another shot at the title.
4. Lyoto Machida (4): Of all the light heavyweights in the sport, Machida is probably the one whose unorthodox stand-up style would present the greatest threat to Jones. If Machida wins his next fight, he'd make a lot of sense as an opponent for Jones in 2012.
5. Rampage Jackson (5): There have been times in Jackson's career when it was fair to question his motivation and preparation, but UFC 135 was not one of those times. Jackson was well prepared for the Jones fight, he's just nowhere near as good as Jones.
6. Dan Henderson (6): Henderson has left his Strikeforce light heavyweight title behind and will return to the Octagon to face Rua. A victory over Rua would give Henderson an excellent claim that he deserves a title shot against Jones, although as much respect as I have for Henderson I have an extremely hard time envisioning any way Henderson wins that fight.
7. Forrest Griffin (7): Griffin fights nothing but a who's who of the all-time greats in the sport: His last seven fights consist of two battles with Shogun sandwiched around bouts against Rampage, Evans, Anderson Silva, Tito Ortiz and Rich Franklin. The biggest question for Griffin now is whether he wants to keep doing battle with the sport's truly elite, or if now that he's in his 30s and a husband and a father, he'd rather take a step down in quality of competition. Griffin will always be a fan favorite and a draw for the UFC, but he may no longer be prepared to fight in the upper echelon of the UFC's light heavyweight division.
8. Rafael Cavalcante (10): Feijao looked very good in his victory over Yoel Romero Palacio on the September Strikeforce card. As long as he's with Strikeforce, Feijao's options for big fights are limited, but in the UFC there are any number of big fights for him at 205 pounds. MMA fans who just want to see the best fight the best should hope one of those big fights gets booked soon.
9. Phil Davis (8): The 27-year-old Davis was a great college wrestler who's a lot of fun to watch, and he seems destined to take on Jones some day. The problem is that for as young and talented as Davis is, Jones is even younger and more talented.
10. Thiago Silva (9): We're finally getting close to the end of Silva's one-year suspension for taking performance-enhancing substances. I hope he's stayed in shape and comes back hungry, because he's a 28-year-old who's a good enough striker that he can be a threat to anyone. He should be involved in some big light heavyweight fights in 2012. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, heavyweight, light
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones vs Rashad Evans odds: Who opened as the -475 favorite?
According to noted oddsmaker Nick Kalikas of BetOnFighting.com, it's none other than Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones. "Bones" opens as a massive -475 favorite headed into his showdown against Rashad Evans, which is still awaiting a date, time and place.
"Suga" comes in as the major underdog at +325.
Anyone jumping on this line with wallets wide open? Or do you expect a dramatic shift as we get closer and closer to fight night?
It's no surprise, really, that Jones is getting so much love from oddsmakers. The 24-year-old phenom has run through every opponent put across from him, including becoming just the second man to submit Quinton Jackson at UFC 135 on this past Sept. 24.
Does the same fate await Evans somewhere down the road? Or does his inside knowledge of Jones tendencies give him an edge that no other light heavyweight will enjoy?
Evans finally returned from a long layoff on Aug. 6 at UFC 133 to rematch Tito Ortiz in a 205-pound bout to determine if he was still ready to challenge for the division title.
Test passed ... with flying colors.
"Suga" Rashad dominated the contest having his way with "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy." He's doing what he can to convince us he'll do the same to his former teammate but should we believe him?
Can Evans end the Jonny "Bones" Era before it ever picks up any steam?
We're still a ways away from fight time, Maniacs, but who do you like for your money and who ya' got straight up?
To see the "Jones vs. Evans" odds and betting lines plus all the action for upcoming UFC and Strikeforce events click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, rashad, fight time, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones Opens as Huge Favorite Over Rashad Evans At the Sportsbook
Jon Jones has opened as a big favorite in his next light heavyweight title defense against former champion Rashad Evans.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyRashad Evans: 'Jon Jones thinks he's God's gift to the fight game'
There's no love lost between current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and number one contender Rashad Evans.
Last night (Sept. 26, 2011), Evans appeared on Pro MMA Radio with Larry Pepe. The two talked about Jones' recent victory over Quinton Jackson at UFC 135 on Sept. 24, in Denver, Colo., as well as the upcoming match (date yet to be scheduled) between "Bones" and "Suga."
Though not completely uncomplimentary of Jones in the interview, it was only a matter of time before Evans began to sling mud:
"Right now, this dude's on cloud nine. He thinks that he's God's gift to the fight game. I think he's gonna think that he can just walk right through me. Now that he's beat ‘Rampage,' he's gonna think that there's nothing I could do. He's seen my style and he's gonna think there's nothing I can do. He's gonna go out there and just try and embarrass me. He thinks it's gonna be an easy fight, but he's gonna find out different."
He was apparently just getting started.
During the interview, the gloves came off and no one was safe from Evans' sharp tongue. Apparently, he doesn't much care for Jones' manager, the often controversial Malki Kawa. Here's what he had to say about the Miami-based "super agent:"
"One thing about him (Kawa), I didn't like him, because ... he talks too fast. When people try to talk too fast, they're trying to hide something. He talks down on people, like he's better than them. I had to get away from that dude, or I probably woulda caught a case."
In addition to the spat between Evans and Jones, it's also no secret that top trainer Greg Jackson has been removed from Evans' Christmas card list.
Evans had a few interesting things to say about Jackson, even going so far as to infer that he (Jackson) possibly gets credit that he doesn't deserve:
"You know, if we're speaking honestly, Mike Winklejohn does about 85 percent of the coaching at Jackson's. That's just keepin' it real. Greg (Jackson) is always traveling. Winklejohn is the one who picks up most of the slack. I worked with Mike Winklejohn more than I worked with Greg Jackson, in my last four fights that I was there."
Evans said that he believes he would have left the Jackson camp, even if the rift between he and Jones had never occurred. People evolve and eventually move on. Nothing lasts forever.
He elaborates:
"I don't need Greg Jackson. I don't need him. He was great for me at the time, but I don't think there's anything I could have learned being at that camp. I've reached the top level that I could reach with that camp. I knew I had to leave a while ago. Things just kinda got stagnant. Jon (Jones) will feel the same way. He won't be there forever."
After Jones' UFC 135 successful title defense, he claimed that Evans had "ruined his special night." Evans weighed in on those comments, too:
"Think about how stupid that sounds. Like it's my idea to get in the cage. Like I'm jumping into the cage and security's after me and I'm going in there and challenging him. Don't say I ruined your night! Say the UFC and Dana White ruined your night! We're selling a fight...stupid! Just shut up!"
To cap off the interview, Evans closed things out by saying that he believes Jones faked an injury to get out of their last scheduled bout and that he believes he'll do it again:
"Do you think Jon pulled out of the first fight because he was confident? No! He was afraid! Watch him try to pull out of this fight too! Watch him be like, ‘Oh! My foot's hurt!' or something like that, so he can get out of this fight too. When it comes down to it, he doesn't really want it."
Interesting theory.
It will certainly be interesting to see how the recent news of Jones' six month medical suspension will affect the future match up of the two.
What do you Maniacs think? Will we ever finally see a Jones-Evans throwdown session? Who will have the advantage?
Posted in: fight, jone, jackson, evan, nothing i
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJon Jones facing six-month medical suspension without doctor’s clearance
It appears top 205-pound contender Rashad Evans may have to wait a big longer than anticipated in terms of finally getting his crack at UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones after the list of UFC 135 medical suspensions surfaced earlier today.
According to Colorado’s regulatory board, Jones could be sidelined for six months as the result of suffering some sort of undisclosed injury during his title-defense Saturday night against Quinton Jackson. However, the commission did leave the door open for Jones to return in 45 days if he receives clearance from a licensed physician.
Full UFC 135 Results
Other similar sentences were handed down to Aaron Riley, whose jaw was broken by Ultimate Fighter 13 winner Tony Ferguson, and James Te Huna who was actually one of the evening’s winners but clearly didn’t escape unscathed.
No specifics were listed for any fighter as is typically the case.
Here is a complete rundown of UFC 135 medical suspensions:
James Te Huna: Suspended 180 days for injuries, reduced to 30 days with physician’s clearance
Ricardo Romero: Suspended 60 days with 45 days no contact
Cole Escovedo: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact
Eddie Yagin: Suspended 30 days
Nick Ring: Suspended 30 days
Aaron Riley: Suspended 180 days, reduced to 90 days with physician’s clearance
Takanori Gomi: Suspended 30 days
Ben Rothwell: Suspended 60 days with no contact 45 days
Mark Hunt: Suspended 45 days with no contact 30 days
Matt Hughes: Suspended 45 days with no contact 30 days
Quinton Jackson: Suspended 60 days with no contact 45 days
Jon Jones: Suspended 180 days, reduced to 45 days with physician’s clearance
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: ufc, jone, day, contact, clearance
Read the full article at Fighters.comEvans: 'Jones will try to pull out'
On Saturday night, Jon Jones predicted that Rashad Evans will be doing “a lot of talking” in the build-up to their forthcoming fight. Evans...
Posted in: saturday night, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, evan
Read the full article at Fighters OnlyLyoto Machida is one of the fighters who may challenge Jon Jones in the near future. Thomas Myers...
Lyoto Machida is one of the fighters who may challenge Jon Jones in the near future. Thomas Myers looks at some other options for Jones' future fights at MMA Nation. (Photo from Al Bello/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Posted in: mma nation, jone, jon jones, future, future fights
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJon Jones Picks Up 180 Days On UFC 135 Medical Suspension List
The official medical suspensions are out for UFC 135 and in a bit of a surprising moment, Jon Jones has picked up one of the longest medical suspensions of any fighter on the card. Jones has been suspended for six months unless cleared by a doctor, in which case the suspension can be reduced to 45 days. There were no details on the exact injuries tied to the suspensions, but one would have to assume this is related to Jones' limp after his fight with Quinton Jackson and then basically being carried to the press conference.
Full suspension list via MMA Weekly:
Jon Jones - suspended 180 days or 45 days with physician's clearanceQuinton Jackson - suspended 60 days, no contact 45 daysMatt Hughes - suspended 45 days, no contact 30 daysMark Hunt - suspended 45 days, no contact 30 daysBen Rothwell - suspended 60 days, no contact 45 daysTakanori Gomi - suspended 30 daysAaron Riley - suspended 180 days, 90 days with physician's clearanceNick Ring - suspended 30 daysEddie Yagin - suspended 30 daysCole Escovedo - suspended 45 days, 30 days no contactRicardo Romero - suspended 60 days, 45 days no contactJames Te Huna - suspended 180 days for injuries or 30 day suspension with physician's clearance.
Riley was forced to quit after one round of his fight with Tony Ferguson, believing to have re-broken his jaw.
SBN coverage of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
Posted in: jone, day, jon jones, suspension, contact
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 suspensions: Champ Jon Jones out six months unless cleared by doctor
submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [4 comments]
Posted in: ufc, jone, month, doctor, mattyblayze
Read the full article at RedditUFC 135 gate totals $2,089,575 with 14,247 tickets sold for 'Jones vs Rampage' on Sept. 24
UFC 135 recorded a gate of $2,089,575 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, on Sept. 24, 2011, according to official figures from the Colorado Athletic Commission released earlier today.
The final attendance of 16,344 was a result of 14,247 tickets sold and 2,097 complimentary tickets.
UFC 135 featured the first light heavyweight title defense of 24-year-old phenom Jon Jones, who successfully defended his belt with a fourth round submission victory over Quinton Jackson.
And with a fairly mediocre undercard, it bodes well that "Bones" brought the boys to the yard to watch him ply his craft. The sky is truly the limit.
Jones impressive victory set up his second title defense, which will be against Rashad Evans just as soon as both men are healthy enough to compete.
It can't get here soon enough.
Also on the docket at UFC 135 was a welterweight showdown that may or may not have resulted in the retirement of Matt Hughes, who was viciously knocked out by a returning Josh Koscheck.
Nothing lasts forever.
For complete UFC 135 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, pepsi center, title defense, ticket
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 Medical Suspensions: Jones, Rampage, Riley and Te Huna Lead the List
The medical suspensions for UFC 135 have been handed out by the Colorado Office of Boxing with several fighters on the list including light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Posted in: ufc, jone, list, te huna, colorado office
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyIs Jon Jones Too Dominant for Intriguing Title Fights?
The UFC's light heavyweight division has not had a dominant champion since Chuck Liddell dropped his belt to Quinton Jackson at UFC 71. The fight was supposed to be Liddell's fifth title defense, tying the record set by Tito Ortiz. Jackson was able to defend the belt once against Dan Henderson. Since then the division has played a game of "hot potato" with with only Lyoto Machida defending the belt. This past weekend Jon Jones joins Machida and Jackson on the incredibly short list of defending champions. However, after his almost flawless performance this past Saturday, is it possible that a dominant champ is bad for business?
First and foremost, the UFC is in the entertainment business. The pay per view model means that fans need to feel compelled with the match ups in order to spend upwards of $55 for a single fight card. Following UFC 134, there were many people on twitter within the MMA industry saying it would be the last Anderson Silva card they'd ever purchase. Silva, it seems, is too dominant as a champion and when there is little doubt that he'll steamroll his opposition, it becomes a hard sell to fans. My fear is that Jones is on a crash course towards this exact situation.
In the lead up to UFC 135, David Castillo of HeadKickLegend.com stated that the big issue with Jones is that no matter how hard fans work in the gym, they will never possess the physical gifts of Bones. These physical gifts are what set him apart from his peers at 205. Fans often commented how big Liddell and Tito Ortiz were for the weight class and how Forrest Griffin walks around at 245+ in between fights. Jones dwarfs everyone. He has the reach of a heavyweight and gets bigger every fight. Even if all the skills were consistent across the division, Jones' body would still set him apart.
The UFC's light heavyweight division is sold as the most deep division in the sport. Housing names such as Rashad Evans, Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida, and Dan Henderson at the very top, there is no shortage of opponents to test out Jones. The issue is that once you leave the top tier, there is a massive gap in perceived skills. Phil Davis and Alex Gustafsson are interesting prospects, but have yet to develop their skills to match Jones should they meet right now. Antonio Rogerio Noguiera and Rich Franklin are quickly moving into the realm of over-the-hill veterans whose best days are behind them.
Jackson and Rua are both recent victims of Jones which removes them from the list of possible title challengers. Dana White has stated that the winner of Rua/Henderson will receive a title shot once Rashad and Jones settle their score but does anyone really think that either fighter possesses the skills and ability to defeat Jones? Evans is selling the match up and many are convinced he can push Jones mentally and physically. But does he really have the skills to end the Jon Jones era?
Jones is at a spot where even before the fights get booked, fans are already counting out his opponents. He finds himself in a similar position to Anderson Silva and to a lesser extent Georges St. Pierre and Jose Aldo. Zuffa, despite their best efforts, have been unable to convince fans that anyone at 185 is a real test for Silva. Chael Sonnen put on a hell of a performance but testing positive for PEDs and losing to an injured Anderson Silva has some questioning how he would do in the rematch. St. Pierre and Aldo are fortunate that the landscape of their divisions is ever changing with the UFC bringing Hatsu Hioki for Aldo and Jake Ellenberger propelling himself into the top 10 with the knockout of Shields.
The UFC is desperate for fans to buy into the Jon Jones hype. From planting the story about him stopping a mugging in Patterson, New Jersey to trying to sell him as the humble fighter with a warrior's spirit, they want him to be the champion of the future. The issue is that using the press is only one part to a greater issue. If he doesn't ever face someone who can push him, it won't matter how many spinning elbows he can throw in a fight. Fans want to see compelling fights that force the champion to dig down deep to overcome adversity. Jones and the UFC will need to find a way to keep fans' interest or they will quickly run into difficulty ensuring that people will still buy his defenses. Jon Jones is dominant, he just be too dominant for the UFC.
SBN coverage of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, division, fan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRashad Evans: I don't know if me and Jon Jones could ever "Squash the Beef"
Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion "Suga" Rashad Evans participated in pre-UFC 135 Q&A session, discussing a wide array of topics related to his Mixed Martia Arts career. Evans spoke about his training at Imperial Athletiics, and some of the best talent the team has to offer. But in the end, the talk went down to the reigning Champion Jon "Bones" Jones and (now) the upcoming bout between the two. Evans stated he's not sure whether him and Jon Jones could be on good terms ever again, giving just a
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rashad evans, champion jon, evan
Read the full article at Low KickRashad Evans Won't Return To Jackson's, Even After Jon Jones Fight
Rashad Evans' rivalry with Jon Jones involves a lot of animosity toward former trainer Greg Jackson. Rashad feels that the spirit of "family" that comes along with being a part of Jackson's was tainted when Jones won the UFC light heavyweight championship following an Evans injury and then said publicly that he would be willing to fight Evans when the two were currently training together. This led to Rashad leaving Jackson's, a camp where Jones continues to train.
Now, Evans is making it clear that he has no intention of going back to Jackson's, even after the fight with Jones. Via MMA Weekly:
"No, I don't think I'm ever going to train back at the Jackson camp," Evans said recently. "I will go back to Albuquerque (N.M.) at Mean 1, at Keith (Jardine's) gym, but the things at Jackson's camp, they're just different now. It's not the same no more."
...
"Back in the day, it was like we were all family. We were really tight with each other. But now it's gotten so commercial, Greg is always gone all over the place, and it's just not family no more. It's too transient. You can pay a certain amount of money and you can come and live at the Jackson camp and it just got so transient, you'd see so many different faces come and go. It's just not the same place as before," Evans stated.
But if there's one thing we know about the fight game, it's never say never.
It wouldn't shock me to see Jackson in Rashad's corner somewhere down the road should he decide that Jackson's guidance gives him the best chance to win.
Posted in: fight, jone, jackson, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowThe Forward Roll: UFC 135 Edition
Filed under: UFCWhat lessons can we take away from UFC 135? First, Jon Jones is beginning to run away with the UFC's light-heavyweight division. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson admitted several times before and after the fight that he had worked himself into his best shape in years. The man is a former undisputed world champion, and he could barely lay a finger on Jones.
As Jones continues to progress, he learns how to better utilize his numerous gifts and establish his built-in advantages. Jackson loves to throw his hands, so Jones never let him, lengthening his already ridiculous reach with a steady diet of kicks. How do you punch someone you can't reach? Answer: you can't.
MMA math is an inexact science, but you can project how Jones will perform against Rashad Evans. While Evans has a more varied game than Jackson and boasts more speed, he'll have to navigate the same problem with distance (Evans' reach is 75 inches, just two inches more than Jackson's).
At least Evans has had plenty of time to prepare. He's known he was facing the possibility of fighting Jones since August, and he probably thought about the fight long before that. He also has some feeling for things that make Jones uncomfortable, stemming from their brief history of training together.
Still, it's hard to shake the image of Jones completely outworking two all-time legends back to back. MMA analysis website FightMetric.com independently scores fights based on offensive striking and grappling. Against Rua, Jones won with an effectiveness score of 345-57. Against Jackson, it was 244-28. Even if you don't know exactly know what those numbers represent, the scores make it clear he's routing world-class fighters. Can Evans do any better? Well, we've never seen Jones fight a real grudge match, and that element can change a fight dynamic for better or worse. Whatever the answer, it's going to be fun to find out.
Jon Jones
The best kind of fight booking is when one fight leads seamlessly into the next. That's what we have here. We know Jones will next face Evans, we simply don't know when. He'll probably take a least a month or two off, and then the UFC can begin selling one of MMA's most genuine rivalries.
Prediction: Jones faces Evans in February.
Quinton Jackson
Regardless of the outcome, it was nice to see Jackson enter a fight in great shape and give himself the best chance of winning possible. Hopefully the trend continues. There are still several interesting matchups for him, but Jackson has his eye on one or two fights in particular.
Prediction: Jackson faces Forrest Griffin in the UFC's Japan event, expected for February 2012.
Matt Hughes
The two-time welterweight champion turns 38 years old in just a few weeks, and coming off two straight knockout losses, his time is running short. Hughes said he would ask the UFC to put him "on the shelf" while he considers his future, but we already know that his wife doesn't want him to fight any longer, and Saturday night's result will only reinforce her opinion. As anyone who's married knows, you might able to put your wife off for a while, but only for so long. This is probably the end for Mr. Hughes. Happy trails to the legend.
Prediction: Hughes calls it quits and stays involved with the UFC in an ambassador type role.
Josh Koscheck
It was a fantastic night for Koscheck after taking the fight on short notice. Now, he faces a bit of an issue. He's already faced division champion Georges St-Pierre twice, so as long as GSP holds the belt, Koscheck has no chance to get another title match. So his options are either to stay at 170 and continue winning while hoping that someone upsets St-Pierre, or moving up to 185, where he'll be at a serious size disadvantage.
Prediction: Koscheck loves making money, and the bigger, better matchups for him are still at 170. If Diego Sanchez heals in a timely fashion, he's the pick for a rematch, but if not, how about we send him to the UK to fight Dan Hardy? That sounds fun.
Mark Hunt
With all the hoopla following the Jones-Rampage-Rashad triangle and Matt Hughes' possible retirement, Mark Hunt's story got sort of lost. But once upon a time, the UFC tried to pay Hunt to stay home and cut ties. It would have been the easiest payday of his career, but he chose to make his money the old fashioned way. Now a surprising 2-1 in the UFC after beating heavily favored Ben Rothwell, Hunt adds future paydays, all well earned.
Prediction: In a battle of kickboxing specialists, Hunt faces Pat Barry in January.
Ben Rothwell
After more than a year on the sidelines, Rothwell has to be terribly disappointed at losing his return bout, but at least he fought through incredible exhaustion and refused to be finished. He'll certainly get another crack in the octagon, but he needs to make this one count.
Prediction: He faces the loser of next month's Joey Beltran-Stipe Miocic fight early next year.
Travis Browne
Browne didn't put on the showcase some expected against the durable Brit Rob Broughton, but in the fight game, you have to shrug off an ugly win every now and again. It should still be onward and upward for Browne, who has yet to face defeat in the cage. This time, let's forget booking the heavyweights in elevation and put him on flat land.
Prediction: Browne faces Brendan Schaub.
Nate Diaz
Diaz looks alternately spectacular (striking and jiu-jitsu) and ordinary (wrestling) depending on the opponent in front of him. Until he proves he can stop a takedown though, it's going to be difficult to project how far he can go. The talent is there, but that one hole needs to be shut, and in the lightweight division, wrestlers are around every corner.
Prediction: Diaz faces Jim Miller, a fight that would be off the charts on the intensity scale.
Takanori Gomi
Since coming over to the UFC, Gomi's had only one flash of his old brilliance when he knocked out Tyson Griffin in April 2010. After losing three of four, the UFC has to be wondering what exactly they have on their hands. Gomi may be a historical great, but right now he's not bringing the goods. I still think he'll get one more chance at a winnable fight when the UFC brings the show to Japan.
Prediction: Gomi faces Thiago Tavares.
Tim Boetsch
In his second fight since moving down to middleweight, The "Barbarian" again looked strong, giving Nick Ring his first loss. The middleweight division is among the weakest in the UFC, so Boetsch has a chance to make himself a player in short order. Next up should be another fighter riding a win streak.
Prediction: Boetsch faces Rousimar Palhares. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, jackson, prediction
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseCoach: I don't think Anderson Silva would like to fight Jon Jones
Mike Winklejohn, Jon Jones' striking coach, discussed the learning curve of his product, as well as the potential superfight with the eternal UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson "The Spider" Silva. According to Winklejohn, Jon Jones is not there just yet when it comes to KO power, but he's still much better than "The Spider" when it comes to "everything wrestling". Winklejohn also added, that stylistically Jon Jones is a bad match-up for Silva, who's well known for using his reach advantage to win
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, anderson silva, mike winklejohn
Read the full article at Low KickUFC Quick Quote: Jon Jones already has the 'Mike Tyson effect'
"Someone has to get in the ring and not be afraid of him ... His last few fights, you see guys get in the ring with Jon Jones and they know it, you can just see in their body language, [they're thinking] 'At some point in time he's going to do something ridiculous that I can't identify and something's going to hit me and I'm going to wake up later on. The guy can fight you anywhere, he can take you anywhere. But, he's also developed this reputation and this aura about him that's just really intimidating."
-- At just 24-years-young, and with little more than three years of professional mixed martial arts (MMA) experience, UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones is already beating his opponents mentally before they are locked inside a cage with him. That's according to Pat Barry, who explained on today's UFC on Versus 6 conference call that "Bones" is so good, and so dangerous, that he is downright scary. So scary, in fact, that it strikes fear into the hearts and minds of his overmatched opposition. Quinton Jackson, admittedly, couldn't pull the trigger in their recent fight at UFC 135. Mauricio Rua got straight up smoked at UFC 128. In fact, no one to date has even come close figuring out the 6'4" phenom. Boxing's former undisputed heavyweight champion, Mike Tyson, tore through the sport's best with similar ease back in the late 1980s, before Buster Douglas miraculously proved that he was mortal. Fabricio Werdum accomplished a similar feat in MMA when he upended the previously unstoppable Fedor Emelianenko just last year. Is this the beginning of Jones' long journey to perceived invincibility or can someone figure him out sooner than expected?
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, overmatched opposition
Read the full article at MMA ManiaSteven Seagal Reportedly Banned From Jon Jones' Locker Room Before UFC 135
Steven Seagal just won't go away. It was pretty humorous when Seagal, with 100% seriousness, took credit for teaching Black House members Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida the front kicks that saw them defeat Vitor Belfort and Randy Couture respectively. I guess he thought he would take some of his wisdom over to another superstar, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, before UFC 135. But Fighters Only reports that Seagal got shot down:
"He was wondering if he could come and talk to me backstage before the fight, just give me some words of encouragement. I didn't think that would be a good idea," Jones revealed.
"My training staff works very hard on me. I'm their prodigy. I wouldn't want to disrespect them by welcoming someone else's master into our room, into our house, into our family."
They do report that Seagal had talked to Jones on the phone a few days before that though, which boggles the mind. After the fight, Seagal did a hilariously bad interview with MMA Fighting that is full of crazy. Here's a few of the gems. First, it is brought up that Jones threw a front kick to the face:
"Yeah, him and I did talk about that. But he hasn't learned it yet. You know, I never taught it."
Anderson Silva is a "very close friend" and Jones is "a kind-of-a-friend". Ringing endorsement there. Seagal doesn't want to see the two fight though. He praised Jones for a while, and also praised Quinton "Rampage" Jackson's head movement, but he had to get a bit of a jab in about Jones:
"Jon Jones wasn't himself tonight."
And when pressed about it and told that Joe Rogan found Jones' performance quite impressive, Seagal made the most sarcastic face possible for him (so basically he looked the same), and said in regards to Rogan:
"Okay. *laughs* I'm a fighter. I fought all my life. You can listen to him. Maybe he knows more than me. I don't know. My opinion? Jon Jones is much, much better than that. That's just my humble opinion. Maybe Joe Rogan knows more than me. I don't know."
He then went on to say that Rampage had been under siege all night because Jones was out for justice. But he added that no one was above the law because the octagon was on deadly ground, and sometimes when you're marked for death, you just have to make an executive decision.
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, seagal, joe rogan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Still Not as Great as Anderson Silva
Despite what Jonathan Snowden believes, we still live in a world in which Anderson Silva has yet to retire. Following Jon Jones victory of Quinton Jackson at UFC 135, however, Snowden still felt compelled to issue the following statement:
Jon Jones is the best fighter in the world. And you can quote me on it.
Don't worry, Jon. I had every intention to do so.
It's nothing against Jones. From all I've gathered through transcribed interviews, videos, and Jones's Twitter feed, I dislike him as a person. His abilities as a fighter are unquestionable, though. Despite being a tremendous supporter of "Rampage" Jackson, I could only bear witness to Jones diverse, lightning fast attack on Saturday night. And I have no qualms recognizing him as the king of the light heavyweight division.
But I have sense enough not to make claims putting him on the same level as the man I believe to be the greatest fighter to date, a man who continues to dazzle with every performance and show us things we've never before seen in combative athletics. Not to mention that a resume featuring decisive wins over prime versions of Yushin Okami, Vitor Belfort, Chael Sonnen, Forrest Griffin, Rich Franklin, Dan Henderson, Hyato Sakurai, and Carlos Newton seems more impressive to me than drubbings of Stephan Bonnar and Vladimir Matyushenko.
As I've noted before, I no longer watch Silva fights to see whether or not he wins. I watch to see if he does something unprecedented, and the middleweight champion rarely disappoints. That's not to say that Jones is incapable of reaching such status; it's just far too early to equate him to the "Spider". If anything, Jones, more than Georges St. Pierre, Jose Aldo, or anyone else, seems destined to reach that level. But, he's not there yet, and to say so is a disservice to Silva's ongoing legacy, the greatest in MMA's young history thus far.
SBN coverage of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, silva, anderson silva
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendIt's a GREAT time to be an MMA fan!
I felt like things were kinda boring half a year ago. Amazing how much things have changed now that the WEC and StrikeForce has been absorbed. I'm thinking we could be entering a new Golden age. The deal on Fox is going to attract a lot of money to this sport. More money means more interests from all athletes. Can you imagine genetic freaks like Adrian Peterson or up and coming boxers choosing MMA? Jones is just the beginning of the "new breed" Here's the fight we have to look forward to. Brock Lesnar vs. Overeem Shogun vs. Dan Henderson Cain vs. JDS BJ vs. Nick Diaz Jones vs. Evans Maynard vs. Edgar 3 I'm excited! submitted by DrNgo [link] [1 comment]
Posted in: jone, vs, money, dan henderson, adrian peterson
Read the full article at RedditUFC on Versus 6 co-headliners discuss whether champ Jon Jones is beatable
So bright is the glow of Jon Jones' star that he's on the tip of the tongue for an event where he's not even fighting.
Two days after Jones dominated Quinton Jackson at UFC 135, the main draws of UFC on Versus 6 were asked to weigh in on the UFC light-heavyweight champion's long-term prospects. The consensus is that Jones is impressive.
Not much of a surprise there, but the decision on whether he's beatable is not unanimous.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, quinton jackson, beatable
Read the full article at MMA JunkieNobody In The UFC Will Beat Jon Jones
Current champ different than his predecessors
I understand why people want to hold off on declaring this “The Jon Jones Era.”
After all, the last time someone deemed a period in the light heavyweight division an era, Mauricio Rua went and leg-kicked the hell out of it the very next fight. Regardless of the verdict in the first fight, Rua showed that Lyoto Machida’s place atop the division wasn’t as solid as originally believed.
If that wasn’t reason enough to put a hold on sculpting a statue to immortalize Jon Jones, the fact that he’s in possession of the championship version of a hot potato sure does the trick.
In beating Quinton Jackson on Saturday night, Jones has equaled “Rampage” and Machida for the most defenses of the light heavyweight championship in the last four years; one. The 205 pound strap has moved around a lot since Jackson successfully defended the title against Dan Henderson, with each subsequent champion looking poised to enjoy a lasting reign the night they claimed the belt.
Those are both very valid reasons for taking a breath before proclaiming Jones on the verge of an extended stay at the top of the most tumultuous division in the sport.
Personally, they don’t worry me in the least.
Through 15 fights, Jones has shown us no reason to doubt him; quite the opposite in fact. Each trip to the Octagon has been better than the last, his dominance even greater despite the level of competition increasing as well.
In his last two fights, Jones has systematically destroyed a pair of decorated superstars, fighters who excelled in both Pride and the UFC and stand as two of the best the light heavyweight division has ever produced.
Rua and Jackson were both thoroughly over-matched and completely outclassed, supreme talents made to look inferior by the young star who is quickly proving to be the next evolution in the sport of mixed martial arts.
Prior to picking apart and submitting Jackson at UFC 135, I wrote that Jones had “Greatest of All-Time Potential.” Saturday’s showing made me want to offer a revision: Jon Jones is going to end up being the greatest fighter of all-time.
I don’t see anyone beating Jones any time soon, and I’m usually the guy who can make a case for anyone getting beat.
His abilities inside the cage are second-to-none, and even if he stopped developing new weapons and honing new skills right now, he’d still be an absolute handful for everyone in the division. But that isn’t going to happen.
Jones isn’t going to suddenly switch off that drive to be great—stop training, stop studying footage of his opponents, and become predictable in the cage. He will continue to grow, literally and figuratively, sharpening his already impressive collection of tools and added new ones to his arsenal at the same time.
And it’s not like he’s been squeaking out wins and battling through great adversity to emerge victorious so far either.
Jones has thoroughly dominated everyone he’s faced, beginning with Andre Gusmao and continuing through Jackson Saturday night. He’s actually taking less damage now than he was in his early UFC fights, utilizing his length effectively and avoiding punishment.
Each of his last five wins have been finishes, something that stands in stark contrast to Machida during his climb to the top of the division. There haven’t been any “near miss” moments for Jones either.
He’s completely smashing guys, fighters who are going out and putting it on people the next time out most of the time. Vladimir Matyushenko has collected two wins in less than three minutes combined since losing to Jones, and “Shogun” just crushed Forrest Griffin in Rio. Neither came close to testing Jones; no one has.
Rashad Evans is next in line and viewed as the toughest test to date for the young champion, but each of his last several opponents have been as well, and we’ve seen how those fights turned out.
The rule in mixed martial arts is that everybody loses somewhere along the line, but there are exceptions to every rule.
While most are hedging their bets and waiting for the loss they feel is inevitably going to come, I think Jon Jones is the exception.
We’re bearing witness to greatness, even if most are not quite ready to believe it completely just yet.
Posted in: fight, jone, jackson, jon jones, division
Read the full article at Heavy MMANobody In The UFC Will Beat Jon Jones
Most people are waiting to proclaim this "The Jon Jones Era." Most people would be wrong, because nobody in the UFC will defeat Jones for his title.
Posted in: ufc, jone, nobody, jon jones, people
Read the full article at Heavy MMAJon Jones shares laugh with Quinton Jackson at post-fight presser
History has provided countless examples of how two individuals slugging it out can solve a personal problem between the two. Mixed Martial Arts is no different with intense rivalries often crumbling into shared sportsmanship and mutual respect after the actual fight has concluded. In certain cases the conflict may be manufactured but in others it is very, very real.
The latest example of this being the case took place last weekend at UFC 135 when light heavyweight champion Jon Jones successfully defended his belt against former title-holder Quinton Jackson. Though they may have feuded with each other during the build up to the bout with Jackson accusing Jones of spying on his camp being a prime example, in the end it appears they may have settled their differences and come away with a mutual admiration of each other.
“Rampage” Says He Has No Respect for Jones
“Jones, what the hell (were) you doing in the beginning of the first round,” Jackson asked with a smile on his face during a post-event press conference. “I thought you were trying to suck my toes or something.”
Among the people laughing from the query was Jones, who chuckled while responding, “I didn’t want to get hit with one of your bombs, man! I know you hit haaard. So I was like, ‘Lemme stay low.’ It was kind of like James Toney vs. Randy Couture how Randy shot in low. I was like, ‘This is our James Toney. I’m not about to get left hooked.’”
“And I was like, ‘What the hell is this kid doing,” Jackson chipped in. “I tried to knock his head off a couple of times.”
“Speaking of funk, I thought I could smell your feet,” Jones playfully retorted.
“Yeah, you had better watch out for that left foot. It’s got that fungus on there. I don’t know where it came from,” said Jackson with the entire room still laughing from the exchange.
“Do not hit me with that gangrene,” Jones exclaimed.
“Were you surprised by my wrestling though,” the Memphis native inquired.
“It wasn’t bad. I shot one shot and you stuffed me nice. I was like whoa,” Jones answered.
“That’s what she said,” Jackson quickly replied in homage to Michael Scott from The Office.
It’s impossible to tell if Jones and Jackson will ever become more than simply professional acquaintances but if they do, at least based on the friendly-fallout from UFC 135, fans may want to keep a lookout for them opening for Joe Rogan’s act shortly thereafter.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: jone, jackson, “ i, ,” jackson, example
Read the full article at Fighters.comJon Jones: Rashad Evans “Not Even Close” to Having My Number
Moments after defending the UFC light heavyweight title for the first time over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135, champion Jon Jones reluctantly turned his attention to his next challenger: former teammate-turned-rival Rashad Evans.
“I will say this about Rashad: He does not have my number,” Jones said (via MMAjunkie). “He’s not even close to having my number. We sparred a few times, and every time we sparred, I know what could have happened. He talks about one day at practice where he held me down, and he lives that day in his head everyday. So we’ll see.”
“Rampage,” who tapped to a rear naked choke early in the fourth-round after struggling to overcome Jones’ reach, praised Jones’ performance despite his pre-fight criticism, but sees Evans as the only contender with a chance to dethrone the 24-year-old.
“Straight up – I’m keeping it real – I thought he was all hype,” Jackson said (via MMAjunkie). “The kid is tough. He’s very talented. I thought I had his number, but I take my hat off to this guy. He’s good.
“I think Rashad is basically the only one that has a chance of beating [Jones] because Rashad trained with him before, so Rashad knows,” Jackson said when asked to evaluate Jones’ future as champ. “I don’t see anybody that can beat Jones, honestly. Rashad said he’s got his number though. That’s what he say. I don’t know. I’m looking forward to seeing that fight now.”
It is not yet known when Jones and Evans will square off, as Jones will likely need some time off to let his legs heal from his numerous kicks targeted at Jackson and Evans is recovering from a hand injury.
Check out MMAFrenzy’s complete coverage of UFC 135 by clicking here.
Pictured: Jon Jones
Posted in: jone, jackson, rashad, evan, number
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyReaction from the Action: “UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage”
UFC 135 saw the UFC finally return to where it all began. The UFC has grown leaps and bounds since the first UFC event in Denver back in November of 1993. There were probably as many UFC employees and media covering UFC 135 as there were in total attendance for UFC 1.
But not only has the popularity of the sport grown immensely, the talent is just as noticeable of a change. That was no more obvious than the main event, as Jon Jones defended his Light Heavyweight Championship against Rampage Jackson.
Few athletes define a generation, and Jones is doing just that as I type this. With just four years of mixed martial arts training, Jones has reached the pinnacle of his craft. What takes other fighters years and years of work, he has achieved in months. Eight months ago, Jones was not even the number one contender in his weight class. Three fights later, he is seen as one of the top fighters in the world, regardless of weight class.
To put it simply, he outclassed Jackson in every facet of the fight. No, it was not as physically dominant of a performance as his championship winning performance against Shogun Rua in March at UFC 128. But Jones did not have to be as dominant. He knew going in he held every advantage over Rampage. Most specifically, an enormous 11.5 inch reach advantage. That negated Rampage’s one glaring strength over Jones, his boxing.
From the opening bell, Jones looked calm and confident, as if he knew the outcome of the fight before he even stepped into the octagon.
That is not to take anything away from Rampage. His defense was the best it has ever been since joining the UFC. He moved very well, and defended nearly all of Jones’ unpredictable strikes and positions. He was even able to reverse Jones while he was in full mount.
Yet even with the months of training and, according to Rampage himself, the “best Rampage we’ve ever seen”, it was still not enough.
Much like Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre and their dominance in their respective weight classes, the question that will be asked most frequently will be who CAN, not who will defeat Jones. This has been a question that has never been uttered before at the most competitive division in UFC history.
Biggest Winner: Nate Diaz
Yes, I know winning his first title defense is huge for Jones. But don’t let that take anything away from Diaz and his dominating performance against Takanori Gomi in his return to the lightweight division. The welterweight division contains guys that are much bigger than Diaz. That much was obvious in bouts against Dong Hyun Kim and Rory MacDonald. But Diaz can hold his own against anyone that is willing to stand with him. Even if it is taken to the ground, Diaz has a strong submission game that is always a threat. He holds wins over top contenders at 155, including Melvin Guillard. He also defeated Gray Maynard while on The Ultimate Fighter season five, and it could be argued he defeated Maynard in their rematch in January 2010. Diaz’ striking accuracy against Gomi was one of the best performances of the year.
Biggest Loser: Ben Rothwell
Wow, that was ugly. No, I’m not talking about the cut on Rothwell’s forehead. I understand it his first fight in over a year, but Rothwell looked dead after the second round. He had to be carried to his corner by his cornermen. That is never a good sign after the end of the third round, let alone a fight that isn’t even finished.
Rothwell held a distinct advantage over Mark Hunt on the ground, yet he never threatened him there. In fact, it was Hunt that was doing the most damage there, attempting an armbar at the end of the first round. Some of the fatigue can be attributed to the attitude of Denver, along with his long layoff, but those excuses will not be valid in consecutive fights.
Biggest Question: Will Matt Hughes Retire?
The answer to this should be yes. Yes to will he, and yes to should he. Hughes is a legend of the sport; a two time welterweight champion holding wins over both Georges St. Pierre and BJ Penn (both finishes), and he is a UFC Hall of Fame inductee.
With that, at 37 years old, there just is not much left for Hughes to do. It is obvious he still enjoys the build up to the fight, the training, and the fight itself. But there is a point where you have to say enough is enough. Can he still fight? Absolutely. He displayed crisp striking against Koscheck for the better part of the first round. But he is nowhere near an opportunity for the title, and he is now on a two fight loss streak.
Continuing a distinguished career at his age, especially with his wife admitting she no longer wants him to continue, does not seem to be the best option for him and his family.
Future Matchups:
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans: Perhaps we will actually see this one take place. We have gone through the drama of both training at Jackson’s camp in New Mexico. We have gone through the drama of whether Jones lied about a hand injury that forced him to withdraw from a bout that had not yet been scheduled. Now hopefully we can get on to what is important. Ya know, the fight.
Rampage Jackson vs. Forrest Griffin II: UFC 86 brought us one of the best fights in UFC history, as Griffin narrowly outpointed Jackson to become the Light Heavyweight Champion. Jackson hated the decision then and he hates the decision now. Both are coming off a loss, and are nearing the end of their esteemed careers. Jackson mentioned a rematch with Shogun Rua when the UFC returns to Japan in February. However, Rua has a scheduled fight with Dan Henderson in November at UFC 139. That bout is currently scheduled as a number one contender bout. Jackson is best served by getting back into training as soon as he can, as opposed to long layoffs like he endured prior to fighting Rashad Evans and Forrest Griffin
Josh Koscheck vs. Jake Ellenberger: Ellenberger looked great in the brief time he was in the octagon against Jake Shields earlier this month. He is arguably one or two fights away from an opportunity to fight for the title. Koscheck will not get another chance against Georges St. Pierre as long as he holds the title. He’s hinted at fighting at 185, but that does not seem to be the right move there, since he would be too small for the bigger middleweights. Koscheck can still prove as a test for the true contenders at 170, and he can still get plenty of big name fights at welterweight.
Mark Hunt vs. Brendan Schaub: Hunt was quite impressive against Rothwell, even though he was not able to knock out the exhausted Wisconsin native. Dana White praised Hunt multiple times after the performance. He clearly wants to continue fighting, and always shows up with a great chance to win with power he possesses. Schaub is coming off a loss to Minotauro Nogueira at UFC 134. He still has time to return to a top prospect, and Hunt would be more than willing to test Schaub, and continue Schaub’s Legends tour, having already fought Mirko Cro Cop, Gabriel Gonzaga, and Nogueira.
Nate Diaz vs. Anthony Pettis/Jeremy Stephens winner: Diaz can feasibly contend at lightweight. It seems as long as he stays away from wrestlers, he has enough tools to defeat anyone who is put in front of him. Well, there is a problem with that. The division is dominated by top wrestlers like Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard. But at 155, he certainly holds a better chance at contending than at 170. Both Pettis and Stephens would provide the aggression and entertainment that Diaz always wants in an opponent.
Check out MMAFrenzy’s complete coverage of UFC 135 by clicking here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, diaz, jone, jackson
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 135: Complete Fight Night Photo Gallery
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Posted in: fight, mma, rampage, jone, card
Read the full article at Heavy MMAJonathan Snowden breaks down the UFC 135 title fight in Jones vs Rampage: Minute by Minute at MMA...
Jonathan Snowden breaks down the UFC 135 title fight in Jones vs Rampage: Minute by Minute at MMA Nation.
Posted in: mma nation, rampage, jone, snowden, minute
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowTWIQ: MMA Quotes for the Week of September 18 - 24
FOR BRITISH EYES ONLY
"The most creative or versatile to date...I don't know, man. That's a good question. I didn't really think about that." - Quinton Jackson, on UFC 135 opponent Jon Jones. Jones would up his game with MMA Nation's Luke Thomas. (Luke Thomas)
"Well, you know, I'm British, so being a double agent is what we do. So, it wasn't a distraction. I simply got caught." - Jon Jones, "admitting" to having a spy in "Rampage's" training camp...entirely in an English accent. (MMA Nation)
"Yeah, he caught me. It was his chef. Chef kinda put me out there a little bit. I'm comfortable with it, too late now." - Jones. Hello there, children!
"I'm going to end his hype tomorrow, that's what I told him." - Jackson, on what he told Jones during their staredown at the weigh-ins. Jones stifled Jackson for three rounds before finishing him by rear naked choke in the fourth. (MMA Mania)
NOTE: THE WEEK IN QUOTES IS A WORK OF SATIRE, AND I HAVE A MASSIVE HANGOVER.
OH CANADA
"People ask me how MMA got big in Canada and I say, ‘Are you kidding?!? You actually think Georges St. Pierre is the one that made it big?’" - MFC owner Mark Pavelich, in a dark corner, laying in the fetal position. (Five Ounces of Pain)
"I made it big! There was no MMA before I was here. I made it. I. Me, me, and me." - Pavelich
" And you know what? Before I’d never talk like this but I swore starting today I’m gonna shove it in everybody’s face." - Pavelich, who was quickly arrested by mounted police for indecent exposure.
OVEREEM, OVERDUE
"[FEG] didn't pay me [for winning the 2010 K-1 Grand Prix]." - Alistair Overeem, with a statement that shocks just about nobody. (MMA Fighting)
"We're on the verge of starting up legal action, but Japan is a hard environment to move. You have the language barrier, you have the culture barrier. Are we expecting something from it? It's hard to say. I actually think it's going to be really hard." - Overeem. That's what she said.
"FEG has a lot of outstanding liabilities, a lot of unpaid bills, so maybe mine is just going to be put underneath the stack of the other bills. They have a lot of debt." - Overeem
WHITE NOISE
"Yeah it will go away when the Fox deal starts, which is in January." - UFC President Dana White, on Strikeforce. Just kidding. He's talking about Facebok fights. (El Octagono)
"I believe, and maybe I'm a little goofy, that I have a good rapport with this kid and we can work together." - White, on Justin Bieber. (MMA Torch)
"If you really look at what I call ‘the spirit of the deal’, it’s the wrong thing to do. The thing is, you have to understand, in my opinion it’s Spike not being honorable." - White, finally able to speak his mind about Manswers. (MMA Fighting)
PARTING SHOTS
"My wife tells me I'm done fighting. She wanted me to retire after the [fight with] B.J." - Matt Hughes, prior to his UFC 135 loss to Josh Koscheck. (MMA Torch)
"Fighting Matt Hughes is a good comeback fight for me." - Josh Koscheck, with fight code for "this dude is over the hill." (MMA Mania)
"I think the judge will decide on this issue that we have, and when that is decided, we will see who was right and who was not." - Bas Boon, reacting to Alistair Overeem leaving Golden Glory. (MMA Junkie)
Posted in: mma, overeem, jone, ." , &rsquo
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 Results Recaps: Looking Back at the Whole Card
Here at Bloody Elbow we brought you exhaustive coverage and commentary of UFC 135. We also recapped each of the fights in convenient at-a-glance form. To keep from burying other content on the front page, we've exiled those posts to the Google ether but thought we'd compile them in one handy place for your reference.
The event saw Jon Jones crush Quinton Jackson to defend his light heavyweight title.
Here we go:
The Main Card
Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck
Mark Hunt vs. Ben Rothwell
Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi
The Spike TV Prelims
Anthony Ferguson vs. Aaron Riley
Tim Boetsch vs. Nick Ring
The Facebook Prelims
Junior Assuncao vs. Eddie Yagin
Takeya Mizugaki vs. Cole Escovedo
James Te Huna vs. Ricardo Romero
SBN coverage of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, at-a-glance form, front page
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowThe Numbers Behind Jon Jones' UFC 135 Brilliance
Last weekend, UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones proved one and for all he's one of the greatest fighters to ever step foot inside the Octagon.
Jones dominated Quinton Jackson during three rounds, before finishing the contest via a neck-crunching Rear Naked Choke, early in Round 4. One of the most spectacular things about Jon Jones' performance was the way he adapted to Jackson's style by using kicks and clinch work to frustrate one of the most dominant Light Heavyweights in the history of
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, quinton jackson, light heavyweights
Read the full article at Low KickThe Scorecard – UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
The Scorecard hits the highs and lows of the latest big event offering in MMA. Points are assigned completely at random but stay between ten and negative ten because I hate math.
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage is in the books. I’d like to thank God for today’s column and how great it is. Now, lets go to the scorecards:
*Was I the only person whose ears were blown out at the start of the Facebook prelims due to a loud, long beep? MINUS THREE.
*James Te-Huna using the uppercut to defend the takedowns. It’s really not used enough in MMA. PLUS SEVEN.
*Ricardo Romero not setting up his takedowns and offering nothing up on the feet. It’s 2011 son. Get with the program. MINUS FIVE.
*Romero moaning like he was in an adult film was not a good look. Especially since Tori Black wasn’t under him or anything. MINUS THREE.
*Cole Escovedo using “Won’t Back Down” by Eminem as his walk-out song. Anytime someone walks out to a Eminem song, I automatically become a fan of them. PLUS TWO.
*The Japanese guy in Takeya Mizugaki’s corner. I’m not sure if Keith Florian learned how to speak Japanese, but man that dude was loud. MINUS ONE.
*A nice try by Escovedo with the jumping triangle. It didn’t work, but I give him credit for going for it. PLUS THREE.
*Mizugaki’s striking, mainly the left hook to the body. He was swinging and connecting with almost everything he threw. PLUS SIX.
*Just let go of the plum clinch Escovedo. If you have the plum but you’re eating more strikes than you’re throwing, it’s probably not working out too well for you. MINUS FOUR.
*Eddie Yagin coming out with a Denver Broncos jersey. You’re in the Pepsi Center fool, bring out a Colorado Avalanche or Denver Nuggets jersey. The Broncos play at the Stadium Formerly Known as Mile High. MINUS ONE.
*Tim Tebow is more active on Sunday than Yagin was in his fight. MINUS TWO for Yagin. PLUS THREE for my joke.
*Junior Assuncao, emulating the stance of some of the best Brazilian fighters ever is cool if you’re actually doing something on your feet. MINUS ONE.
*Every new title fight seems to be, “The biggest fight in division history” to Mike Goldberg. You wanna know the biggest fight in light heavyweight history? Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz 2. That’s it. That’s the list. MINUS ONE.
*”The Promise” Ring. Every time Nick Ring fights, I’m docking the card points just for his nickname. MINUS ONE.
*Tim Boetsch finally has a new highlight to add to his reel. They always show his throw and finish from UFC 81, now he has the throw from the third round against Ring to put in video packages. PLUS EIGHT.
*I love it when Joe Rogan throws out random techniques. I’d never heard of “the baby arm” until Rogan mentioned it during Boetsch vs. Ring, but it sounds like a pretty sweet move. PLUS FOUR.
*Aaron Riley is a tough guy, but he’s becoming the Ultimate Fighter whipping boy. First Ross Pearson, now Tony Ferguson. MINUS TWO.
*Ferguson’s power is outstanding. He’s in a very tough weight class, but if his takedown defense is where it needs to be, he can stand with anyone. PLUS FIVE.
*Can we get Goldberg a book of adjectives to describe the ring girls? Chandella is lovely, Arianny is beautiful. Get a dictionary Goldie. MINUS FOUR.
*On the subject of ring girls, I’m docking UFC points until they hire a blonde ring girl. And I’m going to implore them to bring back Chrissy Blair, the guest ring girl from UFC 133. MINUS FOUR.
*YELL DANA AND JOE! YELL AT ME! PLUS FIVE.
*I guess they still don’t have any highlights of Ben Rothwell because he failed to make the “Into Pieces” intro. PLUS TWO.
*”He throws punches like he’s throwing a fastball.” That was a shout out to Samer Kadi from Rogan. PLUS THREE.
*Hey Takanori Gomi, it would have been nice if you showed up. MINUS THREE.
*Nate Diaz used his reach effectively and stayed out of a wild brawl with Gomi. Smart move. PLUS FIVE.
*I love how active Diaz is off his back. PLUS FIVE.
*Nate finished off Gomi quicker than his brother. PLUS THREE.
*Extra points for Diaz because he wished Jake Shields and his family well. PLUS TWO.
*I have to dock points for Diaz saying that his brother is the best fighter in the world though. MINUS ONE.
*I’m not even going to talk about Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton. The fight was boring. MINUS FIVE
*And seriously, they put that fight on PPV over Mizugaki vs. Escovedo. Shame on you UFC. MINUS TWO.
*Mark Hunt coming out to “I Need A Doctor” by Eminem and Dr. Dre. Awesome. PLUS TWO.
*Ben Rothwell coming out to that song by Nickelback that WWE Raw uses as their theme. Lame. MINUS TWO.
*HUNT WENT FOR AN ARMBAR! PLUS TEN.
*Shame on that referee for standing up Hunt when he had side control. MINUS FOUR.
*Good on Rogan for calling that ref out for the stand up. PLUS SIX.
*The Rothwell vs. Hunt fight was terrible, but because Hunt won, I have to say it was a pretty great fight. PLUS FIVE.
*Extra points just for Rothwell losing. PLUS THREE.
*UFC should never put heavyweights on an event taking place in high altitude. MINUS TWO.
*And again, this fight was on the PPV card over Mizugaki vs. Escovedo. MINUS TWO.
*You would think Goldberg would know the show that Rob Dyrdek is on, but I guess not. MINUS ONE.
*I think there was only one mid-fight small corner promo for this Saturday’s UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson event. You would think UFC would promote the card a bit seeing as there’s a title fight and everything. MINUS THREE.
*COUNTRY BOY CAN SURVIVE! Still the best walk out music in MMA. PLUS TEN.
*Seeing Pat Miletich back in the corner of Matt Hughes was pretty awesome. PLUS FIVE.
*We’ll call it cage rust for Josh Koscheck, who got hit way more times than he should have been hit by Hughes and was way too tentative to start the fight. MINUS ONE.
*A shame Hughes couldn’t survive until the end of the round. He was doing fairly well but Koscheck just had too much power for him. EVEN.
*Who really though Hughes could stuff the takedown of Koscheck? Of course you didn’t. PLUS EIGHT.
*Koscheck’s killer instinct is really underrated. When he has a guy hurt, he finishes them. PLUS FIVE.
*I hope Hughes calls it a career but wasn’t shocked that he didn’t make the decision in the cage right after the fight. EVEN.
*Any time they show Liddell on PPV, you know I’m giving them points. PLUS THREE.
*Goldberg tried to plug Gears of War 3, but Gears or War 3 plugs itself. PLUS TWO.
*Goldberg and Rogan were verbally blowing Liddell during Quinton Jackson’s walk out. I was fine with this. PLUS FOUR.
*Of course Rogan had to ruin that by giving a shout out like he was calling into Shade45 or something. MINUS TWO.
*Jon Jones might have the worst walk-out mash up of all-time. Ok, that honor still belongs to Lyoto Machida, but Jones’ 50 Cent to P. Diddy song is pretty bad. MINUS TWO.
*So Jones would look Quinton in the eyes during the weigh-in staredown but not during the fight staredown? Make up your mind. MINUS ONE.
*It took someone five years, but Jones finally took the advice Rich Franklin gave to Matt Serra on The Ultimate Fighter 4 and started the fight from his knees. More or less. PLUS FOUR.
*I absolutely hate the front kick to the knee. It’s going to hyperextend someone’s knee sooner or later and then it’ll be banned. Just go ahead and ban it now. MINUS SEVEN.
*I’m sure Jackson was in great shape. He didn’t seem all that gassed out despite taking a beating. But being in great shape and actually bringing something new to the table are two different things. Jackson can be ready to fight for 100 rounds, but if he’s not going to change things up in the slightest, it doesn’t really matter. MINUS FIVE.
*And seriously, after what Forrest Griffin did to you, you still aren’t checking kicks? MINUS THREE.
*Pretty lame move by Jones to dump Jackson off of him after the bell. MINUS THREE.
*Jones is starting to use his reach with his legs. When this kid develops a jab, he’s going to be even tougher to beat. PLUS FOUR.
*Jones wanted to show off his power in this fight. So he submitted Jackson. MINUS TWO.
*To Jones’ credit though, his submission game improves in every fight. He not only threatened with the guillotine a number of times to stifle Jackson, he became the first man to submit Jackson since Kazushi Sakuraba over ten years ago. PLUS SIX.
*More points just because of how dominant Jones was. PLUS SIX.
*Classy post-fight speech from Jackson. No excuses, put Jones over huge. For the all crap Jackson gets for his pre-fight banter, he’s always humble in his post-fight interviews. PLUS FIVE.
*Really Jon, Rashad Evans ruined your moment again? You know what ruined your moment? You even bringing that up. And lets be honest, it was UFC’s call to allow Evans into the cage. So blame them, not Rashad, for ruining your moment. MINUS FIVE.
*Extra points based on my enjoyment of the event. PLUS FIVE.
Final Score: 68
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, jackson, vs
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 135 bonuses: Koscheck, Diaz, Jones and Jackson earn $75K fighter awards (MMAJunkie.com)
DENVER – Josh Koscheck, Nate Diaz, Jon Jones and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson each earned $75,000...
Posted in: diaz, jone, jackson, jon jones, nate diaz
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsJon Jones vs Rampage Jackson fight video highlights from UFC 135 on Saturday night
Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson fight video highlights for those of you who may have missed it or were just too damn drunk to remember what happened in the fourth round of their light heavyweight title fight at UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage" last Saturday night (Sept. 24, 2011) at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. It's worth seeing again, Maniacs, because "Bones" finished "Rampage," who prior to this past weekend had never been stopped inside the Octagon. Punches, elbows, kicks, flying knees, takedowns, guard pulls, rear-naked chokes ... all just another day at the office for the 24-year-old-phenom. Is there anything this man can't do? And is there a 205-pound fighter on the planet that can stop him? Former division kingpin (and bitter rival) Rashad Evans is certainly going to try. For the full report on Jones' dominant win click here and for all the UFC 135 results and blow-by-blow coverage click here.
Posted in: fight, saturday night, rampage, jone, division kingpin
Read the full article at MMA ManiaThe Top Seven UFC On Versus Bouts
It was a brief experiment, but the UFC on Versus more or less delivered the fight goods. This weekend Zuffa will be delivering their final Versus event, and so I thought it'd be worth it to take a trip down its pugilistic memory lane. I've chosen fights more or less arbitrarily
7. Chris Lytle vs. Dan Hardy
It didn't deserve main event status. Ben Henderson and Jim Miller did. It was difficult to take this fight seriously. Hardy lost his last three, and Lytle was still nursing the bruises Brian Ebersole gave him. For hardcore fans, it was offensive to see these men receive top billing. But a few stories emerged that made it compelling: namely the news days before the fight that Lytle would retire, win or lose.
As the fight began, it earned its status with exchange after exchange of left hooks, right hands, and the type of porous defense that makes for an exciting fight. I'm not a fan of this sort of MMA: where sense and reason are put in the infant car seat to make way for blood, guts, and lost brain cells. This is more or less what Dan Hardy called for. He was a fighter who proudly fought for the title, and had lost every fight since then due to wrestling. He wanted someone that would "WAR" with him.
And "war" they did. As the fight wore into the third, Hardy made the ultimate mistake: looking for points, he attempted a takedown. A move that contradicted his philosophy, and one that made him look foolish. Even worse for him, Lytle capitalized with a fight ending guillotine. For fans, there was a sick pleasure in seeing Hardy's black hat get burned at the stake. But more importantly, it capped Lytle's career on a heart warming note. Lytle went out on his terms, and did so intelligently. He did so thinking about his kids, their future, and in the process of calling it a career, his own future as well.
6. Junior Dos Santos vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
Many may not remember it now, but this was said to be a stern test for Junior. He hadn't faced an elite grappler, and despite the knockout loss to Carwin, Gonzaga still looked fairly impressive in defeat.
Dos Santos made short work of Gonzaga, punishing Gabriel with a left hook as Gonzaga threw a leg kick in dangerously close quarters, which is simply not what you're supposed to do with leg kicks. It was a fantastic knockout, and we even saw a glimpse of Junior's takedown defense. This win announced Junior's arrival in the HW division. After a weekend that gave us Browne vs. Broughton, and Hunt vs. Rothwell in fights that outstayed their welcome within the first minute, it's refreshing to reflect on an elite HW with elite skills.
5. Takanori Gomi vs. Tyson Griffin
Gomi may be a shell of his former self, but for a moment, and just one moment...he took us back to his Pride days. Tyson Griffin was still well respected. He was three fights removed from a fantastic scrap against Sean Sherk, and had experienced only minor career turbulence in losing to a young upstart in Evan Dunham. Many thought this would be another case of a highly touted Japanese star being exposed stateside.
Even I thought Griffin was the better boxer. He still is, in my opinion. Did it matter? Nope. Gomi crushed Griffin for one of the better knockouts of that year. Griffin was sealed to the octagon floor for what seemed like a full trimester. The fact that he objected to the stoppage made the KO a little sweeter. Gomi's flame has been extinguished, but the little bleached candle still holds memories that won't fade in this lifetime.
4. Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann
While this fight is possibly remembered more for the controversial decision, it's not like anyone will forget what a barnburner it was. Sanchez has a knack for this sort of stuff. His last fight was against Paulo Thiago in a fantastic scrap that won FOTN at UFC 121. Kampmann was no stranger to such awards, having gone to war with Carlos Condit (for Condit's lone loss in the UFC, though it was a close fight).
To be honest I don't remember much of this fight before the 2nd round. Diego was knocked down, and it wasn't until he gave up going for the takedown that he went into full apeshit mode. It wasn't the smartest move. At least for his face. Which went from the look of the defeated in a Street Fighter game, to a crimson faced Toxic Avenger. However, his gutsy performance earned him the win, much to fan disapproval. Despite that, he lost no fans that night.
3. Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry
I think this fight really needs no introduction. It's Heavyweight fighting at its best when the best aren't fighting. But really, just go read Seanbaby's article on it instead.
2. Jim Miller vs. Ben Henderson
Many will argue this doesn't belong on the list. Sure it was a good fight, but what's the big deal? The big deal is that Henderson's performance has been one of better performances by any fighter all year. I'm not great at picking, but I'm proud to say I picked Henderson. He's steadily improved, and rather than expose one or the other, his classic match with Anthony Pettis has always been a fight representing two upstarts instead of one or the other waning in the deep pool of LW sharks in the UFC.
Jim Miller was said to be one of those sharks the WEC guys couldn't hang with. He had only lost to the two LW's fighting for the title. Henderson stood no chance. Instead of becoming a WEC flunkie, he dominated Miller. Despite his supernatural toughness, Miller looked discouraged for the first time in his career. Possibly because he had been vocal in assessing the WEC fighters as inferior. Miller ate those words with a fork, and a bib.
1. Jon Jones vs. Brandon Vera
The now LHW champion was the main event for the inaugural UFC on Versus, and so his spot at the top is fitting. It should be said that Brandon Vera was a solid test for Jones at the time. Vera, despite losses at HW, and coming off a questionable defeat to Randy Couture at LHW, never looked foolish in his losses. Couture had all kinds of trouble with Vera, and never scored a clean takedown. Surely Jones, untested coming off his DQ loss to Matt Hamill, would have to prove himself on the feet?
Not really. Jones, coming out to Empire State of Mind, looked confident (or cocky?) as he approached the cage. The match would end up being a brutal illustration of when happens when proper hype meets improper hope. Vera was more salesman than prospect, and Jones treated him just the same: like a car salesman beamed into territory he's not long for, even for a minute. Or three in this case.
That was the amount of time it took for Jones to get Vera to the ground and break his face. As is customary for all Jones fights, the win still garnered criticism. "A better fighter would have submitted Jones with the way he had his arms posted!" It's a proper observation, and one I'm not picking on, but looking closely, Jones looked aware of what Vera was doing when he'd swivel his hips, which is when he'd throw his elbows. Still, the match put Jones on the LHW map.
Honorable mentions: Chris Weidman vs. Alessio Sakara, Charlie Brenneman vs. Rick Story, Brian Bowles vs. Damacio Page, Nik Lentz vs. Charles Oliveira.
Posted in: fight, jone, vs, miller, vera
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendUFC 135 Results Monday Morning Wrap-Up: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson
UFC 135 is in archives. Light heavyweight champ Jon Jones retained his title by submitting Quinton Jackson in the fourth round after thoroughly dominating the fight. Josh Koscheck got past a scrappy Matt Hughes with a KO in the final second of the first round. Mark Hunt picked up an unlikely come back win over Ben Rothwell. Travis Browne hung in there to decision Rob Broughton. Nate Diaz smashed and then tapped Takanori Gomi. Tim Boetsch sent Nick Ring flying. Anthony Ferguson re-broke Aaron Riley's jaw. James Te Huna, Junior Assuncao and Takaya Mizugaki picked up prelim wins.
The Event
Live Results and Play-By-Play for Facebook Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
Live Results and Play-By-Play for Spike TV Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Main Card - Bloody Elbow
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Forces Rampage Jackson to Tap Out - Matthew Roth
Takeya Mizugaki Ends Cole Escovedo With A Knockout - Matthew Roth
James Te Huna Ends Ricardo Romero's Night By KO - Matthew Roth
Junior Assuncao Fails to Impress with Win Over Eddie Yagin - Matthew Roth
Tim Boetsch Gives Nick Ring His First Career Loss - Matthew Roth
Nate Diaz Forces Takanori Gomi to Tap By Armbar - Matthew Roth
Tony Ferguson Breaks Aaron Riley's Jaw In The First - Matthew Roth
Travis Browne Defeats Rob Broughton by Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth
Mark Hunt Picks Up A Decision In A Grueling Fight - Matthew Roth
Josh Koscheck Knocks Out Matt Hughes, Doesn't Retire Him - Matthew Roth
Multimedia
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
Analysis
Post-Fight Recap and Analysis - Mike Fagan
Event Doesn't Provide Enough Bang for the Buck - Brent Brookhouse
Aftermath
Jon Jones Limping Backstage After Dominating Rampage Jackson - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Post-Fight Press Conference Coverage - Tim Burke
Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva Isn't Happening - Brent Brookhouse
Jon Jones Says Rashad Evans Doesn't Have His Number - Brent Brookhouse
Will Rashad Evans Spoil the Jon Jones Era? - Fraser Coffeen
Dana White Expects Matt Hughes to Retire - Mike Fagan
Time to Embrace Underutilized Lighter Weight Classes - Brent Brookhouse
SBN coverage of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
Posted in: jon, jone, matthew, roth, brent
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 results wrap: Jones vs Rampage event review, news and notes
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returned to pay-per-view last Saturday night (Sept. 24, 2011) with UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage," featuring Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones defending his 205-pound crown for the very first time with a fourth round submission victory over Quinton Jackson.
But that's not all.
Former welterweight title contender Josh Koscheck shook off a few jabs to his surgically-repaired eye socket to swing away on Matt Hughes, knocking him out in the first round and potentially sending the Hall of Famer to off into the sunset.
And what else is there to say about the incredible performance turned in by Nate Diaz?
In cased you missed any or all of it -- or just want to keep the discussion alive -- below are links to all the major storylines borne from Saturday night's event in Denver, Colorado.
In we go.
UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage"
Results and live blow-by-blow
Recap and morning after discussion
Post-fight press conference video
Bonuses and awards
Event photos gallery
Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson fight video highlights
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck fight video highlights
Facebook "Prelims" results and recap
Spike TV "Prelims" results and recap
Fight recap: Nate Diaz taps Takanori Gomi with first round armbar
Fight recap: Travis Browne wins uneventful decision over Rob Broughton
Fight recap: Mark Hunt outlasts Ben Rothwell for ugly decision win
Fight recap: Josh Koscheck knock out Matt Hughes in the first round
Fight recap: Jon Jones submits Rampage Jackson to defend his light heavyweight title
Fight review and analysis: Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi
Fight review and analysis: Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton
Fight review and analysis: Mark Hunt vs. Ben Rothwell
Fight review and analysis: Josh Koscheck vs. Matt Hughes
Fight review and analysis: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson
UFC 135 post-fight fallout
Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson fight metric report shows how dominant "Bones" was
Pic: Jon Jones front kicks Rampage Jackson in the face
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans staredown pic
Rashad Evans has ruined Jon Jones special night twice now and his time is coming up
Poll: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans -- who wins?
Don't count on ever seeing Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva
No excuses from Rampage, Jon Jones just whooped his ass
Rampage Jackson wants to rematch Shogun Rua in Japan
Steven Seagal was impressed with Rampage, thought Jon Jones wasn't himself
Matt Hughes claims he's not retiring
Dana White thinks Matt Hughes is definitely retiring
Matt Hughes passes the torch
Josh Koscheck can still see after fighting Matt Hughes
Dana White is proud of Mark Hunt and respects his decision to fight instead of sit home and get paid
Japanese MMA is dead and Nate Diaz is holding Takanori Gomi's head to prove it
Nate Diaz was just happy to pick up a win over a scary Takanori Gomi
Tim Boetsch uses redneck judo to hip throw and man slam Nick Ring (.gif)
Bellator 51
Results and live coverage
Recap and post-fight discussion
Alexis Vila viciously knocks out Joe Warren (.gif)
That my friends, should be enough to keep you talking -- at least for the time being. What gets your vote for the biggest story coming out of UFC 135?
Sound off, Maniacs.
Posted in: fight, jon, rampage, jone, vs
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135: Ten Things We Learned
Recapping the key stories from Saturday’s event
IN A WORD: WOW
Jon Jones is awesome.
The 24-year-old UFC light heavyweight picked apart Quinton Jackson on Saturday night, never approaching danger while landing with great frequency. Early in the fourth, Jones fluidly finished, taking Jackson’s back and sinking in a deep rear naked choke.
It’s the second consecutive dominant performance against a proven, veteran talent for Jones, coming six months after his destruction of Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
With the ease that he’s running through experienced fighters, it’s easy to see why most pundits believe Jones is at the start of a lengthy title reign.
NO COMPARISON
In sports, we’re always looking to make comparisons between current talents and the greats that preceded them. Mixed martial arts is no different, though Jones makes that effort very difficult.
Who do you compare him to? Who else has come into the sport and risen to the top of their division in three years, dominating every time out, all before their 25th birthday?
There is no way to estimate how good Jones can become. He’s still growing, physically and as a fighter, and with the rapid ascension we’ve seen so far, it’s not an exaggeration to say that he could become one of the best fighters in the history of this sport.
IT’S HARD TO SAY GOODBYE
Matt Hughes doesn’t want to say the word retire. He doesn’t even want to be the one who makes the decision to hang up his gloves.
Following his knockout loss to Josh Koscheck, Hughes said he’s wasn’t retiring, asking instead to be put on a shelf until he can sit down with Dana White and company to discuss his future. Later in the night, White said Saturday was probably the end of the line for the former welterweight champion.
Like always, Randy Couture is an anomaly. When “The Natural” walked away on his own terms earlier in the year without hesitation, he did something many of his contemporaries could not. Chuck Liddell needed to be nudged out of the cage, and it appears Hughes will need the same not-so-subtle push now.
KOSCHECK IN THE BENAVIDEZ ZONE
Joseph Benavidez is one of the very best bantamweights in the world, but because he’s lost twice to divisional champ Dominick Cruz, he’s stuck in a state of limbo. At least he’s got someone to hang out with.
Koscheck is in the same position; a tremendous welterweight who has twice been beaten by Georges St-Pierre. Because of the depth in the division and his track record against the champion, Koscheck will have to accept a high-level gatekeeper position within the welterweight ranks.
He started slow against Hughes, but found his range and rhythm late, connecting on a collection of heavy overhand bombs that finished the Hall of Famer. It was an impressive performance and indicative of what he’s capable of doing to anyone in the division not named St-Pierre.
MAYBE HEAVYWEIGHTS IN DENVER ISN’T A GOOD IDEA
To be fair, no one really expected either of the heavyweight tilts on the UFC 135 main card to make it out of the first round. If they did, the second would surely be the end of the line.
As it turned out, both extended to the full 15 minutes, and it wasn’t pretty. Mark Hunt and Ben Rothwell looked like zombies by the time the third round started, and Travis Browne simply maintained top position over the final five minutes in his decision win over Rob Broughton.
The altitude difference that comes with fighting in Denver impacts everyone. Maybe having two pairs of mammoth heavyweights fighting in the thin air isn’t a good idea moving forward.
Posted in: jone, hughe, heavyweight, koscheck, division
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 135 Results Recap: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson
In the main event of UFC 135, Jon Jones successfully defended his Light Heavyweight title against Quinton Jackson. Rampage came in on a two fight win streak, and was looking to regain the title he lost to Forrest Griffin. For Jones, this was his first title defense since winning the belt from Mauricio Rua earlier this year.
Right from the opening bell, Jones fought with both confidence and unpredictability. He began the fight crawling towards Rampage on all fours, and used a variety of other unconventional techniques throughout. As the fight progressed, Jones slowly turned up the pressure. By the end of the 2nd round, the young champion was beginning to run away with the fight. Early in round 4, Jones took Rampage down, and secured the rear naked choke for the tapout. This was only the second time Rampage was submitted in his lengthy career.
What was the high spot of this fight?
There were a lot, but the moment where you really knew it was just a matter of time came at the end of round 3, when Jones channeled his inner Anderson Silva and began clowning the overmatched Rampage.
Where do these guys go from here?
Jones will now attempt to do what no man has done since Chuck Liddell - successfully defend the Light Heavyweight title twice. The general opinion is that he is the man to finally give some stability to the division, but to do so, he'll have to defeat Rashad Evans in a grudge match. After that, the winner of Dan Henderson vs. Shogun should be next in line.
For Rampage, the future is considerably less clear. He still has the weapons to be a player at Light Heavyweight, but he's probably gone from title contention. Post-fight, Rampage called out Shogun for the 2012 UFC Japan show. Should Henderson defeat Rua, a Rampage vs. Shogun rematch in Japan sounds like a fantastic idea. After that, the UFC will have to decide if they want to match Jackson with other legends like Rich Franklin and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, or if they want him testing the young guns like Phil Davis.
Watch it now, later, or never?
Now. I'm not quite sold on this being the Jon Jones Era just yet, but he certainly made a strong case with this entertaining and dominating performance.
More BE coverage of UFC 135 in the full entry.
UFC 135 Results: Time to Embrace Underutilized Lighter Weight Classes - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Will Rashad Evans Spoil the Jon Jones Era? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 135 Results: Dana White Expects Matt Hughes to Retire - Mike Fagan
UFC 135 Results: Two Heavyweight Fights On PPV A Big Mistake - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Says Rashad Evans Doesn't Have His Number - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva Isn't Happening - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson Post-Fight Recap and Analysis - Mike Fagan
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage Results - Event Doesn't Provide Enough Bang for the Buck - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Results: Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Post-Fight Press Conference Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Limping Backstage After Dominating Rampage Jackson - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Forces Rampage Jackson to Tap Out - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Main Card - Bloody Elbow
UFC 135 Results: Josh Koscheck Knocks Out Matt Hughes, Doesn't Retire Him - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Mark Hunt Picks Up A Decision In A Grueling Fight - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Travis Browne Defeats Rob Broughton by Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Nate Diaz Forces Takanori Gomi to Tap By Armbar - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Tony Ferguson Breaks Aaron Riley's Jaw In The First - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Spike TV Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Tim Boetsch Gives Nick Ring His First Career Loss - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Junior Assuncao Fails to Impress with Win Over Eddie Yagin - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Facebook Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Takeya Mizugaki Ends Cole Escovedo With A Knockout - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: James Te Huna Ends Ricardo Romero's Night By KO - Matthew Roth
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, result, vs
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 Fighter of the Night: Jon Jones Impresses with Rare Stoppage
Jon Jones is on the cusp of being a top-three pound-for-pound fighter, if not already. Our UFC 135 Fighter of the Night keeps impressing with his stoppage of Quinton "Rampage" Jackson on Saturday night.
Posted in: night, saturday night, jone, fighter, jon jones
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 135 Results Recap: Mark Hunt vs. Ben Rothwell
In the second heavyweight fight on the PPV card of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage, former K-1 Grand Prix champion Mark Hunt faced former IFL champion Ben Rothwell. Expectations for a quick Rothwell submission win, or a Hunt KO win did not come to pass, as instead Hunt managed to outlast Rothwell for a unanimous decision victory. With this win, Hunt moves up to a 2-1 UFC record. Rothwell drops his 2nd in a row, and is now 1-2 in the UFC.
The fight was one that is sure to divide fans. If you are a fan of pure technique, this one may not have been your fit. But if you like fights with drama and heart shown, then these two men delivered. After a tough first round, Hunt came back strong in the 2nd, using his superior striking to slow down Rothwell considerably and open up a big cut over his eye. By the 3rd round, both men were exhausted. At times, Rothwell seemed out on his feet, but a tired Hunt could not close the show, and ended up using a combination of striking and ground and pound to get the unanimous decision win.
What was the high spot of this fight?
The sight of Mark Hunt going for an armbar to close out the 2nd round got the bar cheering wildly. Great moment there, even if he didn't get it done.
Where do these guys go from here?
Mark Hunt was on such a losing streak that it's a shock to see him score back to back wins, but here we are. With this win, he should earn another PPV slot against a respectable opponent in the division. I'd love to see him against Travis Browne myself, but other options would be any of the other Heavyweight kickboxers, including Pat Barry, Cheick Kongo, or Mirko CroCop.
Rothwell showed heart, but a definite lack of conditioning. That will to keep going may keep his job alive, as Dana White loves these kinds of fights. But at 1-2, I could also see him getting cut. Realistically, he probably could use a win or two on the regional circuit to get himself back on track before coming back to the UFC.
Watch it now, later, or never?
Later. Some loved it, some hated it. Personally, I admit I am a biased Mark Hunt fan, and the emotion of this fight live may give way to the sloppiness and conditioning issues on rewatching, but I thought this was a very enjoyable and gutsy fight.
More BE coverage of UFC 135 in the full entry.
UFC 135 Results: Time to Embrace Underutilized Lighter Weight Classes - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Will Rashad Evans Spoil the Jon Jones Era? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 135 Results: Dana White Expects Matt Hughes to Retire - Mike Fagan
UFC 135 Results: Two Heavyweight Fights On PPV A Big Mistake - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Says Rashad Evans Doesn't Have His Number - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva Isn't Happening - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson Post-Fight Recap and Analysis - Mike Fagan
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage Results - Event Doesn't Provide Enough Bang for the Buck - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Results: Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Post-Fight Press Conference Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Limping Backstage After Dominating Rampage Jackson - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Forces Rampage Jackson to Tap Out - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Main Card - Bloody Elbow
UFC 135 Results: Josh Koscheck Knocks Out Matt Hughes, Doesn't Retire Him - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Mark Hunt Picks Up A Decision In A Grueling Fight - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Travis Browne Defeats Rob Broughton by Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Nate Diaz Forces Takanori Gomi to Tap By Armbar - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Tony Ferguson Breaks Aaron Riley's Jaw In The First - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Spike TV Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Tim Boetsch Gives Nick Ring His First Career Loss - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Junior Assuncao Fails to Impress with Win Over Eddie Yagin - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Facebook Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Takeya Mizugaki Ends Cole Escovedo With A Knockout - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: James Te Huna Ends Ricardo Romero's Night By KO - Matthew Roth
Posted in: ufc, fight, hunt, jone, result
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 Results Recap: Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton
In a Heavyweight fight at UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage, Travis Browne defeated Rob Broughton by unanimous decision. Browne controlled the fight in both the stand-up and ground game en route to the easy judge's decision. Browne remains undefeated in the UFC, while Broughton now drops to 1-1.
Despite the win, this is not a fight that went well for Travis Browne. After his KO of Stefan Struve, Dana White spoke very highly of Browne, and it seemed this fight was set up to showcase him and add to his highlight reel. Instead, Browne turned in a solid, but not especially noteworthy performance. He controlled Broughton throughout, but never had a chance to inflict big damage and finish him. This is a fight where the winner comes out looking worse.
What was the high spot of this fight?
Sadly, not many. The crowd grew restless in the 2nd round and began booing, which led to a flurry or activity from Browne, but that action was somewhat short lived in this otherwise uneventful fight.
Where do these guys go from here?
A big win would have moved Browne up the ladder, but this kind of victory makes it harder to justify a big fight the next time out. I think it's more likely he'll get another chance to test himself before moving up into the deeper waters if the division. I'd love to see him take on fellow UFC 135 victor Mark Hunt as a good test of Browne's stand-up.
Broughton is now 1-1 in the UFC, and has failed to really impress yet. But thanks to the relative lack of depth in the division, plus the fact that he was not finished here, I don't expect Broughton to be cut just yet. Expect his next fight to be a prelim, and that will almost certainly be do or die time for the Brit.
Watch it now, later, or never?
Never. Browne has some good offense at times, but it's an uneventful fight that leaves neither man looking strong.
More BE coverage of UFC 135 in the full entry.
UFC 135 Results: Time to Embrace Underutilized Lighter Weight Classes - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Will Rashad Evans Spoil the Jon Jones Era? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 135 Results: Dana White Expects Matt Hughes to Retire - Mike Fagan
UFC 135 Results: Two Heavyweight Fights On PPV A Big Mistake - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Says Rashad Evans Doesn't Have His Number - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva Isn't Happening - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson Post-Fight Recap and Analysis - Mike Fagan
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage Results - Event Doesn't Provide Enough Bang for the Buck - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Results: Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Post-Fight Press Conference Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Limping Backstage After Dominating Rampage Jackson - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Forces Rampage Jackson to Tap Out - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Main Card - Bloody Elbow
UFC 135 Results: Josh Koscheck Knocks Out Matt Hughes, Doesn't Retire Him - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Mark Hunt Picks Up A Decision In A Grueling Fight - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Travis Browne Defeats Rob Broughton by Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Nate Diaz Forces Takanori Gomi to Tap By Armbar - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Tony Ferguson Breaks Aaron Riley's Jaw In The First - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Spike TV Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Tim Boetsch Gives Nick Ring His First Career Loss - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Junior Assuncao Fails to Impress with Win Over Eddie Yagin - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Facebook Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Takeya Mizugaki Ends Cole Escovedo With A Knockout - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: James Te Huna Ends Ricardo Romero's Night By KO - Matthew Roth
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, result, browne
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 Results Recap: Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi
In the PPV opener at UFC 135: Jones vs. Ramapage, Nate Diaz defeated Takanori Gomi via armbar towards the end of round 1. This was Diaz's first fight back at Lightweight after a stay in the Welterweight division. Gomi now falls to 1-3 in the UFC and is on a 2 fight losing streak.
In the post-fight interview, Joe Rogan called this the best Nate Diaz we've seen yet in the UFC. And he was right to do so. Diaz looked extremely impressive throughout the fight, using excellent boxing to hurt Gomi early. Towards the end of the round, the fight went to the floor and Diaz chained together submissions before finally securing the armbar tapout for the win. Post-fight, Diaz gave a shout-out to his brother Nick Diaz, who he called the best fighter in the world. Nick faced Gomi in a fantastic Pride fight in 2006 that Nick won via gogoplata, only to have the fight ruled a No Contest when he later tested positive for marijuana.
What was the high spot of this fight?
That chain of submission attempts at the end was a beautiful thing, with Nate transitioning from the triangle to armbar to get the win. The Diaz brothers don't always use their Cesar Gracie black belt jiu jitsu as much as you might expect, but in moments like these, you are reminded how dangerous they are on the ground.
Where do these guys go from here?
I have to say, I did not expect Diaz's return to 155 to go so smoothly. But he looked great, and he's ready for a real challenge next. I'd love to see him against Edson Barboza, who is coming off a win over Ross Pearson at UFC 134.
For Gomi, with a 1-3 UFC record, I fear this may be the end of the line in his US run. He's a legend of the Lightweight division, and was at one time the best 155 pound fighter in the world, but his UFC run just came too late. He'll probably be kept around for one last UFC fight on next year's Japan show, but after that I think it may be permanently back to Japan for The Fireball Kid, where organizations like Dream will be a fine fit.
Watch it now, later, or never?
Now. A very impressive performance by Diaz, a highlight reel ending, and possibly the last US fight of Takanori Gomi - all things worth a look.
More BE coverage of UFC 135 in the full entry.
UFC 135 Results: Time to Embrace Underutilized Lighter Weight Classes - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Will Rashad Evans Spoil the Jon Jones Era? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 135 Results: Dana White Expects Matt Hughes to Retire - Mike Fagan
UFC 135 Results: Two Heavyweight Fights On PPV A Big Mistake - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Says Rashad Evans Doesn't Have His Number - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva Isn't Happening - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson Post-Fight Recap and Analysis - Mike Fagan
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage Results - Event Doesn't Provide Enough Bang for the Buck - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Results: Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Post-Fight Press Conference Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Limping Backstage After Dominating Rampage Jackson - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Forces Rampage Jackson to Tap Out - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Main Card - Bloody Elbow
UFC 135 Results: Josh Koscheck Knocks Out Matt Hughes, Doesn't Retire Him - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Mark Hunt Picks Up A Decision In A Grueling Fight - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Travis Browne Defeats Rob Broughton by Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Nate Diaz Forces Takanori Gomi to Tap By Armbar - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Tony Ferguson Breaks Aaron Riley's Jaw In The First - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Spike TV Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Tim Boetsch Gives Nick Ring His First Career Loss - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Junior Assuncao Fails to Impress with Win Over Eddie Yagin - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Facebook Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Takeya Mizugaki Ends Cole Escovedo With A Knockout - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: James Te Huna Ends Ricardo Romero's Night By KO - Matthew Roth
Posted in: ufc, fight, diaz, jone, result
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135: Payout Perspective
Welcome to another edition of Payout Perspective. In the main event, Jon Jones defeated Quentin “Rampage” Jackson to retain the Light Heavyweight title.
Jones stops Rampage
Jon Jones handled Rampage Jackson to retain his Light Heavyweight title. Its becoming apparent that Jones’ length is his greatest attribute. Jackson looked motivated, in shape and had the correct game plan to deal with Jones. However, Jones was ready for Jackson and it was apparent that Jones could do whatever he wanted with Jackson. The 3rd round after the bell throw of Jackson and eventual choke served as notice that Jones is hear to stay.
As for Jackson, it was weird for a loser of a bout to call out someone else. But, Rampage vs. Shogun Rua would help a UFC Japan card that has its share of skeptics.
Kos KOs Hughes
The fight was entertaining until the last few seconds of the first round when Koscheck poured it on and KO’d Hughes. For Hughes, the KO is the second of its kind as BJ Penn did the same to him last year. Its hard to say if Hughes will or should retire, but for a Hall of Famer to be knocked unconscious like that is not good for a legacy. For Koscheck, it was a nice return from December’s injury. The win should put him back into the middleweight title picture.
Attendance and Gate
Although not verified by the Colorado state athletic commission, Dana White announced the attendance at the Pepsi Center as 16,344 for a gate of $2 million. (h/t MMA Junkie)
Bonuses
MMA Junkie reports that the following fighters were awarded $75,000 each for their fights.
Fight of the Night – Jones vs. Jackson
KO of the Night – Koscheck
Submission of the Night – Nate Diaz
Diaz displayed his jiu jitsu proficiency in submitting Takanori Gomi. It was a textbook transition. Hopefully, in a push for an exciting fight, the UFC does not stray from its roots.
Promotion of the Fight
UFC Fight Night 25 featured a Jones-Rampage head to head debate. The same was done on ESPN. I have to say I am not a fan of these head to head debates. I know its supposed to draw heat but it seems forced.
More and more, UFC fighters are getting their chance on late night television. Jones and Rampage on Jimmy Kimmel to sell the fight.
It was a little weird to see the two sitting so comfortably close to each other and sharing their couch with Dr. Phil.
Press Conference
The Jones-Rampage press conference had its share of funny moments. The best being the picture of Rampage clowning Jon Jones’ “stare into the distance” when they both did the staredown at the initial press conference.
The drama of the alleged “spy” in Rampage’s camp brought some intrigue to the matchup. But, most people were interested in the matchup regardless of the “spy”.
Sponsorships
MMA Elite, Harley Davidson, MMA Authentics, Edge, Musclepharm, Xyience, Toyo Tires were all in the Octagon with Bud Light taking the center again. Video game Gears of War3 (for XBox 360) signage was also present in the Octagon. It also was the presenting sponsor for UFC 135. Noticeably a lot of different sponsors in the Octagon this time around.
Musclepharm – Not only did it announce its new partnership with the UFC earlier in the week, but its gym was featured during the UFC Countdown show as Rampage trained for the fight there. It also was the spot where Rampage discovered the “spy” from the Jones camp. Notwithstanding the implication that a MP exec was a spy, it was a good week of activation for MP. The MP gym was adorned with its memorable logo.
The US Marines maintained its Keys to Victory segment featuring Koscheck and Hughes.
FighterxFashion has a good rundown of the walk out wear from UFC 135 including Rampage “chains”. Just in time for Halloween…or your next street fight (j/k, I hope).
Interesting that Jon Jones did not have any special brand activation with any of his sponsors. If I missed it, let me know.
Odds and ends
- The high altitude coupled with the Heavyweight match-ups lead to two matches that slowed down considerably as the match progressed. Maybe some booking info to learn from in the future.
- Whenever Rashard Evans steps into the Octagon with a suit, he receives boos. It reminds me a little of Ric Flair. The pinstripes did add to the “heel” status he received last night. Notwithstanding, it was a little awkward for Evans after the stare-down with Jones since it looked like he wanted to leave but Rampage was still in the Octagon. It was like he was trapped a bit. It was a good spot but
- Don’t mean to talk about pro wrestling too much, but did Ben Rothwell come out to the Monday Night Raw theme?
- Did anyone notice Rampage’s corner-man whisper in his ear prior to his Rogan post-fight interview. It was like he reminded him to challenge Shogun in Japan.
Posted in: ufc, fight, rampage, jone, jackson
Read the full article at MMA PayoutPoll: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans -- who wins?
With his successful title defense last night (Sept. 24) at UFC 135 over Quinton Jackson, Jon Jones set up a light heavyweight championship fight against his former friend and teammate Rashad Evans.
Evans alleges he consistently got the better of Jones when the two trained together down at Greg Jackson's gym in New Mexico, a claim "Bones" refutes emphatically. We'll find out when the two finally hook 'em up with the 205-pound title -- and bragging rights -- on the line.
We don't know the date, time or place but we do know the fight, Maniacs. Tell us who ya' got.
Poll
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans for the UFC light heavyweight championship. Who wins?
Jon Jones
Rashad Evans
Ends in a draw
Leonard Garcia
50 votes | Results
Posted in: jon, jone, quinton jackson, rashad, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 Results Recap: Tony Ferguson vs. Aaron Riley
Tony Ferguson made quick work of Aaron Riley, forcing him to retire with a broken jaw at the end of the first round in their lightweight fight at UFC 135. Riley actually started fairly well, doing a good job of establishing his boxing and avoiding strikes from Ferguson. It was pretty even for the first couple of minutes. That all changed with one uppercut though.
After the uppercut, Riley was opening and closing his mouth a lot and announcer Joe Rogan made note of it a few times. Ferguson poured it on and battered Riley for the rest of the round, but the horn went. Riley went back to his corner and announced to his team that his jaw was broken, and the fight was stopped. The bout was the fifth and final fight on the preliminary portion of the UFC 135 broadcast, and was shown live on Spike TV.
What was the high spot of this fight?
Either the brutal uppercut that broke his jaw, or the moment when Riley went back to his corner and announced that his jaw was broken and his cornerman swore quite loudly in response.
Where do these guys go from here?
Ferguson obviously has a lot of momentum with the TUF 13 win and now a stoppage of a solid veteran. It will take a lot more than this to fully establish his value with avid fans though, considering he likely won the weakest TUF season ever, and Riley has had jaw issues in the past. The UFC will likely try to bring him along slowly, so he'll probably face another fading veteran again in his next bout.
Riley might want to consider retirement. This is the second time he's suffered a broken jaw in a UFC fight, and was recently on the shelf for a long time with other injuries. He's only 30 but he has a ton of mileage on his body after 44 fights in 14 years, most of which were standup battles. If he doesn't retire, he'll probably get another bout in the UFC but it definitely won't be for a while.
Watch it now, later, or never?
Now. Ferguson looked really good for the second half of the round and the uppercut that broke Riley's jaw was brutal. It's a bit rough watching Riley take all those shots with a broken jaw though, so if you're a bit squeamish you might want to skip it.
More BE coverage of UFC 135 in the full entry.
UFC 135 Results: Time to Embrace Underutilized Lighter Weight Classes - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Will Rashad Evans Spoil the Jon Jones Era? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 135 Results: Dana White Expects Matt Hughes to Retire - Mike Fagan
UFC 135 Results: Two Heavyweight Fights On PPV A Big Mistake - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Says Rashad Evans Doesn't Have His Number - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva Isn't Happening - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson Post-Fight Recap and Analysis - Mike Fagan
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage Results - Event Doesn't Provide Enough Bang for the Buck - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Results: Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Post-Fight Press Conference Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Limping Backstage After Dominating Rampage Jackson - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Forces Rampage Jackson to Tap Out - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Main Card - Bloody Elbow
UFC 135 Results: Josh Koscheck Knocks Out Matt Hughes, Doesn't Retire Him - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Mark Hunt Picks Up A Decision In A Grueling Fight - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Travis Browne Defeats Rob Broughton by Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Nate Diaz Forces Takanori Gomi to Tap By Armbar - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Tony Ferguson Breaks Aaron Riley's Jaw In The First - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Spike TV Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Tim Boetsch Gives Nick Ring His First Career Loss - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Junior Assuncao Fails to Impress with Win Over Eddie Yagin - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Facebook Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Takeya Mizugaki Ends Cole Escovedo With A Knockout - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: James Te Huna Ends Ricardo Romero's Night By KO - Matthew Roth
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, riley, matthew
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 results: Event photos gallery for 'Jones vs Rampage' on Sept. 24 in Denver
UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage" took place last night (Sept. 24, 2011) from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, featuring Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones making a successful defense of his 205-pound title against Quinton Jackson.
Also on the card, Josh Koscheck made an empathic return to the welterweight division with a first round knockout victory over Matt Hughes. Is it finally time for the "Country Boy" to call it quits?
Looks so.
Mark Hunt and Travis Browne picked up hard-fought victories in their heavyweight bouts over Ben Rothwell and Rob Broughton, respectively, while Nate Diaz continued his family's tradition of owning Takanori Gomi by submitting "The Fireball Kid" in the opening round.
Photo gallery (via UFC.com) after the jump.
Josh Koscheck vs. Matt Hughes
Mark Hunt vs. Ben Rothwell
Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi
Anthony Ferguson vs. Aaron Riley
Tim Boetsch vs. Nick Ring
Posted in: matt hughes, jone, vs, travis browne, fireball kid
Read the full article at MMA ManiaObservations from My Couch: UFC 135 ‘Jones vs. Rampage’
A few observations from UFC 135: “Jones vs. Rampage”:
-I love Aaron Riley and do remember his Hook’n’Shoot wars with Yves Edwards (from “back in the day”). But there comes a time when a fighter needs to stop fighting – especially when that fighter likes having a functional jaw for eating and speaking purposes – and it may be time for Riley to call it quits.
-We knew going in that Tony Ferguson was going to punch to the face and punch hard. I say enough with the “gimme” fights for this TUF winner. Release the hounds! (And by hounds, I mean let’s see how he likes Jim Miller or Don Cerrone punching him back.)
-I like this 185-pound version of Tim Boetsch. Very strong, very dangerous and very fun.
-If Nate Diaz continues looking like he did last night, he might finally become a force to be reckoned with in the lightweight division. The kid was straight-up flawless.
-If we never see Rob Broughton or Travis Browne again I’d be happy.
-Say what you will about Ben Rothwell – he had zero cardio, looked sloppy, blah, blah, blah – but coming out for Round 3 when he was completely spent took a ton of heart. He was even trying to finish while the final seconds of the bout were ticking away. Bravo, dude.
-Matt Hughes was kicking ass up until he wasn’t. He may not have gotten a “Chris Lytle” ending to his career, but he has nothing to be ashamed of. He was, and always will be, the man.
-Honestly, Jon Jones beating Rashad Evans is a forgone conclusion. Now, the only match-ups to seriously challenge him would be against Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos.
Posted in: matt hughes, jone, rashad evans, blah, yves edwards
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 135 Results Recap: Tim Boetsch vs. Nick Ring
Tim Boetsch looked solid and showed off his incredible strength in a solid unanimous decision win over Nick Ring in a middleweight bout at UFC 135. Ring started out okay, shutting down Boetsch for large portions of the first round while looking for submissions and circling away from danger on the feet. The second was all Boetsch, who finally cut Ring off and landed a barrage of shot that saw Ring hit the canvas. Boetsch also went for a guillotine and a kimura at different points, but couldn't finish it.
The third was dominated by Boetsch as well, with The Barbarian alternating between beating Ring up against the fence and beating him up on the ground. He landed a huge judo throw that really got the crowd into it as well. When the final bell went, it was clear who the victor would be. The bout was the fourth fight on the preliminary portion of the UFC 135 broadcast, and shown live on Spike TV..
What was the high spot of this fight?
The judo throw, without a doubt. Those type of breathtaking throws are exceedingly rare in MMA, and this one was an absolute work of art.
Where do these guys go from here?
Boetsch has looked extremely solid in his first two fights at middleweight, dominating both Kendall Grove and now Ring. He will definitely get another step-up in competition the next time out, and is very close to being ranked in the division. Boetsch vs. Ed Herman sounds like a heck of a good fight to me.
Ring is in a strange spot. He's 2-1 in the UFC and just suffered the first loss of his MMA career, but hasn't looked incredibly impressive in any of his three UFC fights yet. Yes he beat James Head up pretty badly at the end of the fight, but Head was getting the best of him early. And it's clear that he should have lost the decision to Riki Fukuda in his debut. A bout with Kyle Noke might be a solid test.
Watch it now, later, or never?
Later. If you can find a gif or video of the judo throw, go do that right now. But while the bout wasn't bad, it wasn't particularly awesome either and isn't really worth going out of your way for.
More BE coverage of UFC 135 in the full entry.
UFC 135 Results: Time to Embrace Underutilized Lighter Weight Classes - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Will Rashad Evans Spoil the Jon Jones Era? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 135 Results: Dana White Expects Matt Hughes to Retire - Mike Fagan
UFC 135 Results: Two Heavyweight Fights On PPV A Big Mistake - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Says Rashad Evans Doesn't Have His Number - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva Isn't Happening - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson Post-Fight Recap and Analysis - Mike Fagan
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage Results - Event Doesn't Provide Enough Bang for the Buck - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Results: Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Post-Fight Press Conference Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Limping Backstage After Dominating Rampage Jackson - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Forces Rampage Jackson to Tap Out - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Main Card - Bloody Elbow
UFC 135 Results: Josh Koscheck Knocks Out Matt Hughes, Doesn't Retire Him - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Mark Hunt Picks Up A Decision In A Grueling Fight - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Travis Browne Defeats Rob Broughton by Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Nate Diaz Forces Takanori Gomi to Tap By Armbar - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Tony Ferguson Breaks Aaron Riley's Jaw In The First - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Spike TV Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Tim Boetsch Gives Nick Ring His First Career Loss - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Junior Assuncao Fails to Impress with Win Over Eddie Yagin - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Facebook Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Takeya Mizugaki Ends Cole Escovedo With A Knockout - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: James Te Huna Ends Ricardo Romero's Night By KO - Matthew Roth
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, matthew, roth
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJones to Evans: "Twice you've ruined my special night"
Not long before he fought Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua, Jon Jones raised a few eyebrows when he told conference call listeners that he was “sick...
Posted in: jone, jon jones, conference, mauricio, ;sick
Read the full article at Fighters OnlyUFC 135 Results Recap: Junior Assuncao vs. Eddie Yagin
Junior Assuncao picked up an uneventful unanimous decision win over Eddie Yagin in a featherweight fight at UFC 135. The bout will likely be remembered most for the lack of action and Assuncao's demeanor, which saw him clowning around and taunting Yagin while alternatively begging off and refusing to engage on the feet. The final scores were 30-27, 30-26, and 30-26.
The first two rounds saw Assuncao get a few takedowns after Yagin missed with a strike, but he couldn't do much with any of them. The only impressive round for Assuncao was the third, where he shook off a guillotine attempt by Yagin and spent the rest of the round on the ground beating him up. It was enough to earn a 10-8 round from two judges. The bout was the third fight on the preliminary portion of the UFC 135 broadcast, and was streamed on Facebook.
What was the high spot of this fight?
The final horn. Seriously, this wasn't a good fight. Assuncao's constant showboating with nothing to show for it had the crowd booing a lot, and really turned off a lot of viewers.
Where do these guys go from here?
Assuncao obviously has a lot of skill and can maybe make some noise in the featherweight division. It remains to be seen how he would handle a more aggressive opponent though, since Yagin played Assuncao's game a lot. He'll be given a tougher test next time out, and I'd really like it to be a speedy, tough guy like Erik Koch or Dustin Poirier. That's probably too-much-too-soon for Assuncao at this point, but it'd be really nice if someone could put the guy's arrogance in check a bit.
Yagin will get another fight in the organization, but he doesn't seem like he will ever be a top-flight featherweight. He has a solid guillotine and good, well-rounded skills, but he has always had problems with fighters that are quicker than him. A bout with Rani Yahya could be interesting.
Watch it now, later, or never?
Never. The fight was slow and plodding and quite frankly, Assuncao was annoying. Save your time for a fight with more action and less arrogance.
More BE coverage of UFC 135 in the full entry.
UFC 135 Results: Time to Embrace Underutilized Lighter Weight Classes - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Will Rashad Evans Spoil the Jon Jones Era? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 135 Results: Dana White Expects Matt Hughes to Retire - Mike Fagan
UFC 135 Results: Two Heavyweight Fights On PPV A Big Mistake - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Says Rashad Evans Doesn't Have His Number - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva Isn't Happening - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson Post-Fight Recap and Analysis - Mike Fagan
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage Results - Event Doesn't Provide Enough Bang for the Buck - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Results: Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Post-Fight Press Conference Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Limping Backstage After Dominating Rampage Jackson - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Forces Rampage Jackson to Tap Out - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Main Card - Bloody Elbow
UFC 135 Results: Josh Koscheck Knocks Out Matt Hughes, Doesn't Retire Him - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Mark Hunt Picks Up A Decision In A Grueling Fight - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Travis Browne Defeats Rob Broughton by Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Nate Diaz Forces Takanori Gomi to Tap By Armbar - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Tony Ferguson Breaks Aaron Riley's Jaw In The First - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Spike TV Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Tim Boetsch Gives Nick Ring His First Career Loss - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Junior Assuncao Fails to Impress with Win Over Eddie Yagin - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Facebook Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Takeya Mizugaki Ends Cole Escovedo With A Knockout - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: James Te Huna Ends Ricardo Romero's Night By KO - Matthew Roth
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, result, assuncao
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowQuinton Jackson thinks Rashad Evans is Jon Jones’ only real obstacle
If Quinton Jackson didn’t respect UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones before they met in the Octagon Saturday night he most certainly does now. “Rampage” became the dynamic 24-year old’s latest victim after struggling to handle his reach for most of their headlining bout at UFC 135 before finally getting submitted in the fourth round.
Jackson discussed the fight at the post-event press conference where he said he got “desperate” at times and explained that the only real challenge Jones will face at 205-pounds is former teammate Rashad Evans.
“I was very confident (but) a couple of times I was getting kind of desperate,” the former PRIDE fighter began. “I wasn’t sticking to my gameplan like I trained to do. It was frustrating me…Jon’s presence, his reach and stuff, was really hard to deal with. I had guys taller than Jon doing the same thing, sparring with them, but I guess it’s different when you’re sparring and in an actual real fight. So I was getting kind of desperate in there.”
“Rampage” Discusses Strategy Entering Bout with Jones
When the subject turned to what Jones’ future may hold in terms of potential roadblocks on his path to all-time great status, Jackson pointed towards the next scrap scheduled for the 14-1 title-holder.
“I think Rashad is the only person, basically, who has a chance to beat him since Rashad trained with him before,” said Jackson. “So other than Rashad I don’t see anybody beating this kid, straight up. I thought he was all hype. I’m keeping it real here. The kid is tough. He’s very talented.”
“I take my hat off to (Jones). He’s good,” he concluded.
No date has been set for Jones vs. Evans. “Suga” ‘Shad is 16-1-1 and solidified his shot at UFC gold with three consecutive wins over Jackson, Thiago Silva, and most recently Tito Ortiz at UFC 133. Though both used to call Greg Jackson’s gym in New Mexico home, the Ultimate Fighter 2 winner left the camp after Jones openly stated a willingness to fight him and their red-hot rivalry was thereby born.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, quinton jackson, rashad
Read the full article at Fighters.comJon Jones: Rashad Evans already ruined my special night twice now, his time will come
No sooner had Jon Jones destroyed Quinton Jackson to retain his light heavyweight title at UFC 135 last night (Sept. 24, 2011) in Denver than Rashad Evans entered the cage to quickly remake his acquaintance.
The post-fight interview conducted by color commentator Joe Rogan was done to set up their pending championship fight, which is already set for a later date when the two are healthy enough to compete.
Evans was short and sweet, complimentary of Jones' performance against "Rampage:"
"I thought it was a good fight tonight. I thought Jon Jones looked impressive. It's a good opportunity (fighting Jones for the title). I'm glad the UFC put it together and I can't wait to get a chance to fight him."
"Bones" wasn't so nice when he was asked what he thought of the coming showdown against his former stablemate:
"No, I'm sure he's got a lot to say and he's going to do a lot of talking. I'm not going to say anything, I promise you guys, leading up to this fight I'm not going to say much. I'm just going to prove it. He's ruined my special night twice now. The time will come."
At the post-fight press conference, Jones was again asked about Evans and at first, he told the media he wouldn't answer questions about his upcoming opponent because he "didn't want to talk about him."
That is until Jackson remarked that he's looking forward to the light heavyweight championship fight because "Suga" made so many claims that he's got Jones' number. The champ simply couldn't let that comment fly without a response:
"I will say this about Rashad: he does not have my number. He's not even close to having my number. Me and Rashad, we sparred a few times, and every time we sparred I know what could have happened. He talks about one day at practice where he held me down and he lives that day in his head every day. So we'll see."
Evans has long made assertions that underneath all the cocky bravado is a 24-year-old kid (and you know how much Jones hates being called that) who will quit when the going gets rough.
And he knows this because he's seen it in training.
"Bones," of course, disputes this fact and both men will continue to claim they got the better of the other while they were hitting the mats down at Greg Jackson's gym in New Mexico.
We have nothing to go on besides these words and they may or may not ring true for either side. Nonetheless, the only way to find out is when these two finally climb inside the cage to settle their differences.
Then? It's on like Donkey Kong, ladies and sirs.
Posted in: fight, time, jone, jon jones, evan
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 Results Recap: Takeya Mizugaki vs. Cole Escovedo
Takeya Mizugaki likely put up the best fight of his WEC/UFC career in defeating Cole Escovedo by second-round TKO in a bantamweight bout at UFC 135. He used some excellent boxing and managed to shake off Escovedo's attempts to pull guard in the first round. Escovedo did end the round with a nice elbow, but Mizugaki came out on fire in the second and picked Escovedo apart.
Takeya knocked down Escovedo early, and kept up the assualt. Escovedo kept looking for the thai clinch, but Mizugaki deftly boxed around it and landed a bunch of solid shots. Eventually Mizugaki landed a solid combination and a left hook that dropped Escovedo again, and a few more shots on the ground forced the referee to step in. The bout was the second fight on the preliminary portion of the UFC 135 broadcast, and was streamed on Facebook.
What was the high spot of this fight?
Mizugaki's clever use of striking while Escovedo had him locked up in the thai clinch was really impressive. The other high point was midway through the first round, which Escovedo jumped on Mizugaki standing and basically climbed right up him looking to lock on a submission. Mizugaki shook his body until Escovedo slipped down a bit, then promptly slammed him to the mat.
Where do these guys go from here?
Mizugaki has had a rollercoaster of a Zuffa career so far, alternating wins and losses for eight straight fights in the WEC and UFC now. He's 2-1 in the UFC though, and with the division still in the development stage, his job is very secure. It's unlikely that he'll be in the title mix anytime soon, but he's a solid, exciting fighter that the UFC can stick in any bout and they know it will be competitive. A bout with Michael McDonald would be a solid test for both.
As for Escovedo, he's been competitive in his two UFC fights and both were against top-caliber guys. But he's 0-2 now, and he might be looking for a job. The UFC has been on a bantamweight signing spree lately though, and it's entirely possible that Cole gets another fight against the likes of Donny Walker.
Watch it now, later, or never?
Now. UFC 135 wasn't the most exciting event, and this was easily one of the best three fights on the card. If you're picking and choosing between fights to watch, this one should be on your list.
More BE coverage of UFC 135 in the full entry.
UFC 135 Results: Time to Embrace Underutilized Lighter Weight Classes - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Will Rashad Evans Spoil the Jon Jones Era? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 135 Results: Dana White Expects Matt Hughes to Retire - Mike Fagan
UFC 135 Results: Two Heavyweight Fights On PPV A Big Mistake - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Says Rashad Evans Doesn't Have His Number - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva Isn't Happening - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson Post-Fight Recap and Analysis - Mike Fagan
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage Results - Event Doesn't Provide Enough Bang for the Buck - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Results: Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Post-Fight Press Conference Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Limping Backstage After Dominating Rampage Jackson - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Forces Rampage Jackson to Tap Out - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Main Card - Bloody Elbow
UFC 135 Results: Josh Koscheck Knocks Out Matt Hughes, Doesn't Retire Him - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Mark Hunt Picks Up A Decision In A Grueling Fight - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Travis Browne Defeats Rob Broughton by Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Nate Diaz Forces Takanori Gomi to Tap By Armbar - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Tony Ferguson Breaks Aaron Riley's Jaw In The First - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Spike TV Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Tim Boetsch Gives Nick Ring His First Career Loss - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Junior Assuncao Fails to Impress with Win Over Eddie Yagin - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Facebook Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Takeya Mizugaki Ends Cole Escovedo With A Knockout - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: James Te Huna Ends Ricardo Romero's Night By KO - Matthew Roth
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, result, escovedo
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowThe Pick ‘Em Showdown – 5 OZ vs. Fightlinker Fallout
Astute readers and avid followers may have picked up on this past weekend’s bet between Five Ounces of Pain and Fightlinker, our brothers from the Rebellion Media mother, involving UFC 135 picks.
Now that the event has come and gone the points have been tallied up and the punishment for losing “The Pick ‘Em Showdown” has been dished out. Though a valiant battle, in the end it was Fightlinker who emerged with the brass ring and 5 OZ’s Jeremy Lambert who walked away with a glass bottle.
Though Fightlinker nearly ran away with the contest based on a plethora of pick-based pushes and their decision to select Nate Diaz over Takanori Gomi, Mark Hunt’s upset outing over Ben Rothwell evened the score up late bringing things down to the evening’s title tilt. The crucial moment in the match-up came with Fightlinker’s pick of Jon Jones submitting Quinton “Rampage” Jackson rather than stopping him with strikes. As a result of the manner of his success rather than the actual performance itself, the orange-and-black took the prize in a photo-finish win.
Five Ounces of Pain would like to point out that a freshly released 5 OZ writer who was recently seen at a club with Fightlinker’s editor was rumored to be texting with Jones moments before the champ headed to the Octagon to defend his belt. Clearly, some sort of impropriety has occurred and we’ll say it – there was a spy in our camp. As such, the bet has been called off and Jeremy will not have to pour a beer on his head as a result of losing.
In retrospect, we probably should have told him that before writing this post. Oops?
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Posted in: jone, jackson, showdown, oz, fightlinker
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 135 Results Recap: James Te Huna vs. Ricardo Romero
James Te Huna improved to 2-1 in the UFC with a 47-second knockout win over Ricardo Romero in the opening bout of the night. Romero opened the bout with some immediate takedown attempts that were unsuccessful. On one of them he ate a nasty uppercut from Te Huna, which crumpled Romero to the mat face first. He managed to recover briefly, but missed with an ugly takedown attempt and Te Huna made him pay.
With Romero at his feet, he landed three rights to the side of the head that knocked Romero out. He landed one more nasty left before the referee jumped in and ended the fight. The bout was the first fight on the preliminary portion of the UFC 135 broadcast, and was streamed on Facebook.
What was the high spot of this fight?
The uppercut. While the finish was nice, it almost looked anti-climactic because the final shots didn't look incredibly powerful. The uppercut that floored Romero sure did though.
Where do these guys go from here?
A win by either man wasn't exactly going to launch them into the elite at light heavyweight, but Te Huna's second win in the UFC, and the demonstration of some impressive power, cemented his spot in the organization for at least a few more fights. With the UFC looking to continue going to Australia, the win could potentially be huge for him due to other Australian fighters (George Sotiropoulos, Kyle Noke) not faring as well lately. There are many possible matchups for him in such a deep division.
As for Romero, I honestly think he'll get released. His last two fights have barely gone over one minute total, and he's been knocked out in both of them. If they do give him another shot, it should likely be against a fighter that's more of a grappler and less of a striker.
Watch it now, later, or never?
Now. It was only 47 seconds long and it ended in a brutal knockout. That seems like an efficient use of your time to me.
More BE coverage of UFC 135 in the full entry.
UFC 135 Results: Time to Embrace Underutilized Lighter Weight Classes - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Will Rashad Evans Spoil the Jon Jones Era? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 135 Results: Dana White Expects Matt Hughes to Retire - Mike Fagan
UFC 135 Results: Two Heavyweight Fights On PPV A Big Mistake - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Says Rashad Evans Doesn't Have His Number - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva Isn't Happening - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson Post-Fight Recap and Analysis - Mike Fagan
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage Results - Event Doesn't Provide Enough Bang for the Buck - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Results: Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck Fight Video Highlights - Anton Tabuena
UFC 135 Post-Fight Press Conference Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Limping Backstage After Dominating Rampage Jackson - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Forces Rampage Jackson to Tap Out - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Main Card - Bloody Elbow
UFC 135 Results: Josh Koscheck Knocks Out Matt Hughes, Doesn't Retire Him - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Mark Hunt Picks Up A Decision In A Grueling Fight - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Travis Browne Defeats Rob Broughton by Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Nate Diaz Forces Takanori Gomi to Tap By Armbar - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Tony Ferguson Breaks Aaron Riley's Jaw In The First - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Spike TV Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Tim Boetsch Gives Nick Ring His First Career Loss - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: Junior Assuncao Fails to Impress with Win Over Eddie Yagin - Matthew Roth
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Facebook Prelims - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 135 Results: Takeya Mizugaki Ends Cole Escovedo With A Knockout - Matthew Roth
UFC 135 Results: James Te Huna Ends Ricardo Romero's Night By KO - Matthew Roth
Posted in: ufc, jone, result, matthew, roth
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 results: Steven Seagal impressed with Rampage Jackson, thought Jon Jones was not himself
What, you thought this guy only showed up for Team Black House fights?
No, bloated B-movie star Steven Seagal was once again in attendance at last night's (Sept. 24, 2011) UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage" event at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.
And, of course, that meant he would find his way in front of a camera and a microphone.
His musings on the night of action include being incredibly impressed with Quinton Jackson's head movement, feeling as though Jon Jones was not himself, and being embarrassed at the shape some of the fighters showed up in.
Dear Kettle: You're black! Signed, Pot.
Don't take it from me, though, hear from "The Glimmer Man" himself after the jump.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, pepsi center, quinton jackson, steven seagal
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 Results: Biggest Winners, Losers, and Other Random Thoughts
Welcome back to everyone's favorite post-fight analysis piece where I, Matthew G. Roth, tell you who were the biggest winners and losers on the night. Last night was my first stone cold sober UFC in recent memory but I felt I didn't need it since I was already awake for 40 hours by the end of the fights and hopped up on Red Bulls to stay conscious long enough to complete the instant results posts as the fights completed. That is neither here nor there, so let's talk about the fights.
WINNERS
Jon Jones - The big winner on the night. Jones has a ton of detractors because of his humble persona that many feel is not the true "Jon Jones". Those detractors see a fighter who has been crowned as the future of the division after only one really big win over a legitimate opponent. Last night Jones proved everyone wrong. He put on an absolute clinic against an extremely tough and in shape Rampage Jackson. If there is one complaint to be made it is that Jones had trouble getting the fight to the ground at times. But that also is because Jackson is extremely difficult to take down.
Josh Koscheck - It's gotta be difficult coming back from an injury to the orbital. Even after having surgery Kos still had nerve damage and didn't have feeling around the area that was injured. Last night he seemed uneasy when Hughes was targeting the area and visibly uncomfortable. However, he showed mental toughness and finished Hughes in the first. It wasn't a flawless performance, but it was good enough that there is no reason to question Koscheck going forward.
Mark Hunt - Mark Hunt's way into the UFC could be criticized the same way that people complain about contestants on The Ultimate Fighter. He was only given a contract because he had fights remaining from his time in PRIDE and refused a buy out. There were absolutely ZERO expectations for him. He was just promised fights and Zuffa needed to fulfill the contract. Last night he didn't look good but he looked better than Ben Rothwell. Joining American Top Team has definitely improved his game and he showcased some abilities he never had. Nice win and even better winning streak!
Nate Diaz - The Diaz brothers are now 2-0 against Takanori Gomi (I choose to ignore a NC for testing positive for THC). While the Gomi that Nate fought last night was a shell of his former self, he still possessed the ability to end the fight in devastating fashion. Diaz's boxing looked better last night than it's ever been and there were some punches that landed with surprising power. Lightweight is the best class for Diaz, especially after the S&C program he used to get to 170. I'm excited to see what he can do in the future.
Anthony Ferguson - I had legitimate doubts about Ferguson. The latest seasons of The Ultimate Fighter haven't exactly been talent rich and full of prospects. He took on a dangerous Aaron Riley and broke his jaw in the first round. Riley may not be a household name but he is one of the better mid-tiered lightweights. Ferguson showed he has the abilities to compete in the shark tank that is the UFC's lightweight division.
The UFC - Jon Jones' win sets up a massive PPV between the champion and former teammate Rashad Evans. Both fighters will take home a considerable pay day and the promotion now has a main event that provides a huge amount of intrigue. Should Jones defeat Rashad, the UFC then has a massively marketable champion and the Jackson/Evans rematch as well. It really was the best possible outcome.
Losers and Additional thoughts after the jump...
SBN coverage of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
LOSERS
Quinton Jackson - Jackson came in saying he was going to destroy Jones. The UFC's marketing machine played up his punching power and ability to take one to give one. Instead, he was unable to find his range and got beat from the outside by Jones. The positive takeaway is that Jackson's takedown defense looked as good as it has ever been and he scrambled well off his back. It was also refreshing that he didn't give any excuses in the post-fight. His days as a title contender are well behind him and it really comes down to the fact that he never evolved as a fighter.
Takanori Gomi - This may be the worst fall from grace in MMA history outside of Mark Kerr. There was a time when Gomi was viewed by everyone as the best lightweight in the world and a pound-for-pound great. Those days are long behind him. Last night his entire strategy was throw haymakers. He found very little success. I have doubts that he's been putting the time in at the gym and if the UFC wasn't planning a big show in Japan in 2012, I'd expect to see he received his walking papers.
UFC Heavyweights - Booking heavyweights at high altitude is a terrible idea. The elevation played an obvious role in the performances of Ben Rothwell, Travis Browne, Rob Broughton, and Mark Hunt. If it wasn't for Hunt's feel good story of winning when the odds were against him, it would be easy to say that last night was the most embarrassing display since The Ultimate Fighter 10. Hopefully Joe Silva doesn't make this mistake again in the future. At least we can be happy that didn't happen on Fox or FX right?
UFC Bantamweights - No respect from the bosses. The Takeya Mizugaki/Cole Escovedo fight promised to be a barn burner and instead it was relegated to the Facebook prelims. Fans are unfairly being told that the lighter weights don't draw when they haven't been given the opportunity to prove otherwise. Hopefully this changes in the future.
Junior Assuncao - It takes a very special perfomance for a fighter to lose steam in a win. Junior Assuncao put on that type of performance last night. From his taunts to the finger waving, he showed disrespect to his opponent and to the UFC. I hope he understands that he'll need to change his attitude in the future because there is no reason to everdo that in the cage.
ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS
Last night could very well be the final time fans see Matt Hughes compete in the UFC. He didn't use the word retire but he sure didn't seem excited to continue fighting. Leading up to the fight he was talking about spending more time with his family and that his wife doesn't want him fighting anymore. If he does return it will be for a hand-picked opponent. He's had a storied career and looked good in his boxing. If there was ever a thing as a good way to go out on a loss, that was it.
Aaron Riley is a tough son of a gun. Breaking your jaw is perhaps the most painful injury and he had the wherewithal to finish the round before throwing in the towel. He's still young at 30 years old but he's had over 44 fights and it seems that kind of fight schedule is finally catching up with his body. Hopefully he'll make a final return to the cage. He just needs to let his body rest and heal up before doing so.
The referee in the Mark Hunt vs Ben Rothwell fight was absolutely terrible. Standing up a fighter from side control, no matter how inactive, is inexcusable.. Allowing a coach to physically carry his fighter across the cage is a joke. I can only hope that he isn't given another shot at being inside a UFC cage unless he has improved as a referee.
Last night kicked off an extremely active couple of weeks of MMA in fantastic fashion. I hope that Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson can continue it this weekend on Versus.
Posted in: ufc, fight, night, jone, fighter
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 results: Jon Jones vs Anderson Silva not happening anytime soon ... if at all
Last night (Sept. 24) in the main event of UFC 135, Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones swiftly sidestepped nearly every strike from his hapless opponent, Quinton Jackson, on the way to a dominant submission victory.
He did as he pleased, offering up a wide variety of punches, kicks, elbows and takedowns, and he had a gay old time while doing so. Simply put, "Bones" was like a cat, playing with his mouse.
We rarely see such effective offense mixed with a seemingly impenetrable defense, at least not in the light heavyweight division.
No, you'd have to go down to the 185-pound weight class for that ... specifically the division champion, Anderson Silva.
"The Spider" has 14 UFC victories and hardly more than a few bumps and scratches to show for it. Likewise, Jones has now run through each one of the nine Octagon opponents while barely breaking a sweat.
Naturally, fans can't help but clamor for the two to square off against each other. Let's just go ahead and settle the pound-for-pound debate right now.
There's just one problem with that, as told by UFC President Dana White at the post-fight press conference last night -- Jones still has some cleaning to do at light heavyweight.
"The problem is this (light heavyweight) division is stacked. He has a lot of fights ahead of him. The guys who have been fighting at 205 have those slots and they deserve the respect of a title fight before any superfight. And, a lot of people don't really think about this, (Silva) is 37 years old."
Sadly, the superfight so many pundits would love to break down and fans would salivate at the prospect of will likely never come to be.
Silva has stated in recent months that his home is at middleweight and that's likely where he'll stay until he retires, which, as White so adequately informed us, is just around the corner considering the pound-for-pound king's age.
Don't remind us.
Later in the press conference, thought, White did make mention of Jones moving up to heavyweight in the event that he disposes of enough challengers at 205-pounds.
So maybe the superfight to focus on is Jon Jones vs. Cain Velasquez or Junior dos Santos or Brock Lesnar or Alistair Overeem or ... well, you get it.
Posted in: ufc, jone, heavyweight, silva, light heavyweight
Read the full article at MMA ManiaAnderson Silva Needs to Fight a UFC Champion…Just Not GSP
It seems the only “super-fight” UFC President Dana White ever talks about is one pitting the middleweight master Anderson Silva against popular 170-pound champion Georges St. Pierre. It’s an intriguing bout on paper given GSP’s wrestling and Silva’s stand-up, but perhaps not a particularly competitive one in the end given the size difference between the two as well as the French-Canadian’s susceptibility to strikes.
However, that’s not to say the UFC doesn’t have other options at their disposal when it comes to cementing Silva’s legacy in Mixed Martial Arts as he nears the final few years of his career. In point of opinion, there’s one in particular worth exploring that for some reason has eluded the UFC’s buzz-eliciting marketing machine – Jon Jones.
Jones’ performance Saturday night against Quinton Jackson was the latest in a long line of dominant showings from the 24-year old light heavyweight title-holder. “Bones” hasn’t gone to decision since January 2009 with six wins since then and a seventh fight he essentially had won in the first round until an inadvertent illegal elbow cost got him disqualified.
“Bones” Submits Jackson in One-Sided Affair
“The Spider” has seen the scorecards come into play twice in that same time-span. St. Pierre? Four for four with his last finish ironically occurring at the very event where Jones last went the distance.
If Jones can get by Rashad Evans and the winner of Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua over the next 6-9 months with Silva remaining unbeaten a bout between the two seemingly invincible scrappers would result in a contest for the ages. Sure, the “Rush” rumble has its merits, but stylistically, and given their recent results, there’s no question Jones vs. Silva is Christopher Reeve “super” to St. Pierre vs. Silva’s Brandon Routh.
It would also put two similarly sculpted opponents in the Octagon with each other rather than marring the match-up with a significant weight/height disadvantage. Jones is 6’4 and his Brazilian counterpart is 6’2, but GSP? 5’10. Silva hasn’t fought anyone that short since Ryo Chonan on New Year’s Eve in 2004 and…okay, maybe the UFC is onto something after all since that was Silva’s last loss.
However, assuming St. Pierre didn’t exclusively train on how to implement a Flying Scissor Heel Hook, Jones facing Silva would create a situation where picking a winner would be akin to trying to fully understand why “The Situation” from MTV’s Jersey Shore made $5 million last year, i.e. mind-blowingly impossible. The only question is, are they “DTF” – “Down to Fight”?
As friendly as Jones and Silva may be, they are both professionals and have no real personal ties to each other as being in the same camp might create. Both are interested in being seen as the best fighter the sport has ever seen and both appear poised to have a real claim to the distinction the way the last few years have gone. They’re also both competitors who would enjoy the challenge posed by testing themselves against each other.
Long story short, the incentive is there for all involved parties to make Jones vs. Silva a reality in late 2012 if they continue to win in dominant fashion. It’s a thought-provoking pairing between two charismatic champions who possess other-worldly skills. It’s also arguably one of the biggest fights possible in MMA and might even be enough to take the UFC to the next level, especially if Jones comes away with a victory. Silva has fought at light heavyweight before. It’s time he does so again.
PHOTO CREDIT – JON JONES
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Posted in: ufc, jone, ’t, silva, year
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC 135 Results: Will Rashad Evans Spoil the Jon Jones Era?
"Welcome to the Machida era."
These were the now immortal words Joe Rogan spoke after Lyoto Machida knocked out Rashad Evans to claim the UFC Light Heavyweight title. As it turned out, the era was short-lived. In his next fight, Machida's elusive game was cracked by Shogun Rua, who would go on to take that title away in the rematch. Rogan's line has become something of a joke since then - a sign of over-hyped expectations and declaring a fighter as unbeatable far too soon. The fall of Machida showed us as fans that sometimes we need to wait. And yet...
After Jon Jones defeated Shogun at UFC 128, cries of "Welcome to the Jones era" immediately sprang up. More patient fans insisted that we let Jones defend his title first, reminding us of the folly of the Machida era. Last night, at UFC 135, Jones did indeed defend that title, but unlike Machida, he did so in dominating fashion. Over 4 rounds, Jones slowly increased the pressure on challenger Quinton Jackson, using every tool in his ample kit to overwhelm Rampage and eventually choke him out. Already, the praise has been great, with writers like MMA Nation's Jonathan Snowden declaring, "Jon Jones is the best fighter in the world." So the question much be asked:
Is it too early to declare this the Jon Jones era?
In a word, yes. Yes, it is too early to declare this 24 year old champion as the dominating force of one of the sport's toughest, most grueling divisions.
You can't deny that Jones looked tremendous last night. He outstruck Rampage, using his range to keep the challenger at bay for over 15 minutes. Pre-fight, Rampage made his gameplan clear - get inside and test the chin of the champion. But despite Jackson's superb boxing skills, he never did get in to land that clean punch and get that game working. That striking could have been enough to win, but Jones added more to his game last night, including some nasty kicks to the knee, jumping to pull guard, and mental games that clearly bothered the veteran Rampage. In short, Jones dominated, looking like one of the best in the sport along the way. But before his era can truly begin, he has unfinished business that must be addressed.
Rashad Evans. He's the former Light Heavyweight champion, former teammate to Jones, #1 contender, and the last man to defeat Rampage. But more importantly, he's the man who was supposed to stand across the cage from Jones in that first defense, and the man who many felt Jones ducked. To truly begin his era, Jon Jones must prove that he can defeat Rashad.
To many fans, last night's fight showed that Jones vs. Evans is an easy win for Jones. He'll have the size and strength advantage, superior striking, and superior wrestling. But Evans will also be the toughest opponent Jones has yet encountered in his young MMA career. Jones has yet to face an all around fighter who is in his prime and presents a threat in both the physical and strategic game. Evans is the complete package. And he is the test Jones must pass.
And if Jones does defeat Evans, sending him back down the ladder in the same way he banished Rampage Jackson from future title contention last night? Then I will gladly say, "Welcome to the Jones era."
Poll
Who will win?
Jon Jones
Rashad Evans
19 votes | Results
Posted in: rampage, jone, evan, era, machida
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowDana White ready to give Jon Jones “pound-for-pound” props
Consider Dana White among the numerous people beyond impressed by Jon Jones’ dismantling of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in the main event last night at UFC 135.
White spoke about the wunderkind’s performance in the post-event press conference where he started things out by eating a bit of crow in regards to recent comments about Jones not being in the “pound-for-pound” discussion along with Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre.
“When I went into the ring (after the fight), he grabbed me and said, ‘Will you give me my pound-for-pound respect now?’ And I said, ‘I will shut the hell up now. You did it.’,” White joked.
“The great thing about (the outcome) is how serious ‘Rampage’ took this fight. He’s been up here in Denver for a long time…he was in great shape. His face was lean, he had abs. He came to win this fight. (Jackson) only cut six pounds for the fight the day of the weigh-ins which is incredible,” White continued. “Let me tell you what – Jon Jones is the man.”
As far as whom White feels could be the one to pose a serious challenge to Jones, the UFC President remained fairly neutral while giving credit to the light heavyweight division’s depth.
“The beauty of the 205-pound division is that it’s stacked. There’s a lot of tough guys out there. And I’ll tell you what, Rashad (Evans) just came off an awesome performance against Tito (Ortiz). He looked really good. Both these guys want this fight, there’s been a lot of smack-talk leading into this fight, and then we’ll see what happens with (Mauricio) “Shogun” Rua and Dan Henderson.”
However, White left the door open too in terms of Jones potentially cleaning house during a Silva-like run, saying he’s already talked to the 24-year old champion about possibly giving heavyweight a go in that type of scenario.
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Posted in: ufc, fight, jon, jone, dana
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones after the end of round 3
submitted by PBBlaster [link] [2 comments]
Posted in: jone, round, jon jones, end, pbblaster
Read the full article at RedditUFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Says Rashad Evans Doesn't Have His Number
Jon Jones will face Rashad Evans in his next trip to the Octagon. It's a fight that we were supposed to see at UFC 133 before a hand injury forced Jones out. One of the big things that gets repeated with some degree of regularity about the Jones vs. Evans fight is that Evans troubled Jones in training when they were teammates.
Following Jones' dominant victory over Quinton Jackson, the champion addressed the talk that Evans got the better of him in camp. MMA Nation's Luke Thomas was at the press conference and tweeted out the main quote:
@SBNLukeThomasLuke Thomas Jones: I will say this about Rashad. He does not have my number. He talks about ONE day where he held me down in practice.Sep 25 via TweetDeckFavoriteRetweetReply
From what I've heard it was more than a single day and just holding Jones down. But pretty much anything you hear from anyone about the whole thing is going to only be partially true. Both men probably had their moments in training against each other. Plenty of stuff happens in training that doesn't actually translate to the real fights.
What I'm most excited about is seeing Jones just go at Evans with a genuinely aggressive shot. This is the kind of thing I can get behind, because it's Jones simply being clear that he thinks he is better than Rashad. It's not over the top, it's not "pro-wrestling nonsense." It's the young mega-talent making it clear that thinks he is better than his rival.
We may be in for a fun ride with these two.
Posted in: fight, jone, jon jones, rashad, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 results recap: Jon Jones vs Rampage Jackson fight review and analysis
Well they say you aren't truly a champion until you defend your title.
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones did more than that last night (September 24, 2011) in an absolute four round destruction of former titleholder Quinton Jackson in the main event of UFC 135.
This wasn't the out of shape movie star "Rampage" either. This was Jackson at his absolute best after training for two-plus months exclusively in elevation.
And he didn't stand a chance.
So how did Jones mystify the heavy-hitting UFC and Pride veteran and stop Jackson for the first time in his UFC career? The answer lies inside.
Jones baffled Jackson early, pressing him against the fence and pounding on him with short knees. After they separated, he really utilized his range to absolute perfection, blasting the former champion with jabs, front kicks and side kicks.
"Bones" particularly attacked Jackson's legs, nailing him with leg kicks and kicks to the front of the knee, which may have put some fear into "Rampage." Jackson repeatedly looked frustrated, even voicing his displeasure to the referee and losing his focus on the task at hand.
Because the Greg Jackson-trained champion was able to utilize his reach so well, it made nearly all of Jackson's attacks look sloppy and wild.
Notice here in the third round how Jackson is so far away that his huge looping hook completely falls short and out of frustration he dives forward with a 1-2 hook combination that is so wild and aggressive that he crashes into the fence.
Jones' distance gave him more than enough notice to duck and spin out of the way of an incredibly heavy attack that may have hurt someone with a lesser reach.
If the Wolfslair fighter did anything well, it was his takedown defense. He was able to pummel under and sprawl very effectively in the first three rounds and the one time he was taken down, he scrambled free from a dangerous position in which Jones had him in full mount.
Even Jackson's vaunted takedown defense betrayed him in round four when Jones wrapped up his neck and basically leveraged him to the canvas with brute force.
When Jackson attempted to scramble to his feet, Jones took his back and baited him badly with his right arm. Watch how he keeps his right arm threaded under Jackson's right armpit. As "Rampage's" attention is focused on that arm, Jones stealthily slips his left arm under Jackson's exposed neck.
Jones quickly puts his second hook in and rolls Jackson over.
When he tightens the choke with the palm-to-palm grip, Jackson is forced to tap or risk going unconcious in front of millions of people.
For Quinton Jackson, there's not much to say about this performance. He showed up in terrific shape but he could never get comfortable against Jones. He had to worry about takedowns with every strike he threw all-the-while getting punched and kicked in the face as well as absorbing leg and knee kicks. He never once got in the proper range to land his powerful counter left hook and the story of the fight could be told on Jon Jones' unblemished face.
"Rampage" called out Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, the former UFC champion and a man who had previously been the last fighter to stop Jackson back in Pride. That would be an interesting fight, but Rua has to face Dan Henderson first. The only way that fight gets made is if Rua loses to Henderson.
If the UFC really hates Forrest Griffin right now, that's another fight that could be a possibility. Jackson has campaigned for a rematch with Griffin in the past. If Joe Silva wants to get creative with his matchmaking and if Strikeforce is dead at the beginning of 2012, perhaps they could book a fight against another hated rival, Muhammed Lawal.
For Jon Jones, that was a performance that was near perfection. He utilized his range perhaps better than any fighter has ever done. He kept Jackson at bay with a vast array of kicks and his tremendously long jab. Even when he came inside with aggressive power strikes or elbow attacks, "Bones" would immediately clinch to avoid staying inside Jackson's range. He never gave the former champion an opportunity to be effective.
Up next for the champion will be his former teammate and current rival "Suga" Rashad Evans, who has twice now stared Jones down after his title victories. Evans earned his title shot with a dominant stoppage of Tito Ortiz at UFC 133 this past August and Jones is not happy with him, stating he's "ruined his night" on both occasions that he's celebrated his title fight victories.
The build-up to that fight should be incredible.
So what do you think Maniacs?
Were you impressed by the clinic Jon Jones put on the former UFC light heavyweight champion? Was there anything "Rampage" could have done differently to create a different outcome?
Sound off!
All gifs by Zombie Prophet via IronForgesIron.com.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, jackson, champion
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva Isn't Happening
Jon Jones put on a "hit and don't be hit" clinic against Quinton Jackson last night at UFC 135. Jones has such phenomenal talent and has improved at such a rapid rate that it has become only natural that many fans of the sport aren't patient to allow for any sort of normal career progression. Even before Jones had defended his title once there were fans calling for a superfight between Jones and middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
That talk picked up again in the immediate wake of Jones' trouncing of Rampage, but Dana White was very quick to squash it at the post-fight presser. Via ESPN:
When asked about a potential fight between the two, White replied, and rightly so, the line of fighters between Silva and the 24-year-old champion is long.
"The problem is this [light heavyweight] division is stacked," White said. "He has a lot of fights ahead of him. The guys who have been fighting at 205 have those slots and they deserve the respect of a title fight before any superfight.
"And, a lot of people don't really think about this, [Silva] is 37 years old."
It is understandable to want to see fighters challenged by the best possible opponents, but there should also be a desire to let a guy who has yet to prove to be a major draw actually dominate his division. The rush is on in fans' minds to find a way to make the best fighters lose. We must see Silva vs. Jones! We must see Silva vs. St. Pierre! Jose Aldo needs to move to lightweight!
Again, it's understandable to want superfights, but much of the time it doesn't make sense to hurt a superstar with a loss for a single big night of pay-per-view buys.
When you look at the superfight talk between Silva and GSP, at least you're talking about a pair of fighters who have effectively cleaned out their division. Jones, on the other hand, has wins over four fighters currently ranked in the top 25 at light heavyweight (and two of those guys are Brandon Vera and Ryan Bader). There are still very intriguing fights out there against Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida, Dan Henderson and even Phil Davis at some point down the road.
Jones would be a considerable favorite against pretty much any man at 205 pounds, but Dana White is absolutely right that we're a long way away from needing to talk about Jones doing anything but defending his title.
Posted in: jone, fighter, silva, light heavyweight, superfight
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 video: Rampage Jackson has no excuses, admits Jon Jones kicked his ass
Quinton Jackson talks about what went wrong in his fight against Jon Jones in the UFC 135 main event that took place last night at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. "Rampage" admits that he was hesitant and unable to get to "Bones" the way he had anticipated in training. He offers no excuses, however, even saying that Jones is the Anderson Silva of the 205-pound division. For a detailed recap of the fight between Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson click here.
Posted in: jon, jone, jackson, jon jones, pepsi center
Read the full article at MMA ManiaHumble in UFC 135 defeat, 'Rampage' Jackson hopes for 'Shogun' Rua in Japan
DENVER - For former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, there are no excuses.
He admits that he was as ready as ever for a UFC 135 contest with UFC
champ Jon Jones, but "Bones" simply proved the better man with a
fourth-round submission victory.
So now, it's time to move on. Well, at least past Jones. For his next
move, Jackson would like to meet an old friend in a familiar setting.
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, jackson, move
Read the full article at MMA JunkieSteven Seagal: Jon Jones is much better than that
Front-kick extraordinaire, Steven Segal, was at the PEPSI Center in Denver, Colorado, to support his "new project" Jon Jones in a fight with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. According to Segal, Jon Jones is much better than that, despite having the best possible Rampage Jackson in the cage against him. Segal also discussed the possible bout between Jones and Anderson Silva, claiming he's not interested in seeing his friends
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, steven seagal, segal
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 135 results recap from last night for 'Jones vs Rampage' in Denver
Back on Nov. 12, 1993, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was born with its inaugural event, aptly-named "The Beginning," which emanated from the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado. Tonight, the promotion returned to the "Mile High City" with UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage," which took place from the Pepsi Center.
And the pay-per-view (PPV), appropriately, marked another new "beginning."
Ladies and gentleman, meet UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones. He is here to stay, whether you like it or not, for a very long time. Get used to it. He is indeed the real deal.
Just ask Quinton Jackson.
Jones, 24, and Jackson, 33, collided on the main event of the evening, pitting the present against the past. New guard vs. the Old. Speed vs. Power. Youth vs. Experience. Whatever it was branded prior to the 205-pound championship showdown now doesn't mean zip because Jones completely outclassed Jackson, a well-respected, formidable former champion, for more than three rounds.
And he looked amazing in the process.
Jones pulled out all the stops, including hyper-extedning knee sidekicks, spinning back elbows and leg kicks, head kicks, front kicks, switch kicks, flying knees, jabs, upper cuts, hooks and even a few other flashy things that would make Steven Seagal sit up and spit.
Jackson, who even after the fight was over via fourth round submission (rear naked choke) maintained that he was in the best shape ever, had absolutely zero answers to derail the "Bones" hype train. In fact, he played a dangerous game of chicken all night long, refusing to get off the tracks, and paid the ultimate price.
His corner pleaded with Jackson to find his range and close the distance, but it just seemed impossible given the ridiculous reach and superior skills of the incumbent champion. Jones basically fought Jackson's stand up game, hitting the floor only a handful of times.
Midway through the third round, in fact, Jones scored a takedown and was immediately able to secure full mount, scooting Jackson up against the cage and landing a skin-splitting elbow to the eye that appeared to signal the beginning of the end.
In the opening moments of the fourth round, the championship rounds and deep water that Jackson promised to drag Jones into, "Bones" stunned "Rampage" with a quick strike and scored a takedown shortly thereafter. Just a few seconds later, Jones took his back, sunk in a deep choke and did what no man (emphasis on man) had been able to do in the UFC up until this point:
Finish Quinton Jackson early.
Jon Jones aced his true test tonight. Passed it with flying colors. Crushed it. In doing so, he put the MMA world, as well as the rest of the division, specifically Rashad Evans, on high alert that he really is as good as he looks. And with just about three years of professional experience to date, it's absurd to think just how good he will get moving forward.
One thing is certain: It will sure be fun to watch.
In the co main event of the evening, former nine-time welterweight champion Matt Hughes was looking to bounce back from a first round knockout loss in his last outing when he collided with Josh Koscheck.
Meanwhile, Koscheck, who was cordial at just about every turn in the 19 days that led up to this showdown, which was nearly three years in the making (he filled in as a late replacement for the injured Diego Sanchez), was coming off a 12-month layoff to recover from a broken face.
Koscheck stopped being so nice about four minutes into their 170-pound battle. It was at this point where he began to turn the tide -- Hughes had found early success with surprising stand up that appeared to catch the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) star off guard.
He landed a strike that sent Hughes to the canvas, forcing him to fish for an ankle or other Koscheck body part to weather the storm. All he found, however, were several Koscheck knuckle sandwiches and hammerfists, the latter of which forced him to retire early for the EVENING.
Hughes was indeed completely out just as the buzzer blared to end round one. It took his corner, which included old friend Pat Miletich and Robbie Lawler, several minutes to peel him off the canvas and explain to him what had just transpired.
To his credit, Hughes, who could barely stand straight much less be expected to formulate coherent thoughts, refused to announce that he would retire from the sport. On the contrary, he requested that the promotion "put him on the shelf" until a collective decision can be made about his future.
Take your time.
That's enough from us -- now it's your turn to discuss "Jones vs. Rampage" in the comments section below. It was a solid night of fights, which was underscored with a career-defining win for on the the sport's most promising, and electrifying, talents.
There is much to talk about -- highs, lows, finishes and long-lasting legacies. How will you remember UFC 135?
For complete UFC 135 results and detailed blow-by-blow commentary of the televised main card fights click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, round, vs
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 post-fight press conference video highlights for 'Jones vs Rampage'
UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage" took place last night (Sept. 24, 2011) from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, featuring a main event between Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and number one contender, Quinton Jackson. It was a solid if unspectacular night of mixed martial arts (MMA) action. For complete UFC 135 results click here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, pepsi center, jones vs, quinton jackson
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC champ Jon Jones: Rashad Evans is not even close to having my number
DENVER - After witnessing the pre-fight tension between UFC light
heavyweight champion Jon Jones and his UFC 135 opponent Quinton
"Rampage" Jackson, the pair's almost-playful banter at Saturday night's
post-event press conference seemed a tad bizarre.
However, after Jones submitted Jackson in the evening's main event, both
fighters said the tension that once existed between them has been
resolved.
In contrast, the champ does not feel the same about his next opponent: former training partner Rashad Evans.
Posted in: saturday night, jone, rashad evans, pre-fight tension, almost-playful banter
Read the full article at MMA JunkieSteven Seagal Was More Impressed With Rampage Jackson Than Jon Jones At UFC 135
MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani caught up with Steven Seagal after UFC 135 to get his thoughts on the Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson main event. Seagal says he was really impressed with Rampage Jackson, specifically his head movement. Jon Jones, not so much. He says Jones “wasn’t himself tonight.” Word is Seagal tried to have a few words with Jones after the fight, but Jones turned him away.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, rampage jackson, steven seagal, seagal
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 135 ‘Jones vs. Rampage’ Post-Fight News & Notes
Rundown of UFC 135 post-fight news and notes…
— Denver was definitely excited to see the UFC again. 16,344 fans filled the Pepsi Center for a $2 million live gate.
— Jon Jones and Rampage Jackson each picked up $75,000 Fight of the Night bonuses. Josh Koscheck was awarded the KO bonus for hammerfisting Matt Hughes into the canvas. Nate Diaz earned the submission bonus for tapping out Takanori Gomi with an armbar.
— Well, Rampage fared better than Shogun Rua, Ryan Bader, Vladamir Matyushenko and everyone else Jon Jones has faced, but it wasn’t nearly enough to pick up the victory over the light heavyweight champ. Rampage was obviously disappointed, but not too bummed with a big paycheck on the way.
“It is what it is. I trained really hard. I can’t beat myself up,” Jackson said. “I’m disappointed because I wanted to make my boxing coach [proud]. I wanted to be his first world champion. Other than that, I’m just happy because I made a lot of money,” Jackson said with a big smile.
Despite the fairly one-sided victory, Jon Jones found the fight to be a learning experience.
“[The fight taught] me a lot about my skill set and things I need to work on,” Jones said at the post-fight press conference. “Sometimes, instead of defending technically, I kind of ran like a little girl and turned my back. So, I need to work on my slipping and evading. But [Jackson] hits so hard, I just got out of the way like a smart man would.”
He also told reporters how he really feels about Rampage.
“I told Quinton that I admire him and respect him,” said Jones. “I tried to play it off like we were two lions — and we were — but the truth is that I look up to him. I’ve been watching him a long time. I basically told him that I loved him and it was an honor to fight him. It was just 100 percent respect. I’m sure we’ll be cool from now on.”
The person Jon Jones didn’t want to talk about though was Rashad Evans. He tried to shut those questions down, but ended up saying a few words about him anyways.
“I will say this about Rashad,” Jones said. “He does not have number. He’s not even close to having my number. Me and Rashad, we sparred a few times, and every time we sparred I know what could have happened. He talks about one day at practice where he held me down and he lives that day in his head every day.”
Word is Jones was limping around backstage after the fight, but claims it was only sore shins. Time will tell if that or Rashad Evans’ thumb will delay their title fight. Either way, I doubt we’ll see it until early 2012.
— Dana White says Jon Jones is now top 3 pound-for-pound.
— Guess who showed up knocking on Jon Jones’ door after the fight? None other than Steven Seagal! Yes, Seagal was in attendance tonight at the Pepsi Center to watch Jones get down with Rampage in the main event. Seagal told Ariel Helwani after the fight that he wasn’t particularly impressed with Jones’ performance and word is he wanted to speak with Jones after the fight, but Jones said he turned him away out of respect for his coaches.
“I didn’t think that would be a good idea. My training staff works very hard on me and I’m their prodigy. I wouldn’t want to disrespect them by welcoming in someone’s else master into our room, our house, our family,” explained Jones.
— Matt Hughes refused to say he would retire following his loss to Josh Koscheck, only that the UFC could “put [him] on the shelf” for awhile, but Dana White thinks its probably the end of the road for the former welterweight champ.
“I think he’s going to retire. I just don’t think Hughes wants to use the word retire,” White said during the UFC 135 press conference. “I just talked to him out in the hallway and he’s going to fly out to Las Vegas (home of UFC’s corporate offices) in the next month or so, and sit down and talk. I’m pretty sure he’s going to hang it up.”
Perhaps Dana White can talk him into it with one of those cushy jobs VP of Fun Chuck Liddell has, but I’m sure Hughes would much rather go out with a win. We’ll see.
— It wasn’t the prettiest fight you’ve ever seen but Mark Hunt got the job done against Ben Rothwell tonight. Interestingly, Dana White revealed that they actually offered Hunt money not to fight when they inherited his PRIDE contract, but Hunt turned it down.
“When we bought Pride, he came as part of the Pride deal,” White said at Saturday night’s UFC 135 post-fight press conference. “It was back and forth and basically I was just like…we’ll just pay you off. We know you’re in the Pride deal. And Mark Hunt said ‘No, I want to come. I want to fight.’”
“Let me tell you what, man, he did it,” White said. “The guy’s got a ton of heart and I have a lot of respect for him.”
“I’m glad that he opted to come here and fight and I’m proud that he fought in the UFC,” said White. “I asked him to come here tonight. If he won’t say it, I will.”
That’s pretty cool, but you know what’s cooler? Mark Hunt going for an armbar. You definitely don’t see that everyday.
Image via Esther Lin for MMA Fighting
Posted in: ufc, fight, jon, rampage, jone
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 135 results: Jon Jones vs Rampage Jackson fight metric report shows the dominace of 'Bones'
If you didn't believe Jon Jones was the real deal Holyfield before last night (Sept. 24), there's simply no way you're not a true believer now.
Jones ruthlessly ran through Quinton Jackson, who could offer little resistance and even less offense throughout their UFC 135 main event contest at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, as evidenced by the striking report you see above, courtesy of the fine folks at Fight Metric.
"Bones" used his superior reach and athleticism to out-land his counterpart 74 to 24 in total strikes and 61 to 16 in significant strikes.
That's just a good old fashioned passionate ass whooping, folks.
That's not all, though, as the light heavyweight champion of the world also had his way once the fight hit the mat, as you can see in the grappling report after the jump. The performance ratings from both men -- which are as one-sided as you think -- are also included.
As you can see, Jones was a fairly mediocre 2 for 6 in takedown attempts but that's a stat that's easy to ignore considering he became just the second man, alongside the legendary Kazushi Sakuraba, to submit "Rampage" when he tapped him with a rear-naked choke in the fourth round.
And the performance rating simply says it all. Unstoppable? Jon Jones just may be.
Be sure to head on over to Fight Metric for the full report.
Posted in: fight, jon, jone, jon jones, report
Read the full article at MMA ManiaQuinton Jackson disappointed in loss to Jon Jones, says sometimes "Rampage" doesn't show up
Top Light Heavyweight contender Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, who was defeated by division Champion Jon "Bones" Jones at UFC 135, discusses the match-up, as well as his fighting future. Jackson expresses disappointment with Saturday's loss, but says whoever he fights next is going to be "in for it."
Posted in: jon, jone, jackson, jon jones, quinton jackson
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 135 Video: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson Now a Jon Jones Believer
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson was one of those that had some reservations about Jon Jones, but after losing to him at UFC 135, count Rampage among the believers.
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, jackson, jon jones
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJones' title defense likely first of many (Yahoo! Sports)
The way Jon Jones ran through Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, it's hard to see anyone stopping him soon.
Posted in: rampage, jone, jackson, way, title defense
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsUFC 135 Video: Jon Jones Happy to Accept the Torch from Rampage Jackson
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson was among the Jon Jones doubters, but after the fight, he may have passed the torch on to Jones, who was more than happy to accept it.
Posted in: jone, jackson, jon jones, rampage jackson, torch
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyRampage: I Don’t See Anybody Beating Jones
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson made no excuses following his loss to Jon Jones on Saturday night, giving the UFC’s 205-pound champion his due after an unsuccessful title bid at UFC 135.
Posted in: ufc, saturday night, jone, jon jones, title bid
Read the full article at SherdogUFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson Post-Fight Recap and Analysis
Jon Jones didn't run through Quinton Jackson like he ran through Brandon Vera and Vladimir Matyushenko and Mauricio Rua. This performance was more measured. He stifled Jackson through the first three rounds before taking him down and calmly working for a rear naked choke in the fourth.
Jones confused Jackson with his reach and distance, the challenger reduced to lunging in for one- and two-punch combinations. Jackson had his moments, his takedown defense looked particularly good considering the ease of Jones to bring down past opposition, but those moments never added up to effective offense.
Whatever questions remained about Jones' abilities -- and, really, only the most ardent Jones hater still questioned Jones' skills in the cage -- dissipated after tonight's performance. He didn't look near as fluid and confident as Anderson Silva -- though Mike Goldberg will try to sell you that narrative, but his demeanor was calm, relaxed, and patient. I won't revert to cliches about looking wise beyond his years, but Jones' fight maturity is more than noticeable when compared to his UFC debut against Andre Gusmao.
It's difficult to imagine Rashad Evans being the man to defeat Jones. As well as he has put together his MMA game, Evans is a small light heavyweight, probably capable of making middleweight if he chose to do so. He'll need to put in a perfect performance -- mixing up strikes, changing levels, getting inside, making Jones react to him instead of the inverse -- to overcome the size, length, and skill of his former stablemate.
This loss probably ends Quinton Jackson's chances of another UFC title reign. It'll take Jackson two years or so to get back in line for a shot, if everything goes correctly, and that will put him at 35 years of age. He's refused to evolve over the last few years, and there's no reason to expect that to change going forward.
UFC cameras caught trainers wrapping up both of Jones' feet, and the champion seemed to be nursing his elbow as well. With Evans already dealing with a broken thumb, I don't expect to see the long-awaited grudge match until late spring or early summer.
Josh Koscheck may have ended the career of Matt Hughes. Despite the narrative woven by Goldberg and Rogan (who were especially awful tonight), Hughes did not threaten Koscheck. Once Koscheck opened up his striking, Hughes crumbled. It's been a brilliant career for Hughes. He talked about the UFC putting him "on a shelf," which I imagine means he has a couple of fights in mind, and he'll retire if the UFC refuses to put them together.
Midway through Ben Rothwell and Mark Hunt's fight, I heard my buddy flick on his iPhone. I laughed. He laughed. We laughed. Rothwell vs. Hunt and Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton proved how bad low-level heavyweight MMA is, even at the UFC level. Both fights dragged...and dragged...and dragged. The lone high spot was Hunt working an armbar from mount, sullied by Joe Rogan screaming, "YES! YES! YES!" into his headset.
So, there's no way that Takanori Gomi trained for this fight, right?
FIGHTER OF THE NIGHT
Photo by UFC.com
Jones flummoxed another elite fighter, even if that elite fighter is past his prime. It'll only take another couple of similar performances until fans clamor for him to jump up to heavyweight.
MOMENT OF THE NIGHT
Photo by UFC.com
We may have seen the last of Matt Hughes in the Octagon, and his interview with Joe Rogan post-fight walked a fine line of emotion. Hughes choked up at times, and he seems resigned to possible retirement if it comes to that.
GOLDBERG LINE OF THE NIGHT
Photo Stephen Martinez for Sherdog.com
"Mark Hunt dominated Fedor Emelianenko for eight minutes."
Probably best to refrain from commenting on fights you've never seen, Mikey.
ENTRANCE SONG OF THE NIGHT
"Higher Ground" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers (Josh Koscheck)
No surprise that this is a cover. Also not a surprise that it's a Stevie Wonder original.
CHOPPING BLOCK
Despite Dana White's assurance that Zuffa needs more fighters, there's no margin for error in the UFC. It only takes one loss to find a pink slip waiting for you on Monday morning. Who's on the Chopping Block?
Ricardo RomeroCole EscovedoAaron RileyTakanori GomiRob Broughton
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, jackson, hughe
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 Recap: Jon Jones dominates Rampage Jackson next up Rashad Evans
Heading into UFC 135, many MMA fans fell into one of two camps. The first camp saying that UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones was the real deal, while the second claimed he hadn’t yet defeated anyone of substance. After tonight’s performance, the first group most likely grew a bit.
Jones showed that he has the skill to take a fighter like Jackson, who has been there and done that, and put him off his game. As Jackson said after the fight, the kid’s not hype, he is for
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, mma fans, ’s performance
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 135 results: Jon Jones vs Rampage Jackson fight video highlights
Jon Jones submits Quinton Jackson in the fourth round of their light heavyweight championship fight at UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage" last night (Sept. 24, 2011) at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. "Bones" was calm, cool and collected on his way to defending his title, following up on his promise to finish "Rampage," who had never been stopped in his UFC career before Jones submitted him. Punches, elbows, kicks, flying knees, takedowns, guard pulls, rear-naked chokes ... is there anything this man can't do? And is there a 205-pound fighter on the planet that can stop him? Rashad Evans, you're up next. For the full report on Jones' dominant win click here and for all the UFC 135 results and blow-by-blow coverage click here.
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, pepsi center, quinton jackson
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 Results: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson Fight Video Highlights
In case you missed it live, or if you just want to relive the light heavyweight championship bout between Quinton Jackson and Jon Jones, then you're in luck. As always, here's a brief video highlight of the UFC 135 headlining fight from ESPN.
SBN coverage of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
For a complete play-by-play of the event, here's Brent Brookhouse's take during our live blog:
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson - Round 1 - Jones coming out in some sort of crawling stance. Shoots and Rampage knees him in the chest. Jones clinching Rampage against the cage. Knee to the body by Jones, Rampage says it was low. Rampage turns Junes into the cage. Jones goes for a choke and Rampage defends. Nice elbow in close by Jones. Knee to the body and again it's low by Jones. Rampage complains. Jones looking for a trip and can't get it. They separate now and are in the center of the octagon. Head kick by Jones is blocked. Leg kick by Jones now. They clinch up in the center and Jones tries for a takedown off a throw but Rampage stays up. Body shot by Rampage and he misses with an overhand right. Head kick by Jones is blocked. Leg kick by Jones again. Leg kick again. Clinch up again with about a minute left. Jones pushes him into the cage again. Jones kneeing the thighs again. Spinning elbow by Jones and Rampage covers up. Head kick blocked again and a wheel kick blocked. Rampage throws big shots at Jones and misses. 10-9 Jones.
Round 2 - Leg kick by Jones and Rampage keeps stalking. Rampage pushes him into the cage but Jones reverses. Knees to the thigh again. Spinning elbow by Jones misses. Rampage avoids the takedown and Jones throwing side kicks to the thigh. Straight right hand by Jones. A lot of Rampage stalking and a left hand gets in a little bit for him. Rampage isn't being very aggressive now and Jones is able to dominate if he doesn't have anything to worry about. Leg kick by Jones. Leg kick again by Jones and another. Jab by Rampage and Jones goes back to the leg. Jones with another blocked head kick. Left hand by Rampage misses. Jones keeps picking his shots and Rampage isn't getting anything off. Jones pulls guard out of nowhere and goes for a triangle but the round ends. 10-9 Jones.
Round 3 - Jones goes for a takedown and almost gets hit with a big hook from Rampage. Rampage has thrown multiple leg kicks this round and maybe that throws Jones off a bit. Jones with a solid leg kick and now Jones wit a takedown. Jones in side control and now passes to full mount. Jones walking him toward the cage. Jones throwing a few elbows and punches now. Rampage powers his way to his feet. Jones kicks to the leg and they're back to standing. Jones keeps putting his open hand in Rampage's face, causing Jackson to complain about attempted eye pokes. Nice hooks by Jones and a leg kick that hurts Rampage. Rampage throws some huge punches that hit nothing but air. Left hook by Jackson is short. Flying knee by Jones and a push kick to the knee. Jones shoots, the round ends and Jones throws Rampage to the ground. 10-9 Jones.
Round 4 - Rampage is coming out a bit more aggressive. Left hook by Jones seems to hurt Rampage. Jones looking for the takedown from the clinch and he gets it now against the cage. Elbow by Jones. Jones moves to the back and gets the choke locked in. Rampage taps out and that's it. Jon Jones wins by submission (rear naked choke), round 4. Dominant performance by Jones and Rampage never had anything close to an answer.
Posted in: rampage, jone, leg, kick, leg kick
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 by the numbers and inside the box score
-Jon Jones made his professional MMA debut in April 2008. In April 200,8 Quinton Jackson held a pro MMA record of 28-6-After beginning his UFC career with two decisions wins, other than his DQ loss to Matt Hamill, Jones has finished his last six opponents. -With 18:46 spent in the cage his win over Jackson was Jones' longest fight of his career -Jones is now 2-0 versus fighters who competed in Pride -Per Compustrike Jones connected with 48 total leg strikes during the fight-The rear naked choke from Jones was the first of his career with his three previous career submissions coming via guillotine choke -Jackson had not been submitted since a July 2001loss to legend Kazushi Sakuraba;a span of 29 fights between submission losses-Jackson drops to 2-2 in UFC title fights. Jackson was 0-2 in Pride title fights-Jackson's record in the UFC is 7-3 -Jackson is 3-2 in his last five fights-According to FightMetric Jones outpaced Jackson with 244-28 effectiveness score advantage -In 21 career fights Josh Koscheck has never lost back to back fights- Koscheck's win over Matt Hughes was his first victory of 2011. -Koscheck is now 2-2 in his career versus former UFC champions-The knockout of Hughes was Koscheck's third KO win of his career and his first since December 2008. -With back to back losses to Koscheck and BJ Penn its marks the third time in Matt Hughes 13 year career that he lost consecutive fights. -The match-up with Koscheck was the first time Hughes has faced a cast member of The Ultimate Fighter -With the knockout defeat Hughes has only been cleanly KO'd a total of three times in his career -Per Compustrike Koscheck out landed Hughes 26-16 in total strikes -Betting favorites went 8-1 at UFC 135. Mark Hunt was the only betting underdog at +260 to pick up a win. -The UFC returned to Denver, Colorado for the first time since March 1994. UFC 135 was the promotion's third trip to Denver.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, koscheck, career
Read the full article at UltMMAUFC 135 Post-Fight Press Conference
After the main event of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage in Denver, the night's big names met with the media for a rundown.Dana White announced the winners of the post-fight bonuses. Jon Jones and Rampage Jackson earned Fight of the Night for their light heavyweight bout that waded into the championship rounds. Knockout of the Night went to Josh Koscheck for his first-round finish of UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes. Nate Diaz scored Submission of the Night for his armbar-by-way-of-triangle-choke finish of Takanori Gomi. Each bonus was $75,000.Video highlights of the fighters below will be linked as they become available:Jon Jones and Rampage JacksonJosh Koscheck and Nate DiazRampage Jackson's best one-liners
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Read the full article at UFCUFC 135: Jon Jones vs. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson Post-Fight Recap and Analysis
Jon Jones didn't run through Quinton Jackson like he ran through Brandon Vera and Vladimir Matyushenko and Mauricio Rua. This performance was more measured. He stifled Jackson through the first three rounds before taking him down and calmly working for a rear naked choke in the fourth.
Jones confused Jackson with his reach and distance, the challenger reduced to lunging in for one- and two-punch combinations. Jackson had his moments, his takedown defense looked particularly good considering the ease of Jones to bring down past opposition, but those moments never added up to effective offense.
Whatever questions remained about Jones' abilities -- and, really, only the most ardent Jones hater still questioned Jones' skills in the cage -- dissipated after tonight's performance. He didn't look near as fluid and confident as Anderson Silva -- though Mike Goldberg will try to sell you that narrative, but his demeanor was calm, relaxed, and patient. I won't revert to cliches about looking wise beyond his years, but Jones' fight maturity is more than noticeable when compared to his UFC debut against Andre Gusmao.
It's difficult to imagine Rashad Evans being the man to defeat Jones. As well as he has put together his MMA game, Evans is a small light heavyweight, probably capable of making middleweight if he chose to do so. He'll need to put in a perfect performance -- mixing up strikes, changing levels, getting inside, making Jones react to him instead of the inverse -- to overcome the size, length, and skill of his former stablemate.
This loss probably ends Quinton Jackson's chances of another UFC title reign. It'll take Jackson two years or so to get back in line for a shot, if everything goes correctly, and that will put him at 35 years of age. He's refused to evolve over the last few years, and there's no reason to expect that to change going forward.
UFC cameras caught trainers wrapping up both of Jones' feet, and the champion seemed to be nursing his elbow as well. With Evans already dealing with a broken thumb, I don't expect to see the long-awaited grudge match until late spring or early summer.
Josh Koscheck may have ended the career of Matt Hughes. Despite the narrative woven by Goldberg and Rogan (who were especially awful tonight), Hughes did not threaten Koscheck. Once Koscheck opened up his striking, Hughes crumbled. It's been a brilliant career for Hughes. He talked about the UFC putting him "on a shelf," which I imagine means he has a couple of fights in mind, and he'll retire if the UFC refuses to put them together.
Midway through Ben Rothwell and Mark Hunt's fight, I heard my buddy flick on his iPhone. I laughed. He laughed. We laughed. Rothwell vs. Hunt and Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton proved how bad low-level heavyweight MMA is, even at the UFC level. Both fights dragged...and dragged...and dragged. The lone high spot was Hunt working an armbar from mount, sullied by Joe Rogan screaming, "YES! YES! YES!" into his headset.
So, there's no way that Takanori Gomi trained for this fight, right?
FIGHTER OF THE NIGHT
Photo by UFC.com
Jones flummoxed another elite fighter, even if that elite fighter is past his prime. It'll only take another couple of similar performances until fans clamor for him to jump up to heavyweight.
MOMENT OF THE NIGHT
Photo by UFC.com
We may have seen the last of Matt Hughes in the Octagon, and his interview with Joe Rogan post-fight walked a fine line of emotion. Hughes choked up at times, and he seems resigned to possible retirement if it comes to that.
GOLDBERG LINE OF THE NIGHT
Photo Stephen Martinez for Sherdog.com
"Mark Hunt dominated Fedor Emelianenko for eight minutes."
Probably best to refrain from commenting on fights you've never seen, Mikey.
ENTRANCE SONG OF THE NIGHT
"Higher Ground" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers (Josh Koscheck)
No surprise that this is a cover. Also not a surprise that it's a Stevie Wonder original.
CHOPPING BLOCK
Despite Dana White's assurance that Zuffa needs more fighters, there's no margin for error in the UFC. It only takes one loss to find a pink slip waiting for you on Monday morning. Who's on the Chopping Block?
Ricardo RomeroCole EscovedoAaron RileyTakanori GomiRob Broughton
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, jackson, hughe
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 bonuses and awards for 'Jones vs Rampage' on Sept. 24 in Denver
UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage" from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, has officially wrapped, which means it's time for those select fighters who went above and beyond in their respective fights to get a little extra grease for their efforts.
To the tune of $75,000 each.
The promotion dished out its standard post-fight monetary bonuses to four out of the 20 fighters on the card, and it's probably no surprise who's leaving the "Mile High City" with a second sack of simoleons.
It's no surprise -- or at least it shouldn't be -- that a returning Josh Koscheck took home the coveted "Knockout of the Night" bonus thanks to the retirement inducing punches he unloaded on Matt Hughes. And while the "Country Boy" says he's not hanging up the gloves just yet, those missiles from "Kos" might haunt his dreams for the next few weeks.
At least.
Also hauling in a wheelbarrow full of cash was Nate Diaz, who continued his family's legacy by impressively forcing Takanori Gomi to tap in the very first round. His armbar earned him "Submission of the Night" and a whole lot of bacon to take back to Stockton.
Finally, you just knew the powers that be would find a way to monetarily award Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones for his stunning fourth round submission win over Quinton Jackson and they've done so by bestowing him with "Fight of the Night" honors and nice fat check to go with his first title defense.
"Superman's" gotta get paid, too, y'all.
Here are the special fight bonuses for UFC 135:
Knockout of the Night -- Josh Koscheck
Submission of the Night -- Nate Diaz
Fight of the Night -- Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson
Again, each fighter received $75,000 extra for their performances in addition to their respective base salaries, which we will pass along as soon as possible.
For complete UFC 135 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here.
Posted in: ufc, fight, night, jone, bonus
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Proves the Hype Is For Real, Finishes Rampage in Round 4
Some said he was all hype, others said he was the future of the sport. Jon Jones proved on Saturday night that he definitely is the best 205lb fighter in the world with his performance at UFC 135.
Posted in: ufc, saturday night, jon, jone, jon jones
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 135 Bonuses: Rampage, Jones Earn Fight Of The Night Honors
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and light heavyweight champion Jon Jones earned "Fight of the Night" honors following UFC 135 this evening.
Posted in: ufc, fight, rampage, jone, night honors
Read the full article at Heavy MMAJon Jones lives up to hype with opening round submission of Quinton Jackson
UFC 135 met the public’s “Mile High” expectations by delivering some extremely exciting affairs including, of course, Jon Jones’ successful title-defense against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
“Fight of the Night” and $75,000 each went to the headliners after Jones locked in a Rear-Naked Choke in the fourth frame of his bout with Jackson. Jones improved his record to 14-1 with the victory though his only loss was the result of dominating an opponent too badly with a DQ defeat after landing an illegal elbow to an already-rocked Matt Hamill. The finish of “Rampage” was the first in more than five years.
Headliner aside, Nate Diaz won “Submission of the Night” and the attached cash after tapping out Takanori Gomi with less than a minute remaining in the opening round of the bout. The win was Diaz’s tenth by way of submission.
Finally, “Knockout of the Night” was awarded to Josh Koscheck after stopping Matt Hughes with strikes a tick from the end of the first frame. It was Hughes’ second consecutive finish by way of strikes and may mark the end of his storied career.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFCSimilar Posts:
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Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Limping Backstage After Dominating Rampage Jackson
Let's not get ahead of ourselves, this might absolutely be nothing. But, Karyn Bryant tweeted something that is a touch scary directly after UFC 135. Did Jon Jones suffer an injury in his dominant win over Quinton Jackson? The tweet:
@KarynBryantKaryn Bryant Champ Jones is limping considerably as he makes his way back to the locker room #UFC135 #MMASep 25 via Twitter for iPadFavoriteRetweetReply
Again, we shouldn't take a reporter's report of a limp after a fight as anything more than just that, a report of how it appeared Jones was walking.
But given the difficulties involved with getting Rashad Evans his title shot, it does make me wonder a little bit if maybe Jones suffered an injury that puts him on the shelf for a bit and again postpones an Evans vs. Jones fight for the UFC light heavyweight championship.
Jones put on a brilliant display in leaving Rampage completely unable to establish any offense tonight, it would be a shame if we didn't see a normal turnaround time before the Rashad fight.
Here's hoping this turns out to be nothing.
Update by Brent Brookhouse: No sooner than I post this, the situation gets addressed. Kevin Iole tweeted that Jones was helped in to the post-fight presser by his cornermen but then tweeted:
@KevinIKevin Iole Jones said his legs are fine. No issues. Shins are sore. #ufc#mmaSep 25 via webFavoriteRetweetReply
So, here's hoping that's the end of it. We'll see.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, locker room, i post
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRampage Jackson Vs. Jon Jones
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 You can thank this guy for uploading the video. FightMetric: Jones Vs. Rampage submitted by raisedinva [link] [2 comments]
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Read the full article at RedditUFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Dominates Rampage Jackson to Defend Title
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones successfully defended his title for the first time over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in the UFC 135 main event on Saturday in Denver, Colorado and made it look easy.
Jones attacked Jackson with a variety of leg kicks that gave him an opening to secure a rear naked choke in the fourth round.
Updating…
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, jon jones, rampage jackson
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 135 results: Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans staredown pic in Denver
After Jon Jones destroyed Quinton Jackson and laid waste to one of the best fighters in the world, his former friend and teammate came stepping to the Octagon to rain on his parade.
Indeed, the next light heavyweight championship fight is already set.
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans at an unknown date, time and location for the 205-pound belt and all the bragging rights in the world, Maniacs.
Your mind may be clouded with the unreal performance you just witnessed but give us a prediction anyway. Who ya' got? "Bones" retains again, or "Suga" steals the strap?
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, quinton jackson, rashad evans
Read the full article at MMA ManiaJones vs. Rampage Official UFC Statistics
UFC 135 - Jon Jones vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
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Read the full article at Fight MetricUFC 135 Results: Jon Jones Forces Rampage Jackson to Tap Out
Jones started bear crawling around the cage. Jackson landed a jab and defended the shot. Jones clinched with a full body lock and both fighters battle for position trading knees. Jones landed a big elbow. He stepped away and Jackson took the center of the cage. Several kicks landed for Jones. Rampage landed a hook to the body. Jones found a home for his leg kicks. Rampage didn't check any of them. Jones clinched again and Rampage landed an uppercut. Jones with a spinning elbow. Spinning kick misses for Jones and Rampage wildly throws without landing anything.
Rampage quickly took the center of the cage but Jones kept him at a distance with kicks. Rampage pressed forward and they clinch against the fence. Jones missed a spinning elbow. Punch landed for Rampage and forced Jones to reset. In the clinch Rampage doesn't take advantage of the position. Rampage hasn't found an answer for Jon Jones' kicks. Jones jumped guard at the close of the round to look for a triangle finish. The horn sounded before he could lock it up.
Rampage opened the round with leg kicks. He found success but didn't remain consistent with them. Jones answered with his own and then ducked for a single and then a double leg, getting Rampage to the ground. Jones quickly transitioned to mount and landed several damaging strikes. Rampage hipped out and regained his feet. Jones cut Rampage with one of those elbows. The straight kick to the knee definitely started to do damage with Rampage walking slower around the cage. Rampage tried to finish the fight with a wild combination but just missed Jones. He did land several jabs in the process. The round ends with Jon Jones shooting a double and dumping Rampage after the horn sounded. Super disrespectful way to close.
Jones came out with a sense of urgency trying to end the fight quickly in the beginning of the 4th. He hurt Rampage with a punch but tried to finish with a spin kick. Jones got the trip and then secured the rear naked choke to finish the fight, forcing Rampage to tap.
Jon Jones becomes the first defending UFC light heavyweight champion since Rampage defended against Dan Henderson. He also is the first man in the UFC to finish Rampage in the promotion. He put on an absolute stand up clinic, mixing kickboxing with traditional martial arts techniques to batter Quinton Jackson. Jones is now 8-1 in the organization and has cemented himself as the future of the division. Quinton Jackson entered the fight in tremendous shape and still was unable to put together any significant offense. He found some success but was never able to follow up to put Jones in danger. Jackson is now 6-3 in the UFC and 32-9 overall. Jon Jones will next face Rashad Evans in the near future. Head over to MMANation to see what Kid Nate saw in this fight.
SBN coverage of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
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Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRampage Jackson gets mesmerized and submitted by Bones Jones
Maybe Bones Jones is on a level we can't even quantify. The dude is thanking God through Twitter and seeing the future while handling MMA legends at the tender age of 23. It's no wonder Rampage admitted to being mesmerized by Jones. I wonder at what point in tonight's fight the awe kicked in for Page and he just went wide eyed? Maybe it was in the first few seconds when Bones Jones did that weird dance in the middle of the cage?
You almost have to admit that this might be the best anyone has ever done against Bones, Rampage stuffed numerous trips and takedowns throughout the fight, but at the end of the day that one Sport Science featuring Bones proved to be the most deciding factor; that 11.5 inch reach advantage was an absolute nightmare for Rampage to get into. Aside from defending from takedowns and eating leg kicks, Rampage did little in the striking department, getting a couple of body shots in here and there while against the cage, but for the most part Page was always on the defensive or trying to be on the offensive and eating shots for his efforts.
The first championship round for Bones Jones went just like every round he has ever had: in complete control. Bones eventually muscles Rampage down, hops to his back, sinks in a couple of hooks and makes him tap with the rear naked choke.
Thanks to the Zombie Prophet at IronForgesIron for the gifs.
Posted in: rampage, jone, bone, bones jones, muscles rampage
Read the full article at Middle EasyJones dominates Jackson at UFC 135 (Yahoo! Sports)
Jon Jones destroyed former champ Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in a UFC light heavyweight title bout Saturday.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, jon jones, champ quinton
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsUFC 135 results: Jon Jones submits Rampage Jackson to defend his light heavyweight title
The main event of UFC 135 tonight (Sept. 24, 2011) at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, featured one of the most highly anticipated light heavyweight match-ups in recent memory, as reigning division champion Jon Jones made his first title defense against number one contender Quinton Jackson.
Before the fight there were allegations of spying, talk of cockiness and, of course, the proverbial promise that someone's head was going to get knocked off. By fight time, most odds had the champion as high as a -900 favorite. In a championship fight at the highest levels of the sport, that was considered ridiculous.
Turns out, not so much.
That's because Jones proved worthy of all the hype by imposing his will and defending his title for the very first time at the unbelievable age of 24 by submitting "Rampage" in the fourth round.
Were you watching, Rashad Evans?
Jones came out with a goofy strategy. He kept one hand on the ground and circled like a spider before shooting for a takedown, one Jackson immediately stuffed. It quickly led to a clinch against the cage, though, where Jones went to work.
The pace was slow in the opening round, with both men maintaining and even keel while picking their spots to attack. Reach was definitely a problem for "Rampage," who struggled to find his way inside.
One round was in the books and neither fighter held a big edge.
They raced to the center of the cage to open the second and both men got aggressive, exerting the will of the champions they are and were. Still, patience was key, and both competitors utilized it as best they could. Openings were rare and no energy could go wasted.
Jackson was clearly looking for the proper time to counter, but Jones length negated this strategy tenfold. Color commentator Joe Rogan called for "Rampage" to "bum rush" his opponent, a call that went ignored as they headed into the third round.
Sweat gleaning from their bodies, the two Octagon warriors continued their chess match. If "Rampage" had a pawn or two, "Bones" took a rook with a takedown straight into side control. And just like that, he took the other by exploding into full mount with minutes still to go in the round.
Jackson responded with a power play by bucking his way out and getting back to his feet against the fence. He didn't do so without visibly showing the damage that had been done, however, as blood flowed freely near his right eye.
The champion controlled the stand-up, dictating the pace and owning the distance usually reserved for the seasoned veterans of the sport. He juked and jived his way to the championship rounds with an ease not seen since Anderson Silva was last plying his trade inside the cage.
"Rampage" looked tired -- and insulted -- heading into the fourth round. "Bones," meanwhile, was relaxed, calm as a kitten.
Jackson pushed forward early in the frame but ate a left hook for his troubles. It wasn't long before Jones asserted his dominance one again by physically overwhelming Jackson, taking his back and locking in a rear-naked choke that forced a tap.
"Rampage" Jackson tapped to a submission from Jon Jones. Who would have thought?
Can anyone stop this man?
For more UFC 135 results and instant analysis live from Denver click here. To check out MMAmania.com's LIVE UFC 135 results post, which includes up-to-the-minute, blow-by-blow coverage of EVERY fight click here.
Posted in: rampage, jone, jackson, round, jon jones
Read the full article at MMA ManiaSteven Seagal: 'Jon Jones Wasn't Himself Tonight'
Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, News, VideosDENVER -- MMA Fighting caught up with Steven Seagal following Saturday night's UFC 135 main event to discuss Jon Jones win over Quinton Jackson. Seagal talked about being more impressed with Jackson than Jones, his words of advice for Jones, why he believes Jones wasn't himself tonight and whether he wants to see Jones fight Anderson Silva.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: jone, quinton jackson, nbsp ;permalink, steven seagal, seagal
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseIn or Out of the Cage, UFC Champ Jon Jones Proves Hard to Figure
Filed under: UFCDENVER -- Jon Jones decimated his toughest opponent to date and successfully defended his UFC light heavyweight title for the first time on Saturday night. So why didn't he seem all that happy about it?
That was just one of many questions for the brilliant young fighter who is proving to be as much of an enigma to those trying to understand him out of the cage as he is to the baffled opponents who face him inside of it. Throughout the UFC 135 post-fight press conference the 24-year-old champion maintained a low-key, almost downtrodden demeanor, despite the fact that he was only minutes removed from the biggest win of his career.
"Me and 'Rampage' [Jackson] did a lot of talking and I'm just glad it's over," said Jones, his voice flat and low. "I'm just doing my job right now."
Maybe what got him down was the foot injury he sustained while kicking Jackson's shins. He had to be helped into his seat at the start of the post-fight presser and helped out of the room once it was over, though he insisted it was nothing serious.
Or maybe it was the fact that the UFC once again cut his post-fight celebration short by immediately shifting the focus in the cage from Jones' fourth-round submission win over Jackson to his planned next bout against former teammate Rashad Evans -- a shift that Jones said "ruined my special night" for the second time in as many title fights.
When asked about that comment, a stone-faced Jones shook his head and said only, "I don't want to talk about Rashad today."
Though later he did talk about him, but only after Jackson alluded to Evans possibly having Jones' number after their training room sessions at Greg Jackson's gym in Albuquerque, N.M.
After Jackson said that Evans was "basically the only person who has a chance at beating him because Rashad trained with him before and Rashad knows," Jones deigned to speak of his former training partner.
"I will say this about Rashad," Jones said. "He does not have number. He's not even close to having my number. Me and Rashad, we sparred a few times, and every time we sparred I know what could have happened. He talks about one day at practice where he held me down and he lives that day in his head every day."
Even Jackson had questions for Jones once they were both sitting at the same table. Like, for instance, why did he start the fight by crawling out to the center of the cage on all fours?
According to Jones it was because he knew Jackson's punching power would be greatest early in the fight and "I knew he wouldn't be able to generate too much power at such a low target."
And his decision to dump Jackson over his back before calmly strolling off to his corner following the horn to end round three? At the time, it seemed like just one more way to remind Jackson of his superiority. Not quite toying with him, but certainly sending a message.
Not so, according to Jones.
"I was just trying to finish the round strong, show that I had a lot of energy left," he explained.
Jackson, who has losses to both Jones and Evans, said he respected the champion more than his old rival Evans, if only because Jones looked to do more than simply out-wrestle him.
"When it comes to fighting, even though Jon ran like a little girl every now and then, I still have more respect for him as a fighter, because Jon did come to bring it. ...He rocked me once and he's a true fighter. Rashad...I was really rusty and he probably would have knocked me out that time had he fought me."
As for Jones, he insisted that he was "definitely happy" about the win over Jackson, even if he didn't seem like it. Rather than thinking (or talking) about where and when his long-awaited fight with Evans might be, the champion had other ideas.
"I just can't wait to get home to my family, take a nice bath, and be done for a while." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: time, jone, jackson, rashad, evan
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 15: Jon Jones vs Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson
Unorthodox is fast becoming too mundane a word to describe UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Who else would commence their first ever defence of...
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jackson, light-heavyweight
Read the full article at Fighters OnlyJon Jones vs Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson
Unorthodox is fast becoming too mundane a word to describe UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Who else would commence their first ever defence of...
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Read the full article at Fighters OnlyJon Jones, Rampage Jackson, Nate Diaz and Josh Koscheck Earn UFC 135 Bonuses
Filed under: UFCFor UFC fighters Jon Jones, Rampage Jackson, Nate Diaz and Josh Koscheck, their UFC 135 paydays got bigger after their fights.
UFC President Dana White announced at the UFC 135 post-fight press conference that Jones, Jackson, Diaz and Koscheck had each won $75,000 bonuses.
Jones and Jackson won the Fight of the Night award for their main event performance, in which Jones forced Jackson to tap out to a rear-naked choke in the fourth round. Jackson was a game opponent who didn't back down from Jones' constant attacks, and that made it an entertaining fight, even though it wasn't a particularly competitive fight, as Jones dominated throughout.
Jones had previously won a Submission of the Night award against Ryan Bader, and a Knockout of the Night award against Brandon Vera. Jackson has won two previous Fight of the Night awards (against Keith Jardine and Forrest Griffin) as well as Knockout of the Night awards against Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva.
Diaz won the Submission of the Night for his arm bar of Takanori Gomi in the first round of their fight, which started the pay-per-view. It's the third time in Diaz's career that he has won the Submission of the Night award. Diaz has also received four Fight of the Night bonuses.
Koscheck got the Knockout of the Night award for stopping Matt Hughes with one second left in the first round. It's the second Knockout of the Night award for Koscheck, who has also won a Fight of the Night and a Submission of the Night bonus previously in his career. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: fight, night, jone, award, night award
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones Submits Rampage Jackson at UFC 135
Filed under: UFCJon Jones said leading up to UFC 135 that he wanted to be the first man to finish Rampage Jackson in the UFC. Jones accomplished that goal, forcing Jackson to tap out in the fourth round of an outstanding light heavyweight title fight, and demonstrating once again that he's one of the best and most exciting fighters in MMA.
"The game plan was to prove I can strike with Quinton Jackson," Jones said afterward. "I think we did that."
It was the striking that gave Jones the advantage for most of the fight, but he ended the fight with a submission, sinking in a rear-naked choke in the fourth round. Throughout the fight Jones was on a completely different level than Jackson. There was no question who the better fighter was.
"He's great," Jackson said afterward. "I thought it was hype. The kid is good. I take my hat off to him."
Jones, who has always had an unusual fighting style, came toward Jackson at the start of the fight in a low stance, almost like a lineman in football, and attempted to go for a takedown. Jones wasn't able to get Jackson down, but he was able to grab him and control him in the clinch against the fence.
Once they broke free of their clinch, Jones was working on using his significant reach advantage to stay out of harm's way and land kicks from the outside. Jones landed several kicks that Jackson had no answer for, and he also landed an impressive spinning elbow. At the end of the round Jones threw a dynamic spinning kick that could have given him a highlight reel knockout, but Jackson ducked under it and survived the round.
In the second round Jackson began to look more tentative about Jones' attack, backing away instead of going to the inside. Jackson also seemed to be affected by Jones' leg kicks, which were hammering away at Jackson's lead leg. At the end of the second round Jones jumped guard and attempted a triangle choke, although there wasn't enough time to get close to a submission.
A minute into the third round Jones went for a takedown and got it easily, immediately falling into side control and then transitioning into full mount. Jones landed a couple of hard elbows, cutting Jackson, although Jackson showed off a nice hip escape and got back to his feet. From there they exchanged strikes for the rest of the round, with Jones getting the better of the exchanges. At the very end of the third round Jones went low for a takedown, and when the horn sounded Jones threw Jackson off him, which seemed to anger Jackson.
Early in the fourth round Jones took Jackson down against the cage and got on top of him, then transitioned to his back beautifully, sunk in a rear-naked choke, and tightened it until Jackson submitted. As Jackson tapped, Jones calmly got up, then briefly celebrated at the center of the Octagon. After Jackson had a moment to recover, he walked over and hugged Jones, knowing he had just been beaten by a better fighter.
Jackson has nothing to be ashamed of. There may be no man alive who can beat Jones. He's a remarkable champion. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: fight, jone, jackson, round, round jones
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 135 Live Blog: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson Updates
Filed under: UFCDENVER -- This is the UFC 135 live blog for Jon Jones vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, the main event of tonight's UFC pay-per-view from the Pepsi Center.
Jones (13-1) won the belt from Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 128 in March and will be making his first title defense in this fight. Jackson (32-8), who is coming off wins over Lyoto Machida and Matt Hamill, held the title previously in May 2007 through July 2008.
The live blog is below.
More Coverage: UFC 135 Results | Latest UFC 135 News
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Round 4:
Round 5:
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Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 135 Fight Card Primer: Rampage Jackson vs. Jon Jones
At UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage, Jon Jones (13-1; 7-1 UFC) will defend his title against challenger Quinton Jackson (32-8; 7-2 UFC). This Light Heavyweight title fight will be the main event of the evening. According to the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings, Jones is currently the #1 Light Heavyweight in the world, while Rampage is slightly below him at #4.
What started out as somewhat of a make-up fight has turned into a heated affair over the past weeks. Originally, Jones was set to make his first title defense against Rashad Evans, but a mysterious on-again off-again injury caused Jones to drop out of that fight, only to agree to fight Rampage instead. In recent weeks, things have become heated between the two with Rampage first accusing Jones of having spies in his camp, then beginning a war of words against the young champion. This seems to have lit a fire under Rampage that hasn't been seen in some time. He'll look to become only the second man to regain his title in the history of the Light Heavyweight division.
How do these two stack up?
Jones: 24 years old | 6'4" | 84.5" reachJackson: 33 years old | 6'1" | 73" reach
What have these two done recently?
Jones: W - Mauricio Rua (TKO) | W - Ryan Bader (Sub) | W - Vladimir Matyushenko (TKO)Jackson: W - Matt Hamill (UD) | W - Lyoto Machida (SD) | L - Rashad Evans (UD)
How did these two get here?
Jones comes in as the red hot new young superstar of the UFC. His rise to the top received a sudden burst earlier this year when a Rashad Evans injury led to a surprise Jones title shot. He made the most of that shot, dominating Shogun Rua to become the new champion. Since then, he's rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, first through what some perceive to be ducking Evans, now in the spying allegations from Rampage. Many think he is the man to finally give the division the stability it has lacked since Rampage knocked out Chuck Liddell, but for that to happen, he needs to get past this first title defense.
Rampage has had a very rocky time since losing the Light Heavyweight title to Forrest Griffin. He followed that loss up with a now notorious public breakdown of sorts. He looked to get back on track, only to announce his retirement from MMA to pursue a film career. That retirement didn't last long, and although he's 2-1 since that time, he has not looked particularly motivated. Until now. Whether it's the title shot or something personal about Jones, Rampage seems dedicated once again, and a dedicated Rampage is one of the best in the world.
Why should you care?
Alongside Anderson Silva, Jones is one of the most dynamic and exciting fighters in MMA today. And when Rampage is on, he will absolutely bring it as well. In short, this fight is going to be awesome. Emotion, anger, the young star looking for a legacy, the veteran looking for one last run at the top - it's all here, and it's a thing of beauty. Watch it.
Posted in: ufc, fight, title, rampage, jone
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135: Jones vs. Jackson Live Results
If you’re a fan of crime-stopping phenoms, chain-wearing film stars, or simply terrific MMA events then chances are you’re excited about the UFC’s offering tonight in Denver, Colorado! Headlined by Jon Jones defending his light heavyweight championship against former title-holder Quinton Jackson, and also featuring fights like Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck and Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi, UFC 135 is set to unfold in less than an hour and Fighters.com will be along for the ride with the rest of you, reporting back on whose reflexes reigned supreme at the show.
In addition to determining the UFC’s 205-pound champion, the fight between “Rampage” and Jones will also settle a score that’s become ever-more personal as the weeks have unfolded between the match-up’s original announcement and today’s tussle in the “Mile High City”.
“Rampage” Addresses Issues of a Spy in His Camp
All the PPV action starts at 9:00 PM EST with preliminary pairings on Facebook beginning at 6:30 PM EST and then taking over the Spike TV airwaves ninety minutes later.
Read below for a rundown of UFC 135 results featuring commentary in certain instances:
Ricardo Romero vs. James Te Huna
Cole Escovedo vs. Takeya Mizugaki
Junior Assuncao vs. Eddie Yagin
Tim Boetsch vs. Nick Ring
Tony Ferguson vs. Aaron Riley
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi
Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton
Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck
Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson
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Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, assuncao vs, crime-stopping phenoms
Read the full article at Fighters.comUFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage Live Results and Coverage
The puck doesn’t drop on the Colorado Avalanche season for another two weeks, but plenty of fists will be thrown tonight at the Pepsi Center as the UFC returns to the state where it all started. Coming to us live from Denver, Colorado it’s UFC 135. As always, Five Ounces of Pain will provide full results including a round-by-round recap of all the live televised action.
The night kicks off on Facebook at 6PM EST. Then at 8PM EST, two preliminary fights will air live on SpikeTV. Finally, at 9PM EST, the main card goes live on PPV.
UFC 135 is headlined by a UFC light heavyweight title fight between champion Jon Jones and former champion Quinton Jackson. Also on the card is a welterweight showdown between UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes and highly ranked contender Josh Koscheck.
PRELIMINARY CARD (FACEBOOK)
Ricardo Romero vs. James Te Huna
Cole Escovedo vs. Takeya Mizugaki
Junior Assuncao vs. Eddie Yagin
PRELIMINARY CARD (SPIKETV)
Tim Boetsch vs. Nick Ring
Tony Ferguson vs. Aaron Riley
MAIN CARD
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi
Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton
Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck
Jon Jones vs. Quinton JacksonSimilar Posts:
Jones and Jackson have words during the staredown, all UFC 135 fighters make weight
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi scheduled for September
UFC 135 Breakdown: The Undercard
Pick Em Showdown – UFC 135: 5OZ vs. Fightlinker
TUF 13 winner Tony Ferguson dips to lightweight to join UFC 135 lineup
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Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, pm, card
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJon Jones officially spoils the ending to UFC 135 for everyone
Geez, spoiler alert. You would think someone as close to the main event and PPV buy rate as Jon Jones would want to keep his victory tonight a secret for at least a little while. Well, if you are tired from DREAM last night I guess you can go back to bed. Thanks to Jon Jones we now know who will win tonight's UFC 135 main event, and it isn't Rampage. I guess we can all watch the Bellator bantamweight tournament with Joe Warren uninterrupted since the light heavyweight champ took to his Twitter account to thank the all powerful being upstairs for his victory.
Note to self: never let Bones Jones watch a M. Night Shyamalan movie before anyone else. He will just ruin the awesome twist endings about trees and dead people for everyone.
[source]
Posted in: jon, jone, jon jones, night i, twist endings
Read the full article at Middle EasyUFC 135 fight card: Rampage Jackson's trash talk is cheap if he can't beat Jon Jones
It's deja vu all over again.
First, it was Rashad Evans. Now it's Jon Jones. Different fighters, different circumstances. Same drama, same Quinton Jackson.
It wouldn't be normal these days for the former UFC light heavyweight champion to head into a fight without a chip on his shoulder. Whether it's Jones' arrogance, limited mixed martial arts (MMA) experience or allegations that he had a mole planted inside his MusclePharm training camp, Jackson has been fishing for excuses to beat up "Bones."
He'll finally get the chance tonight (Sept. 24, 2011) when he attempts to reclaim his 205-pound title from Jones, 24, in the UFC 135 main event from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.
It's been weeks, months of back-and-forth barbs. Sure, it doesn't hold a candle to the dizzying drama between Jackson and Evans, which lasted for more than one year and culminated with a unanimous decision win for "Suga" at UFC 114.
But it has been constant ... and equally as irritating.
Perhaps fabricating conflict is a way to market and sell a fight that would be otherwise disinteresting to unsuspecting/casual fans. B.J. Penn does it better than anyone. It can also maybe even provide a fighter with motivation and fire to compete at a higher level by the time fight night rolls around.
But there comes a point to stop. When all the trash talk, accusations, finger-waving and insults have become just too much.
Jackson and Evans exceeded that limit on the set of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF); unfortunately, we had to endure their bickering for an additional six months or more before they finally settled their score. The rivalry between Jackson and Jones, fortunately, hasn't lasted that long even though it may feel that way.
Tonight is deja vu all over again. Unless, of course, Jackson can manage to do what he was unable to do against Evans, which is back up all that smack and beat "Bones" later this evening.
That's a better, more refreshing, shtick well worth admiring.
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, jackson, . 
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 Results: Jones vs. Rampage
Filed under: UFC, ResultsMMA Fighting has UFC 135 results for all of the Sept. 24 UFC 135 fights, plus live coverage from Denver, live blogs of all the fights and live UFC 135 twitter updates.
In the main event, Jon Jones defends his light heavyweight title against Rampage Jackson. In the co-main event, UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes battles Josh Koscheck.
Check out the full results below.
Main Card
Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson (live blog)
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck (live blog)
Rob Broughton vs. Travis Browne (live blog)
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi (live blog)
Mark Hunt vs. Ben Rothwell (live blog)
Undercard
Tony Ferguson vs. Aaron Riley (live blog)
Tim Boetsch vs. Nick Ring (live blog)
Junior Assuncao vs. Eddie Yagin (live blog)
Cole Escovedo vs. Takeya Mizugaki (live blog)
James Te Huna def. Ricardo Romero via KO - R1, 0:47 (live blog)
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Posted in: ufc, jone, result, vs, blog
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 135 Quick Quote: Snotty-nosed Jon Jones doesn't want to be the future
"I don't want to be the future. I don't want to be the guy who makes no mistakes and does no wrong or the guy who can't swear in interviews. I'm just me. I'm a snotty-nosed 24-year-old who got good at fighting and now everyone cares what I say. I'm starting to realize everything goes away. There's nothing you should lose sleep over, no matter how bad it seems while it's happening. It all goes away."
-- Believe it or not, there was a time when Jon Jones was the young talented kid that everyone thought was the future of mixed martial arts. Fighting on the preliminary card showed how talented he was without exposing him to a microphone. That is until he got good enough to earn a title shot thanks to a timely injury to Rashad Evans, a former teammate and training partner. Once "Bones" was put under the microscope, all his traits -- both good and bad -- have come to the surface and the spotlight has been unfavorable to him. Those that supported him in his earlier days are suddenly singing a different tune. Evans himself has painted a picture of a cocky kid that thinks he's untouchable. At first, Jones denied such claims and continued to put on a front for the media and fans. It seems now he's finally growing into his skin and while he says (via The Vancouver Sun) he's still the same guy he's always been, the perception of him has undoubtedly changed. Whether that's for the better or worse is in the eye of the beholder but his feud with Quinton Jackson, who he'll defend his light heavyweight title against tonight (Sept. 24) at UFC 135 in Denver, certainly hasn't helped matters. But, as Jones himself opined, no reason for anyone's panties to get up in a bunch about it. Get in, do the job, and get out. The rest takes care of itself.
Posted in: guy, jone, quinton jackson, future, vancouver sun
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 ‘Jones vs. Rampage’ Live Results & Recap
UFC 135 takes place later tonight at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado and will air live on pay-per-view at 9pm ET/6pm PT. The pay-per-view will be preceded by prelim specials on Spike TV at 8pm ET/5pm PT and Facebook at 6pm ET/3pm PT.
In the main event, Jon Jones puts his UFC light heavyweight title on the line against Rampage Jackson.
In the co-main event, Josh Koscheck steps in on short notice to take on Matt Hughes.
Travis Browne meets Rob Broughton in a heavyweight match-up.
Takanori Gomi faces Nate Diaz in a lightweight bout.
Mark Hunt looks for his second UFC win against Ben Rothwell.
Results, recap and bonuses after the jump.
Results
Jon Jones vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck
Rob Broughton vs. Travis Browne
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi
Mark Hunt vs. Ben Rothwell
Aaron Riley vs. Tony Ferguson
Tim Boetsch vs. Nick Ring
Ricardo Romero vs. James Te Huna
Cole Escovedo vs. Takeya Mizugaki
Junior Assuncao vs. Eddie Yagin
Recap & Thoughts
Tim Boetsch vs. Nick Ring:
Aaron Riley vs. Tony Ferguson:
Mark Hunt vs. Ben Rothwell:
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi:
Rob Broughton vs. Travis Browne:
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck:
Jon Jones vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson:
Bonuses $???
Submission of the Night:
Knockout of the Night:
Fight of the Night:
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, ben rothwell, travis browne
Read the full article at MMA ConvertJon Jones opens up on backlash from fans
UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones will enter tonight’s title-defense against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135 with the trappings of tremendous hype brought on by his meteoric rise in Mixed Martial Arts.
Only 24-years old, and essentially undefeated fourteen fights into his career including a number of dominant wins against highly-respected opponents, Jones’ status as the top competitor in one of MMA’s deepest divisions has earned him as much anger from fans as adulation. Whether his personality rubs certain people the wrong way or they simply don’t like to see others’ overwhelming success, “Bones” has become anything but a consensus fan-favorite since bursting on the scene nearly three years ago.
Jones is aware of the negativity, as he made clear in a recent interview on the UFC website where he spoke about how it has affected him.
“I did feel the hate. Me being a young guy and a guy who wanted to be liked, at first it hurt me a lot,” Jones admitted. “But what I learned very fast is that I need to take my emotions out of my work sometimes, especially when it comes to other people’s opinions. I’m a positive being, that’s my nature…I’m not a person who ever Tweets swear words or ever tries to purposely try to put someone down or hurt them. I’m not a person of ill will. I genuinely try to share knowledge on self-confidence and religion and treating your neighbor right and believing in yourself and working hard and loving your family. And I know in my heart that I’m not doing the wrong thing, so if I’m just trying to help, and people are misconstruing it, I’ve learned not to worry about what I can’t control anymore.”
“I was talking to Brian Stann,” Jones continued while referencing his teammate at Greg Jackson’s camp in New Mexico. “And he said ‘Hey man, you think you get hate messages? I get called a murderer. People think I’m an advocate of war, and I get a lot of hate. And the thing is, the people who actually love you Jon, they’re probably gonna read your interview or watch your YouTube video, and think ‘Wow, what a great guy.’ Most of the people who write those messages, they’re people with nothing else to do but to bring somebody else down. Only people that are below you can pull you down.’”
“That stuck with me,” Jones concluded. “So I learned that as long as I know that I have good intentions, I don’t allow people to misconstrue my words and pull me down.”
However, that doesn’t mean the champion is all smiles and butterflies.
“I know I’m a good person, but, as an athlete, I do have a chip on my shoulder, I do have a big ego as an athlete, and I do believe that I’m the best…I do want to be the best. That’s something I can’t control, and I really can’t hide my pride in the Octagon because I work my butt off to be the best. I’m not ashamed of it anymore.”
Fans can find out whether or not that hard work will pay off when Jones and “Rampage” lock horns later this evening on PPV with the broadcast starting at 9:00 PM EST. UFC 135 preliminary fights will also be available in the hours leading up to the main card with a handful streaming through Facebook (6:00 PM EST) and a pair on Spike TV (8:00 PM EST).
PHOTO CREDIT – UFCSimilar Posts:
Dana White: ‘[Rampage] giving up literally millions of dollars to play Mr. T’
My Plea To Jon Jones: Be Ali
Rashad Evans leaves Jackson’s MMA for good
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson speaks
Jackson viewed upset UFC 86 loss to Griffin for first time day prior to arrest
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Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 135 fight card: Previews, predictions and a complete guide to 'Jones vs Rampage'
For fans of mixed martial arts, this past week has been a slow crawl of steadily rising anticipation for tonight's "Jones vs. Rampage" event, going down at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.
UFC 135 will feature the very first title defense of light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who will put his 205-pound strap on the line against Quinton Jackson.
In the co-main event of the evening, Matt Hughes may be making his final stand when he enters the Octagon to do battle against a returning Josh Koscheck.
It's been a flurry of non-stop news, analysis, quotes, predictions and previews for the past week and it's certainly understandable if you missed out on a few stories.
But don't worry, Maniacs, we've got you covered.
In cased you missed any or all of it — or just want to keep the discussion alive — below are links to all the major storylines heading into tonight's broadcast.
In we go:
UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage"
Fight card and line-up
Results and live fight coverage
UFC 135 predictions and previews:
Predictions from the man himself, Nostradumbass
Spike TV Prelims preview and predictions
Facebook Prelims preview and predictions
Fight preview: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson
Fight preview: Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck
Fight preview: Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton
Fight preview: Takanori Gomi vs. Nate Diaz
Fight preview: Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt
UFC 135 press conferences:
Pre-fight press conference
Press conference staredown pics
Press conference staredown video
Press conference complete video
A fan's perspective of the press conference
UFC 135 weigh-ins:
Weigh-in results
Weigh-in photos gallery
Weigh-in staredown pics
Weigh-in video
UFC 135 odds:
Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck
Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton
Takanori Gomi vs. Nate Diaz
Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt
UFC 135 news:
Event poster
How to watch the event tonight
Conference call and live blog
Open workouts photo gallery
Exclusive interview with Ben Rothwell
What did Rampage say to Jon Jones at the weigh-ins?
Who has the statistical edge in Jones vs. Rampage?
Matt Hughes reunites with Pat Miletich
UFC 135 'Spygate:'
Rampage Jackson claims Jon Jones has a spy in his camp
Jon Jones denies Rampage's spy claims
Rampage says Jon Jones can watch him train if he wants and it won't matter
Jon Jones and Rampage Jackson on The Daily Habit: The chef was the spy
Jon Jones "admits" to being a British double agent
MusclePharm Executive VP Leonard Armenta resigns in the wake of Rampage Jackson's accusations
Chael Sonnen pans Jon Jones for not taking advantage of Spygate to get inside Rampage's head
UFC 135 editorials:
History in the Making: Jon Jones ushers in a new era by demolishing Shogun Rua
Jon Jones wants to remain composed under barrage of Rampage trash talk
Jon Jones might be the future at light heavyweight but Rampage is the present
Rampage Jackson still gets nervous headed into his fights
Rampage will walk through Jon Jones' punches and kicks because he has no power
Rampage Jackson is heart attack serious about getting his belt back
Josh Koscheck throwing in the towel or planning for the future?
Josh Koscheck won't be afraid to take punches in his return
Josh Koscheck asked to fight a couple hard-hitting middleweights before getting Matt Hughes
Matt Hughes is a good comeback fight for Josh Koscheck
Takanori Gomi fighting for his job?
Is Mark Hunt better than a wooden chair?
UFC 135 videos:
Dana White video blog episode one
Event video trailer
Extended video preview
Countdown to UFC 135
Predictions for UFC 135 from Rich Franklin
Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson main event preview
Jon Jones and Rampage Jackson on Jimmy Kimmel
Jon Jones not ashamed of arrogance
Rampage: Jon Jones is just a kid with his head up his ass
Rashad Evans has Jon Jones beating Rampage standing up
David Haye has Jon Jones taking out Rampage Jackson
Matt Hughes just wants to go out on top
That, my friends, should be enough to keep you talking -- at least for the time being.
What has been the biggest story heading into this event? "Spygate" and Rampage Jackson getting inside Jon Jones' head? Matt Hughes possibly making his last stand? Something else?
Sound off, Maniacs.
Posted in: ufc, jon, rampage, jone, vs
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135: Rashad Evans Visits 'Rampage' Jackson's Camp, Has Seen Jon Jones Quit
Rashad Evans spoke with MMA Nation's Luke Thomas on the eve of UFC 135. Evans, who turns 32 on Sunday, will be in attendance at the Pepsi Center in Denver, and he is expected to step into the Octagon and challenge the winner of UFC light heavyweight title fight between champion Jon Jones and challenger Quinton Jackson.
Evans had the opportunity to visit "Rampage's" camp at the MusclePharm gym, and he was impressed with what he saw:
"I walked through the facility and I seen some of the things that he was doing and then I seen him and he was looking good, better than I've ever seen him before and I was actually really surprised...."A 'Rampage' that's focused is a dangerous 'Rampage' and I think that the biggest problem with Jon Jones is the fact that he's getting so overly confident and cocky that he can't get beat and all he has to do is step in the cage Saturday and collect his belt. I think that's dangerous thinking when you've got somebody in front of you who's been training hard."
As for Jones, Evans is repeating the refrain about their shared time at Greg Jackson's gym:
"I've seen him get pushed in practice and I've seen him be very human and not as good as he looks on TV. I've seen that there's times where he looks great in practice but there's times where I've seen him quit in practice."
Evans also thinks the SpyGate situation is messing with Jones:
"It becomes a distraction when you take it personal...."I think Jon Jones is taking it personally. This is his first time being in a fight where he's used his mouth like that. Normally he tries to be the humble guy and say all the right things but that's being pushed a little bit because Rampage is giving him a little bit of mouth."
Evans seems to be giving "Rampage" a better chance at winning this fight than he did earlier this week when he picked Jones to win. The off-shore sportsbooks list Jones between a 5- and 6-1 favorite.
Posted in: time, rampage, jone, jon jones, evan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 prelims live on Sportsnet ONE
Watch the preliminary bouts for UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage live on Sportsnet ONE at 8 p.m. ET.
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, vs, sportsnet
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC 135: Jones vs. Jackson fight card
Watch the preliminary bouts for UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage live on Sportsnet ONE at 8 p.m. ET.
Posted in: ufc, fight, rampage, jone, vs
Read the full article at sportsnet.caUFC 135: Jon Jones vs Rampage Jackson fight on ESPNs 'SportsCenter' (Video)
Here is video of the confrontation between Jon Jones and Quinton Jackson on ESPNs "SportsCenter," during which "Rampage" reveals the MusclePharm spy who was allegedly feeding "Bones" training secrets. Jones, naturally, (once again) denies those accusations. The pair also discuss their UFC 135 main event, which takes place later this evening in Denver, Colo., at around 11:30 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV). Are we there yet?
Posted in: jone, quinton jackson, musclepharm spy, training secrets, colo .,
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 Results: Jon Jones chokes out Rampage Jackson in 4th
Jon Jones proved once and for all he's the real deal, thanks to an amazing performance against Rampage Jackson in the main event of UFC 135.
This time we saw a patient and calm Jon Jones, who was not willing to over-expose himself with trademark unorthodox moves. Instead, Jones channeled his aggression to kicks and punches to the body, which step by step took all the steam out of Jackson's legendary warrior spirit.
Rampage responded with wild punches, but none of them landed clean to put Jon Jones in
Posted in: jon, jone, jackson, jon jones, rampage jackson
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 135 Fight Card: Jon Jones vs. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson Preview
The pre-fight hype for the UFC 135 main event title showdown between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones (13-1) and challenger Quinton Jackson (32-8) can only be described as uncomfortably intense. The two fighters have been verbally sparring with one another ever since the bout was announced back in June, and it intensified greatly in the last month when Jackson revealed that a spy was feeding Jones' camp information.
The war of words came to a conclusion on Friday when Jackson revealed the spy was a former MusclePharm employee during a segment on ESPN's Sportscenter. Jon Jones adamantly denied the allegations, and his manager Malki Kawa also denied involvement in 'Spygate' by sarcastically finding ways to take jabs at Jackson for his claims via Twitter. Whether Jackson was right or wrong, it added an interesting twist to an already strenuous relationship between the two fighters.
The joint media engagements also put a magnifying glass on Jones' identity. Both 'Rampage' Jackson and former teammate Rashad Evans made claims that Jones was "faking" his public persona, stating he was a phony by attempting to appeal to the mainstream fanbase without being "real". The criticism has gained so much steam that Jones' body language, wording, demeanor, and personality have been meticulously combed through on a daily basis by the media and fans.
Some would say that talk is cheap, and following the weigh-in on Friday afternoon -- the talk is now over. The only question to consider is whether Jackson was able to sneak under the skin of Jon Jones. Was he able to break Jones' focus mentally? Will it help him stop the young champion from defending his title for the first time?
Jackson is in the best shape of his career, and he still possesses one-punch knockout power. Jones isn't wrong in his assessments of Jackson's style however. It's understandably stagnant and slow compared to his Pride days. The question is whether his training regiment can bring him back to life. Will that be enough to defeat Jones?
I doubt it. Jones is the lengthier fighter, taller, quicker, and stronger in the areas that Jackson is weak. Jones hasn't hid what he intends to do. He wants to bring this fight to the ground. Unless Jackson can land a knockout punch as Jones creeps into his wheelhouse or during a sprawl, Jones will find a way to trip up Jackson and demolish him from the top. As most fans have stated, Jackson has a puncher's chance. Chanting 'Pride never die!' mantras won't erase that thought no matter how hopeful we might be.
Fortunately for the wishful, I'm a Pride homer. I'll give Jackson a bit more of a chance than most fans. If his cardio can hold up against Jones, there are opportunities. Some of Jones' past fights, notably his earliest fights in the UFC, exposed some weaknesses in his conditioning. Jackson, while not a cardio machine like lightweight Clay Guida, doesn't tire easily. If he can avoid damage and make Jones press the action, it's possible he wears out Jones and capitalizes on opportunities late in the fight.
Jones hasn't shown those weaknesses in more recent performances, which is a sign that he's fixed those issues. As long as he avoids Jackson's power and doesn't get clipped by the former UFC champion, Jones should chop down Jackson over the course of five rounds with ease. In fact, I don't think Jackson lasts the full twenty-five minutes. Jones brings Jackson into his world on the ground and batters him early, eventually finishing this fight in the third.
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Jon Jones vs. 'Rampage' Jackson
Jon Jones
'Rampage' Jackson
12 votes | Results
Posted in: ufc, fight, jon, jone, jackson
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 Results and Play-by-Play for “Jones vs. Rampage”
MMAFrenzy.com will have live results and play-by-play from tonight’s “UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage” event starting at 6:30pm ET for the preliminary card and 10pm ET for the pay-per-view main card, which is headlined by UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Check out MMAFrenzy.com’s complete UFC 135 pre-fight coverage while you wait, and stay tuned below for live UFC 135 results.
UFC 135 Official Results
MAIN CARD (PPV)
Jon Jones (c) vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck
Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt
Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)
Tony Fergusgon vs. Aaron Riley
Nick Ring vs. Tim Boetsch
PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook)
Eddie Yagin vs. Junior Assuncao
Cole Escovedo vs. Takeya Mizugaki
James Te-Huna vs. Ricardo Romero
UFC 135 Play-by-Play
NATE DIAZ VS. TAKANORI GOMI
TRAVIS BROWNE VS. ROB BROUGHTON
BEN ROTHWELL VS. MARK HUNT
MATT HUGHES VS. JOSH KOSCHECK
JON JONES VS. QUINTON “RAMPAGE” JACKSON
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
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Read the full article at MMA FrenzyPick a Card: UFC 135 (Main Card)
Welcome back fight fans! Yesterday we looked at my breakdown of the UFC 135 preliminary fights, and today we’re going to look at the main card. We have a few familiar faces in action and one past vs. future type of showdown for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Let’s go!
Mark Hunt vs. Ben Rothwell
Welcome back Big Ben. Rothwell paid a huge price in his victory over Gilbert Yvel last June, tearing his ACL and breaking his nose enroute to victory. A year later, he steps in against PRIDE veteran Mark Hunt, who has had a rocky road of his own in the UFC. Both fighters were monstrous in their own rights at one point – Rothwell a perfect 9-0 in the IFL, and Hunt holds the distinction of being the one who ended Wanderlei Silva’s four-plus year unbeaten streak, though, after a break away from MMA, he hasn’t returned with the same level of force in years previous.
We need to really get one thing straight here – Hunt is a powerful, yet one dimensional fighter, and mixed martial arts has evolved so much since Hunt’s heyday in 2004 that he’s almost an underdog every time he steps into the cage. He’s a kickboxer without a lot of proven skill on the ground. If Rothwell chooses to stand this up and box, Hunt has a chance. However, Rothwell’s an adventurous, yet smart fighter happy to do whatever it takes to win. If this fight goes to the ground (which with Rothwell’s fight awareness, it should,) it might be a quick night for the Super Samoan. Rothwell’s not the kind of guy who gets shaken off his game plan easily, and this should prove to be a triumphant night for Big Ben.
Prediction: Ben Rothwell def. Mark Hunt via Submission
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi
Beat your opponent fast, or risk getting beaten. Gomi lives by this philosophy, and his lightning speed and explosive nature have given him the nickname “Fireball Kid.” Gomi, at one point of the most unstoppable fighters on the planet has seemed like a mere mortal in the UFC since coming over. He’s 1-2, and the door is open for his release with a loss.
Holding that door open, hoping not to get pushed out himself is Diaz, who himself has two recent one-sided losses to Dong Hyun Kim and Rory MacDonald. Diaz, the slightly more likeable of the two brothers has had a lot of the heat off him lately with all that has happened with Nick’s situation, and he’s been allowed to slide through without any drama on his end.
Both men will probably be fighting like scared animals this fight – aggressively without abandon. Gomi’s never been the type to hold back period, but he’ll probably come out with more fire than the Tyson Griffin fight. Diaz will probably try to play the waiting game, but Gomi’s a bit too imposing to do that for long, and a renegade tagging from Gomi’s jab will probably shake off any ideas of a pensive fight. This is probably your “pre-fight on-paper” fight of the night candidate going into the event. This will come down to whether Gomi’s reckless abandon will result in Diaz catching him in a submission, or whether Gomi will keep his head and defense up and allow himself not to be caught again. I would like to think Gomi’s a bit wiser to the ways of UFC Fighters now that he’s been caught by Kenny Florian and Clay Guida, and this awareness will push him over the top.
Prediction: Takanori Gomi def. Nate Diaz via TKO
Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton
I had to do a double take and make sure this really was on the main card. Broughton hasn’t fought in over a year after having to pull out of a scheduled fight with Dave Herman, and he’s landed quite the battle here. Browne punched his ticket (no pun intended) to this fight knocking out Stefan Struve in May in ridiculous fashion. That battle of the giants (Browne is 6′8) shook the very foundations of the cage, and if the late Gorilla Monsoon were here, he would’ve told us “they had to reinforce the cage here for these two monsters.”
Broughton comes in with 5 straight wins to his name. You wouldn’t expect a fighter of Broughton’s size to play submissions so much, but his background’s in submission wrestling, and four of those five victories have come by submission.
This fight interests me because I don’t really know where both fighters go from here. Who fights who next? Browne would be headed toward bigger and better things, but a Broughton win would still put him a few fights from the division’s big names. I could see Browne perhaps meeting someone like Brendan Schaub or even Shane Carwin, but Broughton? He’d probably have to go through one or two fighters in the middle tier of the heavyweight division (like Herman) before he got to the bigger names. I’ll give a slight edge to Browne here, whose strength I believe can give him the advantage over Broughton’s relentless ground game.
Prediction: Travis Browne def. Rob Broughton via Split Decision
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck
Hughes is an interesting guy. Over his last few fights, he’s looked like little more like a gatekeeper. He’s the one that holds the key to the big names at 170, but he himself is still a big enough name that if you beat him, it’s a legitimate notch in your fight belt. Koscheck is a guy looking for his way back in. After a one sided loss to Georges St. Pierre last winter which left him with a broken orbital bone and a lot of hurt pride, Koscheck has taken time off to heal and reflect, and comes in as a replacement for Diego Sanchez.
This fight has been wildly interesting from the get go, with Koscheck claiming he posted a fake acceptance on Twitter just to get Hughes to commit, further saying the former champion was ducking him. Hughes said on the conference call for the event, however, that he was never offered a previous fight with Koscheck, but was looking forward to the opportunity.
The biggest questions coming into the fight are whether Hughes still has it left in him to win a fight of this magnitude, and whether this will be his last in the UFC? Hughes has neither confirmed nor denied the rumor, stating only that he wouldn’t sign another four-fight contract.
Expect the MMA world to slow down and watch this fight, as all eyes will be on the popular Hughes coming into, and even after the fight. If this is the last time we’ve seen Matt Hughes, congratulations to a fantastic career win or lose. If it happens to be win, Koscheck’s status as a legitimate contender will be heavily in doubt, and he will have a longer road than usual to get back there. A win will probably pit Koscheck against someone like the aforementioned MacDonald should he beat Brian Ebersole. A loss will probably throw him to the lower part of the main card, or even on Spike for a fight or two. Expect Koscheck to come in hungry, and make few mistakes here, because if he makes them, Hughes will pop in for the kill, and that will be all she wrote. It pains me to say this, but I’m going to say Koscheck’s probably better prepared, since all the pressure is on him to perform, and he stands to lose more than Hughes, who has nothing left to prove.
Prediction: Josh Koscheck def. Matt Hughes via Unanimous Decision.
Light Heavyweight Championship Bout: Jon Jones (c) vs. Quinton Jackson
Bear with me, because this is a long one.
Jackson is one of the biggest charismatic enigmas in MMA history. A walking one-liner after another, Rampage remains one of the most beloved, and most hated fighters in MMA history. There’s no middle ground.
“Bones” Jones seems to be heading down a similar path. Once the young beloved babyface, his recent antics and success seem to be giving a few people the cold shoulder. Huge battle lines have been drawn here. On one side of the canyon stands Jones and his supporters. On the other stands Rampage and his supporters. In the middle valley – The MMA media awaiting the clash.
Our very own Gil Martinez said it best in his blog when he wrote that Jones has a natural talent you cannot teach. He appears so natural, so unflappable and so fluid that you wonder if anything, or anyone could get him off his game. Almost awkward to the spotlight, Jones has proven critics time and again that his fight game is legitimate, (and perhaps best so, since his talking game leaves a lot to be lacked.)
Then there’s the former title-holder. “Rampage” Jackson’s personality transcends the seemingly disciplined organized chaos of mixed martial arts. At a time where fighters are all too happy and humble for their opportunities, Jackson enters with a swagger and an attitude that makes him both a babyface and a heel at the same time. It feels like he’s been around forever since eyes have been on him for the better part of the last decade, and then you realize he’s only 33. An innovator of sorts inside and outside of fights, the Memphis product has a natural charisma that many wish they had, but will never possess.
This probably won’t be a fight. This will be an out and out standup war. Both men have been chattering at each other nonstop, and both men know exactly what they’re getting into. “Rampage” is not interested in the judo match of the century. Jones is not interested in providing a BJJ clinic. Neither man is going to rush for a takedown, and we’d be foolish to think we’re going to see anything but two fighters that want to put each other to sleep with their fists rather than their submissions.
Rampage will be giving up a lot of reach to Jones (though to be fair, everybody this side of Dhalsim does) but is relentless in the amount of punishment he can take, and will use that to close that distance. Jones has the speed advantage and can nail you with three elbows before you’ve had time to feel the first one.
If I can offer you any advice it’s that you shouldn’t leave the room. I’m not even sure this is going to leave the first round. It may take Jackson longer to reach the Octagon howling than the entire fight. Nobody’s going to hold back from the beginning, and I hope the referee’s moved out of the way in time for the fireworks to beginning.
When it all settles, I expect Jones will be the one standing at the top. It’s never safe to rule “Rampage” out, however, when you’re looking at the tools needed to succeed in mixed martial arts nowadays, Jones brings in a more flexible game than Jackson. Seven years ago, if this fight was in PRIDE and Quinton was in his prime, I would be whistling a much more different tune, however, I believe he’ll lay a good beating on Jones, but ultimately, will fall short in his question to become champion again.
Prediction: Jon Jones def. Quinton Jackson via TKO
With so many events going on this weekend, I hope you give everything a fair shake. Don’t forget Bellator’s new season continues tonight, bringing Joe Warren and Chase Beebe back to the cage, and I hope you stayed up late to catch DREAM.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Read the full article at Fighters.comConfident Rashad Evans pulling for Jon Jones win at UFC 135
DENVER - Rashad Evans, who faces the winner of Saturday's UFC 135 main
event, admits he has an odd feeling that Quinton "Rampage" Jackson will emerge victorious over UFC light heavyweight champ
Jon Jones.
But he'll also admit he's pulling for Jones. There's beef between them,
and he wants nothing more than to face his former training partner in
the cage.
"I would rather fight Jon Jones," Evans said Friday at a UFC Fight Club
Q&A session in Denver. "We already have a situation with the whole
Greg Jackson thing and the thing splitting up, so I would like to fight
him."
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, jon jones, rashad evans
Read the full article at MMA JunkieUFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage LowKick.com Staff Predictions
Jon Jones vs. Rampage JacksonTop Prediction: Jon Bones Jones via TKO in Round 2
Anton Gurevich: Rampage Jackson loves to say “I love knocking people out”, but his last knockout was back at UFC 92 against Wanderlei Silva, almost three years ago. Since that date, Jones fought 6 times and finished 5 of his opponents, all Top 10 UFC Light Heavyweights. Jon Jones has a huge advantage over Rampage Jackson when it comes to physique and the depth of striking skills. It will be interesting to see how
Posted in: rampage, jone, jon jones, rampage jackson, wanderlei silva
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 135 'Jones vs. Rampage' Live Results and Play-by-Play
Sherdog.com will report from the Pepsi Center in Denver at approximately 5:45 p.m. ET with play-by-play and live results of UFC 135 “Jones vs. Rampage,” which features the UFC light heavyweight title bout between Jon Jones and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, pepsi center, jones vs
Read the full article at SherdogPre-UFC 135 LowKick.com Community Rankings: Jones First, Rampage Fourth
According to LowKick.com members, reigning UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones will step inside the Octagon at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, as the #1 ranked Light Heavyweight on the planet. Jones' opponent, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, is currently ranked 4th, behind the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champions Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and "Suga" Rashad Evans. If victorious against Jones, Rampage is expected to capture the 1st spot in the rankings, as well as a ticket to P4P
Posted in: rampage, jone, pepsi center, light heavyweight, lowkick.com members
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 135 Main Event Results - Rampage Can’t Keep Up With The Jones; Champ Wins By Sub in Four
DENVER, September 24 – Another test down for UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. The youngest titleholder in UFC history not only proved that he could absorb some thunder from Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in the UFC 135 main event at Pepsi Center Saturday night, but that he could fight into the championship rounds and still emerge victorious, as he submitted the former 205-pound belt holder in the fourth round.“The gameplan was to prove that we could strike with Quinton Jackson,” said the 24-year old Jones, who retained the belt he won from Mauricio Rua in March for the first time. “He insulted my striking, so I worked with Mike Winkeljohn, and we cleaned up my striking to prove a point.”“I’m in the best shape of my life,” said Jackson. “I thought he was all hype, but the kid is good. My hat is off to him. I did my best. This is the best Rampage ever, and he had me memorized.”Jones came out for the fight in a bizarre crouch that baffled the crowd but didn’t deter Jackson from the task at hand, as he avoided Jones’ first takedown attempt. Jones was able to grab hold of Jackson though, and the two locked up against the fence, a sequence highlighted by knees and a hard left elbow by the champion. Finally, after a stalemate, the two broke, with Jackson looking to set up some of his bombs as Jones pecked away with kicks from long range. At the three minute mark, Jackson shot off his first bad-intentioned hooks, but Jones got out of the way before they landed. After some more long distance strikes, Jones bulled Jackson into the fence again, almost catching him with a spinning back elbow. After breaking, Jones missed a wild kick, and Jackson was just as wild in missing some haymakers before the bell.Jackson shot out of his corner to start round two, catching a kick and just coming short of landing a flush right hand. Jones locked up with the challenger again, but a takedown attempt came up empty. With the crowd chanting “Rampage, Rampage,” Jackson continued to stalk, but Jones’ strikes continued to find their mark. They just weren’t flowing in combination, which gave Jackson ample time to recover and reset. And as flashy as Jones got, Jackson looked unimpressed, as his defense was solid enough to shrug off whatever came his way. Jones was the busier of the two though, enabling him to take another round.Jones’ takedowns continued to come up empty early in round three, but eventually, nearly 90 seconds in, he softened up Jackson with leg kicks and got him to the mat. Jones quickly transitioned into the full mount position, but just when it looked like Jones was about to finish, Jackson, now bleeding from a cut over the right eye, found his way back to his feet, and the crowd erupted. Jones landed two hooks when the action resumed, and a kick to the knee brought a disdainful look from Jackson, who nearly chased Jones across the Octagon to throw looping haymakers that came up far short. As the round closed, Jones shot for another takedown, but couldn’t get it.Visiting the championship rounds for the first time, Jones came out fast and was met by Jackson, who got taken down against the fence. Jones looked for a rear naked choke after landing a few strikes, and within seconds he sunk it in. Jackson did his best to hang on, but there was no escape, and he was forced to tap out at 1:14 of the round. With the win, Jones improves to 14-1; Jackson falls to 32-9. Next up for Jones is a bout with former training partner Rashad Evans.“I thought it was a good fight,” said Evans when brought into the Octagon after the bout. “Jon Jones looked impressive. This (the title fight) is a good opportunity. I’m glad the UFC put it together.”“I’m not gonna say much leading up to this fight, I’m just gonna prove it,” said Jones. “He (Evans) has ruined my special night twice in a row now.”
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, jackson, round
Read the full article at UFCUFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage Results and Play-by-Play
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage live results and play-by-play on Saturday, Sept. 24, in Denver. The main event features Jon Jones vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, vs, rampage results
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage Quick Results
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage quick results on Saturday, Sept. 24, in Denver. The main event features Jon Jones vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, result, vs
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 135 Play-by-Play: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage play-by-play of Jon Jones vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson on Saturday, Sept. 24, in Denver.
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Read the full article at MMA WeeklyCountdown to UFC 135 full video for 'Jones vs Rampage' on Spike TV
UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage" is set to go down tomorrow night (Sept. 24, 2011) from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. It will feature a main event -- Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson -- and co main event -- Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck -- that will begin to air on pay-per-view (PPV) at 9 p.m. ET. Join us tomorrow night for complete UFC 135 results and all the coverage you can handle right here. In the meantime, definitely check out our complete UFC 135 event archive for all the news, notes, videos and pics you can handle right here.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, event, tomorrow night
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC Quick Quote: What did Rampage Jackson say to Jon Jones at weigh ins?
"I'm going to end his hype tomorrow, that's what I told him. It's about time he grew up and started acting like a real MMA fighter to put on a front for these fans. Stare people down -- that's what we do."
-- Hot diggity. Quinton Jackson refused to let light heavyweight champion Jon Jones look to the floor during their staredown at the UFC 135 weigh in event, getting right in his face and forcing the 24-year-old phenom "to act like a real MMA fighter." After their eyes locked, the pair began to once again flap their gums, exchanging the last in a long line of pre-fight pleasantries before they lock horns tomorrow night (Sept. 24, 2011) in Denver, Colorado. It can't come soon enough. "Bones" vs. "Rampage," a.k.a Speed vs. Power, is a bitter battle between the new guard and the old, pitting perhaps the future of the sport at 205 pounds against one of the division's most consistently successful fighters in the past decade. Is the future now or will Jackson derail Jones' hype train before it even has a chance to get too far from the station? Remember, speed supposedly kills.
Posted in: jone, jackson, fighter, mma fighter, hype train
Read the full article at MMA ManiaThings get heated between headliners at UFC 135 weigh-ins
The growing rivalry between UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones and top contender Quinton Jackson nearly boiled over today at the weigh-ins for this weekend’s UFC 135 event where the two 205ers will face off in headlining action.
Though no physical altercation occurred, Jones and “Rampage” exchanged words during the standard staredown with “Bones” opting to look directly at Jackson rather than avoid eye-contact as he typically does. Both men came in at 204 pounds for tomorrow night’s title fight in Denver.
“Rampage” Reveals His UFC 135 Strategy Against “Bones” Jones
Bad feelings ran rampant at the proceedings with preliminary fighters Junior Assuncao and Eddie Yagin having to be pulled apart by UFC President Dana White and Nick Ring bumping opponent Tim Boetsch with his forehead while face-to-face.
Here is a complete list of UFC 135 weigh-in results:
Ricardo Romero (205 lbs) vs. James Te Huna (205 lbs)
Cole Escovedo (135 lbs) vs. Takeya Mizugaki (135 lbs)
Junior Assuncao (145 lbs) vs. Eddie Yagin (145 lbs)
Tim Boetsch (186 lbs) vs. Nick Ring (185 lbs)
Tony Ferguson (155 lbs) vs. Aaron Riley (155 lbs)
Nate Diaz (156 lbs) vs. Takanori Gomi (155 lbs)
Travis Browne (255 lbs) vs. Rob Broughton (261 lbs)
Ben Rothwell (263 lbs) vs. Mark Hunt (261 lbs)
Matt Hughes (170 lbs) vs. Josh Koscheck (170.5 lbs)
Jon Jones (204 lbs) vs. Quinton Jackson (204 lbs)
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Read the full article at Fighters.com'UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage' weigh-in photos: An MMAjunkie.com image gallery
DENVER - MMAjunkie.com was on scene for today's official "UFC 135: Jones
vs. Rampage" weigh-ins, where all 20 competitors successfully made
weight for the UFC's return to its original host city.
Today's festivities took place at Denver's Wells Fargo Theater. The nearby Pepsi Center hosts Saturday's pay-per-view event.
Check out images of all the fighters, including current UFC light
heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former titleholder Quinton "Rampage"
Jackson.
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, titleholder quinton, weigh-in photos
Read the full article at MMA JunkieUFC 135 fight card: Jon Jones vs Quinton Jackson preview
The UFC light heavyweight title is on the line tomorrow night (Sept. 24, 2011) in the UFC 135 main event when current 205-pound champion Jon Jones takes on former titleholder Quinton Jackson.
Jones has quickly become a mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar. And his rise to the top culminated this past March when he defeated Mauricio Rua with a third round technical knockout to won the division title. He hopes to usher in his own era with his first title defense.
"Rampage" Jackson has repeated it time and time again in the lead-up to this fight: He wants his belt back. He reportedly spent $1 million to prepare for this bout and to get in the best shape of his life. Jackson appears as motivated as ever.
Will "Bones" prove his greatness with a huge victory over a legend at the top of his game? Will "Rampage" end the hype with one big counter left hook? Who will exit the cage with the belt wrapped around their waist tomorrow night?
Jon Jones
Record: 13-1 overall, 7-1 in the UFC
Key Wins: Mauricio Rua (UFC 128), Ryan Bader (UFC 126), Vladimir Matyushenko (UFC on Versus 2)
Key Losses: None to truly speak of
How he got here: Jones' path from can't-miss prospect to world champion has been very fast. Just five months into his professional MMA career, he was already 6-0 and making his UFC debut in place of an injured Tomasz Drwal at UFC 87. He defeated his opponent, Andre Gusmao via decision but his star turn didn't truly take place until his next fight against Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94 in which he showcased a diverse array of attacks and all kinds of slams and throws.
"Bones'" star continued to brighten as he began finishing his opponents in increasingly impressive fashion, smashing tough light heavyweights Brandon Vera and Vladimir Matyushenko in the first round.
After handing Ryan Bader the first loss of his career in another two round destruction, Jones was offered a title shot in place of his injured teammate Rashad Evans. This caused a huge rift in the Greg Jackson camp when Jones admitted he'd be willing to fight Evans which culminated in 'Suga' leaving Albuquerque for Florida.
The young gun took it to the champ, smashing "Shogun" over the course of three rounds and stopping him to become the youngest titleholder in UFC history.
He was all geared up to defend his belt against Evans but a hand injury delayed a UFC 133 title bout. When it turned out Jones didn't need surgery, he instead accepted former champion Quinton Jackson as his first title defense.
How he gets it done: Jones has more methods of "getting it done" than any other fighter in UFC history. He could play it safe and stay on the outside, peppering "Rampage" with his severe reach advantage and a large series of leg kicks.
He could also force the issue with his superior diversity of strikes, attacking Jackson with flying knees and his gnarly elbows up close.
Where Jones may be most lethal of all is if he can take this fight to the ground. "Bones" has one of the most dangerous clinches in the division simply because he has impeccable balance and timing, capable of throwing an opponent on their head after seeing the faintest of openings.
Jackson is stronger in the clinch as opposed to someone who can shoot in with a fast and powerful takedown but Jones may still have the leverage to throw him to the ground. If he can do that, expect some of the most brutal elbows and ground and pound on the canvas as you've ever seen.
Quinton Jackson
Record: 32-8 overall, 7-2 in the UFC
Key Wins: Lyoto Machida (UFC 123), Dan Henderson (UFC 75), Chuck Liddell (UFC 71)
Key Losses: Rashad Evans (UFC 114), Forrest Griffin (UFC 86), Mauricio Rua (Pride Total Elimination 2005)
How he got here: Jackson made the transition to MMA after a moderately successful high school and junior college wrestling career. He got off to a 10-1 start on the local circuit before he was scooped up by Pride Fighting Championships to compete over in Japan.
He would be thrown into the fire immediately against Japanese superstar Kazushi Sakuraba, losing via first round rear naked choke but creating many fans in the process. Jackson would go on to compete 17 times total in Pride, accumulating a 12-5 record over the course of five and a half years.
His contract would be purchased by the UFC and after avenging a loss to Marvin Eastman via knockout in his promotional debut, he was given a title shot against Chuck Liddell, the man he'd previously defeated in the 2003 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix.
Jackson destroyed Liddell, knocking him senseless in the first round to end the legend's era. He would go on to defend his belt in a five round thriller against Dan Henderson in one of the most watched MMA fights in history on cable TV.
"Rampage" lost his title to Forrest Griffin in a razor-close decision and would have a mini-meltdown afterwards. He avenged two prior losses to Wanderlei Silva with another vicious first round knockout and was geared up for a title shot before "retiring" to film the A-Team.
Since his return, he lost to Rashad Evans in a number one contender match but then defeated Lyoto Machida and Matt Hamill to earn one more shot at the belt against Jon Jones.
How he gets it done: "Rampage" isn't as quick as Jones. He doesn't have the same reach and he's not as skilled on the ground. What he does have is power and (potentially) superior technique with his striking.
Jackson is almost a pure counter puncher. He loves to time his opponents and take advantage of those openings they leave while they're arms are extended in attack. If Jon Jones does anything repetitive, Jackson will pick up on it and explode with some heavy strikes. He's got a nasty left hook and an absolutely brutal right uppercut that can end Jones' night if he can connect solidly.
The former champion has a terrific chin and will be willing to take a shot to give one. Don't be surprised if he does something like leave his head exposed just so he can take advantage of an opening that Jon Jones leaves when he tries to hit him.
If Jones tries to clinch and go for a takedown, "Rampage" has terrific interior strength. He should be able to use underhooks and try to throw "Bones" off and get back to striking.
Jackson has experience in lengthy fights as well. If he can drag Jon Jones into the championship rounds, he could potentially find a weakness in cardio. Jones has looked pretty tired in his two UFC fights that went to a decision.
Fight "X-Factor:" The biggest factor in this fight is distance. Jones, the lengthiest fighter in the UFC, will clearly have an advantage on the outside edge where he can pound on "Rampage" with impunity.
Things get much more interesting inside the pocket where Jackson is in striking range and capable of landing his powerful counter strikes. This is also an area where Jones can actually land elbows because of his ridiculous reach.
Inside, the edge goes back to Jon Jones where he can really hurt Jackson with knees and elbows up close. He can also send the former champion for a ride if he can get both hands on him while utilizing his expertise in leverage.
Whoever can dictate the distance at which this bout takes place will be at a tremendous advantage.
Bottom Line: This is a "can't-miss" type of match. Jones is one of the most exciting fighters on the planet right now and whether you like him or not, there should never be an excuse for missing his fights. Jackson is also one of the UFC's biggest draws because he's always capable of landing that fight-ending knockout blow. With how much these men have begun to grow disdain for each other over the past few weeks, the rivalry has really become intense. It could be a knockout by Jackson, it could also be a one-sided thrashing by Jones. Regardless, you will want to be tuning in.
Who will come out on top at UFC 135? Tell us your predictions in the comments below!
Poll
When it's all said and done tomorrow night at UFC 135, who will be the UFC light heavyweight champion?
Jon Jones
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
13 votes | Results
Posted in: ufc, fight, title, jone, jackson
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 weigh in video (full) for 'Jones vs Rampage' event in Denver on Sept. 23
The official UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage" weigh in event took place earlier today (Fri., Sept. 23, 2011) from the Well Fargo Theater in Denver, Colorado. All 20 fighters set to compete on tomorrow night's UFC 135 fight card hit their respective marks without incident. To check out complete UFC 135 results results click here. To see the staredown pics for Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson and Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck click here. (Note: The UFC 135 weigh in video above begins around the six minute mark.)
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, quinton jackson, fargo theater
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 Breakdown: The Main Event
Once in a lifetime athletes are labelled as such for a reason. Every now and then, someone comes along to make heads turn and jaws drop. When Jon Jones landed that famous spinning back-elbow on Stephan Bonnar, he did exactly that. Even UFC matchmaker Joe Silva could not resist jumping out of his chair. That move accompanied a virtuoso display that saw Jones rag-doll the UFC veteran and mesmerize him — as well as as the audience watching in amazement — with all kinds of unorthodox maneuvers. Jones might as well have titled that performance “Act 1″, as he has been able to replicate it — or even eclipse it — every time he has set foot inside the Octagon. Such enthralling showings have carried him all the way to championship glory, and this Saturday at UFC 135, Jones returns to the cage to defend his title for the first time. The man with the unenviable task of handing Jones his first legitimate defeat is someone who knows what it takes to be a champion: former UFC light heavyweight kingpin Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Light Heavyweight Title Fight: Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson
When fighting smart and to his full potential, Quinton Jackson is not the one-dimensional slugger many mistake him to be. Not only is he a very capable wrestler, but his clinch work and dirty boxing are some of his biggest assets. Moreover, when he is not in pure aggressive headhunting mode and is not content to simply move forward and throw power hooks, Jackson possesses a nice blend of controlled aggression and accurate counter-punching. His knockouts of Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva are great demonstrations of Jackson’s ability to make his opponent pay with precise countering. Liddell made a critical mistake by leaning forward to throw a shot to the body with no set-up, and “Rampage” leveled him with a pinpoint right hook that put an end to “The Iceman’s” reign of terror over the division. Likewise, the moment Wanderlei Silva threw his trademark wild haymakers, Jackson ducked, parried, and landed a textbook left hook that saw him gain a measure of revenge over his longtime nemesis.
Jackson’s right uppercut is equally lethal, and he does an excellent job at using it to counter as his opponent moves in (see the Forrest Griffin fight), and an even better job and landing it from close-quarters, as Kevin Randleman and Marvin Eastman both found out. Jackson’s work on the inside is one of the best in the game, and he is extremely dangerous when he starts putting combinations together and mixes things up by going to the body. His performance against Matt Hamill may not have set the world on fire, but Jackson displayed some variety in his striking particularly when moving forward, as he punished Hamill with punches and knees to the body every time “The Hammer” covered up.
When seeking to initiate the clinch, Jackson’s footwork is quite underrated. He is quite savvy when it comes to cutting off the cage and closing distance. Once there, “Rampage” possesses some nasty dirty boxing and his takedowns are quite effective. Conversely, when he gets frustrated due to his inability to find his opponent’s chin, his footwork becomes quite predictable and ineffective. Rashad Evans was able to exploit that hole in Jackson’s game perfectly, as he never allowed “Rampage” to get within range. This forced Jackson to become even more aggressive when moving forward, which in turn made him an easy target for Evans’ takedowns as he used Jackson’s aggression against him.
Therefore, and in this fight more than any other, it will be vital for “Rampage” to be patient and not to get too discouraged should he fail to have much success landing anything significant early on. This is particularly crucial given that he will likely have a very hard time finding a way around Jones’ reach and get on the inside. That is the chore of the problem for “Rampage” in this particular match-up, as while his best offense comes on the inside — be it with his boxing or clinch work — Jones’ reach will allow him to stay long and keep his opponent at bay. Jones hasn’t developed much of a jab yet, but the Mauricio “Shogun” Rua fight showed that he is finally learning to make full use of his reach by utilizing his long frame to throw plenty of kicks — particularly front kicks — to control distance. Before that, much of Jones’ striking was revolved around some flashy strikes that he threw without much of a set-up. However, having combined tactical discipline and smart fighting with his creativity makes Jones an even bigger nightmare to deal with.
More impressive was how devastating Jones’ offense was on the inside, as he brutalized Rua with knees and body shots. Worse yet for Jones’ opponents, he utterly confuses them by landing some shots on the inside before immediately putting them on their backs with a takedown from the clinch; not to mention the fact that the variety in his takedowns is pretty astounding. This spells trouble for “Rampage”, as while his base and takedown defense are both solid, he struggles to deal with unpredictable opponents who confuse him by mixing things up. He was able to stuff all of Hamill’s takedowns because he knew what to expect, but couldn’t deal with Evans’ takedowns as Rashad threw plenty of feints, continuously changed levels, and set things up with his striking.
Of course, Jones doesn’t fight exactly the same way that Evans does, and he will not change levels as much, or shoot from distance (though he did effortlessly put Ryan Bader on his back with a shot from the outside), but he will be able to use his reach to prevent Jackson from utilizing his striking effectively, and he will be one of the few who will get the better of the clinch work with “Rampage”, and thus preventing Jackson from using his dirty boxing.
If/when he gets taken down, it will be important for Jackson not to be too eager to get back to his feet, as he tends to give up position when doing so. This was the case against both Evans and Lyoto Machida. Against the former, Jackson was continuously fighting an uphill battle to regain his vertical base, while Machida was able to take him down late in the fight, pass his guard and get to mount. Jones’ top game is an even tougher proposition to deal with, and his ground-and-pound is more dangerous than anything the aforementioned pair were able to offer. His elbows to the body were a key feature in his triumph over Rua back in March, as he completely took the wind out of the Brazilian’s sails with continuous body work. Jones is capable of both staying in full guard and start landing elbows, as he did against Brendon Vera; as well as passing guard and advancing position, as he did against Vladimir Matyushenko and Bader. Such dedication is admirable, as Jones’ top game doesn’t even need to be as dynamic as it is, but his quest for improvement made his grappling even more multidimensional.
His submission arsenal is ever improving as well. In fact, in addition to choking out Bader, Jones was in position to submit “Shogun” with a beautiful Kneebar in the second round but ran out of time. The way Jones transitioned from half guard immediately to that Kneebar is a testament to his creativity and free flowing approach inside the cage. Jackson’s submission defense is extremely solid, but it is not outside the realm of possibility to see Jones polish off a tired “Rampage” late in the fight with a submission.
The match-up issues are just too severe for “Rampage” to overcome, and barring a well-placed punch that separates Jones from consciousness, it is going to be a long night for Jackson. Expect Jones to frustrate him on the feet, take him down, punish him with elbows to the body, advance position, and finish things off with some more ground-and-pound.
Official Prediction: Jon Jones to defeat Quinton Jackson by TKO in the Third Round
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Posted in: ufc, fight, rampage, jone, jackson
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainUFC 135 ‘Jones vs. Rampage’ Weigh-In Results
The UFC 135 weigh-ins took place this afternoon at the Wells Fargo Theater at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado.
All fighters made weight. Surprisingly, most of the fireworks happened on the undercard. Must be something in the water up there in Denver because it seemed like everyone wanted to get in each other’s face for the staredown. Heck, Junior Assuncao pretty much charged Eddie Yagin, forcing Dana White to immediately step in and separate them. Then Nick Ring gives Tim Boetsch a mini-headbutt, once again forcing Dana to break it up. Nate Diaz of course invaded Takanori Gomi’s space with a little Stockton mean-muggin’. Ben Rothwell tried to coax an uninterested Mark Hunt into a staredown, but the K-1 vet didn’t seem to notice. Funny enough, Josh Koscheck was one of the most respectful on stage today as he stood in front of Matt Hughes.
Then of course came Jon Jones and Rampage Jackson. With the way things have been going it wouldn’t been surprising to see a shoving match break out between them, but they kept it pretty civil. After shaking hands, Rampage actually coaxed Jones into looking him straight in the eye, something Jones never does with his opponents, before promising he would knock him out tomorrow.
And yes, the Denver crowd booed the hell out of Jon Jones.
The weigh-in results:
Jon Jones (204.5) vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (204)
Josh Koscheck (170.5) vs. Matt Hughes (170)
Ben Rothwell (263) vs. Mark Hunt (261)
Travis Browne (255) vs. Rob Broughton (261)
Nate Diaz (156) vs. Takanori Gomi (155)
Aaron Riley (155) vs. Tony Ferguson (155)
Tim Boetsch (186) vs. Nick Ring (185)
Junior Assuncao (145) vs. Eddie Yagin (145)
Cole Escovedo (135) vs. Takeya Mizugaki (135)
Ricardo Romero (205) vs. James Te Huna (205)
Fighters in non-title fights are allowed to weigh in one pound over the weight class limit.
UFC 135 “Jones vs. Rampage” will take place tomorrow, Sept. 24, at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado and will air live on pay-per-view at 9pm ET/6pm PT. The pay-per-view will be preceded by prelim specials on Spike TV at 8pm ET/5pm PT and Facebook at 6pm ET/3pm PT.
More UFC 116 weigh-in pics at CombatLifestyle.com. Video via MMA Fighting.
Posted in: rampage, jone, jon jones, vs, weigh-in
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 135 Staff Predictions
UFC 135 takes place this Saturday in Denver, Colorado. The main event features one of the most highly anticipated fights of the year, with Jon Jones defending his Light Heavyweight Championship against former champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
This will be the first foray to Denver since the awesomely named The Ultimate Ultimate in December 1995.
While the card does bring the aforementioned championship fight to pay-per-view, judging by the staff selections, the main card is full of mismatches. Four fights on the night brought unanimous one-sided votes, and Jon Jones is currently a 7:1 favorite over Jackson according to Vegas fight odds.
The main card begins at 9 PM EST, while Spike TV will be airing two preliminary fights at 8PM: Nick Ring vs. Tim Boetsch, and Tony Ferguson vs. Aaron Riley.
The remaining preliminary fights will be airing live on Facebook.
Here are the UFC 135 main card predictions from the MMAFrenzy.com staff:
Jon Jones vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson:
Light Heavyweight Championship
Analysis from Justin Regier: Speed vs. power, that is this fight in a nutshell. Who to pick? At times I want Jones to win, and then I want Quinton to win. Can Jones handle Jackson’s power? How is Jackson going to deal with all the angles Jones is going to bring? I’m going to pick Quinton “Rampage” Jackson via stoppage.I wouldn’t be disappointed or shocked if Jones won by any fashion. I can’t wait for this battle.
MMAFrenzy.com predictions: Jones 3, Jackson 2
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck:
Analysis from Chris Leslie: Koscheck is in many ways a product of the trend Hughes created in the 170 division years ago, becoming somewhat of a Hughes 2.0. That said, Koscheck is a better wrestler and has developed into a better striker. It does not help that Hughes has become an easier fighter to read over the years. Time has caught up to Hughes, and Koscheck is simply more skilled than Hughes. I expect Koscheck to overwhelm Hughes early and often in what is likely to be a retirement fight for the former UFC champion.
MMAFrenzy.com predictions: Koscheck 5, Hughes 0
Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton:
Analysis from Steve Barnes: For those people who like two guys to stand and wing punches at each other, and the first to fall loses, will likely not enjoy this fight. At some point, Broughton will likely take Browne down and then the fun begins. It will be a desperate fight for Browne to get back to his feet and utilize his vastly superior striking while Broughton will want to turn it into a grappling match. Obviously, a broken clock is right twice a day and Broughton could land a lucky punch and Browne could secure a choke/armlock, but probably not.
MMAFrenzy.com predictions: Browne 5, Broughton 0
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi:
Analysis from Bryan Robison: This is probably my favorite matchup of the night, even more than Jones/Jackson. Nick Diaz/Gomi is one of the greatest fights in MMA history. Diaz won (yes, he won, Nevada State Athletic Commission). Nick is a better boxer and grappler than Nate, so Gomi certainly holds a chance to get revenge on that 209 area code he hates so much. Do I see it happening? Well, there’s always a fireball’s chance he does it. But I think his time has come and gone. Diaz wins this one via submission in the 2nd round.
MMAFrenzy.com predictions: Diaz 5, Gomi 0
Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt
Analysis from Eric Shapiro: Hunt most recently knocked out Chris Tuscherer to snap a 6 fight losing streak, but before that he got submitted from the top by Sean McCorkle. With a submission that could barely qualify as a submission. I just can’t get that out of my head. Rothwell via submission.
MMAFrenzy.com predictions: Rothwell 5, Hunt 0
For complete pre-fight coverage of UFC 135 (including weigh-in results, a podcast, and a head to head previewof Saturday’s main card) stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.
Posted in: fight, jone, hughe, vs, mmafrenzy.com predictions
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 135: ‘Jones vs. Rampage’ Preview – “Violent Crime Edition”
We’ve got a full weekend of MMA ahead of us, what with Bellator, Strikeforce Challengers and DREAM all poised and ready to go with a bit of the old ultra-violence. But there’s no doubt what the main course will be: UFC 135 on Saturday night, which will have light-heavyweight champ Jon Jones defending his belt against Quinton Jackson in what promises to be either something thrillingly competitive or just a straight-up murder. Ah, who am I kidding? Did you see the way Jones beat Shogun into putty? Rampage is going to wind up a statistic on an FBI violent crime analysis chart. Anyway, there are some other interesting pairings at UFC 135, including what may be the last hurrah of a welterweight legend and a fallen Japanese superstar’s shot of redemption (sort of). So. Preview. Check it out.
Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson – Jones’ meteoric rise to the top is marked by “Holy crap! Did you see that?” moves and utter destruction visited upon whoever has stood in his way. In the last two years, Rampage has either been squeaking by opponents with decisions or losing via those same means. Now, sure, Jackson’s still got a dangerous hook that can put people away, but Jones has been in there with some knockout strikers (Mauricio Rua, Ryan Bader, Brandon Vera) and no one even came close. The bottom line is the champ is going to have to slip on an awful lot of banana peels – plus stumble on an oil slick and choke on a handful of half-chewed olives – before Rampage can touch him. Yup, this one is going to be ugly. Like, “Godzilla stomping Tokyo into rubble” ugly.
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck – This is the last fight on Hughes’ contract, and his wife has stated “No mas, mister”, so when the former champ steps into the cage against TUF 1 veteran Koscheck on Saturday, we might be seeing the finale of the great Matt Hughes. In terms of comparing their skills and abilities, both men are proven wrestlers with competent stand-up – maybe Hughes hits a little harder and has the edge in experience, maybe Koscheck will have the edge in youthful vitality (he’s about four years younger). But you know what? When someone like Hughes says he’s on the verge of hanging up his gloves, you just have to root for him. Chris Lytle went out with a win; hopefully, Hughes can do the same.
Rob Broughton vs. Travis Browne – Broughton is a big Brit whose most notable win was over Neil Grove a few years ago; Browne went the distance with Cheick Kongo and knocked out Stefan Struve easily. Can you guess which one of these guys has a future in the Octagon and which one will be back fighting in the UK circuit soon?
Takanori Gomi vs. Nate Diaz – Once upon a time Gomi was one of the best fighters coming out of Japan, and his explosiveness saw him putting away a lot of people. But back in 2007, Nick Diaz tapped him out with a gogoplata, and things sort of went downhill from there. Nate Diaz, on the other hand, peaked right around when he won TUF 7, and has since amassed a mottled record in the UFC (in other words, he isn’t his older brother Nick). Can Gomi get some modicum of revenge by defeating the sibling of the man who submitted him back in the day? Or will Nate catch him like an errant trout and make him gasp for air? If I bet, it would be on Gomi punching Diaz. Real hard.
Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt – Rothwell is an interesting guy. He’s had about a million fights outside of the UFC, sometimes against less-than-stellar competition, sometimes against some solid guys, and his losses have only come to the best (a prime Andrei Arlovski, Cain Velasquez). But all those fights wear on you, and for the past year he’s been sidelined with a torn ACL. Does he have any “umph” left in him? It might not matter, as his UFC 135 opponent is Hunt, a New Zealander with world-class kickboxing (circa 2002) who’s aged about as well as a carton of milk left on the side of a desert highway. All Rothwell needs to do is avoid Hunt’s striking, get him to the ground, and whisper sweet-nothings in his ear. The only question mark is the American’s knee and if it will hold up.
Posted in: ufc, diaz, jone, hughe, vs
Read the full article at MMA ConvertMMA Nation's Luke Thomas talks to Rashad Evans about Jon Jones. Rashad says, "I've seen him quit."
MMA Nation's Luke Thomas talks to Rashad Evans about Jon Jones. Rashad says, "I've seen him quit."
Posted in: mma nation, jone, jon jones, rashad, rashad evans
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 Preview: Bloody Elbow Staff Predictions
Event: UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
Date: September 24, 2011
Location: Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado
Pay-Per-View Broadcast
Jon Jones vs Quinton JacksonBrent Brookhouse - Rampage can hit hard and he is very durable. That durability may turn out to be his biggest strength in this fight. We know Jones can blitz his opponent, he can toss other men around and he can use a variety of strikes on the feet. But there has been some question about his endurance and if he fights fast and can’t get Jackson out, it’s possible he wilts starting in the third. Of course, Jackson doesn’t exactly have the world’s best cardio either. Rampage’s best shot is still to land some power shots and hurt Jones. But Jones just has too many ways to win the fight. Jon Jones by decision.Mike Fagan - Win or lose, “Rampage” is going to surprise a lot of people. Jones won’t run over him like he has with Vera and Matyushenko and “Shogun” (and if he does, holy crap). Expect to see something similar to Jackson vs. Henderson, with Jones playing a more dominant version of Jackson. Jon Jones by decision.Leland Roling - Judging from the wishful thinking by many fans, you’d think the narrative revolved around Pride never die mantras. People want to see Jackson give Jones a run for his money, and on the feet - there is a slight possibility he can wreck Jones. Anywhere else, Jones has the advantage, and I have a feeling he’ll drive to put Rampage on his back where he’s most uncomfortable. Jackson stands no chance then. Jon Jones via TKO.Matt Roth - The money bet seems to be Jon Jones. He’s the more dynamic of the two and definitely seems to have no real weaknesses in his game. I think he’s having a hard time dealing with the constant accusations of espionage. From what I’ve heard from people within Jackson’s camp, he’s extremely focused on this fight and has looked great in training. I’m taking the underdog on Saturday night. Rampage Jackson by 3rd round TKO.Anton Tabuena - I wish I’m wrong and Rampage catches Jones, but I just don’t think it’s likely. Jones is the bigger and more dynamic fighter. I think he ends this on the ground. Jon Jones by TKO.Tim Burke - I want Rampage to win. But I know Jones is too much for him almost everywhere. Jon Jones by TKO.Fraser Coffeen - A lot of people are rationalizing a Rampage win, but he’s traditionally had problems against faster, more explosive fighters, and they don’t get much more explosive than Jon Jones. Rampage does seem driven, so he might make this a fight, but I’m having real visions of Rampage vs. Shogun here. Jon Jones by TKO.Staff Picking Jones: Anton, Tim, Fraser, Leland, Fagan, BrookhouseStaff Picking Rampage: Roth,Josh Koscheck vs Matt HughesBrent Brookhouse - Hughes doesn’t do anything better than Koscheck at this point in his career. I’d love to see Hughes get a huge win and retire, but it’s much more likely he absorbs a lot of punishment. Josh Koscheck by TKO, round 1.Mike Fagan - Since losing his title at UFC 65, Hughes has beaten Lytle, Serra, Renzo, and Almeida. He has dropped fights to GSP, Alves, and Penn. Koscheck belongs in the latter group. Josh Koscheck by TKO, round 2.Leland Roling - Koscheck is younger, faster, a better wrestler, and a superior striker. The only concern is Koscheck’s layoff and mentality in regards to his facial injuries. Hughes could take advantage of Koscheck overprotecting himself, but I highly doubt it. Koscheck blows through Hughes. Josh Koscheck via TKO.Matt Roth - An interesting match up here. Do you take the aging veteran who has looked solid against other old fighters or do you roll with the fighter coming off orbital surgery who couldn’t feel the side of his face for a couple months? I like that Matt Hughes is going back to the basics with Pat Miletich and Jeremy Horn. Adding BJ Penn to the camp has to help as well with boxing and wrestling/grappling. Matt Hughes by Decision.Anton Tabuena - He’s coming in on relatively short notice, and he’s coming from surgery, so there will be a few question marks when he steps in the Octagon. That being said, Koscheck is still younger, faster, and more well rounded. He has better striking, and better wrestling, so while I wish I’m wrong again, I think it’s going to be Josh Koscheck by TKO.Tim Burke - I definitely think Hughes has a better chance than the betting line indicates (-500 for Kos? What?), but I’m not sure what Hughes can do against a guy with such a solid base. Striking has never been Matt’s forte, and if he can’t get it to the ground, what else does he have? Koscheck goes to decisions a bit more than people realize, so I’m gonna say Josh Koscheck by dominating decision.Fraser Coffeen - There are a lot of intangibles going against Koscheck here: return from injury, long lay-off, short notice. But I have to weigh that against the fact that Hughes is aging, is coming off a major KO, and that, honestly, Kos is at this point better in pretty much every aspect of the game. Josh Koscheck by decision.Staff Picking Koscheck: Anton, Tim, Fraser, Leland, Fagan, BrookhouseStaff Picking Hughes: Roth, Travis Browne vs Rob BroughtonBrent Brookhouse - I’m not all that high on Browne but winning is all that matters, and Browne has done that. Broughton has lost to some really mediocre fighters in his career and this seems set up to be a Browne stoppage win. Travis Browne by TKO, round 1.Mike Fagan - When did this become a UFC 138 prelim predictions post? Travis Browne by TKO, round one.Leland Roling - Broughton has a chance at taking Browne to decision and winning on the judges’ scorecards if he maintains range and keeps his feet moving. It has been his means in the past to winning fights many expected him to lose. But Browne has improved greatly, and he’s much more well-rounded. Power should be the edge for Browne. Travis Browne via TKO.Matt Roth - Travis Browne has been super impressive in his UFC career. He’s one of the top young heavyweight prospects out there and has one of the best camps in Alliance behind him. The superman-punch knockout of Stefan Struve was impressive and shows he has some big power. I have a personal rule against picking English fighters not named Michael Bisping or Ross Pearson and haven’t really been impressed by Rob Broughton’s skills. Hafa by 2nd round TKO.Anton Tabuena - Browne has looked very impressive on his young UFC career. He also has better training partners, and has faced better competition. Travis Browne by TKO.Staff Picking Browne: Roth, Anton, Tim, Leland, Fraser, Fagan, BrookhouseStaff Picking Broughton: Nate Diaz vs Takanori GomiBrent Brookhouse - Nate Diaz is just too willing to be in bad positions, he throws his hands too wide, leaving openings for Gomi to strike with him and Diaz isn’t likely to look for a takedown. There aren’t a lot of guys on the UFC roster I’m picking Gomi over at this point, but Diaz is one of them. Takanori Gomi by decision.Mike Fagan - Even after dropping fights to Golyaev and Kitaoka, then looking awful against Hervey, hardcore fans still celebrated Gomi’s arrival in the UFC. Now he’s just another dude in the middle-tier of the UFC lighterweight scrap heap. You can count me as one of the deluded. Takanori Gomi by decision.Leland Roling - For all the criticism Takanori Gomi gets for not being able to compete against some of the best the UFC has to offer, he still possesses big power and a threatening offense on the feet. Diaz? Sloppy boxing and a weak takedown game make this interesting considering Gomi’s power. Can Diaz work Gomi over in the clinch and dominate him on the floor? It’s possible, but I like Gomi’s chances, as crazy as it may sound. Takanori Gomi via Decision.Matt Roth - Oh how the mighty have fallen. It was only a couple years ago that Takanori Gomi lost to Nick Diaz by gogoplata (yes it was overruled, he still lost in my book). Since that fight he hasn’t looked like the Fireball kid we knew in PRIDE. Nate Diaz has skills but hasn’t been able to figure out how to best use them. Gomi seems like the safer pick but neither of these guys has been all that consistent lately. I’ll pick Nate Diaz but I’m not confident in that pick at all. Nate Diaz by Decision. Anton Tabuena - I’d give a slight edge to Gomi on a stand up battle, but Nate is a tough and gritty dude, and there’s a reason why he still hasn’t lost by (T)KO yet. Being a Diaz pretty much guarantees he won’t be attempting that much takedowns, but sooner or later, I think it will still end up on the ground. That is where Diaz will win. Nate Diaz by Submission.Tim Burke - Analysis can take a hike for a moment. I will never pick against Gomi, ever. EVER. He’s going to hit Nate so hard that Nate will forget how to spell “press conference” for his brother. This isn’t Pride Never Die, it’s Gomi Never Die. Takanori Gomi by epic knockout.Fraser Coffeen - Diaz making the return to LW doesn’t fill me with confidence for his future, but Gomi is in a tough spot here. His only chance is a KO, and the combination of Diaz’s high-volume punches, reach advantage, and all around striking game make that unlikely. Nate Diaz by submission. Staff Picking Diaz: Roth, Anton, Fraser, BrookhouseStaff Picking Gomi: Tim, Leland, FaganBen Rothwell vs Mark HuntBrent Brookhouse - Mark Hunt won his last fight, I still think he’s a below average UFC heavyweight while Rothwell is more “average.” Ben Rothwell by TKO, round 2.Mike Fagan - Isn’t the UFC still obligated to give Hunt another fight after this? Ben Rothwell by submission, round one.Leland Roling - It’s crazy to hear people giving Mark Hunt a great chance to win this fight considering his checkered record of losses. Rothwell might not be a proven elite heavyweight, but I think he has more than enough skill to press Hunt and wear him out without getting blasted. If Rothwell tries to stand with Hunt, he deserves to lose. Ben Rothwell via submission.Matt Roth - Both of these guys are still in the UFC? Crazy. Mark Hunt was incredibly close to receiving his walking papers before his epic walk off knockout over Chris Tuchscherer. Rothwell has been out for over a year after besting Gilbert Yvel at UFC 115. Rothwell is the more well rounded of the two and that usually means a win. I just hope he doesn’t decide to stand and trade with the K-1 vet. Ben Rothwell by 3rd round TKO. Anton Tabuena - If Rothwell stands with him, and he will get stopped. I think he’s smart enough to take the easier route to victory. Ben Rothwell by Submission.Tim Burke - I’m a huge fan of Mark Hunt, but this fight will end up on the floor quickly and if Sean McCorkle has the chops to submit Hunt, you know for sure that Rothwell does, even coming off a long layoff. I hope Hunt blasts him to high heaven though. Rothwell by quick submission.Fraser Coffeen - The path to beating Mark Hunt in 2011 is clear: take him down and lock on a submission, preferably an arm-based one. Stand and trade at your own peril. I think Rothwell is, for some reason, going to go the stand-up route. And I think he’s going to regret it. This is probably an irrational pick from the heart, but so be it. Mark Hunt by KO.Staff Picking Rothwell: Roth, Anton, Tim, Leland, Fagan, BrookhouseStaff Picking Hunt: Fraser
SBN coverage of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
Spike TV Prelims
Tony Ferguson vs Aaron RileyBrent Brookhouse - Aaron Riley is a tough, veteran fighter and isn’t going to be an easy fight for Ferguson. I feel like this is a fight given to Tony because the UFC thinks he should win, and he probably should. But something about Riley just strikes me as a bad fight for Tony. I might be wrong here but Aaron Riley by decision.Mike Fagan - It literally took me a minute to recollect watching the TUF 13 Finale. What a season. If Ferguson has any future in the UFC, he’ll run through Riley from the opening bell. That’s not likely. Tony Ferguson by decision.Leland Roling - Riley will more than likely takedown Ferguson and keep him there, but there is something about Ferguson’s tenacious style that is leaning me his way. Riley runs into a brick wall. Tony Ferguson via decision.Matt Roth - Tony Ferguson won the most meaningless season of the Ultimate Fighter. He looked good doing so but the level of talent was awful. Aaron Riley has the experience and whenever he faces questionable opposition, he dominates them. I expect him to do just that on Saturday night. Aaron Riley by Unanimous Decision. Staff Picking Ferguson: Tim, Leland, Fraser, FaganStaff Picking Riley: Roth, Anton, BrookhouseNick Ring vs Tim BoetschBrent Brookhouse - Boetsch’s move to middleweight was pretty brilliant. Ring is kind of...well, he isn’t good. Tim Boetsch by TKO, round two.Mike Fagan - Tim Boetsch forever has my heart for throwing David Heath headfirst into the fence like a schoolyard bully. Tim Boetsch by decision.Leland Roling - Tim Boetsch at middleweight is a win for everyone. Tim Boetsch via TKO.Anton Tabuena - The Barbarian is going to dominate this one. Tim Boetsch by Decision.Tim Burke - Nick Ring is the worst thing to come out of Alberta since Nickelback. I’ll send Tim Boetsch a win bonus myself if he knocks Ring out. Tim Boetsch by TKO.Fraser Coffeen - I thought Boetsch would struggle with the drop in weight. I was wrong. He looked very impressive and like a potential force at 185. Now that he’s even more comfortable with the drop, I expect even more of his strength and dominance against an opponent who has yet to really impress me much. Tim Boetsch by TKO.Staff Picking Ring: Staff Picking Boetsch: Anton, Tim, Fraser, Leland, Fagan, Brookhouse
Facebook Preliminary CardJunior Assuncao vs Eddie YaginBrent Brookhouse - This fight feels like it should be on a Strikeforce (or Bellator) undercard. Eddie Yagin by decision.Mike Fagan - When you’re 32 years of age with a 15-4-1 record, it’s time to drop the “Phenom” monicker. Junior Assuncao by decision.Leland Roling - I’ll limb this pick since I’m not buying into the Assuncao name here. Junior isn’t his brother by any stretch of the imagination, and it’s been half a decade since Yagin was dominated on the ground. Eddie Yagin via decision.Anton Tabuena - I’m not picking against a Filipino. Eddie Yagin by Being Biased.Tim Burke - Yagin’s just not very good. I think Assuncao uses his size advantage to perfection and completely grounds out Yagin. Junior Assuncao by decision.Staff Picking Assuncao: Tim, Fraser, FaganStaff Picking Yagin: Anton, Leland, BrookhouseTakeya Mizugaki vs Cole EscovedoMike Fagan - I won’t be around for any of the prelims, but this is more deserving for Spike than Ferguson-Riley. Takeya Mizugaki by decision.Leland Roling - Tough call. Escovedo has the tools to beat Mizugaki, but I’m still in love with Mizugaki’s toughness. He’s a solid wrestler, and he’s fearless on the feet. I think the combination of the two will make it difficult for Escovedo to run wild offensively. Takeya Mizugaki via decision.Fraser Coffeen - Not since Kimo has a fighter made such a reputation off of a gutsy loss. Mizugaki is probably best known for going to a decision against Miguel Torres back when Torres ruled the division, but I’ve never found him deserving of the hype. I don’t like how Escovedo keeps moving between weight classes, but I still think he has the offensive skills to take this one. Cole Escovedo by decision.Staff Picking Mizugaki: Anton, Tim, Leland, FaganStaff Picking Escovedo: Fraser, BrookhouseJames Te Huna vs Ricardo RomeroBrent Brookhouse - I keep picking Te Huna to win fights and he does have power. But going against a wrestler is dangerous. Still, even though this is dumb on my part, I think Romero tries to stand for just a little too long and gets finished early. James Te Huna by TKO, round 1.Mike Fagan - Romero outwrestles “Bumble.” Ricardo Romero by decision.Leland Roling - Te Huna sucks on the ground. Romero is a credentialed wrestler who can submit guys when he isn’t trying to sloppily box opponents. Ricardo Romero via submission.Tim Burke - Te Huna hits hard, but he’s at a big disadvantage on the floor. Romero can take a shot fairly well (as long as it’s not Kyle Kingsbury throwing it, apparently), and he’ll absorb the punishment to get the fight where he needs it. Ricardo Romero by submission.Fraser Coffeen - This one is a lot like Hunt vs. Rothwell. The New Zealander hits hard, but he’s got issues on the ground. Romero has the ground skills to win this, and although the Kingsbury fight makes me question his chin somewhat, I think he’ll take it down quickly and control things from there. Ricardo Romero bu submission.Staff Picking Te Huna: Anton, BrookhouseStaff Picking Romero: Tim, Leland, Fraser, Fagan
Posted in: fight, jone, &rsquo, i &rsquo, tim
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 Weigh-In Results: Jon Jones, Rampage Jackson Official for Title Fight
Filed under: UFC, NewsThe UFC's version of "Spygate" may still be lingering, but it doesn't matter much now. One of the most anticipated title fights in recent UFC memory goes down Saturday, spy or no spy.
Main event light heavyweights Jon Jones and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson were both on the mark Friday for their title fight, which headlines UFC 135 at the Pepsi Center in Denver. The official weigh-in event took place at the Wells Fargo Theater at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.
Jones defends the light heavyweight title for the first time since winning it against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 128 in March. He took that fight on short notice, filling in for then-teammate Rashad Evans when Evans was hurt. Evans now waits in the wings to fight the winner of Jones-Jackson.
Jones, who typically looks away from his opponents during staredowns at the weigh-ins, this time looked right at Jackson and the two talked back and forth to each other in animated fashion before being split apart by UFC president Dana White.
"I had to tell him I'm going to end his hype tomorrow, that's what I told him," Jackson told emcee Joe Rogan. "It's about time he grew up and started acting like a real MMA fighter. We stare each other down - that's what we do in the UFC."
Jones had very little to say: "I feel real good. I've done enough talking, and it's time for me to show what I've got now. So let's do it."
The training camp period for the title fight was interrupted by controversy after Jackson's camp accused the Jones camp of planting a spy to monitor the challenger's training - which Jones' side vehemently denied.
In the co-main event, former title challenger Josh Koscheck returns for the first time since losing to welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre in December. He takes a short notice fight against UFC Hall of Famer and former world champion Matt Hughes. Koscheck was 170.5 pounds; Hughes was 170.
The main card opens with an intriguing lightweight fight between up-and-down fighters Nate Diaz and Takanori Gomi. Diaz has lost two straight fights, but is always a candidate for an exciting bout. And Gomi has lost two of three since joining the UFC after a lengthy career in Japan. Both losses have been by submission.
And in a pair of heavyweight fights, Travis Browne looks to remain unbeaten when he meets Rob Broughton. And former IFL star Ben Rothwell returns after a long injury layoff to meet Mark Hunt.
The preliminary card features five fights. The first three will stream live on the UFC's Facebook fan page, including a bantamweight bout between former title challenger Takeya Mizugaki and Cole Escovedo.
Those three fights will be followed by a pair of bouts on Spike TV starting at 8 p.m. Eastern. Tony Ferguson, winner of Season 13 of "The Ultimate Fighter" this past June, fights for the first time since winning that title. He'll drop down to lightweight to take on veteran Aaron Riley. And at middleweight, Tim Boetsch meets TUF veteran Nick Ring.
UFC 135 takes place Saturday with the main card airing on pay-per-view at 9 p.m. Eastern.
The complete weigh-in results are below:
Main Card
Jon Jones (204.5) vs. Quinton Jackson (204)
Matt Hughes (170) vs. Josh Koscheck (170.5)
Ben Rothwell (263) vs. Mark Hunt (261)
Travis Browne (255) vs. Rob Broughton (261)
Nate Diaz (156) vs. Takanori Gomi (155)
Preliminary Card
Tony Ferguson (155) vs. Aaron Riley (155)
Nick Ring (185) vs. Tim Boetsch (186)
Junior Assunção (145) vs. Eddie Yagin (145)
Takeya Mizugaki (135) vs. Cole Escovedo (135)
James Te Huna (205) vs. Ricardo Romero (205) Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, fight, title, jone, vs
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseRampage Jackson Outs Jon Jones’ Alleged Spy On ESPN SportsCenter
Rampage Jackson finally revealed the spy that Jon Jones’ allegedly placed in his camp during an interview on SportsCenter today. Rampage claims the spy is a man named Leonard who worked at MusclePharm and is apparently “good friends” with Jones’ manager Malki Kawa, but has since been fired. Rampage added that Jones or Kawa was sending “Leonard” K-Swiss shoes, however Jones vehemently denied the accusations, claiming he doesn’t even know who “Lennox” is. If Rampage and Jones are both telling the truth, it is possible that Jones had nothing to do with it and this was merely a MusclePharm employee feeding inside info to his “good friend.” Kawa however has repeatedly denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
No one knows for sure, but TheFightingPost did find a rather interesting SEC filing that confirms a MusclePharm executive by the name of Leonard Armenta recently resigned. The filing reads: “On September 16, 2011, Leonard K. Armenta resigned from his position as the Executive Vice President of MusclePharm Corporation, a Nevada corporation (the “Company”). His resignation was not the result of any disagreements with the Company on any matters relating to the Company’s operations, policies or practices.” Coincidence?
HT: 5thRound
Posted in: rampage, jone, musclepharm, leonard, musclepharm executive
Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 135: Rashad Evans Live Video Webchat
Streaming video by Ustream
Rashad Evans follows Jason Miller and Michael BIsping with this live Ustream webchat at 1 p.m. ET. Evans will be in attendance at UFC 135 in Denver, Colorado, and it is expected that he will challenge the winner of the main event between Jon Jones and Quinton Jackson.
Evans was originally scheduled to fight Jones at UFC 133, but a hand injury forced Jones off the card. Jones and Evans had trained together at Greg Jackson's gym in Albuquerque, until an offhand remark by Jones leading into his title shot at UFC 128 caused a rift in camp. Evans now trains with a group affectionately called the "Blackzilians" down in Boca Raton, Florida.
Evans ended up fighting Tito Ortiz, who was coming off a shocking upset of Ryan Bader, at UFC 133, stopping him in the second round with a knee. It was Evans' first fight in fifteen months.
Evans will celebrate his 32nd birthday on Sunday.
Posted in: ufc, jone, quinton jackson, evan, boca raton
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage Weigh-In Results
The UFC 135 weigh-ins go down in Denver at the Pepsi Center today with main event fighters Jon 'Bones' Jones and Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson hitting the scales.
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, vs, weigh-in
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyNow comes the hard part for new champ Jones (Yahoo! Sports)
Expectations and pressure mount as Jon Jones prepares to take on Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in UFC 135.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, jon jones, champ jones
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsUFC 135: Rampage Jackson Outs Spy, Accuses MusclePharm Employee
In the never-ending cycle of media relations leading up to UFC 135 this weekend, current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and challenger 'Rampage' Jackson appeared on ESPN's Sportscenter this morning. The usual verbal sparring match ensued, but Jackson dropped a bomb during the segment, claiming that a man named "Leonard", who worked for his sponsor MusclePharm, was the spy in his camp feeding Jon Jones information.
@Rampage4real Quinton Jackson I just outed the spy on Sport Center,its come on top who he is but out of respect 2 #mucslepharm I won't tweet his name,he's done fuck em!Sep 23 via Twitter for BlackBerry®FavoriteRetweetReply
According to a SEC Filing issued on September 16, 2011, MusclePharm executive vice president Leonard Armenta resigned from his position with the company, leading to some speculation that he was, in fact, the 'Leonard' that Jackson is accusing in the interview. Jackson stated on Twitter that he didn't want to reveal the man's full name out of respect for MusclePharm, so it isn't confirmed whether Armenta is the man Jackson is talking about.
Jon Jones took to Twitter moments later, stating it "sucks" an employee at MusclePharm was fired over Rampage's paranoia:
@Jonnybones Jon Bones Jones Sucks some poor guy at musclepharm got fired over rampages paranoiaSep 23 via TweetList ProFavoriteRetweetReply
Some of the immediate reactions to the news, especially if you buy into the notion that Leonard Armenta's resignation has everything to do with 'Spygate', has been mostly positive toward Jackson. People were highly skeptical, and Rampage delivered proof. Whether or not that proof is factual is the question.
It also brings up another question that seems to get ignored in all the arguing. If spying did actually occur, who's to say that Jon Jones even knew about it? Perhaps a pissed off former employee gave the information to Jones' camp. Hard to ignore a phone call from a legitimate source who says Rampage is hurt, isn't it? In any case, the saga probably won't end here.
Posted in: rampage, jone, jackson, jon jones, musclepharm
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowFriday Link Club: UFC 135 & DREAM.17 Previews
UFC 135 Event Primer | NBC Sports
Jared vs. Ben — ‘UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage’ Edition | Cage Potato
UFC 135 Fight Card: 5 Fights That Will End in a Knockout | Bleacher Report
Nowhere Man: Josh Koscheck faces a difficult future after UFC 135 and Matt Hughes, win or lose | MMA Mania
My Plea To Jon Jones: Be Ali | Five Ounces of Pain
Jon Jones: Jealous Rampage Jackson is just another hater | LowKick
DREAM.17: Aoki vs. McCullough Preview and Predictions | MMA Fighting
Cain Velasquez on Brock Lesnar: Win Over Alistair Overeem Warrants Title Shot | 5thRound
UFC on Fox: The importance & need of growing the right demographic for future expansion | Fight Opinion
Kimbo Slice vs. Dada 5000 will go down January 12th 2012, yes you read that right | MiddleEasy
Is GSP the UFC’s biggest PPV star? | MMA Payout
“Supremacy MMA” Video Game Review
| TheFightNerd
Posted in: ufc, fight, mma, jone, vs
Read the full article at MMA ConvertThe Friday Morning MMA Link Party
Today will be the day in which you rise up from your office cubicle, remove your tie and wrap it around your head like Rambo and just start kicking inanimate objects. Water coolers, computer monitors and display stands will all be under the jurisdiction of your right foot today. Be bold knowing that your leg has the power to topple over anything that gets in your way but before you do all of this, check out our Friday Morning MMA Link Party. Red cups are on the chair, the keg is in the backyard. Enjoy.
[list class="bullet-6"] [li]Rampage Jackson Says Jon Jones Disrespected His Coach at Open Workouts. [MMAFighting][/li] [li]Jon Jones Used to Sing in Jazz Choir, and Other Uncomfortable Revelations. [CagePotato][/li] [li]Kenny Florian: “I think I do everything well.” [Fives Ounces of Pain][/li] [li]TUF 14 Diary: Episode 1 Recap and Analysis. [LowKick][/li] [li]MMA Notebook: Dana White presser notes. [NBC Sports][/li] [li]Jon Jones Gives Weird, Awkward Interview In British Accent (Update). [MMAConvert][/li] [li]Vladimir Matyushenko Meets Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 141. [5th Round][/li] [li]UFC 135: Where Would a Rampage Upset Over Jones Rank? [Bleacher Report][/li] [li]“Supremacy MMA” Video Game Review. [The Fight Nerd][/li] [li]Jon Jones vs Rampage Jackson: Who has the statistical advantage at UFC 135? [MMAMania][/li] [li]Jeff Monson asks Pat Miletich, “How can you not consider America a terror organization?” [FightOpinion][/li] [li]Dana White: UFC will be on Spike TV in 2012, Spike Not Honoring “Spirit of the Deal”, & Strikeforce’s Future. [MMAPayout][/li] [/list]
Posted in: ufc, mma, jone, li, ][/li
Read the full article at Middle EasyUFC 135 preview: Why is 'Rampage' such a huge underdog to champ Jones? (MMAJunkie.com)
If you read into betting lines associated with UFC 135, the world has already decided that Jon Jones (13-1 MMA,...
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, champ jones, underdog
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsUFC 135 preview: Why is 'Rampage' such a huge underdog to champ Jones?
If you read into betting lines associated with UFC 135, the world has
already decided that Jon Jones is unbeatable, or at
least when it comes to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
No lines could more clearly indicate "puncher's chance" than odds that
have Jackson as high as +400 to Jones' -600, which means that the former
champion has about a 15 percent probability of winning the fight.
UFC president calls those odds "crazy," but should he? Is Jones the future of the sport, and is Jackson the past?
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, jon jones, ufc president
Read the full article at MMA JunkieRashad Evans wants to face Jones but picks Rampage to Win
UFC 135 is less than 24 hours away and while the oddsmakers have Quinton “Rampage” Jackson listed as the underdog in his bout against Jon Jones, there is one fighter that is picking Jackson to win, Rashad Evans.
Evans has knowledge of both fighters. The former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion holds a unanimous decision victory over Jackson, defeating him at UFC 114. “Suga” was also a training partner of Jones’ at Jackson’s MMA and has stated that he beat Jones, the current
Posted in: jone, jackson, jon jones, rashad evans, face jones
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 135: It is Okay to Dislike Jon Jones (Or Any Other Fighter)
I don't like Jon Jones.
Anyone who has followed my writing here knows that isn't anything new for me to say. It may be minor or petty or whatever, but his public persona rubs me the wrong way. It's not a case of carefully protecting his image, it's the way that protection is carried out.
ESPN's Chad Dundas expanded on the idea that MMA fans expect some sort of edge to their fighters:
Where other sports are over-processed, staid and self-serious, the UFC has taken pains over the years to come off as casual, edgy and a little bit unpredictable. It was a "reality" show, after all, that gave the UFC its first foothold in the mainstream. More recently, one of its core promotional tactics has been to utilize unfiltered blasts of social media to connect with fans. "As Real as It Gets," promised the company's own slogan for a time.
For better and worse, the political correctness that hampers mainstream entities like the NFL and NBA hasn't quite caught up to MMA yet. At least part of the sport's appeal has always been grounded in hardcore fans feeling like they really know their heroes and fans have come to expect "realness" from MMA personalities with the same regularity they expect a pay-per-view or two every month.
But between this and the article I wrote earlier about Jones and Quinton Jackson's appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live to hype up their UFC 135 I've come to a very solid conclusion. It's just simply that I don't like Jon Jones.
And that's okay.
It's not that he is "too good." If there is anything I do genuinely love, it's watching Jon Jones fight. When Bones is in the cage there is a sort of beautiful violence to his performances. You can try to pick apart the level of competition he has faced, but when it comes down to examining how he has beaten them, it becomes a pointless exercise. He is a great talent.
It's not that he doesn't work hard. From all reports Jones is an extremely hard worker who is dedicated to his craft. The skills he shows inside the cage aren't something a man is simply born with.
And it also isn't that I expect some sort of edgy behavior. Yes, I've said that I think Jones comes across as a phony in interviews. But I've also said that guys (like Rampage) have been "too real" in their inability to tone it down in the media. It's probably bordering on a double-standard. But it's possible for people to come across as genuine and "real" while still toning it down a little for media appearances.
My genuine concern is that I hear from fans every day who feel like they have no connection to Jones or think he is fake. If his public persona has been so carefully put together that he isn't connecting with fans, he will not draw the big numbers that someone of his talent should.
Maybe eventually we see Jon get more comfortable and start to act more natural in the media. He is only 24 and it may be slightly unfair to pin all of this pressure on him to be a top level fighter and completely media savvy, but that's what comes with the belt.
But the real point here is that it's okay to like or dislike athletes for any reason at all. It's part of being a sports fan. I grew up thinking Darryl Talley was the greatest football player the world had ever seen because he wore Spider-Man spandex under his uniform and was nicknamed "The Duke of Awesome." Meanwhile, I hated John Elway because of something about his face.
It may be stupid, but being a sports fan has always been inherently stupid. We pick laundry to root for in team sports and we shell out $60 to watch fights involving guys who are more than -400 favorites.
So stop freaking out every time someone doesn't like a fighter you think is great. It doesn't really matter, unless it stops that person from putting down money to watch them fight. Then it's kind of a big deal.
If someone doesn't like Jones because they think he comes across as fake or because he won't sign replica title belts or really for any reason, who cares? Why get twisted up if someone doesn't like Josh Koscheck for his hair? Or Cub Swanson for his horrible tattoos? Or Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira for his...okay, look, you have to like Nogueira.
Fans are going to be fans, and that means making decisions on who they root for based on totally valid or totally stupid things. That's just part of the fun.
Posted in: jon, jone, sport, fan,  
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135 Weigh-In Results for “Jones vs. Rampage” (6pm ET)
Weigh-ins for tomorrow’s “UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage” event take place today in Denver, Colorado, where UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, challenger Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, and the rest of the card will weigh in to make their fights official.
Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com for live UFC 135 weigh-in results starting at 6pm ET.
The UFC 135 weigh-in results are:
MAIN CARD (PPV)
Jon Jones (c) vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck
Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi
Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)
Tony Fergusgon vs. Aaron Riley
Nick Ring vs. Tim Boetsch
PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook)
Eddie Yagin vs. Junior Assuncao
Cole Escovedo vs. Takeya Mizugaki
James Te-Huna vs. Ricardo Romero
Pictured: Jon Jones
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, card, weigh-in
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyJon Jones: Jealous Rampage Jackson is just another hater
Reigning UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones reflected on the trash talk between him and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, stating that his opponent for this Saturday night is nothing but just another hater. Jones added that if he will be unable to break Rampage's will inside the Octagon, he will break his body and force a referee stoppage. Twenty four year old Jon Jones is so far 13-1 in his MMA career, with 8 KO/TKO and 3 Submission stoppage victories.
Further Reading: Don't forget to tune in
Posted in: jon, rampage, jone, jon jones, rampage jackson
Read the full article at Low KickUFC 135 weigh in video results LIVE from Denver for 'Jones vs Rampage' on Sept. 23
The official weigh-in event for UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage" is scheduled to take place TODAY (Fri., Sept. 23, 2011) in Denver, Colo., at the Wells Fargo Theatre.
The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 4 p.m. MT (6 p.m. ET).
As usual, MMAmania.com will provide the latest coverage of the UFC 135 weigh-ins, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they conclude. It is currently scheduled to air live via streaming video at MMANation.com; however, we will update this post with highlights from the event as soon as possible.
"Jones vs. Rampage" will feature the very first title defense of light heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, who will put his strap on the line against former king of the 205-pound mountain, Quinton Jackson. Also booked for the "Mile High City" is a welterweight clash that pits former 170-pound champion Matt Hughes, taking on late replacement and former title contender Josh Koscheck.
Get complete UFC 135 weigh-ins results after the jump:
205 lbs.: Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson170 lbs.: Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck
265 lbs.: Mark Hunt vs. Ben Rothwell
155 lbs.: Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi 265 lbs.: Rob Broughton vs. Travis Browne155 lbs.: Anthony Ferguson vs. Aaron Riley185 lbs.: Tim Boetsch vs. Nick Ring
145 lbs.: Junior Assuncao vs. Eddie Yagin
135 lbs.: Cole Escovedo vs. Takeya Mizugaki205 lbs.: Ricardo Romero vs. James Te Huna
For those fortunate enough to be in "Mile High City" this weekend, remember the weigh-in is FREE to attend and open to the public. Doors to the weigh-in will open at 3 p.m. MT for the general public. In addition, UFC Fight Club members will be able to attend a special Q&A session with former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans prior to that at 2 p.m. local time.
Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., Sept. 24), which is slated to air at 9 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV). The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 7 p.m. ET with the preliminary bouts on Facebook and Spike TV.
It's going to be a fun night of fights so don't miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC 135 coverage you can handle.
Posted in: ufc, jone, vs, lb, weigh-in
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135: Head to Head Preview
Tomorrow night the UFC returns to its birthplace of Denver, CO for UFC 135. The card will be headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between UFC champion Jon Jones and former champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. UFC 135 will kick off with a three fight card broadcast live on Facebook, followed by a one-hour card on Spike TV, with the main card starting at 9PM ET on pay-per-view.
MMAFrenzy kicks off our coverage of UFC 135 with a head to head preview of Satuday’s PPV main card. These are not picks, but analysis of what each fighter needs to do to come out on top of their respective fight.
Jon Jones-(CL) To this point in his career, most of Jones detractors have typically relied on “what-if” analysis that always reminds me of the great philosopher Yogi Berra saying “You wouldn’t have won if we’d beaten you.” We have heard the “not tested” line in regards to every facet of Jones game and in this fight the focus has been on his mentality and his chin. Sure, we have not seen him “tested,” but in reality that has a lot to do with his level of skill, game planning, natural gifts, and just simply not allowing his opponents to get going.
In Rampage, Jones faces a fighter who has gradually shifted away from his wrestling background to the point that I am pretty sure Rampage could fight with Mike Tyson and we would never have to wonder about Tyson’s ground game being able to stop a more powerful bomb than the Hangover 2. Rampage is, for better or worse, a boxer now. He fights smarter than he used to, and looks to counter more so than turn into the destroyer that made him famous in Japan. In this fight, Rampage will have to get inside the pocket with Jones in order cause the damage needed to drop him.
If there is a parallel for this fight-wise, it is the Tyson vs. Lennox Lewis fight. While some argue that reach does not matter in MMA, when one of the fighters is a boxer it does. Like Tyson, Rampage has to get inside the ridiculous 84.5” reach (6’11” Stefan Struve’s reach is 83” by comparison) in order to cause damage to Jones. In the Lewis fight, Tyson’s best work came in the first, where he was able to get inside and batter Lewis’s ribs and land power shots to Lewis’s jaw. If Rampage gets in the pocket and is able to fire shots on Jones, Jones is in trouble. Lewis adjusted for this by clinching with Tyson when he got in tight, utilizing his reach, and working a vicious jab with long strikes. While this is boxing, there are applications to MMA.
The advantage that Jones has is that he can not only clinch but since this is MMA, he can use his wrestling too. Jones can keep Rampage at length with his kicks and long strikes but if Rampage can get inside, Jones can unleash his nasty arsenal of elbows and wrestling. So by mixing the martial arts and keeping up his controlled aggression, Jones should pick up the win.
Rampage-(Bryan Robison) If it weren’t for that darn spygate, I would have suspected Rampage was working on his submission offense. There is no way Jones would have suspected a flying armbar. But alas, since Rampage suspected a spy from Jones’ camp was there, that idea had to be shut down. Oh well, I guess Rampage can fall back on his backup, his boxing.
With that boxing, Rampage holds his most distinct advantage. He is at a reach disadvantage, so he’ll have to be more creative than simple ’1-2′ combos to take out Jones.
He has no choice but to get inside the pocket of Jones in order to put glove to face. He will do that, not only because he has to, but because he wants to. Rampage is too stubborn to sit back against Jones and let Jones go Michael Jordan in Space Jam on him and reach around from the other side of the cage in order to punch him.
Rampage will look for chances to test the untested chin of Jones. That is not an easy feat, and something Rampage will have to be patient with.
Josh Koschek versus Matt Hughes
Koschek-(CL) Kos loves taking fights on short notice, though in this case he has at least had a long layoff since losing to GSP. Kos’s style is in many ways Hughes 2.0. While most fighters would love to enjoy the success Hughes had, Hughes career is in its twilight. The reality of the situation is that Rashad Evans pointed out what many analysts and fighters have picked up on when he said (via twitter) a year ago: “[Hughes] changes his stance based on how he plans [to] fight.. That’s not high level. I think Hughes is a legend & a great fighter but I still think he regressed as a fighter. He gives away his game plan at the start of every fight. If he wants [to] wrestle he goes southpaw if he wants [to] stand up he goes conventional stance, when [you] do that [you] limit what [you] can do & your opponent knows how [you] plan on attacking. The name of the game is deception, but Hughes is a legend if I do half of what he has accomplished I will be happy, but he is not above being analyzed sorry Hughes fans it’s part of the game.”
I have to agree with everything Evans said, and if you do not believe me check out old fights.
Hughes-(BR) This fight is rather strange. Not because of the names or because Hughes has a third nipple or anything. But rather because it’s almost a “mirror fight”. Koshceck and Hughes are very similar; Strong collegiate wrestlers (although Koscheck had more success in college), limited standup, and an underrated submission game.
Hughes, at 37, is obviously not going to be around much longer, with this fight being the last on his current contract. His best hope is to use Koscheck’s layoff against him. While Hughes hasn’t fought since last November, he has at least known that he’ll be on this card for a few months. Koscheck was just notified of this fight less than 3 weeks ago. Plus, he was hoping to move up to middleweight for his next fight.
Hughes won’t necessarily outgrapple Koscheck, but he can drag out a 3 round fight in his favor, besting him on his feet when he has to, and taking two of the three rounds.
Rob Broughton versus Travis Browne
Broughton-(CL) Rob Broughton made the best of an opportunity when he upset a former prospect at UFC 120 and now he gets another shot to prove his worth. This fight reminds me a lot of the old days before many of the UFC heavyweights learned how to wrestle and just brawled… so 2008… Broughton brings serviceable striking but often pins his opponents to the cage and wears them out. Expect Broughton to try to utilize this game plan against the taller Browne. I hope that Broughton has improved his takedown defense because it has been non-existent in every fight I have seen him in. Broughton is a long shot here, but his best bet to try to grind down the bigger, stronger, and more athletic Browne.
Browne-(BR) Travis Browne is tall. This seems obvious, but will become even more obvious when standing next to Rob Broughton, who is 6’3. Browne was not able to use his length against the taller Stefan Struve at UFC 130. Regardless, Browne was able to out power the Dutchman.
With Broughton, Browne will have to worry about being out-grappled by the Brit. That is why it is expected Browne will look to remain on his feet for as long as he can.
While Broughton has never been knocked out, he will still be at a significant disadvantage compared to Browne.
Nate Diaz versus Takanori Gomi
Diaz-(CL) The more compliant and smaller Diaz will take on an opponent his brother fought in one of the best fights I have ever seen. Sadly… this fight is but a shadow of that legendary battle but it does not mean the fight will not be a war. I expect a slugfest here with Diaz going for volume over power. Diaz, like his brother, uses this amateur boxing strategy to overwhelm opponents but it can get in him in trouble by over exposing his chin to a powerful striker. Diaz is also a strong grappler, like his brother, but he does not have the killer instinct his older brother does. The big issue is Diaz’s weight, he is returning to 155 after a unsuccessful stint at 170 and 155 has always been a hard cut for him. If there was ever the case for a 165 class, Diaz would be it. The longer this fight goes, the less technical it will be.
Gomi- (BR) A Diaz vs. Gomi matchup. Seems like déjà vu, doesn’t it? This time around, Gomi is facing Nick’s brother, Nate. Gomi will be able to win the striking battle against the younger Diaz. While Nick can certainly hold his own with his boxing, Nate seems to be a few levels behind.
That is where Gomi will want to exploit Nate. If Gomi is taken to the ground, that’s where things will get dicey. Not only is Nate superior to Gomi in that department, Gomi has struggled with his submission defense, with his last 3 losses coming via submission.
Ben Rothwell versus Mark Hunt
Rothwell- (BR) This seems to be an obvious one, much like Gomi, but the opposite. Ben is going to want to get this one to the ground. He will be able to do that whenever he wants, given Hunt’s lack of takedown defense and even worse submission defense. Rothwell holds 10 submission victories during his career.
Hunt has a few big wins on his resume, but he has never beaten a true heavyweight. He does hold wins over Wanderlei Silva and Mirko Cro Cop, but he’s never defeated anyone taller than 6’2 (Cro Cop). Rothwell is 6’5 and will have a 6 inch reach advantage over Hunt. That will allow Rothwell to stay outside of the pocket and away from Hunt’s comfort zone.
He may not want to be too patient, though. Hunt has won every single match of his career that has lasted past the first round. With that come seven losses, all within the first round.
Mark Hunt- (CL) It is quite simple… DO NOT GO TO THE GROUND!!!! That is really it… and even if he does not, it is not a guarantee he will win. This is a fight to fulfill a previous deal, nothing more.
Posted in: fight, diaz, rampage, jone, hughe
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 135 Main Event Breakdown: Jon Jones vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting ExclusiveFor the last four and a half years, the UFC light-heayvweight title has been a hot potato. Since that time, six different men have held it, and only two have managed to successfully defend it a single time before losing.
One of those two is Saturday night's challenger, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, who dethroned Chuck Liddell after a two-year reign at the top. At the time, Liddell was seemingly at the height of his powers. Though 37 years old then, he had finished seven straight opponents, and was installed as a massive favorite against Jackson.
Of course, Jackson went on to upset him in a first-round knockout before successfully defending the belt against Dan Henderson, then lost it in a close split-decision to Forrest Griffin.
At UFC 135, Jackson is back in the same role, a challenger facing long odds.
The current lines have champion Jon Jones as much as a 7-to-1 favorite. That's a shocking number considering Jackson's pedigree and history of success. The belief in Jones as a lock to win stems from his dominant performances so far, the excitement that has crested during his quick rise to the top, and his perceived matchup advantages against Jackson.
Chief among them is his reach. Jones will have nearly a one-foot reach advantage against Jackson, 84.5 inches to 73 inches. Given Jackson's tendencies to be a counter-fighter, he is bound to face some difficulties getting inside, where his hooks become his most dangerous weapons.
Jones has the size and length to stand on the outside and batter away at Jackson's legs the same way Griffin did when he beat Jackson in 2008. Because Jackson rarely checks kicks, and seldom fires back kicks of his own (only 12.5 percent of his standing strikes are kicks, according to Compustrike), that's an area of major concern. By comparison, kicks account for 39 percent of Jones' standup strikes.
Jones is also excellent at varying his areas of attack. He doesn't get caught up in head-hunting, as evidenced by his fight against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, during which he softened up the then-champ with body shots throughout. That unpredictability is a key element of his success, but it also leaves openings.
That's where Jackson hopes to make his stand. Jackson has always been a patient fighter, waiting for his opponent to commit to him before firing back. As proof, it's telling that during his UFC career, he's gone 7-2 despite the fact that his opponents have thrown 170 more combined strikes than him. That's fairly rare for a winning fighter, let alone a former champion.
Being a counter-fighter causes you to pick your spots wisely, but it also leaves little room for error. Jackson is good at his style because he lands when he throws, connecting on 53 percent of standing strikes, an excellent ratio. But he's never faced anyone with Jones' reach, leaving questions about how effective his style can be here.
If things aren't going well for Jackson, he might have to wade inside, where Jones has shown a strong clinch game, alternately using it to deliver punishment or score takedowns. He's manhandled most of his opponents from in tight, and Jackson has had issues there in the past, making it murky waters to navigate.
All that leaves us with the same conclusion that everyone's had from the moment this fight was announced: Jackson's best chance of winning is hurting Jones with a hook. The odds suggest it is nearly impossible, but we must note that Jones has never faced anyone who fights like Jackson. Rua is the most similar opponent he's fought in terms of experience and power, but his style is quite different. Rua likes to come forward and be the aggressor, his standup is a Muay Thai blend, and he aggressively hunts the takedown. Jackson is none of those things. He's going to dare you to come to him, he values his hands above all his weapons, and he avoids the ground at all costs.
Despite the fact that Jackson hasn't had a knockout in his last four fights, he's dropped three of the four with punches, so to suggest his power isn't there is misleading. If Jones comes in with his chin untucked, or if Jackson finds the money spot, he's still capable of a finish. Jones has never really been in any kind of trouble, and he's never really been hit square. That is due to his own defensive abilities, but the fact remains that we can't be certain about how he'll take a big punch.
The biggest area of concern for Jackson is on the ground. Jackson has very good submission defense, but he never threatens from the bottom and struggles to return to his feet. Meanwhile, Jones has become a killer on top, utilizing his length and leverage to generate some of the most brutal elbow strikes in the game. If Jones can continually put Jackson on his back, Jackson has big trouble.
Jackson doesn't have the multi-pronged offensive approach that can shake a still young fighter. Once Jones gets his timing down, as his comfort level in evading Jackson's counterpunches grows, the odds will grow longer for Jackson. To say he has virtually no shot as the current odds indicate is untrue. His punching power is still there, his hands are still relatively quick, his punches are tight, and he's got experience on his side. But a lot of what he does should play right into Jones' hands. He's going to let Jones throw first, which is bad. He might counterstrike his way into Jones' clinch, which is bad. And any attempt to get inside might lead to a clinch and/or takedown, both of which are bad.
Jones has many more ways to win, and I think he wears down the challenger over time with leg kicks, body shots and ground work. Jackson has always been a durable fighter, and that will be put to the test here, because there will be plenty of stuff coming at him. Jones via fourth-round TKO. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, opponent, strike
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseRampage Jackson outs Jon Jones' Spy on SportsCenter; MusclePharm VP Resigns
In what has undoubtedly been one of the stranger storylines leading up to a fight, the "Spygate" accusations made by Quinton "Rampage" Jackson earlier this month alleging that Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones had planted a mole inside of his training camp now appear to have been a bit more serious than some may have initially believed.While making an appearance on this morning's edition of ESPN's SportsCenter, Jackson finally revealed the name of the man he believes was reporting back to Jones' camp.
Posted in: jone, jackson, musclepharm vp, stranger storylines, training camp
Read the full article at Low KickGreg Jackson: Jones Doesn’t Need to Spy on ‘Rampage’
Greg Jackson says he has the utmost respect for Quinton Jackson, but he does chuckle at Rampage’s claim that Jon Jones had someone spying on his training ahead of their fight at UFC 135.
Posted in: jone, jackson, jon jones, quinton jackson, greg jackson
Read the full article at SherdogApparently Rampage and Jones have already fought...
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Posted in: rampage, jone, valetodo
Read the full article at RedditJon Jones - Chapter Two Begins
If the sports world wasn’t so predictable, it would make you shake your head in dismay. 1) A talented athlete comes out of nowhere with a fresh approach, otherworldly talent and athleticism, and a charisma that cuts across all demographics. 2) Next, he reaches the top of his profession in breakneck speed and is celebrated for being his sport’s new phenom. 3) Then, the backlash starts. All of a sudden he’s too good for his own good, and in need of a little drop down the ladder. 4) Once that happens, the smug smirks appear and the wait begins for his climb back after a fall from grace. 5) If he can do that, all is well with the world again, and he is celebrated for his courageous return.Heard that story before? Probably at least a dozen times if you’re over the age of 30. But if you think mixed martial arts was immune from it, think again. You’re watching it right now with UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, the 24-year old who has gone through steps one and two already, while currently experiencing step three in the lead-up to his UFC 135 main event bout with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson this Saturday in Denver. Yet if you ask him how life has changed for him since March, when he became the youngest champion in UFC history when he snagged the belt from Mauricio “Shogun” Rua via TKO, he’ll say not much at all.“At first there was a lot more media, a lot more interviews and publicity things, and now that that’s over, training camp’s the same, the team chemistry’s the same, and the only thing that’s changed is my work ethic,” said Jones. “Before, I was training to be a champion, and now that I am a champion, I think I’ve taken my work ethic to a different level. Sometimes I feel as if I’m overtraining. My coaches really have to encourage me to go sit down somewhere. So the only thing that I can honestly see that’s changed is the amount of people who know my name, and sincerely, my work ethic has changed so much.”In other words, Jon Jones is still Jon Jones. Despite what you may read on Twitter or hear from some of his peers, the kid from upstate New York hasn’t all of a sudden become an out of control ogre swallowing up interview after interview in a quest for world domination. He can laugh that description off, but when the backlash to him becoming world champion and the new face of the UFC started to hit, he noticed it, and it hit hard. “I did feel the hate,” he said. “Me being a young guy and a guy who wanted to be liked, at first it hurt me a lot. But what I learned very fast is that I need to take my emotions out of my work sometimes, especially when it comes to other people’s opinions. I’m a positive being, that’s my nature, so I’m not a person who ever tweets swear words or ever tries to purposely try to put someone down or hurt them. I’m not a person of ill will. I genuinely try to share knowledge on self-confidence and religion and treating your neighbor right and believing in yourself and working hard and loving your family. And I know in my heart that I’m not doing the wrong thing, so if I’m just trying to help, and people are misconstruing it, I’ve learned not to worry about what I can’t control anymore. And I think in the long run, the people who get my message and get what I’m trying to share, which is nothing but positivity, those are the people that appreciate it.” Lesson number one – you can be the nicest person in the world, and someone will hate you for it. When you become successful, those numbers multiply. Jones found that out the hard way, but one of his teammates in the Jackson MMA camp, middleweight contender Brian Stann, put his mind at ease with tales of his own dealings with the internet underbelly.“I was talking to Brian Stann and he said ‘hey man, you think you get hate messages, I get called a murderer, people think I’m an advocate of war, and I get a lot of hate. And the thing is, the people who actually love you Jon, they’re probably gonna read your interview or watch your youtube video, and think ‘wow, what a great guy.’ Most of the people who write those messages, they’re people with nothing else to do but to bring somebody else down. Only people that are below you can pull you down.’ That stuck with me. So I learned that as long as I know that I have good intentions, I don’t allow people to misconstrue my words and pull me down.”If it sounds like a classic case of a gifted athlete learning his craft on the job, it is. And remember, in addition to only being 24, Jones only has 14 pro fights. Yes, he’s dazzled in all of them (even in his lone loss, via disqualification to Matt Hamill in 2009), but compared to the experience possessed by his challenger this weekend, “Bones” can still be considered a rookie. Luckily, the engaged father of two is a family man and one focused on the future, so he has sidestepped the pitfalls many in his position have been engulfed by, so while the tendency would be for the Man of the Hour to embrace his new celebrity for months and months, Jones took a brief break (and a well deserved one considering he had back to back camps for Rua and his previous foe, Ryan Bader), and got back to the gym.“It wasn’t tough to get back to work,” said Jones. “I was traveling so much and eating so unhealthy and tired of being on airplanes every Friday night, so I was dying to get back into the gym. I was starting to get a lot of messages from fans saying ‘don’t you think all this PR work and traveling is taking away from your training?’ And they were absolutely right. So I’m making up for all the time I took off after my Shogun fight. This has been the longest training camp of my career as well, so I definitely feel as if I’ve evolved and elevated in my technique and in my spirit and my work ethic.”As for the old adage that it’s harder to defend the title than win it, Jones disagrees.“I don’t think it’s harder to defend a title than win it,” he said. “I think every fight’s just another fight. It’s not necessarily a bigger fight than the last one, or even my very first fight, or my UFC debut. They’re all big fights and I think it’s really important to just focus on loving the journey instead of focusing on the destination. Being a champion, I don’t really feel as if I’ve crossed the finish line. There is no finish line, and I’m really enjoying that journey. Rampage is just a part of that. So I don’t think there’s a difference between winning the belt and keeping it. Each and every fight is a completely different experience than the other one, and I’m just enjoying the journey and working as if it’s just another fight.”That’s a good outlook to have, but fighting “Rampage” Jackson is not just another fight, especially since things have gotten progressively heated between the two since the UFC 135 main event was announced. Jones has done his best to keep his cool while firing off his own verbal volleys to keep up with the king of the one-liners, but make no mistake about it – Jones doesn’t want this part of the journey to end with a loss to Jackson. Anyone but him.“Leading into the Forrest Griffin fight, Rampage made a quote saying ‘Forrest Griffin can’t bust a grape with his hands,’” recalled Jones. “It’s the same exact quote he said about me, that I can’t bust a grape with my hands and that I have no punching power. So I think he’s failing to realize that this is mixed martial arts and not boxing, and the game’s not based around having punching power; it’s based around having finesse and skill, having discipline, and having passion for the game. I think I’m excelling when it comes to each and every one of those categories when it comes to Rampage. He would love to be the world champion again, but I don’t think he really lives the lifestyle to become the world champion again. I think he wants it handed to him, and I’m at a stage in my career where if I get hit in practice, I go home and I’m slightly depressed about it. I don’t like to get hit at all, and now we’re talking about actually losing a whole fight? That’s just not where I’m at right now mentally. I respect Rampage a lot, he’s got awesome knockout power, and I think he’s really banking on a big hit to win this fight. But I’m gonna make sure I break him down very early in the fight to take that punching power away from him right away. And I couldn’t imagine giving my belt away to someone who’s half-passionate about doing what it takes to get the belt.”Fighting words indeed, and that’s the great thing about Jon Jones. As calm, cool, and collected as he is outside the Octagon, when it’s time to fight, he’s something completely different and something completely dangerous to the person standing across from him. That’s a fighter, and whether you’re on board the bandwagon or not, he’s not going anywhere.“I know I’m a good person,” said Jones, “but as an athlete, I do have a chip on my shoulder, I do have a big ego as an athlete, and I do believe that I’m the best and I do want to be the best. That’s something I can’t control, and I really can’t hide my pride in the Octagon because I work my butt off to be the best. I’m not ashamed of it anymore.”
Posted in: fight, jone, ’t, i ’m, ’m
Read the full article at UFCUFC 135 Video: Jon Jones vs. “Rampage” Jackson Main Event Preview
Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com for UFC 135 results and complete UFC 135 coverage.
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, jackson, event preview
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyJon Jones vs Rampage Jackson: Who has the statistical advantage at UFC 135?
Numbers don't lie.
They don't get into the cage and fight, though, either. Statistics can be telling, but they aren't always 100-percent accurate as to what has happened or what will happen.
That aside, when Jon Jones takes on Quinton Jackson at UFC 135 this Sat., Sept. 24 in Denver, Colorado, who should be the favorite? Who has the edge in the striking game? Who is better served to take the fight to the mat?
Most of the time it's just conjecture and subjective opinion. Today, the nice folks at CompuStrike released a statistical comparison between "Bones" and "Rampage," highlighting some of the strengths and weaknesses of the two light heavyweights powerhouses.
Let's take a look at the numbers.
The following statistics are based only on contests each fighter has participated in within the confines of the Octagon. Fights in other organizations were not taken into consideration.
The numbers are averages, based on eight fights for Jones and nine for "Rampage."
The first comparison has to do with the time each fighter has spent standing, as well as how much time they've spent on the ground during their fights.
Jones (Total Fight Time) - Standing: 45:28 | Ground: 24:11Rampage (Total Fight Time) - Standing: 106:06 | Ground: 27:56
An interesting statistic, but somewhat skewed because the majority of Jones' fights have been "don't-look-because-you-might-miss-the-entire-fight" quick.
The next category involves "Percentage of Total Power Strikes Landed."
Jones: 71%Rampage: 67%
The next category contrasts each fighter's percentage of arm strikes landed.
Jones: 32%Rampage: 49%
Big disparity. It could have something to do with the amount of unorthodox arm strikes that "Bones" attempts. It could also just mean "Rampage" is a much more accurate striker.
The next category details the percentage of leg strikes landed by both fighters.
Jones: 70%Rampage: 75%
I have to admit, this surprised me. The words "leg kick" and "Rampage" barely belong in the same sentence.
Next, we look at the percentage of ground strikes landed. Here, we see a large disparity between the two.
Jones: 66%Rampage: 52%
In the final category, takedown attempts, Jones runs away with it. Shocking, right?
Jones: 92%Rampage: 55%
None of this is earth-shattering. It may, however, show the areas that fans thought were close are, perhaps, even closer than they'd previously imagined.
It may also spotlight the fact that the areas we thought held lop-sided differentials, may be even more uneven than we'd initially suspected.
What do you Maniacs think? Anyone rushing to change their bets at the last minute with this new information?
Posted in: rampage, jone, fight, time, strike
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRashad Evans Virtually Breaks Down UFC 135′s Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson
Rashad Evans breaks down the UFC 135 main event between Jon Jones and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson... well, sort of.
Posted in: jone, jackson, jon jones, rampage jackson, rashad evans
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 135 Workout: Jon Jones Believes Rampage is Just Jealous
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones isn't exactly sure why Rampage Jackson has constantly called him cocky and disrespectful, but he thinks it could simply boil down to jealousy.
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, jon jones, rampage jackson
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyEmbracing the hate, UFC 135's Jon Jones happy to shed "golden boy" tag
DENVER - It's been a funny year for UFC light heavyweight champion Jon
Jones. In March, "Bones" was a hero, destroying Mauricio "Shogun" Rua to
become the UFC's youngest-ever champion. And of course, that came just
hours after he tracked down a thief and subdued the perpetrator until
authorities could arrive.
But now in September, just six short months later, Jones is dealing with
a throng of critics who have accused him of ducking a fight with Rashad
Evans and coming into a UFC 135 contest with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
with a "cocky" and "fake" demeanor.
Bring it, says Jones. He never asked to be anybody's golden boy, anyway.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, rashad evans, youngest-ever champion
Read the full article at MMA JunkieUFC 135 open workout photos gallery for 'Jones vs Rampage' in Denver
Earlier today (Thurs., Sept. 22, 2011), UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage" event competitors participated in an open workout designed mostly for photo opportunities.
And photos we got.
In the main event of the evening, Jon Jones will defend his light heavyweight title for the very first time against number one contender and noted bone-breaker Quinton Jackson.
The co-featured bout of the night will highlight a welterweight clash years in the making, as legendary former champion and Hall of Famer Matt Hughes will battle a returning Josh Koscheck.
More shots after the jump, courtesy of Esther Lin via MMAFighting.com.
Posted in: jone, co-featured bout, photo, event competitors, esther lin
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 Open Workouts Coverage: Jon Jones, Matt Hughes, Josh Koscheck
MMA Nation's Luke Thomas was on-site at the UFC 135 open workouts today that took place in the MusclePharm facility that Quinton "Rampage" Jackson has called home for a while. Luke managed to cover a lot of interesting stuff, including Matt Hughes and Josh Koscheck speaking to the media. He was also able to snag an interview with UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who explained his bizarre and hilarious phone interview with Luke earlier in the day where he did the whole thing with a British accent.
Hughes talked about whether he wants to continue fighting, the pressure he's been getting from his family to retire, and the possibility of fighting at a catchweight in the future. Koscheck discusses his return after the Georges St. Pierre fight at UFC 124, how he's toned down his usual rhetoric (mostly because of a lack of time), and the possibility of fighting at middleweight. And Jones discusses the earlier interview, having fun in the leadup to his fights, the mutual respect between himself and Jackson, and that Rampage's power "isn't all it's cracked up to be".
You can catch the Jones interview below, and the Koscheck and Hughes videos after the jump.
Posted in: ufc, matt hughes, jone, hughe, josh koscheck
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowRampage insists there's no hate for Jones but says champ must be humbled at UFC 135
DENVER - To hear Quinton "Rampage" Jackson tell it,
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is a cocky,
disrespectful athlete with decent wrestling and an overrated striking
game.
And while Jackson said he does have respect for Jones' abilities in the
cage, he's having trouble finding any redeeming qualities in the champ's
personality.
But hate? No, Jackson insists. As one of God's children, he hates no
man, despite what UFC president Dana White said at Wednesday's pre-UFC
135 press conference. Now wanting to whoop another man's ass, well
that's a different story.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, champ, disrespectful athlete
Read the full article at MMA JunkiePhil Nurse Talks Jon Jones, Creativity And Evolution
Jon Jones' striking coach Phil Nurse discusses the evolution of one of his best and brightest fighters.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, evolution, phil, nurse
Read the full article at Heavy MMAJon Jones Gives Weird, Awkward Interview In British Accent
This is definitely one of the more weird, awkward interviews I’ve heard in recent years. What was supposed to be a normal radio interview with Jon Jones about his title fight this weekend at UFC 135 turned into a head-scratcher when Jones decided to speak in a British accent. It really doesn’t sound like him at all, however MMA Nation’s Luke Thomas who conducted the interview verified that it was in fact Jones. Furthermore, his manager Malki Kawa sent out this tweet praising his client for giving a “classic” interview for his UK fans. Um, sure.
Interestingly, “double agent” Jones admits to spying on Rampage, but it was most likely meant to be a joke.
LT: Relative to other camps, and we can go back to the Brandon Vera camp and other camps you’ve had, this is the most high-profile one. Certainly new for you, it’s your first title defense, but at the same time there were a lot of distractions, particularly with the Spygate thing. On a scale of one to ten, one being you didn’t even notice it, ten being you couldn’t sleep at night, rate the level of distractions in this camp.
JJ: Well, you know, I’m British, so being a double agent is what we do. So, it wasn’t a distraction. I simply got caught.
LT: …right. You got caught spying?
JJ: Yeah, he caught me. It was his chef. Chef kinda put me out there a little bit. I’m comfortable with it, too late now.
I’m not sure what Jones was trying to accomplish here, but if he was trying to be funny, I didn’t laugh.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, interview, british accent, camp
Read the full article at MMA Convert'Rampage' Jackson Says Jon Jones Disrespected His Coach at Open Workouts
DENVER -- At Thursday afternoon's UFC 135 open workouts Quinton "Rampage" Jackson continued to blast UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones for what he interpreted as disrespect, but this time he had a new accusation to level at his opponent.
"He badmouthed my coach today, here at the open workout," Jackson told reporters. "That's not right. The kid has no respect for nobody. He needs to be humbled."
The coach in question was British boxing coach Mark Kinney, a stout veteran of the fight game, who told MMA Fighting that Jones was "just trying to wind me up."
"He said something to me and then I said something back to him," said Kinney, who declined to reveal exactly what was said, but painted Jones as the instigator. "I'm not going to lose sleep over it," he added.
In Jackson's mind, it was just the latest example of disrespectful behavior from Jones, who had long since disappeared from the MusclePharm gym by the time Jackson made the accusation to reporters.
"It's very disrespectful what he did to my coach," Jackson said. "You don't come up to your opponent's coach and talk crap. For the honor and respect of this sport, you don't do that. Jon Jones says I fight for money, and this and that and he fights for fun and honor and stuff like that. But he's not showing the [signs] of a fighter who fights for honor. Yes, I fight for money, because this is the career I chose. But at the same time I have a lot of honor and respect for this sport and other fighters."
But Kinney, the man who was supposedly disrespected, brushed off the incident as a fairly tame run-in. Maybe Jones was feeling just a little too confident in the days leading up to the fight, he suggested, but the champ could be in for a surprise.
After Saturday night, Kinney said, no one will be asking about what Jones said to him or whether he really had a spy in Jackson's camp. "They're going to be asking about his concussion. They're going to be asking whether he'll be in hospital for two weeks or four."
Both Kinney and Jackson continued to insist that Jones had someone on the inside of the challenger's training camp feeding him information, but neither would say who it was. Jackson said he eventually found out the identity of the so-called spy, and his manager took action against him.
"Let's just say he's hurting financially right now," Jackson said. "But we did find the spy, and as I suspected he wasn't a fighter."
And while most people are counting Jackson out against the taller, lankier Jones, Kinney hinted that the team has a plan for getting inside the champion's longer reach and doing damage in close. Of course, he wasn't eager to divulge that information with the fight still two days away.
"But he'll get inside," Kinney said. "Trust me." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: fight, jone, jackson, coach, kinney
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones vs Rampage Jackson on The Daily Habit: The chef was the spy all along (Video)
It was the chef, Jackson! It was the chef all along, Jackson!
Jon Jones "admits" to spying on "Rampage" and using his chef to do it so he can keep track of Jackson's nutrition and what not. Now that that's out of the way, they can stop with the talking and get to the fighting, which they'll do this Sat., Sept. 24, 2011, at UFC 135 in Denver, Colorado.
Posted in: jone, jackson, jon jones, ., sept, chef
Read the full article at MMA ManiaTime to teach the kid a lesson (Yahoo! Sports)
In his final UFC 135 blog, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson says Jon Jones is about to learn a hard lesson.
Posted in: rampage, jone, jackson, jon jones, lesson
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsCould Jon Jones Become The Greatest Of All Time?
He's already one of the best in the world. Could Jon Jones become the greatest mixed martial artist of all time?
Posted in: time, jon, jone, jon jones, time ?.
Read the full article at Heavy MMAUFC 135: Jon Jones conducts entire pre-fight interview in a British accent as a 'double agent' (Audio)
Alrighty then.
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones is having a grand old time prior to his UFC 135 title fight against Quinton Jackson on Saturday night (Sept. 24) in Denver.
Either that or he's completely flipped his lid.
"Bones" was a recent guest on Washington D.C.'s 106.7 The Fan, conducting the entire interview, which runs just over five minutes, in a British accent.
He also admits to being a British double-agent, which is why he was mired in the Spy-Gate controversy a few weeks back.
I'm not sure what to make of all this, so have a listen for yourself, after the jump.
Is Jones just having fun? Or punishing the media? What do you make of his mindset heading into "Mile High City" for his "Rampage" headliner?
Opinions, please.
Posted in: saturday night, jone, quinton jackson, british accent, british
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135: Jon Jones Speaks With British Accent, Admits to Spying
This is bizarre. Andy Kaufman bizarre.
In this interview with MMA Nation's Luke Thomas, Jon Jones puts on a British accent and keeps it up for the duration of the chat. I'm not an expert, but I would place the accent somewhere in Manchester or London. (Brits, help me out here.)
But that's not all! Midway through the interview, Jones (or whatever character he's putting on) admits to spying on Quinton Jackson's training camp:
Luke Thomas: On a scale of one to ten, one being you didn't even notice it, ten being you couldn't sleep at night, rate the level of distractions in this camp.
Jon Jones: Well, you know, I'm British, so being a double agent is what we do. So, it wasn't a distraction. I simply got caught.
Luke Thomas: ...right. You got caught spying?
Jon Jones: Yeah, he caught me. It was his chef. Chef kinda put me out there a little bit. I'm comfortable with it, too late now.
Luke, understandably, is caught off guard here and sort of stumbles through some dead air. The conversation turns to Carlos Condit and Georges St. Pierre, who Jones describes as his "mates."
When asked if he would give his post-fight interview in the British accent, Jones says, "Absolutely mate, or maybe I might even go French."
And for any skeptics out there, Jones' manager, Malki Kawa, confirms it in this tweet.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, luke thomas, british accent, accent
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJackson still packs a punch, but what else? (Yahoo! Sports)
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson still has thunder in his fists, but will that be enough to defeat Jon Jones?
Posted in: rampage, jone, jackson, punch, thunder
Read the full article at Yahoo! SportsHistory in the Making: Did Jon Jones usher in a new era when he destroyed 'Shogun' Rua?
If one didn't know better, they would swear that the UFC light heavyweight championship was cursed.
The allure of the title beckons fighters to it like a siren, leading them down a dangerous path before meeting an untimely and unceremonious end.
Ever since Quinton Jackson knocked long-time champion Chuck Liddell unconscious at UFC 71, no one has managed to keep the belt around their waist for more than one defense. "Rampage" went on to unify the title with that of Pride Fighting Championships' (Pride) but had the crown wrested away from him months later by Forrest Griffin.
Griffin -- and his eventual usurper Rashad Evans -- weren't able to make a single successful defense in the cut-throat world that is the 205-pound division. When Lyoto Machida won the strap, Joe Rogan infamously bellowed, "Welcome to the Machida Era!"
"The Dragon" defended the belt -- albeit unconvincingly -- in what was the title's first defense since Jackson's bout with Dan Henderson only to lose it -- very convincingly -- in the immediate rematch to Mauricio Rua.
The title was his for nearly a year but only due to an injury that put him on the shelf. When "Shogun" did finally step back inside the Octagon, Jon Jones was there to almost literally beat him within an inch of his life to assume the light heavyweight throne.
A little over 48 hours (Sept. 24) remain until "Bones" makes his first defense as champion when he takes on Jackson in the main event of UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage." Will the young superstar be able to hang onto the belt?
If he fights like he did against Rua, there will be little chance he doesn't. Let's take a closer look at that bout.
Read on!
Jones, of course, was given the opportunity to challenge for the light heavyweight title when his former teammate Rashad Evans dropped out due to injury.
It was a bit of cosmic irony that Evans -- who opted to wait for "Shogun" to heal up to cash in his title shot -- was now losing his opportunity to once again become champion due to an injury himself. His decision was criticized by many -- including UFC head honcho Dana White -- and it seemed to have come back to bite him.
When "Bones" easily dispatched of fellow up-and-comer Ryan Bader, Joe Rogan was there to break the news to the young fighter. As Rogan explained that "Suga" had stepped down and the promotion was now offering the title shot to him, it appeared that Jones was ready to break down and cry.
He eagerly accepted despite the title fight being only six weeks away. Only six weeks to prepare for the biggest fight of his young career. Only six weeks to scout one of the most dangerous 205-pounders in the history of the sport. Only six weeks before he had to take on "Shogun" Rua.
"Bones" obviously made the most of that time because what occurred at UFC 128 was one of the most dominant performances ever seen in a title bout.
Let's jump right in.
Jones immediately dives in with a flying knee that catches the champion flush. He begins using front kicks to keep "Shogun" at bay, taking advantage of his far superior reach.
A spinning back kick from "Bones" misses its mark and it's followed by an exchange from both fighters that clinches them up. From there, the challenger basically ragdolls Rua to the mat.
Each fighter immediately begins to work: Jones throwing punches and those deadly elbows and Rua trying to close the distance and attempting to transition to a more favorable position. But every time the champion tries to squirm out from under his opponent, Jones is quick to immediately nullify every bit of the Brazilian's grappling.
With less than two minutes remaining, Rua begins to rise back to his feet. With one knee down, he eats a knee straight to the ribcage. As Rua's knee lifts up, a knee crashes into his face. Then a straight from Jones forces "Shogun" to cover up against the cage.
"Bones" resets to the center of the cage and begins to pick away at a visibly woozy Rua. This man knocked out "Rampage," went to war with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, and solved that riddle of Machida but it seems he was ill-prepared for the destruction incarnate standing before him.
A punch to the body is followed up with a knee before Jones begins to attack the knees of "Shogun" which have a well-documented history of surgery. The round ends with "Bones" on top, landing more ground and pound.
Not to be outdone by the opening theatrics of the first round, Jones lands a spinning back fist 30 seconds into the next stanza. He is light on his feet, bouncing on his heels while the champion plods forward and back, the energy already having been sapped from his body.
It seems like the only offense Rua is able to land -- a body kick -- is rendered meaningless when Jones catches it and turns it into a takedown. Two stiff punches bounce "Shogun's" head off the canvas before the American drops down into his opponent's guard to inflict more damage. He remains there until the horn sounds, almost like a death rattle for Rua's championship reign.
Going into the third round, Rua is able to get behind the challenger while still on their feet but makes the bad decision to roll into a knee bar. "Bones" is able to break free of the submission and eventually ends up on top, a familiar sight in the bout.
Like a shark smells blood, Jones knows his opponent is on the proverbial ropes. He begins to posture up and land those vicious elbows. Rua enters survival mode and is able to get back to his feet, his face a swollen and bloody mess. Jones pressures him against the cage, lands a perfectly placed body shot and the champion crumbles to the mat.
A titan of the sport falls as a young lion ascends to the throne. Much like Machida had been pegged as the future by both pundits and fans alike, Jones seems to have that same burden placed upon his shoulders.
He's so young and so talented that it seems impossible that anyone in the current crop of fighters would be able to defeat him. But nothing is impossible and "Bones" has history -- in particular that of the title currently around his waist -- against him.
Can "Rampage" become only the second two-time 205-pound champion in UFC history?
Or will the realization of Jones' destiny continue?
We will find out Saturday night.
Posted in: title, jone, shogun, rua, bone
Read the full article at MMA ManiaMy Plea To Jon Jones: Be Ali
Mike Goldberg loves to use the terms “classy and humble” when describing fighters. One fighter he believes to be the classiest and humblest of them all is Jon Jones. I guess because Jones is only 24-years old and he thanks God every time he wins, that makes him, “a classy and humble young man.” Maybe Goldberg is just confusing Jones with Tim Tebow, since they’re both a little awkward with their style and they save lives when they’re not doing their day job.
I don’t think Jones is as classy and humble as Goldberg wants fans to believe. I think he’s a kid who wants to portray himself that way because that’s how everyone expects him to be, but while doing that, he’s not really being himself.
I believe that Jones is a cocky, but very confident, young man. And that’s the image that I hope he starts to portray. I don’t think I’m asking him to be something that he’s not, because it seems to me that right now he’s trying to be something that he’s not.
Not too long ago Bruce Buffer said that Jones could be the Muhammad Ali of MMA. So why not do it? People loved Ali because he was a cocky and confident fighter, and he backed it up in the ring. Even if people didn’t like Ali, they still watched in hopes that he would get his ass-kicked.
Jones can be the Ali of MMA.
He has the charisma, both inside and outside of the cage, to become the most popular fighter in the world. He’s going to gain fans and attention because of the way he fights, but if he wants to be something more, he can’t keep being someone that he’s not.
Jones needs to be the Ali of MMA.
He needs to embrace his personality. The Jones we saw on Jimmy Kimmel Live earlier this week was the real Jon Jones. He was holding his own in a war of words with Quinton Jackson, but doing it in a funny way. I think that’s who Jones really is, but someone he doesn’t show often enough.
Here’s what I want from Jones: I want him to start opening up and get as creative outside of the cage as he is inside.
After he won the UFC title, Jones said, “I would get rid of the replica belt. I hate it when people come up to me with a belt that looks exactly like mine and they ask me to sign it. I worked three times a day for three years to get this belt, and now this guy asking me for an autograph has one just like it. Are you serious? I mean it’s not as heavy, but it looks just the same. I never sign those belts”
He was criticized for those comments, and even though I think they were a glimpse of his true personality, he can turn those comments around on the fans and Jackson.
Jones should show up with a replica belt, sign it, and present it to “Rampage” Jackson, who keeps saying, “I want my belt back” anytime there is a microphone in his face. He should also pop a breath mint or two before his staredown with Jackson, so Quinton, who loves to bring up the bad breath of his opponents, can’t use that as an excuse.
I want Jones to start predicting what round he’s going to finish opponents in. Tell me you wouldn’t enjoy Jones saying, “I’m going to finish this clown with elbows in the third round” or “I’ll choke him out in the first and have him dying of thirst.” It takes a certain charisma to pull something like this off, and Jones has that charisma and timing to where he could easily get the job done.
You can tell that Jones wants to be a cocky champion, who knows he’s the best, and who will go out there and prove it no matter what anyone says or thinks of him. Maybe it’s just that “Rampage” is bringing this personality out of him, but I think we’ve all seen glimpses of it throughout Jones’ career.
He can be cocky but retain his humbleness. Maybe he thinks he has to be one or the other, but it’s possible to be both. All he has to do is praise his opponent, but just continue to say that he’s better, and he’s going to prove it in the octagon.
He doesn’t have to be overly-classy, where he’s doing nothing but praising his opponent and thanking God, he doesn’t have to be overly-cocky where he’s only praising himself, and he doesn’t have to be completely reserved where he’d rather not talking about anything.
Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, “Bones” Jones can be Muhammad Ali.
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Posted in: jone, jackson, ’t, belt, ali
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainA history of violence: 'Rampage' Jackson scores his first knockout
FanPost edited and promoted by MMAmania.com.
UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage" is live this Saturday night (Sept. 24) from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. The main event pits reigning light heavyweight champion Jon Jones against one of the division's most colorful personalities in Quinton Jackson.
Jackson earned his second crack at the light heavyweight crown by beating Matt Hamill at UFC 130 and becoming just the second fighter ever to beat Lyoto Machida at UFC 126.
Many fans have harped on "Rampage" for his lackadaisical approach to training and evolving but he simply outclassed one of the division's best wrestlers in "The Hammer" and like I previously stated, he beat "The Dragon" which is in fact an accomplishment in and of itself. He's also stayed active the past eight months which is a sign of good things to come.
Right?
No question that Jones is a fighter unmatched by anyone in the UFC (at the moment) but when people have doubted 'Page in the past, he has come up to shine. Is UFC 135 going to be one of those nights where Jackson shuts up the doubters and haters?
Let's go back to PRIDE 17 on November 3, 2001, where Jackson earned his first official knockout.
The Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, was rocking as PRIDE invaded with a double main event. The 'Texas Crazy Horse' Heath Herring was getting a chance at the PRIDE heavyweight title but would have to rip it from the black belt grip of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. The main event event was the genesis of the famous PRIDE middleweight title as the 'Axe Murderer' Wanderlei Silva was taking on Japanese sensation Kazushi Sakuraba.
The second tilt of the evening featured our main focus, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson against Yuki Ishikawa. You may be asking 'who is Ishikawa,' well, many hardcore fans will pull up his stats but for the sake of this piece, he was a mere sacrificial lamb for the slaughter.
Jackson already held wins over Mike Pyle and Alexander Otsuka and in his 13 fights prior was a very impressive 11-2. He held TKO and submission wins (yes Jackson submitted fools) but did not have an "official" knockout win thus far.
It would all change
.
For one minute and 57 seconds, Jackson may have been the most violent he has ever been. He slammed Yuki like Casey Heynes did to that bully in Australia. He landed two knees, one illegal due to it hitting the back of Ishikawa's head, but each landing flush. He tried multiple times to 'powerbomb' Yuki like he would later do to Ricardo Arona.It was just a good ole ass whoopin' as WWE announcer Jim Ross would say.
Jackson, after submission attempts failed and powerbombs failed, would get Yuki up against the ropes. Jackson ate a punch like it was nothing and then nailed a knee which caused Ishikawa to make the fatal mistake of dropping his hands. Then Rampage landed a flurry and a short left hook dimmed the lights for the Japanese fighter.
Rampage would go on to improve to 12-2 and move up the PRIDE middleweight rankings. Decked out in Apollo Creed USA flag shorts, he was making people look like Rocky in Rocky one -- but Rocky getting knocked out in the end.
For a video of the Jackson-Ishikawa bout click here
The evolution from wrestler who hits hard to Boxer with great takedown defense is clear. He uses triangluation very well in combination with roll and cover. He used triangulation to avoid the looping bombs of Wanderlei Silva at UFC 92 which resulted in him avenging to losses to Silva and earn one of the most brutal knockouts. The art of triangulation is using your forearms to slip punches while working yourself into the pocket. Rampage took little-to-no damage in that barrage regardless of how violent Wanderlei was throwing.
'Cover-rolling' was used at UFC 71 where Rampage knocked out then-UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell. 'Cover-rolling' allows you to attack at angles while exploding through. Dip down, drop levels and explode upwards over your back foot creating amazing velocity and force.
If Rampage can find some form of harmony with these techniques he may cause fits for Jones as he has not faced a pure boxer the likes of Rampage. I know the reach difference is heavily in Bones' favor but Jackson is very dangerous in these situations.
If Bones decides to stand and bang with Rampage he may not respect the power of Rampage or his chin. If Rampage slips the jabs from Jones and works 'roll in cover' he can get in close enough to knockout Bones. I look at the bout with Liddell at UFC 71 for example: in the early moments you saw Chuck swat a lazy jab to create distance and gauge his opponent to commit to something. Why? Because Chuck Liddell is a pure counter-puncher.
Jones is a lot more aggressive and that comes from confidence that he can establish his game and he has in most cases. I just feel he has hit a bad point of 'confidence meets cocky' whereas prior to his win over Shogun he just seemed confident. He now appears to believe he can eat whatever Jackson throws and thus he will miss a punch and Rampage will send him to the mat.
I still think the era of Bones goes on after UFC 135 in championship gold but I don't doubt that Rampage may get his title back.
Agree? Disagree? Sound off, Maniacs.
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, jackson, pride
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 videos: Boxing's David Haye predicts the 'mad angles' of Jon Jones will defeat Rampage Jackson
"Jones is on the up, he's getting better with each fight. Rampage, unfortunately, I would say he's coming towards the end of his career. I'm sure he's still got a lot of fight left in him but I definitely think Jones is coming up and Rampage, I don't want to say he's on the way down, but this guy just seems unstoppable. He's so languid, he punches and kicks from crazy angles and I like his style. He reminds me a little bit of Remy Bonjasky, the kickboxer, with a real crazy style of punches and elbows always coming from mad angles."
Former boxing champion David Haye makes his prediction for the upcoming UFC 135 title fight between Jon Jones and Quinton Jackson, who square off this Saturday night (Sept. 24) in Denver, Colorado. The pugilist is impressed with the champ's "mad angles," but what about his mad chin? Is it durable enough to survive a Rampage haymaker if and when it lands?
Posted in: fight, rampage, jone, jon jones, angle
Read the full article at MMA ManiaRampage Jackson Respects Jon Jones, but Doesn’t Think He’s Fought Anyone Tough Yet
Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson respects Jon Jones' ability as a fighter, but still doesn't believe he deserves all the hype and praise he's receiving right now.
Posted in: rampage, jone, jackson, doesn ’t, doesn
Read the full article at MMA Weekly'Rampage' Jackson Not Feeling the Respect From 'Cocky' Champion Jon Jones
Filed under: UFCDENVER -- Quinton "Rampage" Jackson walked into the UFC 135 pre-fight press conference on Wednesday looking more irritated than upset.
Between the oddsmakers and fans who are counting him out of this weekend's title fight entirely, to the grinning young champion who Jackson insists is too "cocky," everywhere Jackson looks he finds another reason to scowl. Now that fight week is finally here, even that familiar gesture seems barely worth the effort to him.
"I don't want to sit here and disrespect 'Rampage...'" UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones said when asked how he sees Saturday night's fight ending.
"Go ahead, Jon," Jackson all but sighed into the microphone. "You've been doing it before."
"You've been doing it, too," Jones shot back. And he had a point. Only minutes earlier Jackson had talked about how much he enjoyed his training camp in Denver, where he visited the zoo and "made a friend" -- a monkey that he said looked just like Jones.
Somehow, though, it didn't seem to matter. Jackson and light heavyweight nemesis Rashad Evans have branded Jones as cocky and it seems to have stuck. Jones, not surprisingly, chalked it all up to fellow fighters looking for any insult they could find and their fans going along for the ride.
"It could have been any other word," he said. As for claims from both Jackson and Evans that he puts on a phony persona in public, the champ insisted it was "funny" to him, saying, "a lot of people don't even know me, so how do you know if I'm fake?"
If Jones is feeling good about his chances, there are plenty who think he has a reason to. The 24-year-old champion is as high as a 7-1 favorite against the 33-year-old Jackson, according to some oddsmakers. It's a faith in the relatively untested Jones -- or, if you prefer, a lack of confidence in the weary veteran Jackson -- that UFC president Dana White called "crazy."
"Seriously, all of us sitting here today, all the media and all of us who have been involved in the sport for as long as we have, do you honestly think that Rampage is a 5-1 underdog in this fight?" White said.
To hear the UFC boss tell it, this is exactly the kind of fight that Jackson needed to get his head right and his body ready. He's been in Denver training at the Muscle Pharm gym for the last few months, which, at least to White, demonstrates a level of commitment to his preparation that Jackson hasn't always been known for.
"Rampage is pretty miserable right now," White said. "We were in the back...he's pretty nasty for this fight. This is going to be an interesting fight. He hates Jon Jones. Hates him. He feels like he's been disrespected and wants to win this fight. It's good for Rampage. This is what Rampage needs."
But as nice as it is to think that Jackson finally got fired up enough to train hard, that might not be enough against the young phenom Jones. The champion is taller, faster, and younger. At the press conference he showed off his Hollywood smile as he explained that he can take a shot better than most older fighters because he has a "fresh chin" that hasn't been hammered by too many blows just yet.
"I'm a 24 year-old guy, still growing pubic hair," he joked, explaining that he trains not get hit at all, rather than simply not getting hit hard. "I focus on things like evading and slipping and..."
Here, Jackson interrupted again, suggesting, "...and running."
"I haven't disrespected you, have I?" Jones asked.
"Not today," Jackson replied.
But then, the day was still young. And when you're looking for signs of disrespect around every corner, as Jackson seems to be, it never takes long before you find it.
It could be as simple as a smiling young opponent on the other side of the podium, joking with fans, mugging for cameras, looking as unconcerned about you as he was about any of the other challenges he's faced and -- at least so far -- easily overcome. And why should he worry, when he's never known anything but success in this business? Why should he think this time will be any different? How could he? Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: fight, rampage, jone, jackson, champion
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseRashad: Jones can be broken, Rampage gives just 80%
Light-heavyweight contender ‘Suga’ Rashad Evans will be watching closely this weekend when his rivals Jon Jones and Quinton ‘Rampage’...
Posted in: jone, ;rampage, rashad, light-heavyweight, lsquo
Read the full article at Fighters OnlyFan perspective: UFC 135 press conference photos, news and notes for 'Jones vs Rampage' in Denver
Denver, Colorado -- Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has positioned itself as a fan friendly organization. And at the UFC 135 press conference today from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colo., the promotion didn't disappoint.
I made my way down to 1000 Chopper Circle earlier this afternoon to attend the "Jones vs. Rampage" presser at "The Can," which is where I'm used to covering Denver Nuggets games for SB Nation's Denver Stiffs blog. Only this time I got to see a whole different side of one of the fastest growing sports in the world.
I'm not a professional photographer, but what follows are my pictures from the event today, as well as my thoughts on what unfolded:
On my way into the press conference. Here is the main entrance to the Pepsi Center, which is where I've seen hundreds of Nuggets games (and more than a handful of disappointments during that span). Saturday night this place will be electric and the front entrance will be flooded with UFC fight fans. But, who will the majority be rooting for?
Michael Bisping was on-hand doing some interviews. Shortly after I grabbed this shot, UFC President Dana White let us in on the reason "The Count" was in town -- there is going to be a sneak preview for the media of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 14 tonight at the Paramount Theater (where UFC commentator Joe Rogan will be performing a comedy show Fri., Sept. 23, 2011). When Bisping was a contestant on TUF he quickly became one of my favorite fighters, but now I want to see Jason Miller take it to him during the TUF 14 Finale in December.
Bisping took the time after his interviews to sign autographs and pose for pictures with the kids and fans who were surrounding him as soon as he left the roped off press area. Pretty cool to see these MMA fighters mix it up with the fans. Classy.
Finally, the moment we were all waiting for! Altitude TV personality and Nuggets announcer Scott Hastings, who played for five teams during an NBA career that spanned from 1982 to 1993, introduced the fighters and White. Matt Hughes and Jon Jones sat to the right of the podium, while Quinton Jackson and Josh Koscheck sat to the left of the podium (from their view looking out, of course). Hastings had a good opening line along the lines of, "You always remember your first kiss, your first car, the first UFC," which took place in Denver and is now back in the "Mile High City." I hope these fighters are all accustomed to the altitude in Colorado because that could play a major role in fights that go the distance.
Dana White takes the microphone and gets the press conference moving. He fielded numerous questions, like was Hughes ducking Koscheck for a number of years? To which White told us that Hughes has never turned down any fight that the UFC presented him. White called out Denver radio personality Darren McKee, better known as DMAC, for being an instigator when he twisted some of "Bones'" words around in a question to Rampage. He basically said Jones called Rampage old and that Jackson has mental issues (from knockouts). The "instigation" got a good chuckle from the crowd and fighters, with Rampage firing back that he is ready for the fight. White also allowed the fans in attendance to ask a few questions.
A couple kids asked how they could one day fight in the UFC (one girl and one boy), a young fighter asked for pointers on how to get on the next TUF, to which White asked if he'd been past the interview phase (the guy had not) everyone laughed as White said he needed to get past the interviews and just keep training. A guy shouted out and wanted to know if the female fighters from Strikeforce would find a home if the fight company (owned by the UFC) went defunct. White told him that it's up to Showtime to keep Strikeforce and that there are not enough good female fighters to create a division in the UFC, but said there are some good individual match-ups from time-to-time.
And the final question was directed to Jones, who was asked to predict how his fight with Rampage would end. Jones started to answer and say, "No disrespect to Rampage" and was interrupted by Rampage, who reminded Jones that he has been disrespecting him plenty leading up to this point. You can feel that there is some animosity among the two brawlers.
Rampage is an interviewers dream. He's thoughtful, he'll answer any/all questions and he's genuinely funny, even when he's not trying to be. He told the press that Jones hasn't really fought anybody and claimed that Mauricio Rua was rusty when Jones took the title from him. That comment didn't go over really well with Bones. Rampage made it clear when he began talking that he's in great shape for this fight, he said he's trained as hard for this fight as he has for any other. He talked about being motivated and being motivated by just walking into the gym saying of the updated facility that he trained at, "I like technology and stuff like that." When DMAC asked Rampage about Jones, who had been doing a lot of talking at the presser, Rampage responded by saying, "I do most of my talking in the Octagon." When he was lobbed a question about the city of Denver, Rampage said the city was cool and that he normally likes to be in new places and see new faces, but he's so focused he hasn't been able to focus on much else. He did make a good joke about going to the Denver Zoo and meeting a little monkey that reminded him of Jones. I'm excited to see how Rampage does in this one. He hasn't scored a knockout since he put Wanderlei Silva down back on Dec. 27, 2008. and I think he might need to finish Jones to get the win on Saturday.
A little fuzzy on Jones, my apologies. To me, Jones didn't sound as comfortable ay the presser - probably just because he has the least amount of experience at the table than the other three fighters. He addressed the issue of him being fake by saying that people don't really know him, so how could they think he's fake. And he just rolled with the punches saying everything is a part of his image now because guys like Rampage and Rashad Evans have such large followings that people would believe just about anything those two say. When he was asked how his fight would end, Jones said he would finish the fight and be the winner when it was over. He didn't want to discount Rampage, but when asked about his chin he did say that his youth would serve him well, while veteran fighters have to worry about their chins because of all the accumulated damage throughout the years -- a clear shot at Rampage. There is no question that Jones is a supremely talented fighter and he will do whatever it takes to defend his belt.
Just past the cameraman's dome you'll see UFC Hall of Fame inductee, Matt Hughes. He wasn't asked a ton of questions because people know what to expect from the 37-year-old. But Hughes did make light of Jones' comment about veteran fighters accumulating damage, saying that Jones was just referencing guys like himself. Hughes didn't say this was his last MMA fight (it will be his last under a UFC contract, for now), but he did say he doesn't want to be fighting into his 40's. I would be surprised if Hughes tries to stand up with Koscheck, but the veteran has to have some tricks up his sleeve. This fight has been a long time in the making and Hughes didn't really have any answers as to why this one hasn't happened sooner. He let White handle that, basically saying it was never presented to him.
Josh Koscheck let the crowd know a few times that he took this fight on 19 days notice, replacing Diego Sanchez. He was asked why he's fighting at 170 pounds instead of moving up to 185 pounds as expected. "Kos" said that he had some other options, but that he needed a name to motivate him. Hughes motivated him more than his other options and he's wanted this fight for a long time - a real long time. It should be an interesting match, but I'm not really sure how it's a win for Kos - if he wins the fight people can say, "Well of course he won, Hughes is 37." And if he loses it'll look pretty disappointing for a guy who needs some big wins to get back in the good graces of fight fans.
The one lighthearted moment between Jones and Jackson came here, as the two shared a laugh about something after their stare-down pose. Hopefully, Jones didn't make a joke about the height difference that Jackson will face. Rampage did say he has fought guys with bigger reaches than him before, so it wont be an issues ... one guy in K1 and another in Chuck Liddell (whom he knocked out to win the title).
Dana seems be trying to fire up Rampage with his Incredible Hulk pose ... Rampage isn't having any of it.
The little blonde haired kid pictured below wanted a picture with Rampage, but was a little too shy/scared to pose for one. Rampage followed him for a second before moving on to other folks waiting for autographs and photos with the bruiser.
Jones and Hughes shook a few hands and got a couple photos with fans, but Rampage and Koscheck went above and beyond by sticking around until they were pulled away by staff. The two satisfied all signings and photo-ops, a real classy move by the guys and something that fans appreciate. So often now we see athletes who charge for pictures and signatures and only do them as certain events. It was great to see these guys connecting with the people who took the time out of their day to be at the Pepsi Center. After Kos was done he threw a few squirts of hand-sanitizer into his palms before vacating the room, keeping it clean.
White stuck around well past 1:50 p.m. (12 p.m. start) to do some solo interviews and whatnot. The event took place at a restaurant on the Club Level of the Pepsi Center.
A view from the Club Level at "The Can" where in just a few days the floor below will transform into an Octagon and high-priced seats for UFC 135 ... CAN'T WAIT!
Coming Sat., Sept. 24, to the Pepsi Center.
If you want to catch my preview of the fight or the results after the weekend, check out my podcast at ColoradoSportsGuys.com and here is the episode where we preview UFC 135 (we're available free on iTunes, on Facebook and Twitter). And my Nuggets site on SB Nation at Denver Stiffs.
Nate_Timmons on Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/Nate_Timmonsntimmons73@yahoo.com
Posted in: ufc, fight, rampage, jone,  
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 Prefight: Jon Jones Wants to be the First to Finish Rampage
Heading into Saturday night's fight at UFC 135, Jon Jones knows that there are heavy expectations weighing on him, just as much as there are heavy doubters questioning whether he's really as good as he's shown.
Posted in: ufc, saturday night, jon, jone, jon jones
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyGrappling with Issues – 9/21/2011
How do you see the UFC handling the light heavyweight contendership with Dan Henderson‘s recent return to the promotion? Will UFC 135 be Matt Hughes‘ final appearance in the Octagon? How many rounds do you see this weekend’s title-fight between Jon Jones and Quinton Jackson lasting? Was Jake Shields‘ loss to Jake Ellenberger at UFN 25 a byproduct of his father’s recent passing?
Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay!
Welcome to Grappling with Issues, our site’s regular weekly feature highlighting insight and opinion from myself and resident workhorse Jeremy Lambert whose “Walk Out” and “After Party” event-breakdowns can be regularly found on Five Ounces. As always, just because we staffers get the fancy set-up, please don’t hesitate to offer your own take on the topics in the “Comments” section below.
With Dan Henderson set to fight “Shogun” Rua at UFC 139, how do you see the UFC handling the title-picture considering Rashad Evans’ claim to a crack at the belt?
Lambert: There’s too much money to be made in Evans vs. the winner of Jackson vs. Jones, so there’s no way UFC scraps that fight. I think the logical scenario is that the winner of “Shogun” vs. “Hendo” takes on the winner of the rumored Lyoto Machida vs. Phil Davis fight, with the winner getting a title shot. Now if Rua and Machida win, it would be a third fight between the two and maybe many people wouldn’t be too interested in that fight, but it would still be the fight to make.If either Machida or Rua loses though, we’d great a fresh match up and a legitimate top contender to the light heavyweight title. UFC is in a pretty good position with the 205 division right now as there are plenty of good match ups at the top of the card.
Conlan: I agree 100% with Lambert. Regardless of who wins this weekend the UFC has a guaranteed money-maker match with Evans waiting in the wings. In fact I wouldn’t even be surprised to see them used as TUF coaches on FX to capitalize on the rivalry and build the bout, especially in the case of Jones/Evans’ unfinished business. Though I think Henderson deserves a title-shot sooner than later he won the belt by beating guys that wouldn’t crack the “Top 5″ contenders in the UFC so even if he beats “Shogun” another fight against Machida, Davis, or even Tito Ortiz if he beats Antonio Rogerio Nogueira makes sense.
Do you think Jake Shields’ showing at UFN 25 was affected by the death of his father?
Lambert: I’m sure it was affected, but it’s not an excuse. Shields took the fight, that’s all that matters. If he wasn’t 100% confident in his abilities, then he wouldn’t have taken the bout. Even if he entered the Octagon with a clear mind, there’s no way his mind was clear the day of his fathers passing or the couple of days after it. I’m sure he missed a couple of training sessions or had some bad training sessions, and that could have been the difference in this fight. But he stepped him there, so he was ready to fight, and if he thought that he was ready, then I don’t question his decision to fight.
Conlan: I don’t think there’s any question his performance was affected by his father’s death. Granted, that doesn’t mean the outcome would have been different, but before being a fighter Shields is a human being first. He had an extremely tight bond with his Dad and to think the absence of his presence wasn’t on Shields’ mind, even in the moments leading up to showtime, is expecting too much. However, Ellenberger still deserves full credit because, like Lambert said, Shields felt confident enough in his abilities to stick with his commitment to the UFC and fight.
Remove Jones/Jackson, Hughes/Koscheck, and Diaz/Gomi from UFC 135 and tell fans why they should be excited about the event…
Lambert: I’m looking forward to Cole Escovedo vs. Takeya Mizugaki. Both guys are in need of a victory and both guys usually come to fight. I know Mizugaki is coming off a pretty lackluster fighter against Brian Bowles, but prior that he was in a bunch of exciting fights. And Escovedo brings it as well. Both guys are active in all positions and this bout has the potential to take “Fight of the Night” honors on Saturday.
Conlan: Other than the presence of Rob “It’s Already Been” Broughton, my favorite made-up nickname of all time, there are plenty of other things to be interested in on the card including a guaranteed slugfest between Mark Hunt and Ben Rothwell. However, the bout I’ll focus on for this topic is Tony Ferguson vs. Aaron Riley. Ferguson was extremely impressive on TUF 13 including in his finale win against Ramsey Nijem, while Riley is a seasoned veteran with a great camp (Greg Jackson‘s crew) and the grappling to give “El Cuycuy” a real run for his money. It’s also on the Spike prelims meaning I can watch it in HD, another bonus to be sure.
How many rounds do you see Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson going?
Conlan: If Jackson hadn’t held his camp in Denver I would feel differently about this but I think their headlining bout at UFC 135 is going the distance. Jones’ speed and precision should allow him to pick Jackson apart when standing, plus his takedowns and top-control are of enough quality to steal ugly rounds or test the former champ’s cardio by making him constantly work. However, though I clearly think Jones will win, “Rampage” hasn’t been finished in five years and I don’t see Jones having enough power to snap that streak.
Lambert: I think the fight will go three rounds, with Jones stopped Jackson during the middle frame. Jones might not have that one punch power, but he definitely has that overwhelming power, which is just as useful. Jones put a beating on “Shogun” Rua, who is known for his ability to take damage, and even we was stopped in the 3rd because of the way Jones just kept attacking and hitting him with everything in the book. Jackson has been through a lot of wars in his career, and while I’m sure he’s in great shape, I don’t think he’s ready for the kind of attacks that Jones will throw at him.
True or False: This Saturday will be the last time we see Matt Hughes in the Octagon.
Conlan: False. While I can see Josh Koscheck pulling out a win, even of the knockout variety, I think Hughes’ ego is far too big to let him walk away from MMA on a losing note, especially to a late replacement, or without at least announcing his intent to retire beforehand to maximize the attention it would merit. And, if Hughes does pull out the win, since the “Country Boy” will have won four of his last five fights including against a recent title-contender like Koscheck, his ego won’t let him give up the sport for good with a crack at the championship so close at hand.
When Hughes hangs up his gloves he’ll let the world know first rather than be wishy-washy about it. However, as it stands right now, he says he still loves the competition (and the paychecks probably don’t hurt either), so why would he want to call it a career?
Lambert: True. Hughes has nothing left to prove, I think he’d be fine just living on his farm and helping out younger fighters, and most importantly, his wife wants him to retire. If he goes out there and gets KO’d for the second straight time, I believe he’ll call it a career. Hughes has stated many times that he doesn’t want to be part of someone’s highlight reel, but that’s exactly what he risks every time he takes a fight with a younger fighter who is faster and stronger than he is.
What is the most intriguing fight not on the UFC card this weekend?
Conlan: Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Joachim Hansen at DREAM 17. Hansen and Kawajiri have been two of my favorite staples on the Japanese scene for a long time, a sentiment I suspect a lot of other people would agree with. Both men always come to fight and, win or lose, are incredibly respectful of their opponents and the sport in general. I also like that it re-matches them after their 2006 fight never really got started when “Hellboy” was disqualified for a kick to Kawajiri’s nether-regions eight seconds into the opening round. It’s the kind of bout that, if the general public knew their MMA history, would be at home on the main card of any UFC event (or certainly Strikeforce) based on the quality of competitors involved, yet fans are fortunate enough to have an opportunity to see them throw down for free this weekend.
Lambert: Obviously Bren read my column on Tuesday and stole my answer, so I’ll throw out another fight from the same card and that’s Shinya Aoki vs. Rob McCullough.
Granted this fight looks like an easy victory for Aoki, but is that really a bad thing? Even if his easy victories, Aoki has a habit of pulling off some crazy submission that gets the fans talking. I like watching greatness when I’m watching sports and when I watch Aoki, I know I’m watching the best submission grappler in the entire sport. I don’t want to sell McCulough short either, because he’s a very good technical striker with power, and if he connects on Aoki’s suspect chin, the Baka Survivor might not survive.
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Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, vs, lambert
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainJones, Jackson meet media ahead of UFC 135
The sniping between light-heavyweight champion Jon (Bones) Jones and former title-holder Quinton (Rampage) Jackson continued Wednesday as the fighters met the media ahead of UFC 135.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, media, title-holder quinton
Read the full article at sportsnet.caJon Jones vs Rampage Jackson staredown pic from UFC 135 pre fight press conference
Finally, Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones decides to look his opponent, Quinton Jackson, dead in the eyes during their staredown today (Sept. 21) at the UFC 135 pre-fight press conference.
Jones and "Rampage" were mostly cordial but traded a few barbs during their respective time in front of their microphones. You can read all about that by clicking here.
Welterweights Matt Hughes and Josh Koscheck were also in attendance but they were much more complimentary and respectful to one another. Boo-ring. Their staredown is after the jump.
Posted in: jone, josh koscheck, quinton jackson, staredown, staredown today
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135: Our Strange Obsession With Jon Jones' Identity
Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra once said "half this game is 90% mental." The old adage is comical in a literal sense, but it has meaning. No matter what sport you've played in the past, you've undoubtedly heard coaches talk about how important the mental part of any game is. It couldn't be more prevalent in the lead-up to the main event showdown between champion Jon Jones and challenger Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson at UFC 135 on Saturday night.
Jones has been the focus of what can only be described as a sociological study driven by each and every one of us. It started with the sordid details of his falling out with former teammate Rashad Evans, and the verbal sparring session that ensued. Some fans made their minds up about Jones at that moment. "He's a backstabber, a phony", said some fans. Evans continued to spit venom at Jones, telling anyone and everyone who would listen that Jones was putting on a facade. Interestingly enough, many fans felt there were telling signs that Jones was "faking" it.
The verbal assault by the masterful Quinton "Rampage" Jackson this week has been even more revealing. In almost every interview and face off between the two fighters, Jackson comes off as the real deal while the perception that Jones is a fake continues to gain steam. "Spygate" added fuel to the fire, and Jackson consistently laying blame on Jones for the situation isn't helping. Furthermore, many fans have noticed that "something" seems to be off with Jones in those interviews. I can't say that I don't agree.
It's difficult to pinpoint exactly what that something is, but I tend to focus on the exaggerated reactions and fumbling answers when met with Jackson's effortless quips. It's almost as if Jones is jealous that it comes too easy to Jackson. In other instances, Jones is visibly uncomfortable, indicating he is either holding back a true emotion or deeply insulted by playing this game with Jackson.
The latter thought hits a rarely touched upon subject: race. As community member Brian Hullaby opined yesterday, there is a sense that Jones gave up a certain amount of his "blackness" to become more mainstream among fans, and Evans and Jackson have taken offense. That's what they mean when they say he's being a fake or a phony. It's hard to fault Jones, however, when his past has been filled with racism from his own race. Those wounds don't disappear overnight, and Jackson's frontal assault is bringing up bad memories of those days.
For most fans, none of that matters. They aren't watching this sport to become emotionally invested. They don't care if Jones can't take a few verbal jabs from Jackson. This is fighting after all. They want blood, sweat, and tears.
I don't buy that for a second.
Those reactions stem from the topic being incessantly driven into our skulls over the past two weeks. In reality, becoming connected in some way with a fighter is an emotional investment that has lasting effects on how we consume the product. We become deeply passionate about those involved, thus increasing the sport's enjoyment. If you are maintaining a constant interest in the sport without any emotional investment, you're lying.
You can understand then why Jones' identity is such a major topic. Fans want an emotional investment, and it became easy to get interested when the drama revealed itself publicly. There's a reason why reality TV and live events dominate the ratings on television. We love drama, and both Jones-Jackson and Jones-Evans fulfill that requirement.
It is what it is. Cliché enough for you. It's true in this case. Jones is who he is, a young, understandably immature man who has been thrust into the limelight. A meteoric rise as Mike Goldberg might say. He wants to present a wholesome image, an image that he believes a mainstream audience will eat up. At least that's what we believe anyways.
Our obsession with revealing that he isn't that person to anyone who will listen is a witch hunt that doesn't really matter. In reality, the blame game and the accusations have created more hype around this fight than what the actual truth would have.
Why are we so obsessed with the search for Jon Jones' identity? Why must we reveal what he is holding back? It's difficult to even fathom a reason why, if any. Perhaps he has a bad side he doesn't want to reveal. Maybe he doesn't want to stoop to a level that he sees the same as the bullies who called him "gay" in high school for wrestling in tights. Maybe he isn't holding back at all. The Jon Jones we are seeing is the real Jon Jones. Whatever the case, choose a side to invest in and wait to see what happens. Enjoy the ride.
Both fighters are invested just like us in this fight, why ruin it by overpowering the pugilism with subjective squawking. An answer may never reveal itself, even if Jackson somehow destroys Jones on Saturday night. Jones may go through his entire career with the same lingering questions. Will finding the answer really change anything? We will root for him, or against him. We'll still buy a pay-per-view regardless. Let the truth come out in time. For now, let's just enjoy the show.
Posted in: jon, jone, jackson, jon jones, fan
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC LHW Champ Jon Jones: An Athletic Force of Nature? Or Force of Nurture?
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"Artists have a vested interest in our believing in the flash of revelation, the so-called inspiration . . . [shining] down from heavens as a ray of grace. In reality, the imagination of the good artist or thinker produces continuously good, mediocre, and bad things, but his judgment, trained and sharpened to a fine point, rejects, selects, connects . . . All great artists and thinkers [are] great workers, indefatigable not only in inventing, but also in rejecting, sifting, transforming, ordering."- Friedrich Nietzsche
On March 19th, 2011, Jon Jones had arrived. His opponent, and then champ, Mauricio Rua was said to be the perfect foil: it was Jones' skill vs. Rua's will. A complete cliche, sure, but descriptive enough of the match on display. We knew what Rua, the savage product of Chute Boxe, was capable of. What of Jones? When the fight unfolded, it became very clear, very fast who the better fighter was.
Shogun didn't even seem to exist on the same planet. Sure he fought valiantly, but at the cost of prolonging a beatdown that was as calculated as it was callous. Is there an underlying truth to the way we describe Jones' talent as otherwordly? As 'supernatural'?
You may hear Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan torture the use of words like "athletic", "explosive", and phrases like "fast twitch muscle fibers" are hammered into our skulls with zero nuance or explanation. What does it mean to be athletic? Or explosive? So about that...
Within each cell of your body lies the famous double helix: a unique biological structure containing paragraphs of genetic code. This 'code' refers to genes, which trigger the production of proteins (this is where genes get their Star Trek-like names: by the proteins they initiate in the body), which ultimately form traits. Traits like "athletic and explosive", it turns out. And to that end, we'll look at various genes: genes that, in theory, should create the perfect athlete (like a Jon Jones). A great athlete should be fast, and so let's look at that. Is there one? It turns out there is.
This "speed gene" is called ACTN3: if you have the gene variant that produces ACTN3 (alpha-actinin-3), your body produces a protein associated with muscle fibers that are able to contract rapidly (the "fast twitch muscle fibers" Goldberg never shuts up about).
However, as you have a pair of chromosomes, you have two copies, and it turns out a person with two X copies prevents the protein from being triggered in the body. If you're reading this, you're probably not an Olympic sprinter, as no Olympic sprinter that has been put under a microscope has the two X copies. Why would they? It's simple math, right? If you have the X copies that don't trigger the protein, you don't have the fast twitch muscle fibers.
What about endurance, and "anabolic response to intense exercise training"? The gene for that has a name and it's called ACE (a gene that triggers the production of an angiotensin-converting enzyme). The wonderful pop-science writer of genetics, Matt Ridley, elaborates:
For more than 10 years geneticists have been finding examples of a simple pattern: People who are good at sports requiring strength are more likely to have deletions in the ACE gene while people who are good at endurance sports are more likely to have inserts.
The count when it comes to genes linked with physical performance is more than 200, so let's take a look at one more potential ingredient to Jones' genetic success. And a very provocative one at that. It's called COMT (a gene that triggers the production of awkward sounding catechol-O-methyl transferase), and depending on the version of the gene you have, has been associated with decreased pain sensitivity, and reduced anxiety during stressful situations. As the pubmed link notes, it has been provocatively titled the "warrior" gene. An advantageous ingredient for someone who fights for a living, right?
So there it is. The secret to Jon Jones' success is written in his DNA. Case closed.
Well, not so fast. One of the hottest (and hotly debated) fields of study in science, and one highlighted in Time's recent special issue of the latest in scientific discoveries, is epigenetics: the study of how environment affects the actual architecture of your DNA. So far you've been reading about genes, and what they do if you have versions that trigger certain proteins. So perhaps you've concluded that genes determine athletic success.
Let's go back to the speed gene, and consider East African runners. Of the top 10 sprinters of all time in the 100 meters, all are of West African descent. Even crazier, three quarters of all elite distance runners come from a small tribe from Kenya called the Kalenjin. Last year, David Epstein ran a large feature on genetics in sports (what are the genes that mold individuals for sport and do they exist?), and he turned to Yannis Pitsiladis, a biologist out of the University of Glasgow. Pitsiladis decided to take a look at what made the distance runners of the Kalenjin different from their fellow Kenyans.
The difference? Well, there seemed to be several, and none of them had to do with genetics. For one, runners, growing up as children were more likely to live several miles from school (traveling eight to twelve kilometers each day from the age of seven). Individuals from the Kalenjin tribe were more likely to rely on their feet in order to get to school, and being located near the Rift Valley allowed them to train at altitude in addition.
As David Epstein would add during his PBS interview:
...There are other things that didn't make the article like the way they eat develops, or influences their body development...they eat no refined sugar for what's called a low glycemic index diet, and they end up being small people, which is good for long distance running.
The Atlantic's David Shenk elaborates, the Kalenjin also benefit from a mild year round climate. Even cultural factors appear to be at play, as their historical dedication to running might be connected to the economic incentives of cattle raiding, and individual achievement appears to be stressed more than 'team spirit' (perhaps explaining why soccer, a "Kenyan sport", is ignored by the Kalenjin tribe of Kenya).
Most people more or less understand the relationship between nature (biology on the one hand) and nurture (environment on the other). Surely an interaction of the two is the answer. After all, a gene that triggers the production of a protein that enhances speed means little if no one ever fosters your interest in sports with the smell of a baseball field, or the intensity of the green gridiron. So what more does the science of "nurture" say? Quite a bit.
Using Jones as the example, it may be easy to chalk up what he's capable of as mere "athleticism". But there is nothing uniquely athletic about most of what we see in his arsenal. It's important to the execution, but not its genesis. Jones has a laundry list of various grappling credentials, which is a feat given his age: a Junior Wrestling Championship at Iowa Central Community College, a Northeast Junior Greco-Roman Regional Championship in 2004, a National JUCO Championship, etc. There's a unique, and very wrong, attitude that typically accompanies how we view talent: a view expressed in haphazard ways by sports broadcasters of all types. As David Shenk notes:
When it comes to the question of individual potential, though, it's important to avoid what neuroscientist and musicologist Daniel J. Levitin calls "the circular logic of talent." "When we say that someone is talented," he says, "we think we mean that they have some innate predisposition to excel, but in the end, we only apply the term retrospectively, after they have made significant achievements."
Talent, as Shenk goes on to note, is a process. Achievement can't be bottled into the expression of genes, or the experience of 10, 000 hours. A combination of many factors have to be present, and so someone like Jones is not just an assembly of proper DNA (most people actually have the proper genes for athletic prowess, and in fact, Yannis Pitsiladis notes in his genetic analysis of graduate students versus world class athletes, that some students are more of a "genetic outlier" than the athletes), but of effort, and not just effort, but of a unique synthesis between the two.
In some cases, nature can't be escaped, and in a case like Huntington's, the unflinching reality of determinism becomes unavoidable. But athletic prowess is much more complicated. Going back to Matt Ridley on the ACE gene:
At first sight, the ACE discovery flies in the face of the recent fashion for emphasizing effort rather than talent: 10,000 hours of practice and all that. "Bounce," Matthew Syed's recent book on sports, argues that the "talent theory is not merely flawed in theory: It is also insidious in practice, robbing individuals and institutions of the motivation to change themselves and society." Leaving aside the flaw in his logic-talent is often seen as the ticket out of social disadvantage-such conclusions seem to ignore the recent genetic discoveries that I've described.
Yet the neat thing about the ACE study is that, while it implies a role for nature, it does not do so at the expense of nurture. Indeed, it underlines the role of effort. Experiments with randomly chosen layabouts who were put on identical exercise-bicycle regimes reveal that those with ACE deletions are not stronger. They just put on more muscle as a consequence of exercise. To put it generally, their nature is expressed through nurture.
The recent emphasis on neuroplasticity has also highlighted the malleability of the human body, not just through physical activity, but through mental activity as well.
This was the phenomenon scientists found when studying London cab drivers in the late 1990's. The more experienced cab drivers had a larger posterior hippocampus (associated with memory in connection with geography), which coincided with their experience as cabbies (the more experience, the larger that portion of the hippocampus). To further emphasize this "biology of freedom", Pascual-Leone of the National Institutes of Health conducted a study involving two different groups to play the piano (no one involved had experience playing). Both groups were asked to practice a certain, but simple melody for two hours a day over the course of five days. One group practiced that melody for two hours with a piano. The other group could only imagine playing the melody. Lo and behold, through a technology called transcranial magentic stimulation, Leone found that both groups exhibited the same changes in the brain. Imagination became a force as strong as biology.
Much of what science is now discovering is a sort of unique freedom we've had the metaphysical impression of not possessing. Take this bizarre example. If you rewire a ferret's brain so that the retina is jacked into the animal's auditory cortex, it will still see. The auditory cortex actually adapts to detect light just as the visual cortex would normally do (in an experiment performed by a scientist named Mriganka Sur at MIT). Comparable phenomenon occurs in humans when we look at the deaf, and/or blind. In reflecting on Sur's unique experiment, Jonah Lehrer argues for an interesting metaphor for DNA and one that counters the notion that Jon Jones is simply adopting a genetic welfare check:
The best metaphor for our DNA is literature. Like all classic literary texts, our genome is defined not by the certainty of its meaning, but by its linguistic instability, its ability to encourage a multiplicity of interpretations. What makes a novel or poem immortal is its innate complexity, the way every reader discovers in the same words a different story...Our genome works the same way. Life imitates art.
Imagination seems to be a component of Jones' attitude in the cage as much as it is outside of it. When you look at Jones fight, with his crazy spinning back elbows, and his unique arsenal of high impact throws it's clear that Jones wouldn't be successful without that imagination. I'm not sure this is appreciated by the critics. Speaking of: Jonathan Snowden at MMA Nation articulates (on why fans can't relate to Jones):
Jones' isn't a story of hard work and dedication, though he undoubtedly puts in work at the gym. It's a tale of physical gifts.
When a reader pokes a little sarcastic fun at this statement, Snowden counters with:
How have things shifted so far towards political correctness that you can’t identify a freak athlete as a freak athlete because he’s African American?
Well, it's simple: because putting achievement into a box of stereotypes, and uninformed cliches flies in the face what we understand about how the body and brain work together to achieve success. It's not that "anyone can do it", but it's certainly not that success is simply a matter of genetic dowry.
In a way this criticism reflects what Nicholas Carr calls "the shallows": in the age of information, everyone is educated enough to have an opinion, but not educated enough to orchestrate that information into understanding. In the world of personalized information, news instead of content, we see the parts but not the whole. Everyone can have a voice now, and so it's more important to be heard than to observe. Here we have a 24 year old kid at the top of the MMA world, handling his newfound fame as reasonably well as he can, while doing random acts of good deeds (one GPS snatcher at a time), and I'm supposed to hate the kid because the world now gives you a larger window into his personal life (as if a 24 year old doesn't have a license to be aloof, and sometimes wrong)?
To be fair to Snowden, this isn't directed at him personally (especially as an author of two well received books). And I could just be overreacting. But the critics bore the hell out of me: especially when you consider, as Jordan Breen noted in yesterday's radio show "the sanctimony that accompanies it" (the Jones criticism). Maybe I just don't care that a 24 year old athlete who makes millions behaves in a way I sometimes find disagreeable. The MMA blogosphere desperately wants a villain, and they're doing their best to sell you that idea. But Jones never put people's lives in danger going on a vehicular rampage (as his opponent this Saturday has done), and unlike Floyd Mayweather, he hasn't been targeted by the police on multiple counts nearing the double digits of domestic violence. Yet Mayweather is praised for his showmanship, and Jackson heralded for his humor (despite an infamous incident with a reporter that clearly crossed the line).
If Jon Jones wins this Saturday, he owes his victory to nature, to nurture, and to his imagination. Those are his tools: tools he sculpted with his bare hands. And as a simple observer, and a fan of sports, it's all I'm personally interested in.
References:
1. Hyperlinking makes this job more of a chore than it needs to be, so I'm going old school with this one. Here's last year's 9 page Sports Illustrated feature David Epstein wrote on genetics, and athletic performance. I plagiarized the whole thing so do yourself a favor and check out the real deal.
2. The Genius in All of Us. David Shenk. It's light reading even by pop science standards (mainly due to how short the book is), but a fantastic introduction to anyone interested in epigenetics. Hardcore science geeks may find a lot of stuff to contend here, as Shenk seems to speak with conviction in debunking "consensus" (especially with regard to twin studies): always a red flag. Still a good read.
3. Nature Via Nurture. Matt Ridley. Ridley's an absolute boss when it comes to communicating concepts in genetics to the lay reader. He's also one of the few thinkers who doesn't seem to have a dog in the nature/nurture fight camps, and being stuck in the middle doesn't make him any less entertaining.
4. The Shallows. Nicholas Carr. Though a Finalist for the Pullitzer Prize on Carr's own theory about the negative effects the internet has had on the brain, there's a ton of information to chew on besides Carr's criticism of the internet. While the theory itself is provocative (and light on real support), the book itself is worth the read, especially as it traverses through topics like neuroplasticity, and the social impact of primitive, or early technology (like the invention of the watch).
5. Proust Was a Neuroscientist. Jonah Lehrer. I've sung the praises of this book before, but it's more of an anthology: collecting and connecting various artists with scientific phenomenon before they became scientific principles.
6. Be wary of those that imply epigenetics is some kind of reversal of Darwinian processes. Even respectable places like The Guardian, and Newscientist have made bombastic claims about how "Darwin was wrong". Jerry Coyne has a fantastic piece up dealing with what epigenetics actually is, and what it means for evolutionary principles.
Posted in: jone, sport, gene, nature, body
Read the full article at Head Kick LegendUFC 135: Rashad Evans Picks Jon Jones to Defeat Rampage Jackson
MMA Interviews conducted (what else) interviews with a few high-profile UFC fighters and asked them to pick a winner for the UFC 135 main event between Jon Jones and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. The cross-section of guys they asked is pretty interesting, with Frank Mir, Vitor Belfort, Tito Ortiz and Mauricio Rua offering opinions along with a guy who knows each main event fighter pretty well - Rashad Evans. Evans offered the most interesting answer (transcribed by MMA Mania):
"One thing I experienced with Rampage, (he has) a very strong core. Jon may take him down if he uses his leverage and a lot of his judo, I think that's probably how he's going to get him down. But if he just tries to shoot in on him, Rampage may be pretty tough to take down off just a shot. ... I think that Jon Jones uses his range and his speed to keep Rampage off balance and at the same time using his ability to take Rampage down to try to impose some of his will. I think Jon tries to get it done, I think he does it standing up."
Rashad, of course, is a former training partner of Jones', and defeated Rampage via decision at UFC 114. He is expected to face the winner of this bout for the UFC light heavyweight title.
You can catch the responses from each over at Mania, or watch the whole video yourself here.
Posted in: ufc, jon, rampage, jone, jon jones
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowHow's Taste My Tweet Tweet? Mixed Martial Arts on Twitter for the 3rd Week of September
A few updates on what's been going on in the MMA Twitterverse
TWEET TWEET
"Bisping, you make good points about deserving a title shot.After all you did beat, umm, well ahh...Hum and then there was.. Ah..Wait, what!?" -Chael Sonnen
"Okay well I'm off to Japan to throw some Japanese comedian on tv - this is gunna be interesting...." -Ronda Rousey
"6 days until I defeat a legend" -Jon Jones
"I wish the fight was tomorrow,I'm ready 2 do this kid in,I'm getting my belt back!I'm very confident n dis #wolfmode" -Rampage Jackson
"The best things about a hotel room is room service and black out curtains!" -Tito Ortiz
"Sh*t, he may be a lil more handsome than me....definitely gonna have to kick @RogerHuerta's ass! LOL!" -War Machine, talking about his upcoming bout against El Matador.
"Just spent almost an hour in @GrayMaynard's new fancy expensive massage chair... The thing is amazing... I'm gonna come stay more often ;-)" -Mac Danzig
"The ones in Thailand are better and cheaper, they also have tits" -Phil Baroni, replying to Danzig.
THAT AWKWARD MOMENT WHEN...
"So @ufc is picking me up and I'm riding with bisping and rashad. Wolflair and bones next opponent. Wtf...." -Malki Kawa, Jon Jones' manager
"In the car with jones's manager. He's talking shit already. Got a feeling he'll be lost for words on Saturday night" -Michael Bisping
"Me peeking over @bisping shoulder. Sorry, I couldn't help spying?!*#" -Malki Kawa
There's a ton of tweets after the jump, but first, don't forget to follow me on twitter: @antontabuena
Oh, and these guys are probably worth following as well: The Official BloodyElbow Twitter Account, Luke Thomas, Kid Nate, Brent Brookhouse, Mike Fagan, Leland Roling, Richard Wade, Jonathan Snowden, Chris Barton, Damon O, Scott Broussard, Tim Burke, Matt Bishop, Fraser Coffeen, Dallas Winston, KJ Gould
FLYING HEADBUTTS, BRO HUGS, AND SUCKER PUNCHES AS TOLD BY THE PROMOTERS
"Was that NUTS or what!?!? Dirty from both fighters and the most HORRIBLE refereeing I have EVER seen in boxing or anywhere else! ...Is this the craziest shit you have ever seen!? Larry merchant LMFAO!" -Dana White
"Ortiz took it to the street and may weather finished it in the street.bad sportsmanship by Mayweather.ORTIZ was just warming up,a young lion does not deserve to go out like that and i will fight for ortiz to have a rematch.But i feel may weather looked good and ortiz looked good. terrible head but by Ortiz and should have been deducted 2 points.but to win the way he won was not right.Ortiz deserves a rematch!!! ...And sorry to say but the ref.was lost as can be." -Oscar De La Hoya
"I'm sorry but @FloydMayweather is right, they need to fire that announcer" -Ronda Rousey, now I thought this perspective is unique to Floyd.
TWICTURES
"Just ran into Shamrock at the airport, good talk" -Jon Jones
"@jonnybones backstage @jimmykimmel things are getting crazy back here!" -Switchfoot
"DOC vs BONES #Classic" -Jon Jones, says that he doesn't look into the eyes of his opponents to mess with their heads... obviously can't do that with Dr. Phil.
"I wasnt allowed 2 see the KOTCfights cause I lost my ID.So screw u guys,we r gunna drink the best Georgian wine instead" -Ronda Rousey
"marina destroyed her shorts walking into my stove lol... butt bump + chest bump = best bump? =P ... mochi and marina striking the same booty pose" -Ronda Rousey
TWAINING
"Pics from last nights pad session up" -Carlos Condit, training for his title shot against Georges St. Pierre on UFC 137. That's Travis Browne and Andrei Arlovski in the background.
JON JONES VS. RASHAD EVANS
"219lbs and Battle ready" -Jon Jones
"@Jonnybones @ufc hand on the hip! U go girl! Go "Battle"! U look fierce like Bruno!! Lol" -Rashad Evans
TWIDEOS
"have you seen this? @RyanDCouture's friend impersonates him. haha." -Anton Tabuena
"@antontabuena Haha! That's @JimmyJonesMMA , a 3-0 featherweight and consummate dickhead." -Ryan Couture
"Evolve Video Blog Sept 3 2011" -Evolve MMA, gives out highlights from all their fighters competing on ONE FC earlier this month.
"Meet @EddieYaginMMA fighting Saturday in Denver" -UFC, random fact, Eddie Yagin is another Filipino-American fighter in the UFC.
DOMINICK CRUZ VS. DEMETRIOUS JOHNSON
"Fighter diary: A day of training for a title fight..." -UFC
"More behind-the-scenes action from @TheDomin8r" -UFC, Dominick Cruz releases another awesome looking training video.
Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, nbsp, " 
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowUFC 135: By the Odds
Filed under: UFCThe main eventers have worked out their issues with Dr. Phil and the guys lower down the card have had a chance to discuss what their fights ultimately mean, so I suppose it's time to turn to the betting experts to find out how they see the action going down at UFC 135.
Jon Jones (-600) vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (+400)
Based on all the pre-fight hype, you wouldn't know this main event is, at least according to oddsmakers, a bit of a squash match. And yet, these are the people who get paid to handicap fights, and this is actually one of the more reasonable lines out there. Some have Jones as high as 7-1. Can so many professional gamblers be wrong?
Well, sure they could. Especially with a fighter who's as young and untested as Jones. He's dominated every opponent so thoroughly that it's hard to imagine a plodding, predictable striker like Jackson surprising him with anything new. If I had to guess, I'd say Jones is thinking the same thing right now. If he goes into this fight thinking that Jackson has nothing for him, he could end up learning a painful lesson about respecting his elders. Punching power is the last desperate hope of many an aging fighter, and it's been Jackson's saving grace a time or two in the past. His best chance is to catch Jones slipping and rock him with one hard shot. Then again, no one's been able to do it yet.
My pick: Jones. The betting line is clearly insane, but money ventured on Jackson is money you need to be prepared to never see again. He needs to get in close and hook in order to have a chance. I fear the closest he'll get to Jones is during the pre-fight staredown.
Matt Hughes (+300) vs. Josh Koscheck (-450)
I love an underdog pick as much as anyone (see also: my regrettable decision to pick Jason MacDonald last week), but I don't see how Hughes has much of a chance here. What, does he outwrestle the bigger, stronger Koscheck? Nope. Does he floor him with his polished striking? Probably not. Does he submit him off his back? C'mon son. Hughes holds no obvious advantages over a guy like Koscheck, with the possible exception that he's been in pre-fight training mode a little longer. But even though Koscheck took this fight on short notice, both men have had comparable layoffs, and both had to deal with a new opponent three weeks out. Maybe Hughes can come right out and put some leather on Koscheck's surgically-repaired eye, but Country Breakfast wasn't known for his stellar hand speed even in his prime, and he's a long way from that now.
My pick: Koscheck. Again, atrocious odds, but fitting ones. We'd probably have more fun betting on whether this will be Hughes' retirement fight. I got a sawbuck that says it is.
Travis Browne (-350) vs. Rob Broughton (+265)
Browne is now in his fourth UFC fight, and so far the most vulnerable we've seen him look was when Cheick Kongo pressed him up against the fence and clung to his shorts en route to a yawn-worthy draw. Maybe that was the smart way to play it, since as Stefan Struve found out back in May, this big man can swat. That could be why oddsmakers aren't so hot on Broughton's chances. He'll be giving up about four inches in height to the 6'7" Browne, and the Brit has yet to beat any really impressive heavyweights (no offense to James Thompson and Butterbean, both of whom have losses against Broughton). His best chance might be to get Browne to the mat, where his size and reach won't be such a problem. That's easier said than done against this behemoth.
My pick: Browne. With all these huge favorites in my parlay, I'm going to have to find a crazier-than-usual underdog pick soon...
Nate Diaz (-250) vs. Takanori Gomi (+190)
After being overpowered at welterweight, Diaz is back in the division where he's had the most success and is taking on one of his brother's former foes. It seems like a match-up that's made for Diaz. Here he has a submittable opponent who probably won't try to out-wrestle him. All he has to do is not get knocked out. That shouldn't be so hard, since both Diaz boys seem to have been born with iron chins. It's a good thing, too, what with their willingness to stand there and let people test their fists on them.
My pick: Diaz. I know, another favorite. Sorry, but I just don't see Gomi winning too many fights these days that he can't end with a single punch.
Ben Rothwell (-300) vs. Mark Hunt (+240)
If you're looking for a big underdog who's worth a risk, it's now or never. Hunt has almost zero ground game. We know this -- and when I say 'we,' I'm including Rothwell. The smart thing to do would be for Rothwell to get it to the mat as early as possible and hope that Hunt still hasn't learned even the basics when it comes to submission defense. And honestly, I think that's probably what will happen. But there's always that chance, however remote, that Hunt lands one good punch and changes everything. Every round does start on the feet, after all. And -- who knows -- maybe after 15 months away from the scene Rothwell thinks he has to prove something by coming in there and knocking Hunt out. It would be a bad idea, but that doesn't mean it's out of the question.
My pick: Hunt. Man, I do not feel good about that. If Rothwell plays it smart, I think he submits him in the first round. But all that time off, plus Hunt's heavy hands, multiplied by my need to find a crazy underdog, equals small action on Hunt.
Quick Picks:
- Nick Ring (+120) over Tim Boetsch (-150). Call me crazy, but I don't think Boetsch will be able to run his usual wrestling schtick here. And when that doesn't work, he's all out of ideas.
- James Te Huna (-155) over Ricardo Romero (+125). Te Huna's just a little bigger and more aggressive, plus he needs this more.
The 'For Entertainment Purposes Only' Parlay: Jones + Koscheck + Browne + Diaz. It's not sexy, but at least it's secure. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: fight, hunt, jone, koscheck, chance
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseUFC 135 Predictions
Filed under: UFCWill Jon Jones successfully defend his light heavyweight title for the first time, or will Rampage Jackson get the belt back? Can Matt Hughes show he still has something left, or will Josh Koscheck send Hughes another step closer to retirement? Will the unbeaten Travis Browne take another step forward in the UFC heavyweight division?
We'll answer those questions and more as we predict the winners at UFC 135.
What: UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
When: Saturday, the preliminary card starts at 6 p.m. ET, the Spike TV fights start at 8 and the pay-per-view starts at 9.
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver
Predictions on the five pay-per-view fights below.
More: Watch UFC 135 Live Online | UFC 135 Fight Card | UFC 135 Results
Jon Jones vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
The UFC light heavyweight title has been a hot potato since Rampage took it from Chuck Liddell in 2007. Rampage defended it successfully only once before losing it to Forrest Griffin. Griffin lost his first title defense to Rashad Evans. Evans lost his first title defense to Lyoto Machida. Machida barely beat Shogun Rua in his first title defense before losing the belt to Shogun in a rematch. And Shogun lost his first title defense to Jones.
But many UFC fans think Jones will be the one who finally goes on a long run as light heavyweight champion, the way Liddell did before Rampage beat him. Jones has the whole package as a mixed martial artist, and he's just 24 years old and still getting better. He could easily be the champion for years.
So does Rampage have a chance? I don't think he has a very good one. At age 33, I don't think Rampage is the same fighter he was in his 20s. He looks slower than the guy we saw beat Liddell twice, and he hasn't shown much sign of his trademark punching power since knocking out Wanderlei Silva almost three years ago. I think Jones-Rampage looks a lot like Jones-Shogun, with Jones winning in dominant fashion.
Pick: Jones
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck
Both of these guys are coming off long layoffs, with Hughes returning for the first time since losing to B.J. Penn in November, and Koscheck returning for the first time since losing to Georges St. Pierre in December. The biggest question about this fight is how Hughes and Koscheck will recover from their long layoffs, and from their decisive losses the last time they stepped into the Octagon.
But what we do know is that Koscheck is four years younger than Hughes and closer to his fighting prime than Hughes, and I think that makes Koscheck more likely than Hughes to be ready to bounce back from his loss and be ready to go -- even though Koscheck is the one who took this fight on short notice. Hughes is one of the all-time great UFC fighters, with an all-time record 18 wins inside the Octagon. But at this point in their careers, I think Koscheck is both a better wrestler and a better striker than Hughes, and I don't see Hughes getting No. 19.
Pick: Koscheck
Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton
Browne is coming off a great knockout of Stefan Struve in May, which improved his record to 11-0-1. He's a big, powerful heavyweight who hasn't yet shown that he can be a complete mixed martial artist but has shown that he can hit really, really hard.
Broughton hits hard, too, and he has a better ground game than Browne. But I don't see Broughton being able to take this fight to the ground, and if they stand and trade punches, that's exactly what Browne wants. Look for Browne to knock Broughton out.
Pick: Browne
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi
When Nate's big brother Nick Diaz submitted Gomi in 2007, it was a major upset: Gomi was widely regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world at the time. But that was a long time ago, and no one should be surprised when Nate Diaz submits Gomi. A loss here will drop Gomi to 1-3 in the UFC and serve as another reminder that the Gomi of the Pride years is gone for good.
Pick: Diaz
Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt
Speaking of guys from the Pride days who don't have it anymore, it's kind of amazing that Hunt -- who has a career record below .500 and has lost six of his last seven -- is actually in the UFC at all. Hunt still has punching power, as Chris Tuchscherer found out the hard way at UFC 127, but if Rothwell is completely recovered from the torn ACL that has kept him out since June of 2010, he should beat Hunt easily.
Pick: Rothwell
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, hughe, koscheck
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseBodog has the betting line on Jones v. Rampage @ Jones -700, Rampage +450
submitted by ImaG [link] [5 comments]
Posted in: rampage, jone, jones v, imag, bodog
Read the full article at RedditSpike TV Countdown to UFC 135: Jon Jones vs Rampage Jackson Discussion Post
This post is going up last minute but right now on Spike TV, the countdown show for UFC 135 starts right now. This event will be the UFC's return to Denver, Colorado and the first title defense for champion Jon Jones. Rampage Jackson will be coming in as a major underdog but word from his camp, he's in the best shape that he's ever been in while in the UFC. Jon Jones is coming off his dominating win over Mauricio Shogun Rua to win the belt. Following that win, he was the focus of some controversy as it was expect that he would be defending his belt against former teammate Rashad Evans. Jones was expected to receive surgery on his thumb but after a second opinion, it was deemed that the surgery was not needed. The Evans fight fell apart and Rampage Jackson got the call.
Also on the card is Matt Hughes, who was first booked to face Diego Sanchez after being knocked out by B.J. Penn. An injury to Sanchez forced the UFC to add Josh Koscheck to the show as a last minute replacement. Join Bloody Elbow for a discussion of the Countdown to UFC 135: Jones vs Jackson airing right now on Spike TV.
SBN coverage of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, rampage jackson, spike tv
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowSmack talk: Jones vs. Rampage preview
Check out what Jon Jones and Quinton Rampage Jackson are saying about each other before Saturday's fight.
Posted in: rampage, jone, jon jones, jones vs, rampage preview
Read the full article at sportsnet.caEvans: "Jones will beat Jackson standing"
Rashad Evans is backing his former team mate turned bitter rival Jon Jones to retain his belt when he faces Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson at UFC...
Posted in: jone, jackson, jon jones, team mate, rashad evans
Read the full article at Fighters OnlyRashad Evans: I think Jon Jones beats Rampage Jackson standing up at UFC 135 (Video)
If there's any single fighter in the world today that knows all about both Jon Jones and Quinton Jackson, it's Rashad Evans.
The former light heavyweight champion extensively trained with "Bones" while he was coming up through the ranks of the 205-pound division and fought "Rampage" at UFC 114 in May 2010.
So when he makes a prediction for their pending bout at UFC 135 this Sat., Sept. 24, 2011, in Denver, it's worth listening to. He did just that in a recent talk with MMA Interviews:
"One thing I experienced with Rampage, (he has) a very strong core. Jon may take him down if he uses his leverage and a lot of his judo, I think that's probably how he's going to get him down. But if he just tries to shoot in on him, Rampage may be pretty tough to take down off just a shot. ... I think that Jon Jones uses his range and his speed to keep Rampage off balance and at the same time using his ability to take Rampage down to try to impose some of his will. I think Jon tries to get it done, I think he does it standing up."
Despite Jones' success throughout his career, it's a bold prediction that he'll take care of Jackson on the feet, considering that's "Rampage's" bread-and-butter.
Evans wasn't the only one to make a prediction on the fight, though, as Frank Mir, Vitor Belfort, Tito Ortiz and Mauricio Rua all chimed in with their thoughts as well.
Frank Mir:
"I think Jones is a phenom and he's very technical but I think too many people are writing off Quinton ... His speed and power, I guess I'm kind of picking Quinton on the backside."
Vitor Belfort:
"It's gonna be pretty simple. If Rampage can put his boxing, he has a chance to knock Jon Jones out, that's no doubt. Rampage is on ... he can put people to sleep pretty fast. ... It's easy to predict. Rampage, the only chance is to knock him out. Jones has the kicks, the elbows, the scramble, the takedowns and he's the new version of MMA."
Tito Ortiz:
"I hope Rampage knocks him out. Rampage is my boy and I want to see him win the title. I want to see him be successful. Hopefully he wins. But Jones is just unstoppable right now, so, I don't know. Rampage, knockout, first round. ... I hope Rampage knocks him the hell out, that would be great."
Mauricio Rua:
"60-percent for Jon Jones, 40-percent for Rampage. Rampage is a good fighter, Jones is too but in my opinion, Jon Jones has a little more chance."
Maniacs: Who ya' got?
Posted in: jon, rampage, jone, jon jones, mauricio rua
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 Video: Rampage Jackson and Jon Jones on Jimmy Kimmel Live
The UFC 135 press push is in full swing. The main event of the card sees former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson take on current champ Jon Jones. Both men made an appearance last night on Jimmy Kimmel Live to hype up the card. Sitting alongside Dr. Phil, Jackson and Jones exchanged the usual and expected barbs with the UFC championship sitting on Kimmel's desk.
Here's part 1, part two is after the jump:
I couldn't help but get hung up on Jones while watching the video. He continues to strike me as incredibly phony. Now, before someone yells at me about "being a journalist" and how I'm not supposed to have opinions; I'm a blogger, not a journalist and my job is to speak honestly.
Jonathan Snowden has a theory on why many fans are rejecting Jones:
Mixed martial arts has always been different than traditional sports. We're told the fighters are just like us. Regular folk, college graduates, achievers who just happen to work harder and have scary levels of dedication and pain tolerance. Jones is a departure from that. He's so obviously gifted that the standing narrative doesn't fit. Jones' isn't a story of hard work and dedication. It's a tale of physical gifts. He's not just like the rest of us - he's been in the spotlight since he was barely out of his teens. In short, Jones is MMA's first mainstream athlete in the worst sense of the word.
But that isn't it for me. I've been a huge sports fan for my entire life, growing up in the era of Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, LeBron James and a host of others whose athletic gifts seemed so far beyond what we'd seen in their sport as to transform the way the game was played.
I'm also a lifelong boxing fan and spent years worshiping Roy Jones Jr. Like "Bones," Jones ran through the competition until he lost by DQ. Jones was close to stopping Montell Griffin, before Griffin took a knee but the ref's slowness jumping in and Roy's aggressiveness led to him landing two late, illegal blows and being disqualified.
Gifted athletes are something I generally embrace so it's not a matter of that he breaks through expectations with his gifts. With Jones there is just something "off." I can't quite put my finger on exactly what it is yet, but there is just a sense of overwhelming phoniness every time I watch him in a situation like this.
Follow after the jump for part 2 of the video.
SBN coverage of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
Part 2:
Posted in: ufc, jone, jimmy kimmel, part, something i
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowWhy isn't Jon Jones clicking with UFC fans? Jonathan Snowden explains why in "Jon Jones Isn't One...
Why isn't Jon Jones clicking with UFC fans? Jonathan Snowden explains why in "Jon Jones Isn't One of Us" at MMA Nation.
Posted in: jon, jone, isn, jonathan snowden, ufc fans
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowVideo: UFC 135 headliners Jones and Jackson on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
To hype this weekend's UFC 135 event,
headliners Jon Jones and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson appeared on Monday's edition of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on ABC.
Jones puts his UFC light-heavyweight title on the line at Saturday's pay-per-view event in Denver.
Despite their long-brewing feud, the rivals shared the same couch for the sometimes-uncomfortable (but humorous) segment.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jimmy kimmel, jimmy, long-brewing feud
Read the full article at MMA JunkieDana White UFC 135 Video Blog for “Jones vs. Rampage (Episode one)
For UFC 135 results and complete UFC 135 coverage on “Jones vs. Rampage” stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, vs, episode
Read the full article at MMA FrenzyUFC 135 Conference Call Audio Featuring Jones, Rampage, Hughes, & Koscheck
The UFC 135 main eventers – Jon Jones, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Matt Hughes, and Josh Koscheck – held a media conference call on Monday. Listen to the full audio of the call.
Posted in: matt hughes, jone, hughe, conference, media conference
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyJon Jones, Rampage Jackson Sell Their Fight on Jimmy Kimmel
Filed under: MMA Media Watch, UFC
Everyone who follows the UFC is excited about Saturday night's Jon Jones-Rampage Jackson fight, but the UFC's marketing efforts are mostly about attracting the many millions of Americans who have never heard of Jones or Jackson. That's why the UFC gets so excited about putting fighters on shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live, and that's why Jones and Jackson's appearance on the Kimmel show Monday night was so effective.
Jones and Jackson sold their UFC 135 main event on a level that someone who's never bought a pay-per-view could appreciate: Kimmel started their interview by asking them if they liked each other, Jones gave a one word answer ("no") and it went from there.
There are a lot of easy-to-sell storylines on the Jones-Jackson fight, with Jones playing the role of the All-American nice guy and Jackson as the tough dude from the wrong side of the tracks. Whether that's actually an accurate portrayal of those two is a separate question, but that's an easy way to sell the fight to a new audience, and both fighters more or less conformed to those roles.
But at the same time, Jones is coming across as edgier than we've seen before in recent appearances, like Jackson is genuinely getting under his skin. And even though Jackson is the "bad guy" in this pairing, he has a natural feel for how to play an audience, and he showed off a good sense of humor on the Kimmel show.
Another angle the UFC likes to see played up is that Jones is the young upstart in MMA, while Jackson is the aging veteran who wants the belt back. Jackson was sure to mention that he plans on teaching the youngster a lesson.
"This kid ain't really fought nobody and he's already talking down to me," Jackson said of Jones. "He's a snot-nosed kid."
Jones got off what I thought was the best line of the interview when he described his style and Jackson's as "Spiderman vs. Frankenstein." That sounds like some Hollywood studio executive's idea for a wacky superhero movie, but it also sounds like something I'd like to watch. I have a feeling a lot of Kimmel viewers were thinking the same thing about Bones vs. Rampage. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, jimmy kimmel, kimmel
Read the full article at AOL FanhouseJon Jones Set for Philippine Tour Less Than a Month After UFC 135 Bout Against Rampage Jackson
UFC light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones will be defending his title for the first time against Quinton Jackson this weekend. Win or lose though, 'Bones' is already set for a Philippine tour less than a month after that UFC 135 bout.
On October 21-23, Jones will be heading to Manila and Cebu, and while his full itinerary is yet to be released, his schedule is expected to be filled with press tours, and an open workout. This will be the first time he will be touring the South East Asian country, and much like the Beatle-Mania like reaction to Geoges St. Pierre's visit last year, the 23-year-old phenom can expect mammoth crowds from a country that's crazy about MMA.
ABS-CBN, the parent company of Balls Channel which handles UFC programming, have also announced that they will be airing a Jon Jones special on October 9 that details his meteoric rise to the top of the light heavyweight division.
Aside from GSP's visit last year, Chuck Liddell and Brandon Vera also held separate open workouts in the past, with both UFC stars also drawing several thousands of Filipino fans.
Stay tuned to Bloody Elbow for more details and coverage from these events.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, philippine tour, tour
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowJones and Rampage on Kimmel
submitted by red1392 [link] [1 comment]
Posted in: rampage, jone, kimmel
Read the full article at RedditRampage Jackson talks Cocky Fighters, Getting "His" Belt Back, and Retiring with a Great Legacy
Former Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, who will look to dethrone Jon "Bones" Jones at UFC 135, discusses his opponent, as well as his motivation and training for the bout. Jackson explains his reasoning behind referring to Jones as "cocky" and talks about the importance of getting "HIS" belt back.
Posted in: jone, jackson, belt, dethrone jon, talk
Read the full article at Low KickThe Blueprint - Jones vs. Rampage
On March 19, 2011, Jon Jones became the youngest man in the history of the sport to win a UFC championship at a fresh, young 23 years and 242 days. And he did it in dominant fashion, annihilating then-champion Marcio “Shogun” Rua via third-round technical knockout.Jones will defend his belt for the first time on Saturday night. Six of the previous nine 205-pound champions failed to successfully defend the belt. Will he make it seven out of the previous 10?Quinton “Rampage” Jackson certainly thinks so. He is the man who will put Jones’ championship mettle to the test in the main event of UFC 135. By the way, Rampage just so happens to be one of the three men who successfully defended the belt at least once in the last eight years. This fight is a huge step in Jones’ career. Gigantic, actually. Don’t get me wrong. The win over Shogun was monumental. But Jones’ length and wrestling, combined with the fact that Shogun was coming off yet another surgery-imposed injury layoff, made it a perfect matchup for the burgeoning superstar.Rampage is not a favorable matchup. In fact, he is not a great matchup for anyone, though that is not to suggest that Jones cannot win this fight. He absolutely can win, and it is probably a bit more likely than not that he will win. But he is going to have to be on point in order to leave the arena with the belt still tightly strapped around his waist.Jones has all the potential in the world. This guy has every tool to be great. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. He has just 14 professional fights, including just eight in the UFC. Rampage has nearly three times as much overall experience and has fought a “who’s who” of the sport while competing at the elite level for a full decade.To put that into perspective, Jones had just turned 14 years old when Rampage made his PRIDE debut. And Rampage is just 33 years old, well within his fighting prime. Yet, it would be foolish to assume that Rampage has seen everything that Jones can throw at him. I’m not sure that the sport has ever witnessed a 205-pound athlete quite like Jones.Standing 6’4, he has an insane 84.5-inch reach. That means he can hit Rampage from a distance that would otherwise be unthinkable for most fighters. There is no way for the former champion to properly prepare for Jones’ length, unless he is training with heavyweight contender Cheick Kongo, who also stands 6’4, though his reach is almost three inches shorter than what Jones sports. The other unique part of Jones’ game is his willingness to attack with video game-like strikes. Spinning backfists, spinning elbows, front kicks, axe kicks, flying knees, and just any other strike you can imagine is within the realm of possibilities when Jones fights. He throws them with extreme confidence, so they tend to land and do very real damage. Again, it is virtually impossible for Rampage to fully prepare for those unorthodox strikes.Mix all of that in with Jones’ elite takedown skills, good cardio and excellent physical strength and you start to see the full picture that is Jon Jones. Through his eight UFC bouts, he has dominated every opponent in every facet of the game. He outboxed a golden gloves boxer. He out kickboxed a dangerous kickboxer. He outwrestled a world-class amateur wrestler. He beat up a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt on the ground. It’s not surprising that many pundits have anointed this guy as the Second Coming.Nevertheless, Rampage presents a different look than anything Jones has seen in his short career. He is a very well rounded fighter. Yet, ever since transitioning from PRIDE to the UFC, he has fought in an almost exclusively one-dimensional fashion. Rampage loves to box – not kickbox, box. And he ignores virtually every other aspect of his game in his insatiable hunger for fistic knockouts on the feet.As good as Jones is on the feet, he wants no part of a fisticuff exchange with Rampage. Trust me on that one. Rampage is one of the game’s most versatile punchers. He can knock out anyone with either hand with only a single punch. Chuck Liddell got his lights turned out with a looping right. It was the first time anyone left Liddell in an unconscious heap in his illustrious career. Rampage put Wanderlei Silva to sleep with a left hook. Rampage also has tremendous wrestling skills, though he has completely ignored them as of late. The last time we saw Rampage use anything close to resembling his wrestling was in his five round thrashing of Henderson four years ago. By contrast, in PRIDE, Rampage was famous for slamming and then ground-and-pounding his opponents. I will never know why he has turned away from that strength as of late.Conventional wisdom suggests that Rampage should rely on his wrestling and physical strength to put Jones on his back, and force him to address the one major question mark hanging over his head. We simply do not know if the champion can fight effectively, or even survive, from his back. If one takes to heart the comments by Jones’ former friend and training partner Rashad Evans, then it could be that the champion’s major weaknesses are defending and attacking from his back.Of course, none of his foes have been able to put him there to find out if that is true or not. Don’t expect Rampage to be the first, despite the fact that devising a game plan to create takedown opportunities may be his best chance to win.Unfortunately for the former champion, he is far too enamored with his boxing skills to concern himself with takedowns. He won’t be looking for a takedown, unless a Jones strike puts him on ice skates. Trust me on that one. I’m absolutely certain of it. Rampage will come out looking to throw hands with Jones to the exclusion of every other facet of his game, just like he does in every fight. That is true regardless of who he is fighting. It will be true on Saturday night.Jones needs to take advantage of that approach to the game by refusing to engage in a boxing match with Rampage. He should take a page out of Forrest Griffin’s playbook and kick Rampage’s lead leg until the challenger can no longer put any weight on it. Rampage walks down opponents with laser-like focus, always looking for an opening to land a lead right hand or counter anything. That tunnel vision results in him either failing to identify lead leg kicks in time to check them or simply not caring enough to worry about that part of the game. Whatever the case, that lone strike singlehandedly won the title for Griffin in their 2008 bout. It can be the lone reason that Jones retains his title on Saturday night, if the champion commits to the strike early and often. Rampage likely won’t check them, and that will come back to haunt him. Jones can also take a page from Rashad Evans’ playbook and use strikes to set up takedowns. Rampage sits down on his punches so much that he routinely leaves himself open to takedowns. Once on the ground, he has virtually no offensive submission game from his back. He can defend pretty well, and he certainly has the ability to scramble back to his feet or sweep, but he isn’t going to catch Jones or anyone else with an armbar, triangle choke, gogoplata or any other submission from the guard. It is probably pretty obvious that I believe that Jones has many more ways to win the fight than Rampage does on Saturday night. I think it is tough to make any argument to the contrary, assuming the one proffering the argument wants to pass the laugh test. The assumption, therefore, must be that I’m picking Jones to win.No. I’m picking Rampage. And I’m picking him to win by knockout.Every criticism written above about Rampage is accurate. He has largely become a one-dimensional fighter of late. But that one dimension is so much better than everyone else that it is scary. Rampage is the best boxer in the division by leaps and bounds. He is exceptional at avoiding clean shots and delivering one in return. All it takes is one mistake by Jones and Rampage can turn the lights out, whether in the first minute or the 24th minute.Jones does not have that ability, and that will be the difference in the fight. In addition, this whole mess about spygate in Rampage’s camp will serve to help Rampage. Jones admitted in his SpikeTV interview last week that his foe’s allegations of cheating have gotten inside his head. Jones is a young, emotional guy. Fighting a killer like Rampage with emotion is the wrong thing to do. If Jones comes out looking to teach Rampage a lesson with his fists, he will get his lights turned out. That is precisely what I think will happen. If not, I think Jones will embark on what could turn out to be a record-setting run at light heavyweight. Either way, this is can’t-miss TV.QUICK FACTS Jon Jones• 24 years old• 6’4, 205 lbs• 84.5-inch reach• 13-1 overall (7-1 UFC)• Lone UFC loss was a DQ for illegal elbow strikes to Matt Hamill in a fight Jones was dominating• 6 of last 7 fights have ended inside the distance• 3 of last 5 ended inside the first round• 61.5% of wins by KO/TKO (8 out of 13)• 23.1% of wins by submission (3 out of 13)• 15.4% of wins by decision (2 out of 13)• Knockout of the Night and Submission of the Night winner• Current layoff of 189 days is the longest of his careerQuinton “Rampage” Jackson• 33 years old• 6’1, 205 lbs• 73-inch reach• 32-8 overall (19-7 UFC/PRIDE)• 4-1 in last 5 fights• 8-2 in last 10 fights• 7-5 against 9 current or former UFC/PRIDE champions• Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion• 406-day reign as champion; 1 successful title defense• 42.9% of UFC wins by KO (3 out of 7)• 57.1% of UFC wins by decision (4 out of 7)• No UFC wins by submission• Both UFC losses by unanimous decision• Has only been submitted once in 39 professional fights, nearly 10 years ago• Stopped 3 times by strikes as a professional• First man to unify UFC and PRIDE titles • Fight of the Night twice • Knockout of the Night twice • Current layoff is 119 days• Undefeated in the UFC when fighting with less than 230 days off (7-0)• Longest layoff of his career is 448 days
Posted in: ufc, fight, rampage, jone, • 
Read the full article at UFCJon Jones and Rampage Jackson on Jimmy Kimmel Live Discussion Thread
Tonight at 12 a.m. ET, the Jimmy Kimmel show will play host to UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and Quinton Jackson for what should be an entertaining bit with both met on at the same time. According to a UFC press release Dr. Phil will be brought on as well to mediate the discussion between the two men. For those of you who are planning on staying awake, join me and the rest of the Bloody Elbow Night Crew for a live discussion of the Jimmy Kimmel Show.
This is part of the UFC's promotional tour for UFC 135 this weekend which takes place in Denver, Colorado. The card is headlined by Jon Jones and Quinton Jackson and also features Matt Hughes taking on Josh Koscheck in what will be both men's return to the cage after a lengthy period away from action. Koscheck replaces an injured Diego Sanchez. Also on the card is Takanori Gomi taking on Nate Diaz in a lightweight scrap and Travis Browne facing English fight Rob Broughton.
The Jimmy Kimmel Show broadcasts on ABC.
SBN coverage of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
Posted in: ufc, jone, kimmel, jon jones, quinton jackson
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowChamp Jones insists Jackson's barbs falling short and will earn respect at UFC 135
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has long looked up to Georges
St-Pierre, and he shares a trainer with his fellow champ in Greg
Jackson.
No doubt Jones admires St-Pierre's technique, but also his poise and
cool under fire in the pressure cooker of the spotlight.
Jones also shares the welterweight champ's dislike for the attention that
accompanies a belt. Like St-Pierre, he doesn't much enjoy the endless
merry-go-round of interviews and time they take from training. Not only
are they a distraction, but they also invite the kind of talk that
distracts from his advancement as a martial artist.
Posted in: jone, welterweight champ, georges st-pierre, fellow champ, champ jones
Read the full article at MMA JunkieJones: 'Insults make me fight better'
Jon Jones has been remarkably quiet during the build-up to this weekend’s UFC 135 event, despite opponent Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson’s...
Posted in: ufc, jone, &rsquo, opponent quinton, ;rampage
Read the full article at Fighters OnlyRampage, Jones Still Can’t Get Along
Just days away from their UFC light heavyweight championship fight, champion Jon Jones and challenger Quinton “Rampage” Jackson still just can’t get along with one another.
Allegations ranging from in-camp spying to cockiness and disrespect, both fighters will look to settle their differences during the main event of UFC 135 this weekend.
“The guy has never walked the way I’ve walked in this sport, and basically the guy just said the wrong [expletive] and I treat him the way I treat him because I got no respect for him,” Rampage said during a press conference.
Meanwhile, Jones has a different outlook of the current verbal sparring between the two fighters:
“My job is not to out-talk him,” Jones noted during a UFC press conference. “You’re talking about an opponent who threatens and harasses literally every opponent in his career’s history, and I’m very aware of this. So I’ll let him talk and have fun and make me look like the scared one, but when I’m in the Octagon on the 24th, that’s when I’ll demand more respect.”
Despite already capturing the UFC light heavyweight championship, Jones is still young in his pro MMA career — and Rampage has a track record for talking trash and being a bit cocky while helping hype fights.
Posted in: ufc, rampage, jone, way i, track record
Read the full article at MMA OpinionUFC 135: Jon Jones wants to remain composed under barrage of 'Rampage' Jackson's trash talk
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones isn't much of a talker.
"Bones" won the title from Mauricio Rua this past March at UFC 128 and he believe his actions in the cage, where he demolished the then-champion over the course of three rounds, speak far louder than words ever could.
So how would he respond when an opponent insults him or gets in his head?
Viewers of UFC Fight Night 25 got a glimpse this past Saturday night when both Jones and his upcoming UFC 135 opponent, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, were interviewed at the same time by Joe Rogan to help hype up their fight.
Jackson was by far the more aggressive interviewee and looked like he was really trying to fluster the young champion. Jones explained the situation during today's UFC 135 media conference call:
"Maybe because I took the backseat to the conversation. I'm very aware of why I'm here. I'm not here to show I'm better at arguing, talking or insulting. That's not my mission. If I had it my way, I'd do as very little media as possible but this stuff is mandatory. You're talking about an opponent that threatens and harasses every opponent in his history. I'll let him talk and have his fun and make me look like the scared one but I'll show him in the Octagon on the 24th."
While most of Jackson's talk has been easy to ignore, Jones admits that there was one thing in particular that has him riled up.
"The only thing that bothered me originally was the spygate situation. Not the accusation specifically but that the fans believed that I would actually pay someone to go to his camp and watch him and report to me. I'm aware of the character that I'm up against and it will make me better in the future. I have opponents in the future that will be big talkers as well and this will make me a better champion."
"Bones" has fought 14 times professionally compared to Jackson's 40 and has fought for just over three years compared to Jackson's 12 but this isn't the first time he's had to deal with someone trying to get in his head. He vividly remembered the last time an opponent had harsh words for him before a bout 19 months prior.
"The only other time was when I fought Brandon Vera. He had said "Jon Jones thinks he's the second coming of Jesus Christ." At the weigh-ins I got out of character and he got under my skin a little bit. People that anger me, it definitely make me fight better. It makes me fight better because I prepare better. I try not to insult my opponent. I just say things that I believe to be true. I don't want to make comments that could come back and bite me so I try to not speak too much when it comes to insults and just focus on training. I don't have any anger heading into this fight. I just know what I'm up against. The awareness helps me keep my composure."
Vera's trash talk didn't seem to phase Jones, as he elbowed his way to victory in just over three minutes while barely getting scratched in one of his most dominant career performances. Will this time out against Jackson be any different?
Do you think Jones' performance in the verbal warfare will have any impact come fight night? Or will he ignore the distractions and defend his belt?
Sound off, Maniacs!
Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, jackson, opponent
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 video preview for 'Jones vs Rampage' on Sept. 24 in Denver (Extended)
UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage" takes place this Sat., Sept. 24, 2011, at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. The event features Jon Jones defending his light heavyweight title for the first time against former king of the 205-pound mountain, Quinton Jackson.
In the co-main event of the evening, Josh Koscheck makes his return to the Octagon for a fight he's wanted for years, as he'll do battle against former welterweight champion Matt Hughes.
Everybody ready?
Posted in: jone, co-main event, jones vs, quinton jackson, ., sept
Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135: ESPN's Sports Science Looks at Jon Jones
ESPN takes a look at Jon Jones in their newest Sports Science video. (Embedding disable because ESPN hates people watching their content.) The video examines the effects of Jones' 84.5" wingspan. Highlights:
Jones' arms measure 34.5 inches. His reach allows him to land blows from over 3 feet away. Arms extended, Jones can cover 182 cubic feet around him, which is 80% more than the average adult male. Jones' superman punch extends his rage to over 5 feet.
Jones' spinning elbow has been clocked at over 900 degrees/second.
Jones landed 10 downward elbow strikes in a matter of 4 seconds against Vladimir Matyushenko.
MMA fighters are able to apply a chokehold at 500 pounds of force, which is 10x more than is necessary to cut off circulation.
If Jones heigh matched his wingspan, Jones would be taller than 97% of the players in the NBA. Which is a fancy way of saying that he would be seven feet tall.
Posted in: jone, jon jones, espn, feet, content .)
Read the full article at Bloody ElbowQuinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, ‘Jon Jones Wrote a Check That His Ass Can’t Cash’
Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson has some strong words for Jon 'Bones' Jones and a stern warning what to expect when they meet at UFC 135.
Posted in: jon, rampage, jone, jackson, quinton
Read the full article at MMA WeeklyUFC 135's Jackson believes "cocky" Jones remains dishonest with fans
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson believes Jon Jones isn't being honest about fighting.
Jackson, a former UFC light heavyweight champ, doesn't hide the fact that he's in this for money.
But he said Jones isn't doing the same, and it's one of a few things that rub him the wrong way.
Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, jones isn, isn
Read the full article at MMA JunkieUFC 135 conference call updates and LIVE blog today (Sep. 19)
Here we go again. In the aftermath of a crazy weekend of fights, Ultimate Fighting Championship is right back in action promoting its next pay-per-view, UFC 135, which is taking place at the end of the week (September 25, 2011) in Denver, Colorado, the birthplace of the UFC.
Headlining the pay-per-view will be the return of UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones as he looks to defend his title for the first time against former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson.
Jones has been on an incredible run in the UFC and the promotion believes they've got the next big thing in their hands, although "Rampage" Jackson is hoping to derail the hype train after back-to-back victories against Lyoto Machida and Matt Hamill.
The co-main event features a welterweight tilt between former champion Matt Hughes and recent title challenger Josh Koscheck. Both Hughes and Koscheck are coming off high profile losses at the hands of B.J. Penn and Georges St. Pierre respectively and are looking to get back on track.
Jones, Jackson, Hughes and Koscheck will participate in a special UFC 135 media conference call today (September 19, 2011) at 2 p.m. ET.
MMAmania.com will deliver up-to-the-second live updates of the conference call after the jump:
Brian Hemminger here. The call is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. ET.
Matt Hughes: I think it's pretty cool that this fight is where UFC started. I think any of the guys could have answered this question. I wasn't in the UFC when the UFC entered Denver. I was just a fan of the sport watching via cassette tape or watching it live.
Josh Koscheck: I didn't even know what the UFC was then.
Josh Koscheck: I've been training for about 4-5 months. I took about three months off after my fight to recover. I went back to my basics, jiu-jitsu class and just going back to where I started, learning all over again. I helped a lot of the Strikeforce guys in their training camps so I've been training for quite a while. Fighting Matt Hughes is a good comeback fight for me. I think the fans deserved this fight a long time ago and now we're getting the opportunity to do it.
Josh Koscheck: I was planning on fighting in San Jose. I thought it would be cool. I fought twice in Canada last year and nothing against Canada but I wanted to fight closer to home. Fighting in Denver is gonna be a great thing. It came about when Diego Sanchez broke his hand and I got a phone call from Crazy Bob Cook about fighting Matt Hughes and I didn't even hesitate. I was in shape and ready to go. This is a big fight for Matt Hughes and it's a great fight for me and I think it's a great fight for me.
Matt Hughes: I opened a gym an hour away from my house. You drive an hour to train, work out and drive an hour home. I had a general manager that took care of anything and I didn't have to do anything. I knew what got me where I am today and it was not running businesses.
Matt Hughes: I'd been training for a little while expecting a particular fight on this card and it's not gonna happen. They originally said Jon Fitch so I was jumping off a flight and they called me back and said Josh Koscheck. It's Dana White's call, not my call on who the fight's gonna be.
Josh Koscheck: I was definitely interested in fighting at 185 because everyone at 170 was tied up and there wasn't really an opponent in the division that I was really eager to fight. I was thinking that I'd go to 185 and do a rematch with Chris Leben, I know Wanderlei Silva was looking for a fight. I was just looking for a big fight. Things happen for a reason but I texted Dana White when that went down with Diego Sanchez getting hurt.
Jon Jones: Maybe because I took the backseat to the conversation. I'm very aware why I'm here. I'm not here to show I'm better at arguing, talking or insulting. That's not my mission. If I had it my way, I'd do as very little media as possible but this stuff is mandatory. You're talking about an opponent that threatens and harasses every opponent in his history. I'll let him talk and have his fun and make me look like the scared one but I'll show him in the Octagon on the 24th.
Jon Jones: The only thing that bothered me originally was the spygate situation. Not the accusation specifically but that the fans believed that I would actually pay someone to go to his camp and watch him and report to me. I'm aware of the character that I'm up against and it will make me better in the future. I have opponents in the future that will be big talkers as well and this will make me a better champion.
Rampage Jackson: I don't care about stuff like that. People can assume that I talk. Most of my opponents, I'm the aggressive guy. Go back to my interviews before Marvin Eastman and Chuck Liddell and Dan Henderson, I react to how guys act towards me. Jon Jones didn't respect me at the press conference and I have no respect for him. I don't care to be in his head or not. That's not my job either.
Josh Koscheck: I wasn't gunshy at all. I got right back in there against a lot of good guys that hit hard. I was sparring with Luke Rockhold and King Mo getting ready for his fight. I feel I could have fought a while ago and I just wanted to take some personal time off and focus on some other areas outside of fighting. I'm anticipating coming back strong on the 24th.
Josh Koscheck: In wrestling I had a fusion of the 5 and 6 vertebrae in my back and I was out six or seven months and then I was right back. I was only out three months and then I was back to training. I'm always two weeks or three weeks away from being ready for a fight.
Matt Hughes: I did most of my camp in Salt Lake City
Josh Koscheck: I've fought in that area before and I'll be ready.
Josh Koscheck: The time off was good for me and then I got back to regular training. I've been training and I think it was good. I got to focus on a lot of other areas that I normally didn't get to focus on, getting away and spending some time on normal things. I got to slow the game down and go back and be a student for a while. I hooked up with my Muay Thai coach. We split ways about a year ago and we got back together. That was an added bonus for me so I've been working with him for eight or nine months.
Matt Hughes: It's the competition that drives me and the top athletes in the UFC. I don't have to rely on four other basketball teammates to score a basket, I just rely on myself. I consider myself a lucky man. I love going to the gym every day, twice a day. It's a great lifestyle.
Matt Hughes: I enjoy my time off. That's fine for me. It gives me a chance to work on lifting weights and techniques to stay in shape.
Jon Jones: I don't feel like this has been the biggest media barrage. Leading up to the Shogun fight, I had the pressure of preparing for a legend like him in six week's time. That was tremendous pressure and on top of that I had the "In the Moment" camera crew following me around from when I woke up to when I left the gym. That was a major distraction and I was hoping it didn't affect my mental game. I honestly feel the Shogun fight was a lot more pressure and a lot more in general. They had a camera crew watching me train, watching me eat. It was weird for me, I felt like an actor. I brought a jiu-jitsu coach with me to work out in between media and we're going over the gameplan and I feel great.
Jon Jones: I've been able to finish fights without getting knockouts and I'm comfortable with that. I just fight my fight and I'm not one to swing for the fences. I'm happy with my style and you got to see what I believe is a more "on-hand."
Jon Jones: I thought Rampage did a good job in the A-Team.
Jon Jones: I definitely have respect for Rampage. That's why I'm so excited to fight the guy. I watched him in college trying to slam people and he's done so much in the sport, I can only go up by facing him. I'm looking at this as skills vs skills and it's not personal to me at all. I fight and spar every day and that's what it is to me.
Matt Hughes: B.J. Penn is a very intelligent fighter. I made some footwork mistakes and tried to correct that. Boxing footwork is a lot different than wrestling footwork and it's not been easy for me to pick up as far as punches.
Matt Hughes: This is the last fight on the contract. After this fight win or lose, I'll talk to the UFC and figure out what we'll do. My wife wanted me to be done after the B.J. fight so we'll see what we'll do after what happens Saturday. We'll make the decision then.
Jon Jones: It was different. Shogun, I really looked up to him a lot because he was the Pride champion at 24. It inspired me that I could be great at a young age too and that's what made the honor so special fighting a guy like Shogun and it showed in my performance that I knew what I was getting into. It's still a huge honor for me to fight Rampage. He's been in the sport for a long time and beating him will be appeasing to me in so many ways.
Rampage Jackson: When I had to fight Machida, I wanted to be the first person to beat Machida. He was the man and I though the was unstoppable. I want to be the first person to beat Jon. I looked at a bunch of his fights and realized he hadn't fought anybody like me and people are counting me out. I think Jon will go on to be a better fighter but I don't want him to have the pressure to be undefeated and I'm the first person to give him that first ass-whoopin so he can go on to be the fighter he can be.
Rampage Jackson: At the press conference in Denver he was saying stuff that was uncalled for. I don't know if he was joking but I took him serious. If he thinks that, remember that he started all the shit-talking first. The same thing with Rashad. Even in my Pride career I always joke around because I'm very confident when I fight. I let them say something to me first and he said some really cocky stuff.
Jon Jones: I was waiting for an example or a quote from him of anything that I said that was out of line other than self assurance from me that I would win this fight. I remember him saying stuff like "I dont' care what Jon's gonna suck on" or "He's getting destroyed" or "Bambi legs." I'm not softening up now. It's the fight game and I'll be ready for the fight when it comes.
Rampage Jackson: I've been misquoted. I didn't say nothing about your legs. You remember when you were sitting at that table and you said something smart and you were doing your cocky smart talk and I remember that.
Rampage Jackson: The answer is no. I'm not even looking forward to fighting Rashad. I don't like people that fight that way. Rashad let down the fans. That fight was well-hyped and Rashad talked a whole lot of smack but he didn't back it up. I want a fight that will make mixed martial arts popular. That's a hard thing to do, I don't see how the fighters can do it themselves.
Jon Jones: The only other time was when I fought Brandon Vera. He had said "Jon Jones thinks he's the second coming of Jesus Christ." At the weigh-ins I got out of character and he got under my skin a little bit. People that anger me, it definitely make me fight better. It makes me fight better because I prepare better. I try not to insult my opponent. I just say things that I believe to be true. I don't want to make comments that could come back and bite me so I try to not speak too much when it comes to insults and just focus on training. I don't have any anger heading into this fight. I just know what I'm up against. The awareness helps me keep my composure.
Rampage Jackson: Jon Jones does have skill. I've got to be honest about it. I'm not looking past the kid at all. The only person he really fought was Shogun and he'd been coming off a year injury. That was a very rusty Shogun. If you've had enough fights, you know what it's like to be rusty. I'm not putting him up there as one of the best yet.
Rampage Jackson: I didn't notice it at first but you can tell he puts on the act in front of the camera but after a while his head got really big. The stuff he was saying at the press conference it made me a bit agitated. I got nothing against Jon Jones personally. I know he's down with the Lord, I know what's up with him but I just want people to be real all the time. He was real humble at first but when you meet him he seems really cocky. He should know that we are all supposed to be humble.
Josh Koscheck: I was in a lot of pain after the fight. I had neck surgery a couple times when I was a kid. When I was four years old as a kid I cut my toe off with a hatchet but the pain was nothing compared to the eye surgery. The nerves are so sensitive but I got through it with pain pills and morphine. It was something that I don't want to go through every again. It taught me to move my head and not get punched as much. That's something that we're focusing on. I'm blessed to be back in the Octagon again. It sounds like from all these interviews with Rampage and Jones, it'll be a good night for the fans.
Josh Koscheck: I always knew I would be coming back. The doctors I saw in Boston, she was amazing. She didn't have to put any other lacerations on my face. She went in through an old cut and went in and fixed it. She's worked with a lot of great athletes over the years. Here I am again after a 7-8 month layoff and I can't complain. I'm back and I just gotta come back and prove I'm back.
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Read the full article at MMA ManiaUFC 135 Main Event Preview: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson
Jon Jones puts his UFC light heavyweight title on the line this Saturday, Sept. 24, at UFC 135.
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Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 135 Real Time Conference Call Highlights
With New Orleans in the rear-view mirror, the MMA community’s attention has now turned to this weekend’s dance in Denver at UFC 135 between light heavyweight title-holder Jon Jones and former champ Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
After throwing a number of verbal jabs at each other during an interview on the UFN 25 broadcast, and before dishing out the physical kind Saturday night, the two talented 205ers faced off today during a conference call with media. Also on the call were also co-headliners Matt Hughes and Josh Koscheck.
Read below for real-time quotes and other various items of interest from the conference call:
Quinton Jackson:
- “I treat him the way I treat him because I have no respect for him.”
- Sees his experience as an advantage and is motivated by being the first person to beat Jones / “Everyone’s counting me out and it seems he’s underestimating me a little bit so it makes me more confident I’ll be the first to beat him in MMA.”
- Says he wants to relieve the pressure of Jones’ being undefeated (essentially) by “whooping his ass and letting him become the great fighter I know he can be”
- Felt Jones was being cocky at an earlier press conference / Didn’t know if he was joking but he took it seriously
- Not looking forward to fighting Rashad Evans again just based on Evans’ style not being fan-friendly / Says the fans lost that first fight
- Doesn’t feel Jones beat a “real Shogun” based on Rua’s health
- Knows he isn’t alone in seeing Jones as a fake / “He puts on a real ‘good boy’ act in front of the cameras.”
Jon Jones:
- “Ultimately, I’m very award of why I’m here. I’m not here to show I’m a better talker – at arguing, at insulting – that’s not my mission. If I had it my way I would do very, very limited media if possible but this stuff is recommended and somewhat mandatory.”
- Was bothered by the notion fans might even believe the “ludicrousness” of Jackson’s accusation of spying
- “I’m aware of who I’m up against. I’m aware of the character I’m up against. I’ll have opponents in the future who will be talkers as well so this experience is just educating me.”
- Felt there was more pressure in preparing for Mauricio Rua based on his athleticism and the short-notice situation
- Liked “The A-Team”
- “I definitely have a lot of respect for ‘Rampage’. That’s why I’m so excited about fighting the guy. For me there’s really nothing personal. I don’t have any beef. I’m looking at it as skills vs. skills.”
- Held “Shogun” in higher regard because of the similarity of their ages in terms of when both became champions but says it’s still an honor to fight Jackson
- Doesn’t feel he’s insulted Jackson at all other than maybe saying he felt he was going to beat him
- Not looking past Jackson so hasn’t thought about a possible TUF season with Evans as a fellow coach
- Said Brandon Vera was the only other fighter to have gotten under his skin a bit
- Feels he fights better when he’s angry because he prepares better but doesn’t feel particularly mad at Jackson because he understands the way “Rampage” is
Matt Hughes:
- Thinks it’s cool that the UFC is returning to Denver even though he wasn’t in the UFC at the time / Says he was just a fan at the time watching tapes
- Took the fight because he’d been training / Thought it would initially be Jon Fitch and said he was down to fight whoever
- Calls White “D-Dubya”
- Did four weeks of his camp in Salt Lake City to help with the altitude factor in Denver
- Loves the competition and is driven by it, to mix it up with one other person and only has to rely on himself / “I consider myself a lucky man. I love going to the gym twice every day. I love traveling with my buddies.”
- Enjoys his time off and isn’t concerned about fighting too frequently
- Training with B.J. Penn helped him with his footwork as well as grappling
- Is the last fight on his contract and admits his wife wants him to retire but he’ll evaluate things after the bout this weekend to decide on what he’ll do
Josh Koscheck:
- Has been training for 4-5 months after taking time off to recover from his broken orbital bone
- “Fighting Matt Hughes is a good comeback fight for me. I think the fans deserved this fight a long time ago and now we’re finally getting a chance to do it.”
- Was excited about possibly fighting at UFC 139 in San Jose but is ready to fight even though it’s September / Didn’t even hesitate to say he would fight Hughes on short notice
- Says he looked at 185 because everyone at 170 seemed tied up, mentions Chris Leben and Wanderlei Silva as possibilities
- Isn’t gunshy and is “ready to rock”
- Could have fought sooner but took some personal time off
- Was out 6-7 months as a wrestler after fusion surgery in his neck and came back healthy/strong so isn’t worried about the layoff
- Has missed the crowd and is “super excited about coming to Denver…coming out there to perform and getting a big victory”
- Not worried about altitude because he knows he’ll be in shape and ready
- The time off allowed him to focus on refining his techniques and getting his mind/body healthy
- His broken orbital bone was more painful than his spinal fusion issue and an incident where he chopped his toe off
- Always knew he’d be back
General Info:
- Dana White is not on the call today as originally planned
PHOTO CREDIT – UFCSimilar Posts:
UFC 130 Conference Call Highlights
Matt Hughes: “The fans will definitely see me in the Octagon again”
Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans express excitement, humility in anticipation of UFC 133
Not so fast: Lesnar vs. Mir II and Evans vs. Jackson not official
UFC 129 Conference Call Highlights: St. Pierre, Shields, and White
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Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainESPN Sports Science Breaks Down Jon Jones
ESPN’s Sports Science breaks down how Jon Jones’ extraordinary length gives him a competitive advantage over his opponents.
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Read the full article at MMA ConvertUFC 135 Video: Rampage Jackson Says Jon Jones is Just a Kid Who Can't Handle Fame
MMA Weekly caught up with UFC 135's Quinton Jackson to discuss Saturday night's fight against light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Despite what appears to be an increasingly personal rivalry between Rampage and the champion, Jackson says that this fight isn't that personal. He simply wants his belt back and thinks that Jones is cocky, adding "He's a kid, you can't really expect him to handle fame the way an adult would handle fame."
Here's the video:
There is also another of the increasingly common "Rampage Moments" where he wonders why Jones would want to be so popular in a male dominated sport, suggesting that maybe he "likes bones."
But the more important parts of the interview are Jackson's insight into his preparation. He claims that he has been working with a slew of great wrestlers as he is sure Jones will try to bring him to the ground. But Rampage also says that he has trained a lot of jiu-jitsu in the event that he gets taken down as well as saying he is ready to strike, deal with leg kicks or anything else Jon may decide to try.
SBN coverage of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
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Read the full article at Bloody Elbow'Rampage' Jackson: I Got No Respect for Jon Jones
Filed under: UFCAs pre-fight verbal battles go, the one between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and challenger Quinton "Rampage" Jackson is starting to get a little bit meta. During Monday's UFC 135 media call, it was less about what's being said than what was said, and who said it first.
Not surprisingly, the two could not reach a consensus on the topic.
According to Jackson, it was Jones who kicked things off by acting "real cocky" at the first press conference to hype their main event title fight. Jones, who claimed he was "waiting for an example or a quote" to illustrate Jackson's point, said he's doing his best not to get caught up in the pre-fight talk -- though, by the way, it's all Jackson's doing.
"My job is not to out-talk him," Jones said on Monday. "You're talking about an opponent who threatens and harasses literally every opponent in his career's history, and I'm very aware of this. So I'll let him talk and have fun and make me look like the scared one, but when I'm in the Octagon on the 24th, that's when I'll demand more respect."
Jackson, of course, bristled at the suggestion that he's a habitual trash-talker.
"If you go back and look at my interviews [before fights with] Marvin Eastman and Chuck Liddell and Dan Henderson and other guys, I react the way the guys act towards me," he countered, adding that Jones had set him off with his disrespectful, "cocky" attitude at the initial Denver presser.
"The guy has never walked the way I've walked in this sport, and basically the guy just said the wrong [expletive] and I treat him the way I treat him because I got no respect for him," Jackson said.
Still, the most heated public exchange between the two came during Saturday night's UFC Fight Night 25 broadcast on Spike, when the UFC's Joe Rogan asked about Jackson's allegations that Jones had a spy in his camp.
Jones seemed flustered by the topic, and said on Monday that what he's really confused about is how fans could believe he'd actually go to the lengths that Jackson had alleged, all just to get inside information from his opponent's training camp.
"The only thing that bothered me initially was the spygate situation," Jones said. "And it wasn't the situation necessarily, it was the fact that fans actually considered the fact that I would pay someone to...first of all, find someone to go to his camp and then pay someone and try to get Rampage to trust them, and all this ludicrousness, I thought that was pretty interesting that the fans would think I would do something like that."
While Jones drew contrasts between his bout with former Pride champ "Shogun" Rua and this fight with another Pride veteran in Jackson, he added that it was still "a huge honor" to fight an experienced mainstay of the sport like "Rampage."
Jackson, too, acknowledged that Jones "has skills," and said he plans to do his part to help him advance those skills after Saturday night.
"After I relieve him of his first loss, I think Jon will go on to be a better fighter because he won't have all that pressure of being undefeated," Jackson said. "...I'm just the person to give him that first [expletive]-whooping so he can go on and be a great fighter that I know he can be."
If you're looking for these two to find something nice to say about one another, that might be as close as you're going to get.
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Read the full article at AOL Fanhouse“Rampage” Jackson reveals his strategy against Jon Jones
It turns out all the discussion on whether or not UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones has a spy in Quinton Jackson’s training camp is unnecessary, as the proud son of Memphis is actually open himself to revealing his strategy for this weekend’s main event match-up against the 24-year old title-holder.
“He can have a live feed on me. (Jones) can watch me brush my teeth in the morning and see what toothpaste I used, who I am training with and how hard I am working, and he can see which hand I wipe my ass with for all I care,” wrote “Rampage” in a recent entry on his Yahoo blog. “It don’t matter because there’s no real secret to what I really want to do in this fight: punch him on his big ‘Bones’ head. Knock him out. Jones has never been hit in his career. He could have the best chin in the history of the UFC, or he could have the worst in history. We don’t know because he has not got hit yet. But we will know at UFC 135 because he will get hit by me.”
“Rampage” Speaks Out on Alleged Spy in Camp
However, just because he plans on landing a few fight-ending strikes doesn’t mean Jackson assumes doing so will be easy.
“I know I am going to have to work at hitting him,” the PRIDE icon continued. “He’s got them “Go-go-Gadget” long-ass arms and legs and he’s fast. He’s also going to look to take me down so I have to let my hands go. But I’ve been here in Denver, training at the Muscle Pharm Gym at altitude, living in the gym – for real I live here at the gym until after this fight – for seven damn weeks – to be ready.”
Motivating Jackson to forgo his regular day-to-day for the grind of being a gym rat is the thought of winning a championship that means more to him than a regular title might, as “Rampage” explained, “That belt is the unified PRIDE and UFC world title, and that belt exists because of me beating Chuck Liddell and Dan Henderson in two straight fights to win the UFC and then PRIDE titles…I think now I didn’t appreciate even myself what I had accomplished, and by the time I did, I’d lost it…That’s why I want my belt back so bad. It’s my belt.”
Jackson and Jones will meet Saturday night in Denver on a card co-headlined by Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck. Fans can tune in to the PPV starting at 9:00 PM EST with preliminary pairings showing through Spike TV and Facebook in the hours preceding the event.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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Read the full article at Fighters.com“Rampage” Jackson done with Spygate, focused on winning HIS title
Quinton Jackson is tired of talking about Jon Jones’ allegedly having a spy in his camp and ready to focus on the task at hand – getting his belt back.
“Rampage” recently offered his thoughts on the situation and made it clear he couldn’t care less what sort of shenanigans Jones may be pulling because it won’t stop his fist from running into the light heavyweight champion’s face.
“He can have a live feed on me. “Bones” can watch me brush my teeth in the morning and see what toothpaste I used, who I am training with and how hard I am working, and he can see which hand I wipe my ass with for all I care,” Jackson wrote through his Yahoo blog.
“I don’t want to talk about the whole ‘spy’ thing too much more. I am glad I found out, I’m glad I told people about it, and I think it’s not an honorable way to prepare for a fight, but if Jon Jones wants me to, I’ll have a camera installed here at the Muscle Pharm in Denver and he can watch me 24-7.”
Jackson also elaborated on why winning Jones’ gold is so important to him.
“The belt that I lost to Forrest Griffin, even though I should have got the decision after knocking his ass down in that fight? The belt Forrest lost to Rashad Evans? The one Rashad lost to Lyoto Machida? The one Machida lost when Mauricio “Shogun” Rua beat him? The one Jones took from the injured “Shogun” who couldn’t even train? That one? That belt,” Jackson asked rhetorically. “That belt is the unified PRIDE and UFC world title, and that belt exists because of me beating Chuck Liddell and Dan Henderson in two straight fights to win the UFC and then PRIDE titles.”
“That’s why I want my belt back so bad. It’s my belt,” the outspoken former champion concluded.
He will get his chance in less than a week when the UFC heads to Denver for UFC 135 and the headlining bout between the two talented 205ers.Similar Posts:
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Posted in: ufc, jone, jackson, ’t, belt
Read the full article at Five Ounces of PainRampage Jackson has something in store for the "coward" Jon Jones
Former Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, who will look to dethrone Jon "Bones" Jones at UFC 135, discusses his opponent, as well as his training and preparation for the bout. "Rampage" reveals that he's been training as if every fight was a five-rounder since his 2008 loss to Forrest Griffin and says that he has something "in store" for Jones on September 24th.
Posted in: rampage, jone, rampage jackson, forrest griffin, dethrone jon
Read the full article at Low KickJon Jones and Rampage Jackson trade verbal blows via satelite at Fight Night 25
Reigning UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson exchanged soft insults during last night's UFC Fight Night 25 satelite interview. Jones claimed that while Rampage Jackson plays the latest Call of Duty video game, he watches every single one of his fights, making sure to appear in the best possible condition on September 24th. Jackson responded with more of the spying accusation, declaring that he will destroy the Champ on next Saturday.
Here's some short highlights of what
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Read the full article at Low Kick