Three-and-a-half years ago, in the early fall of 2011, the present-day reality of the UFC’s light heavyweight title picture would have seemed outlandish, ridiculous and utterly impossible.
“Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson will never fight Jon ‘Bones’ Jones,” you would have said.
Bones was coming off a fourth-round destruction of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in his first title defense; Johnson was head-kicking natural lightweights while repeatedly struggling to make the welterweight division’s 170-pound cutoff.
To be fair, you probably wouldn’t have said the words I just unfairly put in your mouth. The mere concept was too outrageous to even consider.
At the time, that line of thinking would be like saying today, “A banged-up former professional wrestler in his late 30s with absolutely no mixed martial arts experience will never make his fighting debut for the UFC!”
Wait. What’s that? That actually happened?
Just like CM Punk fighting in the UFC actually became a real thing, so too did Johnson battling Jones for the light heavyweight strap.
This sport is weird, guys, and Johnson’s journey from bloated welterweight to bloated middleweight to perfect light heavyweight represents just another footnote in the book of oddities that is the UFC’s ever-filling history log.
After Johnson found a home at 205 in August of 2012, he’s rattled off seven consecutive victories, becoming increasingly terrifying with each trek to the cage.
The UFC came calling Rumble’s name early in 2014, asking the former welterweight to take on rising contender Phil Davis at UFC 172.
“We’re giving you another shot. Don’t mess this one up. Make things right,” they seemed to say. Or maybe they were just bringing in a warm body with some name value to set up Davis’ eventual rise to title contention.
Either way, Johnson nodded in understanding and marched to battle focused, rejuvenated and reinvented. He felt at home back inside that eight-sided cage, and he marked his territory all over Davis’ face for the duration of their three-round bout.
A brutal knockout of Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in his next outing, and Rumble was officially a top contender for Jones’ strap. He needed to clear one last hurdle, and the opportunity would be his.
Unfortunately, that hurdle stood 6’5″ and possessed scary boxing skills that already gave Jones the fright of his life as champ.
Taking on Alexander Gustafsson at UFC on Fox 14 Saturday evening, Rumble once again faced the odds.
And once again, he triumphed.
Now, Rumble is Jones’ newest test, the latest in a line of challengers that consists of the corpses of Rashad Evans, Daniel Cormier, Lyoto Machida and five other downright scary combatants.
Terrifying as he may be, to avoid joining those names in Jones’ trophy case, Rumble will need to be perfect. He’ll need to be better than he was against Nogueira, Davis and even Gustafsson.
He’ll need the performance of his lifetime, and I’m not sure he has it in him.
Rumble’s big—and perhaps only—advantage in his fight with Jones is his one-shot stopping power. His ability to knock an opponent out with one solid shot has produced some highlight-reel finishes throughout his career, and even though Jones’ chin is phenomenal, there’s no doubt that one good shot from Rumble can close the deal.
But what does he have after that? When has he fought a wrestler, a master of distance, a diverse, creative striker or a cardiovascular freak like Jones?
Never. He’s never fought anybody as good as Jones in any one of those areas, and he surely hasn’t fought anybody who owned all those skills at once, because Jones and only Jones can make that claim.
When has Rumble even had to test his gas tank at 205?
You can point to his decision over Phil Davis, but Davis did not make Johnson work like Jones will. Davis retreated and literally ran away from Johnson at times, allowing Rumble to move forward and to pick his shots. Unless Rumble lands the big shot early, you can guarantee Jones will initiate some clinch wars and force Johnson to carry his weight along the cage.
Ask Glover Teixeira or Cormier how that worked out for them.
On the other hand, when has Jones fought a fighter with bigger power than him?
Plenty of times.
Since capturing the belt, literally every challenger save Chael Sonnen possessed more raw power than Jones.
Jones has been here several times before, and just because Rumble is the latest and greatest threat to his belt doesn’t mean we should expect anything different than the last six times he fought a man with greater power in his fists and shins.
Jones’ striking coach, Brandon Gibson, agrees.
“We have faced powerful strikers before like (Ryan) Bader, (Mauricio) ‘Shogun’ (Rua), Rampage and Teixeira,” Gibson told Bleacher Report. “Johnson brings tremendous power and excellent pressure. We have a lot to prepare for, but Johnson and his camp also has their work cut out in preparing for the unique arsenal that Jones carries.”
With better wrestling, championship experience, a more refined submission game and incredible length (and the know-how to maximize its effectiveness), Jones should take care of Rumble just as he has his last eight challengers.
The smart money is on Jones’ more polished all-around game, but then again, the smart money in 2011 would have been on Rumble never even approaching Bones’ throne.
In MMA, there are no certainties, and Rumble’s great equalizer—his power—can erase logic, analysis and yes, even history, in a flash.
If you’re a betting man and you’re asking my opinion, I’d maintain your money is best spent on Jones in this scenario.
But I’d also walk away from our chat hoping you found the good sense to put your wallet back in your pocket and enjoy the fight.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com