This year has been full of historic fights. From Chris Weidman knocking out Anderson Silva to Jon Jones narrowly escaping the onslaught of a Swedish mauler, 2013 has delivered through and through.
But what makes the next three months even more en…
This year has been full of historic fights. From Chris Weidman knocking out Anderson Silva to Jon Jones narrowly escaping the onslaught of a Swedish mauler, 2013 has delivered through and through.
But what makes the next three months even more enticing for mixed martial arts fans around the world is the fact that the UFC has once again perfected the art of scheduling.
Championship trilogies, storied grudge matches and detrimental divisional showdowns are all on the docket to close out the calendar year. Lucky for us, many of these bouts will be decided in a matter of weeks.
Being an ex-UFC champion these days isn’t easy. In a youth-injected era recently overtaken by evolutionary talent and skill, the ins and outs of being an elite mixed martial artist are becoming more intricate by the day.
So when you falter, thing…
Being an ex-UFC champion these days isn’t easy. In a youth-injected era recently overtaken by evolutionary talent and skill, the ins and outs of being an elite mixed martial artist are becoming more intricate by the day.
So when you falter, things tend to fall apart, especially for a tenured titleholder.
Critics are the first to jump ship at the sight of a potential fall-off, followed by a fanbase often depicted by the always unfair “what have you done for me lately?” motto.
But through all of the hardship and experiences endured by ex-champions looking to reclaim their throne, the future is still bright. They still have a chance to reboot the system, work out the kinks, settle into a new mode of offense and aim for greatness.
Here’s how each current ex-champion ranks amongst their peers. Enjoy.
Sometimes expectations are shattered in the eyes of human will. Sometimes that will reaches heights better left for gods. Sometimes it takes a mysteriously clad Stockholm brawler to push an otherwise immortal champion to his breaking point….
Sometimes expectations are shattered in the eyes of human will. Sometimes that will reaches heights better left for gods. Sometimes it takes a mysteriously clad Stockholm brawler to push an otherwise immortal champion to his breaking point.
But through all the instances of sheer excellence displayed during Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson‘s epically brutal showdown at UFC 165, the pound-for-pound king remained atop his throne.
In what many now consider the greatest fight in UFC history, both light heavyweight phenoms forged carnage in front of thousands of astonished Canadian onlookers. Some previously discredited a towering dynamo aiming to fuse crisp boxing and hard-nosed conditioning to challenge the sport’s most prolific figure.
From the opening bell to the last, war was the only option. By stuffing numerous takedown attempts by one of the division’s most elite wrestlers, the Swedish mauler satisfied his appetite with his own bread and butter.
Whether it was slick combinations, rangy leg kicks or excellent fluency around the cage, Gustafsson was just as dangerous as the champ.
Jones on the other hand, a man who’s been known to dominate every minute of every round, struggled to maintain potency.
Sure the champion did his damage with ill-willed elbows and spinning strikes from nowhere, but he was far from his usual frame of mind. Chalk it up to the challenger’s ability to hit him at will.
With all of that said, Jones still prevailed. What he lacked in precision and counter-ability he more than mirrored with something unseen before.
It was Jones’ unparalleled tenacity and inhuman perseverance that overcame the world-class effort and natural grit put forth by a previously overshadowed predecessor.
It was a timely combination of the two that truly dispelled any speculation about the champ’s toughness and willingness to battle through a bloody state. Because for one instance, the most physically gifted and skillfully equipped athlete in the sport was transformed into a mere fighter.
He was no longer “Bones” Jones. He was no longer the youngest champion in UFC history. He was no longer the quintessential untouchable name in the sport.
For those lone 25 minutes of Octagon greatness, Jones was simply a man surviving a hungry pit bull off its chain.
Even though the brutal affair will forever be remembered as the day the pound-for-pound greatest fighter on the planet met his equal, the overall outcome holds much more power.
In a division recently riddled by aging veterans blazing their second or third title trails, top-tier youth seemed unattainable. But after witnessing the skill and blatant brutality of Gustafsson opposite a polarizing champion, the division’s future has transformed overnight.
It has sparked the newest and the biggest rivalry in the sport—one that hasn’t surfaced in over a decade. Sure you can make the case for Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen’s media-driven clash, but they weren’t even close in the talent department.
Jones and Gustafsson on the other hand resembled that of a throwback Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz fight. It resembled that of a championship collision heard around the world—one that garnered more than just glitz and glamour.
On their own account, neither Jones or Gustafsson played the perfect game. Each fighter took a calculated licking, often crippling any chance they had to swing the ever-changing momentum pendulum completely their way.
But together, joined at the hip by determination and moxie, Jones and Gustafsson were flawless. They mastered the art of fighting by overcoming every imperfection. For what was truly a back and forth affair, the everlasting battle was mixed martial arts at its finest.
So say what you will about the unexpected five-round turnout that had the MMA world on its heels. Jones and Gustafsson performed like legends. One man was trying to forge a legacy based on divisional title defenses and the other was looking to cement himself as the man who took down the champ.
In a time when past generational stars like Silva and Georges St-Pierre are either on their way out or capping off a storied career, the sport needed a fight just like this. One that re-energizes a generation occupied by fighters often depicted as the “new breed.”
In other words, it put the whole sport on notice.
The five-round melee was simply one of those perfected moments that made being an honest and fair combat fan worthwhile. Just two guys slinging leather and hoping for the best—the fact that both Jones and Gustafsson are only 26 years old and destined to tangle again is just icing on the cake.
Everybody knows how good Jon Jones is.
He has fought his way to the top of the light heavyweight hill to gain the status as the best pound-for-pound mixed martial artist on the planet.
Jones has accomplished this gigantic feat so early in his career by…
He has fought his way to the top of the light heavyweight hill to gain the status as the best pound-for-pound mixed martial artist on the planet.
Jones has accomplished this gigantic feat so early in his career by combining tantalizing physical attributes with unheralded offensive potency. That’s something we rarely see in today’s sport, and it’s the very reason he’s the consensus king of combat.
But as good as the champ is—and this goes for any professional athlete—he is not invincible. It may look like he is when he’s throwing standing elbows, landing crisp leg kicks and defending with precision, but everyone is susceptible to slipping up eventually (Anderson Silva).
Jones’ upcoming battle with the 6’5″ Alexander Gustafsson may already seem like just another notch in Jones’ belt, but that’s actually a very intricate mirage.
The Swedish challenger is one of the best young prospects in the sport, and he has all the tools to one day be a world champion.
Whether he’ll reach that potential this Saturday remains to be seen, but we—and Jones—must be cautious about underestimating “The Mauler.”
With that said, there are a few important questions Jones must answer—questions that will not only impact his upcoming title defense but also his career, legacy and overall well-being.
How will he deal with Gustafsson‘s size?
As it stands right now, Gustafsson is the biggest opponent Jones has ever faced. His reach is ridiculous, his striking is rangy, and his hands are dangerous.
Maybe Jones took this fight to demonstrate that size isn’t a problem for him. But for a guy who has mostly defeated veterans on the decline over the past few years, accepting a war with a young wolf could come back to bite him.
It’s going to be interesting to see how Jones reacts to not only Gustafsson‘s offense but also his defense. The champ may find it difficult to land all the shin kicks and lunging elbows he’s used to building victories around.
As crazy as it sounds, Jones could get caught if he isn’t cautious about the Swede’s deadly posture.
Can he pull off another impressive finish?
This question sort of goes hand in hand with the previous one, but it’s important nonetheless. For Jones to truly solidify himself as the greatest light heavyweight of all time, he has to be able to finish young and hungry contenders.
Gustafsson fits that bill on all levels, so it’s important Jones puts on a good show. If Jones wins by decision or gets caught early and has to fight for points, some people could consider that a miniature failure.
Georges St-Pierre is really the only high-level champion who makes a living out of grinding out decisions. Jones isn’t that type of fighter. His bread and butter is battering opponents, tiring them out and taking their Octagon souls before the final buzzer goes off.
If he isn’t able to demonstrate the dominance and offensive explosiveness he has in the past, which could be a result of Gustafsson‘s size and youth, some people might look at his victories over aging ex-champions and wonder.
Will this be his last fight at 205?
There has been a lot of speculation regarding what Jones plans to do after he takes care of the business at hand.
That business at hand is defending the light heavyweight title against Gustafsson, and those potential future plans revolve around moving up and competing as a heavyweight.
Some might consider such a move absolute insanity. Jones is only 26 years old, and he is a polarized MMA torchbearer. But while the decision might seem somewhat unjust and self-driven, Jones could fare well by packing on a few extra pounds.
He seems very interested in making the move fairly soon, and Saturday may very well be the last time we see “Bones” standing inside the Octagon as a 205-pounder.
Everybody knows how good Jon Jones is.
He has fought his way to the top of the light heavyweight hill to gain the status as the best pound-for-pound mixed martial artist on the planet.
Jones has accomplished this gigantic feat so early in his career by…
He has fought his way to the top of the light heavyweight hill to gain the status as the best pound-for-pound mixed martial artist on the planet.
Jones has accomplished this gigantic feat so early in his career by combining tantalizing physical attributes with unheralded offensive potency. That’s something we rarely see in today’s sport, and it’s the very reason he’s the consensus king of combat.
But as good as the champ is—and this goes for any professional athlete—he is not invincible. It may look like he is when he’s throwing standing elbows, landing crisp leg kicks and defending with precision, but everyone is susceptible to slipping up eventually (Anderson Silva).
Jones’ upcoming battle with the 6’5″ Alexander Gustafsson may already seem like just another notch in Jones’ belt, but that’s actually a very intricate mirage.
The Swedish challenger is one of the best young prospects in the sport, and he has all the tools to one day be a world champion.
Whether he’ll reach that potential this Saturday remains to be seen, but we—and Jones—must be cautious about underestimating “The Mauler.”
With that said, there are a few important questions Jones must answer—questions that will not only impact his upcoming title defense but also his career, legacy and overall well-being.
How will he deal with Gustafsson‘s size?
As it stands right now, Gustafsson is the biggest opponent Jones has ever faced. His reach is ridiculous, his striking is rangy, and his hands are dangerous.
Maybe Jones took this fight to demonstrate that size isn’t a problem for him. But for a guy who has mostly defeated veterans on the decline over the past few years, accepting a war with a young wolf could come back to bite him.
It’s going to be interesting to see how Jones reacts to not only Gustafsson‘s offense but also his defense. The champ may find it difficult to land all the shin kicks and lunging elbows he’s used to building victories around.
As crazy as it sounds, Jones could get caught if he isn’t cautious about the Swede’s deadly posture.
Can he pull off another impressive finish?
This question sort of goes hand in hand with the previous one, but it’s important nonetheless. For Jones to truly solidify himself as the greatest light heavyweight of all time, he has to be able to finish young and hungry contenders.
Gustafsson fits that bill on all levels, so it’s important Jones puts on a good show. If Jones wins by decision or gets caught early and has to fight for points, some people could consider that a miniature failure.
Georges St-Pierre is really the only high-level champion who makes a living out of grinding out decisions. Jones isn’t that type of fighter. His bread and butter is battering opponents, tiring them out and taking their Octagon souls before the final buzzer goes off.
If he isn’t able to demonstrate the dominance and offensive explosiveness he has in the past, which could be a result of Gustafsson‘s size and youth, some people might look at his victories over aging ex-champions and wonder.
Will this be his last fight at 205?
There has been a lot of speculation regarding what Jones plans to do after he takes care of the business at hand.
That business at hand is defending the light heavyweight title against Gustafsson, and those potential future plans revolve around moving up and competing as a heavyweight.
Some might consider such a move absolute insanity. Jones is only 26 years old, and he is a polarized MMA torchbearer. But while the decision might seem somewhat unjust and self-driven, Jones could fare well by packing on a few extra pounds.
He seems very interested in making the move fairly soon, and Saturday may very well be the last time we see “Bones” standing inside the Octagon as a 205-pounder.
Everybody knows how good Jon Jones is.
He has fought his way to the top of the light heavyweight hill to gain the status as the best pound-for-pound mixed martial artist on the planet.
Jones has accomplished this gigantic feat so early in his career by…
He has fought his way to the top of the light heavyweight hill to gain the status as the best pound-for-pound mixed martial artist on the planet.
Jones has accomplished this gigantic feat so early in his career by combining tantalizing physical attributes with unheralded offensive potency. That’s something we rarely see in today’s sport, and it’s the very reason he’s the consensus king of combat.
But as good as the champ is—and this goes for any professional athlete—he is not invincible. It may look like he is when he’s throwing standing elbows, landing crisp leg kicks and defending with precision, but everyone is susceptible to slipping up eventually (Anderson Silva).
Jones’ upcoming battle with the 6’5″ Alexander Gustafsson may already seem like just another notch in Jones’ belt, but that’s actually a very intricate mirage.
The Swedish challenger is one of the best young prospects in the sport, and he has all the tools to one day be a world champion.
Whether he’ll reach that potential this Saturday remains to be seen, but we—and Jones—must be cautious about underestimating “The Mauler.”
With that said, there are a few important questions Jones must answer—questions that will not only impact his upcoming title defense but also his career, legacy and overall well-being.
How will he deal with Gustafsson‘s size?
As it stands right now, Gustafsson is the biggest opponent Jones has ever faced. His reach is ridiculous, his striking is rangy, and his hands are dangerous.
Maybe Jones took this fight to demonstrate that size isn’t a problem for him. But for a guy who has mostly defeated veterans on the decline over the past few years, accepting a war with a young wolf could come back to bite him.
It’s going to be interesting to see how Jones reacts to not only Gustafsson‘s offense but also his defense. The champ may find it difficult to land all the shin kicks and lunging elbows he’s used to building victories around.
As crazy as it sounds, Jones could get caught if he isn’t cautious about the Swede’s deadly posture.
Can he pull off another impressive finish?
This question sort of goes hand in hand with the previous one, but it’s important nonetheless. For Jones to truly solidify himself as the greatest light heavyweight of all time, he has to be able to finish young and hungry contenders.
Gustafsson fits that bill on all levels, so it’s important Jones puts on a good show. If Jones wins by decision or gets caught early and has to fight for points, some people could consider that a miniature failure.
Georges St-Pierre is really the only high-level champion who makes a living out of grinding out decisions. Jones isn’t that type of fighter. His bread and butter is battering opponents, tiring them out and taking their Octagon souls before the final buzzer goes off.
If he isn’t able to demonstrate the dominance and offensive explosiveness he has in the past, which could be a result of Gustafsson‘s size and youth, some people might look at his victories over aging ex-champions and wonder.
Will this be his last fight at 205?
There has been a lot of speculation regarding what Jones plans to do after he takes care of the business at hand.
That business at hand is defending the light heavyweight title against Gustafsson, and those potential future plans revolve around moving up and competing as a heavyweight.
Some might consider such a move absolute insanity. Jones is only 26 years old, and he is a polarized MMA torchbearer. But while the decision might seem somewhat unjust and self-driven, Jones could fare well by packing on a few extra pounds.
He seems very interested in making the move fairly soon, and Saturday may very well be the last time we see “Bones” standing inside the Octagon as a 205-pounder.
Sometimes expectations are shattered in the eyes of human will. Sometimes that will reaches heights better left for gods. Sometimes it takes a mysteriously clad Stockholm brawler to push an otherwise immortal champion to his breaking point.