Author: Jordy McElroy

Dan Henderson Questions Whether Jon Jones Is Being Fake or ‘Genuine’

Dan Henderson sees right through Jon “Bones” Jones.Since ascending to the top of the light heavyweight division, Jones has been vilified by many MMA fans.Henderson believes Jones’ personality is the main issue. He isn’t being “genuine” about who he rea…

Dan Henderson sees right through Jon “Bones” Jones.

Since ascending to the top of the light heavyweight division, Jones has been vilified by many MMA fans.

Henderson believes Jones’ personality is the main issue. He isn’t being “genuine” about who he really is, and the fans are smart enough to see right through it.

The MMA legend sat down with Ariel Helwani in an episode of The MMA Hour on Monday to give his take on why Jones struggles to connect with fans.

“I think it 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.”

What impression does Henderson get from Jones? Does he think the young champ is putting up a façade to mask his true identity?

“Not really. I think he was a little better after his fight with Rashad than he had been in the past, but I haven’t got that impression from him, no. I don’t know him personally, so I can’t really say if he’s genuine or not. It’s just the impression that I think fans get.”

Whether or not Jones’ personality is a façade, there is nothing fake about the otherworldly talent he possesses in the Octagon. At UFC 145, he dominated another former champion in “Sugar” Rashad Evans.

The amount of talent Jones has gone through in such a short period of time is astonishing. Fans are already debating whether or not Jones is the greatest of all time, despite him only having three title defenses under his belt.

Can he be stopped?

At 41 years of age, Henderson believes he has the ability to succeed where others have failed.

“Everybody has holes in their game. I just think he matches up style wise well with me. He’s gonna stand and bang a little bit. 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.”

It could take a perfect game plan to dethrone Jones, but Henderson is fully confident that he is capable of pulling off the upset. He could get his shot as early as July 21 at UFC 149.

“A lot of it is pressuring him, cutting him off. 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.”

 

Looking for some more MMA news, and perhaps a couple of laughs? Follow me on Twitter @JordyMcElroy.

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Dana White Says B.J. Penn Will Resume Fighting Career

BJ Penn’s fighting career is far from over, at least according to UFC President Dana White.In a report released by MMAFighting.com, White had a chance to speak with Penn at the UFC on FX card in Sweden a little over a week ago.The two discussed the pos…

BJ Penn‘s fighting career is far from over, at least according to UFC President Dana White.

In a report released by MMAFighting.com, White had a chance to speak with Penn at the UFC on FX card in Sweden a little over a week ago.

The two discussed the possibility of the former two-division champion coming out of retirement and returning to the Octagon.

“I heard some s— that he said he was going to retire and all this stuff,” White said. “He was like, ‘Nah, I’m going to fight again.”

Penn, who announced his retirement after a lopsided loss to Nick Diaz in October 2011, hasn’t given fans much hope as far as a return is concerned. In an interview with ESPN in February, Penn admitted he was “enjoying his time away from the sport” and “living a regular life” for a change.

Recently, “The Prodigy” did an interview on Fuel TV, where he talked about the possibility of him returning to the UFC.

“I haven’t made any plans to come back and fight again,” Penn said. “Dana White has called me a few times, but I’m staying retired.”

At 33 years of age, Penn still has a lot of fight left in him if he chooses to put the gloves back on.

With Benson Henderson now running the lightweight division, it would be interesting if Penn decides to return and make another run at his natural weight.

What say you? Will Penn actually stay retired, or is the “staying retired” talk all smoke and mirrors?

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UFC 145 Results: Is Jon Jones the Mike Tyson of MMA?

Jon Jones could be the greatest talent MMA has ever seen.At only 24 years of age, the UFC light heavyweight champion has destroyed all comers in a way that is rarely seen in combat sports.Well, there was that Mike Tyson guy who took the boxing world by…

Jon Jones could be the greatest talent MMA has ever seen.

At only 24 years of age, the UFC light heavyweight champion has destroyed all comers in a way that is rarely seen in combat sports.

Well, there was that Mike Tyson guy who took the boxing world by storm in the late eighties.

Is Jon Jones the Mike Tyson of MMA?

There are certainly some similarities between the two. Both were ahead of their time in ascending to the top of their sport.

While Jones became the youngest champion in UFC history at age 23, Tyson remains the youngest boxer ever to capture the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles, doing so at age 20.

Like Tyson, Jones instills fear in his opponents. Most of his foes lose the fight before they even step into the Octagon. This isn’t because he rambles on about beating his opponents to death or eating their children.

Jones and Tyson don’t have to have the same personalities to draw up the same aura of invincibility.

With only three successful title defenses under his belt, some are already calling Jones the greatest of all time. As an opponent, it’s hard to ignore what your eyes see and your ears hear.

Clearly, Jones is a special talent that comes along once in a lifetime. The hype train pushing Jones is unlike anything ever seen. It’s amazing how a 24-year-old fighter can go from winning the light heavyweight title one year to being compared with the best heavyweights the next.

A plethora of personal issues plagued Tyson down the line in his career, but along with being under the tutelage of Greg Jackson, Jones has a good head on his shoulders.

People tend to root against him due to his excessive confidence, but as cliché as it sounds, the sky truly is the limit for Jon Jones.

Years from now, we could be watching UFC President Dana White wrap the heavyweight title around his waist.

Whether it’s Tyson or Muhammad Ali, Jones has to be thrilled about being compared with some of the greatest fighters the world has ever known.

Some people may not like it, but Jones is looking to craft his own legacy. He seeks a legacy that stands alone from every athlete who ever put on a pair of gloves. Every fighter feels the same way, but Jones is one of the few brave enough to say it and capable enough to prove it.

Sometimes, it’s best not to waste your time hating when success appears inevitable.

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UFC 145 Results: Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills Video Highlights

Rory MacDonald is being hailed as the next Georges St-Pierre for good reason.At UFC 145, the rising 22-year-old star continued his upward climb with a dominant second round TKO victory over English striker Che Mills.Early out, Mills looked to be the mo…

Rory MacDonald is being hailed as the next Georges St-Pierre for good reason.

At UFC 145, the rising 22-year-old star continued his upward climb with a dominant second round TKO victory over English striker Che Mills.

Early out, Mills looked to be the more versatile fighter on the feet, but in St-Pierre-like fashion, MacDonald sought takedowns to exploit his opponent’s suspect ground game.

It was all downhill for Mills on the ground, as MacDonald rained down a multitude of unanswered punches from top position.

The ref was forced to finally step in and save Mills from further punishment at 2:20 of the second round.

While the St-Pierre comparisons are a bit premature, there is plenty to like about MacDonald’s potential as a future title contender.

Like so many others at 170 pounds, MacDonald is a stud wrestler, but he differs in his ability to damage from top position. Instead of St-Pierre, he actually mirrors Tito Ortiz in his prime in his ability to rack up damage from an opponent’s guard.

Ortiz was masterful at doing this in his heyday, and despite his young age, MacDonald isn’t far behind.

As MacDonald alluded to in his post-fight interview with UFC commentator Joe Rogan, he still has a long way to go as far as experience is concerned. There shouldn’t be any rush in pushing this young prospect to the forefront of the division.

However, time is on MacDonald’s side to possibly develop into one of the greatest welterweights in UFC history.

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Jon Jones Knocks out Sparring Partner in Training Session

Jon Jones has a knack for leaving people plastered on the canvas.Unfortunately, it was a teammate this time around.All it took was one punch from Jones to knock out his training partner during a sparring session at Jackson’s MMA.After the knockout, Jon…

Jon Jones has a knack for leaving people plastered on the canvas.

Unfortunately, it was a teammate this time around.

All it took was one punch from Jones to knock out his training partner during a sparring session at Jackson’s MMA.

After the knockout, Jones kneels down beside his fallen teammate to make sure he’s alright, but head trainer Greg Jackson urges him to finish the round.

“Jon, pop up, you gotta finish the round,” said Jackson.

This video is an excerpt taken out of Jackson MMA’s documentary, The Proving Ground.

What Jones lacks in knockout power, he makes up for in technique and accuracy. This was a solid punch thrown at the right time in the right spot.

Jones’ striking could be key in finishing off Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on Saturday night.

Evans is arguably the best wrestler at 205 pounds, and Jones will likely look to keep the bout upright, where he can utilize his height and reach advantage to best the exchanges.

Is this a preview of Saturday night? If so, who ends up staring at the ceiling?

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Randy Couture Believes Chael Sonnen Could Beat Jon Jones

Rashad Evans has been touted as the light heavyweight with the best chance of ousting Jon Jones, but UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture believes otherwise.In an interview with Five Ounces of Pain, Couture broke down the fight people are calling the bigges…

Rashad Evans has been touted as the light heavyweight with the best chance of ousting Jon Jones, but UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture believes otherwise.

In an interview with Five Ounces of Pain, Couture broke down the fight people are calling the biggest grudge match since Chuck Liddell versus Tito Ortiz.

I really don’t have a prediction, and I could make a case for either fighter winning the bout. The favorite is Jones because of his range, and he is so athletic with such a dynamic striking style.

Rashad has the tools and 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 head kick on Sean Salmon. Being a standup fighter is not a great style match-up when you’re facing a guy like Jones.

So what style would be great against Jones?

The 24-year-old champion may be the most well-rounded fighter the sport has ever seen. In 2011, he dominated three former UFC champions in Lyoto Machida, Mauricio Rua and Quinton Jackson.

When breaking down Jones’ style, you would be hard-pressed to find any holes in his game. The unknown aspects of his overall abilities are the only things people can point to as potential weaknesses.

Jones is a proven world-class grappler, but we have never seen him forced to fend from his back. Couture believes a strong wrestler with great takedowns and clinch control would have the best chance to dethrone Jones.

If not Evans, what other fighters possess that particular skill set?

I think a fighter like Dan Henderson or even Chael Sonnen, who is a big 185-pounder and used to compete at 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.

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