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Jones vs. Teixeira: Bones Is Primed to Retain UFC Light Heavyweight Title

Reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones is poised to retain his title in Saturday night’s UFC 172 main event when he goes head-to-head with the surging Glover Teixeira.
Although some are doubting the legitimacy of Jones’ most re…

Reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones is poised to retain his title in Saturday night’s UFC 172 main event when he goes head-to-head with the surging Glover Teixeira.

Although some are doubting the legitimacy of Jones’ most recent victory over Alexander Gustafsson, the 26-year-old certainly hasn’t turned in six consecutive successful title defenses by accident.

Watch for Jones to look to make a statement on Saturday in Baltimore.

According to MMAjunkie (via USA Today Sports‘ Mike Bohn and Christian Stein), the 34-year-old Teixeira isn’t surprised he enters this weekend’s fight as a heavy underdog:

“There was no way I was going to be the betting favorite. In my own head, and that of my trainer’s, I am the favorite. But it’s no surprise that I’m not in the eyes of the fans.”

Even TNT analyst Reggie Miller is on the Jones bandwagon:

Despite Teixeira’s impressive 20-fight winning streak, he’s yet to face an opponent with the array of striking options and movement skills that Jones possesses.

While Teixeira is a power puncher who can cause serious damage with his strikes, Jones has the quickness and explosion to avoid those shots and counter with his own.

Teixeira will also have an extremely difficult time making his way past Jones’ massive wingspan and actually landing any significant blows, per Bleacher Report MMA:

Teixeira could find an advantage if he can take the fight to the ground, but that’s asking a lot against Jones, who was taken down for the first time against Gustafsson last fall.

The Brazilian boasts the submission skills to earn a stoppage victory without his fists, but getting Jones into a compromising position will be another tall task and something we’ve rarely seen.

Jones will be putting both his title and superhuman reputation on the line when he steps into the Octagon against Teixeira on Saturday night at UFC 172. But there’s a reason he’s been the light heavyweight champion and one of the top pound-for-pound fighters on the planet for the past three years—he knows how to survive in the spotlight.

Whether it’s a first-round knockout or a five-round slugfest decided by the judges, Jones possesses both the tools and the psyche to fend off any challenger, including Teixeira.

While there are some who believe he should have been dealt a loss by Gustafsson in his previous outing, an impressive triumph over Teixeira, who has been on cruise control, would reestablish Jones’ status as the light heavyweight king.

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Former UFC Fighter Homer Moore Arrested for Suspicion of First-Degree Murder

Former UFC fighter and veteran mixed martial artist Homer Moore was arrested in Glendale, Ariz. on Monday due to suspicion of first-degree murder stemming from a 1999 case in Mesa, Ariz., according to Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Iole.

According to AZFamily.co…

According to AZFamily.com’s Jennifer Thomas, the 42-year-old Moore was taken into custody on suspicion of murder in the death of 19-year-old Karam Hussein Jabbar back in 1999.

Iole reports that Moore is being held on a $1 million bond.

According to Thomas, Jabbar’s body was discovered in the trunk of a vehicle on Aug. 3, 1999, roughly one week after he went missing. Tempe police lieutenant Michael Pooley says Jabbar’s hands and feet were tied and a bag had been placed over his head. The cause of death was determined by the medical examiner’s office to be asphyxia “due to deprivation of oxygen.”

Pooley reports the murder was the result of a “drug deal gone bad,” per Thomas.

Detectives have been compiling evidence in the case for years and ultimately identified Moore as one of the primary suspects. According to Thomas, Tempe police are still seeking additional suspects in the case.

Moore’s lone UFC appearance came at UFC 34 in November 2001, where he lost via second-round submission at the hands of Evan Tanner. He has also fought notable UFC fighter Chael Sonnen and UFC Hall of Famer Dan Severn in different MMA promotions.

Moore, a Phoenix native, fought in the light heavyweight division and ended his 25-9-2 career in 2007 on a four-fight losing streak.

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Jones vs. Gustafsson: Bones’ Narrow Win Will Boost UFC’s Future

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones finally got the fight he had been asking for on Saturday night at UFC 165 in Toronto.
And while the 26-year-old successfully defended his title for a record sixth straight time by beating Alexander Gusta…

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones finally got the fight he had been asking for on Saturday night at UFC 165 in Toronto.

And while the 26-year-old successfully defended his title for a record sixth straight time by beating Alexander Gustafsson via unanimous decision, the narrow result is the best thing that could have happened for the UFC and will only boost the company’s future moving forward.

The five-round championship fight many are calling an instant classic saw both men go back and forth inside the Octagon for 25 long minutes. In the end, it was the champion retaining his title. But there was certainly a case to be made for the challenging Swede, who gave Bones everything he could handle.

Although UFC president Dana White has had very little problem sitting back and watching Jones’ legend grow with each successful title defense, let’s face it: Bones and the UFC needed someone to come along and make things interesting.

Gustafsson accomplished just that on Saturday, proving that Jones can be beaten while emerging as a legitimate contender in the light heavyweight division.

And both fighters are only 26, causing the question to arise: Could this be the start of an epic rivalry?

Sure, we’ve seen Jones go the distance in a title fight before. He needed all five rounds and a decision to defend his title against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 last year, but Evans didn’t put on nearly as great a show as Gustafsson did against Jones, the man many consider to be the top pound-for-pound fighter on the planet.

The bottom line is that you need parity in any sport in order to keep fans interested. Too much can sometimes be a bad thing, but in the UFC’s case, Saturday’s thrilling fight showed that parity is possible as far as the light heavyweight division is concerned.

Not only did Gustafsson hold his own, but he made Jones look human throughout and left him badly bloodied after the final bell.

Thanks to Saturday’s exciting title fight, drama has returned to arguably the most exciting division in mixed martial arts, and no one will benefit from it more than the UFC and its fans.

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UFC 165 Predictions: Projecting Saturday’s Biggest Winners

Not one but two championships will be on the line this weekend inside the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, the site of UFC 165.
But by far the most intriguing of the five fights scheduled on Saturday night’s main card will be the main event, a light heavy…

Not one but two championships will be on the line this weekend inside the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, the site of UFC 165.

But by far the most intriguing of the five fights scheduled on Saturday night’s main card will be the main event, a light heavyweight showdown between current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and challenger Alexander Gustafsson.

Gustafsson has won six straight fights and seven of eight overall in the UFC, but Jones has won nine consecutive fights since 2009 and has defended his belt five times since claiming it in 2011. Arguably the top pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, the 26-year-old Jones will look to avoid the upset and add to his legacy this weekend.

But before Jones puts his title on the line late Saturday night, some other notable names will be in action.

Below we’ll project which fighters will come away as the biggest winners at UFC 165.

UFC Bantamweight Championship: Renan Barao vs. Eddie Wineland

UFC interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao hasn’t lost a fight since his first professional bout, back in 2005. Since then, the Brazilian has been on a vicious tear that’s poised to continue Saturday in Toronto.

Barao will look to reaffirm his champion status in the bantamweight division when he takes on Eddie Wineland, a former WEC bantamweight champ.

Despite suffering losses to Urijah Faber and Joseph Benavidez in 2011, Wineland rebounded with victories over Scott Jorgensen and Brad Pickett last year. Wineland‘s win over Pickett was anything but impressive, though, coming via a split decision.

In addition to the fact that the older Wineland appears vulnerable, Barao is a dangerous submission artist who choked out Pickett two years ago and defeated Faber via unanimous decision at UFC 149 in July 2012.

Prediction: Barao def. Wineland via Unanimous Decision

Heavyweight Bout: Brendan Schaub vs. Matt Mitrione

Two well-known heavyweights will square off on Saturday when Brendan Schaub and Matt Mitrione look to continue their rebound efforts against each other.

Mitrione knocked out Phil De Fries back in April to end a two-fight losing streak, while Schaub overcame Lavar Johnson at UFC 157 last February to bring an end to his own two-fight skid.

Both fighters appeared on season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter and developed a friendship that has since gone sour, making for some bad blood heading into Saturday’s fight. It’s hard to say that the hatred gives either fighter an edge, but there’s no denying that the younger and more experienced Schaub is a worthy favorite.

Not only is he five years younger than his rival, but seven of his nine wins have come via knockout.

Prediction: Schaub def. Mitrione via 1st-Round KO

UFC Light Heavyweight Championship: Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson

Saturday night’s main event will feature UFC superstar Jon Jones, who will put his light heavyweight championship on the line for his sixth consecutive fight, this time against Alexander Gustafsson.

Although the 26-year-old Swede has shown plenty of promise in recent wins over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Thiago Silva, he hasn’t been able to showcase the knockout power necessary to beat Jones, winning both of those fights via unanimous decision.

Meanwhile, five of Jones’ last six fights have ended by submissions or technical knockouts in his favor.

A dangerous and super-athletic fighter, Jones can win in a variety of ways, making him the overwhelming favorite to retain his title this weekend.

Look for Gustafsson to get this fight to the second round, where Jones’s lethal striking combinations will take over and power him to yet another dominant victory.

Prediction: Jones def. Gustafsson via 2nd-Round TKO

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UFC 163 Start Time: Complete Rundown of Saturday’s PPV Fight Schedule

UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo will put his belt and his impressive 15-fight winning streak on the line in his home country on Saturday night at UFC 163.
Aldo will square off against “The Korean Zombie,” Chan Sung Jung, who has won 11 of his 16 p…

UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo will put his belt and his impressive 15-fight winning streak on the line in his home country on Saturday night at UFC 163.

Aldo will square off against “The Korean Zombie,” Chan Sung Jung, who has won 11 of his 16 professional fights by knockout or submission. The two will collide in the main event of Saturday’s pay-per-view from Rio de Janeiro.

But before this weekend’s much-anticipated title fight, a number of other big names will show off their skills in the Octagon, including former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida.

Here we’ll get you set for Saturday’s action.

What: UFC 163 main card

Where: HSBC Arena, Rio de Janeiro

When: Saturday, Aug. 3 at 10 p.m. ET

Watch: PPV

Prelims on Facebook and FX

As usual, fans who don’t want to shell out $50 or $60 for Saturday’s PPV can catch a handful of preliminary fights for free on Facebook and FX.

All you have to do is click “Like” on the official UFC Facebook page and you can watch all three scheduled bouts on Saturday starting at 6 p.m. ET: Viscardi Andrade vs. Bristol Marunde (welterweight), Ednaldo Oliveira vs. Francimar Barroso (light heavyweight) and Rani Yahya vs. Josh Clopton (featherweight).

Beginning at 8 p.m. ET on FX, four more preliminary fights will be broadcast in the lead-up to the PPV.

Ian McCall will square off against Iliarde Santos in a flyweight bout with the potential to thrill. Meanwhile, welterweights Sergio Moraes and Neil Magny will also be on display prior to a women’s bantamweight showdown between Brazil’s Amanda Nunes and “The German Tank” Sheila Gaff.

The prelims will conclude with a matchup between light heavyweights Vinny Magalhaes and Anthony Perosh.

UFC 163

The UFC will save its best for last on Saturday night. August’s first event will feature five intriguing fights, but none with more at stake than the main event pitting Aldo vs. Jung.

Aldo has defended his UFC title four consecutive times, while Jung has looked lethal in his past three victories, two of which came via submission, the other was a knockout win over Mark Hominick at UFC 140.

That said, the second-to-last fight of the night also has potential. “The Dragon,” Lyoto Machida, will look to win his third straight fight when he takes on American Phil Davis, who has lost just once in 13 professional bouts.

The main card will also featured a pair of middleweight bouts. The first will see Brazilian Thales Leites take on England’s Tom Watson, while the second will be an all-Brazilian affair between The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil winner Cezar Ferreira and Thiago Santos.

The PPV will kick off shortly after 10 p.m ET with a catchweight clash between John Lineker and veteran Jose Maria.

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UFC 163 Fight Card: Previewing Top Matchups in Rio De Janeiro

Jose Aldo will look to successfully defend his UFC Featherweight Championship for the fifth consecutive time this weekend in Brazil when he takes on Chan Sung Jung in the main event at UFC 163.
Jung, better known as “The Korean Zombie” is among the top…

Jose Aldo will look to successfully defend his UFC Featherweight Championship for the fifth consecutive time this weekend in Brazil when he takes on Chan Sung Jung in the main event at UFC 163.

Jung, better known as “The Korean Zombie” is among the top featherweight fighters on the planet and one of the most dangerous to boot, with 11 of his 13 career victories coming via knockout, TKO or submission.

But before Aldo and Jung go at it for the featherweight throne, mixed martial arts fans will be treated to a pair of big-time showdowns in the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions.

Below we’ll preview the top fights scheduled for Saturday’s UFC fight card in Rio de Janeiro.

Jose Aldo vs. Chan Sung Jung

Saturday’s main event will see current UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo put his title belt on the line in his home country against The Korean Zombie, Chan Sung Jung, who replaces Anthony Pettis in this bout.

But just because Jung is filling in for the injured Pettis, that doesn’t mean he should be taken lightly.

As mentioned, the 26-year-old is 13-3 for his career and has had just four of his 16 fights go to a judges’ scorecard. A polished fighter, Jung has won three fights via knockout or TKO and is 8-0 in fights determined by submission.

Still, Aldo’s impressive 22-1 overall record and 15-fight win streak is difficult to ignore. He’s defended the UFC featherweight crown successfully four straight times now, and will be the favorite to retain his title again this weekend in front of a sea of South American supporters.

Lyoto Machida vs. Phil Davis

In a very intriguing light heavyweight clash between two of the bigger names in the sport, Brazilian Lyoto Machida will square off against American Phil Davis.

Machida was on top of the world just a few years ago after beating Rashad Evans for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, but three defeats in four fights had the 35-year-old veteran reeling coming into 2012.

He’s since rebounded with back-to-back victories over Ryan Bader and Dan Henderson, but will face an entirely new challenge in Davis, who has been beaten just once in 13 professional fights.

A versatile fighter, Davis can win in a variety of ways and has the stamina to go the distance with Machida at UFC 163. “The Dragon” has tremendous knockout prowess compared to Davis, but he’s getting older and isn’t quite as explosive as he was in his prime a few years back.

Cezar Ferreira vs. Thiago Santos

One of two middleweight fights on Saturday’s main card, Cezar Ferreira vs. Thiago Santos will pit two talented, 185-pound Brazilians against one another.

Santos hasn’t fought in over a year but is 8-1 coming in with four wins via knockout or TKO. His opponent, Ferreira last fought at UFC 147 in June 2012, beating Sergio Moraes via unanimous decision to win The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil middleweight tournament.

This will be Santos’ first bout in the UFC which will bring some added pressure for the 29-year-old middleweight.

Fans planning on watching this underrated fight should expect plenty of fireworks, however, as Santos’ last three fights have ended via TKO and two of Ferreira’s last three have ended in a knockout.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.

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