(Props: mmapain)
Once in a while, a singular talent will arise and utterly dominate this sport. He comes out of nowhere, immediately starts whipping top-ranked fighters with years’ more experience, and leaves both fans and his opponents in awe of his abilities. Jon Jones is that guy right now. And nobody knows how fleeting that moment is better than Lyoto Machida, whose invincible aura (and “era“) went up in smoke as quickly as it arrived.
That’s what gives Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida such a great storyline for their meeting on December 10th in Toronto. Besides Machida’s unorthodox style, which could be an effective counter to Bones’s own funky attacks, the Dragon stands as a living reminder that nobody is invincible — seriously, not even Jon Jones — and defeat is simply a matter of running into the wrong guy on the wrong night.
Supporting the light-heavyweight title fight at UFC 140 are two matches featuring former UFC champions from America (Frank Mir and Tito Ortiz) trying to hold the line against a pair of battle-weathered Brazilian twins who made their names halfway around the world. It’ll be the second meeting between Mir and Minotauro, and aside from the struggling Lil’ Nog, the other three fighters have shown brief flashes in recent fights that their glory days might not be over yet. So who will add another highlight to their legendary resumes, and who will continue to fade back into history?
Semi-related, below: Jon Jones gets in some cross-gender sparring with Team Jackson camp-mate Holly Holm, the prettier half of the third toughest couple in MMA.
(Props: LowBlow505)