Usually the title of “Baddest Man on the Planet” is associated with heavyweights. Former champion Junior dos Santos and current champion Cain Velasquez could both easily have the term attributed to them.
What is the criteria for this title? Is it a lengthy winning streak? Is it being able to secure a stoppage victory over your opponent? Maybe it’s just being head and shoulders better than many or all of your opponents.
Jon “Bones” Jones could easily make a case for himself to own the title. He owns a record of 17-1, and has never been finished before. When Jones won the title in March 2011, he became the youngest champion in UFC history.
Since that time, Jones has been on an absolute wrecking path through the UFC’s light-heavyweight division. He is the first and so far the only person to secure a stoppage victory over “Rampage” Jackson in the UFC.
He followed up that impressive performance with another when he fought Lyoto Machida. He was able to open a large cut on Machida‘s forehead with one of his patented elbows, and shortly after dropped his limp body to the canvas after the referee stepped in to stop his choke.
Then, in UFC 145, Jones displayed excellent striking and control on the way to a unanimous decision against Rashad Evans.
His latest fight against unlikely challenger, Vitor Belfort, displayed the heart of a true champion. Jones was able to survive a deep armbar attempt from his opponent and roared back in the fourth to fittingly beat Belfort by submission.
Jones is one of the best and most exciting fighters in the world today. He’s already feared for his unorthodox and powerful striking, his dominant wrestling and his ability to find unique ways to win fights. At only 25 years old, his ceiling will only continue to rise.
“Bones” can definitely make a fair claim that he should be called the “Baddest Man on the Planet.” He is also incredibly humble, and may not openly lay claim to the title.
But if he keeps winning impressively (especially in the process cleaning out his division), the fans may decide that he deserves the title anyways. It’s hard to ignore, and even harder to dispute that Jones is currently a bad-ass fighter.
In the good way of course.
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