A potential matchup for the next UFC top light-heavyweight contender is shaping up between Jon “Bones” Jones (11-1) and “TUF 8″ winner Ryan “Darth” Bader (12-0) in the coming New Year.
Jones has been tearing through the light-heavyweights of the UFC, earning first round TKO victories against Vladimir Matyushenko and Brandon Vera in his past two fights. His only loss was to Matt Hamill at the “TUF 10″ Finale due to disqualification for the use of “12-to-6″ illegal elbow strikes. Jones was dominating the fight against the “Hammer” and inadvertently used illegal strikes to finish the fight.
Bader recently defeated Antônio Rogério “Lil’Nog” Nogueira at UFC 119 just last weekend to keep his record undefeated at 12-0. He earned a unanimous decision win over the Brazilian, earning other victories over Keith Jardine, Eric Schafer, Carmelo Marrero, and Vinny Magalhães under the UFC banner. Bader defeated Magalhães at the “TUF 8″ Finale to win that seasons show.
The bout is expected to take place at either the Jan. 1st UFC 125 event or the Feb. 5th Super Bowl weekend UFC 127 event.
HT: MMAWeekly.com