The time for talking is over, and it is finally time to see who the true heir to the light heavyweight throne is. Is it the legend or the future?
The world will have its answer in the main event of UFC 135 when light heavyweight champion Jon Jones meets former champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
The story of Jones’ rise to superstardom is pretty well-known by now.
The 24-year-old phenom took the light heavyweight division by storm, dominating highly-touted stars in Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Ryan Bader, Brandon Vera, Matt Hamill and Vladimir Matyushenko. UFC 128 still stands out as Jones’ true arrival in the sport, as he decimated Shogun to become the new UFC champion.
There is a myriad of hype surrounding Jones. He could possibly be the most complete fighter this sport has ever seen. There are also a few question marks.
How good is his chin? Does he have the cardio to go the distance in a championship fight? How well does he handle adversity?
While many underestimate his chances, Rampage has the ability to answer some of these questions.
Coming off back to back wins over Lyoto Machida and Matt Hamill, Rampage has taken this challenge very seriously. All indications point to the former Pride superstar enduring one of the best training camps of his career.
For most fighters, this type of talk would be meaningless, but for Rampage, motivation and training have been serious problems in the past.
Apparently, all of that is behind him for this fight, as he’ll be forced to deal with one of the greatest young talents this sport has ever seen.
On the feet, Jones’ lanky frame gives him a nice reach advantage over any opponent in the 205-pound division. His standup is pinpoint and methodical, but the biggest hurdle opponents face in the cage with him is his awkward angles and unorthodox maneuvers.
Arguably the best pure boxer in the light heavyweight division, Rampage has the skill set to present Jones with some unique problems.
There are few fighters in any division with the devastating knockout power of Jackson. His ability to roll under and throw the hook has been practiced to perfection, and it has been proven lethal against a laundry list of world class names.
The deciding factor of this fight will probably be Jones’ ability to secure takedowns and maintain top position.
Jones may be the better wrestler, but people tend to forget that Rampage’s base for MMA is also wrestling. He has the core power and takedown defense to keep things interesting if Jones decides to change levels.
Fans should get a fun scrap, but Jones’ seemingly unending arsenal of skills makes him a very attractive pick. Rampage could provide a scary moment or two for the young champion right out of the gates, but Jones’ well-rounded blend of striking and wrestling will be too much.
In the end, the future will become the present as Jones picks up a second round TKO.