The UFC light heavyweight division has quickly turned into Jon Jones and everyone else. The 24-year-old champion has had no problems disposing of some of the biggest names in the sport, including Mauricio Rua and Lyoto Machida. At UFC 145, he is going to run all over Rashad Evans.
Things have gotten so one-sided in the 205-pound division, that Evans is the last great chance to have someone defeat Jones.
These two have a storied history with each other. In fact, Jones grew up as a mixed martial artist training with Evans in Greg Jackson’s camp. A lot of the things you see Jones do in a cage come as a result of what he learned from working with Evans.
When Jones got his shot in the spotlight, it was Evans who decided that he needed to break away in order to get a title shot, since Jackson fighters don’t like to work against each other inside the Octagon.
Considering that Evans had earned a title shot by defeating Quinton Jackson in 2010, you can understand his desire to do whatever it took to get it.
Jones has evolved into the most unique fighter in mixed martial arts. We already knew about his incredible length, with a wingspan that measures a remarkable 84.5″. He uses those long limbs to try things that no one else in the sport can get away with.
Just looking at Jones, you can tell what an incredible athlete he is. But now that he has tapped into his skills as a fighter, he is unstoppable. His wrestling and ground games have improved by leaps and bounds in the last 14 months, starting with his win over Ryan Bader at UFC 126.
Evans has done his best to prove he can be a stand-up fighter, in addition to his wrestling background. He certainly looks more comfortable on his feet than ever before, but unless he is able to break Jones’ long wall of defense, he is going to have a hard time knocking him out.
Just like Anderson Silva, Jones has reached a point where until he loses it is impossible to predict it. You have to see it to believe it.
I don’t see how Evans overcomes Jones’ sheer athleticism in a five-round fight. It has taken almost two years for Evans to get this shot, but it will not have the happy ending he was looking for.
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