UFC Light Heavyweight Title Bout: Jon Jones vs. Vitor Belfort
Odds: (-800 Jones / +500 Belfort )
Betting Pick: Jones
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In the main event of the evening, Light Heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones will look to continue his run of utter dominance against tough Brazilian striker Vitor Belfort. Jones has proven himself one of the most dominant champions in the history of the sport already, and shows no signs of slowing down, but Belfort has the kind of technique and power than can turn the tide of a fight instantly. Since 2007, Belfort’s only loss came at the hands of Anderson Silva, the only man who might have a claim to being more dominant than Jones. Belfort has been fighting at 185 pounds for the last few years, but has a storied history at Light Heavyweight, and is hoping his return to 205 will bring back some of the old magic. Still, if Belfort wants to recapture the Light Heavyweight title he once held, he is going to need to turn in the best performance of a career full of legendary performances, because Jones has shown again and again that he is on a whole different level from the rest of the division.
Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort was a dominant figure in the Light Heavyweight division in UFC’s early years, and is one of the few fighters from that era still competing in the top levels of the sport today. His career has had some ups and downs, largely stemming from personal tragedy and a tumultuous private life, but one thing that has remained constant is his dangerous skill set. Belfort is one of the most prolific strikers in the world, with great technique and a surplus of knockout power in both hands. He does have some wrestling and jiu-jitsu as well, but he would be foolish in the extreme to even consider engaging Jones in a ground fight. His best chance, as always, is to connect with power punches and hurt Jones on the feet. There is no question that, if Belfort can find a way to get inside Jones’ ridiculous reach, he has the power to end this fight. The question is whether he can defend himself against Jones’ reach advantage, keep himself from getting physically controlled with takedowns, and still be aggressive enough in the striking exchanges to put Jones in a bad spot. Against a fighter as dominant as Jones, nothing less than perfection will get the job done, so Belfort is going to have his hands full in this one.
Jon “Bones” Jones has experienced easily the most meteoric rise in the history of the UFC. It’s difficult to believe that as recently as 2010, Jones was considering a young prospect honing his skills against the likes of Vladimir Matyushenko and Ryan Bader. Since then, he has gone on an unprecedented tear, defeating a ridiculous 4 former Light Heavyweight champions in the 13 month span between March 2011 and April 2012. Now, Jones has firmly cemented himself as the world’s best Light Heavyweight and arguably the greatest fighter in the world. While he has come under fire recently for a DUI arrest and his role in the cancellation of UFC 151, it is impossible to say a bad word about Jones’ in-ring prowess. His striking is top notch, and he uses his tremendous reach to great effect. In addition, he has dominant wrestling, brutal ground and pound, and excellent submissions. Jones is without a doubt the most complete fighter in the UFC, and has a stunning amount of athleticism to back up his technical prowess. What makes him so scary is that, unlike a fighter like Belfort, Jones doesn’t need to enter fights intent on making one thing go his way. He is so well-rounded and dangerous that, no matter how a fight plays out, he can finish opponents anywhere and at any time.
This should be an exciting fight, but as good as Belfort is, it is still a mismatch. Belfort has been competing at Middleweight for the last few years and is small for a Light Heavyweight, while Jones is an absolute monster who makes even big Light Heavyweights look small. Belfort is probably the better striker in terms of pure technique and maybe even power, but he doesn’t have the same complement of skills that Jones brings to the Octagon. Jones will have a height advantage, a reach advantage, a weight advantage, a strength advantage, and an advantage in terms of wrestling, grappling, and submissions. I just don’t think Belfort’s game is well-rounded enough to deal with the multi-pronged attack Jones is going to bring. While it’s entirely possible that Jones could win a standup fight straight up, his ability to ragdoll Belfort to the ground and either pound him out or submit him is what will make the difference here, I think. I see the two trading early before Jones takes this fight to the mat and puts it away, retaining his title by submission.
Prediction: Jon “Bones” Jones by second round Sub.
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