Invincible is a term rarely used in the UFC. Only a handful of fighters in the world are even considered to posses invincibility but even fewer men are able to prove themselves worthy of the title.
Light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones moved one step closer to invincibility on Saturday in his second title defense against former champion Lyoto Machida. After just two rounds Jones managed to put Machida to sleep with a nasty standing guillotine choke thus improving his record to 9-1 in the UFC. In his last six fights, Jones has run through top flight opponents including three former champions in Shogun Rua, Rampage Jackson and Lyoto Machida.
Jones’ next opponent will likely come out of a Jan. 28 matchup between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis that is scheduled for UFC on FOX 2. Both men are talented wrestlers and would pose a realistic threat to Jones’ throne, but there is only one true challenger capable of ending Jones’ reign with skills almost identical to the champion.
Long before Jones was even competing in the sport, middleweight king Anderson Silva was already creating his legacy in the UFC. The pound-for-pound best fighter in the world has long been considered invincible in his five-year reign over the middleweight division. In 2009 Silva showcased his dominance with a stunning first-round knockout of Forrest Griffin in his first appearance at light-heavyweight. Since then Silva has not attempted to fight again at light-heavyweight, but a showdown with Jones would certainly be considered a mega-fight for the UFC.
Silva and Jones are almost mirror images of each other. Both men are flashy strikers with long arms and legs. Silva’s Muay Thai is second to none and some of the moves he’s pulled off in the cage look like they came from a scene in The Matrix or a Kung Fu film. Jones’ striking style is similar in the sense that he uses his long reach and wild striking to surprise opponents while still maintaining a safe distance. Jones also possesses outstanding wrestling ability. If I had to guess who would win this fight right now I wouldn’t be able to give a confident answer. I do know however that Silva would present the biggest challenge to Jones, and fans would be able to witness one of the greatest fights in UFC history. Until Dana White and the UFC make this fight happen I can’t see Jones losing to anyone in the near future.
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