In the 20-year history of the UFC, no fighter has ever held two title belts simultaneously, or kicked off a championship reign in a second weight class immediately after leaving his original division. If any fighter could accomplish such a feat at this point, it’s Jon Jones, who has already enjoyed a tremendous run at 205 pounds, and has the height and reach to make a move to heavyweight seem credible.
Jones has been considering a hypothetical move to heavyweight since early 2012, but the switch is looking more and more likely as 2014 approaches. While speaking at Gentlemen’s Expo in Toronto over the weekend, Jones voiced his desire for a super-fight against heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez within the next year, followed by a permanent departure from the light-heavyweight division. Here’s what he had to say, via MMAWeekly:
“I think that’s going to happen within the next two years. I’ll go up to heavyweight, permanently,” Jones said. “I’ve been really thinking about me and Cain Velasquez going at it. Don’t be surprised if you see that sooner or later.”
Jones added that he thinks a fight between him and Velasquez will be huge for the sport, and he anticipates taking a “super fight” within the next year.
Velasquez typically tips the scale at roughly 240 pounds, routinely fighting opponents that outweigh him by up to as many as 25 pounds. Jones said he walks around at about 230 pounds, but would pack on some extra muscle to fight Velasquez at a similar weight.
“I would gain about 10 pounds of muscle and compete with him at about 240 [pounds],” Jones said…
(Photo via Getty)
In the 20-year history of the UFC, no fighter has ever held two title belts simultaneously, or kicked off a championship reign in a second weight class immediately after leaving his original division. If any fighter could accomplish such a feat at this point, it’s Jon Jones, who has already enjoyed a tremendous run at 205 pounds, and has the height and reach to make a move to heavyweight seem credible.
Jones has been considering a hypothetical move to heavyweight since early 2012, but the switch is looking more and more likely as 2014 approaches. While speaking at Gentlemen’s Expo in Toronto over the weekend, Jones voiced his desire for a super-fight against heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez within the next year, followed by a permanent departure from the light-heavyweight division. Here’s what he had to say, via MMAWeekly:
“I think that’s going to happen within the next two years. I’ll go up to heavyweight, permanently,” Jones said. “I’ve been really thinking about me and Cain Velasquez going at it. Don’t be surprised if you see that sooner or later.”
Jones added that he thinks a fight between him and Velasquez will be huge for the sport, and he anticipates taking a “super fight” within the next year.
Velasquez typically tips the scale at roughly 240 pounds, routinely fighting opponents that outweigh him by up to as many as 25 pounds. Jones said he walks around at about 230 pounds, but would pack on some extra muscle to fight Velasquez at a similar weight.
“I would gain about 10 pounds of muscle and compete with him at about 240 [pounds],” Jones said…
“[Velasquez is] definitely the toughest guy in the division,” he said. “He’s not that big, so I think it’ll be a really entertaining fight.”
Already the longest-reigning light-heavyweight champ ever — with six straight title-defenses and counting — a move to heavyweight would be the perfect way for the 26-year-old Jones to give his career a second act. But if Jones has his way, his time at heavyweight will be short, relatively speaking. As he told MMAJunkie, he plans to leave MMA entirely at the age of 30:
“I just want to leave the sport with a good head on my shoulders,” Jones told MMAjunkie. “I don’t want to be one of these guys that are taking fights way past their prime…I want to leave my legacy in a healthy spot. I want my legacy to be respected and I just want to leave on top.”
“I’ve had a lot of doors be opened through MMA and I just feel like there’s a lot of other business out there…I’ve got a little bit more to prove, but I’ve also proven a lot already and there’s no need to do it after 30,” Jones said. “I think I’m a smart enough guy to be able to do a lot of other things.”
In the meantime, Jones has a Spring 2014 title defense against Glover Teixeira to prepare for (date still TBA), which could be followed by a rematch with Alexander Gustafsson down the road, as long as Jones beats Glover and Gus beats Jimi Manuwa. And if Jones wins that fight? Well, he’ll be poised to make history with a super-fight against Cain Velasquez…assuming that Cain is still holding the belt by then. In other words, Jones’s two-year plan has so many moving pieces that it’s almost guaranteed to break down somewhere along the way, and he probably just jinxed a superfight against Velasquez simply by mentioning it. But for now, he’s got our attention.
Within the next year, Jon Jones seeks the showdown of all showdowns: a superfight with UFC heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez.
For more than two years, MMA fans have salivated over the possibility of Jones moving up in weight and testing his skills again…
Within the next year, Jon Jones seeks the showdown of all showdowns: a superfight with UFC heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez.
For more than two years, MMA fans have salivated over the possibility of Jones moving up in weight and testing his skills against the behemoths in the heavyweight division. Even Jones himself has hinted that a change in weight class was likely sometime down the road, but he would never pinpoint an exact time frame.
It appears that a plan is finally in motion.
Within the next two years, Jones hopes to make a permanent move to heavyweight, but fans may not have to wait that long to get a sneak peak at his transition.
On Saturday afternoon, Jones told fans at the Gentleman’s Expo, which was attended by MMA Digest, that he would like to test the waters in the heavyweight class within the next year.
But he won’t be looking to fight just any random heavyweight.
Jones is seeking a bout for all the marbles against the heavyweight kingpin himself, Cain Velasquez:
I think that’s going to happen within the next two years. I’ll go up to heavyweight, permanently, but I am looking to take a superfight sooner or later, within the next year. So, yeah I’m excited for it.
I’ve been really thinking about me and Cain Velasquez going at it. It would be huge for the sport. He’s definitely the toughest guy in that division, and he’s not that big, so I think it would a really entertaining fight. Don’t be surprised if you see that sooner or later.
A counterargument could be made that this fairy-tale fight might end up being another wasted pipe dream.
Jones’ current itinerary for 2014 includes a light heavyweight title bout with Glover Teixeira and a possible rematch with Alexander Gustafsson, depending on the outcomes of upcoming bouts.
One has to also figure heavyweight contender Daniel Cormier, who is slated to make his light heavyweight debut next year, will automatically be in the mix for a title shot. Phil Davis and Rashad Evans are waiting in the wings for a shot at Jones as well.
As Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter puts it, there is just too much on Jones’ plate right now to give the go-ahead for a heavyweight superfight:
[Jones] has logical contenders. … Daniel Cormier is moving down to 205 pounds. He’s easily the most interesting challenger for Jones, and he’s not even the next contender. That honor goes to Glover Teixeira, who will face Jones at some point in the awakening months of 2014. After that, it could be Gustafsson, or it could be Cormier. Or perhaps Cormier and Gustafsson will square off in a top contender’s fight to determine Jones’ next challenger. Hell, throw Phil Davis’ name in the hat there, too.
There is always the chance that UFC president Dana White steps in and makes the superfight a priority.
The UFC has always hinted at the possibility of doing a show in Cowboys Stadium, and a bout between the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world and the heavyweight champ would make for a colossal main event.
If the fight comes to fruition and Jones’ personal timeline stays intact, his permanent move to heavyweight might actually come within the next year.
It makes little sense for the UFC to let Jones test the waters against the heavyweight champ and then return to the light heavyweight division. The heavyweight title would have to be up for grabs in such a historic and high-profile fight.
If Jones managed to defeat Velasquez, there would be no going back down to 205 pounds.
Superfight talk is quickly becoming the MMA community’s favorite pastime, but there is a slight chance that reality might show its face in this newest pipe dream. If Jones and Velasquez continue to win and stay healthy, fans could be on the verge of witnessing the biggest superfight in MMA history by the end of next year or early 2015.
There was a lot of chaos in the aftermath of UFC 167.
Champion Georges St-Pierre lost the fight on the large majority of public scorecards, but won on two of the three that actually mattered. Johny Hendricks watched the welterweight title he prob…
There was a lot of chaos in the aftermath of UFC 167.
Champion Georges St-Pierre lost the fight on the large majority of public scorecards, but won on two of the three that actually mattered. Johny Hendricks watched the welterweight title he probably earned float back to the welterweight king upon Bruce Buffer’s announcement. If that weren’t enough, the pound-for-pound great skittered his way through a post-fight interview that sounded like a retirement only to have UFC president Dana White toss him under the bus at the post-fight press conference.
With all that insanity it’s easy to lose track of one of the night’s biggest winners and the triumphant return of Rashad Evans. Granted, the former light heavyweight champion put the brakes on a recent rough patch by defeating Dan Henderson at UFC 161 in June, but it was his utter steamrolling of former two-divisional title challenger ChaelSonnen that confirmed his re-arrival back to form.
While the bout was ultimately a short showing and ended well before the conclusion of the opening round, “Suga” has never looked better as he systematically dismantled the “Gangster from West Linn.” There were no wasted movement in Evans’ attack as every inch of his physical output went to getting rid of Sonnen in the early goings. And after putting the Oregon native on his back, he did just that, as Evans took full mount and pounded out the stoppage.
With the victory, Evans has now collected wins in back-to-back showings and reclaims his seat at the table of potential title contenders in the 205-pound division. That said, the current state of the light heavyweight fold is entrenched in a bit of chaos—not UFC 167-type chaos, but chaos nonetheless.
Let’s take a look at the what’s going on in the UFC’s “crown jewel” division.
There Is Going to Be a Title Fight at 205 Before 2015
So far, the only thing we know about the title picture in the light heavyweight division is that Jon Jones and Glover Teixeira are going to fight some time.
We originally thought it was going to be at UFC 169 on Feb. 1, but that date was scrapped due to “Bones” needing more time. Then the UFC came out last week to say they were going to dance at UFC 170 on Feb. 22, but apparently that night isn’t going to work either as the promotion announced the fight was a no-go less than 24 hours after making it public.
With Jones and Teixeira tangled up in a title fight that will go down some time in 2014, the race to earn the next title shot will hit a full-on foot race. Yet, while the next championship opportunity is certainly a valuable grab, the path to said opportunity will come with some twists and turns.
The fighter standing in the shortest line is Alexander Gustafsson. After taking Jones to the wire and pushing the pound-for-pound great further than anyone had done in the superstar’s young career, “The Mauler” began to campaign for an immediate rematch. Where a second go ’round with Jones seemed to be the most likely option, the UFC decided to go with the Brazilian knockout artist for the next challenger.
That said, in the aftermath of Jones vs. Gustafsson, UFC president Dana White suggested the 26-year-old Swede would get another shot at the title if he found success in his next fight. Where the promotion originally announced his opponent to be Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, “Lil Nog” pulled what appeared to be one of the year’s most curious moments when he immediately pulled out of the fight with injury.
Following Nogueira’s removal from the bout, White went public with the announcement being premature, nevertheless, it left the recent title challenger without an opponent. That issue was solved in the days that followed as the UFC tapped British slugger JimiManuwa to face the Swedish striker, and the two will square off when the promotion returns to London on March 8.
Should Gustafsson hand the “Poster Boy” his first professional loss, a title shot will be his reward. On the other hand, if the Team Alliance fighter comes up short, things are going to get extremely interesting, and the avenue to the throne will be wide open.
Someone Is Going to Be the Odd Man Out
Rashad Evans picked up a huge win over ChaelSonnen this past Saturday at UFC 167, and in the process joined a crowded upper tier, all waiting for their chance at a title shot.
While the Blackzilians-trained fighter certainly looked fantastic in drubbing the former title challenger, he now finds himself standing next to two familiar faces in Phil Davis and heavyweight contender turned soon-to-be light heavyweight Daniel Cormier.
Where Evans and Davis shared cage time at UFC on Fox 2 in January of 2012, with the former TUF winner taking the unanimous decision, the relationship between Evans and Cormier is on a different level. The two are good friends and trained together in the early stages of D.C.’s career. Both have had issues when fighting a friend or training partner has come into question and would most likely be the road both would hope to avoid.
Nevertheless, a fight needs to be made. With Evans and Davis having fought less than two years ago, a rematch between the two at this point seems highly unlikely. That would put Davis vs. Cormier as the most likely option and would push Evans out to the side for the time being.
“Mr. Wonderful” is coming off the biggest win—albeit a controversial one—over former light heavyweight champion LyotoMachida at UFC 163 in August. The 29-year-old has found victory in three consecutive showings and is on the cusp of earning a title shot. Yet, he will definitely need at least one more high-profile win to get there, and his next fight will be absolutely crucial where his title hopes are concerned.
As for Cormier, the former Olympian has transitioned from a highly touted prospect under the Strikeforce banner to one of the hottest commodities on the UFC roster. The AKA product has picked up back-to-back victories since coming over to compete inside the Octagon and has a style many believe will take the title away from Jones. That said, the Louisiana native is yet to set foot in the light heavyweight division and will need a victory over a top-ranked contender to prove he’s worthy of a title shot.
That’s why a bout between Davis and Cormier makes perfect sense for both and seems to be the likely choice going forward.
If that were to happen, the only option for Evans which comes to mind would be a potential matchup with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua if he wins his upcoming bout against James Te Huna at Fight Night 33 on Dec. 6. While the former Pride champion has looked like a shell of his former self in recent outings, appearing listless in back-to-back drubbings at the hands of Gustafsson and Sonnen respectively, he still carries the type of main event name recognition that would make a bout with Evans a realistic thing.
Granted, he still needs to defeat the scrappy Sydney-based fighter, which is going to be no easy task if a re-invigorated Rua doesn’t show up. If Rua doesn’t defeat Te Huna next month, there is going to be one top-ranked light heavyweight left out in the cold as the title race heats up.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report.
There are few fighters or fans who aren’t impressed with the late-career resurgence of Vitor Belfort and UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is no exception.
In a one-on-one interview with MMA Fighting’s Luke Thomas, “Bones” gave the hard-hi…
There are few fighters or fans who aren’t impressed with the late-career resurgence of VitorBelfort and UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is no exception.
In a one-on-one interview with MMA Fighting’s Luke Thomas, “Bones” gave the hard-hitting Brazilian his due, also giving himself a proverbial pat on the back since he submitted “The Phenom” at UFC 152 last September.
It (the victory) means a lot to me, you know. To see ChaelSonnen go out there and smash everyone since our fight, to see VitorBelfort smashing all these people … it let’s me know, ya know, that there is no luck to get to what has happened at this point. I’ve beaten these guys who are legit fighters, you know. A lot of people think that I’ve beaten people who are past their prime, and then I get guys … go out there and annihilate everyone else they fight. So yea, it makes me feel good to see these guys still dominating and it makes me feel more reassured and my abilities in the fact that I’m here today.
Belfort fought Jones on roughly one-month’s notice about 14 months ago, catching the champion off guard early in the bout with an armbar from guard.
In a testament to his toughness, the champion opted to suffer ligament damage in his elbow instead of tapping out, battering Belfort for around 16 minutes until he submitted the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt with an Americana.
Since then, Belfort has scored three consecutive head-kick knockouts over Michael Bisping, Luke Rockhold and Dan Henderson.
Those highlight-reel finishes have earned “The Phenom” another crack at the middleweight strap, facing off with the winner of Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva, who rematch at UFC 168 next month.
Sonnen suffered one of the most lopsided losses of his career when he was TKO’ed in the first round of his UFC 159 title bout against Jones in April, rebounding with a decisive submission win over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC Fight Night 26 in August.
After 10 straight wins, including a UFC record six consecutive UFC light heavyweight title defenses, Jones next defends his title against Glover Teixeira at a venue to be announced next year.
John Heinis is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA Editor for eDraft.com.
That sure didn’t take long.
Less than 24 hours after the date for the light heavyweight title showdown between Jon Jones and Glover Teixeira was officially announced for UFC 170 on Feb. 22 in Las Vegas, the matchup has been scrapped and will now get pu…
That sure didn’t take long.
Less than 24 hours after the date for the light heavyweight title showdown between Jon Jones and Glover Teixeira was officially announced for UFC 170 on Feb. 22 in Las Vegas, the matchup has been scrapped and will now get pushed back to some time later in 2014.
Speaking to the media following Thursday’s press conference for UFC 167, Dana White announced the title tilt was no longer happening at UFC 170 due to Jones pulling out, and a new main event bout would be sought for the card. White also speculated the fight could be rescheduled for a potential date in March, but nothing was set in stone at this time.
White’s news on Thursday marks the second time the fight between Jones and Teixeira has been nixed. They were originally slated to square off in the main event of UFC 169 set for Super Bowl weekend in Newark, N.J., but Jones needed more time to recover from his hectic back-and-forth battle with Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165.
While the Newark card’s Feb. 1 date wasn’t enough time for the pound-for-pound great to recover and get a full camp in, apparently the Feb. 22 slot for UFC 170 provided the ideal timeline for the 26-year-old champion to get everything in order.
That certainly doesn’t appear to be the case with Jones pulling out of the fight, and no information has been released in regard to the condition that forced the decision.
Jones is coming off his record-setting sixth defense of his light heavyweight crown in a “Fight of the Year”-worthy performance at UFC 165 in September. As for Teixeira, the Brazilian powerhouse has won five consecutive fights since joining the UFC in 2012, with his most recent showing resulting in an impressive first-round knockout over former TUF winner Ryan Bader at Fight Night 28.
UFC President Dana White appears to be a little annoyed at his company’s light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, saying that “I’d kill” embattled Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Richie Incognito in a fight.
While “Bones” wasn’t being literal…
UFC President Dana White appears to be a little annoyed at his company’s light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, saying that “I’d kill” embattled Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Richie Incognito in a fight.
While “Bones” wasn’t being literal, White still seemed to believe it was a silly comment to make when he addressed the matter during an appearance on FOX Sports 1.
I’m not even involved in football or any of that stuff and I’m already tired of the Richie Incognito stories and the whole thing. We’re talking about football players here. It’s ridiculous. And Jon Jones better worry about Glover Teixeira, not Richie Incognito, because he ain’t going to be fighting him anytime soon.
In case you aren’t a football fan, Incognito was suspended for allegedly bullying and harassing then-rookie teammate Jonathan Martin on November 4, per ESPN.
Martin has since left the team while Incognito remains suspended over the allegations, which include forcing Martin to contribute $15,000 to a trip to Las Vegas—a trip the second round draft pick wasn’t even attending.
Back to the MMA side of things, the UFC announced yesterday that Jones will next defend his light heavyweight strap against surging contender Glover Teixeira at UFC 170 in February, per MMA Junkie.
The bout was originally announced to take place at UFC 169, which is hosted at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey—the same venue where Jones won the title in March 2011.
However, White stated that the title tilt had been announced prematurely and the bout would be pushed back to a later date (UFC 169 is set for February 1), per Bloody Elbow.
Teixeira, the No. 2 fighter in the UFC’s official light heavyweight rankings, enters the bout on the strength of an incredible 20-fight win streak, with five of those victories coming inside the Octagon.
The top ranked fighter in the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings, Jones has won 10 consecutive fights, including a UFC record six straight title defenses at light heavyweight, and he has faced little opposition outside of a “Fight of the Year” contender against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165 in September.
Will Teixeira be able to pull off an unforeseen upset and wear championship gold early next year or will Jones’ reign of superiority at 205 pounds continue?
John Heinis is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA Editor for eDraft.com.
There was a lot of chaos in the aftermath of