Tag: Jon Jones

Happy 26th Birthday to Jon Jones, UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion, Destroyer of Men


(Jones’s epic walk-off-sub of Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, 12/10/11.)

Newly christened as the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones turns 26 years old today. Over on the recently re-designed CombatLifestyle.com, our pal Tracy Lee has posted a gallery of her best Bones-pics in a birthday tribute gallery which you can check out here. We’ve posted a few of our favorites below. Send Jones some birthday love on Twitter @jonnybones, and watch his transformation from flab to fab when he defends his belt against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165, September 21st in Toronto.


(The Azerbaijani judge gives this celebration a 7.6.)


(Jones’s epic walk-off-sub of Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, 12/10/11.)

Newly christened as the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones turns 26 years old today. Over on the recently re-designed CombatLifestyle.com, our pal Tracy Lee has posted a gallery of her best Bones-pics in a birthday tribute gallery which you can check out here. We’ve posted a few of our favorites below. Send Jones some birthday love on Twitter @jonnybones, and watch his transformation from flab to fab when he defends his belt against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165, September 21st in Toronto.


(The Azerbaijani judge gives this celebration a 7.6.)


(Jones warms-up with Mark Coleman before UFC 100, 7/11/09. It was Jones’s third UFC appearance and first finish — a guillotine choke submission of Jake O’Brien on the prelims.)


(The real star of this photo is John Danaher’s comb-over.)


(Jones knuckles up with Cheick Kongo during his first trip to the Octagon at UFC 87, 8/9/08.)


(Come on, Jonny…hasn’t he suffered enough?)


(Showing no regard for Machida’s elusiveness at UFC 140.)


(Jones hangin’ loose with Mike Goldberg...)


(…and with his brother/arch-rival Arthur Jones, back in March 2010.)


(Jones and Carlos Condit endure a savage photobombing after UFC 162 earlier this month. GET OUT OF THE FRAME, STEVEN.)


(And finally, Jon Jones with the photographer, Ms. Tracy Lee, 10/6/11.)

There’s No Reason to Pull Anderson Silva vs. Jones, GSP Superfights Off Table

It was like a duffel bag full of hundred dollar bills hit the ground, and at the moment of impact burst into flames.
That’s the picture that UFC president Dana White painted in the aftermath of UFC 162, with the duffel bag being the backward fall…

It was like a duffel bag full of hundred dollar bills hit the ground, and at the moment of impact burst into flames.

That’s the picture that UFC president Dana White painted in the aftermath of UFC 162, with the duffel bag being the backward falling body of former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

Speaking about Silva’s July 6 knockout loss to Chris Weidman, White said: “That fight cost Georges St-Pierre and Jon Jones and Anderson Silva a lot of money. In those superfights, he was the link to both of them; so there you go.”

I’d have to disagree with those words. One loss does not define the career of Silva, and it certainly won’t cause fans to tune out if the UFC ever does decide to book a Silva versus St-Pierre or a Silva versus Jones superfight. And yes, those fights would still be superfights, title in hand for any of the fighters or not. Hell, the UFC tried to sell the Jose Aldo versus Frankie Edgar bout as a superfight.

It’s not a stretch to say that a fight between two of the best fighters to ever grace the Octagon would be a superfight. It is a stretch to say that Silva’s single UFC loss cost St-Pierre or Jones any amount of money.

One person who shares my opinion is Silva’s manager, Ed Soares.

Speaking to Sherdog Radio, Soares opined: “I think that’s ridiculous. I think the superfights are still on the table. I think right now the superfights are in the future, but right now what should be on everyone’s mind should be the rematch with Chris Weidman.”

Soares went on to say that with a win over Weidman in the December 28 rematch between champion and challenger, he saw no reason why the superfights couldn’t happen.

I’ll go one further.

Even with a loss to Weidman, those superfights could still happen.

The UFC has awarded title fights and main event fights to more than one fighter coming off multiple losses (hello, Chael Sonnen) based on that fighter’s ability to put fans in seats. There’s no way anyone can tell me that a main event between Silva—even coming off two losses—and St-Pierre or Jones isn’t a guaranteed money maker in gate and pay-per-view sales.

I’ve never been a fan of the superfight talk, but I’m smart enough to know that these fights aren’t off the table because Silva lost; they’re off the table due to the UFC’s inability to make them happen, for whatever reason.

Silva has nine fights left on his UFC deal. There’s no reason that one, or even two of them can’t be a fight with St-Pierre or Jones.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Jon Jones Tweets Pre-Camp Picture of Himself Overweight and Out of Shape

After seeing Jon Jones’ pre-camp picture, it’s safe to say the UFC light heavyweight champ has a lot of work to do in preparation for Alexander Gustafsson.
Jones, who is known for packing on pounds between camps, tweeted a photo of himself …

After seeing Jon Jones’ pre-camp picture, it’s safe to say the UFC light heavyweight champ has a lot of work to do in preparation for Alexander Gustafsson.

Jones, who is known for packing on pounds between camps, tweeted a photo of himself on Monday posing with a massive chunk of flab on his midsection and a huge grin on his face.

The photo has elicited some fairly entertaining responses from Jones’ followers, including UFC middleweight Derek Brunson.

 In two months, Jones will be defending the light heavyweight title against Gustafsson at UFC 165.

The MMA world is already on edge after Anderson Silva’s shocking loss to Chris Weidman. Jones’ tweet will likely raise eyebrows and draw out questions of whether or not he’s taking Gustafsson seriously.

Since his loss to Phil Davis back in April 2010, Gustafsson has rebounded to take the UFC light heavyweight division by storm. He is currently riding a six-fight win streak and coming off a lopsided unanimous decision victory over former UFC champ Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

Jones being so out of shape could have something to do with lingering issues from the gruesome toe injury he suffered in his UFC 159 win over Chael Sonnen. During a press conference for UFC 165, Jones admitted that his toe wasn’t completely healed, and he still needed to wear a boxing boot while training to limit any chances of a setback.

He also spoke about Silva’s loss and how it served as a reality check for his approach and preparation for Gustafsson:

“It actually motivates me a lot to watch somebody who I look up to like that lose. It’s just like a reality check. I try to keep my ego in check when it comes to the fight game, and watching Anderson lose like that … First of all, it’s something I would never do, put my hands down like that and try to fight my opponent that way. But watching Chris Weidman’s dream come true, I have to make sure that I continue to be a dream crusher. So that’s what I’m going to do.”

Time will tell if Jones stays true to his word. He still has a couple of months to get everything in order.

Will it be enough?

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

‘Styles Make Fights’: The 5 Most Stylish Fighters in the UFC

It’s one of the most time-honored truisms in MMA: “Styles make fights.” 
Fans may differ on what exactly defines a truly great cage fight—some lean towards evenly matched contests in which either combatant may emerge victorious, others enjoy…

It’s one of the most time-honored truisms in MMA: “Styles make fights.” 

Fans may differ on what exactly defines a truly great cage fight—some lean towards evenly matched contests in which either combatant may emerge victorious, others enjoy the spectacle of seeing a mismatch unfold before their very eyes. Whatever the inclination may be, few would argue that it all boils down to the iconic moments that linger in highlight reels for years to come.

There are a few elite fighters that have a habit of delivering those moments with startling consistency.

They don’t make this list simply because of their sound technique or orthodox execution. Sure, they may have spent countless gym hours drilling the classic 1-2-3 combination, but they know that it’s about something more exotic than rigid performance. 

Instead, these select fighters embrace their inner showmanship and infuse their technique with tons of style and panache. 

Each time they set foot in the Octagon, fans wiggle closer to the edges of their seats in anticipation of the wild techniques sure to be executed. Let’s take a look at who’s willing to push the boundaries with reckless abandon. 

Begin Slideshow

10 MMA Fights That Should Have Happened, but Never Will

Underdog Chris Weidman temporarily halted talks of a few potential superfights for Anderson Silva when he flattened the former pound-for-pound king at UFC 162.
But Weidman’s upset certainly didn’t mark the first time that the notion of a coveted matchu…

Underdog Chris Weidman temporarily halted talks of a few potential superfights for Anderson Silva when he flattened the former pound-for-pound king at UFC 162.

But Weidman‘s upset certainly didn’t mark the first time that the notion of a coveted matchup in the UFC evaporated.

Although the reasons usually differ, plenty of potentially captivating and lucrative matchups in MMA history never came to fruition.

Here are 10 MMA scraps that should have happened, but never will.

Begin Slideshow

Yeah, So Jon Jones Is Fat Now


(Photo via Jon Jones’ Twitter page)

Jon Jones recently tweeted a “before” photo of himself as he begins training for his September 21st UFC 165 title defense against Alexander Gustafsson. It wasn’t pretty.

Listen, we know that Jones is coming off of a brutal ass-kicking and nasty injury at the hands of Chael Sonnen, but while Jon needs his toe to balance himself and pivot, he doesn’t need it to do a crunch or to put down the tray of hoagies he’s evidently eating for every meal. Any serious athlete knows that when you’re laid up with an injury, you have to be even more careful with your diet so as not to get all soft, nasty and well, Jones-like.

Seriously though, we’d hate to see one of the most gifted and best young fighters in history be brought down by his own unwillingness to do what is needed in the off season: Staying disciplined, improving himself and thus being better prepared for his next battle. Champions like Georges St. Pierre, Randy Couture and Bernard Hopkins stay in shape year-round, and improve their skills in the off-season so that during training camps they can concentrate on tactics, strategy and sharpening their swords.

Their results and longevity speak for themselves. Champions like Ricky Hatton and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, on the other hand, are world-class talents who get fat in between fights and use their training camps as extreme weight-loss science experiments.


(Photo via Jon Jones’ Twitter page)

Jon Jones recently tweeted a “before” photo of himself as he begins training for his September 21st UFC 165 title defense against Alexander Gustafsson. It wasn’t pretty.

Listen, we know that Jones is coming off of a brutal ass-kicking and nasty injury at the hands of Chael Sonnen, but while Jon needs his toe to balance himself and pivot, he doesn’t need it to do a crunch or to put down the tray of hoagies he’s evidently eating for every meal. Any serious athlete knows that when you’re laid up with an injury, you have to be even more careful with your diet so as not to get all soft, nasty and well, Jones-like.

Seriously though, we’d hate to see one of the most gifted and best young fighters in history be brought down by his own unwillingness to do what is needed in the off season: Staying disciplined, improving himself and thus being better prepared for his next battle. Champions like Georges St. Pierre, Randy Couture and Bernard Hopkins stay in shape year-round, and improve their skills in the off-season so that during training camps they can concentrate on tactics, strategy and sharpening their swords.

Their results and longevity speak for themselves. Champions like Ricky Hatton and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, on the other hand, are world-class talents who get fat in between fights and use their training camps as extreme weight-loss science experiments.

Given the lofty terms with which Jones has always used to speak of his own ambition and professional dreams, we assumed he was willing to do the basic level maintenance work of not looking like your uncle Freddy — or his brother Arthur — in between fights. Increasingly, however, it has become clear that Jones might not be too concerned with staying in shape between fights.

Not to beat a dead horse, but we know the guy likes to party between fights, and now we also know he is probably chasing those drinks with a good deal of frosting. What are the chances that Alexander Gustafsson is fat and out of shape right now, eight weeks before his world title fight with Jones? Jon has a bulls-eye on his back, and it is getting wider by the minute.

– Elias Cepeda