(A slung-up Jon Jones shares a friendly rape-choke with a companion following UFC 152. Photo via GracieMag)
It sure looked as if Vitor Belfort managed to injure Jon Jones during their light-heavyweight title bout on Saturday night at UFC 152, when he latched onto Bones’ right arm with an armbar early in the first round. Despite having his limb dangerously hyper extended, Jones gritted through it, fought on, and eventually won with his own armlock in the fourth round.
After the fight Jones was in obvious discomfort, holding his right elbow as Joe Rogan interviewed him. Sure enough, the champ showed up late to the post-event press conference with his arm in a sling, saying that doctors had told him he might have nerve damage as a result of Belfort’s arm bar.
Jones was planning to head to a hospital after the presser to receive X-rays on his arm. No official word has been released from the UFC or Jones’s camp since Saturday night, but nerve damage in his arm would certainly be serious enough to sideline the champ for some time, to say nothing of any possible bone breaks or tendon or ligament injuries he may have sustained.
As he told reporters at the UFC 152 press conference, Jones thought that Belfort was going to break the arm and get the win in the first round, before Jones miraculously escaped. “It was popping, and I felt after 25 years that I’ve never felt that feeling before. I just came to terms with what was going to happen, just thinking, ‘Man, I can’t believe I’m getting ready to lose this way,'” he said.
(A slung-up Jon Jones shares a friendly rape-choke with a companion following UFC 152. Photo via GracieMag)
It sure looked as if Vitor Belfort managed to injure Jon Jones during their light-heavyweight title bout on Saturday night at UFC 152, when he latched onto Bones’ right arm with an armbar early in the first round. Despite having his limb dangerously hyper extended, Jones gritted through it, fought on, and eventually won with his own armlock in the fourth round.
After the fight Jones was in obvious discomfort, holding his right elbow as Joe Rogan interviewed him. Sure enough, the champ showed up late to the post-event press conference with his arm in a sling, saying that doctors had told him he might have nerve damage as a result of Belfort’s arm bar.
Jones was planning to head to a hospital after the presser to receive X-rays on his arm. No official word has been released from the UFC or Jones’s camp since Saturday night, but nerve damage in his arm would certainly be serious enough to sideline the champ for some time, to say nothing of any possible bone breaks or tendon or ligament injuries he may have sustained.
As he told reporters at the UFC 152 press conference, Jones thought that Belfort was going to break the arm and get the win in the first round, before Jones miraculously escaped. “It was popping, and I felt after 25 years that I’ve never felt that feeling before. I just came to terms with what was going to happen, just thinking, ‘Man, I can’t believe I’m getting ready to lose this way,’” he said.
Still, Jones maintains that tapping out never occurred to him. Apparently, taking his Jiu Jitsu training seriously prior to the fight didn’t, either.
“I have to admit I don’t practice my Jiu-Jitsu every day,” Jones said. ”I work so hard on my wrestling and so hard on my standup. I definitely need to embrace jiu-jitsu more and practice what I preach, being a true mixed martial artist and embracing all martial arts,” he said.
It’s hard to imagine how Jones and his vaunted coaches could ignore the style of fighting that the entire sport of MMA is based on, but it sounds like they won’t be making that mistake again.
Ultimately Jones said he was glad for the test and lesson. He learned what he needs to improved and also a little bit about what he’s made of. “I just remember getting to that second round, thanking God that I had gotten out of that armbar, and thanking God for that adversity,” he said.
“I honestly thank God just for having a hurt arm, just to prove to myself and prove to my coaches that all the speeches and all the stories I heard about warriors, just to be able to prove that I can be a warrior as well, I was grateful to be able to come back from something.”
(I kept telling the bouncers that I was over 21; I even showed them my ID and told them that it was *my* afterparty that they were bouncing, yet this happens once again…)
After enduring the longest card free drought in nearly two years, the UFC returned to action last Saturday, delivering an event that was thoroughly satisfying from top-to-bottom, unless you happened to be in the small minority of people who wished ill upon either Michael Bisping or Jon Jones, that is. But as is the case with most UFC events, the evening was not without its share of ups and downs, so join us as we take take off our fanboy pants, pull our analrapist stockings over our heads, and take a look back at the event that was…
The Good:
Seth Baczynski’s Second Tour of Duty: One of the more improbable, if not unknown, comeback stories currently circulating the MMA world, the story of “The Polish Pistola’s” second octagon run has seen him score submission victories over TUF 13 alum Clay Harvison, TUF 7 alum Matt Brown, and earn a split decision victory over Lance Benoist. His beautiful knockout of Simeon Thoreson this past weekend should have easily earned him the KOTN award, but we imagine that Baczynski will be happy enough knowing that he has more than earned a shot at some stiffer competition — and considering his finishing rate, a main card spot — in the near future.
Vinny Magalhaes‘ Second Tour of Duty: While we’re on the subject of TUF alums kicking major ass their second time around, we can’t overlook TUF 8 finalist Vinny Magalhaes, who clearly packed some of his M-1 swagger for his return to the big show (figuratively speaking, of course). Granted, it makes your job a hell of a lot easier when your opponent decides to play directly into your strengths, but for now, we’ll just congratulate Vinny on a sweet finish and a successful return.
(I kept telling the bouncers that I was over 21; I even showed them my ID and told them that it was *my* afterparty that they were bouncing, yet this happens once again…)
After enduring the longest card free drought in nearly two years, the UFC returned to action last Saturday, delivering an event that was thoroughly satisfying from top-to-bottom, unless you happened to be in the small minority of people who wished ill upon either Michael Bisping or Jon Jones, that is. But as is the case with most UFC events, the evening was not without its share of ups and downs, so join us as we take take off our fanboy pants, pull our analrapist stockings over our heads, and take a look back at the event that was…
The Good:
Seth Baczynski’s Second Tour of Duty: One of the more improbable, if not unknown, comeback stories currently circulating the MMA world, the story of “The Polish Pistola’s” second octagon run has seen him score submission victories over TUF 13 alum Clay Harvison, TUF 7 alum Matt Brown, and earn a split decision victory over Lance Benoist. His beautiful knockout of Simeon Thoreson this past weekend should have easily earned him the KOTN award, but we imagine that Baczynski will be happy enough knowing that he has more than earned a shot at some stiffer competition — and considering his finishing rate, a main card spot — in the near future.
Vinny Magalhaes‘ Second Tour of Duty: While we’re on the subject of TUF alums kicking major ass their second time around, we can’t overlook TUF 8 finalist Vinny Magalhaes, who clearly packed some of his M-1 swagger for his return to the big show (figuratively speaking, of course). Granted, it makes your job a hell of a lot easier when your opponent decides to play directly into your strengths, but for now, we’ll just congratulate Vinny on a sweet finish and a successful return.
Marcus Brimage – Hype Spoiler: With back-to-back victories over highly-touted prospects Maximo Blanco and Jimy Hettes, it’s safe to say that the TUF 14 alum has not only launched up the featherweight ranks, but is easily the most successful member to come out of the season despite only making it to the quarterfinals of the show (sorry, Diego). If Brimage can learn to control his pace a little better over the course of three rounds, we could be looking at a future contender.
The Bloodbath That was T.J Grant vs. Evan Dunham: Perhaps the only thing more surprising in this fight, other than the incredible improvement in Grant’s striking game, were the chins these two displayed while beating the ever-loving dog shit out of each other for three straight rounds. Dunham, who is no stranger to nasty cuts, had his forehead split so wide open in the second round that Grant could see his thoughts for the rest of the fight and prepare accordingly. Although Dunham has fallen on hard times as of late when it comes to getting the victory, the $65,000 bonus he walked away with should ease some of the pain, especially if he decides to stuff it directly into his open wound, which ironically resembles an empty wallet as viewed from above.
The First Flyweight Title Fight: Here’s how Dana White summed up Benavidez/Johnson:
If you didn’t like that flyweight fight, please, I’m begging you, don’t ever buy another UFC pay-per-view again…You’re a moron, you don’t like fighting and you don’t appreciate great talent or heart if you didn’t like that flyweight fight.
Now, although we wouldn’t put it as bluntly as DW (go figure), we’d have to agree with him on a fundamental level here. No, there weren’t as many grueling exchanges, insane submission attempts, or high-flying maneuvers as we’d hoped for in the first ever flyweight title fight, but it was an enjoyable five round affair nonetheless. The speed of “Mighty Mouse,” which has been described as “like pixie sticks on crack” by at least one person, led him to a decisive decision victory over a man who was considered “the uncrowned king of the flyweight division.” But judging by the comments section of CP and various other MMA sites, the questions that most people have about the flyweight division appear the same as before:
1. Can such tiny fists actually finish fights?
2. Will the lack of depth in the division lead to the recycling of contenders down the line?
Bipsing and Jones Silence Opponents/Haters: Aside from a rocky moment in the first round for both gentlemen, Michael Bisping and Jon Jones looked pretty flawless last weekend, impressively out grappling Brian Stann and Vitor Belfort, respectively. Bisping’s case for the next middleweight title shot is as good as anyone’s at this point, we guess, so if he thinks he can jab-and-jog Anderson Silva into a living death, we say why not let him try? As for Jones, well, there isn’t much to say really. He dominated another former champ and made it look relatively easy. Any questions in regards to his chin or ability to fight out of a bad situation have likely been squashed and hey, at least we got to see him at least tested this time.
Click the “next” tab to see things get real ugly in a hurry.
What defines greatness? That is a very difficult question to answer. Is it defined by being so dominant that the fighter never even comes close to defeat? Or does come when fighters overcome adversity and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat? I …
What defines greatness? That is a very difficult question to answer. Is it defined by being so dominant that the fighter never even comes close to defeat? Or does come when fighters overcome adversity and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat?
I think that true greatness is both of those things.
For example, I always kind of liked Rich Franklin. Rich was a tough fighter, always a game opponent and virtually never and easy out for anybody. Rich is second only to Anderson Silva in terms of dominance at 185 pounds.
But there was a moment when Rich became legendary forever for me.
That was the day he fought Chuck Liddell. Liddell broke Rich’s power left hand with a kick midway through the first round. Franklin knew it was broken, but he refused to quit and kept on fighting. He even threw punches with his broken arm.
In the closing seconds of the first round, Rich Franklin punched Liddell flush in the face with is weaker right hand. Chuck Liddell dropped to the floor, completely unconscious.
Chuck Liddell would never fight again. Rich Franklin will always be remembered as the man who put the final stamp on Chuck Liddell‘s legendary career. But the fact that he did it with a broken arm? That’s the stuff legends are made of.
At UFC 152, Jon Jones did one better than Franklin in his victory over VitorBelfort. Jones got caught in a deep arm bar in the first round, and Jones’ arm popped. Amazingly, Jones escaped the submission and spent the rest of Round 1 beating VitorBelfort to a bloody pulp, all while sporting a severely injured right arm.
Jones fought the entire second and third rounds with that injured right arm. He threw punches and elbows with it, and he continued to absolutely dominate VitorBelfort in both rounds.
In the forth round, Jones put Belfort into a crucifix position and then locked on an Americana. This is no easy feat with one injured arm. An Americana uses both arms as opposing levers to crank the opponent’s shoulder.
Jones cranked the Americana, VitorBelfort tapped out and the fight was over. Jonny “Bones” Jones adds a fourth successful title defense to his current run as champion.
Just to be clear, Jones is still MMA‘s version of Terrell Owens in my book. He says the wrong thing constantly, pisses fans and fighters off constantly and draws ill-will like a magnet draws iron filings.
But whether you love him or hate him, Jon Jones just proved to be a total badass.
After notching his fourth successful title defense, Jonny “Bones’ Jones has matched the mark set by Chuck Liddell, Frank Shamrock and Wanderlei Silva. If there was any doubt before now, there is no doubt remaining. Jon Jones has just joined one of the most hotly debated topics in MMA: Who is the greatest light heavyweight in mixed martial arts history?
So how does he stack up in comparison to the greatest light heavyweights in the history of the sport? What do the numbers say?
First of all, one thing needs to be set straight. The loss to Matt Hamill doesn’t count. That was a garbage loss, pure and simple. How do you “lose” when you beat your opponent so badly that they are unable to stand up to continue the fight? It is just as invalid as FedorEmelianenko losing to TsuyoshiKohsaka and Anderson Silva losing to YushinOkami. The Matt Hamill fight is a no contest as far as I’m concerned.
So with that in mind, let’s look at what the numbers have to say. Here are the five best light heavyweights in MMA history in order of dominance.
Jon Jones: 17 wins, 0 losses, 1 NC. He has finished in 82 percent of his wins, his longest winning streak is 17 and he now has four title defenses.
Wanderlei Silva: 34 wins, 12 losses, 1 draw, 1 NC. Wandy finished in 79 percent of his wins, his longest winning streak was 14 fights and he had four successful title defenses.
Frank Shamrock: 23 wins, 10 losses, 2 draws. Shamrock finished in 70 percent of his wins, his longest winning streak was 11 fights and he had four successful title defenses.
Chuck Liddell: 21 wins, 8 losses. Chuck finished in 66 percent of his wins, his longest winning streak was 10 fights long and he had four successful title defenses
Tito Ortiz: 16 wins, 11 losses, 1 draw. Ortiz finished in 69 percent of his wins, his longest winning streak was six fights and he had five successful title defenses.
Whether it’s by sheer dominance, overcoming adversity, winning streak, highest rate of finishing opponents or anything else you can dream up, Jon Jones is the greatest light heavyweight ever. There really isn’t any room for debate.
I’m sure there will still be some doubters and haters who will cavalierly point out, “Yeah but Tito Ortiz still has more title defenses.” And they’re right, Tito still has one more title defense than Jones. To completely end all doubt, Jones needs to defend two more times.
Ideally, those victories should come against top opponents. The winner of Gustafsson vs. Shogun should get the next crack at Jon Jones’ title. The winner of LyotoMachida vs. Dan Henderson should get the next shot after that.
This is where ChaelSonnen‘s big mouth might become a liability to Jon Jones’ legacy. If Sonnen beats Forrest Griffin, the UFC and fans of the sport will probably start demanding ChaelSonnen vs. Jon Jones. Jones will win, no question about it. And years from now, history will see that fight for what it really is: A crap win over a completely undeserving title challenger.
If Chael is allowed to cut in line and becomes Jones’ fifth or sixth title defense, Jones might need seven defenses to truly seal the deal.
Jon Jones may be a lot like Terrell Owens: He’s a public relations disaster more often than not, making his phenomenal career accomplishments lose some of their luster. But at the end of the day, Jones is already the greatest light heavyweight fighter of all time.
Shogun Rua. Rampage Jackson. Lyoto Machida. Rashad Evans. Vitor Belfort.All five men are former UFC champions at 205 pounds, and all five have fallen at the hands of reigning champion Jon Jones.When top contenders continue to come up short, a weight cl…
All five men are former UFC champions at 205 pounds, and all five have fallen at the hands of reigning champion Jon Jones.
When top contenders continue to come up short, a weight class can begin to look smaller than it actually is. The five men listed above are all quality fighters who can beat other members of the elite on any given night. However, none of these fighters would cause fans to get excited.
Who wants to see a rematch of a one-sided fight? Aside from Mr. Belfort‘s near submission on Saturday’s card, Jones was in control of nearly every minute during competition with these athletes.
While many feel that Dan Henderson is the best candidate for the next title shot, Hendo vs. Jones doesn’t have the same appeal that it originally did. Seemingly, the fallout from UFC 151 undid the bout, as fans fell in love with the idea of a surprise title contender: Chael P. Sonnen.
UFC 151 should not have been canceled. We had a champion who was trained and ready to fight. We had a challenger who was willing to step into the cage on only eight days notice. We had 10 other fights with warriors who were primed and ready to roll.
Unfortunately, Jones refused to sign on for the Sonnen fight, the event was scrapped, and Bones instantly became one of the most despised men in the sport. As an effect of Jones’ fall from grace, Sonnen used his gift of gab to repeatedly slam the champion for his lack of courage and warrior’s spirit.
The endless stream of insults kept Sonnen in demand for a title shot with Anderson Silva down at middleweight, and they have had a similar effect in his 205-pound home.
There is no fight more sellable than a battle between Jon Jones and the man he deemed too dangerous to fight on only eight days notice. Is Jones scared of Sonnen? Will Sonnen be the first man to score a takedown on Jones?
(Oh man. That kick was about six inches away from being the greatest DQ of all time.)
In case you missed Saturday night’s action, we’ve compiled 12 of UFC 152‘s best highlights in GIF form, from the gnarly stoppages to the memorable post-fight moments. Follow the “next page” links starting after the jump, or just use the direct links below. Special thanks to BloodyElbow and Cameldog for the hookups.
(Oh man. That kick was about six inches away from being the greatest DQ of all time.)
In case you missed Saturday night’s action, we’ve compiled 12 of UFC 152‘s best highlights in GIF form, from the gnarly stoppages to the memorable post-fight moments. Follow the “next page” links starting below, or just use the direct links below. Special thanks to BloodyElbow and Cameldog for the hookups.
Not all fights are created equal. That’s the reason why Dana White and Co. started giving away cash prizes to the duo who put on the best bout of the night.On a night where the main card was slightly shuffled and had a lot of gold on the line, fans wer…
Not all fights are created equal. That’s the reason why Dana White and Co. started giving away cash prizes to the duo who put on the best bout of the night.
On a night where the main card was slightly shuffled and had a lot of gold on the line, fans were expecting their money’s worth when the UFC 152 Pay-Per-View began.
Five fights occurred on the main card and each one had its own strengths and weaknesses. Some will be memorable for their exciting action. A couple aren’t going to mean much in the long run, but some made an undeniable imprint on the sport.
Here is the power ranking of UFC 152’s main card bouts.
What defines greatness? That is a very difficult question to answer. Is it defined by being so dominant that the fighter never even comes close to defeat? Or does come when fighters overcome adversity and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat? 
