Tag: Jon Jones

Anderson Silva vs. Jon Jones: Who Ya Got?

Anderson Silva is still considered by the majority of fans to be the pound-for-pound best fighter in mixed martial arts while Jon Jones is considered to be both the present and future of this sport.So, if they ever fought, who ya got?  The St…

Anderson Silva is still considered by the majority of fans to be the pound-for-pound best fighter in mixed martial arts while Jon Jones is considered to be both the present and future of this sport.

So, if they ever fought, who ya got? 

 

The Stand-Up Game

There is no denying Silva is the most dangerous and versatile striker currently competing inside the cage. If a fight with “The Spider” stays standing, it’s not a matter if if but when he will finish his foe off with lethality. If Silva vs. Jones were to collide in a K-1 fight, where it stays upright, it’s likely most would side with Silva.

That might be selling Jones a bit short, though.

His Muay Thai is actually quite good. From his clinch work to kicks, Jones is dangerous on his feet. He possesses that ridiculous 84-inch reach which puts everyone he faces at a genetic disadvantage. When he starts throwing flying knees, spinning elbows and whatever else he wants…all of it has the potential to deliver tipping point damage. 

But those types of flashy moves could certainly backfire against the pinpoint attack of Silva. Jones would likely be pensive against Silva like he was against Lyoto Machida at UFC 140. Machida was able to tag “Bones” with a solid shot but was ultimately unable to capitalize before getting chocked lifeless in the second round.

In the end, Jones would not want to get into a fire fight with Silva; rather use everything in his stand up arsenal to keep Silva in check and look for his opening to take the fight to ground. 

 

Ground Fight

If Jones got Silva to the ground, and was on top, he would certainly be in his element. If Chael Sonnen was able to take down and lay on top of Silva for four-and-a-half rounds then imagine what Jones could do with a reach which allows him to wing his elbows over and around his opponents with bad intentions (think Brandon Vera’s broken orbital bone).

While Jones is not fully marinated on the ground, it is hard to imagine Silva being able to submit Jones due to Bones’ combination of length and physicality. The most likely scenario would seem to be Silva struggling to keep Jones at bay. Anything is possible, though as Silva is a cagey BJJ black belt. 

 

Intangibles

Jones is young, incredibly athletic and seems to have an air of inevitability about him. He is like Luke Skywalker, or Neo in the Matrix, coming into their own. Silva, on the other hand, is wise beyond his years—a Yoda or Morpheus if you will. Time is not on his side, though and you wonder when his body will finally betray him.

Jones is still progressing, Silva has not visibly started his decline.

 

So How Does It End?

If Silva can keep the fight standing long enough, it certainly favors him ending it by T(KO) and if Jones can keep it on the ground, he likely ends it by T(KO). And, either could in theory end things via submission with Silva pulling it off with some sort of favorable position while Jones doing so based on an opening after accumulated damage.

Unfortunately, this fight is unlikely to happen and fans will be left to pine over what could have been while pundits can only speculate on what the outcome might have been. While it will never satiate us, it will keep our mouths watering for years to come and beyond.

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Brian Stann Hired as Analyst for Future UFC on FOX Events


Props: @BrianStann

If nothing else, at least the commentary will be much better for UFC on FOX 3 than the organization’s previous attempts on the network.

Those of you who tuned in for UFC on FUEL: Sanchez vs. Ellenberger more than likely left impressed by Brian Stann’s commentary throughout the evening. Already known for his ability to produce the most professional responses during interviews at will, Brian Stann seamlessly transitioned to the role of analyst. Stann was very confident while analyzing the fights, handling his first commentary gig like it was just another day at the office. Needless to say, the impressive showing granted him a role as an analyst for future UFC on FOX events.

The UFC’s attempts to give fighters active roles as commentators during UFC on FOX broadcasts have seen mixed results. The organization’s debut on FOX saw Brock Lesnar do a great job in both analyzing the fights and promoting his upcoming bout with Overeem. However, when Lesnar lost that fight and subsequently retired, the UFC could not continue to use him. It attempted to fill the void he left with UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture and Light-Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.


Props: @BrianStann

If nothing else, at least the commentary will be much better for UFC on FOX 3 than the organization’s previous attempts on the network.

Those of you who tuned in for UFC on FUEL: Sanchez vs. Ellenberger more than likely left impressed by Brian Stann’s commentary throughout the evening. Already known for his ability to produce the most professional responses during interviews at will, Brian Stann seamlessly transitioned to the role of analyst. Stann was very confident while analyzing the fights, handling his first commentary gig like it was just another day at the office. Needless to say, the impressive showing granted him a role as an analyst for future UFC on FOX events.

The UFC’s attempts to give fighters active roles as commentators during UFC on FOX broadcasts have seen mixed results. The organization’s debut on FOX saw Brock Lesnar do a great job in both analyzing the fights and promoting his upcoming bout with Overeem. However, when Lesnar lost that fight and subsequently retired, the UFC could not continue to use him. It attempted to fill the void he left with UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture and Light-Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.

Any momentum that Randy Couture built with his solid commentary during UFC on FOX 2 was completely destroyed by Jon Jones’ nightmarish performance. From blatantly reading his “analysis” (perhaps “his” analysis is more appropriate) of the fights to nervously laughing his way through questions about Rashad Evans, Jones couldn’t have done a worse job at earning new fans for both himself and the UFC if he choked out Curt Menefee and refused to check on him. At least Evans seemed to enjoy Jones’ performance, albeit for the wrong reasons.

Before Stann’s next commentary gig, he has a fight against Alessio Sakara at UFC on FUEL 2. That fight goes down on April 14th in Stockholm, Sweden.

Rampage: "I Still Think I Can Win My Title Back from Jones"

The second time could be the charm if Quinton “Rampage” Jackson gets his way. Despite losing to Jon Jones at UFC 135, the former UFC light heavyweight champion’s determination hasn’t wavered. He still believes he’ll be champion again someday, regardles…

The second time could be the charm if Quinton “Rampage” Jackson gets his way.

Despite losing to Jon Jones at UFC 135, the former UFC light heavyweight champion’s determination hasn’t wavered.

He still believes he’ll be champion again someday, regardless of who’s holding the title.

In a special blog for Yahoo! Sports, Jackson talks about the loss to Jones, his return to Japan and his upcoming bout against Ryan Bader.

“I still think I can win my title back, and I still think I can even win it back from Jon Jones, but I would have to execute the game plan. Jones was very good on the night. He did what he had to with his style and stopped me doing what I needed to do. Respect to him.”

Jackson, who has been criticized in the past for a lack of motivation, poured his heart and pocket into training for the Jones bout. It’s rumored the former Pride star spent a whopping $1 million on his training camp for the bout.

Unfortunately, none of it was enough to deter Jones, who is easily one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

“I worked so hard for the Jones fight in September. I trained my ass off. As I said before the fight, I was in the best shape of my life, but in the octagon, I didn’t perform like I should have done. It is frustrating for me, and I feel bad for all my team who got me ready for that Jon Jones fight. I still want my belt back. I will always think of that belt as mine, even when I’m an old, bald wrinkled ass man. I’m very, very proud of unifying that UFC belt with the Pride belt, and for that reason, a little bit of me will always think of that belt as belonging to me.”

Jackson wasn’t able to come away with the win, but he should at least be able to take a moral victory away from the experience. Jones has virtually destroyed every light heavyweight in his path, but out of the fallen, Jackson, who was submitted by Jones in the fourth round, managed to survive the longest.

A rematch against Jones could be in Jackson’s future, but it would be unwise to look past Bader, a former top-10 light heavyweight. Jackson and Bader are slated to do battle at UFC 144 on February 26 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

“Nothin’ is promised to no one. I should beat Ryan Bader at UFC 144 in Japan next Saturday––and I plan on knocking his ass out in front of my Japanese fans––but I’ve put in the work in the gym to make sure I do that. I get to fight in Japan for the first time in six years. It’s no secret I love Japan. Japan is where I became an MMA fighter. It is where I made a name for myself and learned how to kick ass. The fans there are so respectful. I can’t wait to perform for them again. I really, really want a sick knockout for them, and maybe even I’ll do my powerbomb if Bader is dumb enough to give me the chance.”

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Rashad Evans Says Title Bout "Won’t Go Five Rounds" Against Jon Jones at UFC 145

It didn’t take long for the trash talk to resurface between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones, who are set to meet in the main event at UFC 145 on April 21st.The ongoing feud between Evans and Jones has intrigued fans ever since the announcement of their titl…

It didn’t take long for the trash talk to resurface between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones, who are set to meet in the main event at UFC 145 on April 21st.

The ongoing feud between Evans and Jones has intrigued fans ever since the announcement of their title bout, originally scheduled for UFC 133 last year.

The bitter rivals have spent a few years training side-by-side at Greg Jackson’s MMA and know each other better than anyone in the UFC. It has led Evans to approach the bout without caution and hesitation, since he’s familiar with Jones’ style. He thinks he can recapture the UFC light heavyweight title.

“I’ve got big advantages knowing what he’s going to do, just knowing the range, where I need to fight him at,” Evans told MMAWeekly.com. “I already know what I need to do.”

While Jones’ recent dominance throughout the 205-pound division has impressed many fans, it hasn’t phased the 32-year-old Evans. Like Jones, Evans also held the light heavyweight crown at one point, looking every bit as dominant, before relinquishing the belt to Lyoto Machida at UFC 98 in 2009.

Evans pointed to the previous champions who have fallen from grace, and he claims Jones’ reign will come to an end in similar fashion.

“There’s been so many people like him that’s always been ‘the one.’ That’s the secret, there is no ‘one,’” he said. “Anybody can lose, any given day, and he’s going to find that out.”

With just over two months to go before their anticipated title bout, both Evans and Jones will likely continue to take verbal jabs at one another. But when asked on his prediction of the fight, Evans made a bold statement.

“This fight won’t go five rounds,” he said. 

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Video Roundup: Jon Jones Gets Mauled, Behind-the-Scenes of the Rousey/Tate Promo, & More

We’re not exactly sure where the correlation between mixed martial arts fighters and police dog demonstrations started, but man if it isn’t glorious every time. Released by the Network of Champions, this video is the first in a series that features current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones going through the Birmingham Sheriff Department’s training routine. Jones was also allowed to partake in some EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operation Control) training, some simulated gun play, and even got to hip toss a fool who decided to get fresh with him. Don’t worry officer, it could have been worse.

As you may or may not know, Jones received a degree in criminal justice from Iowa Central Community College back in 2005, so perhaps he was a little more prepared to take a mauling than the average UFC fighter. Bones attests that the dog was racist, and history tells us that he was probably right.

Join us after the jump for a behind the scenes look at the awesome Rousey/Tate promo Strikeforce managed to muster up and more.

We’re not exactly sure where the correlation between mixed martial arts fighters and police dog demonstrations started, but man if it isn’t glorious every time. Released by the Network of Champions, this video is the first in a series that features current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones going through the Birmingham Sheriff Department’s training routine. Jones was also allowed to partake in some EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operation Control) training, some simulated gun play, and even got to hip toss a fool who decided to get fresh with him. Don’t worry officer, it could have been worse.

As you may or may not know, Jones received a degree in criminal justice from Iowa Central Community College back in 2005, so perhaps he was a little more prepared to take a mauling than the average UFC fighter. Bones attests that the dog was racist, and history tells us that he was probably right.

Behind the Scenes with Meisha Tate and Ronda Rousey

Showtime Sports recently released a behind the scenes look at that, let’s call it “intriguing” promo they managed to put together for the upcoming women’s Bantamweight title fight between challenger Ronda Rousey and champion Meisha Tate. In it, both women talk about their affection for getting “all girly,” a sentiment that Rousey can’t even say without coming across like a foul, yet beautiful mouthed trucker. God, the sexual tension between these two is killing me.

Pat Barry Gets Blazered 

Video number seven in UFC Heavyweight Pat Barry‘s “I Hate” series takes us to the dreaded eye doctor, where he appears to be getting a retinal scan of some sort. As a guy with roughly 20/60 vision, I have received these kinds of “exams” before, and let me tell you, the pain in Barry’s face doesn’t even BEGIN to describe how mind-numbingly awful this experience is. More often than not, your eyes are actually dilated before they shine the light of the Covenant into them. I’m pretty sure a tattoo on your cornea would hurt less.

And finally, check out this look back at “Judo” Gene Lebell’s 1963 match against Milo Savage, which was widely considered to be the first mixed rules combat match ever held, compliments of TheFightNerd.com.

-J. Jones

UFC 145: Jon Jones Says Fight with Rashad Evans Will "Bring out the Best" in Him

After nearly a year of anticipating the long-awaited grudge match between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, the wait is finally over.The former teammates will headline UFC 145 on April 21 in a bout that is driven by a personal rivalry more than competition.S…

After nearly a year of anticipating the long-awaited grudge match between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans, the wait is finally over.

The former teammates will headline UFC 145 on April 21 in a bout that is driven by a personal rivalry more than competition.

Since his ascension in the light heavyweight division last year, Jones has been touted as the “future of the sport,” while Evans has consistently remained one of the top fighters at 205 pounds. The two rivals have worked closely together since training at Greg Jackson’s MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

However, Evans and Jones had a fallout, and it forced “Suga” to train elsewhere. Now he’s with Mike Van Arsdale at Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton, Florida.

Despite the change in scenery, Jones still hasn’t forgotten his past relationship with the former UFC light heavyweight champion and is confident it will motivate him to put on a strong performance. 

“I think that my opponent will be in my head this fight,” Jones said during UFC 145 pre-fight press conference. “And I want him in my head because I realize when people are in my head, it brings out the best in me, and that’s what I’m prepared to show.”

The 24-year-old Jones has built quite the impressive resume over the last year, earning wins over some of the division’s prominent fighters such as Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

But the idea of facing Evans presents a much bigger task for Jones than ever before. It gives the UFC light heavyweight champion the opportunity to solidify his superiority among the rest of the division and exact revenge on an old friend.

And it’s a task he’s thoroughly capable of accepting.

“I’m going to be cliche and say I’m going to go out there with great intentions and train really hard and just have fun,” he said. “I realize when I have fun great things happen. Magical things happen.”

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