Tag: Jon Jones

UFC 136: Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn Banter: Brian Stann, Jon Jones

If coaching one of the most talented and accomplished stables of MMA fighters ever gets old, Mike Winkeljohn and Greg Jackson have a decent shot, if they should choose, at being the MMA equivalent of Click and Clack, aka the Tappet Brothers, hosts of t…

If coaching one of the most talented and accomplished stables of MMA fighters ever gets old, Mike Winkeljohn and Greg Jackson have a decent shot, if they should choose, at being the MMA equivalent of Click and Clack, aka the Tappet Brothers, hosts of the radio show Car Talk. They could call themselves the Tapout Brothers.

I learned this about them the hard way, when I showed up at their Albuquerque gym to chat about fighters and fights. I wanted to talk about Jon Jones’ kicks to Quinton Jackson’s knees, and how Brian Stann is going to stop Chael Sonnen’s double-leg, and Leonard Garcia’s first injury-free fight in as long as anyone can remember. And we did. We also talked about a whole bunch of things I wasn’t expecting, like aliens, spies and the place of stripper poles at Team Jackson Winkeljohn.

As with the Tappet Brothers, when you ask the two legendary coaches a serious question, they proceed to clown you, laugh until they’re out of breath, and provide spot-on insight into your question—all at the same time.

Did I endure humiliation, confusion and ridicule in order to get you answers to some of MMA’s most burning questions? Yes, I did. But hey, at least this time Winkeljohn was kind enough to put his pants on, unlike the last time I spoke with the Tapout Brothers after UFC 128.

Those who want to see the Tapout Brothers’ unique charms, feel free to click on the two embedded videos. For those of you who don’t have time for the comedy act and just want your sound bites, here you go.

On Jon Jones’ hurt foot during his title defense against Quinton Jackson at UFC 135

Winkeljohn: Rampage checked one of the kicks that caught him on top of his foot. It happens to everybody that throws a lot of kicks. Fighters just deal with it. ­

Jackson: I think it was aliens shooting laser beams at his feet.

Winkeljohn: I thought the aliens told us not to tell anyone.

On Jones starting out that fight by walking from his corner on all fours

Winkeljohn: I thought that was your idea.

Jackson: For the first 30 seconds I turned to my big brother and said something to the effect of “what is he doing?”

Winkeljohn: I was just hoping he wasn’t picking up that hand and getting kicked in the face.

Jackson: But you know I love that stuff. Anything artistic and creative that puts your opponent a little off like “uh what’s gonna happen,” I like that.

On Jones’ multiple kicks to “Rampage’s” knee

Winkeljohn: People keep thinking that stuff’s illegal. You know what, you’re allowed to give someone brain damage but you can’t hurt their knee? It just doesn’t make sense to me. I knew we had the fight when [Jackson] was looking at the referee like, “um, um, he’s hurting my knee.” That was…

Jackson: …definitely a tell.

Winkeljohn: That was a great moment.

Jackson: Cross kicks to the knee are legal. And we’ll do whatever’s legal. If you make the technique illegal we’ll no longer use it.

On Steven Seagal’s attempt to visit Jones’ dressing room before the fight

Winkeljohn I don’t understand the reason for wanting to come last minute. If you want to help Jon out, you know, two months before the fight come talk to him if you have something important. IF. But right before the fight, that doesn’t make sense to me at all.

On Leonard Garcia vs Nam Phan at UFC 136

Jackson: This is the first fight in like six fights Leonard hasn’t had some severe injury. It will be fun to see what he can do.

Winkeljohn: Leonard is in his best shape ever.

Jackson: Nam Phan is super tricky and super crafty, and hopefully we can get around it.

(Jackson also acknowledged the judges got it wrong in the first fight, but has been on the other end of a bad decision enough times to not feel the least bit bad about it.)

On how Brian Stann will stop Chael Sonnen’s takedowns

Jackson: Groin strikes

Winkeljohn: I told him to turn and run. Get Chael tired

(more absurdity) 

Winkeljohn: Stopping Chael’s takedown, that’s tough. That’s the crux. That’s huge. There’s no doubt about it. But we plan on putting some pain on him on the way.

Jackson: The other thing about Chael is that he’s got really good kickboxing. If you notice when he fought Okami, he didn’t really ground and pound Okami. Okami was able to get up every time.  But [Sonnen] out-did him on his feet. So he’s a dangerous guy all the way around. And hopefully big bro and I have done our job enough where we’ll be able to shut that down.

(Translation: Okami provided the blueprint for standing up when Chael took him down. Brian can follow this blueprint to keep the fight standing.)

On Melvin Guillard spending a week at Imperial Athletics in Florida.

Jackson: It’s odd to me that everyone’s like “oh my god.” A lot of our guys go other places and train.

Winkeljohn: I told Melvin if he learns something cool come back and show me, and he did.


We ended with a round of picks for upcoming fights:


Frankie Edgar vs Gray Maynard III

Jackson: I’m think a 155 pounder will win.

Winkeljohn: Flip a coin.

Jose Aldo vs Kenny Florian

Winkeljohn: From day one I’ve always thought Aldo was fantastic, but I think he’s been a little exposed a bit as of late. And Florian is definitely a smart guy. So if anybody can take advantage of looking at tape that would be Kenny. 

Anthony Pettis vs Jeremy Stephens

Jackson: That’s two very talented guys. Stephens hits hard, and Pettis is slick. And Duke Rufus is a great trainer.

Winkeljohn: I’m a go with Pettis to out-point Stephens in that one. I think Pettis can move around and avoid the power.

Brock Lesnar vs Alistair Overeem

Jackson: That’s the classic striker vs grappler. If Lesnar can get him down, might be Lesnar. If Overeem can either get up or hit him…

Winkeljohn: I think if Overeem can stuff a couple takedowns or avoid a couple first takedowns…

Junior dos Santos vs Cain Velasquez

Jackson: Dos Santos has that jab. It’s a beautiful thing. Cain’s got great combos. As usual I have know idea. I don’t even watch fighting.

Winkeljohn: It depends on how tight Cain can stay, and get in there. I’m leaning towards Junior on that one. Ever so slightly.

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UFC 140: What Lyoto Machida Must Do to Pull the Upset over Jon Jones

When it comes to hype, nobody does it better than the UFC.From Royce, to Tito, to Hughes, to Chuck, to St. Pierre, to Silva, to Lesnar, it’s been evident from the beginning that the UFC has a recipe for pushing their guys as unbeatable physical spec…

When it comes to hype, nobody does it better than the UFC.

From Royce, to Tito, to Hughes, to Chuck, to St. Pierre, to Silva, to Lesnar, it’s been evident from the beginning that the UFC has a recipe for pushing their guys as unbeatable physical specimens.

The latest example? None other than reigning and defending 205-pound champion Jon Jones. Jones burst onto the MMA scene at UFC 87 against Andre Gusmao and hasn’t looked back.

Showing new skills, new techniques and an improved overall game every time out, Jones has built a record of 14-1 (7-1 UFC), with the lone loss being the infamous disqualification loss to Matt Hamill at the TUF: Heavyweights finale.

From throwing Stephan Bonnar around like a rag doll to bringing unprecedented violence to Brandon Vera’s face, onlookers knew early that Jones was something special.

The prophecy came to fruition at UFC 128, when a vicious TKO stoppage in the Mauricio Rua fight brought Jones to the helm of his sport as the new UFC champion.

At UFC 140, Jones makes his second title defense, this time against former champion Lyoto Machida. Machida is coming in as a heavy underdog (+275) early according to our friends over at betonfighting.com.

But that’s not to say that the upset is impossible. Matt Serra showed the world that when the cage door locks shut, anything is possible.

The real question is, what can Machida do to knock the Jon Jones train off it’s tracks?

 

Movement

Machida has developed a reputation for an unorthodox style, involving loads of movement, odd angles and crisp striking. His hit-and-run style carried him to the top of the division once before, and he’ll need to be at the top of his game for this one.

Navigating the unbelievable reach advantage Jones has over his opponents is no easy task, especially given the angles Jones creates to strike from. With busy footwork, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Machida can generate a higher work rate, translating to positive scores from judges. 

 

Leg Kicks

The inside leg kick needs to be Machida’s best friend in this fight.  Not only will it help keep the distance, but it’s also a useful technique in slowing down your opponent.

Given Jones’ speed, this needs to be a priority. The inside leg kick also sets up a variety of other kicks, including the crane kick used to knock out Randy Couture in Machida’s last outing.

 

Takedown Defense

Possibly the most important thing for Machida is to keep off his back. Despite his rank of black belt in BJJ, we haven’t seen much of it in his UFC career.

Tito Ortiz gave him trouble from top control at UFC 84 and we’ve all grown familiar with the amount of damage Jones can do from the same positions.

Constant circling, proper use of the wizzer and knees on the shot will be crucial to this, especially given the speed with which Jones shoots.

It will be a tall task for Machida on December 10th, as nobody has so much put Jones in trouble to this point in his career. With this game plan and maybe a little luck, Machida just may be the man for the job. 

 

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UFC 140 Fight Card: 4 Reasons Jon Jones Will Destroy Lyoto Machida

Lyoto Machida finally has an opponent lined up and it will be none other than UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. UFC president Dana White broke the news today on Twitter, announcing the fight as the main event of UFC 140. Jones recently defended…

Lyoto Machida finally has an opponent lined up and it will be none other than UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

UFC president Dana White broke the news today on Twitter, announcing the fight as the main event of UFC 140.

Jones recently defended his title for the first time against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135.

The last time we saw Machida he was retiring Randy Couture with an amazing jumping front kick that KO’d the UFC legend.

Machida will be Jones’ toughest test to date. His style of elusive karate is one of the hardest for fighters to figure out.

Despite this, Jones will find a way to beat Machida. Here are the reasons why.

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Betting on Jon Jones against Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 is a Great Way to Make 100 Bucks…if You Have the 375 to Lay Down…

Source: MMA Mania It was announced today that due to his pesky thumb injury which requires necessary rehab, Rashad Evans was forced to pull out of a title-shot with Jon Jones and thus, Lyoto Machida.

Source: MMA Mania

It was announced today that due to his pesky thumb injury which requires necessary rehab, Rashad Evans was forced to pull out of a title-shot with Jon Jones and thus, Lyoto Machida has stepped in as the new UFC Light Heavyweight champion contender at UFC 140. And with the announcement came the early lines drawn for Jones vs. Machida with oddsmakers  placing Jones as a *reasonable (-375) favorite to Machida as a (+275) long shot. I say reasonable because Jones went as high as a (-700) favorite in his recent fight against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

Are the odds pretty good here from a betting stand point? They are if you consider Machida’s last win was against Randy Couture back in April at UFC 129 with a kick that sealed his retirement. But before that he lost to the two opponents Jones beat to earn and retain the UFC Light Heavyweight title (Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Granted that crane like Karate Kid style kick Machida landed on Couture was an epic moment in UFC history (and apparently we can thank Steven Seagal for it) but considering that Randy was a 47 year old fighter planning for his own retirement,  it’s not really enough to make us open our wallets and lay down the dog money for Machida on this fight with Jones.

If you do plan on betting Jon Jones, you should do it now, as the odds gap is bound to widen, at least nearing a (-500) in Jones’ favor.

Rashad Evans Says ‘It Ain’t No Thang’ That The UFC is Giving Another One of His Title Shots Away to Machida


(“It is what it is…or somethin’ like that.”)

Seemingly perpetual number one UFC light heavyweight contender Rashad Evans took the diplomatic approach today when addressing the news that Lyoto Machida will be leapfrogging him to a shot at the promotion’s current 205-pound champion, Jon Jones at UFC 140 in December. In a statement released by his management group, Authentic Sports Management, Evans explained that that the injured thumb he incurred in his UFC 133 bout with Tito Ortiz back in August will likely require an additional three weeks of rehab before he can resume training, meaning his camp would only be six-and-a-half weeks, leaving him without sufficient time to prepare for such an important bout.

“After my last fight against Tito Ortiz, I dislocated my right thumb, which required it to be set back in place and held with pins. 24 hours ago, my physician removed the pins,” Evans explained. “At that time, I learned that it would require another three weeks of rehabilitation before engaging in any exercise or training that would require the use of my hand.”


(“It is what it is…or somethin’ like that.”)

Seemingly perpetual number one UFC light heavyweight contender Rashad Evans took the diplomatic approach today when addressing the news that Lyoto Machida will be leapfrogging him to a shot at the promotion’s current 205-pound champion, Jon Jones at UFC 140 in December. In a statement released by his management group, Authentic Sports Management, Evans explained that that the injured thumb he incurred in his UFC 133 bout with Tito Ortiz back in August will likely require an additional three weeks of rehab before he can resume training, meaning his camp would only be six-and-a-half weeks, leaving him without sufficient time to prepare for such an important bout.

“After my last fight against Tito Ortiz, I dislocated my right thumb, which required it to be set back in place and held with pins. 24 hours ago, my physician removed the pins,” Evans explained. “At that time, I learned that it would require another three weeks of rehabilitation before engaging in any exercise or training that would require the use of my hand.”

Evans also mentioned that Dana White called him to let him know what his plans were and that he gave the UFC president his blessing.

“Dana White and I spoke earlier today, and I fully understand his decision to put Machida against Jones for the title at UFC 140. Given the rehabilitation time I require for my dislocated thumb, I would not be 100 percent ready by December 10,” Evans said. “The UFC has to keep making fights that entertain the fans. I would have done the same thing as Dana in his position. I’m asking for the fans to support me as I rehabilitate my hand, and I promise I will be back fighting very quickly.”

Knowing Rashad’s luck, the winner of the bout will likely sustain an injury that will sideline him for most of 2012 and Rashad will take a fight with Phil Davis in the meantime and lose.

Lyoto Machida Ready for Jon Jones at UFC 140, Anticipates a "Strategic Bout"

Lyoto Machida will finally get his chance to compete in the Octagon again before the end of the year. After learning of Rashad Evans’ hand injury, UFC President Dana White announced “The Dragon” will step in for the former UFC light heavyweight ch…

Lyoto Machida will finally get his chance to compete in the Octagon again before the end of the year. 

After learning of Rashad Evans’ hand injury, UFC President Dana White announced “The Dragon” will step in for the former UFC light heavyweight champion to face Jon Jones at UFC 140 on December 10 in Toronto. 

While speaking to TATAME.com, Machida said he received information about the potential bout a few days ago and he couldn’t refuse the offer. 

“I accepted immediately, I couldn’t announce it at the time, though,” Machida said. “In the morning I went to give a class and, when I came back, the contract was there for me to sign it. It was a reason for me to be happy, because that’s why we enter these battles for.”

The Brazilian is 2-2 in his last four bouts, and although it isn’t the most impressive record to earn a title shot, Machida was fortunate to be offered the opportunity.

A lot of fans have requested a bout between the two competitors because of the potential challenges that Machida presents to Jones, stylistically. Machida said he has always been aware of Jones’ style, which he compares to his own.

While he admits he hasn’t focused on Jones entirely, partially due to his own preparations for bouts against Randy Couture and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, respectively, Machida said he is completely focused and prepared to compete against the champion. 

“It’ll be a strategic bout, he’s a guy who studies his opponents and so do I,” he said. “Now he’s my opponent, it’s set in stone. From this moment on the study will reinforced, and the dedication too.”

Machida is coming off a knockout victory over Randy Couture at UFC 129, which saw him snap a two-fight losing streak. Meanwhile, Jones will make his second title defense and will be competing in his fourth bout this year.

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