With his second-round TKO win at UFC 140 on Saturday night, Jon Jones might well be off to the greatest career start in MMA history.
Through 16 pro fights, he has only lost once, in a fight he thoroughly dominated before making a mistake by throwing illegal downward elbows and getting disqualified. Since then he has been nearly flawless in the cage. He has defeated three former UFC champions in a nine-month span. He has finished each of his last seven wins in what has historically been MMA‘s most competitive division.
But there are still challenges waiting ahead of him. The two biggest threats? No. 1 contender Rashad Evans, who will risk his position to face Phil Davis in January, and sledgehammer-fisted Dan Henderson, who is fresh off his instant classic win over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
After fighting four times in 2011, Jones has a well-deserved vacation coming to him. In the post-fight press conference, he said he would like to take 4-5 months off. But when he comes back, he’ll likely have one of those two lined up to face him.
From a business perspective, the Evans-Jones fight makes more sense as a gate attraction. The two have a built-in rivalry based on their time together as teammates at the Greg Jackson camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico and eventual split after Jones acknowledged that he would fight Evans if the UFC requested it. Since then, there’s been plenty of trash talk between them, and as Jones’ star grows, the possibility of a serious grudge match could sell big. After all, Evans rivalry with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson did over 1 million pay-per-view buys, so why not one with Jones?
From a style matchup, it is intriguing. Jones has yet to face an opponent who offers seamless transitions from striking to wrestling, yet that’s exactly what Evans brings to the table. While the Lyoto Machida matchup puzzle is mostly based on timing, feints and distance, Evans is a legitimate threat with power striking, takedowns and work against the cage, offering a triple threat to contemplate.
But some of the same old, same old would apply. Namely, Evans would be at a massive disadvantage in reach and height, giving up 9.5 inches in the former and 5 inches in the latter, so his challenge like many would be to find a way to get into striking range without taking damage on the way in. That might be a bit tricky for Evans, who often likes to sit back and let his opponent come to him. That particular approach is never going to be the best one against Jones, who is long enough to hit you as you’re simply trying to gauge distance.
Machida, for instance, had his best moments when he was aggressive and flurried while coming forward. When he sat back and countered, Jones fired off kicks to keep him on the defensive. The fight-ending sequence in fact began when Machida patiently waited with his back near the fence, waiting for Jones to fire. When he did, Machida’s counter left hand was quite literally beaten to the punch by Jones’ own left by virtue of his reach. The strike dropped Machida and led to the fight-ending guillotine choke.
Because Evans and Jones trained together for a time, they each have an insight into the other. But I would argue that it benefits Jones. Let’s face it, Evans was much further along in his career at the time and a more fully formed fighter, while Jones was still in the neophyte stages of the game. Which one do you think is more different now? If your answer is Jones, Evans’ memories from their time together are mostly useless.
The interesting thing about Evans is that he doesn’t do any one thing exceptionally. He’s very good at several things, and melds them all together well in a way that makes him hard to prepare for, and harder to beat. That’s what he’d bring to the table against Jones.
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The other option is Henderson, the 41-year-old Californian who some consider the greatest American mixed martial artist in history. A winner of seven of his last eight fights, Henderson has smashed his way through other studs in the past, and his massive right hand can end anyone’s night. Because of that, he might pose the biggest one-punch knockout threat of anyone Jones has ever.
While Jones’ chin was once thought to be a question mark, after having gone through Rua, Machida and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, it’s safe to assume it’s just fine.
Like Evans, Henderson would have to navigate some serious distance to land his punches, as his 74-inch reach puts him at a full 10.5 inches less than Jones.
Stylistically though, a Henderson fight for Jones would be quite similar to his recent fight over Jackson. Henderson certainly has a much more decorated wrestling pedigree than Jackson, but in terms of functional MMA, Jackson is better statistically. According to FightMetric, Henderson successfully defends 58 percent of takedowns against him while Jackson defends 80 percent.
Striking-wise, both Henderson and Jackson are both reliant on their boxing first and foremost, trusting their hands to power them to victory. Obviously, most of the time it works out fine for them. Just because Jackson lost to Jones doesn’t mean Henderson will, but the style and approach would not seem unfamiliar to him, and that’s an edge in his favor.
Both men have legitimate routes to victory. Evans would need to keep Jones off-balance by changing his attacks minute by minute. Jones showed in the Machida fight that he can adjust if you continue the same attack, so variability is a key. And Henderson offers a pure power threat that is probably unmatched right now at 205.
When you look objectively though, Jones’ overall package will continue to make him a favorite to win going forward. He has length and uses it smartly. He is generous with his kicks, keeping his opponent at bay. He switches stances. He throws unorthodox strikes. He is insanely strong in the clinch and has powered every one of his opponents down from the position. He is murder on the ground, particularly with his elbows. He is analytical, processing information and adjusting on the fly. And finally, he has a killer instinct that can not be taught.
Whether it’s Evans or Henderson next — or even Davis, who could crash the party by upsetting Evans — Jones’ next challenger will have his work cut out for him. And if the champion wins and defends the belt again, he will continue what is probably the best start to an MMA career we’ve ever seen.
With his second-round TKO win at UFC 140 on Saturday night, Jon Jones might well be off to the greatest career start in MMA history.
Through 16 pro fights, he has only lost once, in a fight he thoroughly dominated before making a mistake by throwing illegal downward elbows and getting disqualified. Since then he has been nearly flawless in the cage. He has defeated three former UFC champions in a nine-month span. He has finished each of his last seven wins in what has historically been MMA‘s most competitive division.
But there are still challenges waiting ahead of him. The two biggest threats? No. 1 contender Rashad Evans, who will risk his position to face Phil Davis in January, and sledgehammer-fisted Dan Henderson, who is fresh off his instant classic win over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
After fighting four times in 2011, Jones has a well-deserved vacation coming to him. In the post-fight press conference, he said he would like to take 4-5 months off. But when he comes back, he’ll likely have one of those two lined up to face him.
From a business perspective, the Evans-Jones fight makes more sense as a gate attraction. The two have a built-in rivalry based on their time together as teammates at the Greg Jackson camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico and eventual split after Jones acknowledged that he would fight Evans if the UFC requested it. Since then, there’s been plenty of trash talk between them, and as Jones’ star grows, the possibility of a serious grudge match could sell big. After all, Evans rivalry with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson did over 1 million pay-per-view buys, so why not one with Jones?
From a style matchup, it is intriguing. Jones has yet to face an opponent who offers seamless transitions from striking to wrestling, yet that’s exactly what Evans brings to the table. While the Lyoto Machida matchup puzzle is mostly based on timing, feints and distance, Evans is a legitimate threat with power striking, takedowns and work against the cage, offering a triple threat to contemplate.
But some of the same old, same old would apply. Namely, Evans would be at a massive disadvantage in reach and height, giving up 9.5 inches in the former and 5 inches in the latter, so his challenge like many would be to find a way to get into striking range without taking damage on the way in. That might be a bit tricky for Evans, who often likes to sit back and let his opponent come to him. That particular approach is never going to be the best one against Jones, who is long enough to hit you as you’re simply trying to gauge distance.
Machida, for instance, had his best moments when he was aggressive and flurried while coming forward. When he sat back and countered, Jones fired off kicks to keep him on the defensive. The fight-ending sequence in fact began when Machida patiently waited with his back near the fence, waiting for Jones to fire. When he did, Machida’s counter left hand was quite literally beaten to the punch by Jones’ own left by virtue of his reach. The strike dropped Machida and led to the fight-ending guillotine choke.
Because Evans and Jones trained together for a time, they each have an insight into the other. But I would argue that it benefits Jones. Let’s face it, Evans was much further along in his career at the time and a more fully formed fighter, while Jones was still in the neophyte stages of the game. Which one do you think is more different now? If your answer is Jones, Evans’ memories from their time together are mostly useless.
The interesting thing about Evans is that he doesn’t do any one thing exceptionally. He’s very good at several things, and melds them all together well in a way that makes him hard to prepare for, and harder to beat. That’s what he’d bring to the table against Jones.
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The other option is Henderson, the 41-year-old Californian who some consider the greatest American mixed martial artist in history. A winner of seven of his last eight fights, Henderson has smashed his way through other studs in the past, and his massive right hand can end anyone’s night. Because of that, he might pose the biggest one-punch knockout threat of anyone Jones has ever.
While Jones’ chin was once thought to be a question mark, after having gone through Rua, Machida and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, it’s safe to assume it’s just fine.
Like Evans, Henderson would have to navigate some serious distance to land his punches, as his 74-inch reach puts him at a full 10.5 inches less than Jones.
Stylistically though, a Henderson fight for Jones would be quite similar to his recent fight over Jackson. Henderson certainly has a much more decorated wrestling pedigree than Jackson, but in terms of functional MMA, Jackson is better statistically. According to FightMetric, Henderson successfully defends 58 percent of takedowns against him while Jackson defends 80 percent.
Striking-wise, both Henderson and Jackson are both reliant on their boxing first and foremost, trusting their hands to power them to victory. Obviously, most of the time it works out fine for them. Just because Jackson lost to Jones doesn’t mean Henderson will, but the style and approach would not seem unfamiliar to him, and that’s an edge in his favor.
Both men have legitimate routes to victory. Evans would need to keep Jones off-balance by changing his attacks minute by minute. Jones showed in the Machida fight that he can adjust if you continue the same attack, so variability is a key. And Henderson offers a pure power threat that is probably unmatched right now at 205.
When you look objectively though, Jones’ overall package will continue to make him a favorite to win going forward. He has length and uses it smartly. He is generous with his kicks, keeping his opponent at bay. He switches stances. He throws unorthodox strikes. He is insanely strong in the clinch and has powered every one of his opponents down from the position. He is murder on the ground, particularly with his elbows. He is analytical, processing information and adjusting on the fly. And finally, he has a killer instinct that can not be taught.
Whether it’s Evans or Henderson next — or even Davis, who could crash the party by upsetting Evans — Jones’ next challenger will have his work cut out for him. And if the champion wins and defends the belt again, he will continue what is probably the best start to an MMA career we’ve ever seen.
In Antonio “Big Nog” Nogueira’s rematch for redemption against Frank Mir last night at UFC 140, the former UFC and Pride champion suffered the worst loss of his storied career by losing on the ground to a vicious arm-breaking kimura. …
In Antonio “Big Nog” Nogueira’s rematch for redemption against Frank Mir last night at UFC 140, the former UFC and Pride champion suffered the worst loss of his storied career by losing on the ground to a vicious arm-breaking kimura. If you were lucky enough to see Mir’s handy work on a big screen, let that brutal replay sink in and allow the significance to stew.
The quick answer to the headline’s question is a hospital, loads of painkillers, a sport’s psychiatrist and a long, tough period of reflection to see where his career can go after such a disappointing loss.
There really seems to be no contentious room at heavyweight for Nogueira anymore or any true reason to continue his fight career, considering everything this living legend has done for the sport, fans and himself.
Guys like Chuck Lidell, Tito Ortiz and Wanderlei Silva, who have accomplished the same past accolades and status as Nogueira, never want to let go of former glory when the time is right. Unfortunately, as history as taught us, a turbulent ending is—in most cases—an inevitable part of being a legendary fighter in mixed martial arts.
Most fighters lack the lasting durability and competitiveness of the Randy Coutures of the world, who continued to be a legitimate force while extending his prime well past what makes biological sense. But, the same strong desires and passion to step in the Octagon against the best in the world is both a gift and a curse, blinding their ability to call it quits on a high note before going out on their shields.
Even Couture’s exit from the sport wasn’t bulletproof. Though he maintained very well in the lasting days of his career, he still retired on a devastating front snap-kick knockout by a younger, quicker, stronger Lyoto Machida.
Liddell was finally forced to retire after winning only one out of his last six fights and being on the wrong end of a knockout highlight reel four out of those five loses.
Silva has yet to retire, coming off a recent win over Cung Le that is sparking a small amount of hope in fans that the “Axe Murderer” may be able to finish up his career in a fashion that somewhat resembles his former self.
Despite being an adored fan favorite, like all the previously mentioned fighters, Nogueira’s submission loss to Mir should mark the end of his career—it certainly marks the end of his relevancy in the division, beyond selling tickets. He not only lost an important rematch, he lost his status as the greatest heavyweight ground specialist in the world, a title that Mir no longer covets because he possesses it.
Nogueira got beat in the most decisive way possible at his own game. There is nothing left for him to prove. The unpleasant reality of getting older is a hard pill to swallow in day-to-day life, let alone in the most competitive combat sport on the planet. If Big Nog’s skills have demised to the point of no return, he has no reason to continue and risk marring the final act of a grand career.
Will he retire? Probably not; his pride has been cut deep and his heart will burn for one more chance to go out on top. Difficult decisions are usually the smartest, not the easiest.
Nogueira has exceeded expectations throughout his time in the cage, but the odds are stacked against him, smart money says he won’t be the expectation to the rule in this case.
If he plans on continuing to fight until his wheels fall off, a Pride legend vs. Pride legend match could be made against Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic (this fight would be intriguing enough for him to come back for). It would be a win-win for Pride fans and it would give each fighter a chance to do what most in their situation have failed to do in the past: write a winning final chapter with a meaningful and decisive victory.
Be sure to stay tuned to Bleacher Report for all things UFC 140. B/R is your home for complete coverage of the December 10 fight card, from pre-fight predictions to in-fight coverage, results and post-fight analysis.
Last night, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira added another feather to his cap as he finished off former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz, inside of the first no less.His impressive striking arsenal was on display as Nogueira caught Ortiz early with a …
Last night, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira added another feather to his cap as he finished off former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz, inside of the first no less.
His impressive striking arsenal was on display as Nogueira caught Ortiz early with a few flush strikes before delivering his own vast array of ground and pound blows, which cinched the TKO finish for the Brazilian.
The victory brings Nogueira into rarefied air, being only one of three men who have been able to stop “The People’s Champion”—who has been known for being able to withstand punishment—with strikes.
With the victory snapping a two-fight skid, where does Nogueira go from here?
There was a time when Dana White, the UFC president, would have relished telling Tito Ortiz that he was done.When their feud was at full blast, White would have loved nothing more than to tell Ortiz that he was not only washed up, but also prevent him …
There was a time when Dana White, the UFC president, would have relished telling Tito Ortiz that he was done.
When their feud was at full blast, White would have loved nothing more than to tell Ortiz that he was not only washed up, but also prevent him from fighting as well. Now things have changed and both he and Ortiz are on good terms.
Which is why it is ironic that now that both men have stopped detesting each other that Dana White needs to tell Ortiz that it’s time to retire.
Ortiz for all accounts did well against Nogueira when they fought in the cage. He was beaten in the first round, and it was by knockout, but he seemed to be able to hold his own for the first part of the round.
The problem is that it was against the younger Nogueira brother who is coming off two losses and has struggled in the UFC.
Ortiz was facing a faded fighter like himself and still got beaten in the first round. Who knows what would have happened to him if he had been facing a younger fighter who was in his prime?
An argument could be made that Ortiz still has something, as he was able to beat former Ultimate Fighter winner Ryan Bader, but Bader was caught by Ortiz in the first minutes of their fight and then submitted. It’s starting to look like that was a fluke more than a resurgence of the once-great fighter.
And now Ortiz is sitting on a 1-4 record in his current UFC run and White is given the unenviable task of telling him that it is over.
There won’t be any more walkouts. There won’t be any more chances to prove himself. There won’t any more fights coming his way.
Tito Ortiz the fighter will vanish.
Some fans might rejoice, as they hated him, while others will sadly see their favorite MMA fighter walk off into the sunset.
But for all the money that Ortiz has made the UFC and for all the fans he has drawn, White owes him a talk and to tell a once-great fighter that his time is up, because if he doesn’t, Ortiz is going to keep competing.
That is because for all of the annoying quirks that Ortiz presents to some fans and fellow competitors, he is a fighter through and through and will keep stepping into the cage because he believes he can make a comeback and get one more run with the title.
It is a sad story that has unfortunately been seen too many times in boxing and has started happening in MMA. If Ortiz isn’t stopped, he will be the latest.
He did the best he could last night and he came up short. It happens, and in combat sports, it eventually happens to everyone. It doesn’t mean his life is over, just his chosen career.
Now it’s just up to his employer to tell him. Considering he started his early career with Dana White and the UFC, it seems only fitting that it is how his career ends.
UFC 140 is in the books and the Jon Jones freight train continues to gather speed as he took care of that Lyoto Machida business in emphatic submission fashion. Jones went into UFC 140 aware that the equally unorthodox Machida posed the biggest threat …
UFC 140 is in the books and the Jon Jones freight train continues to gather speed as he took care of that Lyoto Machida business in emphatic submission fashion.
Jones went into UFC 140 aware that the equally unorthodox Machida posed the biggest threat yet to his reign as the 205-lb king.
And as it transpired, it wasn’t all plain sailing for the champ, as he was rocked by “The Dragon” in the opening round.
Nonetheless, he came back stronger in the second and busted up Machida before executing a standing guillotine choke, which rendered the karate exponent unconscious.
Jones has now added The Dragon to his list of casualties for the year 2011.
Here’s a quick look at the others…
At UFC 126, Jones defeated the once-thought-of future of the light heavyweight division in the guise of Ryan “Darth” Bader, via guillotine choke.
In Mauricio “Shogun” Rua was a former Pride legend, a devastating striker with even more devastating Muay Thai at his disposal.
What did the young phenom do? Jones destroyed Shogun en route to capturing the UFC light heavyweight championship.
Then along came Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, a former Pride middleweight and former UFC light heavyweight champion with knockout power in both hands, and a fighter who on any given day could send an opponent to sleep, power bombs included.
Still, the confident Bones Jones went on to hand Rampage his first ever stoppage defeat (via rear naked choke) in 10 fights for the Zuffa-based company.
This year has been an overly exemplary year for Jones—four fights, four wins, three submissions, one knockout and two title defenses.
And in the process, he has now defeated the division’s present and former triumvirates.
It doesn’t get any better than that.
His next opponents are likely to be the winner of the Rashad “Suga Shad” Evans vs. Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis match taking place at UFC on Fox 2, or former Strikeforce light heavyweight titlist Dan “H-Bomb” Henderson.
All three have some serious wrestling pedigree, whilst Henderson and Rashad are by far the more superior strikers.
Do they pose a threat? Every fighter competing in the UFC is a threat.
Still, should Jones be concerned? Not in the least, because whichever combatant shows up on fight night, the result will be same—a Jones victory.
Like Anderson “The Spider” Silva, the Greg Jackson-trained fighter has now become something of an abstruse enigma.
Needless to say, he surpasses the latter in that he has almost everything in his arsenal that should be the official prototype for all MMA fighters who want to compete at the highest level, as well as succeed in this ever-evolving sport.
For one, Jones has that 84-inch reach which has proved a nightmare for his adversaries, and it will continue to pose problems as long as Jones can utilize it to the best of his abilities.
He’s unpredictable—delivering strikes with accurate and devastating precision, and also from unfathomable angles.
There’s the wrestling background—free styling, Greco-Roman pedigree—that Jones also bring to the table.
Add his Muay Thai to the equation and his ever-improving stand up and jiu-jitsu, and what you have is the Ultimate Fighting (machine) Champion.
And if that isn’t enough to whet the appetite of the MMA purist, then consider the fact that he’s still only 24 years old, which means he can only get better.
Apropos Jones’ chin—Machida tested it, so we can safely say he can take a hit and remain standing.
Hype trains have been derailed in the past, with the Machida era being a perfect example.
Be that as it may, against The Dragon at UFC 140, Jones proved once and for all that he’s more than just hype—he proved to the MMA world that he’s in true essence the Real Deal.
For the light heavyweight and even the heavyweight assemblage, it’s now a prerequisite to be on high alert—there’s most definitely a new sheriff in town, and he goes by the appellation of Jon Bones Jones.
Jon Jones is already the most dominant UFC light heavyweight champion since Chuck Liddell. It seems like only a matter of time before he’s the most dominant light heavyweight champion we’ve ever seen inside the Octagon.
Jones, who choked out Lyoto Machida in the second round of their main event showdown at UFC 140, has been the light heavyweight champion for less than nine months, and it might seem premature to proclaim him a dominant champion when he’s been a champion for such a short period of time. But the talented 205-pound weight class has been an almost impossible class to rule for any significant period of time.
Until Jones, who in the last nine months has won the belt and dispatched two challengers, dominating all three of those title fights.
For those who don’t know the history, Liddell won the UFC light heavyweight title by knocking out Randy Couture at UFC 57, then successfully defended the title four times before losing it to Rampage Jackson. Since then, the light heavyweight belt has been a hot potato: Rampage successfully defended the title against Dan Henderson before losing his second title defense, against Forrest Griffin. Griffin lost his first title defense to Rashad Evans. Evans lost his first title defense to Machida. Machida beat Shogun Rua in a controversial decision in his first title defense, then lost to Rua in his next fight. Rua lost his first title defense to Jones.
Now Jones has defended his title by beating Jackson and Machida, making him the first light heavyweight champ since Liddell to defend the title more than once. But the really extraordinary thing about Jones is that he so thoroughly dominates his competition that it’s hard to see anyone beating him any time soon. The three men who might be next in line for the light heavyweight title — Dan Henderson, Rashad Evans and Phil Davis — are all great fighters, but all of them would be huge betting underdogs against Jones.
The really amazing thing about the 24-year-old Jones is that he became a UFC champion before he even reached his prime. It’s shocking to think this, but we might not have seen the best Jon Jones yet. He just completed a 4-0 record in 2011 that was as good a year as we’ve ever seen anyone have in the Octagon, and yet he might be a better fighter in 2012.
The bottom line is that we’re seeing a champion in Jon Jones who might stay the champion for the better part of this decade. There’s no telling how long he might be the best at what he does.
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UFC 140 notes — According to Compustrike, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira outlanded Frank Mir in total strikes, 31-4. And yet Mir still managed to survive the barrage of punches from Nogueira and get into position to finish Nogueira with a kimura. That was a gutsy showing from Mir.
— It was nice to see Frank Shamrock on a UFC broadcast for the first time in more than a decade. You had to be looking closely to see him, but Shamrock was in Brian Ebersole’s corner, marking the first time he’s been spotted at a UFC event since the last time he fought for the promotion, in 1999. Here’s hoping Shamrock and the UFC brass eventually bury the hatchet. Shamrock is an MMA legend whose career ought to be celebrated by the UFC.
— The UFC has something special on its hands in the Korean Zombie, Chan Sung Jung. There are few fighters in the sport who are as consistently entertaining, win or lose, as Jung, who tied the UFC record for fastest knockout with his seven-second dispatching of Mark Hominick on Saturday night. I don’t think Jung is good enough to pose much of a threat to featherweight champion Jose Aldo, but he’s a legitimate opponent to almost anyone else at 145 pounds. The UFC desperately needs some star power in the featherweight class, and Jung is one of the few little guys who has really caught on with the fans.
— Constantinos Philippou was about as impressive as anyone we saw inside the Octagon at UFC 140 in his first-round TKO victory over Jared Hamman. Philippou hammered away at Hamman standing and showed a real killer instinct on the ground, immediately pouncing on Hamman and going for finishes when he knocked him down. Philippou is a vicious striker and has now won two fights in a row.
— It was surprising how bad Krzysztof Soszynski’s striking defense looked in his first-round knockout loss to Igor Pokrajac, but maybe it shouldn’t have been. Soszynski has been around a long time and had some very impressive fights, but he has too often shown a tendency to wilt when he gets hit hard. This was Soszynski’s sixth loss by knockout or TKO.
— It wouldn’t be surprising if the UFC decides to tell Tito Ortiz to hang up the gloves after his loss to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, considering that Ortiz is now 1-6-1 in his last eight fights. But I think Ortiz has done enough in the sport that he has earned the right to go out on his own terms, and I’d like to see him get another fight, as he said he wants. Stephan Bonnar would make a lot of sense as an opponent for Ortiz.
UFC 140 quotes “It’s an honor to be here. One of my dreams was to be here with Joe Rogan. I did it!” — Yves Jabouin as Joe Rogan interviewed him in the Octagon after his split decision victory over Walel Watson.
“This fight’s kind of a wash. I apologize to John for missing weight. Put a little asterisk next to the victory because I didn’t make weight.” — Dennis Hallman, being a stand-up guy after coming in 2.5 pounds over for his lightweight fight with John Makdessi. Hallman said his move down from welterweight is permanent, so he’s going to need to do a better job of getting the pounds off.
“I feel so great. t’s like a dream come true. Tito Ortiz is a legend of the sport. I want to say thanks for fighting him.” — Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, showing humility after beating Ortiz.
Good call Referee Big John McCarthy stopped the first fight of the night at exactly the right time, with 24 seconds left in the second round, as John Cholish was teeing off on Mitch Clarke on the ground. Clarke wasn’t very badly hurt and seemed disappointed with the stoppage, but he also wasn’t doing anything to fight back, simply turtling up and letting Cholish hit him. With Clarke looking upset at McCarthy stepping in, McCarthy patted him and said, “You got hit with a good shot.”
Bad call Referee Josh Rosenthal should have taken a point away from John Makdessi for grabbing the fence immediately after Rosenthal warned him not to. As Dennis Hallman tried to take Makdessi down early in the fight, Makdessi grabbed the fence to stay up, and Rosenthal immediately warned Makdessi to let go of the fence. Makdessi complied, but only for a couple of seconds before he grabbed the fence again as Hallman tried to take him down again. Rosenthal warned Makdessi again, but at that point he should have also deducted a point. It didn’t really matter because Hallman took Makdessi down in the first round and submitted him, but I’d like to see referees more assertively enforcing the rules against grabbing the fence. Too many fighters get away with stopping takedowns by breaking the rules.
Stock up Jake Hecht looked good in his UFC debut, unleashing a brutal elbow to hurt Rich Attonito in the second round and then finishing him with punches on the ground. Hecht had also looked solid from his back in the first round, and he appears to be a promising UFC newcomer.
Stock down Nik Lentz went 5-0-1 with one no contest in his first seven UFC fights, and he consistently used his superior wrestling and grappling to control his opponents and grind out wins on the ground. But on Saturday night Mark Bocek beat Lentz at his own game, controlling Lentz on the ground and winning a unanimous decision, 30-27 on all three judges’ cards. Lentz is a solid lightweight, but we saw on Saturday night that when he runs into a superior grappler, there’s not much else he can do.
Fight I want to see next Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans. I don’t like any light heavyweight’s chances against Jones, but I at least like the matchup of Jones against Evans, his former friend and training partner who’s now a bitter rival. If Evans beats Davis, the UFC might finally book that long-awaited grudge match.
Jon Jones is already the most dominant UFC light heavyweight champion since Chuck Liddell. It seems like only a matter of time before he’s the most dominant light heavyweight champion we’ve ever seen inside the Octagon.
Jones, who choked out Lyoto Machida in the second round of their main event showdown at UFC 140, has been the light heavyweight champion for less than nine months, and it might seem premature to proclaim him a dominant champion when he’s been a champion for such a short period of time. But the talented 205-pound weight class has been an almost impossible class to rule for any significant period of time.
Until Jones, who in the last nine months has won the belt and dispatched two challengers, dominating all three of those title fights.
For those who don’t know the history, Liddell won the UFC light heavyweight title by knocking out Randy Couture at UFC 57, then successfully defended the title four times before losing it to Rampage Jackson. Since then, the light heavyweight belt has been a hot potato: Rampage successfully defended the title against Dan Henderson before losing his second title defense, against Forrest Griffin. Griffin lost his first title defense to Rashad Evans. Evans lost his first title defense to Machida. Machida beat Shogun Rua in a controversial decision in his first title defense, then lost to Rua in his next fight. Rua lost his first title defense to Jones.
Now Jones has defended his title by beating Jackson and Machida, making him the first light heavyweight champ since Liddell to defend the title more than once. But the really extraordinary thing about Jones is that he so thoroughly dominates his competition that it’s hard to see anyone beating him any time soon. The three men who might be next in line for the light heavyweight title — Dan Henderson, Rashad Evans and Phil Davis — are all great fighters, but all of them would be huge betting underdogs against Jones.
The really amazing thing about the 24-year-old Jones is that he became a UFC champion before he even reached his prime. It’s shocking to think this, but we might not have seen the best Jon Jones yet. He just completed a 4-0 record in 2011 that was as good a year as we’ve ever seen anyone have in the Octagon, and yet he might be a better fighter in 2012.
The bottom line is that we’re seeing a champion in Jon Jones who might stay the champion for the better part of this decade. There’s no telling how long he might be the best at what he does.
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UFC 140 notes — According to Compustrike, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira outlanded Frank Mir in total strikes, 31-4. And yet Mir still managed to survive the barrage of punches from Nogueira and get into position to finish Nogueira with a kimura. That was a gutsy showing from Mir.
— It was nice to see Frank Shamrock on a UFC broadcast for the first time in more than a decade. You had to be looking closely to see him, but Shamrock was in Brian Ebersole’s corner, marking the first time he’s been spotted at a UFC event since the last time he fought for the promotion, in 1999. Here’s hoping Shamrock and the UFC brass eventually bury the hatchet. Shamrock is an MMA legend whose career ought to be celebrated by the UFC.
— The UFC has something special on its hands in the Korean Zombie, Chan Sung Jung. There are few fighters in the sport who are as consistently entertaining, win or lose, as Jung, who tied the UFC record for fastest knockout with his seven-second dispatching of Mark Hominick on Saturday night. I don’t think Jung is good enough to pose much of a threat to featherweight champion Jose Aldo, but he’s a legitimate opponent to almost anyone else at 145 pounds. The UFC desperately needs some star power in the featherweight class, and Jung is one of the few little guys who has really caught on with the fans.
— Constantinos Philippou was about as impressive as anyone we saw inside the Octagon at UFC 140 in his first-round TKO victory over Jared Hamman. Philippou hammered away at Hamman standing and showed a real killer instinct on the ground, immediately pouncing on Hamman and going for finishes when he knocked him down. Philippou is a vicious striker and has now won two fights in a row.
— It was surprising how bad Krzysztof Soszynski’s striking defense looked in his first-round knockout loss to Igor Pokrajac, but maybe it shouldn’t have been. Soszynski has been around a long time and had some very impressive fights, but he has too often shown a tendency to wilt when he gets hit hard. This was Soszynski’s sixth loss by knockout or TKO.
— It wouldn’t be surprising if the UFC decides to tell Tito Ortiz to hang up the gloves after his loss to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, considering that Ortiz is now 1-6-1 in his last eight fights. But I think Ortiz has done enough in the sport that he has earned the right to go out on his own terms, and I’d like to see him get another fight, as he said he wants. Stephan Bonnar would make a lot of sense as an opponent for Ortiz.
UFC 140 quotes “It’s an honor to be here. One of my dreams was to be here with Joe Rogan. I did it!” — Yves Jabouin as Joe Rogan interviewed him in the Octagon after his split decision victory over Walel Watson.
“This fight’s kind of a wash. I apologize to John for missing weight. Put a little asterisk next to the victory because I didn’t make weight.” — Dennis Hallman, being a stand-up guy after coming in 2.5 pounds over for his lightweight fight with John Makdessi. Hallman said his move down from welterweight is permanent, so he’s going to need to do a better job of getting the pounds off.
“I feel so great. t’s like a dream come true. Tito Ortiz is a legend of the sport. I want to say thanks for fighting him.” — Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, showing humility after beating Ortiz.
Good call Referee Big John McCarthy stopped the first fight of the night at exactly the right time, with 24 seconds left in the second round, as John Cholish was teeing off on Mitch Clarke on the ground. Clarke wasn’t very badly hurt and seemed disappointed with the stoppage, but he also wasn’t doing anything to fight back, simply turtling up and letting Cholish hit him. With Clarke looking upset at McCarthy stepping in, McCarthy patted him and said, “You got hit with a good shot.”
Bad call Referee Josh Rosenthal should have taken a point away from John Makdessi for grabbing the fence immediately after Rosenthal warned him not to. As Dennis Hallman tried to take Makdessi down early in the fight, Makdessi grabbed the fence to stay up, and Rosenthal immediately warned Makdessi to let go of the fence. Makdessi complied, but only for a couple of seconds before he grabbed the fence again as Hallman tried to take him down again. Rosenthal warned Makdessi again, but at that point he should have also deducted a point. It didn’t really matter because Hallman took Makdessi down in the first round and submitted him, but I’d like to see referees more assertively enforcing the rules against grabbing the fence. Too many fighters get away with stopping takedowns by breaking the rules.
Stock up Jake Hecht looked good in his UFC debut, unleashing a brutal elbow to hurt Rich Attonito in the second round and then finishing him with punches on the ground. Hecht had also looked solid from his back in the first round, and he appears to be a promising UFC newcomer.
Stock down Nik Lentz went 5-0-1 with one no contest in his first seven UFC fights, and he consistently used his superior wrestling and grappling to control his opponents and grind out wins on the ground. But on Saturday night Mark Bocek beat Lentz at his own game, controlling Lentz on the ground and winning a unanimous decision, 30-27 on all three judges’ cards. Lentz is a solid lightweight, but we saw on Saturday night that when he runs into a superior grappler, there’s not much else he can do.
Fight I want to see next Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans. I don’t like any light heavyweight’s chances against Jones, but I at least like the matchup of Jones against Evans, his former friend and training partner who’s now a bitter rival. If Evans beats Davis, the UFC might finally book that long-awaited grudge match.
With his second-round TKO win at UFC 140 on Saturday night, Jon Jones might well be off to the greatest career start in MMA history. 
In Antonio “Big Nog” Nogueira’s rematch for redemption against 