Tag: UFC 152

Jon Jones: What’s Next for the UFC Light Heavyweight Champ Following UFC 152

UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones retained his belt at UFC 152—as oddsmakers all but guaranteed he would, giving the champ 13-1 odds—submitting UFC legend Vitor Belfort via submission in the fourth round.It was yet another dominant perf…

UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones retained his belt at UFC 152—as oddsmakers all but guaranteed he would, giving the champ 13-1 odds—submitting UFC legend Vitor Belfort via submission in the fourth round.

It was yet another dominant performance from the young champion who controlled virtually the entire fight, the exception being when Belfort locked up an armbar in the first round.

The attempted submission is by far the closest we’ve seen someone come to defeating Jones in the UFC (exception: Matt Hamill’s disqualification victory over Jones).

Apart from that little slip-up, Jones was able to keep Belfort at bay standing and bring the fight to the ground repeatedly, consistently landing effective ground-and-pound when he did so.

In the fourth, Jones passed to side-control, moved to a mounted crucifix position, and then locked up an Americana that forced Belfort to tap.

With the win, Jones has now defended his belt four times and is only one win away from tying the all-time record for defenses of his belt. The current record holder is Tito Ortiz.

So, what’s next for Jon Jones?

First, we need to figure out if he’s injured. That’s was a deep armbar he got caught in and Jones was wearing a sling at the post-fight press conference.

If his arm isn’t seriously injured, it’s likely that we’ll see Jones fight again soon, as has been the trend since he became champion.

The names being tossed around right now are Dan Henderson and Lyoto Machida, with the two men possibly meeting in a title eliminator.

Another fight to pay attention to is Mauricio Rua vs. Alexander Gustafsson. Gustafsson has been making waves at light heavyweight for a while now and if he beats Rua, there will be droves of people calling for him to get a crack at Jones.

These are all possibilities, but nothing is clear yet. We’ll have to play the waiting game and see how things shape up.

 

Andrew Barr is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and a stand-up comedian. Check him out on Twitter @AndrewBarr8.

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UFC 152 Results: Grades for All the Main Card Fighters

The MMA vacation is over as the UFC held UFC 152 tonight in Toronto, Canada. The main event had several captivating moments that saw chinks in Jon Jones’ armor. He ultimately was able to systematically destroy Vitor Belfort over four rounds and en…

The MMA vacation is over as the UFC held UFC 152 tonight in Toronto, Canada. 

The main event had several captivating moments that saw chinks in Jon Jones’ armor. He ultimately was able to systematically destroy Vitor Belfort over four rounds and ended the Brazilian’s night with a spectacular Americana. 

The night also saw the first UFC flyweight champion crowned as Demetrious Johnson took a split decision over Joseph Benavidez. Johnson dominated with speed and flawless transitioning between striking and wrestling. 

The main card created new title challengers and saw the continuing expansion of the Jon Jones legend. What a night!

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Benavidez vs. Johnson: What’s Next for Joseph Benavidez?

Joseph Benavidez entered his UFC 152 flyweight title fight as a decided favorite over Demetrious Johnson, but he failed to make good on his bid to become the division’s first UFC champion Saturday night in Toronto.Most expected Benavidez to use his pow…

Joseph Benavidez entered his UFC 152 flyweight title fight as a decided favorite over Demetrious Johnson, but he failed to make good on his bid to become the division’s first UFC champion Saturday night in Toronto.

Most expected Benavidez to use his power to handle the effervescent Johnson, but he was unable to do so more than occasionally, succumbing to the speed of his opponent more often than not.

Dropping a split decision to Johnson may very well signify the greatest disappointment of Benavidez‘s career, but it certainly does not signify the end of it. On the contrary, Benavidez remains a top flyweight fighter whose best days are still to come.

Though he just lost a title fight, Benavidez is not all that far removed from receiving another—the luxury of competing in a newly formed, sparsely populated division. Consequently, you shouldn’t expect to see Benavidez in the Octagon with anyone but top flyweights for the foreseeable future.

Ian McCall is a logical opponent for Benavidez, with the two fighters unofficially rounding out the flyweight Grand Prix podium now ruled by Mighty Mouse.

Like the new champ, Uncle Creepy is a guy who poses a speed threat—though one that is more easily handled—and would embody a suitable test for Benavidez as he prepares for a rematch with Johnson.

Alternatively, Benavidez could take on the loser of John Dodson vs. Jussier da Silva, which is part of the UFC on FX 5 card. The winner of that match is expected to challenge Johnson for the title.

Another option for Benavidez is John Moraga, who impressively debuted in the UFC earlier this summer.

I’d really expect Benavidez to take on one of Dodson/da Silva or Moraga, but if the stars fail to align, maybe a utility fighter like Tim Elliott could fill the void.

Regardless of who Benavidez‘s next opponent is, don’t expect him to stay away from the UFC flyweight strap for too long. He lost at UFC 152, but he is too talented to keep down and could very well challenge for the title in less than 12 months.

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Benavidez vs. Johnson: What’s Next for Demetrious Johnson?

Demetrious Johnson defeated Joseph Benavidez via split decision at UFC 152 in order to become the UFC’s first ever flyweight champion.It was an exciting back-and-forth bout that saw Benavidez come the closest to finishing the fight, but Johnson was the…

Demetrious Johnson defeated Joseph Benavidez via split decision at UFC 152 in order to become the UFC’s first ever flyweight champion.

It was an exciting back-and-forth bout that saw Benavidez come the closest to finishing the fight, but Johnson was the more consistent fighter. He landed more shots with higher accuracy and dominated the wrestling game late in the match.

It was a tough loss for Benavidez, who is now 0-3 in major title fights, and a satisfying victory for Johnson, who was unsuccessful in his first UFC title fight at 135 pounds versus Dominick Cruz.

Acclaimed MMA trainer Matt Hume once told Demetrious Johnson to quit his job and train MMA full time because he could be a world champion—at UFC 152 that prophecy came true.

So, fresh off his championship victory, what’s next for Johnson?

That is difficult to say because flyweight is the UFC’s newest division and still lacking in viable contenders. Ian McCall is the only fighter other than Johnson and Benavidez who has any name value, and he lost to Johnson too recently to receive a shot.

What likely makes the most sense is for Johnson to face the winner of the bout between John Dodson and Jussier Formiga.

Dodson is the winner of The Ultimate Fighter 14 and is 2-0 in the UFC. Formiga has no UFC fights, but has a 14-1 MMA record with his sole loss coming from Ian McCall.

Facing the winner of Dodson vs. Formiga doesn’t exactly spell a high-profile title fight for Johnson, but until his division fills out, it seems like his best option.

 

Andrew Barr is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and a stand-up comedian. Check him out on Twitter @AndrewBarr8.

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Jon Jones vs. Vitor Belfort Full Fight Technical Breakdown

The main event of UFC 152 in Toronto on Saturday featured a light heavyweight championship showdown between Jon Jones and Vitor Belfort, a match most of the MMA world considered little more than a formality. Jones was supposed to walk through Belf…

The main event of UFC 152 in Toronto on Saturday featured a light heavyweight championship showdown between Jon Jones and Vitor Belfort, a match most of the MMA world considered little more than a formality. 

Jones was supposed to walk through Belfort, an aged middleweight who had not competed at 205 pounds for over five years.

On one hand, the expectation that Jones would dominate the fight was realized—he controlled his opponent for three-and-a-half rounds before ending the match via submission. On the other hand, Belfort proved to be the most dangerous opponent Jones has ever faced.

The champion began the night by shooting for an early takedown. While Jones was looking to drop some elbows from the guard, Belfort shifted his hips, swung up his legs and sunk in a deep armbar. 

Jones pulled, pried and lifted Belfort up, slamming him down to loosen the grip. After flailing desperately to get free, Jones improbably escaped the most dangerous situation he has faced as a mixed martial artist. 

The remainder of the round was nothing but Jones’ trademark elbow-heavy ground and pound, which badly lacerated the Phenom’s face.

Round 2 was more or less an exhibition of Jones’ wingspan. Using punches and kicks to batter his overmatched opponent, Jones kept Belfort at bay for the better part of five minutes before taking him to the mat, resuming his ground and pound.

In the fight’s third round, Jones blasted Belfort with a kick to the ribs that laid the Phenom out. After Jones let his opponent back up, Belfort shifted his strategy and began pulling guard. He did so twice before the round was out. 

Round 4 followed the mold of Jones striking at Belfort while remaining far outside his opponent’s range. Belfort, in desperation mode now, pulled his opponent on top of him once more. This time he did not get up.

After advancing to the crucifix position, Jones grabbed a kimura and forced Belfort to tap. Though it didn’t take him long to sink in the fight-ending move, the finish was a long time coming.

After nearly pulling off the upset with an early armbar attempt, Belfort continued to look for a submission from his guard throughout the remainder of the match, despite suffering sharp elbows and short punches every time he tried.

Commentators Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg expressed disapproval at Belfort‘s inclination to pull guard, but in the fighter’s defense, he wasn’t even getting close on the feet.

The outcome was written on the wall after it became evident Belfort would not be able to get inside, nor replicate the offense from his guard that he exhibited early in the fight. The champion’s length was the decisive factor in the match, proving too much for the smaller fighter to handle.

With the victory, Jones retains his UFC light heavyweight crown. It was another dominant performance, this time highlighting his physical attributes more than his considerable talent.

Both on the feet and in Belfort‘s guard, Jones’ leverage kept Belfort on the defensive, making it nothing but a matter of time before victory showed up. 

Another impressive win for the pound-for-pound contender.

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Jones vs Belfort Results: What We Learned from UFC 152’s Main Event

At UFC 152 in Toronto, Jon Jones submitted Vitor Belfort at 54 seconds of the fourth round to retain his UFC light heavyweight title.Though it was an americana that cinched the fight for Jones, a failed armbar from Belfort may prove more memorable. In …

At UFC 152 in Toronto, Jon Jones submitted Vitor Belfort at 54 seconds of the fourth round to retain his UFC light heavyweight title.

Though it was an americana that cinched the fight for Jones, a failed armbar from Belfort may prove more memorable. In the first round, Belfor locked on an armbar and appeared to have Jones’ arm hyper-extended.

“He got that armbar in every way, shape and form,” Jones told broadcaster Joe Rogan after the fight. “I’ve never had my arm pop like that before, but I’ve worked too hard to give up…I was honestly waiting for it to break. I wasn’t going to tap. I’ve never felt that way before.” 

Almost immediately after the hold was relinquished, Jones opened a cut over Belfort’s right eye. In that moment, Belfort’s momentum began to leak away and the fight began to swing inexorably to Jones.

In the second round, Belfort began to slow down. Belfort also appeared to focus on defense at the expense of offense, most notably his trademark power flurries. Belfort seemed hesitant to exchange, preferring to clinch with Jones or pull guard. 

 

What we’ll remember about this fight: 

Man, that armbar attempt. If Jones had tapped—and no one would have blinked if he had—this would have been the biggest upset in UFC history.

 

What we learned about Vitor Belfort:

He probably earned a free pass with MMA fans forever.

If you believe in moral victories, then a loser can’t be much more victorious than Vitor Belfort at UFC 152. One of the largest main-event underdogs in UFC history defied the odds by simply getting Jones in trouble. It was probably the deepest singular moment of trouble Jones has ever faced inside the Octagon.

Still, Belfort almost seemed to concede the fight when the armbar failed. It would have been great to watch Belfort challenge Jones with boxing. 

 

What we learned about Jon Jones:

He doesn’t tap. At least not easily. Jones himself admitted he had never been put in that position in the cage. And you have to give credit where it’s due—that took guts.

 

What’s next for Belfort:

Back to your regularly scheduled program, I guess. He’s been a good soldier on this thing, though, so he deserves a quality matchup. I’d vote for the winner between Alan Belcher and Yushin Okami at UFC 153. Winner gets a shot at one of Anderson Silva‘s annual middleweight title defenses.

 

What’s next for Jones:

On to the next one.

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