2011 has been quite an eventful year for MMA. It opened with a Fight of the Year candidate in January between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard and ended on December 30th with the highly anticipated Brock Lesnar-Alistair Overeem clash of the heavyweight titans. Generally speaking, the year saw some incredible performances and there were a bevy of fighters that had banner years. The men who made this list of fighters of the year have all fought at least twice and went undefeated for the year against some solid competition. Without further ado, here is the list counting down from five to one.
5.) Nick Diaz: Nick Diaz had a whirlwind of a 2011. He defended the Strikeforce Welterweight Title twice this year, dominating Evangelista Santos en route to a submission win and knocking out Paul Daley in one of the wildest one round slugfests in ages. To top it all off he ripped into the UFC like a tornado, gaining then losing then regaining a shot at UFC gold. His spectacular boxing display against BJ Penn and post-fight tirade put him back in the main event. All three of Diaz’ fights this year were memorable and he set himself up for the next year or two as a major name in the biggest MMA promotion in the world.
4.) Benson Henderson: Bendo went from losing the WEC Lightweight Title last December to main eventing UFC 144 in Japan against Frankie Edgar this February. Quite a turnaround, especially considering all the doubt cast towards the championship aspirations of the WEC lightweights. Bendo went 3-0 this year against tough competition. He beat the solid Mark Bocek in April,and followed it up by dominating the top contender Jim Miller during the summer. It was Miller’s first loss since March 2009. For an encore, he had a fight of the year candidate against Clay Guida on the UFC on Fox prelims. This fight showed off his diverse set of skills and relentless tenacity. Between his insane cardio, granite chin, and all-around skills, he poses a serious threat to Edgar when they face off.
3.) Anderson Silva: Another year passes for the Spider without a defeat, going 2-0 this year. While the win total isn’t jaw dropping, the fashion in which he won certainly is. At UFC 126, he had the knockout of the year with his front kick to the jaw of Vitor Belfort. It was possibly the only strike Silva even threw in the three minutes of the fight and it came out of nowhere to devastating effect. His second fight was at UFC Rio, where he utterly humiliated the longtime middleweight contender Yushin Okami in about a round and a half. Okami started the fight by getting Silva in the clinch, where Anderson nullified any Okami advantage. The second round saw Silva absolutely abuse Okami, dropping him twice with jabs while keeping his hands at his side. Never before had Okami been dominated like that, but it was par for the course for Silva. To boot, Silva’s wins over fellow Brazilian (and noted celeb) Belfort and Okami turned him into a megastar in his homeland. It’s now been nearly six years since Silva has lost (via illegal kick) and seven since his last real defeat to Ryo Chonan’s flying heel hook. Not too shabby.
2.) Dan Henderson: Any other year, and Hendo is likely the year’s top fighter. He started it off by winning the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Title just months shy of his 41st birthday, knocking out Rafael Calcavante. He followed this up by fighting the greatest heavyweight of all time, Fedor Emelianenko, giving up nearly 30 pounds in the process. The result was a first round knockout, the first such loss in the Russian’s mythical career. He capped off 2011 by returning to the UFC and cementing himself as a top contender for the 205 lb. title with a decision win over Shogun Rua in one of the greatest fights of all time. It was certainly one of the top two or three fights I’ve had the privilege of seeing. With the type of year Hendo had, he certainly eradicated all the doubts about him after his loss to Jake Shields last year in his Strikeforce debut. While I and most people don’t expect him to win against the man who is ranked number 1 in this list, if there’s one thing that Hendo has shown it’s that you can’t count out his heart and that nuclear missile of a right hand.
1.) Jon Jones: I’m not a fan of Jones due to his personality and some questionable tactics during fights, but there is no denying he had the best year of any fighter in MMA in 2011. In fact, it ranks as possibly the best year in MMA history. Off the top of my head, Shogun Rua’s 2005 run is the only major competitor for best year ever. Regardless, Jones went 4-0 this year and won each fight by finish. In February he beat (at the time) fellow prospect Ryan Bader by submission, just absolutely dominating him. Six weeks later he got a title shot against Shogun Rua. While part of Rua’s poor performance was due to his rehab from knee surgery, it’s not an excuse and Jones utterly abused him into a fourth round TKO. In September, he fought Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and picked him apart from range until submitting him in the fourth round. Last week, at UFC 140 he recovered from a first round that saw him get outstruck significantly by Lyoto Machida and turned in a sick standing guillotine in the second round to win. Of all his performances, this was the most impressive due to the composure he showed after getting blasted for the first time in his young career. He became the first fighter to beat three former champions and the fact he finished all of them is even more impressive. Now, he is two to four opponents away from clearing out the entire division. Talk about bringing stability to your weight class.
2011 saw a lot of great performances in MMA. I can’t wait to see what 2012 brings. In the meantime, feel free to leave your thoughts here or on facebook.
Showing posts with label jon jones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jon jones. Show all posts
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Friday, December 9, 2011
Joe's UFC 140 Predictions
Another big UFC card is upon us! Jon Jones looks to cement his place at the top of the division against Lyoto Machida, Minotauro Nogueira looks to prove the first time Frank Mir beat him was a fluke, and Tito Ortiz is out to show he's still got something left in the tank. The three big fights should be pretty awesome and I'm pretty pumped for the card. Here's how it will go down:
Mark Hominick (20-9) vs. Chan Sung Jung (11-3): Last time we saw Mark Hominick he was had a football-sized lump on his head after a beating handed out in a decision loss to featherweight champ Jose Aldo. Last time we saw “The Korean Zombie” he was avenging his split decision loss to Leonard Garcia by submitting Garcia with a rarely used hold known as the twister. This should be an exciting fight since the little guys always bring it. Both guys have good submissions but Hominick has much better striking. Hominick will also probably be jacked up fighting in front of his hometown Canadian crowd. Most people think Hominick will light Jung up with his striking, however, I still think Jung wins a decision.
Claude Patrick (14-1) vs. Brian Ebersole (48-14-1, 1 NC): No idea who these guys are. They both have good submissions and Patrick will probably be pumped up since he’s also Canadian. I’m just going to say Patrick wins by second round submission.
Tito Ortiz (16-9-1) vs. Antônio Rogério Nogueira (19-5): We’re talking light heavyweights so this is Little Nog we’re talking about here. These are two of the all-time greats. Dana White may try to belittle Ortiz as much as possible, but he is one of the best ever and saved the UFC’s ass earlier this year by fighting Rashad Evans on short notice just so 133 would have a main event. Ortiz was knocked out for the third time in his career there but it should be noted that Ortiz is very tough and has only been finished by Evans and Chuck Liddell. He has shied away from his wrestling ways late in his career and his fights have been lacking in quality, with the exception of his heroic submission win over Ryan Bader in July. This may be Ortiz’s last fight or at least one of his last couple fights. Little Nog has not had a very impressive UFC run and looked like a sparring partner for Phil Davis to practice his wrestling on in his last fight. This fight is either going to be really exciting or horrible. Little Nog’s boxing hasn’t looked particularly impressive or effective and Tito has bad boxing but still tries to stand and bang now. Little Nog has some issues with wrestlers so if Tito goes back to his wrestling he can win, but if Tito keeps it standing Little Nog will pick him apart. I think Ortiz wins a very boring decision.
Frank Mir (15-5) vs. Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira (33-6-1, 1 NC): Big Nog had never been knocked out in all of the wars he had been in back in the PRIDE days, but in 2008 faced Frank Mir and got laid clean out. It later came out Minotauro had been in the hospital battling a staph infection just a couple weeks before the fight. After beating Randy Couture then getting laid out again, this time by Cain Velasquez, Nogueira had surgery on both knees and took over a year off to get healthy. At 134 he knocked out Brendan Schaub in the first round for only his third KO victory. Many thought he was going to get destroyed in that fight and have to retire, but now the future looks bright for Big Nog as he steps into his rematch with Mir. Mir is coming off a murder at the hands of Shane Carwin and two horrible fights he won in totally unimpressive fashion against Mirk Cro Cop and Roy Nelson. Mir thinks he is a stand up master, but he is pretty weak in that department. Big Nog used to be the greatest heavyweight boxer in MMA and if he is healthy he could bust some of that out on Mir. Both are great submission guys, with Nogueira likely having the best jiu jitsu in the history of the sport. Mir doesn’t have the wear and tear on his body like Nogueira so he could be at an advantage but if Nogueira is truly healthy and prepared then he will have Mir beat. I could see Mir finishing Nogueira again, but I think Nogueira wins a decision.
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon “Bones” Jones (14-1) vs. Lyoto Machida (17-2): If Jones wins all of the hype is validated. So far all he’s done is beat an injured Shogun Rua and an over the hill Rampage Jackson. Machida is the toughest matchup Jones has in the division. Machida has great striking, wrestling, and jiu jitsu. His unorthodox karate style makes him an extremely difficult target to hit. Machida wins a lot of decisions because his style is about patience and waiting for you to come at him and make a mistake so he can counter. The only problem here is that Jones is going to have a foot and a half reach advantage, meaning he’ll be harder for Machida to hit than Machida will be for him. If Machida is aggressive like he has been in his last two fights, then he will have a better chance of winning.
For all of the highlight reel moves Jones does, he makes a lot of mistakes and leaves himself open to get attacked. He has yet to face anybody quick or accurate enough to capitalize on those openings, but I think Machida is the one to do it. Shogun was able to take Jones’ back off missed spinning back fists, but he was so tired and injured he couldn’t do anything. Rampage can pack a punch but he is so slow and has given up on wrestling, making him far too easy to pick apart. Machida has a lot of weapons and even undersized I think he has all the tools to stop Jones. This reminds me of Machida’s fight with Rashad Evans. Evans was a new champion, had never lost, had an unorthodox style, and was extremely arrogant. Machida stayed patient to get Evans to come at him then ignited him with a devastating flurry of strikes. Jones is similar to Evans, and I think the fight ends in similar fashion. Just like Rampage Jackson before him, Machida is looking to become the second two-time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, but unlike Rampage I think he pulls it off. I pick Machida by fourth round TKO.
Mark Hominick (20-9) vs. Chan Sung Jung (11-3): Last time we saw Mark Hominick he was had a football-sized lump on his head after a beating handed out in a decision loss to featherweight champ Jose Aldo. Last time we saw “The Korean Zombie” he was avenging his split decision loss to Leonard Garcia by submitting Garcia with a rarely used hold known as the twister. This should be an exciting fight since the little guys always bring it. Both guys have good submissions but Hominick has much better striking. Hominick will also probably be jacked up fighting in front of his hometown Canadian crowd. Most people think Hominick will light Jung up with his striking, however, I still think Jung wins a decision.
Claude Patrick (14-1) vs. Brian Ebersole (48-14-1, 1 NC): No idea who these guys are. They both have good submissions and Patrick will probably be pumped up since he’s also Canadian. I’m just going to say Patrick wins by second round submission.
Tito Ortiz (16-9-1) vs. Antônio Rogério Nogueira (19-5): We’re talking light heavyweights so this is Little Nog we’re talking about here. These are two of the all-time greats. Dana White may try to belittle Ortiz as much as possible, but he is one of the best ever and saved the UFC’s ass earlier this year by fighting Rashad Evans on short notice just so 133 would have a main event. Ortiz was knocked out for the third time in his career there but it should be noted that Ortiz is very tough and has only been finished by Evans and Chuck Liddell. He has shied away from his wrestling ways late in his career and his fights have been lacking in quality, with the exception of his heroic submission win over Ryan Bader in July. This may be Ortiz’s last fight or at least one of his last couple fights. Little Nog has not had a very impressive UFC run and looked like a sparring partner for Phil Davis to practice his wrestling on in his last fight. This fight is either going to be really exciting or horrible. Little Nog’s boxing hasn’t looked particularly impressive or effective and Tito has bad boxing but still tries to stand and bang now. Little Nog has some issues with wrestlers so if Tito goes back to his wrestling he can win, but if Tito keeps it standing Little Nog will pick him apart. I think Ortiz wins a very boring decision.
Frank Mir (15-5) vs. Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira (33-6-1, 1 NC): Big Nog had never been knocked out in all of the wars he had been in back in the PRIDE days, but in 2008 faced Frank Mir and got laid clean out. It later came out Minotauro had been in the hospital battling a staph infection just a couple weeks before the fight. After beating Randy Couture then getting laid out again, this time by Cain Velasquez, Nogueira had surgery on both knees and took over a year off to get healthy. At 134 he knocked out Brendan Schaub in the first round for only his third KO victory. Many thought he was going to get destroyed in that fight and have to retire, but now the future looks bright for Big Nog as he steps into his rematch with Mir. Mir is coming off a murder at the hands of Shane Carwin and two horrible fights he won in totally unimpressive fashion against Mirk Cro Cop and Roy Nelson. Mir thinks he is a stand up master, but he is pretty weak in that department. Big Nog used to be the greatest heavyweight boxer in MMA and if he is healthy he could bust some of that out on Mir. Both are great submission guys, with Nogueira likely having the best jiu jitsu in the history of the sport. Mir doesn’t have the wear and tear on his body like Nogueira so he could be at an advantage but if Nogueira is truly healthy and prepared then he will have Mir beat. I could see Mir finishing Nogueira again, but I think Nogueira wins a decision.
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon “Bones” Jones (14-1) vs. Lyoto Machida (17-2): If Jones wins all of the hype is validated. So far all he’s done is beat an injured Shogun Rua and an over the hill Rampage Jackson. Machida is the toughest matchup Jones has in the division. Machida has great striking, wrestling, and jiu jitsu. His unorthodox karate style makes him an extremely difficult target to hit. Machida wins a lot of decisions because his style is about patience and waiting for you to come at him and make a mistake so he can counter. The only problem here is that Jones is going to have a foot and a half reach advantage, meaning he’ll be harder for Machida to hit than Machida will be for him. If Machida is aggressive like he has been in his last two fights, then he will have a better chance of winning.
For all of the highlight reel moves Jones does, he makes a lot of mistakes and leaves himself open to get attacked. He has yet to face anybody quick or accurate enough to capitalize on those openings, but I think Machida is the one to do it. Shogun was able to take Jones’ back off missed spinning back fists, but he was so tired and injured he couldn’t do anything. Rampage can pack a punch but he is so slow and has given up on wrestling, making him far too easy to pick apart. Machida has a lot of weapons and even undersized I think he has all the tools to stop Jones. This reminds me of Machida’s fight with Rashad Evans. Evans was a new champion, had never lost, had an unorthodox style, and was extremely arrogant. Machida stayed patient to get Evans to come at him then ignited him with a devastating flurry of strikes. Jones is similar to Evans, and I think the fight ends in similar fashion. Just like Rampage Jackson before him, Machida is looking to become the second two-time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, but unlike Rampage I think he pulls it off. I pick Machida by fourth round TKO.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
UFC 140 Gets A Main Event And Lyoto Machida Gets An Opponent
Earlier this week, I had been planning to write that the main event of UFC 140 should become Lyoto Machida against Rashad Evans. This was based on the assumption that Jon Jones’ six month medical suspension would hold for at least half that time. Turns out, it is Evans who can’t make the December 10 fight card and now Lyoto Machida will be fighting Jon Jones for the UFC Light Heavyweight Title.
In some ways, this makes the UFC look a little silly. After Jones’ last two fights, Rashad was brought into the Octagon to hype a fight with Jonny Bones. Now for the second straight time, Jones will be fighting a different person. From a promotional standpoint, it makes the UFC look a bit amateur by repeatedly announcing and then changing this fight. Evans has been the clear top contender for over a year now, hence being put in a title match, but the changing of opponents makes title matches seem more entertainment and less merit (ranking system) based.
That being said, it worked out well the prior two times. Replacing Evans with Jones against Shogun Rua helped to usher in a brand new star for the company. Then, after the bickering, setting up Jones vs. Rampage Jackson made for a fight that provided both a credible challenger and increased attention from people due to Jackson’s popularity and name recognition. In this instance, Machida hasn’t fought since crushing Randy Couture in March and hasn’t really been mentioned in the title picture other than “if he wins his next fight or two, he should get a title shot.”
While the UFC has been pushing this Jones and Evans rivalry all year, I believe Machida makes for a better opponent and match. Jones and Evans have similar styles and Jones would be the bigger, stronger, faster opponent. I would expect him to beat Evans decisively. Machida is a much more intriguing challenger. He forces his opponents to fight his way, on his terms. Jones hasn’t faced anyone capable of that. Machida’s style of counter punching and his speed and reflexes could cause some serious problems for Jones. During the Shogun and Rampage fights, Jones left himself exposed for strikes and takedowns. The only problem was that Rua was too injured and Jackson was too slow and one dimensional. Machida has underrated takedowns and can be lightning fast with his strikes. If Jones comes in on him or turns his back during strikes (like he did against Rua AND Jackson), Machida can make him pay.
I think that this is the only fight for Jones that will truly test him. Dan Henderson might have a chance, but I tend to think Jones can rag doll him. Even if he gets healthy and that’s a big if, I don’t know that Shogun can beat Jones’ wrestling skills. While Jones is considered a favorite in the Machida fight and justifiably so, I think its only a slight favorite. I’m biased both against Jones and towards Machida, so it is impossible to objective in this fight. I lean towards Jones 55%-45% in my thinking. I’m sure I’ll get into this more once we get closer to the fight. Regardless, I’m glad this fight is happening and it definitely saves a UFC 140 card that was highlighted by the brothers Nogueira facing Frank Mir and Tito Ortiz. Between this fight and UFC 141’s Lesnar-Overeem tilt, Zuffa has made December a must see month.
In some ways, this makes the UFC look a little silly. After Jones’ last two fights, Rashad was brought into the Octagon to hype a fight with Jonny Bones. Now for the second straight time, Jones will be fighting a different person. From a promotional standpoint, it makes the UFC look a bit amateur by repeatedly announcing and then changing this fight. Evans has been the clear top contender for over a year now, hence being put in a title match, but the changing of opponents makes title matches seem more entertainment and less merit (ranking system) based.
That being said, it worked out well the prior two times. Replacing Evans with Jones against Shogun Rua helped to usher in a brand new star for the company. Then, after the bickering, setting up Jones vs. Rampage Jackson made for a fight that provided both a credible challenger and increased attention from people due to Jackson’s popularity and name recognition. In this instance, Machida hasn’t fought since crushing Randy Couture in March and hasn’t really been mentioned in the title picture other than “if he wins his next fight or two, he should get a title shot.”
While the UFC has been pushing this Jones and Evans rivalry all year, I believe Machida makes for a better opponent and match. Jones and Evans have similar styles and Jones would be the bigger, stronger, faster opponent. I would expect him to beat Evans decisively. Machida is a much more intriguing challenger. He forces his opponents to fight his way, on his terms. Jones hasn’t faced anyone capable of that. Machida’s style of counter punching and his speed and reflexes could cause some serious problems for Jones. During the Shogun and Rampage fights, Jones left himself exposed for strikes and takedowns. The only problem was that Rua was too injured and Jackson was too slow and one dimensional. Machida has underrated takedowns and can be lightning fast with his strikes. If Jones comes in on him or turns his back during strikes (like he did against Rua AND Jackson), Machida can make him pay.
I think that this is the only fight for Jones that will truly test him. Dan Henderson might have a chance, but I tend to think Jones can rag doll him. Even if he gets healthy and that’s a big if, I don’t know that Shogun can beat Jones’ wrestling skills. While Jones is considered a favorite in the Machida fight and justifiably so, I think its only a slight favorite. I’m biased both against Jones and towards Machida, so it is impossible to objective in this fight. I lean towards Jones 55%-45% in my thinking. I’m sure I’ll get into this more once we get closer to the fight. Regardless, I’m glad this fight is happening and it definitely saves a UFC 140 card that was highlighted by the brothers Nogueira facing Frank Mir and Tito Ortiz. Between this fight and UFC 141’s Lesnar-Overeem tilt, Zuffa has made December a must see month.
Monday, September 26, 2011
The Unlikable King of Light Heavyweights
On Saturday night UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon “Bones” Jones cemented his place at the top of his division with a dominant win over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Jones fought well and controlled the fight from the start, but Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg’s commentary made it seem as though Jones was putting on the greatest performance in the history of mixed martial arts. It wasn’t, no matter how much the UFC is going to want people to believe that Bones is the new king of the MMA world. It was insulting to hear commentary that called Jones “flawless” and constantly compared him to Anderson Silva, the greatest to ever step into the octagon. Jones was impressive and is one of the best in the world, but for some reason he still seems lacking in that quality that makes the UFC’s other champions so likable.
This quality can’t be easily explained, as it is more than just charisma and essentially falls into what professional wrestling fans would call “it.” Jones just isn’t a likable guy. Maybe it is the fact he broke four rules en route to his vicious victory over Shogun Rua (See the end of this article). He headbutted Shogun in the chest several times, elbowed him in the throat, and gouged his eyes at various points in the fight. He even cheaply attacked Shogun’s surgically repaired knee, and while not illegal it is pretty low class considering he had such a massive size and strength advantage and seemed poised to easily win the fight.
Before he won the belt, Jones was signing autographs with “UFC Light Heavyweight Champion” before his name. When he won the title he said he hates the idea of replica title belts because the fans who own them didn’t have to work like he did to earn his. And while that wasn’t bad enough, Jones was allegedly caught with a spy in Rampage Jackson’s camp leading up to their fight.
Why anybody would spy on Rampage is confusing. He’s used the same strategy for his entire career: boxing. He’s going to stand there and try to hit you, only he’s a lot slower now than he was when he first started. For Jones to spy on Rampage is completely idiotic since it would show an utter lack of knowledge of your opponent if you don’t realize he’s going to stand and bang, and it is completely low class because you can’t claim to carry yourself as a champion and be a champion as a person if you’re cheating and trying to get an unfair advantage. Jones continually comes across as a guy who is a good fighter but not somebody you can easily get behind and respect.
In interviews he comes off as arrogant or awkward. He tries to be funny and charming, but much like when LeBron James or Kobe Bryant does it, it just doesn’t seem genuine. It seems like an athlete playing the part of a funny and charming guy to help promote the company or product. This isn’t to say that he’s a terrible human being, but he just seems uncomfortable with the spotlight and seems like he’s trying to be a good company man and play ball rather than be himself. And if he is trying to be himself then he comes across as a dweeb. He isn’t funny and doesn’t have the charisma like GSP or Silva.
Georges St-Pierre is an incredible fighter but not the best talker in the business. Georges seems like a geek but he has charisma. He seems funny and he gives answers that make you respect him. Jones doing things like saying he’s already champion before he even fought Shogun make him come across as arrogant, especially since he hadn’t defeated anybody of note. Of course Michael Jordan was and probably still is a terrible person and very mean, but he was easy to love because he took over a game like nobody before or since. When Jordan came to play he gave you one of the greatest shows you’ll ever see.
With all athletes, as long as you play well people won’t care about what you do outside the ring, or off the court/field, etc. People watch sports to see something special and see somebody blow their mind with an incredible performance. Anderson Silva does that with mixed martial arts. Watching Jon Jones fight, the UFC commentary team will try to tell you Jones is doing it just as well as Silva when it isn’t even the case. That ridiculous hype is part of what makes Jones so unlikable, and it is exacerbated by the fact Jones seems to believe everything they say about him despite him not proving it all yet.
If you’re force-fed something long enough, you’re bound to get sick of it. It is why so many people grow tired of anything from music and movies when they get popular to athletes when they hear so much about them from the sporting press or commentary teams. As Jones picked apart Jackson on Saturday, Goldberg and Rogan said Jones was “Silva-esque” with his striking. That is not remotely true. Comparing somebody’s striking to that of Anderson Silva is as insulting as when Mark Jackson will say Kobe Bryant’s fadeaway is as good as Michael Jordan’s. You’re taking the greatest of all time and belittling their skills to make what’s new appear to be better or as special.
Jones displayed very good striking against Rampage, which of course was made easier by the fact Rampage’s speed is measured with a calendar rather than a stop watch. This isn’t to say that Jones would have had piss poor striking against a faster fighter as Jones has good strikes, but it is worth noting that Rampage isn’t known for his quick movements so this helped Jones look a little better. However aside from leg kicks, Jones’ stand up game wasn’t that effective as Rampage didn’t appear to take much damage until Jones finally got him to the ground. This of course didn’t stop Goldberg and Rogan from declaring Jones was putting on a performance reminiscent of Anderson Silva with such lethal strikes.
Jon Jones doesn’t even have the stand up of Georges St-Pierre, let alone Silva. Jones won by submission in the fourth round after mostly standing and banging. Anderson Silva isn’t going to stand and strike nearly the entire fight with somebody and go to the fourth round unless he feels like taking them that deep into the fight. Silva has won his last 15 fights (14 in the UFC), seven of them by first round knockout (6 UFC). Two more were second round knockouts. Silva finishes fights with deadly strikes. Jones has good strikes but they aren’t as precise and damaging as somebody like Silva. Jones has amazing ground and pound due to his vicious elbows, but to say his stand up is as great as the most dangerous striker in the history of the sport is ludicrous and annoying and makes you want to see Jones get beaten up so the UFC will stop with the hype. It is even worse because Jones buys into his own hype.
The biggest problem with Jon Jones, and this one is also tough to explain, is that when you watch him it lacks what is best summed up by being called the “holy shit” factor. Jones has such great skill, but he’s also so much bigger and stronger than every other light heavyweight so the fact he’s going to win is readily acceptable. It will be very interesting to see what happens when he moves up to heavyweight in a couple years because then he won’t have as much of a dominant physical presence. This isn’t to say that Jones being big makes him unlikable, but it just takes excitement away from the fight because he possesses an unreal level of physical tools for the weight he fights at. Of course people can’t hit him since his reach is about a foot longer than many opponents’ at light heavyweight.
Michael Jordan possessed the “holy shit” factor since he could take a team of nearly all scrubs and put them on his back to beat much more talented teams. In 1998 it seemed the Utah Jazz were destined to beat the Bulls as Scottie Pippen was injured, but Jordan willed Chicago to victory. You knew deep down he was going to do it, but that didn’t stop you from worrying that it wouldn’t happen. With Silva every fight is a worry. You know deep down he’ll still win, but it doesn’t stop you from doubting. Against Vitor Belfort there was the fear of his amazing striking power, but Silva still beat him. Chael Sonnen’s wrestling nearly took the title away from Silva, but even with broken ribs Silva still pulled off an amazing submission win.
When Silva wins a fight, you step back and have to catch your breath since he takes his opponent’s soul as well as the victory. His last fight against Yushin Okami was incredible since Okami is one of the most mentally tough fighters in the world, and Silva broke his spirit and made him afraid to even move. Forrest Griffin is another mentally tough fighter praised for his toughness, willingness to push the pace, and willingness to fight anybody no matter what. Silva embarrassed him en route to a first round knockout and Griffin hasn’t seemed like he enjoys being a fighter since. Silva wins and you’re stunned as to how he does it in such an impressive fashion, while Jones wins and you’re not really stunned.
Essentially the “holy shit” factor is overcoming insane odds like Silva with the broken rib or beating somebody in such a brutal and degrading fashion you know their career will never be the same. In the light heavyweight title fight when Randy Couture beat Tito Ortiz so bad he began to spank Tito in the fifth round, that is the ultimate “holy shit” moment. Tito was crying when the round ended because he knew he had just gotten decimated. It took Tito over three years to get another shot at the title. Nobody thought Couture had a chance at winning.
Jones wins in impressive fashion, but it lacks the excitement or the rush of adrenaline that you get from other fighters. It is like Georges St-Pierre. GSP wins every time he fights, but it isn’t something you must see. If you’ve seen GSP beat one contender you’ve seen him beat them all. That’s how it feels with Jones. He’s going to keep his distance, throw some kicks and a spinning elbow, take you down and beat you up. With Silva you never know what’s going to happen. Is he going to put his hands down and goad you into hitting him only to drop you with a jab? Is he going to run right at you as you strike only to dodge every strike like The Matrix? Is he going to get taken down only to pull a submission out of nowhere?
The comparisons to Silva are there because the UFC and a great deal of the MMA community are now hyping Jones as the golden boy when there’s so much he’s yet to accomplish. Yes he is the future of the sport and yes he will have a great career, but he is still so raw it seems like too much credit is being given to his technique when it isn’t even developed, and the fact he agrees with the hype makes him too unlikable. Cheating in his first championship bout and spying on Rampage Jackson also adds to this sense of dislike. He isn’t charismatic and acts very arrogant or awkward. It isn’t easy to like him as much as the UFC wishes everybody would because of one simple statement: Jones just doesn’t have “it.”
This quality can’t be easily explained, as it is more than just charisma and essentially falls into what professional wrestling fans would call “it.” Jones just isn’t a likable guy. Maybe it is the fact he broke four rules en route to his vicious victory over Shogun Rua (See the end of this article). He headbutted Shogun in the chest several times, elbowed him in the throat, and gouged his eyes at various points in the fight. He even cheaply attacked Shogun’s surgically repaired knee, and while not illegal it is pretty low class considering he had such a massive size and strength advantage and seemed poised to easily win the fight.
Before he won the belt, Jones was signing autographs with “UFC Light Heavyweight Champion” before his name. When he won the title he said he hates the idea of replica title belts because the fans who own them didn’t have to work like he did to earn his. And while that wasn’t bad enough, Jones was allegedly caught with a spy in Rampage Jackson’s camp leading up to their fight.
Why anybody would spy on Rampage is confusing. He’s used the same strategy for his entire career: boxing. He’s going to stand there and try to hit you, only he’s a lot slower now than he was when he first started. For Jones to spy on Rampage is completely idiotic since it would show an utter lack of knowledge of your opponent if you don’t realize he’s going to stand and bang, and it is completely low class because you can’t claim to carry yourself as a champion and be a champion as a person if you’re cheating and trying to get an unfair advantage. Jones continually comes across as a guy who is a good fighter but not somebody you can easily get behind and respect.
In interviews he comes off as arrogant or awkward. He tries to be funny and charming, but much like when LeBron James or Kobe Bryant does it, it just doesn’t seem genuine. It seems like an athlete playing the part of a funny and charming guy to help promote the company or product. This isn’t to say that he’s a terrible human being, but he just seems uncomfortable with the spotlight and seems like he’s trying to be a good company man and play ball rather than be himself. And if he is trying to be himself then he comes across as a dweeb. He isn’t funny and doesn’t have the charisma like GSP or Silva.
Georges St-Pierre is an incredible fighter but not the best talker in the business. Georges seems like a geek but he has charisma. He seems funny and he gives answers that make you respect him. Jones doing things like saying he’s already champion before he even fought Shogun make him come across as arrogant, especially since he hadn’t defeated anybody of note. Of course Michael Jordan was and probably still is a terrible person and very mean, but he was easy to love because he took over a game like nobody before or since. When Jordan came to play he gave you one of the greatest shows you’ll ever see.
With all athletes, as long as you play well people won’t care about what you do outside the ring, or off the court/field, etc. People watch sports to see something special and see somebody blow their mind with an incredible performance. Anderson Silva does that with mixed martial arts. Watching Jon Jones fight, the UFC commentary team will try to tell you Jones is doing it just as well as Silva when it isn’t even the case. That ridiculous hype is part of what makes Jones so unlikable, and it is exacerbated by the fact Jones seems to believe everything they say about him despite him not proving it all yet.
If you’re force-fed something long enough, you’re bound to get sick of it. It is why so many people grow tired of anything from music and movies when they get popular to athletes when they hear so much about them from the sporting press or commentary teams. As Jones picked apart Jackson on Saturday, Goldberg and Rogan said Jones was “Silva-esque” with his striking. That is not remotely true. Comparing somebody’s striking to that of Anderson Silva is as insulting as when Mark Jackson will say Kobe Bryant’s fadeaway is as good as Michael Jordan’s. You’re taking the greatest of all time and belittling their skills to make what’s new appear to be better or as special.
Jones displayed very good striking against Rampage, which of course was made easier by the fact Rampage’s speed is measured with a calendar rather than a stop watch. This isn’t to say that Jones would have had piss poor striking against a faster fighter as Jones has good strikes, but it is worth noting that Rampage isn’t known for his quick movements so this helped Jones look a little better. However aside from leg kicks, Jones’ stand up game wasn’t that effective as Rampage didn’t appear to take much damage until Jones finally got him to the ground. This of course didn’t stop Goldberg and Rogan from declaring Jones was putting on a performance reminiscent of Anderson Silva with such lethal strikes.
Jon Jones doesn’t even have the stand up of Georges St-Pierre, let alone Silva. Jones won by submission in the fourth round after mostly standing and banging. Anderson Silva isn’t going to stand and strike nearly the entire fight with somebody and go to the fourth round unless he feels like taking them that deep into the fight. Silva has won his last 15 fights (14 in the UFC), seven of them by first round knockout (6 UFC). Two more were second round knockouts. Silva finishes fights with deadly strikes. Jones has good strikes but they aren’t as precise and damaging as somebody like Silva. Jones has amazing ground and pound due to his vicious elbows, but to say his stand up is as great as the most dangerous striker in the history of the sport is ludicrous and annoying and makes you want to see Jones get beaten up so the UFC will stop with the hype. It is even worse because Jones buys into his own hype.
The biggest problem with Jon Jones, and this one is also tough to explain, is that when you watch him it lacks what is best summed up by being called the “holy shit” factor. Jones has such great skill, but he’s also so much bigger and stronger than every other light heavyweight so the fact he’s going to win is readily acceptable. It will be very interesting to see what happens when he moves up to heavyweight in a couple years because then he won’t have as much of a dominant physical presence. This isn’t to say that Jones being big makes him unlikable, but it just takes excitement away from the fight because he possesses an unreal level of physical tools for the weight he fights at. Of course people can’t hit him since his reach is about a foot longer than many opponents’ at light heavyweight.
Michael Jordan possessed the “holy shit” factor since he could take a team of nearly all scrubs and put them on his back to beat much more talented teams. In 1998 it seemed the Utah Jazz were destined to beat the Bulls as Scottie Pippen was injured, but Jordan willed Chicago to victory. You knew deep down he was going to do it, but that didn’t stop you from worrying that it wouldn’t happen. With Silva every fight is a worry. You know deep down he’ll still win, but it doesn’t stop you from doubting. Against Vitor Belfort there was the fear of his amazing striking power, but Silva still beat him. Chael Sonnen’s wrestling nearly took the title away from Silva, but even with broken ribs Silva still pulled off an amazing submission win.
When Silva wins a fight, you step back and have to catch your breath since he takes his opponent’s soul as well as the victory. His last fight against Yushin Okami was incredible since Okami is one of the most mentally tough fighters in the world, and Silva broke his spirit and made him afraid to even move. Forrest Griffin is another mentally tough fighter praised for his toughness, willingness to push the pace, and willingness to fight anybody no matter what. Silva embarrassed him en route to a first round knockout and Griffin hasn’t seemed like he enjoys being a fighter since. Silva wins and you’re stunned as to how he does it in such an impressive fashion, while Jones wins and you’re not really stunned.
Essentially the “holy shit” factor is overcoming insane odds like Silva with the broken rib or beating somebody in such a brutal and degrading fashion you know their career will never be the same. In the light heavyweight title fight when Randy Couture beat Tito Ortiz so bad he began to spank Tito in the fifth round, that is the ultimate “holy shit” moment. Tito was crying when the round ended because he knew he had just gotten decimated. It took Tito over three years to get another shot at the title. Nobody thought Couture had a chance at winning.
Jones wins in impressive fashion, but it lacks the excitement or the rush of adrenaline that you get from other fighters. It is like Georges St-Pierre. GSP wins every time he fights, but it isn’t something you must see. If you’ve seen GSP beat one contender you’ve seen him beat them all. That’s how it feels with Jones. He’s going to keep his distance, throw some kicks and a spinning elbow, take you down and beat you up. With Silva you never know what’s going to happen. Is he going to put his hands down and goad you into hitting him only to drop you with a jab? Is he going to run right at you as you strike only to dodge every strike like The Matrix? Is he going to get taken down only to pull a submission out of nowhere?
The comparisons to Silva are there because the UFC and a great deal of the MMA community are now hyping Jones as the golden boy when there’s so much he’s yet to accomplish. Yes he is the future of the sport and yes he will have a great career, but he is still so raw it seems like too much credit is being given to his technique when it isn’t even developed, and the fact he agrees with the hype makes him too unlikable. Cheating in his first championship bout and spying on Rampage Jackson also adds to this sense of dislike. He isn’t charismatic and acts very arrogant or awkward. It isn’t easy to like him as much as the UFC wishes everybody would because of one simple statement: Jones just doesn’t have “it.”
Thursday, September 22, 2011
UFC 135 Predictions
Hard to believe that it’s time for another UFC ppv, as it seems like the very exciting UFC 134 just happened. On the surface, UFC 135 does not appear to be on that level. It is a top heavy card, with a really strong main event of wunderkind Jon Jones making his first light heavyweight title defense against veteran and fan favorite Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and a co-main event of Matt Hughes and Josh Koscheck that could be really dull or potentially interesting. The rest of the card is hit or miss, since it is short on name fighters and has two heavyweight fights on the main card. That could be disastrous, but at least there is a lightweight fight that could be really good.
Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt: Both men in this heavyweight tilt are veterans, with Rothwell fighting for the first time since winning a decision over Gilbert Yvel in 2010 and Hunt fighting for the first time since blasting Chris Tuscherer out of the UFC earlier this year. Hunt looked pretty good in that fight, weighing close to 100 lbs less than he did in his PRIDE days, when he was an exciting knockout artist susceptible to submisisons. I’ve never been particularly impressed by Rothwell, dude just looks like a schlub. Coming off a long layoff can’t be good for Rothwell, but he has a lot of wins by submission and Hunt is not exactly a world beater. His win over Tuscherer was his first in nearly five years. I’m going to cheer for Hunt to throw down a KO, but it is going to be Rothwell by second round submission.
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi: This lightweight scrap is my pick for fight of the night. It’s kind of neat, since five years ago Gomi fought Nick Diaz at PRIDE 33 and lost in one of the most exciting battles of all time. Both fighters here have struggled as of late, which I like to blame on the fact that they have both been pitted against wrestlers, which neither of these men are. I expect a fast paced brawl. I’m not sold on Nate Diaz, he is like a less skilled version of Nick. I also don’t know if Gomi is still any good. He was exciting in PRIDE, but has struggled since that organization folded. I do think he has better striking than Nate and if he doesn’t get involved in any grappling exchanges, I think it will be Gomi by decision.
Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton: This heavyweight match pits one guy who I’ve seen knock out Stefan Struve and get dominated by Cheick Kongo (Browne) against someone I’ve never heard of. Browne seems to be someone that the UFC thinks has potential, since he has been up against midlevel competition like Struve and Kongo. I’m just going to guess and say Browne by second round TKO.
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck: This was originally supposed to be Hughes vs. Diego Sanchez, but Sanchez pulled out last week with an injury and Koscheck stepped up on two weeks notice to take the fight. I think that Hughes had a better shot of winning when it was Sanchez, even if Kos is stepping up on short notice after recovering from an eye injury. I can’t stand Koscheck; he’s obnoxious and cheats, but I respect that he is willing to take on anyone at any time and that shows a certain respect for fans and the sport that is commendable. Sanchez is a small welterweight, Kos is a large one. Kos also has more power than Sanchez and is arguably as good a wrestler as Hughes. Koscheck should also be closer to his prime than Hughes, who has fought roughly a million fights in his career. What makes this fight interesting is the claim that Koscheck has made for years that Hughes has avoided fighting him like the plague. I think in this battle of two wrestlers, most of it will be on the feet. That’s how these things always end up. In this case, Hughes has woeful standup and while Kos’ is overrated, he is still better at it than Hughes. Kos can also take a punch better than Matt, so let’s say Koscheck by second round knockout.
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson: Jon Jones will be looking to be the first fighter since Machida in 2009 to successfully defend the light heavyweight belt while Rampage looks to become only the second two-time champ in the division’s history. For Jackson, this is in all likelihood his last shot at UFC gold. He’s been around a while and with a burgeoning movie career and newer, more dynamic fighters coming up his chances of getting to the top again are slim. For Jones, this is the chance to solidify himself as the best 205er in the world and not just someone who pummeled a crippled Shogun to win the belt. While I would tilt the odds heavily towards Jones in this fight, I wouldn’t count Rampage out. Jones will have a significant reach, size, and speed advantage over the lumbering Jackson. I would say Rampage has better boxing and footwork, as well as arguably more power in his strikes. Jones, while dynamic, doesn’t really set his feet and blast people. Quinton has some of the best boxing in MMA and can crush someone with his hooks or uppercuts. Jones has great trips, throws, and takedowns but Rampage will easily have the best takedown defense of anyone Jones has faced. What favors Jones is that Rampage is too one dimensional. He doesn’t go for takedowns or the slams that were a trademark of his PRIDE days. He is content to stuff takedowns and box. He is going to have to be more active if he wants to win and fight in a fashion similar to his fight with Machida last year. I think that something else working in his favor is that Jones is the most arrogant fighter not named Anderson Silva and unlike Jones, Silva has earned that right to be arrogant. There is a chance he is overlooking Rampage or gets too cocky and gets sloppy. The best way for Jones to win would be to take either the Forrest Griffin or Rashad Evans route by keeping distance and utilizing leg kicks or by grinding away in the clinch as opposed to getting into any firefights with Jackson. I’ll be cheering for Rampage, but I think that realistically he has about a 25% chance of winning this fight. I think that Machida is the best stylistically to beat Jones and will be the first one to do it, but that won’t stop me from rooting for Jackson. I do think that Jones grinds out a decision or possibly 4th round TKO.
As always, feel free to share your predictions in the comment section or on my facebook page.
Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt: Both men in this heavyweight tilt are veterans, with Rothwell fighting for the first time since winning a decision over Gilbert Yvel in 2010 and Hunt fighting for the first time since blasting Chris Tuscherer out of the UFC earlier this year. Hunt looked pretty good in that fight, weighing close to 100 lbs less than he did in his PRIDE days, when he was an exciting knockout artist susceptible to submisisons. I’ve never been particularly impressed by Rothwell, dude just looks like a schlub. Coming off a long layoff can’t be good for Rothwell, but he has a lot of wins by submission and Hunt is not exactly a world beater. His win over Tuscherer was his first in nearly five years. I’m going to cheer for Hunt to throw down a KO, but it is going to be Rothwell by second round submission.
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi: This lightweight scrap is my pick for fight of the night. It’s kind of neat, since five years ago Gomi fought Nick Diaz at PRIDE 33 and lost in one of the most exciting battles of all time. Both fighters here have struggled as of late, which I like to blame on the fact that they have both been pitted against wrestlers, which neither of these men are. I expect a fast paced brawl. I’m not sold on Nate Diaz, he is like a less skilled version of Nick. I also don’t know if Gomi is still any good. He was exciting in PRIDE, but has struggled since that organization folded. I do think he has better striking than Nate and if he doesn’t get involved in any grappling exchanges, I think it will be Gomi by decision.
Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton: This heavyweight match pits one guy who I’ve seen knock out Stefan Struve and get dominated by Cheick Kongo (Browne) against someone I’ve never heard of. Browne seems to be someone that the UFC thinks has potential, since he has been up against midlevel competition like Struve and Kongo. I’m just going to guess and say Browne by second round TKO.
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck: This was originally supposed to be Hughes vs. Diego Sanchez, but Sanchez pulled out last week with an injury and Koscheck stepped up on two weeks notice to take the fight. I think that Hughes had a better shot of winning when it was Sanchez, even if Kos is stepping up on short notice after recovering from an eye injury. I can’t stand Koscheck; he’s obnoxious and cheats, but I respect that he is willing to take on anyone at any time and that shows a certain respect for fans and the sport that is commendable. Sanchez is a small welterweight, Kos is a large one. Kos also has more power than Sanchez and is arguably as good a wrestler as Hughes. Koscheck should also be closer to his prime than Hughes, who has fought roughly a million fights in his career. What makes this fight interesting is the claim that Koscheck has made for years that Hughes has avoided fighting him like the plague. I think in this battle of two wrestlers, most of it will be on the feet. That’s how these things always end up. In this case, Hughes has woeful standup and while Kos’ is overrated, he is still better at it than Hughes. Kos can also take a punch better than Matt, so let’s say Koscheck by second round knockout.
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson: Jon Jones will be looking to be the first fighter since Machida in 2009 to successfully defend the light heavyweight belt while Rampage looks to become only the second two-time champ in the division’s history. For Jackson, this is in all likelihood his last shot at UFC gold. He’s been around a while and with a burgeoning movie career and newer, more dynamic fighters coming up his chances of getting to the top again are slim. For Jones, this is the chance to solidify himself as the best 205er in the world and not just someone who pummeled a crippled Shogun to win the belt. While I would tilt the odds heavily towards Jones in this fight, I wouldn’t count Rampage out. Jones will have a significant reach, size, and speed advantage over the lumbering Jackson. I would say Rampage has better boxing and footwork, as well as arguably more power in his strikes. Jones, while dynamic, doesn’t really set his feet and blast people. Quinton has some of the best boxing in MMA and can crush someone with his hooks or uppercuts. Jones has great trips, throws, and takedowns but Rampage will easily have the best takedown defense of anyone Jones has faced. What favors Jones is that Rampage is too one dimensional. He doesn’t go for takedowns or the slams that were a trademark of his PRIDE days. He is content to stuff takedowns and box. He is going to have to be more active if he wants to win and fight in a fashion similar to his fight with Machida last year. I think that something else working in his favor is that Jones is the most arrogant fighter not named Anderson Silva and unlike Jones, Silva has earned that right to be arrogant. There is a chance he is overlooking Rampage or gets too cocky and gets sloppy. The best way for Jones to win would be to take either the Forrest Griffin or Rashad Evans route by keeping distance and utilizing leg kicks or by grinding away in the clinch as opposed to getting into any firefights with Jackson. I’ll be cheering for Rampage, but I think that realistically he has about a 25% chance of winning this fight. I think that Machida is the best stylistically to beat Jones and will be the first one to do it, but that won’t stop me from rooting for Jackson. I do think that Jones grinds out a decision or possibly 4th round TKO.
As always, feel free to share your predictions in the comment section or on my facebook page.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Will those of us who pick Rampage regret it?
“Do you really want to be on the wrong side of history?”
That was a question my brother once posed when we were discussing how silly it was people were going to vote for John McCain over Barack Obama in 2008. Obama was clearly going to win and with his priorities on the economy over the war he seemed like a more logical choice than McCain, but some people seemed to think McCain was the one. Of course this isn’t a political blog, but the question still holds a lot of weight in everything from politics to sports.
This Saturday is UFC 135 and features one of the most intriguing and exciting main events the Ultimate Fighting Championship will probably ever have. UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon “Bones” Jones defends his title against Quentin “Rampage” Jackson. Rampage is looking to become only the second man to be a two-time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, and Bones Jones is looking to continue his quest to become the greatest talent mixed martial arts has ever seen. Predictions for the show will undoubtedly come later in the week, but I’ll state right now I both think and hope Rampage Jackson will lay out Jones to regain his belt. It is with that prediction I step back and think of Jimmy’s question: Do you really want to be on the wrong side of history?
I think of that question and I think of Michael Jordan. MJ is the undisputed greatest athlete in the history of any sport ever. Six championships in eight years, which could have easily been eight straight or even nine straight had he not retired, make him the leader of one of the NBA’s all time great dynasties. I think of how the Bulls made the 1991 NBA Finals and critics said Jordan was too selfish to win a title, but then he went out and the Bulls effectively ended Magic Johnson and the Lakers to become champs. I think of the 1992 NBA Finals in which people said Clyde Drexler was on Jordan’s level and the Portland Trailblazers could stop the Bulls from repeating as champions. I think of how in Game 1 Jordan scores 36 first half points and simply shrugs, cementing his place as the best in the world and Drexler’s inferiority. They won the title that year too, and again next year against a tough Phoenix Suns team people thought could give the Bulls a run for their money.
I think of the last two championships the Chicago Bulls won, in 1997 and 1998, and how there were people who really thought the Utah Jazz could beat them. In ’97 Jordan put on one of the two greatest performances in the history of the NBA when he scored 38 points in Game 5 despite being sick as hell and eventually propelled Chicago to a Game 6 championship win. Of course in 1998 age and injures slowed the Bulls big time, but they had one weapon no other team had: Michael fucking Jordan. In Game 6 Jordan puts on the other one of the two greatest performances in NBA history as the Bulls win title number six. Now I’m sure somebody is wondering why I just gave this longwinded explanation of the Bulls title wins. I’ll get to that.
Now we have Jon Jones. He is an incredible athletic specimen. He’s in great shape; he’s got great speed and great strength. His wrestling is good and his striking has proven to be vicious. If you’ve ever seen him fight then you’ve heard commentators Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg hype Jones up as the guy who very likely may go down as the greatest fighter ever. He has looked like a juggernaut in his first 14 fights, with his only loss coming after an illegal elbow during the midst of demolishing Matt Hamill. Jones has 8 wins by way of knockout and 3 by submission. Everybody he has faced has been beaten and beaten badly. And he is very young, so as he gets older and moves closer to his prime he’s only getting better. It is because of this that I start to wonder if I’m making the right pick.
But there is a chance I’m not wrong. When you look at the list of people Jones has beaten, it isn’t particularly impressive. His big standout win is the one over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua for the championship, but once you get past the surface the win isn’t that impressive. Shogun’s legs were badly hobbled going into the fight and he looked to be in piss poor shape. He had no stamina and no lower half of his leg and clearly had no chance. Of course I went against history and picked Shogun to win because he was amazing back in the day, but that’s not the case anymore. I was in denial at the time and thought he could slow down Jones’ meteoric rise to the top. Whoops.
Shogun’s injuries proved to be too much for him to overcome and he shouldn’t have even been in the octagon fighting. Jones completely overwhelmed him en route to becoming champion. A win over a legend like Shogun Rua makes your legacy, but when you realize Rua was in no condition to even fight it weakens the moment. Jones fought sloppy in that fight and Rua took his back on several occasions, Rua was so small and weak he couldn’t capitalize. That right there serves as my hope that I’m not betting against history by picking Rampage Jackson this Saturday.
If Jones gets inside, tries one of those spinning elbows, and Rampage ends up taking his back he won’t just hold Jones there like Shogun did. Rampage is well known for once having devastating slams, and with the title on the line in such a big moment, I doubt he’d forget about using them. Rampage also has devastating boxing, with an uppercut that could stop a train. Jones has never been hit so we have no idea what his chin is like. If Rampage belts him in the jaw, Jones could very likely be taking a nap. But that’s when I stop and think.
What about those people who said Jordan was too selfish to win in ’91? What about the people who said Drexler could take Jordan off his throne in ’92? What about people who thought Charles Barkley and the Suns could stop the Bulls from getting the historic “three-peat” in 1993? The 1996 Bulls were the greatest team ever so there was no real doubt, but what about the people in ’97 and ’98 who thought John Stockton, Karl Malone, and their coach Jerry Sloan were destined to finally become NBA Champions? Imagine how foolish all of those doubters must have felt by the end of June in 1998. They must have felt like the biggest assholes ever since here they were constantly betting against a guy who ended up being the greatest basketball player of all time.
For the second straight fight now, I’m betting against the fighter who could potentially go down as the best. But Jones has yet to beat a real fighter in prime condition so who knows if the hype is deserved. Of course if Rampage loses a lot of people will say it is because he’s past his prime, but he’s still near the top of the division so should Jones win he’s still proven himself. And if Jones wins I once again have to sit here with egg on my face and claim to know and understand the sport but for some reason keep picking wrong when it comes to the new golden boy. With the potential happiness I’ll feel if I see Rampage Jackson land a few big punches, howl, and become the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, I will take the chance.
That was a question my brother once posed when we were discussing how silly it was people were going to vote for John McCain over Barack Obama in 2008. Obama was clearly going to win and with his priorities on the economy over the war he seemed like a more logical choice than McCain, but some people seemed to think McCain was the one. Of course this isn’t a political blog, but the question still holds a lot of weight in everything from politics to sports.
This Saturday is UFC 135 and features one of the most intriguing and exciting main events the Ultimate Fighting Championship will probably ever have. UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon “Bones” Jones defends his title against Quentin “Rampage” Jackson. Rampage is looking to become only the second man to be a two-time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, and Bones Jones is looking to continue his quest to become the greatest talent mixed martial arts has ever seen. Predictions for the show will undoubtedly come later in the week, but I’ll state right now I both think and hope Rampage Jackson will lay out Jones to regain his belt. It is with that prediction I step back and think of Jimmy’s question: Do you really want to be on the wrong side of history?
I think of that question and I think of Michael Jordan. MJ is the undisputed greatest athlete in the history of any sport ever. Six championships in eight years, which could have easily been eight straight or even nine straight had he not retired, make him the leader of one of the NBA’s all time great dynasties. I think of how the Bulls made the 1991 NBA Finals and critics said Jordan was too selfish to win a title, but then he went out and the Bulls effectively ended Magic Johnson and the Lakers to become champs. I think of the 1992 NBA Finals in which people said Clyde Drexler was on Jordan’s level and the Portland Trailblazers could stop the Bulls from repeating as champions. I think of how in Game 1 Jordan scores 36 first half points and simply shrugs, cementing his place as the best in the world and Drexler’s inferiority. They won the title that year too, and again next year against a tough Phoenix Suns team people thought could give the Bulls a run for their money.
I think of the last two championships the Chicago Bulls won, in 1997 and 1998, and how there were people who really thought the Utah Jazz could beat them. In ’97 Jordan put on one of the two greatest performances in the history of the NBA when he scored 38 points in Game 5 despite being sick as hell and eventually propelled Chicago to a Game 6 championship win. Of course in 1998 age and injures slowed the Bulls big time, but they had one weapon no other team had: Michael fucking Jordan. In Game 6 Jordan puts on the other one of the two greatest performances in NBA history as the Bulls win title number six. Now I’m sure somebody is wondering why I just gave this longwinded explanation of the Bulls title wins. I’ll get to that.
Now we have Jon Jones. He is an incredible athletic specimen. He’s in great shape; he’s got great speed and great strength. His wrestling is good and his striking has proven to be vicious. If you’ve ever seen him fight then you’ve heard commentators Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg hype Jones up as the guy who very likely may go down as the greatest fighter ever. He has looked like a juggernaut in his first 14 fights, with his only loss coming after an illegal elbow during the midst of demolishing Matt Hamill. Jones has 8 wins by way of knockout and 3 by submission. Everybody he has faced has been beaten and beaten badly. And he is very young, so as he gets older and moves closer to his prime he’s only getting better. It is because of this that I start to wonder if I’m making the right pick.
But there is a chance I’m not wrong. When you look at the list of people Jones has beaten, it isn’t particularly impressive. His big standout win is the one over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua for the championship, but once you get past the surface the win isn’t that impressive. Shogun’s legs were badly hobbled going into the fight and he looked to be in piss poor shape. He had no stamina and no lower half of his leg and clearly had no chance. Of course I went against history and picked Shogun to win because he was amazing back in the day, but that’s not the case anymore. I was in denial at the time and thought he could slow down Jones’ meteoric rise to the top. Whoops.
Shogun’s injuries proved to be too much for him to overcome and he shouldn’t have even been in the octagon fighting. Jones completely overwhelmed him en route to becoming champion. A win over a legend like Shogun Rua makes your legacy, but when you realize Rua was in no condition to even fight it weakens the moment. Jones fought sloppy in that fight and Rua took his back on several occasions, Rua was so small and weak he couldn’t capitalize. That right there serves as my hope that I’m not betting against history by picking Rampage Jackson this Saturday.
If Jones gets inside, tries one of those spinning elbows, and Rampage ends up taking his back he won’t just hold Jones there like Shogun did. Rampage is well known for once having devastating slams, and with the title on the line in such a big moment, I doubt he’d forget about using them. Rampage also has devastating boxing, with an uppercut that could stop a train. Jones has never been hit so we have no idea what his chin is like. If Rampage belts him in the jaw, Jones could very likely be taking a nap. But that’s when I stop and think.
What about those people who said Jordan was too selfish to win in ’91? What about the people who said Drexler could take Jordan off his throne in ’92? What about people who thought Charles Barkley and the Suns could stop the Bulls from getting the historic “three-peat” in 1993? The 1996 Bulls were the greatest team ever so there was no real doubt, but what about the people in ’97 and ’98 who thought John Stockton, Karl Malone, and their coach Jerry Sloan were destined to finally become NBA Champions? Imagine how foolish all of those doubters must have felt by the end of June in 1998. They must have felt like the biggest assholes ever since here they were constantly betting against a guy who ended up being the greatest basketball player of all time.
For the second straight fight now, I’m betting against the fighter who could potentially go down as the best. But Jones has yet to beat a real fighter in prime condition so who knows if the hype is deserved. Of course if Rampage loses a lot of people will say it is because he’s past his prime, but he’s still near the top of the division so should Jones win he’s still proven himself. And if Jones wins I once again have to sit here with egg on my face and claim to know and understand the sport but for some reason keep picking wrong when it comes to the new golden boy. With the potential happiness I’ll feel if I see Rampage Jackson land a few big punches, howl, and become the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, I will take the chance.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
One Final Rampage
At UFC 135 this Saturday, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson gets what will likely be his last shot at reclaiming the UFC Light Heavyweight Title when he faces the future of the division in Jon Jones. Coming into this as a heavy underdog, Rampage is going to have to pull off the performance of a lifetime to win. It would have to be a performance no one can really be sure he is capable of.
Since his beginnings in PRIDE, Rampage has always been near the top of the 205 lb. division. He entered the sport with solid wrestling and vicious slams and evolved his striking until he became one of the best strikers in all of MMA. If you watch him strike, his footwork and head movement are excellent by MMA standards and he can throw his hooks and uppercuts with great power and force. While Rampage has always had the tools to be a great fighter, he doesn’t always manage to put them together consistently. Two things have held Rampage back throughout his career: a lack of focus and an increasingly unevolved gameplan in his fights.
Rampage can be a bit of a goofball, to the point of inhibiting his effectiveness as a fighter. You can go on youtube and see an enormous amounts of clips of him doing stuff like humping a reporter’s leg, motorboating in a reporter’s cleavage, or just go off on random obscenity laced jokes about his opponents. It seems like some of this takes away from his training and preparation for fights. Look at the Rashad Evans fight - if Rampage hadn’t ballooned to 250+ pounds before that fight and had taken it more seriously, he wouldn’t have gassed out early and could have finished the fight in the third round. His loss to Forrest Griffin is another example. He took Forrest lightly and showed up for the fight out of shape. He ended up losing a decision, even though he landed the more powerful blows, because Forrest outworked him. In PRIDE, he went through a slump where he won an unimpressive decision over Ninja Rua and then followed it up by being on the receiving end of a mauling from Shogun Rua. When Rampage focuses, he does much better.
Both of his wins over Chuck Liddell show this. When they faced off in the 2003 PRIDE Grand Prix, Rampage pounded the Iceman with relentless takedowns and ground and pound, as well as boxing. He ended up winning the fight by TKO when Liddell’s corner threw in the towel to prevent any more damage. Their rematch in the UFC also showed what happens when he takes a fight seriously. He locked into Liddell’s timing and blasted him with a hook that began the end of Chuck’s career. His UFC 92 rematch with Wanderlei Silva was a fight where Rampage had something to prove. He was able to make up for the two prior brutal losses to Silva by crushing him with a hook in the first round that absolutely pasted the Axe Murderer.
While those two knockout wins showcase his striking prowess, too often Rampage has been content to go into fights looking merely to box. In the Griffin fight he was standing still, looking to land knockout blows and ended up paying the price by eating a ton of leg kicks and ended up on his back a few times. In the Evans fight, he was looking to brawl and ended up pinned against the cage for the bulk of the night. Even in wins against Jardine and Hamill, he was far too content to shrug off takedown attempts and stand and box. Even while boxing he isn’t very active; he just looks to throw and not really push any pace. As he has gotten older and slower, he has become far too easy to plan for and against. Leg kicks and a fast pace, as well as some clinch work and keeping your hands up to block the hands are really all that is needed to win against Rampage on most nights.
When Rampage is active, moves around, and mixes it up he fairs much better. His win over Dan Henderson was a classic example. He wasn’t going to be able to KO Hendo (its just never been done), so he was forced to mix it up. He was able to reverse off his back, shoot for and land takedowns, and fight in the clinch. It was one of the more well rounded showings in his entire career, and definitely his most all around effort in the UFC. His November win against Machida, while questionable, still showed a better Rampage than the one that lost to Evans. He moved more, played the aggressor, and didn’t just stand around. He also went for takedowns and even put in an attempt at a slam. If that Rampage shows up every time, he easily wins the bulk of his fights. He’s just too strong and talented to lose lackluster decisions that come from him being plodding.
PRIDE-era Rampage was never called out for being one dimensional or inactive. Over there, he was using a wide range of throws and merciless ground and pound to overwhelm people. If he was trapped in a bad situation, he was willing to just use brute force to escape. Evidence of that can be seen when he slammed Ricardo Arona with the force of a car crash. To succeed against Jon Jones, he is going to have to tap into his arsenal and take advantage of both his experience and raw strength.
By all accounts, Rampage is taking this fight very seriously, much more so than he has since the Silva fight. If that is the case, Jones could be in trouble. He’s young, extremely gifted, but brash. Rampage is easily the toughest challenge of his young career. Even an unmotivated Jackson is extremely difficult to finish; in fact, both of his losses in the UFC were by decision and he hasn’t been finished since that aforementioned drubbing from Shogun Rua in 2005. His boxing is more powerful and technically sound than Jones’ and when combined with some intensity from Jackson, that could make for a long night. However, Jones runs out of a better, more varied camp (Greg Jackson’s as opposed to the one-dimensional Wolfslair) and has constantly improved with every fight while Rampage has seemed to stagnate over the past few years. Either way, this Saturday will show whether Jones really is deserving of the fawning he has received from MMA fans the past few years by beating one of the toughest men in the sport or if Rampage has enough left in him to do what legends like Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz have never done: reclaim the UFC Light Heavyweight Title.
Since his beginnings in PRIDE, Rampage has always been near the top of the 205 lb. division. He entered the sport with solid wrestling and vicious slams and evolved his striking until he became one of the best strikers in all of MMA. If you watch him strike, his footwork and head movement are excellent by MMA standards and he can throw his hooks and uppercuts with great power and force. While Rampage has always had the tools to be a great fighter, he doesn’t always manage to put them together consistently. Two things have held Rampage back throughout his career: a lack of focus and an increasingly unevolved gameplan in his fights.
Rampage can be a bit of a goofball, to the point of inhibiting his effectiveness as a fighter. You can go on youtube and see an enormous amounts of clips of him doing stuff like humping a reporter’s leg, motorboating in a reporter’s cleavage, or just go off on random obscenity laced jokes about his opponents. It seems like some of this takes away from his training and preparation for fights. Look at the Rashad Evans fight - if Rampage hadn’t ballooned to 250+ pounds before that fight and had taken it more seriously, he wouldn’t have gassed out early and could have finished the fight in the third round. His loss to Forrest Griffin is another example. He took Forrest lightly and showed up for the fight out of shape. He ended up losing a decision, even though he landed the more powerful blows, because Forrest outworked him. In PRIDE, he went through a slump where he won an unimpressive decision over Ninja Rua and then followed it up by being on the receiving end of a mauling from Shogun Rua. When Rampage focuses, he does much better.
Both of his wins over Chuck Liddell show this. When they faced off in the 2003 PRIDE Grand Prix, Rampage pounded the Iceman with relentless takedowns and ground and pound, as well as boxing. He ended up winning the fight by TKO when Liddell’s corner threw in the towel to prevent any more damage. Their rematch in the UFC also showed what happens when he takes a fight seriously. He locked into Liddell’s timing and blasted him with a hook that began the end of Chuck’s career. His UFC 92 rematch with Wanderlei Silva was a fight where Rampage had something to prove. He was able to make up for the two prior brutal losses to Silva by crushing him with a hook in the first round that absolutely pasted the Axe Murderer.
While those two knockout wins showcase his striking prowess, too often Rampage has been content to go into fights looking merely to box. In the Griffin fight he was standing still, looking to land knockout blows and ended up paying the price by eating a ton of leg kicks and ended up on his back a few times. In the Evans fight, he was looking to brawl and ended up pinned against the cage for the bulk of the night. Even in wins against Jardine and Hamill, he was far too content to shrug off takedown attempts and stand and box. Even while boxing he isn’t very active; he just looks to throw and not really push any pace. As he has gotten older and slower, he has become far too easy to plan for and against. Leg kicks and a fast pace, as well as some clinch work and keeping your hands up to block the hands are really all that is needed to win against Rampage on most nights.
When Rampage is active, moves around, and mixes it up he fairs much better. His win over Dan Henderson was a classic example. He wasn’t going to be able to KO Hendo (its just never been done), so he was forced to mix it up. He was able to reverse off his back, shoot for and land takedowns, and fight in the clinch. It was one of the more well rounded showings in his entire career, and definitely his most all around effort in the UFC. His November win against Machida, while questionable, still showed a better Rampage than the one that lost to Evans. He moved more, played the aggressor, and didn’t just stand around. He also went for takedowns and even put in an attempt at a slam. If that Rampage shows up every time, he easily wins the bulk of his fights. He’s just too strong and talented to lose lackluster decisions that come from him being plodding.
PRIDE-era Rampage was never called out for being one dimensional or inactive. Over there, he was using a wide range of throws and merciless ground and pound to overwhelm people. If he was trapped in a bad situation, he was willing to just use brute force to escape. Evidence of that can be seen when he slammed Ricardo Arona with the force of a car crash. To succeed against Jon Jones, he is going to have to tap into his arsenal and take advantage of both his experience and raw strength.
By all accounts, Rampage is taking this fight very seriously, much more so than he has since the Silva fight. If that is the case, Jones could be in trouble. He’s young, extremely gifted, but brash. Rampage is easily the toughest challenge of his young career. Even an unmotivated Jackson is extremely difficult to finish; in fact, both of his losses in the UFC were by decision and he hasn’t been finished since that aforementioned drubbing from Shogun Rua in 2005. His boxing is more powerful and technically sound than Jones’ and when combined with some intensity from Jackson, that could make for a long night. However, Jones runs out of a better, more varied camp (Greg Jackson’s as opposed to the one-dimensional Wolfslair) and has constantly improved with every fight while Rampage has seemed to stagnate over the past few years. Either way, this Saturday will show whether Jones really is deserving of the fawning he has received from MMA fans the past few years by beating one of the toughest men in the sport or if Rampage has enough left in him to do what legends like Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz have never done: reclaim the UFC Light Heavyweight Title.
Monday, March 21, 2011
UFC 128: Thoughts, Observations, and Where Do We Go From Here?
UFC 128 is in the books and now there's a new Light Heavyweight Champion, and his name is Jon Jones. My prediction of a Shogun submission was misguided, although I did say a 2nd or 3rd round Jones win by TKO was very possible. It turned out to be a 3rd round TKO for Jonny Bones, in a fight that could only be characterized as lopsided.
Jones annihilated Shogun in a way that no one ever has. From the onset until the end, Jones was all over him. Shogun's face was a swollen, bloody mess and his body was littered with welts from an onslaught of body shots and knees. According to FightMetric, Jones outstruck Shogun 102 to 11. Jones effectively used his range and takedowns and went through the fight unscathed while landing everything he wanted to at will. If he continues to improve at the rate he has from fight to fight, he could end up being the most terrifying specimen in MMA history.
Other Thoughts:
Jon Jones: A battle against former training partner Rashad Evans has been confirmed, one in which I would expect the undersized Evans to be manhandled by Jones. Evans usually succeeds due to better wrestling and a speed advantage, neither of which he will have in this fight. I think Lyoto Machida, if he can get himself back into title contention, would be the biggest challenge to Jones. Jones exposed his back and legs a few times to Shogun, who was too beat up to really capitalize. Machida is a much better grappler than Rua and more willing to let Jones come to him, rather than try and fail to get in on Jones' monster reach advantage. People are clamoring for Anderson Silva to move up and face Jones, which would be an exciting fight and, as a fan of Silva's, a terrifying one. Silva has enough reach and is lanky enough that he could succeed in attaining the head and arm triangles that the shorter Rua could not get. Silva's biggest weakness is wrestling and Jones is one of the best in the sport at it. And unlike Chael Sonnen, Jones can finish his oponents. It would be the first time Silva would be at such a massive disadvantage in size and reach. If they were to fight, it needs to happen before the year ends, otherwise Anderson will be far too old for a youngster like Jonny Bones.
Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua: Maybe a rematch with Forrest Griffin, or Rampage Jackson if he somehow loses to Matt Hamill. Randy Couture would be an option as well. I think a lot of Shogun's future hinges on that of his knees. Was he slow and sluggish because Jones made him look that way, or was it because his layoff and knee surgery made him a lot slower. His next fight should go a long ways in figuring that out. A move to middleweight has been floated around, but I think that should only be considered if he loses his next fight at 205 lbs. The Jones fight is the only one really in his entire career where he has been dominated. On the other hand, I would say the odds of him ever beating Jones would be nil, so a move to 185 may be better long term.
Urijah Faber: Either a title match with Dominick Cruz or a fight with longtime 135 fan favorite Miguel Torres. That fight seems less exciting now that Torres has decided to fight a much safer style, but it would still be a big one for fans of the lower weight classes. The title match makes the most sense because Faber was the biggest draw in the WEC and putting him in the title picture will help put more interest in that weight class and in champion Cruz.
Jim Miller: A title eliminator, maybe with Melvin Guillard. Miller has the longest winning streak in the lightweight division and has been taking care of business in exciting fashion. I think that after the Pettis-Guida fight determines the next contender, Miller-Guillard should be the next contender.
Nate Marquardt: Who knows? Marquardt is one step above gatekeeper status, but one step below top contender. He just lost to Okami and Sonnen in the past thirteen months, so maybe Michael Bisping or Vitor Belfort would be the best bet for him. A winner between Bisping and Marquardt could be the next contender for the MW title after Okami, or potentially GSP if he moves up in weight.
Brendan Schaub: A class in not punching the back of the head? I'm not impressed by Schaub, although he has decent size and power. He is still a prospect at this point. He has no business with the big boys in the division, as they would lay him to waste. I guess Stefan Struve would be a good next step, with the winner of that one fighting the winner of Frank Mir-Roy Nelson. It's more likely he'll go right to the winner of Mir-Nelson.
Mirko Cro Cop: According to Dana White, retirement from the UFC. It's fair, as he has not been very good in his stints inside the octagon, but he looked better than he has in some time in this fight. He was active, moving, and actually looked motivated. Besides, how many chances did Chuck Liddell get after a first round KO loss? At least Mirko's last two losses have come in the third round, and this one after multiple hits to the back of the head. I think he should at least get a retirement match against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, as neither of them really have much business fighting anymore and it would be cool as a fanboy to see those two go at it again.
That's it for now. There's a Fight Night this weekend, so hopefully I'll figure out a way to access those fights and comment on them.
Jones annihilated Shogun in a way that no one ever has. From the onset until the end, Jones was all over him. Shogun's face was a swollen, bloody mess and his body was littered with welts from an onslaught of body shots and knees. According to FightMetric, Jones outstruck Shogun 102 to 11. Jones effectively used his range and takedowns and went through the fight unscathed while landing everything he wanted to at will. If he continues to improve at the rate he has from fight to fight, he could end up being the most terrifying specimen in MMA history.
Other Thoughts:
- What was the deal with the fans chanting "USA" during the main event? They didn't chant it during the Cro Cop-Schaub fight or the Miller-Shalorus one, and that featured a Jersey native against an Iranian. To chant that during the main event was disrespectful to Shogun, a true legend in the sport, and moronic. This isn't the World Cup. It isn't about country vs. country. It's just a fight.
- I thought the Greg Jackson fighters on the card tonight, except Nate Marquardt, fought dirty. Brendan Schaub was deducted a point for punches to the back of the head, something he did throughout the fight. Jones got away with a lot of illegal choking via forearm and the rape choke during his fight. He also headbutted Shogun in the midsection, which I'm pretty sure is illegal as well. Herb Dean was the referee in both matches, and he is usually on the money, but I thought he really dropped the ball with that. Especially in the Jones fight, as Jones was dominating even without having to resort to choking. Speaking of Jones, his push kicks to Shogun's surgically repaired knee, while legal, were a bit cheap. He already had a speed, strength, and size advanage and didn't need to resort to that. I don't like it when Anderson Silva does that either. It can cripple an opponent and to do it to someone coming off of knee surgery is double uncool.
- I mentioned Brendan Schaub a few sentences ago, and I must say that he was lucky. He did nothing for two and a half rounds except for rabbit punches, wall and stall, and lay and pray. He was gassed and Mirko seemed to have risen from the grave in the third round and was really taking it to him. It looked like Cro Cop was going to salvage a draw or even a victory, before a lucky shot crumpled him. Upon multiple viewings, I thought that the punch was to the back of the head. When Joe Rogan said that Schaub was scary because he has wins over two legends, Gabe Gonzaga and Cro Cop, I had to laugh. Gonzaga is no legend, and he struggled mightily against a Cro Cop that hasn't been considered truly dangerous since Gonzaga of all people knocked him out in 2007.
- The brothers Miller crying in the locker room was a touching scene. Evidently, it would have been the second birthday of Dan Miller's deceased son. Combined with Dan's tough (but clear cut) decision loss and Jim's knockout victory, the emotions were running wild in their locker room. Words can't really do it justice.
- With the knockouts of both Cro Cop and Shogun, Pride was pretty much buried for good. Cro Cop has been finished for awhile, but Shogun has never been handled in that fashion. It seems like there are only two guys who achieved a great deal of success in Pride that are relevant still: Quinton Jackson and Dan Henderson. Over the next few weeks, I'm going to try to write a series of articles on Pride and its legacy in MMA, including the death of the Pride superstars.
Jon Jones: A battle against former training partner Rashad Evans has been confirmed, one in which I would expect the undersized Evans to be manhandled by Jones. Evans usually succeeds due to better wrestling and a speed advantage, neither of which he will have in this fight. I think Lyoto Machida, if he can get himself back into title contention, would be the biggest challenge to Jones. Jones exposed his back and legs a few times to Shogun, who was too beat up to really capitalize. Machida is a much better grappler than Rua and more willing to let Jones come to him, rather than try and fail to get in on Jones' monster reach advantage. People are clamoring for Anderson Silva to move up and face Jones, which would be an exciting fight and, as a fan of Silva's, a terrifying one. Silva has enough reach and is lanky enough that he could succeed in attaining the head and arm triangles that the shorter Rua could not get. Silva's biggest weakness is wrestling and Jones is one of the best in the sport at it. And unlike Chael Sonnen, Jones can finish his oponents. It would be the first time Silva would be at such a massive disadvantage in size and reach. If they were to fight, it needs to happen before the year ends, otherwise Anderson will be far too old for a youngster like Jonny Bones.
Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua: Maybe a rematch with Forrest Griffin, or Rampage Jackson if he somehow loses to Matt Hamill. Randy Couture would be an option as well. I think a lot of Shogun's future hinges on that of his knees. Was he slow and sluggish because Jones made him look that way, or was it because his layoff and knee surgery made him a lot slower. His next fight should go a long ways in figuring that out. A move to middleweight has been floated around, but I think that should only be considered if he loses his next fight at 205 lbs. The Jones fight is the only one really in his entire career where he has been dominated. On the other hand, I would say the odds of him ever beating Jones would be nil, so a move to 185 may be better long term.
Urijah Faber: Either a title match with Dominick Cruz or a fight with longtime 135 fan favorite Miguel Torres. That fight seems less exciting now that Torres has decided to fight a much safer style, but it would still be a big one for fans of the lower weight classes. The title match makes the most sense because Faber was the biggest draw in the WEC and putting him in the title picture will help put more interest in that weight class and in champion Cruz.
Jim Miller: A title eliminator, maybe with Melvin Guillard. Miller has the longest winning streak in the lightweight division and has been taking care of business in exciting fashion. I think that after the Pettis-Guida fight determines the next contender, Miller-Guillard should be the next contender.
Nate Marquardt: Who knows? Marquardt is one step above gatekeeper status, but one step below top contender. He just lost to Okami and Sonnen in the past thirteen months, so maybe Michael Bisping or Vitor Belfort would be the best bet for him. A winner between Bisping and Marquardt could be the next contender for the MW title after Okami, or potentially GSP if he moves up in weight.
Brendan Schaub: A class in not punching the back of the head? I'm not impressed by Schaub, although he has decent size and power. He is still a prospect at this point. He has no business with the big boys in the division, as they would lay him to waste. I guess Stefan Struve would be a good next step, with the winner of that one fighting the winner of Frank Mir-Roy Nelson. It's more likely he'll go right to the winner of Mir-Nelson.
Mirko Cro Cop: According to Dana White, retirement from the UFC. It's fair, as he has not been very good in his stints inside the octagon, but he looked better than he has in some time in this fight. He was active, moving, and actually looked motivated. Besides, how many chances did Chuck Liddell get after a first round KO loss? At least Mirko's last two losses have come in the third round, and this one after multiple hits to the back of the head. I think he should at least get a retirement match against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, as neither of them really have much business fighting anymore and it would be cool as a fanboy to see those two go at it again.
That's it for now. There's a Fight Night this weekend, so hopefully I'll figure out a way to access those fights and comment on them.
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