Tag: Jon Jones (Page 4 of 7)

      Top 10 Light Heavyweight Rankings

      August 11, 2011 /

      nullI waited a week to release my latest light heavyweight rankings as I wanted to see how the UFC 133 main event turned out.

      Rashad Evans did as I expected and beat Tito Ortiz, but his performance was very impressive and it made me consider putting him on top of the list.

      You have to consider the quality of opponents that Evans has over Jones. Granted, Jones has been unphased in any fight. But, he also hasn’t fought the best of the best throughout his career.

      Still, I left Jones on top for now, but No. 2 is a lot closer than he was a few months ago.

      1. Jon Jones (13-1): Jones will defend his UFC championship next month against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, in his biggest fight to date. Jones has yet to face any adversity, but a win over Jackson would prove that he can handle almost anyone in MMA. Wrestling will likely be the key in this one, as I don’t think Jones will want to slug it out with Rampage.

      2. Rashad Evans (16-1-1): Evans bulked up in his time away from fighting and he looks like a determined fighter. He seems angry based on what happened with Greg Jackson and Jones, and it seems to have improved his skills as opposed to hurt them. Evans is next in line for a title shot. Only time will tell if he and Jones will finally square off.

      3. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (32-8): Rampage has had some issues away from the cage, having his trainer decided to leave camp over “creative differences.” Still, Rampage says he is ready to go. He will face a fighter unlike anything he has really seen. It will be interesting to see how Rampage plans to attack Jones at UFC 135.

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      Fighters, News, Rankings, Strikeforce, UFC

      Top 10 MMA Pound-for-Pound Rankings

      July 21, 2011 /

      nullIt has been two months since my last pound-for-pound rankings list, and only one fighter on the list has competed in that time.

      Bantamweight Champion, Dominick Cruz made his UFC debut, and successfully beat Urijah Faber, but his win wasn’t strong enough to move him ahead of Frankie Edgar. So, my top 10 is the same, but there could be some serious shakeups in the next few months with the UFC putting together a number of big fights in the fall and early winter.

      1. Anderson Silva (28-4): Silva is still the most feared opponent of anyone in MMA due to his devastating and unique striking ability. Chael Sonnen is the only man to make him look beatable, but Silva still found a way to beat him by submission despite a serious rib injury. Yushin Okami is next up for “The Spider” at UFC 134, which will be a good test for Silva, who has an obvious weakness in wrestling.

      2. Georges St. Pierre (22-2): GSP will return to action in October to take on Nick Diaz. The welterweight kingpin hasn’t been challenged much in his recent fights, but he also hasn’t been that impressive either. St. Pierre is in need of a dominant win with a finish to really be considered for the top spot.

      3. Jose Aldo (19-1): Aldo is set to face off with Kenny Florian in early October, defending his featherweight title for the second time in the UFC. Aldo is similar to Silva in the fact that his striking is so strong that many opponents have a hard time coming up with a game plan that they can stick to when they face off with him. Florian will provide a good test for Aldo, but it may not be enough to beat “Junior.”

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      Fighters, News, Rankings, UFC

      MMA Game Changers: Rashad Evans

      July 9, 2011 /

      nullIt’s easy to bring up the word game changer and think of one man in the light heavyweight division.

      The obvious answer is current champion, Jon Jones.

      But, while Jones still has a few questions to answer, one man that truly changed the landscape of the division is Rashad Evans.

      The winner of Season 2 of the Ultimate Fighter, Evans is a fighter that puts together a unique combination of elite-level wrestling and devastating striking.

      Evans more represents today’s growing crop of MMA stars than any other in the UFC, especially in the light heavyweight division.

      Evans started as a wrestler, coming off a successful collegiate career at Michigan State University, but as he evolved in the UFC, he became one of the top knockout artists in the organization.

      His head kick KO of Sean Salmon put Evans on the map, but his brutal right hand KO of Chuck Liddell back at UFC 88 is what truly signified a new time in the UFC.

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      Fighters, News, UFC

      UFC 132 Preview: Ryan Bader vs. Tito Ortiz

      June 30, 2011 /

      nullWill this be the swan song for “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy”?

      One of the first superstars of MMA was Tito Ortiz, but on Saturday, he can be facing his last appearance in the octagon if he is unable to beat, or maybe just compete, against Ryan Bader.

      Bader was one win away from perhaps fighting for the UFC Light Heavyweight championship, but he was dominated by current champ, Jon Jones.

      Here is a breakdown of both fighters heading into this contest.

      Tito Ortiz (15-8-1) – Ortiz is 0-4-1 in his last five fights and he hasn’t picked up a victory since 2006. Ortiz is a strong wrestler, but he has never quite evolved in his striking and many of the top light heavyweights have been able to match his wrestling ability. His last loss saw him taken down by Matt Hamill, and Ryan Bader appears to be a more explosive wrestler than Hamill.

      Ryan Bader (12-1) – Bader ran through the UFC until facing Jones, but he picked up some solid wins along the way. Bader has used a mixture of takedowns and big hooks to beat his opponents. While he isn’t a great technical striker, he has some good power. He is able to fake takedowns and follow up with a big overhand hook because his opponents are too busy preparing for the shot. Bader is very athletic and can push a good pace for a 15-minute fight. Bader did struggle with the wrestling of Jon Jones, and Ortiz does have some good explosiveness in his takedown attempts.

      Who Will Win – Ortiz is skilled, but he just doesn’t have what it takes to beat today’s superior MMA fighters. Bader is a better version of what Ortiz was in his prime. I see Bader being able to stuff Ortiz’ takedown attempts and Bader being able to get Ortiz down a few times each round. I also see Bader getting the best of the striking exchanges in this fight. Look for Bader to win by decision.

      Events, Fighters, UFC

      UFC 135 taking shape with Jones vs. Rampage as main event

      June 15, 2011 /

      nullUFC 135 is set to take place from the Pepsi Center on Sept. 24 and the card has really begun to take shape over the past few days.

      MMAMania.com is reporting that UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones has verbally agreed to make his first title defense against former champ, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in the main event.

      Along with that, four other bouts have been announced around the MMA world with Matt Hughes and Diego Sanchez expected to square off in a welterweight showdown as the co-main event.

      Bantamweights Damacio Page and Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto are also expected to square off in a battle to two guys trying to get into the top 10 picture.

      There will also be a pair of big heavyweight contests as Ben Rothwell has signed on to face Mark Hunt and recent knockout of the night winner, Travis Browne, will face relative UFC newcomer, Rob Broughton.

      While more fights will be added in the upcoming months, UFC 135 already has some solid name power and rising stars.

      Jones vs. Rampage should be a big draw as it will be a little bit of the old vs. the new as those two collide. You also have a Hall of Famer taking on an always exciting competitor as Hughes meets Sanchez.

      I for one will be excited to see Travis Browne in action again. I think he has the potential to be a real contender in the heavyweight division.

      Events, Fighters, News, UFC

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