Jon "Bones" Jones talks "Rampage" Jackson, Rashad Evans and working in Hollywood
Posted on June 8, 2011, 02:11 PM by Joey SantosusLight Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones, who was visiting the Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank, California, sat down with Karyn Bryant of MMA Heat to discuss a host of hot topics including his upcoming title defense against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, his ongoing feud with Rashad Evans, rumors that he faked his hand-injury, and much more.
Virtually undefeated in his professional career, Jones dethroned Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in March to become the youngest title holder in the promotion's history. Though he was initially set to defend the belt against former Jackson's MMA teammate Rashad Evans, a hand-injury forced him to withdraw from the bout. Instead, he is now expected to square off with former champ and PRIDE veteran Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in the main event at UFC 135.
On "Rampage" Jackson:
"Rampage" is an awesome fighter, he's an awesome combatant. I've got nothing bad to say about the guy, he's looking better and better in every fight. I think he could be re-motivated to get a belt back and my job is to make sure that I don't give it back to him. By far (he is most dangerous) with his hands. He likes to keep the fight at close range and he's really good at punching from all different types of angles - with hooks and all types off different angles. So, yea, his hands are his biggest threat and he also showed a really nice right knee in that last fight. I respect him everywhere."
On Rashad Evans:
"Absolutely (I want to fight Evans). Rashad is a great combatant and he's a teammate. I know how to fight him already and he claims that he knows how to fight me already. But, I do pretty well against opponents without ever sparring them or anything, so imagine what I could do with a blueprint already. I'm excited for the fight, its going to be great."
"Its funny, Rashad always talks about the time he held me down and I couldn't get up. You know, that was true, but that lasted for about, maybe a minute and thirty seconds. That's a minute and thirty seconds of my whole entire MMA career. He talks about that one moment of glory that he had and he's convinced a lot of people that because of that one day in training, he could actually handle me or dominate me on the ground."
Comments
If Rampage can keep it at a close range and time his kicks...it all ovah.
However, I think Jones will utilize his surprise weapon...his elbows.
jones is a kid... and was a 1 hit wonder that night . sho gun didnt fight back .
Rampage and kicking?
Common man , im a huge rampage fan but i have to be realistic.
He coudnt even tko matt hamill so i think he will be picked apart on the feet or on the ground , just like shogun unfortionatly.
Shogun fought back...then paid the consequences ;-)
There are good fights to come if people stay injury free at the right times.
u stand in front of the kid n c how well u do its very hard to get in the pocket with a guy has a reach of 84 in
I want him to get Rashad first, I think Rashad can beat him, then Rampage can get revenge and get that belt back at the same time.This is all wishfull thinking of course,but one can dream
I agree. I wanted to see the Jones vs. Evans fight happen. Now, if Rampage wins, he'll likely fight Evans next (if Rashad beats Phil Davis). Therefore, Jones-Evans would not be happening anytime soon.
I guess the UFC figures they can market Rampage-Evans II just as well as Jones-Evans.
I actually think Evans v Jones or Page will 100% happen in the next 18 months. The foundation for both fights in terms of ''hype'' and interest are already there, as you said the UFC have two ''marketable'' fights in their back pockets. Also its very likely Jones will beat them both so I think Evans v Page 2 is the most likely. In regards to that fight history tells us that a rubber match is usually more exciting than the first, Rua v Machida 2 and Edgar v Maynard 2 are good examples if that
Not to make you look stupid but I don't think you know what a rubber match is. It's the third encounter when both have won one of the first two. So Machida/Shogun or Edgar/Maynard's NEXT fights would be the rubber match.
Just saying...
According to Paul Dickson's The New Dickson's Baseball Dictionary (Harcourt Brace, 1999), a "rubber game" is "The last and deciding game of a series when the previous games have been split. This tie-breaking sense of "rubber" it seems to have originated in the pulse pounding English game of bowls, or lawn bowling. However, no one knows where "rubber" in this sense came from. It appears to be unrelated to the elastic sort of "rubber.
This has been Kendell, you're Lowkick guide to history :)
Never before have i seen such amazing use of "Pulse-pounding"
never before have i seen such a bunch of smartasses
Yeah show rampage respect jones you know he's walking around with 1 touch lights out murder weapons ...best advice is to keep your range with your daddy long legs and go gadget arms, then pray he doesnt eat one or 2, close the distance deliver the ko to your untested chin.
That said u're still a cool guy and i hope you teach that lazy ass evans never 2 take so much time off to milk his contendership status and learn from this. rampage leapfrogged right over him.
after rampage kicks jones ass i wanna see him get that revenge on evans sooo bad...watch that fight , then watch rampages following 2 fights and tell me it wasnt ring rust and he didnt , throgh some kind of divine intervention, escape the point blank ko. he can't feel too good about fighting this version of rampage now in comparison, thats for sure
I dont think a lot of the guys who dont like Jones, calling him ****y would be able to stay humble. He's 23, got mad talent, looks, future movie deals, everybody telling him how great he is everyday. I think he's doing pretty good so far with the humbleness. I woudn't do better.
Jones is going to beat Rampage just like he beat Rua and Evans will get TKO. I can see it in my crystal ball :
I'm a Jones fan. I don't think he is unbeatable, but there is no doubt he plays his strengths better than most veterans. There is no way anybody can convince me Shogun wasn't himself, or sluggish. Jones ROCKED him in the first seven seconds, and he never recovered. I expect him to defeat Rampage the same way. He will get his chin checked eventually. I just don't think it will be anytime soon.
Bones will unleash leg kicks that would make Shogun jealous. Which sucks because I'd rather see Rampage get his belt back...Bones will get the sub in the second or third is my prediction.
I think we'll see something like the Evans fight or the Forrest fight. Or a combination of both. I love Rampage, but he just isn't versatile enough to deal with Jones. But after I see how fake Jones is, I want to see him get knocked out. I'm praying Phil Davis doesn't end up like Jones and let the hype get to his head.
Rampage looked motivated and much improved against Hamill. I doubt very much it will be enough to beat Jones, but at least he will be sharp for it which is the best we can hope for and he does have thunder in both hands.
I can see Jones putting alot of hurt on Rampage as Rampage is one of the toughest cookies there is, his head is made for eating punishment, so could be along night for rampage, which is a shame as he is one of my preferred fighters in the UFC even though he is not the best and a bit one dimensional.
I can see things going that way. At the same time tho, the more I have been thinking about it, Rampage can take some punishment (as you stated), so we could see him walk through some shots, get inside that massive reach, and check Jones' chin... Will it be enough? Guess we'll find out : )
cant stand jones..
I'm sorry but I have missed something here.. Why is Jones fighting Rampage and not Evans again?
I am not sure that Rampage has the range to beat Jones. I see Jones opening and closing the range at will, controlling the pace of the fight, staying slightly out of range, using heavy counter kicks/ straight punches and drowning Rampage in the later rounds- 4 or 5.
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