Jon Jones vs Lyoto Machida: Will Jones become an all-time great?
Posted on November 26, 2011, 11:10 PM by Trent Reinsmith
UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones will face Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 on December 10 from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The fight against Machida will be Jones’ fourth in 2011, with none of the previous three having gone the distance. In fact, Jones has gone the distance only twice in his UFC career, in his first two fights. Jones’ opponent, Machida, a former UFC Light Heavyweight champion himself, is looking to capitalize on his last fight, a knockout win over Randy Couture at UFC 129.
Some have criticized the fact that Machida, who possesses a record of 1-2 in his last three fights, is getting a shot at Jones’ crown. While it may seem odd to give Machida a title shot after going 1-2, with that one win coming over a since retired Couture, it may have been the only fight that the UFC could have made. Rashad Evans was injured and could not fight, Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua met at UFC 139 and Phil Davis is at least one fight away from fighting for the title. So, when you look at it that way it seems as if the UFC either had to go with Machida or put Jones on the shelf.
Despite the fact that Machida’s credentials as of late are not exactly glowing, he should prove to be a tough test for Jones. Machida creates space using his footwork, looking to use that space to counterstrike. If Machida can avoid Jones early and cause him to become frustrated and sloppy in his attack he can capitalize on the openings that will be left by Jones. With that being said, that is a pretty big if for Machida, considering Jones has been trained by one of the most calming influences in MMA, Greg Jackson.
If Jones can get past Machida he’ll most likely be looking at “Suga” Rashad Evans or perhaps Dan Henderson in his next fight, two very tough former champions. If Jones can run the table, defeating four (or five if he gets Evans and then Henderson or vice versa) former champions in a row it will go a long way toward establishing him as one of the all-time greats in the Light Heavyweight division.
If Jones does falter in any of these fights one thing that must be remembered is his age and the length of his career. Jones, at 24-years-old is less than four years into his professional MMA career. With that in mind, a loss in 2011-2012 will not be the end of the world, in fact, it may be a blessing in disguise, with the bump in the road serving as a reality check to the young champion.
What do you think LowKick'ers, is Jon Jones poised to become one of the all-time UFC greats?
Further Reading: UFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Extended Video Preview
Photo: UFC fighter Jon Jones before his fight against Vladimir Matyushenko at UFC-Live: Jones vs. Matyushenko at the San Diego Sports Arena on August 1, 2010, in San Diego, California. Francis Specker
Comments
Jones definately has a golden opportunity to cement himself as an all time great if he can beat all those guys. That is one hell of a short list for one man to handle in one lifetime. No way he beats all those guys. There is at least one in that group that will bring the can of ass-whooppin with them. Think he likes being a marked man? Long live the king........
4 fights in 2011 who does he think he is Cerrone? Joking this will be his 3rd former or current LHW belt holder this year, the kid is unreal.
If Jones beats Machida, which I think he will, it has to go down as one of the greatest year of a MMA fighter ever, he would have beaten the undefeated Bader, finished Shogun and Rampage n then beaten Machida...the level of competitors he beat and the way he beat them all is insane...definitely has the possibility of being the greatest ever
idk y I'm not a big fan but u have great point.
Well said Ninja... also consider the fact that during those fights he took very little damage from any opponent.
Will not compare to Shogun vs Henderson but still....idk man. I would love to watch Shogun vs Henderson have a best of 12 and just fight every month of the year.
He's going to lose eventually everyone does but before the clock strikes midnight on Jones' career he will easily have the most title defences ever in the UFC LHW division.
He has the potential to be an all time great but with MMA it's very difficult to stay on top for a long period of time and the LHW division is fairly stacked.
if jones man handles machida like he did shogun and rampage i might actually put him above GSP on p4p list
agreed, I will take finisher over a snoozer any day.
I'd put him over Anderson before GSP. GSP hasn't looked beatable in the past year and a half as Anderson did against Chael. However, I probably still won't. Both guys are far ahead of everyone else on the PFP curve right now.
Exciting doesn't equal dominant.
Some indicators of future "all time greats"...
High level of success at an early age.
Exceptionally quick learner.
Physically gifted.
Ability to make a high level of competition look ordinary.
Champ at 23, and working on his 2nd title defense at 24. If he beats the Dragon, he will have defeated 3 champions/former champs in one calender year! Has anyone ever done that?
Jones could become an all time great by the time he's 26.
Some techniques will take you at least 10 years to master regardless of how gifted you are...also a young mans mind will for sure play some tricks on him (overconfidence, too much risk taking, fear of losing, inability to let go, among others)...conclusion - he needs more time on the road and more title defenses and maybe even a loss so show his true colors...having said that he has all the early signs of a legend.
There both really good at avoiding getting hit. But I think bones being the better wrestler will win.
Machida FTW!!!!!!!
I want everybody to quickly get up off bones jones' **** and start getting back on the machida bandwagon. It wasnt too long ago that people were calling machida the future G.O.A.T. And he will show jones why he is the best in the lightheavyweight division.