The Lowdown 07.11.09: Jon Jones
Posted by Frank Fedele on 07.11.2009
Last week we looked at one of the fighters on the top of the card of this Saturday's UFC 100, Michael Bisping. This week we will go to the prelim bouts to a fighter whose fights I have enjoyed in his short MMA career thus far, Jon Jones. We will also look at the card for UFC 100 and let you know my feelings on all the fights on the main card. All this and more in the Lowdown.
Last Week Roundup
Michael Bisping has his work cut out for him in UFC 100. He is a very good striker, but thus far has had issues with elite wrestlers controlling him on the ground. Dan Henderson fits that mold to a tee and has a tough chin so I don't suspect Bisping will be able to knock him out with his strikes. Bisping, though, must keep this fight on his feet or he has no chance. He is a superior striker, but has not proven he can compete on the ground yet. He won the fight against Hamill because Hamill has not yet figured out how to finish on the ground. Henderson knows how and will push Bisping. He will have had done some major work on his takedown defense to stave off the attempts by Henderson. Henderson can strike also, but not at the level of Bisping but enough to keep him honest. We will get to see if Bisping has grown as an MMA fighter or if he still has work to do.
This week we look at one of the youngest fighters in the game right now, Light Heavyweight Jon Jones.
Background
Jon Jones was born in Rochester, New York twenty two short years ago. He excelled at wrestling at a young age, winning the 2005 state wrestling championship while he was a senior at Union-Endicott High School. In college at Iowa Central College he was a national Junior College Champion. Jones began his MMA training in MMA in 2008 and moved quickly up the ranks. He signed a four fight deal with the UFC and became the youngest fighter on the roster at the time he signed.
Jon Jones
Previous Fights
Jones has been on two UFC cards, winning both fights. He took his first fight on three weeks notice in UFC 87 where he beat Andre Gusmao by decision in August of 2008. His next fight was against highly regarded Stephan Bonnar in UFC 94, where he again came out on top with a decision victory. Jones does not fight like college wrestler, throwing a lot of strikes even from odd angles. He has even utilized spinning elbows and a spinning back kick in his past fights. He does work takedowns and throws also hearkening back to his wrestling past and one of the highlights of the Bonnar fight was his suplex that dropped Bonnar on his head.
His motor is also solid and he continually pushes the action, not content to just work the position game you see from many wrestlers in the UFC right now. There are a lot of wrestlers who will work the takedown and then work on the ground to get in a position to drop some fists from the top. The issues come when they cannot get to the mount position, as they really have nothing from the guard that can inflict damage or win the fight. The fighters eventually get stood up and they repeat this until the bell rings. Does not make for an exciting fight.
Jones will push the action from both the ground and his feet. He will strike and strike well and work takedowns when openings appear. Jones has always made his fights exciting and is moving up the Light Heavyweight ranks.
Jon Jones versus Stephan Bonnar
Jon Jones' MMA Record Light Heavyweight
2008
FFP – Untamed 20: Win versus Brad Bernard by TKO in the 1st round
Battle Cage Xtreme 4: Win versus Carlos Eduardo by KO in the 1st round
Ice Fighters: Win versus Anthony Pina by Submission (Guillotine Choke) in the 1st round
USFL – War in the Woods 3: Win versus Ryan Verrett by TKO in the 1st round
World Championship Fighting 3: Win versus Parker Porter by KO in the 1st round
Battle Cage Xtreme 5: Win versus Moyses Gabin by TKO in the 2nd round
UFC 87 – Seek and Destroy: Win versus Andres Gusmao by Decision
UFC 94 – St-Pierre versus Penn 2: Win versus Stephan Bonnar by Decision
It is interesting to see all the knockouts from a wrestler as they normally work the takedown to bring the fight to the ground. Jones is a different beast though; Jones can strike and strike with precision. His early fights have ended early with either a knockout or a quick submission. We don't know who good his submission game is on the ground, but with his wrestling background he should be able to hold his own down there and work for some ground and pound. He has yet to end a fight early in the UFC though, taking his first two by decision.
Jake O'Brien is a wrestler also, but works the traditional wrestler game. Control your opponent and work to pound them out when you have them on their back. He has lost in his two fights against superior talent, losing to Cain Velasquez and Andrei Arlovski by knockout. I suspect Jones will do the same, knocking O'Brien out before the final bell rings.
UFC 100 Thoughts
UFC 100 is a stacked card and two titles will be up for grabs this time. The headline fight of the card is a rematch, pitting Brock Lesnar versus Frank Mir. Lesnar lost to Mir in his first UFC fight to a leg lock after dominating the fight to that point. Mir's ground game is as good as ever and in the Nogueira fight he proved his striking is also solid. Lesnar is bigger and stronger than him and will try to push Mir around the ring and finish him on the ground.
The other championship fight will pit Georges St. Pierre versus Thiago Alves. Alves destroyed Matt Hughes in his last fight to get this title shot, but St. Pierre is a different beast than Hughes. Alves was able to muscle Hughes around the octagon and pound him out for the victory. I don't suspect that Alves will be able to control St. Pierre in the same way due to St. Pierre's strength and his superior striking. St. Pierre's striking will help control Alves as it will keep him at a distance until St. Pierre wants to be in close. Hughes striking game has always been suspect, so Alves didn't need to worry about getting hurt as he worked his way in. St. Pierre will hurt him. St. Pierre has shown the ability to win the fight on the ground as well as standing and has improved in each fight. Alves won't be able to keep up with St. Pierre and the fight will not go the distance.
Jon Fitch is on the under card and always put on a good show for the audience. He will strike and then try to use his wrestling to work for a dominant position so he can finish. He will try to control Paulo Thiago on the ground, but will have to watch Thiago's submission game. We have not yet been able to see that game yet in the UFC though, as he knocked out Josh Koscheck in his first fight. Thiago is a jiu jitsu black belt, though, so his ground skills should be solid. From the knockout of Koscheck his striking game is solid also.
Final Thoughts
I will be getting UFC 100 on Saturday night and enjoying the fights with family and friends. I am hoping some of the fights do not go the distance as I would really like to see some of the undercard fights, like Jon Jones and Mark Coleman. All in all, it should be a rather enjoyable card.
That is all for this week everybody enjoy the fights and please come back next week where we will get the lowdown on another MMA fighter that will be fighting soon. I also want to say goodbye to a good friend who recently lost his bout with cancer. You will be missed my friend and were taken away much too early. Please take the time to bookmark 411mania.com. One quick step and all the news you need is but a click away.
