Jones has earned spot in UFC history
Controversial former champ ends title fight in third round with TKO, sets sights on Lesnar
Jon Jones is the greatest fighter in mixed martial arts history — there is no room for debate. There are others who enjoyed amazing careers and incredible runs — Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Demetrious Johnson, Fedor Emelianenko during his Pride heyday — but no one has put together a nine-year, 18-fight run of success like Jones has assembled in the UFC.
Saturday night in Anaheim, Jones returned to action for the first time in 16 months and earned a thirdround stoppage win over Daniel Cormier to reclaim the light heavyweight title he never lost in competition.
If there was a spot where Jones was going to suffer a legitimate loss, this was it. Cormier was dominant in his absence and improved a great deal since their first meeting.
Jones, meantime, had gone through myriad issues outside of the cage while fighting just once since he and Cormier squared off for the first time at UFC 182.
Early in the fight, Cormier was on-point, patiently taking the fight to Jones and having success. He was jawing with his rival, brimming with confidence over the first 12 minutes. A minute later, the fight was over.
Jones blasted Cormier with a head kick, catching him as he dipped to the right before throwing a punch and putting him on roller skates.
A deft trip put Cormier on the canvas and gave Jones the opportunity to let out all the pent up frustration and animosity and tension that had been percolating inside of him throughout this rivalry.
In a sport where everyone loses at some point, Jones still hasn’t suffered a legitimate defeat. Despite facing the absolute best the division has to offer, he keeps posting victories and finding new ways to impress.
He’s the best fighter of all-time, period, and he’s only 30, so there is plenty more still to come.
Bones vs. Brock
Following his win, Jones called out former UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar, adding fuel to a fire sparked to life early last week.
It would be an absolutely monstrous pay-per-view headliner and the parties involved will surely work to try to make it happen. But don’t expect it to happen any time soon, for a number of reasons.
Lesnar is still under contract with the WWE, though that’s not a major hurdle. What is, however, is the fact he still has several months remaining on the suspension USADA handed him after he tested positive for two banned substances following UFC 200.
Before he can return to the Octagon, Lesnar needs to re-enter the USADA testing pool and complete his suspension, which would make International Fight Week in July seem like the most likely landing place for this fight, if it were to happen.
Woodley’s dilemma
Tyron Woodley fought a tactically brilliant fight on Saturday to retain the welterweight title, successfully defending all 24 of Demian Maia’s takedown attempts and cracking the Brazilian challenger with just enough big shots to leave him a little bruised. And he got buried for it. “The Chosen One” is in a tough spot because he’s fought specialists you have to be extra careful with in his last three outings and all three have been duds from an action standpoint.
He did an amazing job of neutralizing Maia’s grappling — something none of his previous seven opponents managed to do — but stuffing takedowns stops being entertaining and impressive to most fans after the third or fourth one.
From there, they want offence, even if it means putting yourself in harm’s way and giving your opponent greater opportunities to beat you.
Woodley has refused to do that over his first three title defences and it has landed him in Dana White’s doghouse and attracted the ire of fans.
But it has also kept the UFC welterweight title around his waist — and given the fickle nature of his sport and the dramatic differences in income, exposure and opportunity that come with being champion, it’s hard to blame him.