Silva’s unexpected loss a reality check for Jones
Fighter shown how fast status can be lost
A fight on the other side of the country between two combatants in a different weight class has provided a stark reminder for Ultimate Fighting Championship’s light heavyweight king.
As Jon Jones watched the legendary Anderson Silva lose for the first time in his UFC career, it was once again clear proof that in UFC’s octagon, anyone can be beaten on any given night — even the great Silva. The Brazilian icon entered Saturday’s bout at UFC 162 in Las Vegas against Chris Weidman with a 16-0 record in UFC, having held the middleweight title for nearly seven years and long being considered the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. But 78 seconds into the second round, a new champion was crowned.
Jones has appeared as close to Superman in UFC as anyone, going 12-1 since his 2008 debut. His first five victories in title matches came against former champions. He won his most recent match despite fighting for half the first and only round with a disgustingly-broken toe. His lone loss was a controversial disqualification finish in a contest versus Matt Hamill he was seconds away from winning. He is now one win shy of setting the company record for most light heavyweight title defences.
But though he’s a heavy favourite in his upcoming title defence, Silva’s loss has given Jones a glimpse at how fast the top-dog status can be snatched away. “It’s a reality check,” said Jones on Tuesday in Toronto, where he and No. 1 contender Alex Gustafsson took part in a pre-fight news conference for their UFC 165 title bout, scheduled for Sept. 21 at Air Canada Centre. It will be the third time Jones has defended his title in the Ontario metropolis.
“I try to keep my ego in check when it comes to the fight game. … Watching Chris Weidman’s dream come true, I need to make sure I keep being a dream crusher.”
For much of the past two years, Silva and Jones — in that order — have been considered No. 1 and 2 in the sport’s pound-for-pound rankings. With Silva’s loss, Jones has leapfrogged Silva in UFC’s official rankings, which are generated by a voting panel made up of media members. (Postmedia News has ranked Jones No. 1 in each ranking cycle since the rating system was implemented earlier this year.) While Jones said he has long set a goal of being the undisputed top fighter in the game, he wants to earn the spot and not have it given to him by default.
“To become No. 1 because Anderson lost doesn’t really make me feel like I accomplished anything,” Jones said. “I have a mindset of just keeping that position and making it more legit through my actions and my performances instead of just taking the spot like that.”
Jones doesn’t feel that Silva’s legacy has been tarnished by his loss to Weidman. He did say, however, that Silva “paid the ultimate price” for taunting and goading Weidman during their fight when he dropped his hands and dared Weidman to keep the fight standing. Weidman dropped Silva with a left hook and finished his fallen foe on the mat seconds later.
“I think that Anderson Silva is a magnificent fighter. I think that he has an extraordinary gift. I think he’s got to the point where he really believes in his gift and he’s comfortable with his gift. He abused his gift. He disrespected the gift by disrespecting his opponent,” Jones said.
Jones has his sights squarely set on UFC 165, in large part because a win over Gustafsson represents “the record I’ve been dreaming about for years,” Jones said. He is currently tied with UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz for most defences in the 205-pound division.
Jones has long talked about wanting to be remembered as one of the all-time greats. He eventually wants to move up to the heavyweight division and join legends Randy Couture and BJ Penn as the lone two-division champions in UFC history. That path he’s imagined keeps him focused and sharp, he says.