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February - 2015
SCRAPP! FIGHT MAGAZINE
14
Perhaps the most impres-
sive aspect of Jones’ title
reign as the UFC light
heavyweight
champion
is his ability to win each
fight in the most challeng-
ing way possible. In a sport
where intelligent minds
like Dominick Cruz speak
of minimizing risk, Jones
has defied such logic to
show fans new wrinkles
added to his game with
every fight. By boxing with
Rampage Jackson, sub-
mitting Lyoto Machida,
standing with Alexander
Gustafsson, fighting in
the pocket with Glover
Teixeira and outwrestling
Daniel Cormier, Jones has
embraced ‘the impossible
challenge’ at every turn
and done so successfully.
With the news that Jones
is moving to Albuquerque,
New Mexico to train full-
time for the first time in his
career, MMA enthusiasts
are keen to see just how
much better the champion
can get. In Johnson, he
faces a man whose spe-
cialties include explosive
first rounds and knockout
finishes. Can Jones KO the
knockout artist and further
develop his legacy? It is a
tall and unnecessary order,
but that has not stopped
Jon Jones before.
The current landscape at
205 pounds is a testament
to Jones’ dominance of
the weight class. Previous
victories over Gustafsson,
Cormier, Teixeira, Rashad
Evans, Mauricio ‘Shogun’
Rua, and Ryan Bader leave
Anthony Johnson as the
only credible challenger
left for the champion at
this moment in time.
Phil Davis sits at number
six, but decision losses to
Ryan Bader and Rashad
Evans – two fighters who
were neutralized and dis-
mantled by Jones – create
a long road to title conten-
tion for Mr. Wonderful.
Rounding out the top ten
are Jimi Manuwa and Ov-
ince Saint Preux, who were
overwhelmed by Gustafs-
son and Bader respectively.
Jon Jones has sent mixed
messages on what the fu-
ture will hold beyond his
fight with Anthony John-
son, speaking of his in-
tent to continue ruling the
roost at light heavyweight
as well as a willingness
to fight the UFC’s current
heavyweight
champion
Cain Velasquez. Regard-
less, Johnson is the only
barrier between Jones
and the undisputed ac-
complishment of cleaning
out an entire division. For
Johnson, Jones is the final
obstacle standing between
him and arguably the most
remarkable comeback sto-
ry in MMA history. It brings
new depth to the term
‘saving the best for last’.
The Impossible Challenge
A Final Test