is there one fighter that jon jones[lots of imagination by his parents in picking his name btw!] has beaten that you think could either beat him, or come really close to beating him? straight after the machida fight i thought if lyoto fought him again, i think he'd win. i think jones is just so unique that its hard to train for him. its only after these fighters have been in the ring with him that they can then build up a much better game plan for the rematch.
Machida seems to have the best chance as he is the most adaptable fighter in the division aside from Jones himself.
The mythical beast that is healthy, motivated Shogun, would still get dumped on his back and ravaged anytime that Jones felt like it. Shogun has a puncher's chance. That's it. Machida is the worst stylistic match up, but Jones was able to adapt starting in the second round of their fight. I could see Lyoto giving Jones trouble again, but I could also see him getting finished in the first the next time around. Realistically, none of those guys should be considered for a Jones rematch for at least another year, but I guess Zuffa's gotta do what they have to do. The Silva superfight ain't happening, and they haven't hyped up any of the new blood in the division like Gustafsson or Teixeira enough to sell a PPV with Jones.
I think Machida is too small, sure he does have a better TD defense than Rua but ultimately Jones can take both down at will if he chooses to so that becomes void when discussing who`s better equiped to beat Jones. Rua is the most dangerous stand-up striker in the division & has incredible submittion defense when on the ground to keep him in the game, he is also a leglock specialist, something Jones avoided very well last time but will always be vulnerable to due to his physique. Hendo has the best punchers chance but Rua has all the tools & is the best equiped to do it... if anyone can that is. :good
No.. Jones is just too ****ing good @ LHW! I could only see Dos Santos, Cain or some other elite HW beating him. LOL@ Shogun beating him in a re-match! LMAO...
Machida has the best chance. Rua has a decent chance, but not quite as good. Rampage, Bader and Evans have absolutely zero chance, same as the first time. I think Machida has the best chance because he was winning that fight until Jones got him down and landed an elbow that completely changed the fight. The impact of that elbow and the cut both affected Machida, to the point where he got caught with a big shot, the kind of big shot that Jones didn't get close to landing in the first round. If Machida could work on improving his strength and ally this to his outstanding TDD, he may be able to avoid the takedown and outslick/outstrike Jones on the feet. For me, Machida is a superior stand-up fighter to Jones, and in a stand-up fight he would win. All of this is dependent on Machida being able to avoid the takedown though, and if you forced me to bet on the fight, I wouldn't bet against Jones. His takedowns are just ****ing superb. He would get Machida either sooner or later, and once on the floor all he needs is one opening, one second, to land a decisive shot just like he did with the elbow in the first fight. Rua I give less of a chance, because at this point in his career he doesn't seem to possess the speed or movement to be able to land on Jones the way that Machida could. He is still an excellent striker with big power, and is a tough and experienced fighter on the ground, so a fully fit and sharp Rua would give Jones a harder night than he did last time, but again, I'd back Jones to win just because he's so much fresher and faster, and he would be able to get Shogun down. Hendo has a live puncher's chance in their upcoming fight, but it's not a great chance. If he caught a skinny guy like Jones with a flush H-bomb, I do believe Jones would be KO'd. Hendo showed against Fedor (KO) and Shogun (KD) that his power is capable of badly hurting extremely durable fighters. The thing which will prevent this from happening in the fight with Jones is that it's just a physical mismatch. Jones is so much bigger in every way that I really can't see how Hendo is going to get close to landing that shot. I think there are some fighters at heavyweight that could beat Jones, namely Cigano, Cormier and Velasquez. But I don't see any 205ers out there capable of it.