*** Why are some people saying Cormier doesn't deserve an Instant shot @ Jones? ***

LHW is a joke now, look at Jones last two opponents.

 

Who is saying this? Ive never heard anybody say it.

 

I've never heard anybody say it either. Light-heavy is bereft of legit contenders, so considering Cormier holds wins over three of the world's top 10 heavyweights, I'd say he comfortably merits a shot once he makes the cut. The only other viable fights for Jones just now are a Machida rematch (which many people don't want for some reason) and Gustafsson (who is nowhere near Jones's level and won't even be competitive). Even though Cormier lost some of his shine in the Mir fight IMO, he's probably still the best opponent out there for Bones.

 

The LHW division used to be completely stacked, now a few years later you can hardly see a contender.

I wonder if that's because of Jones' level or if the fighters that once stacked the division are either entering the end of their careers or have already retired.

 

I think it's more a case of the latter. Shogun and Rampage weren't shot when they faced Jones, but they were obviously far removed from their real peak years. If Bones was in a division with young, prime versions of Rua, Rampage, Wanderlei, Chuck, etc, he could very well still be the best, but it would be a hell of a lot more difficult and interesting than beating faded, toothless versions of these guys and some old middleweights like Vitor and Sonnen. I consider Jones great because of the way he finished Machida and the way he dominated Rashad with ease - his other wins to date don't mean all that much IMO.

 

Jones has more or less cleaned the division out in a couple of years. It was always known as the most stacked division in the UFC but JJ went through them double quick.

 

Until it stopped being that a long time ago. Welterweight and lightweight have been stronger from quite a while now. When Rampage gets a title shot off the back of a points win over Matt Hamill, you know the division is ****-weak.

 

The reason it doesn't look as stacked now is that Jones cleaned it out. When he was on the way up there was Shogun, Machida, Evans and Rampage. 4 guys that held the belt and were passing it around like a hot potato. As he was on the rise he dismantled everyother contender and emerged as head and shoulders the best of his peers. Then he faced the top guys and he made them all look like a league below him in 12-18 months. These guys didn't disappear of their own accord, Jones smashed them, and in every fight (apart from Rampage, which came too late) were seen as live and risky opponents.

 

Come on if rampage not being able to finish Jardine doesnt tell you something then i dont know what will

 

When is Jones going to defend against a ranked guy at LHW again? this guy is very quickly becoming a joke.

 

Next fight. Only reason he didn't in his last fight was because of an injury, and Belfort was a late replacement. Saying Jones is becoming a joke is pretty ridiculous.

 

Sonnen/Jones is a JOKE. ok the fight made sense for UFC 151, but not now.. the UFC is selling us crap man. Vitor/Jones was also a joke.. Jones wusses out of 151 and then took a fight 3 weeks later with another MW. how can you support that?

 

You must accept that Rampage and Shogun were shadows of their former selves though. Shogun has been totally inconsistent for the past 5-6 years after being extremely consistent in Pride, and this is surely connected to his various injuries and surgeries and lay-offs. Rampage is the Jones win I value least because he was even further declined than Shogun, the guy was unrecognizable from his prime form (unlike Shogun, I think Page was still prime when he came to the UFC because he was excellent in his early fights, but by the Jardine and Evans fights in 09-10 it was patently obvious he was a rapidly declining force).

I, like you, consider Jones to be an elite fighter and a special fighter, but I base this on wins over live, dangerous, prime or near-prime fighters like Machida and Rashad, I just don't view Shogun and Rampage the same at all, these are two guys who peaked so long ago, many years ago. Shogun was a good win for Jones, but not a great one. Jones performed amazingly, but I think that version of Rua would have lost to lesser fighters than Jones, a la his recent loss to the underwhelming and overrated Gustafsson, who Shogun would've made mincemeat out of in his prime. Rampage was a win of very little value indeed. Unable to stop Matt Hamill? Pffffffffft. Please. Prime Rampage would've punched a hole in his skull then laughed and asked when the fight was starting.

 

I agree :good

I want to see Jones tested against another young, and dangerous prime fighter. Machida/Gus in a #1 contenders match makes PERFECT sense.