UFC 140: Jones vs Machida Preview

Jon Jones has taken the world by storm, the fight messiah. His ruckus caused by his dominance to this point has been impressive. Not too long ago Machida was walking through people in much the same way and now headlines read “How can Lyoto Machida Beat Dominate Champ Jon Jones.” This sentiment resonates with many fight fans, particularly new fight fans. Unfortunately, the buzz around Jones is more prescriptive to this point than descriptive. Are his wins over Shogun and Rampage impressive? Yes they are. Of course many fans and pundits are pointing to the fact that those two wins are over the only two men to best Machida. Classic MMAth at its best. My bias in this fight is well documented. I am a big Machida fan and have been accused of being a Jones hater. With that said let me tell you why this card is worth watching and why the main event is worth suspending the fervent prophecy.

Brian Ebersole vs Claude Patrick

This fight was suppose to be the facial and bodily destruction of Brian Ebersole by Rory McDonald. Unfortunately the wunderkind got hurt and was replaced by Claud Patrick. Patrick is no joke but Ebersole’s chances of hitting a three-fight win streak just got way better. I expect this one might go the distance but it should be exciting all the same. Ebersole doesn’t really know how to win pretty, clean fights. He brawls and makes it ugly – that is what gives him the best chance. I am not so sure it will be enough but expect 15 minutes out of this one all the same.

Mark Hominick (#3) vs Chan Sung Jung (Korean Zombie)

This fight was dipped in a big vat of “fight of the night” and then taken out and sprinked with “knockout of the night” and “crowd pleaser.”. Both of these guys know how to throw down and neither one of them will be interested in taking this to the ground. Hominick and Jung will likely take the middle of the cage and throw hands until one of them gets clipped and needs to keep some distance, then circle and repeat. Hominick is a much more technical striker than most of Jung’s previous opponents. If this turns into a slugfest it could be a barn burner but if Hominick plays it just a little smart he should be able to pick Jung apart. Either way, there is excitement to be seen in this one.

Little Nog vs Tito Ortiz

The light-heavyweight dream fight of 2005, Little Nog and Tito Ortiz meet 6 years too late. Both men have their backs against the wall, having recently inspired hope and experienced heartbreaking loses. Nogueira’s weakness against wrestlers is well documented and now its time for him to prove he has done something about it. If you can’t evolve the younger generation is quickly proving that your time is limited in MMA. This is likely not a pink slip fight but for either to make one last run at a title shot they will need to put on an impressive showing here. One legend will regain life and another will fall further from grace.

Big Nog vs Frank Mir (#10)

The Big Nog/Frank Mir controversy is well documented. Frank Mir shocked the world by finishing Nog after they coached The Ultimate Fighter. Later it was revealed that Nog was sick before the fight and Frank Mir didn’t take kindly to the excuse. Both heavyweights have a chance to prove themselves and could take a significant step towards a title shot. As much as I dislike listening to Mir talk and watching him fight recently, I have to admit that he has looked fairly impressive. Nog is going to have to bring his best boxing, his best head movement, and his best footwork to best Mir. The Nogueira brothers have a chance to make this a huge night for themselves and their family but it wont be easy.

UFC Light-Heavyweight Championship: Lyoto Machida (#4) vs Jon Jones (Champ - #1)

Here we are. Finally, my favorite fighter gets a shot at my least… well not my least favorite fighter but a guy that rubs me the wrong way. I have said it before and it warrants being said again. I don’t dislike Jon Jones. I think he is a great fighter. I dislike the way people talk about Jon Jones, like he is already the greatest of all time. I may not be wild about his demeanor either but it is really everyone else that has made me hate on Jones. That doesn’t detract from the fact that Jones is good, real good. Jones is really good at using his size, using his reach. Greg Jackson and company have done wonders at devising game plans that hide his weaknesses, look flashy, and score points on the judges scorecards. Some of it looks like smoke and mirrors to me though. Match-up wise Lyoto Machida might be the worst opponent Jones could ask for. I don’t think he is going to be surprised by the spinning kicks and elbows. Those are the kind of strikes he has been training with his whole life. I also don’t think Jones is going to have much luck taking the former champion down, at least not early on. Machida’s sumo game has allowed him to control the location of fights before. This fight ends up being a lot closer than people expect and I think Machida is going to keep Jones confused until he finishes him in the 3^rd or 4^th round. That doesn’t mean I am going to be surprised if Jones wins and he manages to dominate Machida I might just be sold on the kid.