Jon Jones The Face Of The UFC For 2013
UFC Betting – Jon Jones The Face Of The UFC For 2013
UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silva is still the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world. UFC Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre still gets his respect north of the border. However, the face of the UFC heading in to 2013 is UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones. Jones exploded on to the scene in 2011, when he dominated his way through the light heavyweight division to become the youngest champion in UFC history, only to follow that up with consecutive title defenses over his mentor Rashad Evans and Vitor Belfort in 2012 for a total five wins in championship fights overall. Jones may already be the most dominant fighter in the UFC, and in 2013 fans will take notice of everything he brings to the table.
Still only 25-years old, Jones’ career resume is already more impressive than some of the men that he has beaten during his time in the UFC. With 17 wins in 18 career fights, Jones has never actually been beaten before, his only loss coming via disqualification when he used illegal elbows against Matt Hamill in the Ultimate Fighter 10 finale back in 2009. Jones has won seven-straight fights since, taking out nearly all of the notable names in the light heavyweight division along the way. Eight of his 17 wins have come via knockout with another six by submission, a testament to his skill set. The scariest part about that is Jones is still learning his craft, with the physical skills and intelligence to continue to improve as he becomes more experienced.
After blowing through the entire UFC light heavyweight division these past two years, Jones will open 2013 with a non-title fight against Chael Sonnen in April, where he will be the obvious favorite. What the UFC has next in store for him will be very interesting, with as many as two more bouts potentially scheduled for the remainder of the year. Jones should have no problem taking care of Sonnen, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he next defends his title as early as July. The UFC Light Heavyweight champion is already tied with Lyota Machida for the longest win streak in the history of the division, and that record should be his own by the end of the year.
The name brand that Jones brings to the Octagon will be refreshing for the UFC and its fans, which have relied to heavily on the prospect of a potential Silva-St. Pierre fight in the past. Jones has already said he is willing to fight Silva, and a win over Sonnen would definitely set the stage for that bout. Jones has also talked about a move to the heavyweight division with a potential champion vs. champion fight against Cain Valasquez, an easy candidate for one of the most hyped fights in UFC history. These last two years have given MMA fans a chance to see what Jones brings to the table as the youngest champion of all-time, and it has set the stage for everything he will bring to the table in 2013. For all of the latest MMA news and odds, be sure to check out Betonline.
