UFC 140 preview: Jones vs. Machida
The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to Toronto for the second time Saturday as UFC 140 invades the Air Canada Centre.
In the main event, seemingly indomitable UFC light heavyweight juggernaut Jon Jones puts his title on the line against former champion Lyoto Machida. In other action, brothers "Minotauro" and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira return to the Octagon for clashes with UFC royalty Frank Mir and Tito Ortiz, respectively. Finally, some homegrown talent rounds out the main card of the organization's sophomore extravaganza in the province of Ontario.
Here's a closer look:
Jon Jones (14-1) vs. Lyoto Machida (17-2)
Light heavyweight champion Jones looks to continue his meteoric rise as he defends his title against former champion Machida.
Jones, 24, has been virtually unstoppable since taking the UFC by storm in 2008. The former amateur wrestling champion has finished nearly all opponents in impressive fashion, including submissions of Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Ryan Bader and knockout wins over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Vladimir Matyushenko and Brandon Vera.
A product of Greg Jackson's school in New Mexico, Jones is well versed in all aspects of mixed martial arts, including a dangerous striking arsenal, a slick submission game and an overwhelming wrestling pedigree. There has yet to be an opponent to solve the Jones puzzle, with his lone setback coming via contentious disqualification against Matt Hamill as he was penalized for illegal 12-to-6 elbow strikes on the mat.
Given his age and incredible abilities, Jones has been touted as the future of the sport. In assessing the emphatic nature of his wins over Rua and Jackson, the hype behind Jones is beginning to appear all too real.
Jones has yet to show any weaknesses in his Octagon appearances. His chin may be untested, but that's actually a testament to his masterful defensive skills and the ability to utilize his unprecedented 84-1/2-inch reach to his advantage.
Machida, 33, also has proven to be an intricate riddle to solve in the UFC light heavyweight division. After capturing the title from Rashad Evans in May 2009, Machida was thought to be unstoppable. UFC color commentator Joe Rogan proclaimed the win as the start of the Machida era, but the Brazilian's celebration was short-lived.
Machida would go on to win a highly controversial decision over Rua in October 2009 before suffering the first loss of his career in his rematch with Rua at UFC 113 as he was knocked out in the first round.
Machida dropped his subsequent bout against Jackson in a razor-thin split decision before rebounding with a stunning knockout of Randy Couture at UFC 129 in April, which ultimately sent the UFC hall of famer into retirement.
Machida no longer is considered an unstoppable force, but he remains one of the trickiest fighters in the division. An elusive style coupled with a distinctive karate arsenal makes the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt an especially difficult foe to prepare for.
Trained by his father Yoshizo Machida, the Brazilian southpaw also spends time training with Team Black House, which is home to the Nogueira brothers, UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo.
Machida is crafty and effective, but the powerhouse Jones is too athletically gifted and his wrestling base should give him an edge. Machida has fought the best fighters in the world and won't go down without a fight, but Jones has no obvious weakness to exploit.
Meanwhile, the young American prodigy can utilize his strength and reach to control Machida and break him down over the course of their title fight.
Machida is always one sensational flurry away from finishing any opponent and his durability is unquestionable, but Jones is a different type of fighter. His patience and size will be key factors over the course of 25 minutes as he takes Machida down, bullies him in the clinch and lands a serious of vicious combinations en route to his second successful title defense.
Verdict: Jones via decision
