Looking for a Fight: UFC 159 - Jones v. Sonnen

Jon Jones' greatest weakness has been exposed. His fight promotion. (USAT)

Sports coverage always does seem to amaze me. In a realm where there are more and more avenues for message boards, talking heads, and articles to be written to see many people that cover the UFC simply write-off Saturday night's Jon Jones v. Chael P. Sonnen fight as an afterthought is lazy and not a service to people that read their content. After all, sports in general, and especially combat sports, are built around the humongous upset. The fact that at anytime on any field, in any arena something crazy could happen. That may not mean enough to you to plop down $54.99 for a pay-per-view, but tossing $10 to the door man to have the fight on while you enjoy a microbrew at your local bar sounds fine and dandy to me.

Sure, this fight was put together from the ashes of UFC 151, and while a more credible challenger like Dan Henderson was left to marinate a little - only to lose to Lyoto Machida - leaves a bitter taste in everyone's mouth, it's easy to forget that we've been down this road before. When Sonnen took on Anderson Silva there were just as many doubters about the validity of that fight as this one. Well, Chael P. Sonnen put on an Oregon style butt whooping on Silva, until the Spider was able to wrap his legs around Sonnen and tap him out with seconds left. This was easily the best fight of 2010.

There are other factors that make the Jones' match-up different and probably a higher mountain top to ascend, but if anyone is capable of doing it and at the very least give Jones the toughest fight of his career, it's Sonnen.

The media coverage has fueled the blase fan reaction to this card. While normally the UFC can put Silva, Jones, Georges St-Pierre, or Cain Velasquez to headline a card and fill it with average fights - this time, with a fight that truly is being treated like a foregone conclusion, the card needed to be stronger. It isn't.

Where we are left is for Jones and Sonnen to hype the fight themselves. Oh, that's right, they had 15 hours of TV time on FX to do that during The Ultimate Fighter. What came from that was Jones being Jones and Chael being a great coach and mentor. However, and ironically for the betterment of the show than faking some hostilities, Jones and Sonnen seemed to get along. Jones respected Sonnen's doggedness and personality and jokes (!!); while Sonnen clearly has a lot of respect for Jones. There isn't the hostility and trash talking he's exhibited in the Silva bouts, and with Jones finally laying off the perfect guy act - is just being his normal, confident, fun loving self. This isn't to say both fighters won't put on their mean hats Saturday night, but their promotion of the fight wasn't exactly Nick Diaz-esque (again, that's probably for the betterment of everyone).

So with the trash talking/promoter belt being strapped around Diaz's waist, the UFC and the two fighters had to do something. There were rhymes by Sonnen alluding to Jones' DWI conviction. Jones saying Sonnen is a roider and not a true fighter. None of it resonated. It's clear that in all the press leading up to the fight, these two had their minds in other places.

Jones wants to win a couple more 205 title defenses to beat Tito Ortiz's record, then move on to a super fight and/or bump up to the heavyweight division (which is only logical as by the time he has his two more defenses he would have cleaned out the division and be about a year older, which will allow him to put on more weight). Sonnen isn't a legit threat to Bones, rather just another victim.

For Sonnen - he's reaping the rewards of being a self-made man. Kevin Iole mentions in his article today how Sonnen created this personality to drive his career. It's sure worked. Now moving up to 205 and taking on one of the best fighters on the planet, everything seems lined up for move to greener pastures. Should (notice I said should) Sonnen lose, then his shtick would have certainly worn thing ... still entertaining, but thin. He has a fantastic broadcast career in front of him with the UFC for sure, and UFC President Dana White hinted within the FOX family as well. Sonnen isn't a threat to Bones, rather just one more big pay day.

BREAKDOWN

While writers covering the fight could probably outline 75% of their day after articles today if they wanted, there is still the pesky matter of the fight. I'm of the persuasion where if one of the best fighters on the planet is fighting, I'm watching. I said this when Anderson Silva fought Stephan Bonnar and I say that today. I mean how much fun was that Anderson fight? Did he make it worth your money? Were you not entertained?

Sonnen is certainly more of a threat than Bonnar was to Silva, but shouldn't you expect Jones to put on a show? To leave people saying, wow this guy is talented? A couple elbows to the chiseled chin of Chael won't do that. Jones is coming, and Jones is bringing some Nike swag with him.

The most disappointing outcome of this fight would be for Jones to wrestle and hold Sonnen down. The size disadvantage is too great to have this be an exciting or interesting strategy (see, I got your back, GSP). We need some flying kicks and knees. We need something to put on that Nike commercial.

Bones has never been reckless in any fight, but he hasn't been conservative either. Sonnen won't stop moving forward, and he'll create an interesting canvas for Jones to work with.

Overall, I do think Chael will aim to impress, but without the full use of his elite wrestling it'll be tough. I just think Chael's determination will give Jones a bit more trouble than we are all expecting. However, I'm not here to act like a genius. To predict Sonnen wins so I can say I told you so. It'll be a Jones win, but I'll be tuning in to see how he does it. That ... will be exciting.

Jones 3rd Rd Submission.

Looking for a Fight: UFC 148 Silva Silences Sonnen

Anderson Silva was able to retain his title and definitively beat Chael Sonnen (sports.yahoo.com)

When officials were done pulling Anderson Silva off of Chael Sonnen Saturday night in Vegas, and after we all gained clarity that Silva's seemingly controversial knee was actually expertly placed as only he can, the breadth of UFC fans sat back and said, "Well that was anti-climactic."

This is an all too common reaction by MMA fans expecting the seeming unexpected. Not everyone can pull of a wheel kick KO, or even more improbably expect Chael Sonnen to repeat what he did in Silva Sonnen I regardless of how you feel if Silva was injured during that fight or not.

Although the first round did look like some of the greatest hits, it was clear Silva was at least more prepared to be on his back in this fight. He defended Sonnen well, controlled him from guard and minimized damage. It wasn't until the 2nd round when Silva finally stuffed Sonnen, and Chael's infamous ill-fated spinning backfist left him at the mercy of the champ. The fight was over.

So yes, anti-climactic is one way to describe what was deemed by the UFC as their biggest fight ever (this month or this half of the year or whatever) since Chael had the gameplan, it worked for close to 6 rounds but in an audacious move for anyone not named Chael Sonnen attempted to catch Silva off-guard, thus up-and-ending the evening a little faster than the largest gate in Vegas MMA history expected.

There's no way this was going to be a repeat of Silva Sonnen I, and even if it was there would still be some disappointment in the MMA world about this.

What should be happening is before we all start going crazy for Jonny Bones vs. Anderson Silva, let's take some time to appreciate the best MMA artist that ever lived.

Apparently this guy wasn't the last emperor. There's still one out there, and he was able to further cement his throne with a couple more title scraps left under his belt.

Silva took the biggest challenge of his career, met it head on, and finished his greatest threat to date. There's different ways to look at everything that Chael was never that good or 185 division has been the weakest or whatever you like, but that would be, again, taking away from watching a master at work.

Longevity is not a gift in any sport, certainly not MMA. For Anderson to do what he has done is more than any fight fan could ask for. We just know that he needs to be challenged, he needs to be interested, and he needs to be prepared. With those elements in place, you're going to be entertained, and Anderson will probably win.

Now, whether that lurking challenge is coming at 185 or if he elects to move up to 205, that is his decision. He's earned the right to ride off in the sunset the way he wants. Fans shouldn't treat Silva as though he'll be around forever or if he doesn't fight Jon Jones it'd be a tarnished legacy. Chuck Liddell never moved up in weight, Randy Couture has double digit career losses...anyone mad at them?

Fans want what they want. I'd be happy to pay for Silva Jones, but if it never comes so be it. I'll be looking forward to the next time the Spider struts his stuff in the Octagon.

UFC on FOX 2: Biggest Upset Ever?

Chael took the spotlight. As if he would want it any other way.

When the UFC's second card on Fox was announced, the buzz was around two title contention fights. The main event of Rashad Evans v. Phil Davis, with Rashad getting his long-awaited title fight against frenemy Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen v. Mark Munoz with the winner getting the most anticipated rematch/easy victory (respectively) for Anderson Silva. In Brazil. In a soccer stadium.

No offense to my Asian persuasion brethren Mark Munoz, but could there be a bigger drop in anticipation for that fight that from Chael to Munoz?

Due to an injury any plummet in anticipation won't be Munoz but rather late replacement fan-favorite (oh, sarcasm font how I need you...although his Sherdog message board gifs are the gifts that keep on giving) Michael Bisping. Bisping, the long-groomed face (and chest hair) of British MMA, has been hyped, pampered and coddled by the UFC to gain popularity overseas. Aside from a last second loss to a near end of the line Wanderlei Silva and getting his clock cleaned by Dan Henderson, Bisping has defeated such hot properties as Jason Miller, Jorge Rivera, Yoshihiro Akiyama, Dan Miller, Denis Kang, and infamously beating (sarcasm font!!) Mark Hamill. 


Most people are aware of this about Bisping, although the UFC will certainly deny it. Perhaps it is undermining Bisping a bit, but it does say a lot that the two biggest name and challenges he faced in his career have ended with his opponent's hand getting raised.

With his match-up against Sonnen on Saturday night, it's undoubtedly a fight no one wants Bisping to win. Even more, it's a fight no one expects him to win as a 4-to-1 underdog. Basically, people are saying that the closest Bisping can come to Sonnen is the verbal sparring they are doing leading up to the fight. With these big talkers going at it, and lots of people that love/hate both fighters to the tenth degree, its no wonder that this fight has taken much of the pub away from the actual main event...even though this fight has been on the card for about 2 weeks.

Sonnen has perfected MMA-style wrestling.

Mounting skepticism, his opponent, the audience, and what's on the line all seem to fall heavily against Bisping, so it's interesting to think that if Bisping can beat Chael, this would be the biggest upset in UFC history.

There is a bit of irony in saying that since Chael Sonnen was a minute away from beating Anderson Silva and attempting to pull off an epic upset of his own. However, what makes this potential upset so unconventional is that both fighters are well respected and have won fights. There's no dream scenario like Serra v. GSP or Frankie Edgar taking down BJ Penn. This isn't for a title, only a shot at the title. Neither fighter has an air of invincibility, in fact, both have lost fights recently. Bisping can't finish fights and has a questionable chin, while Chael's greatest weakness is his submission defense. The problem is that is tied to his greatest strength, his wrestling.

But when you see the fighting styles and the surrounding factors, it's hard to imagine Bisping beating Chael.Like most fights in MMA, anyone has a chance, but with Sonnen's elite wrestling against Bisping's horrid take down defense seems like too much to overcome. Sonnen has truly perfected wrestling for the Octagon. He is a big 185 lbs and uses his strength, speed, and leverage to get inside an opponent and take him down to the mat. Once he gets people to the mat, he's even more of a burden with great cardio and a relentless pace.

Bisping, taking the fight on short notice, probably hasn't learned enough over the past couple of weeks to stop Chael from taking him to the mat. He can try to sub him, but that's not Bisping's game either. He has one opportunity, and that's when the round starts and they touch gloves to catch Sonnen. Again, even if he does that, Sonnen has a great chin and isn't easy to hit. All the while, he'll be aggressively coming at Bisping with strikes to set up his take down. Strikes that Bisping tends to back up and move away from rather than stay in the pocket and counter. When Bisping starts getting happy feet, that'll leave Chael a big opening to shoot in for the take down. It's not out of the questions Chael could do so with only a single leg.

The opportunity was too great for Bisping to pass up, but he has a long night ahead of him if he survives Chael's onslaught and doesn't get finished. Munoz would have provided some interesting obstacles for Chael, but Bisping doesn't pose much of a threat. The outcome seems predetermined, but if Bisping wants to have his first major win be a historic one and validate his career, here's his shot.

Seriously, they're really funny.