Tag: Jon Jones

The return of the Derrick Lewis is 1 of 5 reasons to watch UFC 247

Here are 5 reasons to watch UFC 247.

The UFC is back with its one and only PPV this month and it’s a good one, as the legendary Jon Jones returns to the Octagon to defend his light heavyweight belt against Dominick Reyes in Houston.

We also get to see Valentina Shevchenko defend her flyweight belt against Katlyn Chookagian in the co-main event.

And, not to be lost with those two title fights, is the fact that we also get the return of Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis, who will be fighting in his hometown and will likely bring some added fun to this event.

Watch UFC 247 on ESPN+

So let’s break down some reasons for why this should be fun to watch Saturday night.

1. Jon Jones returns.

Bones Jones is one of the best to ever do it, so when he’s making the walk to the Octagon you should be watching. The last time we saw him he was going five rounds against Thiago Santos last July, in what was a physically demanding fight for both fighters. Now he faces Reyes, who needed just over 90 seconds to knock out Chris Weidman (who’s picking Reyes to win this one). Jones has gone the distance in his last two fights but he was dominant in both. He should be tested in this one but I expect him to pass the test.

2. Who will Jon Jones call out if he wins?

I don’t know if Jones will call anybody out if he beats Reyes, as he’s the champ and people are lining up to fight him. But how fun would it be if he brought up Stipe Miocic for a battle at heavyweight? Or what if he called out welterweight champ Israel Adesanya? Of how about a trilogy with Daniel Cormier? Again, Jones probably won’t say any names, but any of those three would be fun.

3. Valentina Shevchenko is must-see TV.

“Bullet” is one dangerous fighter who can end things at any moment, as Jessica Eye learned last June when she was knocked out by a vicious head kick. Shevchenko is one of the best fighters in the UFC and doesn’t mess around. Expect her to get another big win and maybe it will come with a highlight like this one:

4. Derrick Lewis is the best.

“The Black Beast” is fun as you-know-what to watch fight and he’s even more entertaining on the mic after a win. Let’s hope we get another classic moment from him after he squares off with Ilir Latifi, because you know Lewis will have something great to say in front oh his home crowd.

5. Unfortunately we won’t get to see Joe Rogan with Stephen A. Smith together again.

At least not after these fights. Rogan and Stephen A. traded some shots after their appearance while breaking down UFC 246 on ESPN a few weeks ago. Stephen A. said dumb things about Cowboy Cerrone, Rogan called him out, and Stephen A. fired back with a video response of his own that avoided the topic of why Rogan was rightly mad at him. Dominick Cruz is on the call this week with Jon Anik, as Rogan gets this event off. Dang.

Dana White says Jon Jones has turned corner in personal life, becoming top draw

Dana White explains why he believes Jon Jones has put his problems in the past once and for all, and why this is turning him into a drawing card.

It’s safe to say [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] is happy with Jon Jones’ most recent form.

The UFC president likes the results Jones (25-1 MMA, 19-1 UFC) has produced in the octagon, and he’s starting to like how Jones has conducted himself outside the cage, too. White says the UFC light heavyweight champion is a top draw for the company, putting him up there with Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz and other major stars.

“Of course he is (a drawing card), we just broke the record at the Toyota Center for this fight, so yeah, Jones is as star,” White told MMA Junkie in a recent interview.

“We did $3.2 million (at the gate), still a couple of hundred tickets to move and we’re opening up some productions kills right now, so it will be well over $3.2 million. And yeah, we’ll have the record.”

Jones is scheduled to headline UFC 247 on Saturday night, defending his light heavyweight title against unbeaten Dominick Reyes.

[lawrence-related id=486119,486117]

It’s obvious when McGregor or Diaz are on a fight card there is some type of buzz that comes with it. White believes Jones has a similar effect, but just draws his own unique audience.

“What happens with these different fighters and these different guys, they bring out different groups of people,” White said. “A completely different group of people show up to see Jon Jones fight on TV or live. Same thing for Conor, same thing for Nate Diaz, and the list goes on and on, it’s always a different group of people.”

Apart from Jones growing into a top draw for the company, the same thing can be said in his personal life. Not so long ago Jones dominated the headlines with troubles in his personal life as well as in anti-doping. That doesn’t seem to be the case today.

White believes Jones has turned a corner in that aspect of his life.

“The truth is that – and you’ve seen it in every sport – too rich, too famous, too young, and when that happens to you, there are consequences to it,” White said. “There’s a good side and a bad side. Some people can deal the it, some can’t, but then you eventually get to a point that you hopefully get yourself under control and you start to take it seriously and get you shit together.

“Usually, by the time you do that, it’s too late and your (athletic) window has closed and it’s over. But that’s not the case for Jon Jones.”

UFC 247 takes place Saturday at Toyota Center in Houston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+

 [jwplayer szBaTbZN-RbnemIYZ] 

 

 

The MMA Road Show with John Morgan, No. 254 – Houston – UFC 247 preview with Mike Bohn, Oscar Willis

Episode No. 254 of “The MMA Road Show with John Morgan” podcast is now available for streaming and download.

Episode No. 254 of “The MMA Road Show with John Morgan” podcast is now available for streaming and download.

MMA Junkie lead staff reporter John Morgan hosts the show while traveling the world to cover the sport.

John Morgan sits down with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn and The Mac Life’s Oscar Willis to preview UFC 247. Along the way, Morgan shares his interview UFC president Dana White, as well as media sessions with [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag].

Check it out on iTunes or at themmaroadshow.com. You can also subscribe via RSS.

Dominick Reyes reveals tactic to beat Jon Jones’ inside elbows: ‘It’s so simple, it might just work’

Easier said than done.

[autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] has studied the tape, assessed [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]’ skills, and says he has the answers to the questions he’s likely to be posed on fight night.

Reyes (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) will face off against Jones for the light heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 247 on Saturday night at Toyota Center in Houston, where he will try to become the first man to defeat Jones (25-1 MMA, 19-1 UFC) in a title fight.

That task has meant Reyes spending countless hours of training, sparring and planning as “The Devastator” prepares himself for the biggest test of his career, and the undefeated 30-year-old even showed the crew at TMZ Sports one of the techniques he’s drilled to combat one of Jones’ most effective weapons.

During a visit to TMZ headquarters seven months ago, Jones demonstrated how he uses his elbows to such devastating effect during his fights. When Reyes was put on the spot and asked how he would deal with them, he was happy to demonstrate his approach.

“Two things: One, don’t lock horns,” he explained. “Two, beat him (to the punch). Strike first.”

Check it out:

Reyes explained that Jones likes to use the forward pressure of his opponents to set up his famous close-range elbows, and the best way to combat that is not to lock up with the UFC champ.

But if the two fighters happen to tie up in the octagon, Reyes’ plan is not to push his weight forward in an attempt to shove the champion backward. Instead, he says he could simply throw an inside elbow straight up the middle to the champ’s unguarded chin.

Obviously, hitting your opponent before they hit you isn’t exactly rocket science when it comes to MMA gameplanning. But, as Reyes explained, sometimes the most straightforward solutions are the best ones.

“It’s so simple, it just might work,” he laughed.

[lawrence-related id=486119,486117]

Of course, it’ll take a lot more than just an inside elbow counter for Reyes to defeat Jones, but the challenger seems relaxed, confident and unruffled ahead of the matchup. If that composure translates to his performance on fight night, we could be in for a classic.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

[jwplayer I29LD05O-RbnemIYZ]

‘UFC 247 Embedded,’ No. 4: ‘Luckily, I’m better at fighting than basketball’

The UFC’s second pay-per-view of the year takes place Saturday with UFC 247, and the popular “Embedded” series returns to get you ready.

The UFC’s second pay-per-view of the year takes place Saturday with UFC 247, and the promotion’s popular “Embedded” series returns to get you ready.

UFC 247 takes place Saturday at Toyota Center in Houston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

In the main event, [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] (25-1 MMA, 19-1 UFC) defends his UFC light heavyweight title against [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC). In the co-feature, [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] (18-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) defends her flyweight title against [autotag]Katlyn Chookagian[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC). Also, heavyweights Derrick Lewis (22-7 MMA, 13-5 UFC) and Ilir Latifi (14-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC) collide in the main-card opener.

[lawrence-related id=486119,486117]

The fourth episode of “Embedded” follows the big-name stars at the top of the card. Here’s the UFC’s description:

On Episode 4 of UFC 247 Embedded, flyweight title challenger Katlyn Chookagian hits the court at a Houston Rockets game. Lightweight title challenger Dominick Reyes goes jewelry shopping and breaks down his path to victory. Light heavyweight champion Jon Jones enjoys a hearty breakfast and watches more footage on his opponent. Flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko spends hours hitting mitts and grappling. UFC 247 Embedded is an all-access, behind-the-scenes video blog leading up to the two title fights taking place Saturday, February 8th on Pay-Per-View.

 [jwplayer szBaTbZN-RbnemIYZ]

Jon Jones likes fighting outside Vegas, bets he’d draw bigger than Israel Adesanya in Australia

UFC 247 is shaping up to be a successful event in Houston, and Jon Jones is ready to hit the road more often.

HOUSTON – UFC 247 is set to do big business at the box office Saturday, according to the promotion.

Seeing these impressive numbers makes UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] wonder why he hasn’t competed outside of Las Vegas on a more frequent basis. At a pre-fight media day held Thursday, Jones (25-1 MMA, 19-1 UFC) said he likes the idea of venturing out after UFC 247.

“Maybe I need to step outside of Las Vegas and fight in these markets where people don’t see me too often,” Jones said. “I think that’s going to be important. If I can possibly break numbers here in Houston, I can only imagine what would happen if I went to Australia or one of these other countries where they’d never expect to see me. The people would come out and that’s what it’s all about.”

Australia, of course, is the stomping grounds of New Zealand’s [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag], who defeated Robert Whittaker for the middleweight title at UFC 243 in front of an announced crowd of 57,127.

When asked, Jones joked he’d still be the bigger draw in Adesanya’s backyard, “Yeah he is (a big draw). I bet I’d be even bigger.”

Jones and Adesanya (18-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) have exchanged words in recent months through interviews and online. Thursday, Jones said he’s not interested and finds the middleweight champ to be human, unlike other past potential superfight opponents.

“I have no interest in Israel at the end of the day,” Jones said. “Anderson Silva was a guy everyone wanted to see me fight. I never wanted to do it because I had so much respect for Anderson. I feel the same way with Izzy, but it’s not coming from a place of respect. My career isn’t based around fighting him. For him to fight me, it would be huge for his resume. For me, I feel like I already have so many legends under my resume. He’s not even a legend.

“We’ve all seen that video of him fighting some Alex guy (Alex Pereira) and catching a clean overhand right. He’s very human to me. He’s not this special guy. I don’t see what everybody else is seeing in him. I think his whole anime stuff and how he’s all antics with his hands and all this crazy stuff. I think that’s kind of entertaining to a certain fan base. For me, it’s like ‘I would slap you. Get out of here, kid.'”

[lawrence-related id=486119,486117]

Adesanya wasn’t the only topic Jones touched on during Thursday’s UFC 247 pre-fight media day. Check out Jones’ responses to a handful of other subjects on the next page.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2

UFC 247 media day faceoffs video: Intensity between champions, challengers

Check out the faceoffs from UFC 247 media day, which featured Jon Jones, Dominick Reyes, Valentina Shevchenko, Katly Chookagian, and more.

HOUSTON – As we inch closer to UFC 247, the top fighters on the card inched closer to each other literally on Thursday.

The main-card fighters, as well as some of the prelim combatants, took part in UFC 247 media day at the host hotel. Before and after talking to reporters, the athletes faced off ahead of Friday’s weigh-ins and the Saturday’s event.

UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] meets [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] in the main event, while women’s flyweight champ [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] takes on [autotag]Katlyn Chookagian[/autotag] in the co-main event.

The rest of the main card includes [autotag]Juan Adams[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Justin Tafa[/autotag] at heavyweight, [autotag]Mirsad Bektic[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Dan Ige[/autotag] at featherweight, and [autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Ilir Latifi[/autotag] at heavyweight.

[lawrence-related id=486119,486117]

Check out the faceoffs from those fighters in the videos above ahead of UFC 247, which takes place Saturday at Toyota Center. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

[vertical-gallery id=480365]

UFC 247: Jon Jones on how Conor McGregor will be remembered

Jon Jones wants to go out as the GOAT, and isn’t worried about “making the most money” like Conor McGregor.

UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones will face undefeated challenger Dominick Reyes on Saturday night in Houston at UFC 247, and for Jones, his latest title defense is just another opportunity to add to his resume as one of the greatest champions in the history of the sport.

Jones discussed how he wants to be remembered a century from now during an appearance on ESPN’s First Take, and contrasted his legacy to that of Conor McGregor. Jones praised McGregor for his box office power and branding outside the fight game, but said McGregor isn’t likely to go down as a legendary martial artist. For Jones, his record in the octagon is the only thing that matters.

Watch UFC 247 on ESPN+

“I look at Khabib and Conor and I see how internationally known they are, and it inspires me for sure to try to work on my branding a little bit more outside of fighting. But at the end of the day, for me, it’s not about making the most money. It’s not about being the most famous. It’s about being the guy that people are going to talk about 50, 100 years from now. That’s really what gets me out of the bed in the morning.

At the end of the day, no disrespect to Conor because I love what he’s doing for our sport. I don’t think he’s going to be in the conversation, when people are sitting around in a barbershop talking about the greatest martial artists in the world. And so, I’m very aware of that, and so I think the box office stuff can come eventually. I’m only 32. But for the most part, those records…. those records are very hard to get, and that’s what really gets me going in the morning.”

[jwplayer TNoDH13e-q2aasYxh]