Examining the strengths and weaknesses of the UFC Light Heavyweight Division.
The light heavyweight division has always been the most prominent division in the UFC. Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture, and Chuck Liddell carried the division, and the company, through the dark times. Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans proved to be more than just reality stars, and Jon Jones became the most dominant fighter in division history.
With the big #1 contender’s fight taking place this past weekend, I thought that now would be the time to take a look at the division and see who can challenge the reigning king.
Champion: Jon Jones
Strengths: Beating up men inside a cage, one-liners, funny faces, running.
Weaknesses: White women, cocaine, driving.
Outlook: We all know that Jon Jones is the true light heavyweight champion. Daniel Cormier can walk around with his fake belt and Bruce Buffer can announce him as the “undisputed” champion, but Jones is king. He took some time off to allow the rest of the division a chance to shine, which just goes to show the kind of guy that Jones is. When he decides to return, he’ll immediately start defending his title again, starting off with Cormier. Jones already beat Cormier, handily, but UFC will sell the fight as some type of unification bout or they’ll try to sell Jones as the challengers even though we all know the truth. Jones is the best fighter in the division, hell, he’s the best fighter in the sport. His personal life might be a mess, but he’s extremely fun to watch when he’s in the cage.
#1: Daniel Cormier
Strengths: Wrestling, chin, breaking kayfabe.
Weaknesses: Jon Jones.
Outlook: Cormier is a fantastic fighter. He’s the #1 contender for a reason. But he’s not the champ. He’s a well-rounded fighter with high-level wrestling, although he didn’t have much success putting Jones on his back when they fought. He’s best when he’s in the clinch and roughing up opponents with dirty box. He did that well against Gustafsson and Jones, and will probably to replicate that when he faces Jones again. There’s nothing wrong with Cormier’s game, he’ll just always be second best in the division.
Has Jon Jones Beaten Him? Yes, right after doing a bunch of cocaine.
#2: Anthony Johnson
Strengths: Punching power, gaining weight, destroying yoga mats.
Weaknesses: Cardio, rear-naked choke defense, apologies.
Outlook: With his punching power, Johnson is always a threat to knock out anyone in the division within the first five minutes of the fight. However, past the first round, he begins to fade, becomes easier to take down, and then really easy to choke out. Johnson will continue to destroy fighters who stand in front of him and he’ll continue to lose to fighters who can put him on his back.
Has Jon Jones Beaten Him? No, but he’d submit him within three rounds.
#3: Alexander Gustafsson
Strengths: Being tall, being Swedish, punching, losing debated decisions that aren’t debatable.
Weaknesses: Black fighters.
Outlook: Gustafsson is one of the best strikers in the division, yet continues to lose striking battles. He’s really tall and has a big reach, which is the only way the UFC knows how to sell him, but he’s a well-rounded fighter capable of knocking out all the pretenders and giving any contender a tough fight. He’ll probably never be champion because the title will be held by a black fighter for the foreseeable future, but he’s an exciting guy to have around.
Has Jon Jones Beaten Him? Yes, and it wasn’t as close as the UFC wants you to believe it was.
#4: Glover Teixeira
Strengths: Training with Chuck Liddell, picking late night dinner spots, chin.
Weaknesses: Winning decisions, wasting his prime years.
Outlook: At the age of 35, Teixeira isn’t going to improve. He’s getting older, slower, and the years of competition has worn on him. He’s an overrated striker and an underrated grappler with strong finishing instincts. Like Gustafsson, he’s good enough to beat the pretenders and have fun fights with the contenders, but he’s not good enough to win the title.
Has Jon Jones Beaten Him? Yes, and he was never in danger.
#5: Ryan Bader
Strengths: Power.
Weaknesses: Tito Ortiz.
Outlook: THIS GUY LOST TO TITO ORTIZ IN 2011! Not only that, HE WAS FINISHED BY TITO ORTIZ IN 2011!!!! Sure, he’s improved a little since then, but he’s still Ryan frickin Bader. He has boring fights and wins decisions. No one wants to see this guy fight.
Has Jon Jones Beaten Him? Yes, and Ryan Bader was so dumb that he pulled guard in that fight.
#6: Rashad Evans
Strengths: Mike Tyson impression, ruining birthdays, elite jab.
Weaknesses: age, making friends.
Outlook: Rashad is 36 and coming off multiple knee surgeries. He used to be an explosive wrestler and striker with a hell of a right hand. Now he’s just a guy who shadowboxes when he’s in the cage. He’s basically just hanging around until he gets knocked out two or three times in a row and forced to retire.
Has Jon Jones Beaten Him? Yes, with elbow jabs.
#7: Ovince St. Preux
Strengths: Having a nickname similar to GSP.
Weaknesses: Wrestling.
Outlook: This guy lost to Ryan Bader, has terrible cardio, and can’t defend takedowns. But I’m told that he’s a great athlete.
Has Jon Jones Beaten Him? No, but he’d submit him within two rounds.
#8: “Shogun” Rua
Strengths: Fight library.
Weaknesses: Knees.
Outlook: Shogun is a 33 year old in a 50 year olds body. He still puts on exciting fights, but Jon Jones took his soul a long time ago.
Has Jon Jones Beaten Him? Yes, and he stopped a robber just minutes before.
#9: Jimi Manuwa
Strengths: Stopping fights via leg injuries.
Weaknesses: Good fighters.
Outlook: The only time I’ve seen this guy fight was when he was getting knocked out by Johnson and Gustafsson. He’s 35 and a lost cause.
Has Jon Jones Beaten Him? No, but he’d knock him out within a round.
#10: Patrick Cummins
Strengths: Making coffee.
Weaknesses: Getting hit in the face.
Outlook: Another guy past his physical prime. I’ve only seen him fight for less than a minute and a half when he got wrecked by Cormier. If Cormier did that to him, imagine what Jones would do.
Has Jon Jones Beaten Him? No, but he’d beat him, everyone ranked below him, and the guy ranked above him on the same night.
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