UFC 239 checks the best female and male fighters
Whether or not you want him or not, it is exhausting to disclaim that Jon Jones is doing a heck of a job repairing the injury he inflicted on his profession, legacy and life lately. And he is displaying no indicators of slowing down.
Jones, 31, is extensively thought of to be the best fighter of all time, and he nonetheless receives an unlimited quantity of help from the general public. However there may be additionally a loud cacophony of followers who, due to his previous transgressions, need to see Jones fail.
And make no mistake: Jones (24-1) is conscious of that. He is aware of his fame and legacy took a nosedive in 2015 when he pleaded responsible to a hit-and-run site visitors accident. And it bothered him vastly in 2016 and 2017 when he was accused of dishonest after he failed a number of drug checks.
The UFC has loaded up one other pay-per-view card Saturday, that includes two title fights: Jon Jones vs. Thiago Santos and Amanda Nunes vs. Holly Holm.
UFC 239: Jones vs. Santos
• Early prelims: ESPN+ 6:15 p.m. ET
• Prelims: ESPN Eight p.m. ET
• Important card: ESPN+ PPV 10 p.m. ET – Purchase now | Get ESPN+ help
UFC 239 content material
• The blueprint to beating Jon Jones
• Holm prepared to alter her legacy
• The UFC’s 22 Corridor of Fame moments
• Who else deserves to be within the UFC HOF?
• Inside Thiago Santos’ closing preparation for Jon Jones
• Luke Rockhold’s twin careers
• How the UFC’s mighty have fallen? By the hands of Amanda Nunes
• Element: Daniel Cormier on Amanda Nunes
Fortuitously for Jones, one of the simplest ways for him to maneuver previous these troubles is to win numerous fights. And that is one thing he occurs to be excellent at.
Jones will try and win his 13th UFC championship struggle on Saturday when he meets Thiago Santos in the primary occasion of UFC 239 at T-Cell Area in Las Vegas. His JacksonWink MMA teammate Holly Holm will likely be featured within the co-main occasion, difficult dominant bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes.
For Jones, it can mark his third look in lower than seven months. In December, Jones advised ESPN he wished to struggle 4 occasions in 12 months, and he is on observe to do precisely that. And people picograms of steroid metabolite in his system — those scientists say would possibly stick round for years — have gotten much less and fewer related with every passing struggle. Jones has by no means been in a position to clarify how they acquired in his system, however a number of consultants agree they’re of no bodily support to him now.
Level is, issues are wanting up for Jones. Heck, UFC president Dana White not too long ago revealed that the promotion is even wanting into working with the Nevada State Athletic Fee to overturn the one lack of Jones’ profession, claiming it got here because of an officiating error. Who is aware of? By the tip of the yr, Jones is likely to be formally undefeated.
As Jones prepares to headline the UFC’s annual Worldwide Battle Week — one thing he has by no means executed earlier than, by the way in which — the MMA world is as soon as once more there for the taking. All Jones must do is keep within the cage and preserve profitable. Simply have a look at how far he has are available seven months.
Gentle heavyweight title: Jones vs. Santos
5 vs. 5
Jon Jones’ most up-to-date outcomes
Thiago Santos’ most up-to-date outcomes
By the numbers
ESPN Stats & Info
1: Pound-for-pound spot for Jones within the ESPN rankings. (Nunes is No. 1 on the ladies’s aspect.)
11: Knockouts by Santos in his UFC profession, tying him (with Anderson Silva and Anthony Johnson) for second behind Vitor Belfort (15). Santos, who has 15 profession KOs general, is on a three-knockout streak since transferring to 205 kilos final yr.
16: Unbeaten streak for Jones, tying him with Silva for longest in UFC historical past.
Plus-500: Cash-line odds on Santos, making him the largest underdog on the UFC 239 card at Caesars Sportsbook as of Friday afternoon.
12: Title struggle victories for Jones, leaving him one shy of tying Georges St-Pierre for probably the most in UFC historical past.
Supply: ESPN Stats & Info
A glance again
AND NEW — Jon Jones, 23, is about 2 minutes, 37 seconds away from turning into the youngest champion in UFC historical past as he and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua obtain prefight directions in 2011. Al Bello/Zuffa LLC/Getty Photographs
Preventing phrases
“It simply appears like one other day on the workplace for me at this level. It is all so acquainted. Excessive-pressure moments. Robust opponents. Preventing the next-scariest man, the man that is been on a tear. It is all so acquainted proper now. I am virtually too snug on this area. I might recognize being just a little extra nervous.” — Jon Jones, talking to ESPN
“He is a person. … Two legs, two arms, one physique for me in my entrance. I’ll break him.” — Thiago Santos, talking to ESPN
Cruz and Felder’s movie examine
Okamoto’s decide
Santos has simply the correct quantity of loopy to shock Jones with one he would not see coming. However Jones is just not solely superb at inflicting injury, he is additionally fairly good at avoiding it. He by no means will get overly emotional. He is calculated. An upset is all the time doable, however by no means probably. Jones by TKO, second spherical.
Ready within the wings
It wasn’t way back that the sunshine heavyweight division appeared to have been picked clear, with Jones’ solely future challenges seemingly at heavyweight. These huge boys do nonetheless await “Bones,” however they won’t see him for some time now that the 205-pound weight class has been reborn. If Jones will get by Santos, there’s one other challenger lined up for him, then one other. Corey Anderson. Dominick Reyes. Aleksandar Rakic. Johnny Walker. Possibly even ex-middleweight champions Luke Rockhold and Chris Weidman. They’re going to all be watching.
ESPN Illustration
Bantamweight championship: Nunes vs. Holm
5 vs. 5
Amanda Nunes’ most up-to-date outcomes
Holly Holm’s most up-to-date outcomes
ESPN Stats & Info
By the numbers
Quickest KOs in feminine UFC title fights
1,093: Days it can have been into Nunes’ bantamweight reign when she steps into the Octagon on Saturday, making her the longest-reigning present champion within the UFC. She grew to become champ on July 9, 2016, and the next-longest reigns belong to males’s featherweight champion Max Holloway (gained his belt on June Three, 2017) and middleweight titlist Robert Whittaker (July Eight, 2017).
1-Three: Holm’s report in UFC championship fights. Since taking the bantamweight belt from Ronda Rousey in 2015, “The Preacher’s Daughter” has misplaced her previous three title bouts.
Eight: UFC finishes for Nunes, probably the most in promotion historical past amongst feminine fighters. Her 10 victories are second most ever for a lady.
64.5: Share of great strikes defended by Holm, giving her the third-best price in UFC girls’s bantamweight historical past behind Liz Carmouche (65.Eight%) and Marion Reneau (65.2%).
Three: Fighters with a number of UFC title struggle victories in underneath a minute: Nunes, Rousey and Frank Shamrock.
Supply: ESPN Stats & Info
A glance again
AND NEW, TOO — Amanda Nunes sinks within the rear-naked choke on a bloodied Miesha Tate to develop into bantamweight champion at UFC 200 in July 2016. Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Getty Photographs
Preventing phrases
“You already know Holly’s going to maneuver so much. She’s that sort of harmful fighter. I’ve to see, I’ve to really feel her contained in the cage first to place in my technique.” — Amanda Nunes, talking to ESPN
“I am going up in opposition to somebody who’s a two-division champion, so to beat her, meaning I am the very best. … Amanda’s identified for punching exhausting, however she’s acquired a really well-rounded recreation. I am prepared for all of it.” — Holly Holm, talking to ESPN
Cruz and Felder’s movie examine
Okamoto’s decide
Holm’s probably path to victory is an extended one. Not saying she will’t drop Nunes with one head kick (we all know she will try this), however the extra probably path is carrying Nunes down and beating her on the scorecards. However I believe Nunes has addressed any questions on her cardio, and as lively as Holm is on the toes, I am unsure she will actually problem Nunes’ gasoline tank with out placing herself within the line of fireside. Nunes by submission, fourth spherical.
Ready within the wings
It sort of relies upon which wing we’re speaking about. Nunes owns two belts, so if she wins she’ll hear callouts from featherweights in addition to bantamweights. The 145-pound division will preserve it easy, because it’s mainly Nunes and Cris Cyborg at this level. In fact, if Felicia Spencer beats Cyborg later this month, she’d be in place to problem for the championship. As for the 135-pound division, no matter whether or not Nunes retains her belt or Holm regains the title, the winner of subsequent weekend’s showdown between Germaine de Randamie (No. Three in ESPN’s bantamweight rankings) and No. 5 Aspen Ladd will stake a declare as No. 1 contender.
What to observe for (past the title fights)
Can Askren end his rise?
Ben Askren has been speaking title shot, and it isn’t idle chatter, as he was mighty spectacular in his UFC debut in March, withstanding an early Robbie Lawler barrage earlier than choking out the “Ruthless” one. That was the fourth straight end for the previous Bellator and ONE champion.
Getting a fifth straight end on Saturday will likely be no straightforward job, although. Askren (19-Zero, 1 NC), No. 10 in ESPN’s welterweight rankings, is going through sixth-ranked Jorge Masvidal (33-13), who in 16 UFC fights has by no means been completed. Solely Jon Jones (20) and Demetrious Johnson (18) have made extra UFC appearances with out being knocked out or submitted.
So how does Askren or Masvidal get the job executed? Take it, Unlocking Victory crew:
Rockhold should step up in his transfer up
Luke Rockhold is achieved and deadly and well-rounded. A former champion within the UFC and Strikeforce, the 34-year-old Californian has 14 finishes amongst his 16 profession victories, and whereas he has largely gotten it executed through submission (eight), he additionally has his share of knockouts (six).
However all of that occurred at middleweight, and on Saturday he’s stepping as much as mild heavyweight for the primary time. Rockhold (16-Four) takes on Jan Blachowicz (23-Eight), who was using a pleasant four-fight profitable streak earlier than operating into Thiago Santos in February.
A breakdown of Rockhold’s entry to 205 kilos:
You will see this struggle on SportsCenter within the morning
The 2 title fights are going to eat up many of the TV time, naturally. And the remainder of the primary card is sprinkled with highlight-worthy opponents, together with former champions. However the glowing performances all the time get going at these huge UFC exhibits lengthy earlier than the celebrities hit the stage.
You are going to need to try Edmen Shahbazyan within the third struggle of the evening, the function bout of the ESPN+ early prelims. At 21 years previous, he is already dwelling as much as the nickname “The Golden Boy.”
Shahbazyan is 9-Zero, with all however one in all his fights ending in first-round KO/TKO. Since being signed off Dana White’s Contender Collection final season, he has gone 2-Zero within the UFC. Now he faces veteran Jack Marshman (23-Eight), who you’ll rapidly uncover likes to have interaction (13 wins by KO/TKO, 5 by submission).
It is a SportsCenter clip ready to occur.
Our man Melendez is locked into a distinct position
These Unlocking Victory movies you see above look a bit completely different this week, do not they? Often it isn’t Paul Felder breaking issues down within the Octagon with Dominick Cruz — it is Gilbert Melendez. However our ESPN colleague referred to as “El Niño” has a piece battle this week. It nonetheless entails being contained in the Octagon, however on Saturday evening he’ll be in there combating for actual.
Melendez takes on Arnold Allen within the function bout of the ESPN prelims, and stepping in with the 25-year-old Brit is a job and a half. Allen (14-1) is a rising star at featherweight, having gained seven fights in a row, the previous 5 within the UFC.
In the meantime, the 37-year-old Melendez will likely be attempting to place a halt to a four-fight shedding streak. The previous Strikeforce and WEC light-weight champion (22-7) has 12 profession knockouts, however his final KO win got here in 2011.
Allen is a hitter who is hard to hit. He has out-struck his previous 4 opponents, based on UFC Stats, and general he absorbs simply 1.83 strikes per minute, fourth fewest amongst lively UFC featherweights.