UFC 140 - JONES VS MACHIDA !!!

payneNglory1 wrote:

Rashad

After my last fight against Tito Ortiz, I dislocated my right thumb, which required it to be set back in place and held with pins," Evans said in a statement today released by his management. "Twenty-four hours ago, my physician removed the pins. At that time, I learned that it would require another three weeks of rehabilitation before engaging in any exercise or training that would require the use of my hand.

"Dana White and I spoke earlier today, and I fully understand his decision to put Machida against Jones for the title at UFC 140. Given the rehabilitation time I require for my dislocated thumb, I would not be 100 percent ready by Dec. 10. The UFC has to keep making fights that entertain the fans. I would have done the same thing as Dana in his position. I'm asking for the fans to support me as I rehabilitate my hand, and I promise I will be back fighting very quickly."

rudeboyben84 wrote:Cracking fight, I dont think Machida can do it, I think counterpunching a guy Jones size isnt going to work. Although saying that Macida is one of the few guys who are noticabally quicker than Jones so it he throws in numbers on the front foot and gets out again this will be really interesting.

Bones UD but I can see Machida taking a round or 2.

This will at last test Jones Standup. Rampage might as well have tried to counterpunch him he was so unagressive and Shoguns heart wasnt in it from the 1st punch.

One thing is for sure even if Machida does try to counterpunch at it at least Bones is playing him at his game, My prediction is to see Bones rocked or in trouble for the 1st time. I dont see him dominating this unless his Size is too much and he is able to Rag Doll Machida and keep him there.

MMAFighting.com spoke to Jones after the news broke about why he is fighting Machida instead of Evans and his thoughts on the new opponent.

Ariel Helwani: How did this fight come about?
Jon Jones: The way the fight came about was Dana called me into his office just a few days ago, and he asked me to fight Rashad Evans at UFC 140. Without hesitation, I said 'absolutely'. There's nothing I want to do more than to get past this Rashad Evans chapter in my career, because it's been a nuisance. He's been the antagonist in my career. So, I'm predicting that maybe Rashad thought that I would turn the fight down, knowing that I just got done finishing my title fight. I'm sure he thought that I would say no to him, and I'm sure he would have went with the approach of, 'Oh well, Jon Jones is ducking me again; he turns down the fight in nine weeks.' To his surprise, I took the fight, and after I took the fight, he decides that his hand isn't ready, and he's going to need more time. So, with me already agreeing with Dana that I would take a fight at UFC 140, Dana called me back and said, 'Hey, listen, Rashad decided that he can't compete at UFC 140, what would think about fighting Lyoto Machida?' And I said 'absolutely'. My feet were swollen after my fight, but they are healed now, and I want to fight. My health is good, I'm a young guy, and I want to fight. So I took the fight against Lyoto in nine weeks from now. This is four fights in 10 months against three former champions in the same year. I don't think that's ever been done.

Did you tell the UFC that since Evans wasn't ready to fight in December that you would rather wait a month or two to fight him so you can finally put this beef behind you?
Well, Dana White basically needed someone to save 140. I didn't necessarily want to fight at 140, but because it was Rashad, I said, 'You know what? I would take the fight in nine weeks.' I'm already in shape. I already know what I want to do. Rashad, predicting that I would say no, he kind of kicked himself in the butt because I said yes, he turns around and says, 'Oh, I didn't expect Jon to say yes. I don't want to fight him that soon.' So in reality, he's kind of the one who's ducking the fight. I feel like he's ducking the fight.

So you think he was trying to force your hand so you would look bad in the fans' eyes, but you then forced his hand?
Exactly. 100 percent that's what I'm trying to get at. He's tried to call me out on nine weeks' notice. Obviously, who wants to fight on nine weeks' notice? I just got a new car, I want to drive that around. I want to hang out with my family and relax and sleep in my own bed for once. And now Rashad calls me out, predicting that I would say no, to make me look like I was ducking him again, and I say yes, and now he says, Oh, I didn't know he would say yes. I don't want to fight him. He called Dana White, asked for 140, Dana White called me and said Rashad wants this fight. I gave him the fight he wanted and then he pulled out.

Is a part of you disappointed that this rivalry will now drag on even longer?
Obviously all my energy is on Lyoto Machida now. Rashad is just a small part of my being right now. I don't really think about Rashad that much. But it annoys me. The reason why I took the fight on nine weeks' notice is because I wanted it to be over. Like I said, Rashad is the biggest antagonist of my career. He's the biggest hater. He has so much envy. I don't write him, he writes me. He harasses me pretty much. He is so envious and so jealous and it's so obvious, he doesn't even try to hide it. And after I beat him, he's going to hate me even more. So, pretty much the only reason I took the fight is because I thought I was fighting Rashad, and now that I'm fighting Lyoto. Obviously, I'll get up for Lyoto because Lyoto is a worthy and awesome opponent - way better than Rashad Evans, I think. So to anyone who thinks I would duck Rashad by not waiting, let them know that there's nothing more than I would want to do than fight Rashad Evans. Dana asked me to fight at UFC 140, so I am doing this for the UFC.

Do you think Rashad should have to fight someone else now before fighting you?
Yeah. Obviously, I want to fight him. But how long are you going to get to wait and sit around? You go from not fighting for a whole year, and then you get a fight like Tito Oritz, which everybody knows where Tito is at in his career, and now he just gets to sit around and be the No. 1 contender again? It looks like he's the one that's sitting on his glory and riding his glory. There's tons of guys out there. I think when he gets better, he should have to fight Phil Davis or Dan Henderson. How does he get the right to just sit around and say who he is going to fight and when he is going to fight and continue to be the No. 1 contender while everybody else fights all year long?

What do you think about fighting Machida?
I feel great about the fight. Lyoto, I respect him dearly. He's an awesome, awesome guy. I love the way that he carries himself outside of the Octagon. He has a little bit more of that warrior spirit, something that I believe I have, as well. I'm excited to fight somebody with honor. Somebody who respects this sport. You know, fighting a guy like 'Rampage,' all the talk and making our sport look bad. Fighting a guy like Rashad, all the talking, you know, it's not WWF, it's the UFC. Lyoto understands that. So I'm excited to not have to be forced to talk so much. Not be forced to degrade my opponent verbally, but to compete against him the way it's supposed to be.

I think Lyoto Machida is a tougher fight for me than Rashad Evans. I'm fighting the guy who knocked out Rashad Evans. Lyoto is a a completely different test for me. He's the first southpaw that I've ever fought. Rashad sat out a whole year and waited for Shogun. I'm not taking off a year. I think Rashad is the one that needs to be questioned. His credibility needs to be questioned. He said he had a knee injury, now it's a thumb injury. What's it going to be next? He's going to have a toe injury? I'm not the one who took off a whole year to wait for a fight. I'm fighting in between fights. I'm looking to fight as much as possible.

superman_punch wrote:4 fights in 10 months against 3 former champions. He wins this one then surely fighter of the year beckons.

redmeanie77 wrote:

If Anderson had beaten Shogun and Rampage in same way Bones did, it would be highlight of his career and his best 2 wins.

superman_punch wrote:Is anyone else thinking Jones will win this one just like he has anyone who he's faced before. I can see the dangers but really when did Lyoto ever go out and put someone away, he has to do that convincingly against Jones and at some point Jones is gonna have his way with him. I know machida rampage was contentious but jones walked through rampage like he wasn't there. What makes people think Lyoto is gonna challenge jones?

rudeboyben84 wrote:I dont think its Ducking Rashad either, Jones is good to go and should get another fight fair play to him, Machida beat Evans, Rampage and Couture in his last few fights and is a LOT more credible a challenger than Rampage.

Im actually a lot more excited for this fight than I am for the Evans fight, Anfield talking about Machida coming from Angles is really interesting especially because he is Southpaw as well.

When we were in the Machida era everyone talked about how hard his style is to train for and that makes this fight more interesting because Machida and Jones are the two fighters that are hardest to get a sparring partner to copy.

Still backing Jones to UD him because I reckon Machida could make 185 and Bones will be a heavy by the time he is Machidas age.

Sheldan wrote:

MMAFighting.com spoke to Jones after the news broke about why he is fighting Machida instead of Evans and his thoughts on the new opponent.

Ariel Helwani: How did this fight come about?
Jon Jones: The way the fight came about was Dana called me into his office just a few days ago, and he asked me to fight Rashad Evans at UFC 140. Without hesitation, I said 'absolutely'. There's nothing I want to do more than to get past this Rashad Evans chapter in my career, because it's been a nuisance. He's been the antagonist in my career. So, I'm predicting that maybe Rashad thought that I would turn the fight down, knowing that I just got done finishing my title fight. I'm sure he thought that I would say no to him, and I'm sure he would have went with the approach of, 'Oh well, Jon Jones is ducking me again; he turns down the fight in nine weeks.' To his surprise, I took the fight, and after I took the fight, he decides that his hand isn't ready, and he's going to need more time. So, with me already agreeing with Dana that I would take a fight at UFC 140, Dana called me back and said, 'Hey, listen, Rashad decided that he can't compete at UFC 140, what would think about fighting Lyoto Machida?' And I said 'absolutely'. My feet were swollen after my fight, but they are healed now, and I want to fight. My health is good, I'm a young guy, and I want to fight. So I took the fight against Lyoto in nine weeks from now. This is four fights in 10 months against three former champions in the same year. I don't think that's ever been done.

Did you tell the UFC that since Evans wasn't ready to fight in December that you would rather wait a month or two to fight him so you can finally put this beef behind you?
Well, Dana White basically needed someone to save 140. I didn't necessarily want to fight at 140, but because it was Rashad, I said, 'You know what? I would take the fight in nine weeks.' I'm already in shape. I already know what I want to do. Rashad, predicting that I would say no, he kind of kicked himself in the butt because I said yes, he turns around and says, 'Oh, I didn't expect Jon to say yes. I don't want to fight him that soon.' So in reality, he's kind of the one who's ducking the fight. I feel like he's ducking the fight.

So you think he was trying to force your hand so you would look bad in the fans' eyes, but you then forced his hand?
Exactly. 100 percent that's what I'm trying to get at. He's tried to call me out on nine weeks' notice. Obviously, who wants to fight on nine weeks' notice? I just got a new car, I want to drive that around. I want to hang out with my family and relax and sleep in my own bed for once. And now Rashad calls me out, predicting that I would say no, to make me look like I was ducking him again, and I say yes, and now he says, Oh, I didn't know he would say yes. I don't want to fight him. He called Dana White, asked for 140, Dana White called me and said Rashad wants this fight. I gave him the fight he wanted and then he pulled out.

Is a part of you disappointed that this rivalry will now drag on even longer?
Obviously all my energy is on Lyoto Machida now. Rashad is just a small part of my being right now. I don't really think about Rashad that much. But it annoys me. The reason why I took the fight on nine weeks' notice is because I wanted it to be over. Like I said, Rashad is the biggest antagonist of my career. He's the biggest hater. He has so much envy. I don't write him, he writes me. He harasses me pretty much. He is so envious and so jealous and it's so obvious, he doesn't even try to hide it. And after I beat him, he's going to hate me even more. So, pretty much the only reason I took the fight is because I thought I was fighting Rashad, and now that I'm fighting Lyoto. Obviously, I'll get up for Lyoto because Lyoto is a worthy and awesome opponent - way better than Rashad Evans, I think. So to anyone who thinks I would duck Rashad by not waiting, let them know that there's nothing more than I would want to do than fight Rashad Evans. Dana asked me to fight at UFC 140, so I am doing this for the UFC.

Do you think Rashad should have to fight someone else now before fighting you?
Yeah. Obviously, I want to fight him. But how long are you going to get to wait and sit around? You go from not fighting for a whole year, and then you get a fight like Tito Oritz, which everybody knows where Tito is at in his career, and now he just gets to sit around and be the No. 1 contender again? It looks like he's the one that's sitting on his glory and riding his glory. There's tons of guys out there. I think when he gets better, he should have to fight Phil Davis or Dan Henderson. How does he get the right to just sit around and say who he is going to fight and when he is going to fight and continue to be the No. 1 contender while everybody else fights all year long?

What do you think about fighting Machida?
I feel great about the fight. Lyoto, I respect him dearly. He's an awesome, awesome guy. I love the way that he carries himself outside of the Octagon. He has a little bit more of that warrior spirit, something that I believe I have, as well. I'm excited to fight somebody with honor. Somebody who respects this sport. You know, fighting a guy like 'Rampage,' all the talk and making our sport look bad. Fighting a guy like Rashad, all the talking, you know, it's not WWF, it's the UFC. Lyoto understands that. So I'm excited to not have to be forced to talk so much. Not be forced to degrade my opponent verbally, but to compete against him the way it's supposed to be.

I think Lyoto Machida is a tougher fight for me than Rashad Evans. I'm fighting the guy who knocked out Rashad Evans. Lyoto is a a completely different test for me. He's the first southpaw that I've ever fought. Rashad sat out a whole year and waited for Shogun. I'm not taking off a year. I think Rashad is the one that needs to be questioned. His credibility needs to be questioned. He said he had a knee injury, now it's a thumb injury. What's it going to be next? He's going to have a toe injury? I'm not the one who took off a whole year to wait for a fight. I'm fighting in between fights. I'm looking to fight as much as possible.

redmeanie77 wrote:



Cant see how Macheata wins this fight. Infact this is going to be quite a dull fight with Jones pressing Machida up against cage working strikes and elbows from clinch and getting takedowns. Bones UD or late stoppage as someone mentioned.


Nice to see Hashad's plan backfire on his face. Calling Bones out for UFC 140 and then pulling out.


After this fight all that will be left is Evans, who will undoubtedley wait again until he gets a title shot. Then we can start to see some new guys getting shots at top. Davis, Gustaffson hopefully.

payneNglory1 wrote:Is that the same Dan Henderson who at LHW lost to Rampage and squeaked a split decision against Franklin?

Two strikeforce wins against a poor Babalu and Feijao,don't IMO reinstate him as a Title contender in the UFC.

I love Dan,but I'm not getting carried away with his recent results,I can't see him getting past shogun to be honest and I really don't think he will be having any say in the UFC LHW title picture.

pinsman wrote:Mate Dan Henderson just beat the man that every man and his dog bums on this forum including me! He is in the form of his life! He'd smash through Rampage now, he fought rampage at a time when jackson was on fire coming off a knock out win against Liddel WHO had dominated the LHW division for fecking years! Jackson of 5 or 6 years ago would have been twice the fighter that fought Bones the other week!

Dan Henderson is still the agressive little bastard that he was years ago and will take a fight to anyone! I see him breaking bones' jaw!

pinsman wrote:Mate Dan Henderson just beat the man that every man and his dog bums on this forum including me! He is in the form of his life! He'd smash through Rampage now, he fought rampage at a time when jackson was on fire coming off a knock out win against Liddel WHO had dominated the LHW division for fecking years! Jackson of 5 or 6 years ago would have been twice the fighter that fought Bones the other week!

Dan Henderson is still the agressive little bastard that he was years ago and will take a fight to anyone! I see him breaking bones' jaw!

Anfields5thKing wrote:

redmeanie77 wrote:



Cant see how Macheata wins this fight. Infact this is going to be quite a dull fight with Jones pressing Machida up against cage working strikes and elbows from clinch and getting takedowns. Bones UD or late stoppage as someone mentioned.


Nice to see Hashad's plan backfire on his face. Calling Bones out for UFC 140 and then pulling out.


After this fight all that will be left is Evans, who will undoubtedley wait again until he gets a title shot. Then we can start to see some new guys getting shots at top. Davis, Gustaffson hopefully.

Bones would have to catch Machida before he can use his wall and stall tactics.

Nice to see you revising history. Well done.

Gustaffson?? Let's see him beating ANYBODY before calling for title shots.