I’ve been a fan of Jon Jones for quite some time… it’s hard not to rally behind a young upstart that demolishes, absolutely demolishes, everyone that’s put in his path. But recently, with Jones getting more and more of the spotlight, he’s been the focus of more and more interviews. In some of these interviews, he’s said some pretty strange things. It’s rubbed some people the wrong way, and he’s even been compared to LeBron James in terms of an outstanding athlete with a massive ego. Most of the time I simply think it’s haters hating, but thanks to a recent interview… I’m beginning to think they may have a point. ...

Now that 2011 is already halfway through, multiple websites and even the UFC have released their fair share of “Best of the Half-Year” awards. I recently got in on the fun as well, but recently an additional thought hit me: there’s a lot of good fights heading our way! So since I’ve already looked back on the best moments of 2011, I think it’d be great to take a look forward at what will probably be some of the defining moments of the rest of the year. So here we go: these are my top five most-anticipated fights for the rest of 2011. ...

Hello again fans and friends, and welcome back to part two of my “Half-Year Awards” posts. In crowning “Fighter of the Half-Year”, I faced a pretty difficult decision. A lot of great fighters have had great starts to 2011, but I don’t think anything really compares to the brand-new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. In only two months, Jon Jones would defeat the only other Light Heavyweight near his status as an untouchable prospect, and then win the championship by beating one of the most respected, feared 205’ers in the game. Let’s take a look at Jones’ incredible start in 2011 and why he deserves “Fighter of the Half-Year”. ...

Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans was quickly developing into the new "Rampage vs. Evans" saga, where both men, despite having been friends and training partners in the past, have now issued a verbal assault on one another through the media and social networking. The fight in of itself began to pique the interest of with multiple story lines attached to it---but now, that's going to have to wait. Originally, Jon Jones was to defend his ufc light heavyweight title against Rashad at UFC 133, however the champion is now going to be on the mend due to injury and now "Mr. Wonderful" has stepped in his place. ...

There was a point in time where both Rashad Evans and Jon Jones considered each other friends, or even "brothers", which nowadays is a loose term thrown around in the mixed martial arts community way too often. But nonetheless, those under the Greg Jackson brand are usually a very tight-knit group of fighters. You can look to no better example than Joe Stevenson and Melvin Guillard. Both have fought one another in the past and now are housed under the Jackson brand and have become fast friends and good training partners and insist that they will never again fight one another, despite having done battle in the past. However, recently the UFC light heavyweight champion in Jones has been noted as being somewhat "two faced". Saying one thing in confidence to Evans and then turning around and expelling tirades in the media. Yesterday was no different, where Jones made mention that he essentially "handled" Evans in practice, which as you can imagine is something that Rashad did not take too kindly to. ...

There are very few times in our sport where we see a fighter with so much natrual talent come along. First there was BJ Penn, whom seemed tailor made to be a fighter with his fast hands coupled with the knockout power he posseses, in addition to his world-class submission skills that earned him a championship with just a few years of training. Then there's Anderson Silva, who has developed into the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, with his pin-point lethal striking that has drawn comparisons to moves that you could only traditonally see in movies. And now, there's Jon Jones. A powerhouse wrestler who uses his athletic ability to overcome even the most experienced foes. His full arsenal was on display in his last outing with then champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 128, whom Jones defeated via third-round TKO to become the new titleholder. And despite the respect he has shown in the past for former training partner Rashad Evans, who will next challenge Jon for the title, all of that has gone out the window, and if the fight goes on as practice has in the past, Jon will easily make his first successful title defense. At least according to him. ...

Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz will fight anyone. He's proven such accolades in the past, as he has taken fights in the lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, and even light heavyweight division. So now with the acquisition of Strikeforce into the Zuffa fold, things have gotten a little bit skewed once again. The loyalty that him and his team (Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu) share is undeniable--arguably the most loyal team in the sport of mixed martial arts. When Jake Shields and Nick Diaz were both under the Strikeforce banner, Shields moved up to the middleweight class exclusively, just so he can avoid having to run into his teammate, and eventually both men became champions. So when people ask whether Diaz will fight any of his teammates, the answer is clear. So in Diaz' opinion, were Rashad Evans and Jon Jones ever "real teammates"? Definitely, not. Because that's not loyalty. ...

While Jon Jones has brought as a lot of attention to the mixed martial arts world with his dynamic and flashy style, he has also created discension in the infamous Greg Jackson training camp. Rashad Evans was one of the originals of the famed team, having began training there several years ago after his underdog performance on the second season of "The Ultimate Fighter" where he became the winner of the heavyweight field. After paring down to the light-heavyweight class, he became the champion of his division, and though he lost the crown soon thereafter, he worked his way back at a shot at the title. However now, Evans will be facing his former teammate in Jones, who has since made permanent residence with the Jackson team, causing Rashad to sever ties with his friends. Mike Winkeljohn, one of the head instructors and co-owner of the Jackson training facilities, wishes the whole situation could have been averted, and partly blames UFC champ Jon Jones. ...

We may have very well seen the passing of the torch last weekend. Former PRIDE and UFC champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua was dominated from start to finish by the younger, bigger, and stronger Jon Jones, which eventually resulted into a third-round TKO win for the Greg Jackson product. While Rua has had his spurts of brilliance inside the octagon in the past, he looked like a shell of his former self from his glory days in the PRIDE organization. And while the subsequent knee injury and layoff could have been a deciding factor in his performance against Jones at UFC 128, his manager and friend Eduardo Alonso pulls no punches and credit "Bones" Jones completely for his accomplishments. ...

Rashad Evans is making it known that he's not happy with the way his upcoming fight with UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones came about.  He's not just upset with Jones either;  Evans has also detailed some of his feelings regarding Greg Jackson and his role in the situation, particularly as they relate to Jackson's assertion that he will have no part in their upcoming fight. ...

By John Moody If the world of professional MMA journalists had a pound for pound ranking system similar to that of the fighters, Mike Chiappetta, from MMAFighting.com would certainly be in the top two or three on such a list. A quick review, reveals his MMA-Journo chops. Chiappetta became the first writer to consistently cover mixed martial arts for a major media outlet website when he helped launch the sport's coverage for NBCSports.com in 2006. He has written extensively on MMA for ESPN.com, NBCSports.com, and various magazines. He also hosts Spike's popular "Inside the Ultimate Fighter" podcast, and has been an on-air analyst for multiple MMA television shows. Chiappetta took some time out of his schedule, around watching his UConn Huskies cruise into the Sweet Sixteen, to talk with Fighters.com about many of the developing story-lines in MMA today. Click through to watch. ...

It’s that time once again, fans and friends. Another major MMA event has come and gone, and it’s time for my unofficial “Best Performance of the Night” award. I think we all know who gave the best performance at UFC 128. There was simply no contest, so I’ll skip the hype and dive right into why this was one of the best performances of the year so far. Here’s why Jon Jones and his total destruction of Mauricio Rua took home “Best Performance of the Night”. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to another new edition of “Best of the Rest”! I really enjoy taking the time to give my detailed thoughts on a show after watching it, but after the serious discussion and debate I’ll raise in topics like “Top 5 Best Moments” and “Best Performance of the Night”, I think it’d be nice to have a tongue-in-cheek topic where I give out some other “awards”. It’s all in good fun, so don’t take any of it too seriously. So let’s dive right into this latest edition, now featuring UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”. ...

At UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”, names were made and stars were crushed. Veteran talent fell to hot prospects in two major match-ups, while the lighter-weight fighters shined in big and very entertaining bouts. But which stars shined brightest, and what moments will fans be talking about in the following weeks? Here’s my take on the matter: my top 5 best moments of UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”. ...

UFC 128 will likely be talked about for many months to come, whether it’s due to Mirko Cro Cop getting KO’d again, Jim Miller staking his claim atop the UFC’s Lightweight division, or the obvious: Jon Jones destroying Mauricio Rua. But now once again it’s time to ask: what’s next? What does the future hold after so much seems to have changed? Here’s my answer to just that: a new edition of my “What’s Next for the Winners and Losers” series of articles, now featuring UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”. ...

Another huge UFC event went into the history books tonight, fans and friends. UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones” is over and done with. It was a night that saw four free preliminary fights, several amazing knockouts, and the ascension of several fighters to top-division status. And in the main event, Jon Jones kick-started “The Era of Bones” by utterly dominating Mauricio Rua. Here are the full results as well as some early commentary on UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”. ...

Welcome back fans and friends, it’s now time for part 3 of today’s special four-part “5 Reasons Why”. I’ve already discussed why Rashad Evans could beat both Mauricio Rua and Jon Jones, but let’s be honest: both men stand just as much of a chance of beating Rashad. So let’s dive into the latter part of this four-parter with five reasons why Jon Jones could beat Rashad Evans. ...

I was very intrigued when I learned that Rashad Evans is likely still the #1 contender to the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. It got me to thinking: does Evans stand a chance against Mauricio Rua or Jon Jones? Both men pose very different but very major threats to the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. But as I thought more on the situation, I realized that Evans poses big threats to both men even despite his long layoff. So, with UFC 128 just around the corner, here’s a sneak peek into the future: it’s four new editions of “5 Reasons Why”, focusing on why Rashad Evans could beat Mauricio Rua and Jon Jones, and then why both men could beat Evans. Let’s get this four-part entry started with 5 reasons why Rashad Evan could beat Jon Jones. ...

By John Moody Jon Jones has basically been anointed the UFC "golden child" with a crush of positive press and his own reality show on Spike TV ahead of UFC 128 in Newark, NJ.  Can he perform to that level of hype on Saturday night, against Shogun Rua? That is the question, which will decide if he will rocket off to mega sports fame, or get knocked back down to merely a "talented young gun" with lots of potential.  Jones was in good form this week at the UFC 128 press conference taking all questions like a seasoned pro. Watch Jones take on all questions. Click through to watch. ...

It’s time to give the devil his due, I think. And the more I think about this fight, the more I begin to realize that my problem is not with Mauricio Rua… it’s with the perception that he is unbeatable and indestructible. He’s not. What he is, however, is an MMA veteran that made his name completely decimating people at a young age. In many ways, Jon Jones is very similar to Mauricio Rua. But Rua has the benefit of experience and so much more. I’ll give credit where credit is due, that’s never been a problem for me. So here we go: five reasons why Mauricio Rua could beat Jon Jones. ...

The more I think about the main event of UFC 128, the more I realize I haven’t said all I have to say regarding the upcoming epic encounter between Mauricio Rua and Jon Jones. I’ve made my stance on this fight very public, and today’s entry into my “5 Reasons Why” series compiles and defines my top five reasons why Jon Jones could beat Mauricio Rua. But, as is the nature of the series, I will also give credit where credit is due. So here’s part one of this two-parter, with five reasons why Mauricio Rua could beat Jon Jones soon to follow. ...

I’ve talked about it, you’ve talked about it, everyone’s talked about it, heard about it, and debated or even argued about it. But the time for all of that is quickly coming to an end: this Saturday will be the day where Mauricio Rua returns from injury to make the first defense of his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. It’s UFC 128, and this is another edition of “Finally Final Thoughts”. Here’s what I have left to say when it comes to what should certainly be one of the best events of the year. ...

Despite having suffered an injury and not having competed since May of last year, Rashad Evans still maintains his top spot in the light heavyweight division. Recently, the former world champion suffered a knee injury in practice, in preparation for his bout with Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, which was originally scheduled to take place this weekend. However, after the news of the knee went around, teammate Jon Jones eventually got the nod and will now be competing for the belt. While Rashad has gone to several media forums and stated that the likelyhood of him getting his immediate title shot is grim, solely because of his rocky relationship with UFC President Dana White, nothing could be further from the truth, explained the aforementioned UFC head honcho. ...

We’re now only a few days away from UFC 128 “Shogun vs. Jones”. In the main event, Mauricio Rua defends his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against Jon Jones. The co-main event will also be an interesting match-up, as former long-reigning WEC Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber takes on Eddie Wineland. As is customary, here is my official “picks and predictions” post (covering who I think will win and why), now featuring UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”. ...

On March 19, 2011, the UFC will hold its highly-anticipated “Shogun vs. Jones” event, featuring UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio Rua making his long-awaited return from injury by defending his championship for the first time. His opponent, Jon Jones, is considered by many to be the future of the division Also, former WEC Champion Urijah Faber makes his long-awaited debut in the UFC by taking on tough Bantamweight Eddie Wineland. Still, some fans may be asking themselves: what are the best reasons to check out this card? Here’s my answer to just that: 5 reasons to watch UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to the latest edition of “Crash Course”. “Crash Course” is a series of articles designed to give readers a quick rundown on all the relevant information they need to know heading into an upcoming major MMA event. Everything from why you should watch, what you should expect in the co-main and main event, and even where and when you can find it on TV is all covered in detail. So let’s get right to it with today’s edition, featuring UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”. ...

If there was any question regarding the appeal of Jon Jones, put it to rest. Jones, just 23-years-old, has turned the mixed martial arts world on it's head with some of his in-the-cage moves that have never been maneuvered before. Jon makes low percentage moves effective, and hit's them almost every time he enters the cage, whether it's his lateral drops that he has put many a fighter down with, including season one finalist of "The Ultimate Fighter", Stephan Bonnar. Now that he will be challenging Mauricio "Shogun" Rua this weekend for the promotion's light heavyweight title, the UFC has adopted a new show that will be surrounding Jon in his moments leading up to the fight entitled "UFC Presents Jon Jones: In the Moment". ...

As we come closer and closer to UFC 128, more and more fans and insiders are giving their thoughts on the event’s leading attraction, an epic Light Heavyweight encounter between Mauricio Rua and Jon Jones for Rua’s UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. But a growing section of the fanbase is switching their focus to a proposed match-up between Jon Jones and his teammate, fellow highly-ranked fighter and former champion Rashad Evans. And “Bones” recently revealed that he’s becoming very tired of all the talk about him fighting his friend. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to the start of a brand-new series! Recently I started up another series called “Sneak Peek”, a once-per-month, end-of-month series designed to give fans a look at what to expect for next month. Today’s new series follows the same vein, except it’ll be once per month at the start of every month, and whereas “Sneak Peek” focused on the events as a whole, this new series will focus on my most-anticipated fights in particular. So here we go: these are my most anticipated fights for March 2011. ...

Hello again fans and friends and welcome to the start of a new series tentatively called “Sneak Peek”. This new once-a-month series will be posted near the end of each month in order to give fans a look at the major events occurring next month. The big shows, the colossal encounters, the fights that you just simply shouldn’t miss no matter what… all of it’s covered in detail, with a heaping helping of commentary thrown in. So let’s dive right in with the first edition of “Sneak Peek”, covering the month of March 2011. ...