Light Heavyweight (205 lbs.)
Current title holder: Jon ‘Bones’ Jones
Coming into UFC 152 Jon Jones was public enemy number one. Many were quick to criticize the light heavyweight champ for not taking a fight with Chael Sonnen at the last minute to salvage UFC 151. Nonetheless, his epic title defense against Vitor Belfort this weekend showed that the young champion not only has skill, size, and athleticism. He also proved that he has the heart of a champion. Where most men would have tapped out to the grizzly looking arm bar submission attempt by Belfort in the first round, Jones powered through and finished the fight in the fourth.
With reports indicating that Jones will be out indefinitely with possible nerve damage in his bicep, it leaves the light heavyweight division in a position to sort itself out and determine a true number one contender upon Jones’ return. Historically, this division has always been one of deepest and it is still true today. Dan Henderson, Lyoto Machida, Mauricio ’Shogun’ Rua, Alexander Gustafson, and Glover Texeira are all names that have been thrown around as the next challenger. The next four to six months should help to provide some clarity as many of the fighters mentioned above will be facing off against one another.
Continue reading on the next page…
