Think the debate over who would win a Jon Jones-Anderson Silva is over?
Think again.
Nobody is calling two of these guys “two of the best fighters in the world” for the purpose of hearing themselves say something.
When you talk about two of the best fighters in mixed martial arts today, how do the UFC’s most valuable prospect and the pound-for-pound king not get mentioned?
Everyone knows talented fighters when they see them, and whether you care for these two or not, these two guys are talented athletes n every sense of the word.
With so much talent and with the way they’ve dominated in their divisions, now imagine the two in the cage against each other.
Didn’t matter if a shot at Shogun was at stake, didn’t matter if Jones was fighting for Silva’s belt, and it didn’t even matter if they fought just for one to possibly save his career—I say the two against each other could be the match of the millennium.
That said, do we even know how this fight would match up or what the key would be for one man to beat the other?
Well, let’s look at the ways.
First off, we have to establish that although this fight would easily define the word “unpredictable,” this bout might boil down—from a stylistic standpoint—to the Muay Thai of Anderson Silva vs. the Muay Thai of Jon Jones on the feet, and the wrestling of “Bones” vs. the unpredictable BJJ of “The Spider.”
Now while Silva’s Muay Thai game began as a flashy-yet-precise style of very unique and exciting offense, it’s recently resembled a more methodical, very tactical “hit and run” type of offense mixed in with the shoulder-rolls and other dodging movements of Roy Jones Jr.
Jones, on the other hand, has maintained his flashy style of offense, and it’s worked double because like Silva, Jones has a bony anatomical structure and some long limbs to boot, so the distance he creates when he strikes makes it that much more frustrating for anyone who fights him.
Need an example?
Brandon “The Truth” Vera is one of the toughest and most underrated strikers in the light heavyweight division, and yet Jones was able to create some distance thanks to that 84.5″ reach of his before taking Vera down and raining down on Vera with shots and elbows.
The fact that a striker the caliber of Vera couldn’t even come close to breaking “Bones” tells you exactly how high up on another level the Greg Jackson phenom is.
The only thing I’d have to worry about in this fight—actually, there are two things I’d worry about—one thing I’d worry about if I’m Silva, and one thing I’d worry about if I’m Jones.
If I’m Silva, I’d have to worry about something Chael Sonnen showed in their UFC 117 bout, which is the lack of a wrestling game in myself that Jones might expose.
Of course, Jones’ game isn’t straight up wrestling and methodical dismemberment on the ground.
It’s actually more like “ruthless dismemberment” on the ground, if you account for the strikes and elbows.
That said, that doesn’t mean that when you define “takedowns” as the grappling method used to off-balance your opponent, Silva has the advantage over Jones.
Silva doesn’t have an edge over really anyone in the wrestling department because he’s really a striker that happens to know some sick jiu-jitsu.
Jones has an edge in that department over Silva, especially since Silva would be giving up two inches of height to Jones in the fight, but mostly due to his Greco-Roman prowess.
In a situation like that is where I see Jones finishing Silva, but I also see something for Jones to worry about if the fight goes to the ground.
On one hand, Jones might be able to get past the legs of Silva and either trap an arm, raining down elbows and strikes from the Salaverry position, or he might be able to get past some upkick attempts and come down on Silva with one hell of a right hand, thus leaving an opening to finish Silva from the top position.
On the other hand, Silva’s guard could have improved to where it was almost as deadly as Minotauro’s was when he was in his prime, so Bones could be more easily controlled on the ground than people would think.
Once Silva wore him out on the ground, he could create an opening of his own, reversing the position to where Silva was on top and in the dominant position.
Could the ground be Jones’ friend?
It sure could, but it could also be his worst enemy if Silva has his way.
The key to Jones winning would be utilizing his wrestling and keeping Silva grounded—of course, it’s the only way to get close to beating Silva, and also utilizing his long reach advantage on the feet, but there is one other key in this fight, and it’s one that could make all the difference in this fight.
As much as Jones’ reach and Silva’s enigmatic striking are keys to one man beating the other, one key we must not forget is their cardio and conditioning.
We know Silva can go five rounds if he has to, but the question with Jones is whether or not his first round finishes of Brandon Vera and Vladimir Matyushenko and the would’ve-been-finish of Matt Hamill have given him the mentality to finish fights early and expect that no one will make it out of the first round with him?
Many feel Shane Carwin made the exact same mistake against Brock Lesnar at UFC 116, counting on Lesnar being finished in Round One and not anticipating that he would be able to go for more than one round.
To me, having the ability and physique needed to go the distance without gassing out in an early-fight adrenaline “Hulk-smash” could be the difference between a win and a loss in this fight.
If one fighter comes in looking in better shape than his opponent, there’s a shot that the better-looking fighter might be able to go for much longer than his opponent.
Between Silva and Jones, though, who would be able to go longer in the cage?
Which fighter’s Muay Thai would be more superior?
Could wrestling even play a role in the outcome?
Most importantly of all, when the fight had ended and everyone was left out of breath, but out of their seats in appreciation for both men and their efforts, and the official decision had to be made, one nagging question would remain…
On the night Jon Jones fought Anderson Silva, who truly was the better fighter?
I guess we’ll never know, now will we?
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Courtesy of :Bleacher Report – UFC
September 30th, 2010
