FACEBOOK TWITTER RSS APP PODCAST Opinion & Analysis : Penick's Take PENICK: Jon Jones needs a top tier opponent, how about Forrest Griffin at Fight Night 22?

Aug 2, 2010 - 6:02:28 PM

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

With a fast and furious flurry of elbows from the crucifix position, Jon Jones dispatched of his most recent challenge in Vladimir Matyushenko at Sunday's UFC on Versus 2 card. The simple fact that he dispatched of a fighter who had only been finished twice before in his 13 year career was impressive enough, but he made it look easy.

Now the question turns to who the 23 year old should be matched up with next. Dana White said after the event that Jones has earned a shot at a top eight fighter in the division, while Jones himself thinks he's ready for a top three light heavyweight. But with much of the division already scheduled for fights on upcoming events or nursing serious injuries, there aren't very many options available to get Jones back into the cage quickly.

Here's how the current MMATorch rankings stand as of July 1:

1. Mauricio Rua (injured, out until early 2011)
2. Lyoto Machida (facing Rampage Jackson in November)
3. Rashad Evans (waiting for Shogun)
4. Quinton Jackson (see #2)
5. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (facing Ryan Bader at UFC 119)
6. Forrest Griffin (recovering from shoulder surgery)
7. Jon Jones
8. Thiago Silva (re-injured his back, unknown return)
9. Muhammed Lawal (not in the UFC)
10. Rich Franklin (recovering from broken arm, end of the year return expected)

A natural choice for his next fight, at least from a pure competitive standpoint, would be the winner of next month's UFC 119 bout between Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ryan Bader. A Bader victory puts him right into the top 10, while a Nogueira victory solidifies his standing. But that fight wouldn't happen until very late in the year at the earliest to give the UFC 119 winner time to recover and prepare.

Jones is ready to get back into the cage after needing only two minutes to take care of Matyushenko, so an extra long delay may not necessarily be the best course of action.

That would take out Rich Franklin from consideration, as he's not expected to return until December or January at the earliest. And while that would be an excellent next fight, I do believe the UFC will try to get him back into action much sooner than that.

Depending on what they want to do with their September 15 Fight Night 22 event, now without a headliner due to Alan Belcher's eye injury, they may be able to get "Bones" into his fourth straight headlining appearance on free television.

But with so many fighters tied up or out of commission, who would the UFC put into that spot opposite Jones?

Enter Forrest Griffin.

Griffin is recovering from surgery, but if he is able to make a return for the September 15 event, he would make for a perfect headliner against Jones, as well as fulfilling that top eight declaration.

Griffin's manager in May stated that his recovery could bring a late September/early October return to the Octagon. If he's able to shave a couple of extra weeks off of that timeline it's feasible for him to make this fight, and it would be a major fight for the UFC to give away on free TV.

This would be my first choice if given the option. Despite losses to Anderson Silva and Rashad Evans in the last year and a half, Griffin is still a former Light Heavyweight Champion with victories over Rampage Jackson and Shogun Rua. He's no pushover, and he's a formidable test for just about any opponent.

Add to that the fact that he's one of the most recognizable fighters on the UFC's roster, and he would be the perfect step up for Jones. It's a fight where Jones absolutely has the skills to overwhelm Griffin and put in a star making performance, but it's also a fight where, if he loses, it would be to a former Champion and star in the UFC. That wouldn't hurt him in his young career, it would simply make him stronger.

It would also help to fulfill another promise that Dana White made earlier this year, to pay fans back for Anderson Silva's UFC 112 performance by putting a major fight on free television. This is a fight that could absolutely headline a smaller UFC pay-per-view event with the way Jones has blasted through the competition and with the name and draw that Griffin has. If he is healthy enough to make this quick return, it's the fight I'd like to see next.

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