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Do you see any path to victory for Chael Sonnen against Jon Jones at UFC 159? If not, how do you think Jones will win the fight?
RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
This is a joke, right? I mean, the fight is a joke, the challenger is a joke, the promotion is a joke, so the question is a joke as well, no? Jones will win by whatever method he wants, whenever he wants. Personally, I hope that the method he chooses is such that humiliates the charlatan Sonnen so badly that he chooses to become the modern-day DB Cooper. Well, considering that Cooper's disappearance is likely tied to his death, I'll settle for him becoming the modern-day Bill Watterson, minus all semblance of talent, personality, and creativity of course.
That said, the idea of Chael Sonnen parachuting in the dark of night into the lion's den at the San Diego Zoo amuses me to no end...
C.J. TUTTLE, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Saturday, Jon "Bones" Jones is going to put the final nail in Chael's MMA coffin. Chael can immediately begin practicing promo's for professional wrestling promotions and Jon can focus on winning potential super fights. I see Jon taking Chael to the ground, just to disrespect Chael's formidable wrestling pedigree, then after proving his point there, utilizing his length to tear Chaels face apart. Followed by hugs, handshakes, and Chael working post fight on UFC Tonight. "This one goes to the good guys."
FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
No, there is no path to victory for Sonnen unless Jon Jones slips on a banana peel in the cage, knocks himself out, and the ref doesn't see what happened. Sonnen has a better chance to conceal brass knuckles in his gloves to knock out Jones than to do it on his own. I think Jones goes the safe route, toys with Sonnen, and then puts him out in the third round.
BRAD WALKER, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
HAHAHAHAHAHA. The only path Chael Sonnen has to victory is putting Jones to sleep by reading him "Goodnight Moon." That's about as likely to happen as any other form of victory for him in this fight. It's not even a fight, it's a slaughter waiting to happen.
TONY BECERRA, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
I don't see how Chael will win his fight. Jon Jones is running through the competition and has not shown any weakness that others could expose. He did get caught in an arm bar early against Vitor Belfort but he recovered and took over the fight. Jones will win via submission.
ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
This could be my shortest answer to any roundtable question ever, no. Jones will win by devastating knock out in the second round.
ALVIN CARTER, MMATORCH SPECIALIST
Chael Sonnen will have to bait Jon Jones into a brawl and knock him out early, or he has to truly prove that he is a superior wrestler and work ground and pound. Using Jones' high emotions to get him to make a mistake would be the best plan for Sonnen. With that said, Jones will most likely win by TKO or submission in the third or fourth round.
DAN MOORE, MMATORCH UK CONTRIBUTOR
If Chael Sonnen is to have any chance of success in this fight – he needs to go in all guns blazing straight from the off. Then look to execute a quick takedown and implement the same tactics he used in the first round of both fights against Anderson Silva. Other than that, he doesn’t have a hope in hell of beating Jon Jones. I give him a slender 1% chance of winning this fight.
Even if Sonnen does manage to take him down, expect Jones to take the same patient approach as Silva did. Jones is a vastly superior striker and he’ll look to utilise his kicking arsenal at every feasible opportunity. Like the second Silva fight, Jones will use round one to adjust and find his range, then blitz Sonnen for a TKO finish early in round two.
[Jon Jones art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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