FACEBOOK TWITTER RSS APP PODCAST Opinion & Analysis : The Specialists : UK Scene - Park PARK: A 12 month, four fight plan to bring Jon Jones to the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship

Jul 23, 2010 - 9:18:48 AM

By: Chris Park, MMATorch UK Specialist

Jon “Bones” Jones will be presented with a stiff test next Sunday, a test that comes in the form of seasoned veteran Vladimir “the Janitor” Matyushenko at UFC on Versus 2.

While Matyushenko will look to derail the "Bones Express," Jones himself will be planning to announce his arrival into the light-heavyweight title picture with a big win over the Belarusian.

Having celebrated what was only his 23rd birthday this week, it is natural to assume that the powers that be may attempt to delay Jones in his bid to fight for the title, to perhaps allow this uniquely talented fighter to develop further before facing the very best.

Age, however, is not a factor in MMA, and 20 fight undefeated records rarely exist as fighters are not sheltered from top level competition. Quite simply if you are good enough, then you are old enough; and it will be the next couple of performances from Jones that will decide if, or when for that matter, he fights for the belt.

Heading into next Sunday's clash with Matyushenko, my belief in Jon Jones is absolute. However, this is MMA, and at this level anything can happen, although I find it increasingly difficult to visualise anything other than an eleventh victory for Jon Jones.

I see this fight with Matyushenko as the first for Jones in a twelve month, four-fight route to a showdown with whoever holds the title next summer.

Fight number two for “Bones” would be towards the end of 2010, against the winner of the UFC 119 clash between Rogerio Nogueira and another rising star, Ryan “Darth” Bader. Whoever comes through at UFC 119 is more than deserving of their place in contention and would make a great next fight for Jones.

If all goes to plan, and assuming that we do actually see Rampage Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida at some point before Christmas, then Jones could face the winner of that fight; whether that is Jackson or Machida this showdown would pose as an ideal number one contender fight.

The winner of this third fight would serve as a perfect foil for the winner of Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Rashad Evans. That fight is expected to take place before March of 2011.

While this may not sound like the longest route to a title shot, if Jones came through these fights it would certainly highlight just how worthy a challenger he actually is. If Shogun is in fact able to make his return by March, as it has been widely reported, then this leads us perfectly to a summer showdown for Jones and the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.

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Chris Park is the MMATorch UK Specialist and guest columnist at ESPN.co.uk. Please email any comments or questions to Chris at; mmatorchuk@gmail.com or look us up at http://www.facebook.com/mmatorchuk2 our new MMATorch Facebook home for UK Fans!

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