The war of words came to a conclusion on Friday when Jackson revealed the spy was a former MusclePharm employee during a segment on ESPN's Sportscenter. Jon Jones adamantly denied the allegations, and his manager Malki Kawa also denied involvement in 'Spygate' by sarcastically finding ways to take jabs at Jackson for his claims via Twitter. Whether Jackson was right or wrong, it added an interesting twist to an already strenuous relationship between the two fighters.
The joint media engagements also put a magnifying glass on Jones' identity. Both 'Rampage' Jackson and former teammate Rashad Evans made claims that Jones was "faking" his public persona, stating he was a phony by attempting to appeal to the mainstream fanbase without being "real". The criticism has gained so much steam that Jones' body language, wording, demeanor, and personality have been meticulously combed through on a daily basis by the media and fans.
Some would say that talk is cheap, and following the weigh-in on Friday afternoon -- the talk is now over. The only question to consider is whether Jackson was able to sneak under the skin of Jon Jones. Was he able to break Jones' focus mentally? Will it help him stop the young champion from defending his title for the first time?
Jackson is in the best shape of his career, and he still possesses one-punch knockout power. Jones isn't wrong in his assessments of Jackson's style however. It's understandably stagnant and slow compared to his Pride days. The question is whether his training regiment can bring him back to life. Will that be enough to defeat Jones?
I doubt it. Jones is the lengthier fighter, taller, quicker, and stronger in the areas that Jackson is weak. Jones hasn't hid what he intends to do. He wants to bring this fight to the ground. Unless Jackson can land a knockout punch as Jones creeps into his wheelhouse or during a sprawl, Jones will find a way to trip up Jackson and demolish him from the top. As most fans have stated, Jackson has a puncher's chance. Chanting 'Pride never die!' mantras won't erase that thought no matter how hopeful we might be.
Fortunately for the wishful, I'm a Pride homer. I'll give Jackson a bit more of a chance than most fans. If his cardio can hold up against Jones, there are opportunities. Some of Jones' past fights, notably his earliest fights in the UFC, exposed some weaknesses in his conditioning. Jackson, while not a cardio machine like lightweight Clay Guida, doesn't tire easily. If he can avoid damage and make Jones press the action, it's possible he wears out Jones and capitalizes on opportunities late in the fight.
Jones hasn't shown those weaknesses in more recent performances, which is a sign that he's fixed those issues. As long as he avoids Jackson's power and doesn't get clipped by the former UFC champion, Jones should chop down Jackson over the course of five rounds with ease. In fact, I don't think Jackson lasts the full twenty-five minutes. Jones brings Jackson into his world on the ground and batters him early, eventually finishing this fight in the third.
Poll Jon Jones vs. 'Rampage' Jackson
- Jon Jones
- 'Rampage' Jackson