As Jon Jones approached the cage last night, Bob Marley’s “Could you be loved” blasting through the arena, expectations were low for the main event.
Vitor Belfort, for what he has accomplished in the sport, was considerably smaller and less dynamic than the young, some would say brash, New York state native. He was a historical underdog and predictions were the bout would not reach the five minute mark.
To his credit, he survived until the fourth. Belfort showed toughness, even to his detriment, and the courage which helped him win over millions of admirers. More than surviving, Belfort nearly did the unthinkable. Early in the first, the Brazilian grabbed ahold of Jones arm and, by Jones own admission, nearly broke it. Of course, “Bones” escaped and proceeded to put on the predicted performance as expected.
So what can we take away from this performance?
We learned a lot about the young champion from last night’s performance. UFC President Dana White regarded the performance as the best of Jones’ career, an opinion puzzling for many. The champion was put into a vulnerable predicament unlike any he had seen before and took nearly four rounds to put away a middleweight.
It’s an opinion I don’t completely disagree with. When put into deep waters against a known formidable finisher, Jones survived. He took Belfort’s best and conquered the former light-heavyweight champion. Unlike any performance before, Bones should fortitude to survive the onslaught of one of the best finishers in the sport’s history.
As the heat on Jones for UFC 151’s cancellation has continued to mount, the champion has shown constant maturity and ability to overcome. Like a diamond, Jones has shined and sharpened under pressure.
Whether you love or hate the light-heavyweight champion of the world, one thing is for sure: you cannot wait to see him again. If you think he showed weakness – a chink in the armor – then you want to see him tested further. And if you think he showed how good he truly is by overcoming a dangerous position, then it is always a pleasure to watch a world-class athlete apply his craft.
What we learned about the champion depends on who you ask, and whether he proved his worth or was proven to be human, we certainly learned something about the hottest fight in mixed martial arts today.
