Jon Jones

As is tradition, the UFC loaded up their Fourth of July weekend card. UFC 239 features back-to-back title fights featuring Jon Jones and Amanda Nunes to close out the show. 

Jon Jones takes on an interesting challenger in Thiago Santos. Jones will try to add Marreta to his list of victims in his second title defense of 2019 after picking up a unanimous decision win over Anthony Smith in March. 

Holly Holm will challenge for Amanda Nunes' belt. Holm will look to recapture the magic of her shocking upset win over Ronda Rousey in 2015, while Nunes will be trying to add on to what has been the most impressive run in the history of women's MMA. 

The lead-in to the title fights figures to be feisty as well, including Ben Askren and Jorge Masvidal competing in an important matchup in the welterweight division. 

                   

UFC 239 Fight Card

Main Card (ESPN+ PPV at 10 p.m. ET)

• Jon Jones (-750; Bet $750 to win $100) vs. Thiago Santos (+525; Bet $100 to win $525)
• Amanda Nunes (-410) vs. Holly Holm (+330)
• Jorge Masvidal (+180) vs. Ben Askren (-220)
• Luke Rockhold (-225) vs. Jan Blachowicz (+185)
• Diego Sanchez (+300) vs. Michael Chiesa (-360)

Prelims (ESPN at 8 p.m. ET)

• Arnold Allen (-325) vs. Gilbert Melendez (+265)
• Claudia Gadelha (-240) vs. Randa Markos (+200)
• Marlon Vera (-400) vs. Nohelin Hernandez (+325)
• Song Yadong (-210) vs. Alejandro Perez (+175)      

Prelims (UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+ at 6:15 p.m. ET)

• Edmen Shahbazyan (-650) vs. Jack Marshman (+475)
• Ismail Naurdiev (-550) vs. Chance Rencountre (+425)
• Julia Avila (-200) vs. Pannie Kianzad (+170)

Odds via MMABettingOdds.com

                  

Biggest Questions and Predictions

Can Santos' Power Get Jones in Trouble?

Thiago Santos is far from the most recognizable opponent Jon Jones has fought, but he is one of the more unique challenges he's seen. 

Coming up from the middleweight division, Santos is an athletically gifted power puncher who may have the best kicking game that Jones has seen. The way he brutalizes opponents' legs with kicks to set up his power punching makes him a tough out for anyone. 

That's likely where Santos' best opportunity lies. Jones loves to control the distance, utilizing his 84" reach and an array of leg kicks and jabs to pick foes apart. If Santos can land his leg kicks at that range and force Jones to transition to the clinch more often, he just might time him up and land the punches that have turned him into a knockout artist. 

But Jones has proved to be durable. He's taken clean shots from Alexander Gustafsson, Daniel Cormier and Lyoto Machida, yet he's very rarely showed signs of being fazed. 

The intrigue of this fight is built around the concept that Santos has the power advantage in a brawl, but even then it doesn't guarantee an upset. 

Jones' chin and distance management mean he isn't going to face a serious threat until he moves up to heavyweight. 

Prediction: Jones via fourth-round TKO

                

Can Holm Outpoint Nunes?

Holly Holm is famous for scoring one of the most stunning knockouts in MMA history when she head-kicked Ronda Rousey into oblivion. But that isn't a true indication of Holm's style. 

She's only had one other knockout win in the Octagon, and her professional boxing career only featured nine knockouts in 33 wins. At heart, she's an excellent stick-and-move fighter with a good jab, body kicks and movement to consistently outpoint fighters. 

That approach is a dangerous proposition against Nunes, though. The Lioness is an aggressive striker who wants to drown her opponents in volume. 

If Holm is effective in taking good angles and sticking Nunes on the end of her jab, she could play the long game and eventually test the champion's cardio. 

That's a big if, though. With Nunes' power, Holm won't have to get caught many times before the fight is effectively over. 

Holm might be better off to go with a more grappling-heavy approach like she did in neutralizing Megan Anderson last time out, but that would be against her natural inclinations. 

For Holm to win, it's going to require a high-wire balancing act that is hard to bet on, considering her 2-4 record since her historic win over Rousey. 

Prediction: Nunes via second-round TKO

                    

Can Askren Maintain His Unbeaten Streak?

Twenty opponents have tried to beat Ben Askren in his career. Twenty opponents have failed. 

Funky is not the most fan-friendly fighter, but he is an effective one. He's a bit of a one-trick pony with his heavy reliance on the ground game, but his one trick is elite. 

Askren's suffocating top game has proved too much for every opponent before him, and while this fight has a lot of hype behind it, the analysis seems pretty cut and dry: Masvidal's takedown defense will tell be the key. 

He has been the master of losing split decisions. He's been on the wrong side of one four times in the last four years. Historically, if an opponent wants to get Masvidal down, they are able to do it. Demian Maia took him down four times, Benson Henderson did it on three occasions. Even Rustam Khabilov managed it twice. 

All three of those fights were losses for Masvidal, and if he doesn't find a way to keep this thing on the feet, it's going to be another defeat on his record. 

Prediction: Askren via decision

International Fight Week concludes with one of the biggest attractions MMA has to offer, with Jon Jones set to defend his light heavyweight title against Thiago Santos in Las Vegas at UFC 239. 

The offerings don't stop there, though. Amanda Nunes will attempt to cement her legacy as the greatest women's mixed martial artist of all time by knocking off yet another former champion in Holly Holm. 

The most intriguing bout on the card might be the welterweight clash between Jorge Masvidal and Ben Askren. The winner is likely a No. 1 contender, and between Askren's penchant for trash talk and Masvidal's exciting style, it brings a lot of intrigue to the card. 

Odds via MMABettingOdds.com

        

UFC 239 Fight Card

Main Card (ESPN+ PPV at 10 p.m. ET)

• Jon Jones (-750; Bet $750 to win $100) vs. Thiago Santos (+525; Bet $100 to win $525)
• Amanda Nunes (-410) vs. Holly Holm (+330)
• Jorge Masvidal (+180) vs. Ben Askren (-220)
• Luke Rockhold (-225) vs. Jan Blachowicz (+185)
• Diego Sanchez (+300) vs. Michael Chiesa (-360)

Prelims (ESPN at 8 p.m. ET)

• Arnold Allen (-325) vs. Gilbert Melendez (+265)
• Claudia Gadelha (-240) vs. Randa Markos (+200)
• Marlon Vera (-400) vs. Nohelin Hernandez (+325)
• Song Yadong (-210) vs. Alejandro Perez (+175)      

Prelims (UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+ at 6:15 p.m. ET)

• Edmen Shahbazyan (-650) vs. Jack Marshman (+475)
• Ismail Naurdiev (-550) vs. Chance Rencountre (+425)
• Julia Avila (-200) vs. Pannie Kianzad (+170)

      

Predictions

Jones Nullifies Santos' Power

Jones has faced some strong competition throughout his career. From Shogun Rua and Lyoto Machida to Daniel Cormier and Alexander Gustafsson, he's defeated the who's who of light heavyweights from his era and the one previous to it. 

When it's all said and done, Santos isn't likely to crack the top five of his most impressive wins. 

The Brazilian has never held a championship, and he also has knockout losses to David Branch and Eric Spicely on his record. 

But he boasts real knockout power. He's only fought three times at light heavyweight, but all three have resulted in knockout wins, and that's about the only thing that gives him a shot in this fight. 

Even though he's coming from the middleweight division, he still has good size for a light heavyweight. At 6'2" with a 76" reach, he's just as big as anyone else who has challenged Bones for the title. Still, he'll be much smaller than Jones, who stands at 6'4" with 84 inches of reach. 

Santos' use of leg kicks to set up his powerful punching sets him apart from most of Jones' challengers. If Santos stands a chance, it's through the heavy use of those leg kicks to eventually set up knockout blows. 

However, Jones has fended off fighters with many more tools in the bag than Santos. His use of range and the clinch makes it hard for fighters to stay in boxing range where Santos could thrive.

Marreta has just enough to market this fight, but not likely enough to actually pick up the win. 

Prediction: Jones via fourth-round TKO

        

Nunes Adds Holm to Her Resume 

Nunes has amassed the best resume in women's MMA. She's defeated Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, Valentina Shevchenko and, most impressively, Cris Cyborg. 

Basically, if a woman has accomplished something in this era of the UFC, Nunes has defeated her. 

Except for Holm, of course. Holm is no stranger to long odds. She'll forever be the woman who ended Ronda Rousey's streak to win the bantamweight crown. Now she'll try to add another massive upset to her resume. 

Unfortunately, Holm just hasn't shown the skill set to make that happen. The win over Rousey was the result of a perfect storm of a stylistic mismatch. Holm's kickboxing was the perfect foil to Rousey's less-than-impressive striking, and she caught her at the right time. 

Since that momentous win, she's just 2-4 in the Octagon. 

If her plan is to once again try to turn a fight into a kickboxing match, that's not going to go well for her. Nunes has won 12 of her 17 professional wins by knockout, and she will ultimately find her chin. 

Instead, Holm will need to employ a gritty style that includes plenty of clinch work to try to work Nunes to the mat and test her cardio. 

That's easier said than done, as one does not simply take the Lioness down with ease. Holm will have to spend too much time in boxing range where Nunes' power will ultimately win out. 

Prediction: Nunes via second-round TKO

       

Askren Does Askren Things to Masvidal

The welterweight bout between Masvidal and Askren is about as contrasting stylistically as it gets. Askren is a methodical, prodding wrestler. He's a fighter who is all too willing to grind out an opponent and turn their will to dust in a fight that isn't going to please the fans. 

Masvidal grew up literally fighting on the streets and brings a toughness and willingness to throw down that's hard to match. In short, he's a fan favorite.

However, his willingness to fight anyone anywhere and under any terms of engagement is tough to bring against Askren. Fighting against Askren means avoiding grappling at all costs and utilizing explosiveness and power on the feet to dissuade his relentless takedown game. 

There's definitely a path to victory for Gamebred, but it's hard to see him pulling it off. 

Masvidal is the king of the split-decision loss. Sometimes a lack of urgency hurts him on the scorecards—he often lets his opponent set up the pace and style of the fight. 

That will cost him against Askren, who is an elite wrestler and will take him up on the opportunity to turn this into a heavy grapple fest for three rounds. 

Prediction: Askren via decision

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans believes Jon Jones is "the best in history."

Evans, 39, retired from MMA last year, and it was announced earlier this month he will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.

During his professional career, which he finished with a 19-8-1 record, Evans fought Jones once, in April 2012, and he lost by unanimous decision. 

When asked who was the best fighter he faced in his career, American Evans did not hesitate in naming Jones, the current light heavyweight champion, per TMZ Sports:

"Without a doubt, Jon Jones. When it comes down to it, I think that Jon Jones is the best in history. Apart from his troubles outside the cage, and things like that. When he's inside the cage, he's dynamic. He's got some skill. But, I would say technically speaking, he's probably the best fighter.

"I say that because when you fight guys that good you feel like, after the fight is over, there is another level I need to get to. You don't feel like, 'I had a bad day out,' you feel like, 'I need to get to another level to be able to beat this guy.'"

Jones, 31, is a two-time undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion.

His most recent victory was a unanimous-decision win over Anthony Smith at UFC 235 in March, which took his professional record to 24-1.

As alluded to by Evans, Bones has endured some troubles away from the Octagon during his career.

Both his defeats of Daniel Cormier, in 2015 and 2017, were followed by him being stripped of the light heavyweight title—first for disciplinary reasons and then for testing positive for a banned substance. 

That is not to say he does not have numerous untarnished triumphs over the auspicious likes of Alexander Gustafsson, Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson, Vitor Belfort, Lyoto Machida and Ryan Bader. 

Earlier this year, UFC President Dana White stopped short of naming Amanda Nunes above Jones in the list of all-time fighters.

And it is clear that, from his experience in the Octagon, Evans never met a better fighter.

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the world of MMA.

                       

Daniel Cormier Says 3rd Jon Jones Fight Is 'All I Want'

UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier's career is drawing to a close after he turned 40 in March, but he's set to defend his title in a rematch with Stipe Miocic—whom he took the belt off in July last year—this summer.

After that, there's only one person he wants to fight before retiring: Jon Jones.

He told ESPN's Ariel Helwani as much Monday:

“It’s all I want. ... If I do stick around, that would be the fight that I would do it for. And it would be at 205 pounds because I need to go and get that back from him.”

- Daniel Cormier on fighting Jon Jones one last time. pic.twitter.com/1YmnWHO2Fr

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 7, 2019

Per MMAFighting's Jed Meshew, he said:

"It's all I want. When I fight Jones, I feel most complete when I'm preparing for competition against that guy because it makes me train harder. It makes me train smarter. I do everything right in preparation and I believe that if I do stick around that would be the fight that I do it for. And it would be at 205 pounds because I need to go and get that back from him.

"I don't need the deck stacked in my favour. My whole life I've overcome odds. I've faced uphill battle after uphill battle my entire life and I've always been able to get through it. This is one of the only things I've not been able to conquer. I need to go do it. I have to get it right."

Jones (24-1) is the only fighter to defeat DC (22-1) in his career, when he won via unanimous decision back in 2015.

The pair met again in 2017, but what was initially a knockout win for Jones was overturned to a no-contest after he failed a drug test.

As the only man Cormier has never beaten, it's clear the veteran feels there's unfinished business between them.

                      

Khabib Nurmagomedov Wants 3 Fights by April 2019

Khabib Nurmagomedov has been suspended since he beat Conor McGregor in October last year for his part in a post-fight brawl, and he won't be eligible to fight again until July 6.

When he returns, he'll be eager to make up for his absence, as he wants to organise three fights in quick succession.

Per ESPN's Brett Okamoto, his agent Ali Abdelaziz said, "He gave me very specific instructions. He said he wants to fight September 7 and again in December. And if [former welterweight champion] Georges St-Pierre can figure things out with the UFC by April, that's the deal. He would like that fight in April."

Okamoto has previously reported the Russian is in line to make his return at UFC 242:

UFC has officially announced UFC 242 will take place on Sept. 7 in Abu Dhabi. No official headliner, but Khabib Nurmagomedov's return is expected to main event. UFC also announces a five-year commitment to host live events in Abu Dhabi.

— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) April 29, 2019

St-Pierre (26-2) retired in February but has fought just once since 2013. By next April, it will have been more than two years since his last fight, so Nurmagomedov (27-0) will have much more momentum on his side if he fights in September and December.

The 30-year-old also has the significant advantage of being seven years younger, but a return for former two-division champion St-Pierre would be eagerly anticipated.

                          

Jordan Burroughs Dismantles Ben Askren 11-0 at Grapple at the Garden

Ben Askren (19-0) might be unbeaten in MMA, but he was humbled by an 11-0 defeat to Jordan Burroughs at the Beat the Streets "Grapple at the Garden" charity event Monday.

Burroughs, a four-time world champion who also won freestyle wrestling gold at the 2012 Olympics, showed his class as he eased to victory by technical fall:

BREAKING: Jordan Burroughs (@alliseeisgold) is really, really good at wrestling.

📽 via @FloWrestling pic.twitter.com/ggW8dS9j6t

— FloCombat (@FloCombat) May 7, 2019

MMA writers Dave Doyle and Damon Martin echoed each other's thoughts on the one-sided fight, which was over in the second round:

https://twitter.com/davedoylemma/status/1125633508817244160

Jordan Burroughs defeated Ben Askren 11-0 (technical fall) in their match at Beat the Streets in NYC tonight.

No shame whatsoever in losing to one of the greatest American wrestlers in history. Burroughs is a beast.

— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) May 7, 2019

Askren, 34, made his UFC debut in March with a submission win over Robbie Lawler.

His next fight will see him take on Jorge Masvidal at UFC 239 on July 6, where he'll hope to fare better than he did against Burroughs.

With Jon Jones, you know the controversy is coming. It's just a matter of whether it will be big enough to once again derail his train and send it back into the dust.

A few picograms aside, the light heavyweight champion was intact when he made it to his title defense Saturday at UFC 235 in Las Vegas, where he was a massive 3-20 favorite, according to OddsShark, to handle Anthony Smith.

The champ tried to put the challenger away early, but Smith isn't called Lionheart for nothing, as Jones would soon find out.

In the waning moments of the fourth round, Jones fired a knee at Smith, who was clearly down on the canvas at the time, making the strike blatantly illegal. The knee connected solidly with Smith's head, and the challenger would have been well within his rights to decide he couldn't continue and take a win by disqualification—the only manner anyone has ever successfully used to defeat Jones.

But Smith fought on, going the distance while taking a lopsided decision loss.

It was a dull affair for Jones, but a bullet was dodged.

"I'm getting familiar with what it feels like to be a UFC fighter," Jones told broadcaster Joe Rogan in the cage after the fight. "I'm past all the nerves and overthinking things and underthinking things. I'm really starting to feel like a veteran, which is cool because I'm still in my early 30s."

Fight fans need neither the full rundown of Jones' past transgressions nor the soliloquy on his singular greatness. They're both well-documented and larger than life. That's how he looked in the cage Saturday, as despite both men being 6'4", Jones was the bigger human. The rangy phenom is now a full-grown man; one can sense that veteran presence he alluded to in his remarks.

The athleticism is still there, though. His kicks snapped with ease to all levels of Smith's body, with the legs and midsection his favorite targets. A spinning elbow caught Smith full in the face. There were flashes of Bones Jones throughout the contest.

Smith neutralized some of that with his toughness, and he deserves credit for going five rounds with the best fighter in the world. Still, the fight ground down to a crawl in part because Smith became hesitant to fire back.

He did land a couple of nice shots, including a right hand in the second that caused swelling over Jones' eye, but he was caught staring for long stretches. As Smith himself told Rogan afterward, "I sat back and let Jon Jones be Jon Jones."

All the way up! All the way down!@JonnyBones takes Anthony Smith to the ground at #UFC235! pic.twitter.com/Ux0gJuLifI

— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) March 3, 2019

When Smith wouldn't succumb to the knockout, the fight shifted to takedowns and extended sequences on the ground or clinched against the fence. Jones was dominant in all these phases. All of it was there: The hand fighting that has become so distinctive, the almost preternatural range control, the way he seems to find a convincing way to attack from unlikely positions.

Only Jones can bring that to the table. The illegal knee, which was nowhere close to being legal, nearly brought this latest MMA comeback—only two fights deep—to a standstill or worse. Maybe that was why Jones was effusive in his praise of Smith's toughness after the fight, as he knew full well he was a hair's breadth from yet another long fall into a dumpster of rotten tomatoes.

Am I crazy or should Smith have just taken the W right there?

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) March 3, 2019

"Hats off to Anthony Smith," Jones told Rogan. "His reputation is that he's just so durable. And now I see why they call him Lionheart. I have never had anyone talk to me while I was hitting them. Saying 'that was nice,' or 'is that all you got?' This guy was amazing. ... He was like the Terminator."

For years, Jones has playfully engaged with rumors about a move up to heavyweight. Brock Lesnar is a name that has been bandied about as a potential opponent. Of course, longtime rival Daniel Cormier is the heavyweight champ. Jones has always been coy about his future and remained so Saturday, but he may have tipped his hand just a bit.

"Right now, I'm just gonna enjoy this win, go back to the drawing board and think about ways to get better," he said. "There's a lot of young talent in the UFC. So many guys who are looking unbelievable."

That could be a signal that he's looking to stay at 205 pounds. Why? Because further down the card, a 26-year-old light heavyweight by the name of Johnny Walker continued a run that could be characterized as "unbelievable."

The dynamic, breakdancing Brazilian pulled off a flying-knee knockout of Misha Cirkunov in 36 seconds. It was Walker's third bout in the UFC proper, all happening over the past five months. All three ended in knockouts, and not one of them made it to the two-minute mark.

That would be an easy fight to promote, and you can bet the effusive Walker would be up to his end of it. There are good fights and fighters at heavyweight, but if Jones meant what he said about being interested by young guys looking unbelievable, that has to be where he's looking.

Speculation there will surely continue, as speculation is the fuel of the Jon Jones train. After a lackluster fight and another near-miss, fans should be glad they have the luxury.

                        

Scott Harris covers MMA for Bleacher Report.

UFC 235 is set to go down Saturday, with two title fights anchoring the card in Las Vegas. Jon Jones will defend his strap against Anthony Smith, while Tyron Woodley will aim to keep Kamaru Usman from taking his belt in the co-main event. 

For Jones, it's the first time he'll be defending his title since officially regaining it in a December 29 bout with Alexander Gustafsson. He'll look to make up for lost time by making the quick turnaround and kick off what might be a busy 2019. 

Woodley faces a little stiffer competition in Usman, according to the oddsmakers. The Nigerian Nightmare is only a slight underdog at plus-145 ($100 bet pays $145), per OddsShark. 

                 

Main Card (10 PM ET, PPV)

• Jon Jones (-850) vs. Anthony Smith (+525)
• Tyron Woodley (-175) vs. Kamaru Usman (+145)
• Robbie Lawler (+220) vs. Ben Askren (-280)
• Tecia Torres (+115) vs. Weili Zhang (-145)
• Cody Garbrandt (-155) vs. Pedro Munhoz (+125)

Preliminary Card (8 PM ET, ESPN)

• Zabit Magomedsharipov (-270) vs. Jeremy Stephens (+210)
• Misha Cirkunov (+125) vs. Johnny Walker (-155)
• Cody Stamann (-205) vs. Alejandro Perez (+165)
• Diego Sanchez (+190) vs. Mickey Gall (-240)

Preliminary Card (6:15 PM ET, UFC Fight Pass)

• Edmen Shahbazyan (-150) vs. Charles Byrd (+120)
• Macy Chiasson (-500) vs. Gina Mazany (+350)
• Polyana Viana (-275) vs. Hannah Cifers (+215)

              

Predictions

Jon Jones vs. Anthony Smith

It isn't very often that a UFC title fight feels like a squash match, but it's hard to escape the feeling here. Jones is a transcendent talent in the cage. Smith is a fighter with 13 losses on his record. That may be a bit reductive, but those are the facts. 

One could make a case that Smith's size, heart and aggression make him a live dog, but it just feels disingenuous. Jones has fought and beaten countless former champions and future Hall of Famers. Daniel Cormier, Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida and Shogun Rua have given him their best shots and crumbled. 

It's a major reason that Alexander K. Lee of MMA Fighting is picking Jones inside the distance:

"Beyond the reach advantage he has over Smith, Jones's instincts are just so sharp and I doubt Smith can execute anything that Jones hasn't seen before. It might take a round or two to figure Smith out, but Jones should be able to take his time, drop Smith with a flurry or a takedown, and finish with ground-and-pound before the championship frames."

That seems like the most realistic way this fight goes down. Jones is simply too much for Smith. Athleticism, fight IQ and technique. He holds all the advantages, and that will shine through as long as this one lasts. 

Prediction: Jones via third-round TKO

                   

Tyron Woodley vs. Kamaru Usman

Kamaru Usman is unlike the other challengers Tyron Woodley has seen vie for his belt.

Stephen Thompson was the unorthodox striker. Demian Maia was the submission wizard. Darren Till was supposed to be the busier version of Thompson. 

Now, Woodley will take on a fellow wrestling threat in Usman. The Nigerian Nightmare brings much more pressure than Woodley's previous title-fight opponents, and it creates an intriguing dynamic in the co-main event. 

As is sometimes the case in a battle between two vaunted wrestlers, it might be the stand-up that determines this fight. With both respecting the ground games of their opponent, it wouldn't be surprising to see this settled on the feet. 

Given Woodley's success against excellent strikers already, that's an advantage for him. It's a big reason why Anton Tabuena of Bloody Elbow is taking Woodley by TKO:

"I think most of this bout will be contested on the feet, where I believe Woodley has better boxing and more power. Perhaps more importantly since they have similar traits, the more experienced fighter in Woodley has also shown to have higher fight IQ and the better ability to adjust or implement a sound game plan."

This could go the distance, but Woodley's one-punch power could alter the fight at any time. 

Prediction: Woodley via third-round TKO

                   

Cody Garbrandt vs. Pedro Munhoz

Kicking off the pay-per-view card is an important fight in the bantamweight division. When former champion Cody Garbrandt takes on Pedro Munhoz, the stakes will be pretty high. 

Garbrandt is making his return after back-to-back losses in title fights against TJ Dillashaw. Munhoz's stock, on the other hand, is soaring after six wins in seven fights—and the only loss was a controversial split decision to John Dodson. 

A win over Garbrandt would launch him into the elite of the division. 

That'll be a tall order, though. Despite the losses to Dillashaw being the only ones of his career, this feels like a do-or-die spot for the hard-swinging 27-year-old. He needs a big win to get back into the title picture, and Munhoz happens to be the man standing in the way. 

Fortunately for "No Love," he holds major advantages in power and athleticism. While Garbrandt has to show some evolution from the fighter who lost the title, he won't need to do it against Munhoz, as Bleacher Report's Scott Harris notes:

"We all know what Garbrandt's about in this fight. Munhoz's jiu-jitsu-predicated game is better here if he can apply it, but I think Garbrandt brings all that Garbrandtness into the cage and lands the highlight-reel knockout we all know he's dying to get."

The former champion's hand speed and power should be enough to get him out of this bout pain-free. 

Prediction: Garbrandt via second-round TKO

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will make a quick turnaround to defend his belt against Anthony Smith at UFC 235 in Las Vegas on Saturday. 

Jones is looking to make up for lost time this year in the Octagon. After being limited to one cage appearance per year since 2013 due to a combination of drug-testing issues and legal problems, the champ will fight just a few months removed from his title-winning performance against Alexander Gustafsson. 

The Smith-Jones collision isn't the only title fight on the card. Tyron Woodley will attempt to keep his grip on the welterweight title against challenger Kamaru Usman in the co-main event. 

Woodley has defended the belt successfully in three fights, retaining it once more via draw against Stephen Thompson. Usman will be challenging for a title for the first time. 

      

Main Card (10 PM ET, PPV)

• Jon Jones vs. Anthony Smith
• Tyron Woodley vs. Kamaru Usman
  
• Robbie Lawler vs. Ben Askren
  
• Tecia Torres vs. Weili Zhang
  
• Cody Garbrandt vs. Pedro Munhoz
  

Preliminary Card (8 PM ET, ESPN)

• Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Jeremy Stephens
• Misha Cirkunov vs. Johnny Walker
• Cody Stamann vs. Alejandro Perez
• Diego Sanchez vs. Mickey Gall

Preliminary Card (6:15 PM ET, UFC Fight Pass)

• Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Charles Byrd
• Macy Chiasson vs. Gina Mazany
  
• Polyana Viana vs. Hannah Cifers

        

Predictions

Jones Defends Easily

Jon Jones might not have been a model citizen, but he is the ideal fighter. Every time he steps into the cage it seems like he's evolved into an even more unbeatable version of his previous self. 

Between his innate ability to utilize his massive reach advantage and his ability to ragdoll opponents with his wrestling, there isn't a place where Jones doesn't seem to have the upper hand. If there is a shred of hope for the longshot Smith, it's simply that at 6'4", he's the same height as Jones and is only giving up an eight-inch reach disadvantage. 

Smith has earned this shot via three straight wins since moving up to 205 pounds from middleweight. However, putting together wins against what's left of Shogun Rua and Rashad Evans with a submission win over Volkan Oezdemir does little to tell us he'll have success against the best light heavyweight of all time. 

Instead, this will be another display of Jones' absolute dominance. 

Expect him to showcase his masterful striking, combining his trademark leg kicks early before breaking down Smith's body and eventually picking up the finish in a one-sided affair. 

Prediction: Jones via third-round TKO

        

Woodley's Power Makes the Difference Against Usman

Tyron Woodley's title reign hasn't exactly been exciting. His explosiveness and wrestling are his greatest assets, but he doesn't like to use them offensively as much as he used to. 

Instead, he spends a lot of time waiting to counter. Sometimes, that means a lot of waiting. 

With Usman, that might not be the case. The Nigerian Nightmare has much better wrestling than any of Woodley's most recent challengers, and he will most likely look to pressure, thus setting up a much more exciting fight. 

There's a reason Woodley opponents are hesitant to charge forward, though. He's a powerful striker with the one-punch power to turn a fight around in an instant. Woodley just needs to find a home for that overhand right for the evening to come to a premature ending for Usman. 

The Nigerian Nightmare's pressure game could be the thing that finally pushes Woodley to be uncomfortable, or it could be the reason why he gets slept. 

Prediction: Woodley via third-round TKO

          

Ben Askren Makes Successful UFC Debut Against Robbie Lawler

For years, Ben Askren has been at or near the top of every "Top fighters outside of the UFC" rankings list. His undefeated run throughout his career in Bellator and ONE Fighting Championship has always spurred on the "what if?" question. 

At 34 years old, Askren will finally make his walk to the Octagon for the first time against a former champion in Robbie Lawler. 

It's an interesting matchup. Askren has been accused of being boring thanks to his wrestling-heavy approach. The UFC then paired him up with one of the most exciting fighters in welterweight history. 

Fortunately for Askren, he's seeing a Lawler who has lost two out of the last three and is finally starting to show some wear and tear after a late-career resurgence that saw him become a champion. 

Lawler's willingness to engage and push forward should play into Askren's favor. It will open opportunities for him to secure takedowns, and once that happens, it's all over. Funky should get the opportunity to flex his grappling muscles and pave the way for even bigger fights in his new organizational home. 

Prediction: Askren via second-round submission

There are no perfect fighters. No athlete is unbeatable, certainly not in a sport where large people wear tiny gloves and throw haymakers with reckless abandon and startling force.

At least, that's what I've always believed. And why not? After all, we've seen the greats of this sport fall. The toughest men and women to ever step into a cage have each eventually left the arena in ignominious defeat.

Fedor Emelianenko was unbeatable—until Fabricio Werdum choked him silly in just over a minute one sad night in San Jose, California.

No one was going to beat Georges St-Pierre again—right up until the moment little Matt Serra caught him behind the ear and changed the world.

Remember Anderson Silva? He was an impossible puzzle too—and then he danced a little too close to the sun and got singed right on the chin by Chris Weidman.

This is a sport that humbles all its legends in time.

So, when Bleacher Report asked me to poke holes in Jon Jones' game, to imagine him defeated and deposed, I immediately said yes. I'd done this before with the seemingly unstoppable Ronda Rousey, not only identifying weaknesses in her game, but even picking out the perfect opponent to remove her from the throne.

That worked out pretty well. Not so much for Rousey, who was kicked right into the WWE. But for me.

Jones, surely, has a weakness too. Even Superman has kryptonite. And so I turned to the tape, watching fight after fight as the sinking feeling in my stomach grew.

Yes, every fighter is human. Jones is too. He's just the next evolution, the kind of man born for a dystopian future where every moment is a fight for survival. Watching Jones in the cage is a chance to see a man doing exactly what he was born to do.

"Jon Jones is simply the best to have ever done it. It is just as simple as that," ESPN analyst and former Jones opponent Chael Sonnen said. "And every time you see Jon fight, you will make a case for the other guy, which is important, and that is what keeps the industry as a business moving forward. And every time Jon fights, we get reminded there is just simply nobody who can go with him."

Long and lean, yet still sturdy and strong, Jones has the physical tools to contest every fight on his own terms. Under the tutelage of Mike Winkeljohn and Brandon Gibson, he's developed a striking style that allows him to engage when he wants and how he sees fit.

His long legs allow him to reach out and touch fighters who can only dream of striking him back. From his normal stance, he can pepper foes with kicks to the legs, the knee an especially favorite target. When he switches to a southpaw, it's the body kick that stings. He can, like Michelle Obama, go high from either stance.

Standing at range is a fool's game against Jones. Crossing that no man's land in between, however, is a truly dangerous endeavor. It is, as former Bleacher Report colleague Jack Slack pointed out in a 2014 essay, the key to killing the king:

"When studying the technical and athletic marvel that is UFC light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, the crucial question is range. Too many men have plodded or sprinted towards him, hoping to clench their teeth and get through Jones' striking range and into their own on nothing but a prayer. But lately a chink has appeared in the champion's armor. Alexander Gustafsson laid the foundations, and showed just how much Jones can struggle without his favorite toys."

Unfortunately for Jones' opponents, Slack's analysis was more apt five years ago than it is today. In the last several years, he's learned to use his kicks as a deterrent, less focused on landing a clean shot than simply forcing his foes to stay where he wants them.

The Gustafsson rematch last year serves to highlight just how thoroughly Jones has corrected all of his flaws. The strikes he was already good at have demonstrably improved, and he deploys them better than ever.

Old tricks, like Gustafsson's jab to the body, are negated with the threat of an uppercut, Jones' tape study and uncanny ring smarts enabling him to seemingly peer into the future to see what opponents will try next. Attempts to circle away from his linear attacks are punished with brutal body and leg kicks and a snapping left hook.

As opponents attempt to solve the range puzzle, Jones will suddenly step in with a strong single leg or a vicious short elbow, his arms long enough to use it the way less gifted fighters might use a straight punch. In recent fights, as if all that wasn't enough, he's added a stinging jab to the repertoire, just one more thing for rivals to worry about as they step into the biggest bouts of their professional lives.

Worse, if you can somehow close the distance, he's an excellent clinch fighter, pushing even the best grapplers up against the cage and slowly sucking their will with precision knees to the body. He inspires dread in even the stoutest of hearts with the constant threat of a spinning elbow strike.

Did I mention he's also a wrestling prodigy with the kind of brutal ground-and-pound that makes the squeamish and the decent call for an end to this sport's very existence?

Jones' dominance is such that even his single loss was the result of his demolishing poor Matt Hamill with elbows, their downward angle an absurd technicality that led to his disqualification. In 19 UFC fights, 12 of them contested for the light heavyweight title against the best in the world, I could only find a handful of times Jones was even in trouble, let alone close to defeat.

Aside from the first Gustafsson fight, Jones has looked mortal only in moments, never for extended periods.

Rashad Evans, Jones' former training partner and friend, caught the champion with a high kick and a hard punch in their 2012 fight. Few in the division's history can match Evans' combination of speed and power, but even the former champion could only use it to his advantage a couple of times in a five-round fight.

At UFC 152, Vitor Belfort, another former champion, caught an overconfident Jones with an armbar in the first round, taking advantage of Jones' putting his right hand behind Belfort's head to control his movement. Belfort, who has never completed a submission off his back in his 22-year fighting career, nearly pulled off a miracle win.

Against Chael Sonnen, whom Jones manhandled and toyed with before mercifully ending the contest as the seconds ticked down on the first and only round, disaster almost struck. A flaw in the Octagon's construction caused a gruesome toe injury. The cage itself, perhaps, is as dangerous as any human foe.

Beyond these rare shows of vulnerability, the best bet for success against Jones has been to take your lumps in the cage and then cross your fingers on the drug-test results afterward. That's the only way an opponent has managed to stay out of the loss column, though Daniel Cormier's post-fight tears and prone body after a head-kick knockout tell a different story than the one on the official record.

Drug use and criminality of various kinds have plagued Jones throughout his career. By his own admission, it remains an issue, though one he claims to have under control.

"It was something I was striving for, especially going to rehab this summer. I was striving for complete sobriety. But, I am not ready for it," Jones told ESPN's Ariel Helwani last year. "It is not who I was, and it's not who I am in my life or career. And I am at a place where I can be honest with myself."

Jones, as ever, is the man most likely to stop the myth of Jon Jones in its tracks. Even during fight week, fans still worry that something will go wrong—perhaps because it has before. That, as much as his transcendent excellence, has been the story of the man's career.

Impulses and demons are the only worthy rivals for an athlete as gifted, smart and adaptable as Jones. It's the internal struggle, not the one in the cage, that has always been Jones' toughest test. At UFC 235, the champion will be fighting Anthony Smith. But the real battle will be the one he fights against his own worst inclinations.

               

Jonathan Snowden covers combat sports for Bleacher Report.

Regardless of opponent, a Jon Jones fight is a spectacle.  

So when Bones takes on massive underdog Anthony Smith in the main event of UFC 235, it's a noteworthy event just for his presence on the card. 

Even without the most gifted fighter in the sport defending his light heavyweight championship on the card, the crowd at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas would still witness a nice card. The event is bolstered by a welterweight title collision between Tyron Woodley and Kamaru Usman.

And if a welterweight title fight doesn't satiate the desire for violence, a Robbie Lawler bout before that could do the trick. Ruthless will welcome Ben Askren to the Octagon for the first time. 

Here's a look at the complete card with the latest odds from OddsShark and a closer look at what the fighters are saying leading into the big night. 

             

Tickets: StubHub

Main Card (10 PM ET, PPV)

• Jon Jones (-800; Bet $800 to win $100) vs. Anthony Smith (+550; $100 bet wins $550)
• Tyron Woodley (-175) vs. Kamaru Usman (+150)
• Robbie Lawler (+220) vs. Ben Askren (-286)
• Tecia Torres (+105) vs. Weili Zhang (-125)
• Cody Garbrandt (-170) vs. Pedro Munhoz (+140)

Preliminary Card (8 PM ET, ESPN)

• Zabit Magomedsharipov (-250) vs. Jeremy Stephens (+195)
• Misha Cirkunov (+125) vs. Johnny Walker (-145)
• Cody Stamann (-200) vs. Alejandro Perez (+160)
• Diego Sanchez (+205) vs. Mickey Gall (-270)

Preliminary Card (6:15 PM ET, UFC Fight Pass)

• Edmen Shahbazyan (-130) vs. Charles Byrd (+110)
• Macy Chiasson (-450) vs. Gina Mazany (+325)
• Polyana Viana (-286) vs. Hannah Cifers (+220)

        

Jones Hoping to Add to a Potentially Busy Year

It's been rare to see Jon Jones make the kind of turnaround he'll make on Saturday night. Drug testing and issues out of the cage have left him inconsistent when it comes to fighting recently. He's fought just once a year since 2013. 

That's something he'll look to change this year, making his first appearance since his late December win over Alexander Gustafsson. 

Bones told Mike Bohn of MMAjunkie that he anticipates either fighting once a quarter in 2019 or taking three total fights. In this case, that means taking one against an opponent that he knew very little about in Smith.

"When the camp started I didn't know anything about him, really," Jones said, per Bohn. "Now that I've been studying him I see he's a worthy opponent. To everyone else, he's this gigantic underdog, but I take him very seriously. He's done some nice things in his past fights and he has my full attention. My goal is to finish the fight and dominate him, but I give him my full respect and he's ready to be in this position. I'm excited for a good challenge." 

It's not surprising that Jones knew nothing about Smith before the fight. The longtime journeyman is 7-2 in the cage with the two losses coming to Cezar Ferreira and Thiago Santos. He's earned the shot by virtue of wins over Rashad Evans, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Volkan Oezdemir. 

Those wins don't mean what they used to anymore. 

The only intrigue is that Smith will be as close to a facsimile when it comes to size as an opponent can get with Jones. At 6'4" with a 76" reach advantage Smith is the same height as Jones and will have a slight reach advantage.

But, realistically, Smith's chances are next to nil. Jones' legendary career has seen him make future Hall of Famers look pedestrian. 

Ultimately, this is a matter of how long it takes Smith to break down once the damage starts piling up. 

Prediction: Jones via third-round TKO

        

Usman Looking to Prove Biggest Threat to Woodley's Throne

Tyron Woodley has defended his welterweight title four times since winning it from Robbie Lawler in 2016. Kamaru Usman believes that he has the right stuff to bring that streak to an end. 

Usman earned his title shot with a perfect 9-0 record under the UFC banner and recent wins over Demian Maia and former champion Rafael dos Anjos.

He's found his success—much like Woodley—primarily with his wrestling. Of those nine wins, seven have been by wrestling in which The Nigerian Nightmare just smothers opponents with his pressure. Usman believes his approach to the game will make him the most difficult opponent for Woodley yet. 

"He knows I'm the biggest threat to him. He knows that," Usman said, per Damon Martin of MMA Weekly. "There's no denying it. He knows it. Now it's just a matter of who shows up. If he shows up, he might have a chance but when I go out there and do what I do, there will be no chance for him."

Usman has a point. Woodley has faced a creative kickboxer in Stephen Thompson, a powerful striker in Darren Till and a submission expert in Demian Maia. However, Kelvin Gastelum is probably the best wrestler he's seen in a long time and that's going back to 2015. 

In short, Woodley has had few bouts with a fighter that may be able to challenge him in the wrestling department. Usman is going to change that, and the pressure he applies will likely impact Woodley's gameplan in a way we haven't seen in a while. 

The odds here are close and for good reason. These two are similar fighters and appear to be on similar talent tiers. 

However, Woodley's one-punch knockout power could be the difference. Sometimes he sacrifices volume to set up the perfect power striking, but that shouldn't be a problem with Usman likely looking to push the pace. 

Prediction: Woodley via third-round TKO