Stipe is actually a bad matchup for Jones

[TankAbbott4Eva]

Bigger, good wrestler, better boxing, knockout power. Jones has trouble with taller guys.

Only times I have seen Stipe lose is when he gets KO'ed and Jon just doesn't have them hands or power.

Better boxing is right, but Jones is taller, longer reach, he may even weigh more when they eventually fight. Hespectfully I say Jones is a bad match up for Stipe but we will see.

 

[Shilajit]

Jones is taller? No. He’s not. Stipe is a real 6’4”. Jones may actually be slightly shorter and his reach is roughly the same.

he’s never fought a boxer better than stipe, nor has he fought anybody with anything near the power of stipe

Boxing isn't Jones cryptonite. It's a fighter with multiple dimensions who can neutralize his dominance of the kicking range, hence the success of his last two opponents.

Even Reyes eluded to it prior to their fight, that if he couldn't have success in the kicking battle like Santos did, he had no chance.

Which is precisely what happened.


Jones is one of the least hit fighters in MMA history because he can masterfully control the distance with his feet and arms, effectively nullifying the effectiveness of a pure boxing attack.

Stipe is a solid boxer but he doesn't have the multidimensionality to his style, footwork, along with the youth, speed and athleticism to pull off that style.

And there's a reason there hasn't been a long list of fighters with a boxing exclusive attack who've had success against Jones.

Even beyond Jones, boxing versus a multi dimensional striking style has a horrible track record.

I like Stipe, but I don't see this as a good style matchup for him. At all. Unless he drastically changes his style, movement and habits, which is highly unlikely when he's already in the Twilight of his career.

That being said, Jones likely is as well and he hasn't fought in a long time. There is a factor of unpredictability.

 

[Nobru]

To be clear; Stipe is several years past his prime. That said, he got ko'd by a ko machine. It's not as if he was simply getting outclassed technically by guys like Reyes and Santos. I could be wrong, but I don't think Jones has the physical tools to dominant a guy like Stipe.

fair enough

 

[Prex32]

jj won't be the same at hw
he'll be much slower and more hittable

 

[jx820]

Jon's reach is a problem. Not only is he insanely rangey, he uses that range to break down his opponents offense very well. Probably better than anyone in MMA history.

Factor in that Stipe has unusually short legs for such a tall man and you have to assume Jon is going to have a field day with his kicks.

I expect Stipe will have a significant advantage in punching power, but it's possible that HW Jones has the power that he was missing at LHW. I also think it's pretty likely that a 250 lb Jones has a strength advantage.

 

[fzoid4454]

Agreed, TS.

Jones' options are quite limited against Stipe.

Hard to say. He's taking a couple years to move up, while everyone seems to be assessing a LHW Jones, not having to cut weight vs HW Stipe. I don't think anyone knows what the version of Jones that steps into the cage will be like.

 

[Bearknuckle]

Who is overated or out of prime if they lose?

 

[Smegma-Head]

I hope he fights Miocic. He'll get molested by Stipe for sure. All the cheating in the world won't help him this time...

 

[Tweak896]

More weight you put on your system, the more demand on your cardiovascular system. Jones won't have the stamina at higher weights, especially because ehe was skinny at 205. His natural lung capacity isn't there for unnatural bearing of weight. It's normal.

That's what we will see when he fights at HW. I couldn't see Jones not want to keep his cardio centric gameplans, we saw DC blow up to HW fast and still maintain cardio, I think Jones could too.

 

[Carrotman23]

Jones is most likely gonna stomp him and it'll be hilarious seeing some of you pussys immediately back peddle on Stipe and say he's completely washed now. I've said it over and over and I'll say it again the denial of how good Jon Jones is on here makes around half of y'all just look like complete baby's with full diapers.

 

[91 seconds]

I've hardly been following the sport. Last time I was really on Sherdog is when Jones needed like 20 million to fight Ngannou. I don't know what the heck has been going on. I drop by and see Jones is now fighting Stipe and this will be his first fight at HW? This is comical. Not sure why I wouldn't favor Jones. He'd never take the fight if he didn't think he'd win. Time isn't on Stipe's side.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

I mean, why would he say Reyes won if he didn't think so? You think he wanted Dominick Reyes to champ and was willing to lie about it?

Who knows? Dana lives to be a lying ass scumbag..

 

[VitorReem]

Prime Stipe was a deadly fight for jones but he hasn’t looked prime for years.

Meh

 

[Dbreiden83080]

Jones cannot outstrike Stipe. And even with the weight gain and lifting weights, the odds of him bullying Stipe in the clinch, and outgrappling Stipe in general, are not good. His best bet is clearly Stipe a shot fighter(which is possible).

Well lets get it signed already. If what Jones says is true why is Stipe not willing to fight in July? Plenty of time to get ready being early May. But get it signed..

 

[muel]

I think we gonna see freak athlete jones his brothers play in the line in nfl I think he’s gonna show us some a level athlete shit, I hope I’m wrong but honestly jones being able to eat a lot and not diet will be scary because of his Frame jones by gnp

 

[anuscakes]

Stipe has fought the same two guys for the past 5 years, he's fought once a year the past 3 years. He's also 39 and fighting a guy that's been cycling the past 2 years, Jones is fucking him up any way he wants.

 

[Captain Herb]

Who knows? Dana lives to be a lying ass scumbag..

He's kind of like Jon Jones in a way. You know how Jones is one of the smartest fighters ever, but can't do anything right outside the cage? Dana is a lying sack of shit about almost everything except the fights. He's always straight up about who he thought won, whether the outcome benefitted the UFC or not.

 

[icemun]

Jones is most likely gonna stomp him and it'll be hilarious seeing some of you pussys immediately back peddle on Stipe and say he's completely washed now. I've said it over and over and I'll say it again the denial of how good Jon Jones is on here makes around half of y'all just look like complete baby's with full diapers.

Literally every fighter Jones has faced was going to destroy him and he was afraid of them.

And EVERY single one of them becomes washed up after he defeats them

 

[Carrotman23]

Literally every fighter Jones has faced was going to destroy him and he was afraid of them.

And EVERY single one of them becomes washed up after he defeats them

Even if the plebs here can't handle it.. Your statement is nothing but facts.
Everyone's a legend until they face Jones, then they're "washed"

Again I'm sorry but it's so hilarious because literally out of any UFC fighter except for Aldo(Khabib, GSP, Anderson etc) his resume is sooooooo much better. Cry peds, eye pokes, whatever but Jones has operated in the same environment other fighters have and he beat them. He's fucking AMAZING. By all means hate if you want(I'm a hater) but accept that he's one of the best to ever do it and quite possibly smashed one of your favorite fighters .

 

[Kos Fan]

You can say that for pretty much every HW. Jones won’t dominate like he did at 205.