UFC 145 in Atlanta - Jon Jones mouth is losing him fans

Some of you will remember my about being old school. I used Muhammad Ali as one of my examples. So when I saw a statement Jon Jones made about Ali it pissed me off. Respect for elders is one of my "things" Disrespecting those that came before us and blazed a trail will always get a negative reaction from me. Let me set the stage a little before getting into my problem with Jon Jones.

Jon Jones talent is self evident, having arguably the best year that any professional MMA practitioner has ever had. He finishes fights in spectacular fashion - raining down elbows or choking people to unconsciousness. You would think that with all that he would have the one of the biggest following in MMA but he doesn’t. Jones has amassed his share of fans for sure, but there is a large segment of hardcore MMA followers that just cannot get with the Jones’ program. Why is that - blame his mouth, not his talent. Jones is his own worst enemy in that regard.

Call it bravado, cockiness or crass, Jones constantly makes boisterous statements that make it very difficult to like him. And there have been many. For example, take the his interactions with  Urijah Faber. Long before Jones was the champ Faber, who is one of the best entrepreneurs in the sport, approached Jones about marketing him and making him some money. Urijah came through and got Jones some gigs that increased his profile and made him some money. Flash forward, Urijah has a title shot and Jones gives an interview where he predicts Urijah will lose. Urijah did lose, close decision, but that’s not the point. Jones broke a “Bro” rule -  You don’t publicly state that your boy is going to lose; especially when he has made you some money. He could have said it’s going to be a tough fight; Urijah has the tools to win. But he didn’t.  Now with the upcoming fight in Atlanta. Jones gave an interview last week where he says, “I realize that if I don’t become greater than Muhammad Ali, it’s my own fault.”

Mr. Jones, I don’t care what you do, you will never do anything that will make you bigger than Muhammad Ali. When Muhammad Ali dies he is going to get a state funeral that heads of state will attend.

Compounding the stupidity of that statement, is the fact that he said it before a fight in Atlanta. Does he not remember Ali at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta? FYI Jones, It was the quintessential moment of the opening ceremony when Ali held the torch out to the crowd and lit the cauldron. How can anyone forget that?

Jones has even managed to make Rashad Evans, who was once one of the most hated fighters in the UFC likeable. When the masses gather for UFC 145 in Phillips Arena, they will  cheer for Rashad Evans who was booed at his bout in Atlanta 4 years ago, knocking out fan favorite Chuck Lidell.

I'll do a post about the actual fight - hint, Rashad is probably going to get KTFO, but I thought this information about Jon Jones was important to highlight.