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Jon Jones sick of comparisons to Alexander Gustafsson

3K views 34 replies 23 participants last post by  Canadian Psycho 
#1 ·
http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/9/1...-comparisons-to-alexander-gustafsson-ufc-165?

Jon Jones asked to fight Alexander Gustafsson because, among other reasons, he saw a piece of himself in the lanky Swede. Both men were gargantuan light heavyweights, blessed with prodigious gifts and a penchant of overwhelming opponents. It seemed like a natural fit.

But now, with the Zuffa marketing machine dialed up to 11 and incalculable hours already logged inside the Jackson/Winkeljohn film room, the UFC's No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter no longer feels the same stylistic kinship with his challenger.

"I don't really agree with any of the comparisons," Jones said on Tuesday's UFC 165 conference call. "I think the only thing me and Gustafsson have in common is that we're both 26 years old and the fact that we're both over 6-foot-4 tall. Outside of that, we are completely different fighters. I've been able to study him a lot over the last several months, and I realized there's absolutely nothing he does that's like me. We're just completely different. We have the same height and age, and that's absolutely it."

Intangibles aside, there's no denying the quantifiable gifts Gustafsson brings with him into the cage. Jones' prior championship conquests came against a sextet of men standing 6-foot-1 or below. In the eyes of UFC President Dana White, the 6-foot-5 Gustafsson provides Jones a chance to quiet one of his loudest and perhaps most frustrating criticisms.

"Everybody has been complaining about Jon Jones," White said. "That he's too big for the weight division. He's this, he's that -- which is total bulls--t.


"I don't care if he's 10-feet tall. If he's 205 pounds, then he's right for the weight class. Finally he's fighting a guy who's his size, has almost the same reach, everything is almost the same, same age. So this is going to be a very interesting fight. If Jon Jones wins the fight, people can't make the argument that he's too big for the weight class anymore."

The issue of reach has become one of the most curious aspects of UFC 165's main attraction. With a standing reach of 84.5 inches, Jones possesses the longest reach in the entire UFC. Now, with Jones fighting a taller man for the first time, the idea is that his reach will be nullified by Gustafsson's own.

It's a point that the UFC has gone to great lengths to emphasize during the lead-up to UFC 165. Yet a counterpoint raised by many observers is that despite his height, Gustafsson's reach only lists out around 77 inches according to Zuffa measurements. The Swede, however, disagrees with that assertion.

"My reach is not 76.5 (inches). It's 81.2," Gustafsson gruffly clarified.

"I will win this fight just staying on the outside. No doubt about it."

Gustaffson's assertion is noteworthy, if not worrisome, only because the outside is Jones' known domain. The champ's supreme grasp of distance is a weapon that has felled every man in his path thus far. Maybe believe it to be insurmountable, and Jones is confident the advantage will remain just as potent this time around.

"If you watch my fights and you watch Alexander's fights, he gets hit a lot with a lot of different punches," Jones said. "With me, I've gone through some fighters where fighters don't touch me once.

"They're all major challenges for me, but at the same time, it's just an honest assessment of where they match up with me.

"I'm fighting against the best guys in the world and a lot of them never even get a chance to punch me in the face throughout the fight. So I just believe that I use my timing, my rhythm, my distance a lot better than [Gustafsson] does. I think the proof is in the pudding."

The transformation Jones has undergone over the past few years, from raw talent, to P.R. nightmare, to record-tying champion that oozes confidence and embraces his gifts is nothing if not striking. Following the collapse of Anderson Silva, Jones saw himself elevated as the No. 1 fighter in the sport. It's a role he takes seriously, but he vows this is only the beginning.

"I think, being in this position that I'm in, it's important for me to look at mixed martial arts almost as a coach, and remember that I'm still a student," Jones said. "This level of fighting that I've been able to compete at, you see things, and sometimes, unlike the fans, you look at it from a realistic view. People are saying, ‘Oh, Gustafsson has the best footwork and he has the best boxing.' And then you really look at it and you're just like, ‘What are you talking about?' Like, look closely. Look really closely.

"I know myself and my style, and I really figure out my opponent," Jones concluded. "I believe I've figured him out."
Interesting that Gus says his reach is 81.2. Thats a considerably better reach then the one listed on various websites.
 
#8 ·
I don't know why none of the fighters have aimed for his long torso and legs. You're not gonna hit his head unless he's moving forward cuz he pokes his fingers in your eyes...damn scandalous...but effective.

I dunno, I'd like to see the upset followed by GSP so nobody can beat Anderson's record...hahah...but not sure if the Viking is the one to do it. Wrestling isn't his strongest point...if he was NCAA caliber then yes very good chance. Wonder if this will go a full five rounds.
 
#11 ·
I don't know why none of the fighters have aimed for his long torso and legs. You're not gonna hit his head unless he's moving forward cuz he pokes his fingers in your eyes...damn scandalous...but effective.
I am guessing it is a combination of lacking the skills and being afraid of getting taken down. I think Rampage hit him with like two good leg kicks that clearly bothered Bones and that is the most I have seen anyone do. If you don't have confidence that you have the power to stop him and pull back speed to not get taken down you probably aren't going to use many kicks against a wrestler of his caliber.
 
#14 ·
Staying on the outside is the exact thing Gus shouldn't do, he's gonna get hit with that pole arm of jones all night and oblique kicked.
 
#18 ·
To add... I kind of blindly went with the wiki 77-ish inch reach for Gus without really backing it up with anything. 7.5 inch reach advantage is a huge amount.

But as more and more photos appear of the two side by side, its clear that the reach thing is a load of bollocks and in fact it's 2 inches at the very most. In my opinion, its less then that.

Looking at this pics:-



Looks to me like Bones knuckles are at most two inches lower. But Gus shoulder is at least 1 inch higher. Whatever the geeky details, its clearly not fecking 7.5 inches. Its considerably less. Enough to mean the physical reach advantage is a total myth. This is a real eye opener for me and a bit of a game changer.

Of course, Jones may well use his reach better. I'm not debating skillsets here. Just physical tools.
 
#23 ·
I'll be interested in a striking battle, but I think Jones takes him down and pounds on him. And as always the threat of a TD goes a long way in striking. If Bones goes out and breaks him down standing that will be really impressive.

The thing that will one day change a Bones fight is power. Just like it almost always does in big time fights. Anderson/Weidman, GSP/Serra, Couture/Brock, Chuck/Rampage and so on especially at the higher few weight classes. Gustaf has to be looking for that well-timed short punch/uppercut/Hendo bomb. If Bones is going to look to stand any, Gustaf has to be looking at hurting him early, not from distance or trying to just put-strike.

This is why I believe Tex has a better chance than Gustaf. I think Tex has that power. And he seems to have more of a chance of keeping it upright. Plus a better chance to sub from anywhere. Out-pointing/out fighting Jones isn't the best gameplan. Power/Speed kill. You have to bum rush him or find a counter.



Actually this picture has me thinking 7.5 is close. Bones' fingers probably go another half foot past the picture. Bones' arms look more flexed as Gustaf's are more straight down. Even if you give Bones a 2 inch one arm advantage, that times 2 is 4. Then his shoulders are much more broad than Gustaf's. I can easily see the measured difference being pretty close.

Very rare the UFC shorts any decent fighters on their measurables. They ******* tried to sell Carwin at 6'5. The dude is 6 foot nothing. 6'1 at most. Tale of teh tape had Ellenberger and Kampmann both at 6 foot. Ellenberger was a good 4 or 5 inches shorter when they met in the middle. It is laughable how much the UFC exaggerates. 90% of the fighters aren't quite or in some cases not even close to what the UFC says they are.

There will big a significant size advantage for Bones come that night. He is just a bigger guy all around other than pure height and his chick legs. But I think he will be much stronger than Alexander in most all situations.
 
#24 ·
A 3 inch reach advantage could equal 1 inch or even less of actual jab length. but that's enough Gus is going to get eye poked in the first minute of the first round.

It's too bad they don't list leg length. If gus could use Jones' push kick to the knee against him that would be all kinds of awesome.

 
#33 ·
I can't see Gus upsetting Jones. The matchup has too many problems. If you look at Gus's style, he uses his length in the standup moving in and out of range. His counterpunching is based on his reach advantage. But with Jones, he's at an actual disadvantage. Every once in a while he does slip and weave under punches, but that's not his bread and butter.

I think Jones is actually going to opt to stand with him for a bit. He may have a slight edge on both the feet and the ground. Gus actually needs to be a better fighter in this fight than he's ever been before to have a chance.
 
#34 ·
"If you watch my fights and you watch Alexander's fights, he gets hit a lot with a lot of different punches," Jones said. "With me, I've gone through some fighters where fighters don't touch me once.

People are saying, ‘Oh, Gustafsson has the best footwork and he has the best boxing.' And then you really look at it and you're just like, ‘What are you talking about?' Like, look closely. Look really closely.
I think these both could be explained by the fact that with Gus, fighters aren't scared he'll take them down and elbow them to oblivion, thus don't commit to strikes, plus there's that whole 'having the longest reach in UFC history' thing.
Bones seems kinda slighted here, I think he'll want to prove he's better than Gus standing in this fight.
 
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