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I see everyone trying to gauge a potential showdown between Cain and Jones. Given that Cain is actually healthy after he comes off injury, I think Cain is a bad match up for Jones. But Jones is also a bad match for Cain. Just like the Cormier/Jones fight, Cormier NEVER fought anyone like Jones, but Jones has fought plenty of guys similar to Cormier.
But first, people are really discounting how many times Cormier landed on Jones. I've gone back to re-watch the fight, and Cormier was actually doing great once he'd get in range for his punches. But then he'd back out and end up in Jones' range where he started letting Jones rack up points of his own.
Stylistically, Cain and Cormier are similar. A couple things off the top of my head that makes them different is size and pace. Cain is the taller man so Jones won't be able to get his hips as far back to avoid takedowns from the clinch. Cain is also able to maintain a crazy pace. A pace that could have won the fight for Cormier if he was able to keep it up (in theory).
Can Jones win? Of course. Jones along with Jackson/Wink have proven to be a dominant team. Great game planning. Great strategies for wherever the fight goes. And Jones' own great instincts and on the fly adjustments are an incredible combination.
When it came to Cormier we asked, can Jones take his punches, and can Jones negate his wrestling? Jones answered that. It wasn't a walk in the park, but Jones pulled it off.
Now, with Cain (a fight that will most likely NEVER happen) the question is whether or not Jones can keep up with the kind of unrelenting pace and pressure that Cain brings to the cage. What would he do to negate Cain's pace and pressure? Can he tire Cain out? Can he endure? If Cain can land as often as Cormier, but maintain a higher pace to the point where he lands double the strikes that Cormier did, how much damage would accumulate on Jon? And could Jon handle it? We know he's not a quitter after the beating that Gus put on him, but Cain isn't going to gas like Gus.
Cain will have to answer if he can deal with such a versatile striker. Truthfully, Cain hasn't fought anyone who has the variety of striking techniques that Jones has. It noticeably gave Cormier problems. With Cain, the challenge won't be size or strength. It will be style. Can he handle a guy who moves well, has a varied, mostly unpredictable striking style, and good counter wrestling? Cain also hasn't taken too many shots of his own. So who knows how he will react to taking 100 leg and body kicks? Who knows if he will tire from having to move way more than he's had to against the slower sloppy footed JDS?
I think this fight is closer than most people want to admit on both sides. There are a lot of questions that Jones answered in the Cormier fight. But still some questions left unanswered for both guys.
I honestly hope that Cain stays healthy enough to make the fight happen.
But first, people are really discounting how many times Cormier landed on Jones. I've gone back to re-watch the fight, and Cormier was actually doing great once he'd get in range for his punches. But then he'd back out and end up in Jones' range where he started letting Jones rack up points of his own.
Stylistically, Cain and Cormier are similar. A couple things off the top of my head that makes them different is size and pace. Cain is the taller man so Jones won't be able to get his hips as far back to avoid takedowns from the clinch. Cain is also able to maintain a crazy pace. A pace that could have won the fight for Cormier if he was able to keep it up (in theory).
Can Jones win? Of course. Jones along with Jackson/Wink have proven to be a dominant team. Great game planning. Great strategies for wherever the fight goes. And Jones' own great instincts and on the fly adjustments are an incredible combination.
When it came to Cormier we asked, can Jones take his punches, and can Jones negate his wrestling? Jones answered that. It wasn't a walk in the park, but Jones pulled it off.
Now, with Cain (a fight that will most likely NEVER happen) the question is whether or not Jones can keep up with the kind of unrelenting pace and pressure that Cain brings to the cage. What would he do to negate Cain's pace and pressure? Can he tire Cain out? Can he endure? If Cain can land as often as Cormier, but maintain a higher pace to the point where he lands double the strikes that Cormier did, how much damage would accumulate on Jon? And could Jon handle it? We know he's not a quitter after the beating that Gus put on him, but Cain isn't going to gas like Gus.
Cain will have to answer if he can deal with such a versatile striker. Truthfully, Cain hasn't fought anyone who has the variety of striking techniques that Jones has. It noticeably gave Cormier problems. With Cain, the challenge won't be size or strength. It will be style. Can he handle a guy who moves well, has a varied, mostly unpredictable striking style, and good counter wrestling? Cain also hasn't taken too many shots of his own. So who knows how he will react to taking 100 leg and body kicks? Who knows if he will tire from having to move way more than he's had to against the slower sloppy footed JDS?
I think this fight is closer than most people want to admit on both sides. There are a lot of questions that Jones answered in the Cormier fight. But still some questions left unanswered for both guys.
I honestly hope that Cain stays healthy enough to make the fight happen.
