Is Jon Jones a good striker?

[Boom_Ba_Ye]

His boxing is terrible, but he is great with everything else (knees, kicks, elbows)

 

[Reaperman]

He seems good at staying out of range and using his length. but he doesn't seem to hit very hard. His elbows are nasty, but he isn't some technical wizard in the striking department. He is good from a distance, and when a fighter closes the distance, his clinch game is really good - therefore he doesn't get murked on the inside. It is a good combination of wrestling and striking....

 

[blaseblah]

20 is VERY late to start learning how to throw a punch - too late for muscle memory. Imagine a boxer starting when they were that age. I mean if you look at Silva and those guys, they were doing it before they had pubes.

I think the people who talk about his reach and general physicality are on to something.

And yet it doesn't seem to matter for fighters without the skill. Struve has massive height and reach over everyone and yet has never figured out how to use it.

 

[Peteyandjia]

He's not a great puncher, but he uses his reach & varied attacks to out-kickbox guys like Rampage, Rashad, Machida, DC, etc. Can't fuck with that resumé.

 

[Vergilius]

20 is VERY late to start learning how to throw a punch - too late for muscle memory. Imagine a boxer starting when they were that age. I mean if you look at Silva and those guys, they were doing it before they had pubes.

I think the people who talk about his reach and general physicality are on to something.

Nah, Bernard Hopkins had his first pro fight at 23 and no amateur career and he has some of the best fundamentals in boxing ever, so you are completely and utterly wrong.

 

[SKITZADACTYL]

his boxing is shit, he's got good elbows and some good kicks.


his ridiculous reach and height save him/let him outstrike better strikers.


threat of takedown etc etc.

 

[dertdent]

Jones landed a decent counter to nearly KO Machida. He doesn't need to be a great boxer. He uses his length to land knee stomps/side kicks from the outside. Opponents look to clinch after taking a few and he beats them up in there.

 

[tenniswhiz]

Jones is a phenomenal striker but it's not the type of striking that would carry over to boxing or kickboxing.
His best weapons are elbows, oblique kicks, clinch elbows, and eyepokes. These techniques are illegal in other combat sports.

 

[Sleepdancer]

he utilizes his range really well, which is why he has trouble whenever he faces someone who's just as tall as himself.

 

[JohnMandick]

Massive reach advantage + great clinch = good striking with shitty technique.