Why did Jon Jones stop throwing GNP elbows?

superpunch

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For a few fights, he got to a point where these made him unstoppable. They were like a cheat code to a quick instant victory. His reach is so long that the torque on them was like hitting someone with a baton. And he could throw them at will from the guard.

He literally cracked Brandon Vera's forehead open. A few more and his brains would have been oozing out. If anyone has that picture, you can literally see chunks of his forehead floating around.

He has the ability to just instantly finish guys from the guard. He also has the best (from the clinch) takedowns in his division.

Anyways, I haven't seen Jones use these except in cases where he's just finishing off a guy that's about to be finished anyways. What happened?
 
Turinabol side effect is rounding of pointy elbows.

With every pulse they get rounder.
 
I think you have the wrong fight. Jones smashed him with that one elbow but it didn’t cut him. Just lumped up his orbital

For a few fights, he got to a point where these made him unstoppable. They were like a cheat code to a quick instant victory. His reach is so long that the torque on them was like hitting someone with a baton. And he could throw them at will from the guard.

He literally cracked Brandon Vera's forehead open. A few more and his brains would have been oozing out. If anyone has that picture, you can literally see chunks of his forehead floating around.

He has the ability to just instantly finish guys from the guard. He also has the best (from the clinch) takedowns in his division.

Anyways, I haven't seen Jones use these except in cases where he's just finishing off a guy that's about to be finished anyways. What happened?
 
Vitors arm bar set him straight

Pretty sure he used them against Gus in the 2nd fight
 
He literally cracked Brandon Vera's forehead open. A few more and his brains would have been oozing out. If anyone has that picture, you can literally see chunks of his forehead floating around.

saywhat now?
 
His elbow against Vera may be the baddest elbow ever
 
Brandon Vera was using an out dated wrist control guard, it works in BJJ comp and it worked in Pride where there were no elbows.

It doesn't work under UFC rules where elbows are legal.

The vast majority of fighter's now understand that you need to use overhooks to stop a guy posturing up and raining down GnP which makes it significantly harder to land elbows from guard.
 
I think you have the wrong fight. Jones smashed him with that one elbow but it didn’t cut him. Just lumped up his orbital

Strange how some fights stay with you for years and years.

If I close my eyes I can still hear that elbow land and Vera's scream....
 
It probably fucked up his elbow to the point where if he keeps doing them he would get permanent damage.
 
He's afraid to get headbutted in the elbow again, like when Hamill beat him.

tumblr_m74zw1yqvh1qaa8d1o1_500.gif
 
Strange how some fights stay with you for years and years.

If I close my eyes I can still hear that elbow land and Vera's scream....

hell yea I miss that hungry Jones. He used to be an absolute killer. Now he can barely squeak out a split decision against a MW with two completely blown knees. Just no aggression anymore, more worried about keeping his belt then putting on entertaining fights.
 
I think ground and pound Jon will be back in his next fight, at least I hope so.
 
For a few fights, he got to a point where these made him unstoppable. They were like a cheat code to a quick instant victory. His reach is so long that the torque on them was like hitting someone with a baton. And he could throw them at will from the guard.

He literally cracked Brandon Vera's forehead open. A few more and his brains would have been oozing out. If anyone has that picture, you can literally see chunks of his forehead floating around.

He has the ability to just instantly finish guys from the guard. He also has the best (from the clinch) takedowns in his division.

Anyways, I haven't seen Jones use these except in cases where he's just finishing off a guy that's about to be finished anyways. What happened?
He stopped taking guys down and started playing with them on the feet instead is the main reason I assume.

I think he's gotten to the point Anderson did where he's bored of winning so easily and is doing whatever he can to try and make it a challenge instead of taking the path of least resistance.

In the two rematches against the guys that actually challenged him and motivated him to prove a point he rose to the occasion and went out and destroyed them but against everyone else he seems to be unmotivated and fights to their level.
 
Jones has largely moved away from the takedown-central game that he used to employ back when he first won the title.

His fights vs. Bonnar, Hamill, Vera, Matyushenko, Bader, and Shogun were all Jones dominating the wrestling and taking those guys down... I do miss this old Jon Jones style, but I think it could have stopped for a number of reasons:

1. He's facing better competition, and they are harder to take down/control over long periods of time
2. He's become an amazing striker to the point where his takedown game is no longer needed as the primary and just there for backup
3. Never know - could be something to due with a nagging injury that has kept him from remaining wrestling-centric. This happens with lots of fighters in different ways. Shogun as an example used to be an incredible kicker, but with all the damage that has happened to his knees, he now is more of a technical brawler.
 
I think it could have stopped for a number of reasons:

1. He's facing better competition, and they are harder to take down/control over long periods of time
2. He's become an amazing striker to the point where his takedown game is no longer needed as the primary and just there for backup
3. Never know - could be something to due with a nagging injury that has kept him from remaining wrestling-centric. This happens with lots of fighters in different ways. Shogun as an example used to be an incredible kicker, but with all the damage that has happened to his knees, he now is more of a technical brawler.
4. He's off the juice and getting older and can't afford to waste the energy.
 
He still uses them, but isn't forced to rely on them as being the undisputed GOAT means he has so many other weapons in his arsenal to choose from.
 
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