UFC 197 Judo Chop – Staying Connected: The Transitions of Jon Jones and Demetrious Johnson

While Conor McGregor makes headlines talking retirement, two of MMA’s best are prepared to step into the cage at UFC 197. In fact, scratch that; Jon Jones and Demetrious Johnson are not two of MMA’s best, but the two best. Who deserves the number one spot is a matter for debate, but few disagree that, when it comes to the totality of MMA skill, and the ability to dominate elite opposition, “Bones” and “Mighty Mouse” are unparalleled.

This becomes interesting when you start to wonder, “What really makes a mixed martial artist great?” Mentally, Jones and Johnson share a particular poise. Both men possess a cool, condescending, almost regal air that quickly evaporates into joviality and playfulness the moment the belt is no longer on the line. Jones is more brash–the “suck it” gesture he gave to Daniel Cormier after their fight was rivaled only by the way that he effortlessly held the Olympic wrestler down with a palm on the forehead five minutes prior; but Johnson has a bit of that same swagger to him. Savvy fans might detect it more often nowadays when Johnson addresses the topic of his own unpopularity. He knows he deserves more praise, and he resents those who refuse to give it. All the same, both Johnson and Jones are committed to putting on peak performance after peak performance. Insanely, both seem to improve with every fight.

In this two-part exploration of these all-time greats, we will examine the physical aspects of Jones and Johnson’s MMA mastery. Somehow both men are vastly superior to the sum of their parts. There are better kickboxers in this sport, and better wrestlers, and better submission grapplers. But when it comes to blending those arts together so thoroughly that the seams can neither be seen nor felt, these two men stand apart. MMA lives in the transitions, and that happens to be where Jon Jones and Demetrious Johnson thrive.

PART ONE – LONG AND SHORT, SHORT AND TALL

Some of the most important transitions in combat are those between ranges. How does a fighter move from long range, to mid-range, to the clinch? How does he create space in tight? Jon Jones, with his 84 inch wingspan, is particularly good at bridging the gap from long range to close quarters. He has even–some might say despite his reach–become known as something of a clinch specialist in recent years, a reputation he shares with Demetrious Johnson. But the first time Jones’ distance-closing techniques really caught the eye was during his fight with rival Rashad Evans at UFC 145.

GIF

1. Cutting off the cage, Jones handfights with Rashad Evans, pushing against his palm.

2. Rashad responds to the pressure by pushing back, extending both arms in the process.

3. Evans attempts an awkward teep but, unbalanced and possibly still hurt from an elbow just moments before, he misses the mark.

4. Desperate for breathing room, Evans circles, but Jones stays right in front of him, once again reaching his hand toward Evans’.

5. But when Evans reaches out to intercept Jones’ hand, he quickly retracts it while stepping forward.

6. And snaps a short, concussive elbow home over Evans’ outstretched arm, knocking him down.

Take a few moments to watch this GIF and appreciate the perfect confluence of timing, distance, and set-up that goes into this one beautiful elbow strike. Note how Jones steps forward as he paws at Evans’ hand, withdraws his hand, and quickly takes a second, much longer step into the pocket just as Rashad attempts to handfight. Visually, it’s as if Jones creates a sudden vacuum that forces his elbow and his opponent’s chin to collide.

Jones’ elbows are a uniquely valuable tool for bridging the gap between long range and the clinch. Many have already noted the fact that Jones’ build allows him to land elbows from farther away than most fighters, but the very strike …

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