Jon Jones On Fighting Anderson Silva: We Could Lose Sponsorships

[Kickass32]

Jon Jones On Fighting Anderson Silva: We Could Lose Sponsorships

by Nate Wilcox on Jul 10, 2012 7:41 PM EDT





UFC president Dana White teased fans after UFC 148 by not ruling out the possibility of UFC Middleweight champ Anderson Silva facing UFC Light Heavyweight champ Jon Jones in a super fight. Jones has not been very receptive.
First there was his fight night tweet via ESPN:
"Man my man ‪#AndersonSilva‬ went to work tonight, consistently amazing," Jones said. "I guess Anderson said he had no interest in fighting me at tonight's press conference, I feel the same way about him. Nothing but respect."
Now he's expanded on his reasoning for not wanting to fight Silva in an interview onESPN LA AM 710 with Max & Marcellus (transcribed via Bleacher Report):

"It's not that he won't fight me or I won't fight him. To be dead honest, it's that we both have a lot to lose and we both respect each other a lot and we both are striving for personal greatness. I don't want to crack on his greatness and I don't want him cracking on my greatness.
"We're in completely different weight classes. We both have sponsor deals and things that are really important to us and a big part of that sponsorship package is being a winning-being a champion. Having us fight each other means one of our championships goes away.
"I respect Anderson Silva so much that I don't want to be the guy to beat him. I don't want to lose to him either. It's a lose-lose situation for me."

That's an entirely rational position but it's not one that I think will improve Jones' reputation with fans. Fans want to see big fights not hear about how much money losing would cost the fighters. Maggie Hendricks agrees with Jones position.

1. It's a no-win situation for Jon Jones.
2. Silva doesn't need it to prove he's the greatest.
3. It ties up both the middleweight and light heavyweight belts.
Between injuries and time to prepare for fights and placing championship fights on the perfect cards, championship bouts don't happen enough. This fight would tie up two different belts as Silva and Jones prepared for their fight. Do you remember how long we had to wait around for Sonnen/Silva and Jones' bout with Rashad Evans?
4. Neither of them want the fight.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/7/10...hips#storyjump

[Brunow]

Very interesting article. So now Jones is ducking Silva.




/sarcasm.

[Kickass32]

I love Jones, he's my second favorite fighter, but this is lame, with a capital L.

[Rich Davie]

I love Jones, he's my second favorite fighter, but this is lame, with a capital L.

I should know this already, but who is your favorite fighter ?

[Rich Davie]

I love Jones, he's my second favorite fighter, but this is lame, with a capital L.

Yeah man... this is some silly-ass bullshit.

Two fucking fighters ducking ducking each other... I have one question for these boys :

Are you quite possibly the 2 greatest fighters that ever were in the UFC or not ?

We all know they are, so let's get this super fight on before Silva uses the excuse of retirement to avoid determining who is the best fighter between the #1 & #2 MMA fighters not only in the UFC, but the best MMA fighter in the world... that's how this super fight needs to be spun and marketed in order to build the hype to an apex and set the PPV record for the most viewers and buys ever.

[Kickass32]

I should know this already, but who is your favorite fighter ?

Benson Henderson
Jon Jones
Vitor Belfort

[Kickass32]

If anything, these two guys should be getting MORE sponsorship money and deals if they were to fight.

[Misfit]

I think driving your bentley into a telephone pole has a much greater chance of reducing your sponsorship money than fighting Silva does. This is bullshit talk from Jones, plan and simple IMO. But I don't think he's ducking Silva or any of that crap. Was asked a stupid question and gave even a stupidererer response. Jones's challenges are Hendo and them most likely up to HW after a year or 2. Silva actually has a few fights now at MW, none that are really his "next" fight but there are a bunch of guys that are 1 good win away from being a legit fight for him.

The only reason all the GSP and Silva talk made sense at the time was due to both guys having cleaned out their divisions. These guys at least have fights right now within their own divisions which should be handled first.

[Kickass32]

Now, this isn't just Jones talking this way, Silva has said similar things in the past about Jones....but either way, it's stupid.

[Misfit]

Now, this isn't just Jones talking this way, Silva has said similar things in the past about Jones....but either way, it's stupid.

Oh, I agree 100% but with Silva says it, its "ducking", that's the part that drives me crazy most of the time. While I would freaking love to see this fight, it's not needed right now. And because it could be such a huge freaking fight, both guys will keep getting asked the stupid questions and we'll have to read the stupid ass responses from both sides.

Nor does this fight really say who's the greatest right now. It has the possibility of doing that but it's not 100% fact IMO. If Silva went up and beat Jones, then it's safe to say he's the best right now, if Jones went down and beat Silva, then you can make a great case for him also. But a catch weight around 195 doesn't do that IMO and Jones beating Silva at 205 and Silva beating Jones at 185 does nothing also.