After More Jon Jones Dominance, Time for UFC To Take Off Kid Gloves

Another main event on Versus, but a similar result for Jon "Bones" Jones. 

Not two minutes into the first round Sunday night, Jones twisted Vladimir Matyushenko into the crucifix position, and had him dead to rights.  Ten unanswered strikes later from the ball peen hammer that is Jones' left elbow, and the veteran grappler was officially outgrappled.

Jones is now 12-1 in MMA, and 5-1 in the UFC.  His only loss came on a controversial stoppage.  He now owns consecutive first-round finishes over two veterans (Matyushenko and previously Brandon Vera) in two main events on free TV.   I'm not sure I've seen him break a sweat in the Octagon in more than a year. 

It's time to change that.

No disrespect to Matyushenko, a former champion in the now-defunct International Fight League, but Jones needs a major test now.  After this fight was originally scheduled, many experts rushed to defend Matyushenko's MMA bona fides—then fell all over themselves betting the sum of their net current assets on Jones.

Few people seem to disagree that Jones has earned the right to fight the A ring of the light heavyweight division. But the thing is, the A ring isn't enough, at least according to Jones himself, who according to Yahoo! Sports said this after the fight:

"I want to fight someone who is supposedly much better than me. If that needs to be the champion, or whoever, I want to fight someone who is supposedly much better than me who will help me challenge myself and evolve to the next level. Let me fight a top-three guy.”

Others, including UFC commish Dana White and trainer extraordinaire Greg Jackson, seem to prefer a slower path for the 23-year-old. 

Count me with Jones on this one.

Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.  Fast track this man to the top of the heap, and STAT.  No Forrest Griffin, no Chuck Liddell, no Tito Ortiz, no Rich Franklin.

How about the winner of the UFC 119 tilt between Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and fellow upstart Ryan Bader? And seriously, how did Bader get that shot before Jones? Their UFC records, minus Jones' Matt Hamil fight, are virtually identical.

How about Rashad Evans—could White get the fellow Greg Jackson students in the same cage?  It's a ways off, but how about the loser of November's bout between Lyoto Machida and Quinton Jackson?

As usual, there are plenty of fights to make at the top of 205.  Jones may still be a bit rough around the edges, but with this win he has proven he doesn't need to be protected any longer.  If anything, opponents should be looking for protection from him.