UFC 140: Lyoto Machida's Style Won't Work Against Jon Jones

Jon Jones will make his second light heavyweight title defense this year at UFC 140 in December, but it won't be against Rashad Evans. It will be against the man most analysts believe has the best chance of stopping the 24-year-old champion: Lyoto Machida.

UFC president Dana White made the announcement on Twitter early Thursday afternoon.

Evans was supposed to get the next title shot, but he was seen wearing a cast on his hand at UFC 135 due to injuries suffered in his fight with Tito Ortiz in August. His rehab would have conflicted with his preparation for the fight, so White decided to go in a different direction.

Machida has bounced back nicely from the first two losses of his career last year with an impressive victory at UFC 129 that sent Rany Couture into retirement.

When Jones first won the title, the most common question that was asked was "Who would be able to handle his freakish size and athleticism in the octagon?"

The most common answer was Lyoto Machida, because he has such a unique fighting style that has caused problems for everyone that he has fought.

Machida allows his opponent's offense to dictate what he is going to do, which plays right into Jones' hand.

Jones is not a conventional fighter, either. In fact, his style is so different from any other fighter that it is hard for an opponent to plan for what he is going to do.

No one has been able to give Jones a real challenge in his young career. He is dominating opponents like few fighters have in the history of the sport. He is so good and so talented that the only fighter who can beat him right now is himself.

If Jones gets cocky and lets his guard down, he will eat a punch that drops him to the mat or get caught in a submission. But it is impossible to think that any fighter is going to be able to stop him right now.