Jon Jones: How He Would Fare Against the UFC's Top 5 Heavyweights

If it seems like Jon Jones is getting a lot of attention as a potential UFC heavyweight contender, there's a good reason for it. He's got a big fight coming up next week at UFC 145, and make no mistake about it, Rashad Evans cannot be overlooked. He's a tough opponent for anyone, even a dominant fighter like Jones.

But that won't stop fans from dreaming about the day when Jones steps in the cage to face off against the cream of the crop in the heavyweight division. It's going to happen. Jones is cleaning out the light heavyweight division, and he's going to continue to pack on muscle and size as he gets older.

So with that in mind, let's take a look at how Jones would fare against the current top five ranked heavyweights in the UFC. Keep in mind that I'm assuming that Jones will put on weight and compete at 235 pounds or more. This isn't the light heavyweight Jon Jones we're talking about here, but rather, a hypothetical heavyweight version that has put on enough size to compete with some of the bigger heavyweights.

5. Fabricio Werdum

Jones would want to keep this fight standing because he has a sizable advantage in the striking game. Werdum has shored up his stand-up game over the past year, but he's still nowhere near Jones in that department. Werdum is at his worst when he's facing a good striker, and while Jones' technique is nowhere near as clean as someone like Junior dos Santos, he's creative enough to use crazy angles to his advantage.

Werdum would obviously want to get this fight to the ground. He's dangerous off his back, but Jones' length and strength would likely put a stop to any kind of offense Werdum could muster from that position. Jones would be patient enough to allow Werdum to make a tactical mistake, and then he'd catch him in one of those unorthodox guillotines he uses so effectively.

PREDICTION: Jon Jones

4. Frank Mir

Frank Mir is the most experienced heavyweight on this list, but that's his only real advantage here—if we're taking into consideration that Jones would put on muscle and fight at 235 pounds or more. 

Mir's striking has drastically improved since his early days in the sport, but he's a pretty straightforward striker in the cage. By that, I mean he comes forward on flat feet with a lot of straight punches, at least when he's stringing together combos. That style favors Jones, who almost always comes from strange angles that other fighters aren't used to. I think that would befuddle Mir in the cage.

Like Werdum, Mir is also a great fighter from his back. But as we saw with Brock Lesnar, Mir can be neutralized by a good wrestler with deliberate technique. I'm not comparing Jones' wrestling technique to Lesnar's, but I do believe Jones has enough skill to stifle any Mir submission efforts on the ground.

Jones wins this fight, both on the feet and on the ground.

PREDICTION: Jon Jones

3. Cain Velasquez

I still hold true to the belief that despite his loss to Junior dos Santos, Cain Velasquez is the best all-around heavyweight in the world. And I think he'll get the UFC title back sooner than later.

Velasquez presents all kinds of problems for Jones. He's got cardio for days, extremely quick and clean boxing and the obvious fantastic wrestling game. He presents problems for Jones— and every other heavyweight on the planet—in just about every aspect of the game. 

If Jones outstrikes him standing, he'll take him down. I love Jones' takedown defense, but I'm not sure he can withstand Velasquez constantly pressuring him. His length would help him in that regard, but Velasquez is relentless. 

Jones has a better chance at winning the fight if he keeps it standing. But even then, I think Velasquez has the edge. 

By the time Jones actually moves to the heavyweight division, everything I've said above may be completely different. Jones has improved more quickly than any fighter I've ever seen in the game, and by the time he actually faces Velasquez, he'll be a vastly different fighter than he is right now. But as things stand, I can't see Jones winning the fight.

PREDICTION: Cain Velasquez

2. Alistair Overeem

The hulking Overeem—currently embroiled in controversy—is the one fighter on this list with a huge striking advantage over Jones. But that's the case when you compare Overeem with any other heavyweight in the sport. His K-1 Grand Prix championship is all the resume you need when it comes to Overeem's stand-up game.

On the ground? We're looking at a completely different story. Overeem's ground game used to be rated pretty well, but we haven't seen him use it since he made the transition from the skinny light heavyweight we used to know to the "Ubereem" that's currently fighting a steroid scandal. Overeem fell in love with striking years ago, and there's no way of knowing if he even pays much attention to his ground game these days.

Jones is a brilliant tactical fighter in the cage, and there's no way he'd stand with Overeem for any length of time. Come hell or high water, Jones would get Overeem to the ground. From there, he'd work on stifling any kind of hip movement that could lead to an Overeem escape. I think he tires Overeem out and then submits him with a rear-naked choke late in the fight.

PREDICTION: Jon Jones

1. Junior Dos Santos

We don't know how well-rounded Junior dos Santos is. After all, he's never needed his ground game because his withering boxing attack and elite takedown defense has been enough to get him through all of his fights thus far.

The key for Jones here would lie in putting dos Santos squarely on his back. Jones is a good striker, but I believe dos Santos is the best boxer in the sport. The Brazilian mixes a ton of power with precise and clean punching, and that's a problem for anyone he faces—Jones included.

If Jones can get dos Santos on his back, he's got a real chance of winning the fight. But we haven't seen dos Santos put down on a regular basis yet. By the time this fight actually happens, Jones may have the strength and skill to do it. But right now, I see JDS keeping the fight standing, outstriking Jones and winning by decision.

PREDICTION: Junior dos Santos