UFC 145 Fight Card: Keys to Victory for Jon Jones

As the reigning UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Jon Jones sets his sights on former champion—and former friend—Rashad Evans, but the current 205-pound king has a whole new set of problems to contend with.

Since taking the title, Jones has mostly taken on some of the elite strikers of the division.  Unlike the champ's previous opponents, Evans has fantastic wrestling and heavy hands, a deadly combination that Jones has yet to see inside the Octagon.

While both have trained with each other in the past and know each others' styles, Jones and Evans are vastly different fighters than they were in the past.

If Jones wants to defeat Evans, he will have to make sure he follows the keys to victory broken down in the following slides.

Utilizing His Reach

Jones's biggest advantage coming into this fight will be his sizable reach advantage.

Sporting the longest reach in the entire UFC, it's imperative that Jones picks Evans apart from the outside.  Even if he lets Evans in for a second, Jones will open himself up to the former champion's heavy hands from inside the clinch and, even worse, will become susceptible to the takedown.

In order to keep his advantage in the striking realm, Jones has to keep Evans away and fight a technical, striking battle.

Takedown Defense

If Evans somehow gets in on Jones, his next line of defense will be his ability to stuff the takedown.

Jones is a great wrestler, but he's matched up against Evans, who has a slight edge in the grappling department.

"Bones" needs to keep the fight standing because if he lands on his back...

Avoiding the Bottom Position on the Ground

...then Evans will have a field day.

Jones has a tricky guard, but Evans's mix of high level wrestling, black belt-level jiu-jitsu and powerful ground and pound is a deadly combination.  Jones may be able to throw up some submission attempts, but Evans is just so powerful from the top position.

The champ has to avoid this position at all cost.

Unorthodox Angles and Techniques

Like in his other bouts, Jones's unpredictability will be a major asset.

If he can keep the distance, using a wide array of techniques from the outside, he will disorient and confuse Evans.  As seen in his title loss to Lyoto Machida, Evans has trouble with non-traditional fighters, which should only be amplified by Jones's unorthodox angles and techniques.

Keeping His Cool

With so many great fights already under his belt, Jones knows he has the skills to win.  It's all a matter of keeping his composure against Evans.

So far, Jones has pretty much kept his cool during the pre-fight hype tour, but once those Octagon doors close, this sense of serenity will be imperative if he wants to come out of this fight victorious.

On the flip side, Jones should exploit Evans's emotions if the challenger gets too angry during the fight.

Be sure to Like Matt on Facebook or Follow @MattJuulMMA