UFC 145: What a Loss Against Rashad Evans Would Mean for Jon Jones

In the weeks leading up to their climatic clash in the main event at UFC 145, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans have endured a never-ending war of words. Through all the insults, one thing is clear: Jones is under a lot of pressure to succeed in Atlanta.

Jones is the reigning champion, and beyond the pressures of being a defending champion, he's also carrying the prestige of Jackson's MMA with him. When Evans left the gym, Jones became the face of it after having one of the best years in MMA history.

The champion is confident he can carry the banner for his coach and retain the title, but what happens for Jones if he loses?

The most obvious consequence is that Jones would lose his UFC title. How far Jones would fall depends on the manner in which he loses.

If it's a close match, the UFC may decide to give Jones an immediate rematch, but the likely outcome would be Dan Henderson getting the next title shot. That means Jones would have to fight at least once to get another title shot.

Jones would also lose the aura of invincibility that has cloaked him since his rise to stardom. Tomany fans (and fighters), Jones seems like an invincible warrior without weakness. A loss to Evans would not only humanize Jones but could also exploit a major downfall in the champion's game.

Perhaps the most damage would occur between Jones and coach Greg Jackson. While it's not out of the question for an MMA fighter to lose under Jackson, there's never been more pressure on one of his guys to succeed than there is now on Jones.

A loss for Jones would vindicate Evans' move to Florida and "The Blackzillians." Jackson's MMA would certainly continue to thrive with his laundry list of top-level fighters, but their credibility would take a hit should the best fighter among them lose.

The final area where Jones would be hit hard is his fan base. Ever since his rise to the top, Jones has been one of the most polarizing figures in MMA. You could tell during the weigh-ins that while some fans were cheering, a vast majority were booing the champion.

Fans who aren't on the Jones bandwagon have pointed out his weaknesses after each fight, and a loss would only give the Jones haters more ammo.

It's certainly not career suicide for Jones to lose at UFC 145, but there's no denying that all the momentum Jones built in 2011 would be virtually wiped out if he lost to his nemesis Evans.