UFC 145 Results: Defeating Rashad Evans Will Provide Major Boost to Jon Jones

If there were any remaining questions about Jon Jones' ability to dominate the UFC light heavyweight division, they were answered in his easy victory over former training partner Rashad Evans. The win will provide another boost to Jones' skyrocketing stock.

What made the victory so impressive was how easy Jones made it look. He wasn't able to score the knockout, but was never threatened by Evans, who's widely regarded as one of the division's top fighters. Jones made him look hopeless.

Whether it was relentless elbows to the head or quick kicks to the legs, Jones was able to wear Evans down so he didn't have any energy left to mount a comeback in the final rounds. Anytime Evans gained some momentum—which wasn't often—Jones would end it quickly.

Even though the fight was far from the most impressive of Jones' career, he still walked away with a relatively easy win. That shows the large gap between him and everybody else right now, and it will only widen as the 24-year-old star continues to improve.

He already became the first fighter to get sponsored by the UFC itself before Saturday's bout. It won't be long before his appeal extends far beyond mixed martial arts into the mainstream. He's the first fighter with the potential to make the sport something that appeals to more than a niche audience.

Since knocking off Mauricio Rua to win the championship, Jones has defeated Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida and now Evans. That's four consecutive marquee victories and people are starting to take notice, which is good for UFC as a whole.

As long as he keeps winning, which shouldn't be a problem based on Saturday's performance, the sky is really the limit for Jones. His marketability will continue to improve and everything else should fall into place for the sport's newest megastar.

One thing's for sure: beating Evans won't be the last we hear about Jones. His run of dominance is much closer to the beginning than the end.