Analyzing the Gap Between Jon Jones and Anderson Silva in the P4P Debate

Only a small cluster of the world's top fighters can say they've gone years without tasting defeat.

UFC champs like Georges St-Pierre (welterweight), Jose Aldo (featherweight) and Benson Henderson (lightweight) each understand how sweet reigning supreme over a division for an extended period of time can feel.

But while "GSP," "Bendo" and "Scarface" surely have their respective divisions in check, only genuine wunderkinds like Anderson Silva and Jon Jones can demand respect in the debate of the world's best pound-for-pound fighter.

So if "The Spider" and "Bones" represent the world's top two pound-for-pound fighters, at least according to the UFC rankings, then which virtuoso truly controls the top spot?

Here's a look at why Jones has a decided advantage over Silva in the pound-for-pound debate.

Jones Has the More Well-Rounded Skill Set

Although few facets of either fighter's game need refining, it's Jones who possesses the rare blend of top-flight wrestling, striking and submission skills.

Silva and Jones each have an extraordinary knack for finishing, and neither fighter discriminates when it comes to pulling off submissions and knockouts.

Jones, however, holds a significant edge over Silva in the wrestling department. The 25-year-old New York native has yet to give up a takedown in his career, and in his last 10 fights, Bones has racked up 17 floorings.

In Silva's last 10 bouts, on the contrary, the longtime Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has surrendered five takedowns and scored just two.

Silva surrendered three takedowns and allowed Chael Sonnen to pass his guard six times in a bout in which he essentially got dominated before slapping on a Hail Mary submission late in the fifth round.

With a takedown defense percentage of just 70 percent and just three career takedowns in the UFC, The Spider undoubtedly represents the inferior wrestler, a fact that makes him slightly less dynamic than Jones.

Youth

In 2000, the year Silva turned 25 (Jones' current age), The Spider dropped a decision to the decidedly smaller Luiz Azeredo in the Brazilian promotion Meca. 

Three years later, Silva dropped the first of two fights in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships, first losing to Daiju Takase via triangle choke at Pride 26 and then falling to Ryo Chonan by heel hook at Pride Shockwave 2004.

Jones, conversely, hasn't experienced similar hiccups in the early stages of his brilliant career.

In fact, the lone smudge on Bones' resume occurred because of a barrage of illegal 12-to-6 elbows dropped on Matt Hamill's head at The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale.

Although still in the prime of his career, Silva just turned 38, which means regardless of how badly he wants to maintain his status at the top, sooner or later wear and tear will halt The Spider's prolific reign at 185 pounds.

As for Jones, the Jackson's MMA product will turn 26 on July 19, a fact that doesn't bode well for up-and-coming light heavyweights.

Strength and Athleticism

Few would argue that Silva doesn't represent one of the biggest, strongest and most gifted 185-pounders in the world.

Standing 6'2" and holding a 77.6-inch reach, The Spider could hypothetically match up physically with most of the UFC's best light heavyweights.

Silva proved this theory when he utterly dismantled both Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar at UFC 101 and UFC 153, respectively.

But while Silva certainly could have flourished at 205, MMA has yet to see a light heavyweight with the physical gifts Jones possesses.

At 6'4" and sporting an 84.5-inch reach, a mark that's equal to that of 7' heavyweight Stefan Struve, Jones easily trumps any 205-pounder in the UFC in terms of brute power and raw athleticism.

Of all the variables that would come into play if Silva and Jones met, it's Bones' physical advantages that would appear most exaggerated. 

If Jones can rag doll the likes of sturdy light heavyweights like Lyoto Machida and Quinton Jackson, then who's to say that he won't soon make the ascent to the heavyweight division?

After all, if Jones ever locked horns with heavyweight kingpin Cain Velasquez, he'd enjoy a seven-inch reach advantage and a three-inch height advantage.