UFC 165 Primer: Jon Jones and the 3 Best Elbows in MMA Right Now

One of the most fruitful offensive techniques in MMA—the elbow—either slices, knocks out or scores points on its target when it's best used.

In the upright position, the best fighters can throw many variations of the technique, including the spinning elbow, the elbow slash and the uppercut elbow, among others.

On the ground, phenoms like Jon Jones wreak havoc with the traditional horizontal elbow or the downward elbow from the top position.

Regardless of how these men choose to uncork their elbows, they always do it with efficiency and intentions to cause carnage. 

These three men throw the best elbows in MMA today.

3. Georges St-Pierre

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Longtime UFC welterweight champ and the promotion's No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter Georges St-Pierre hasn't used his elbows to end a fight since he TKO'd Sean Sherk at UFC 56 in 2005. But "GSP" consistently brutalizes opponents with elbows from the top position, particularly in guard, where many overzealous strikers get armbarred and triangle choked.

In his two most recent outings, St-Pierre repeatedly grounded and scored points with elbows in the dangerous guards of Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit at UFC 154 and UFC 158, respectively.

He landed thumping elbows on Diaz and Condit while thwarting submission attempts from the ground wizards. GSP had to settle for a pair of unanimous decisions, although he manged to cut both men with elbows.

At the age of 32, St-Pierre still depends on his elbows as much as he did when he entered the UFC in 2004. These days—and to his fans' dismay—GSP chooses to batter and control foes with elbows rather than polish them off.

2. Anderson Silva

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Former pound-for-pound and UFC middleweight king Anderson Silva thrives in all facets of striking, and the category of elbowing is no exception.

When he last unleashed a fight-ending elbow, he did so in style, flattening Tony Fryklund with a funky reverse elbow at Cage Rage 16 in 2006.

Silva joined the UFC following his dazzling KO of Fryklund and won 16 of his next 17 bouts, frequently using elbows to wound his prey along the way. He employs a deep arsenal of elbows that he'll fire with pinpoint accuracy from the standing position, top position and off his back. 

Those who can survive his punches, kicks and knees still must contend with "The Spider's" elbows—weapons that can cut a world-class fighter off from his senses in an instant. 

1. Jon Jones

Photo credit: Cagepotato.com

UFC light heavyweight champ and pound-for-pound king Jon Jones proved in his fight with Rashad Evans that he's on par with Anderson Silva in terms of elbowing prowess.

Jones perpetually hammered "Suga" with leaping lead horizontal elbows, staggering the former champ on a few occasions. 

Two fights later, against three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen, "Bones" staked his claim as the king of elbowing by handing the Oregonian the beating of a lifetime, which was highlighted by elbows and punches.

Earlier in his career, he scored back-to-back crushing wins over Brandon Vera and Vladimir Matyushenko in 2010. He ended both fights by pummeling both men into submission with elbows.

The lone smudge on Jones' resume came when the New York native elbowed Matt Hamill into oblivion with illegal 12-to-6 elbows, which resulted in his disqualification from the bout.

Whether he's spinning, leaping or just dropping the hammer, no one in MMA can match the elbows of Bones.