Jon Jones: Does Dan Henderson or Rashad Evans Have a Better Shot Against Jones?

With many MMA journalists and websites giving out their end-of-the-year awards, the one constant has been the recipient of the Fighter of the Year award.

Jon Jones had one of the most successful years in MMA history in 2011, and after defeating the likes of Ryan Bader, Shogun Rua, Rampage Jackson and Lyoto Machida over the course of the last 12 months, there are seemingly only two competitors in the light heavyweight division who have a chance at taking out “Bones."

As far as fighters who are ready for Jones at this point in their careers, it comes down to Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson, both of whom pose new challenges and legitimate threats to Jonny Bones and his title.

This article will break down both fighters' chances of taking out the champion, and the advantage will be given not to the fighter with the most talent in a particular area, but the fighter who can use that asset against Jones most effectively.

Striking

Jones’ last three opponents have posed a much greater threat to him on the feet as opposed to on the mat, but “Bones” has dispatched all three of them rather easily.

Henderson’s striking may best compare to that of Rampage Jackson’s more than any of Jones’ previous opponents, as his one-punch knockout power has the ability to end the fight on a second's notice.

However, Henderson has proven he is able to land that big punch more often than Rampage in his recent bouts, and while Jones proved his chin to some extent against Machida, he has never been hit by anything quite like an “H-Bomb."

Rashad’s speed is something that is nearly impossible to train for, but luckily for Jones, he has dealt with this firsthand while training with Evans in the past.

Evans' power makes him a formidable opponent for the champion, but due to his tendency to get caught and hurt on the feet, notably in his fights against Lyoto Machida and Rampage Jackson, Jones’ reach should give him a solid advantage.

While Jones will likely hold an edge over both men in the stand-up, I like Henderson’s chances on the feet a little more than “Suga’s."

Edge: Henderson

Wrestling

The last time Jones fought a high-level wrestler was at UFC 126 when he took out Ryan Bader, but his prior win over Vladimir Matyushenko and his ability to throw around Matt Hamill and Stephan Bonnar proved he is no slouch in the wrestling department.

Rashad has used his wrestling to his advantage much more effectively since losing his title to Lyoto Machida back at UFC 98, and his wins over Thiago Silva and Rampage Jackson showed how dominant he can be when he takes the fight to the mat.

Henderson is a former Olympic qualifier and has one of the most decorated wrestling resumes in the sport, but recently he has shown a bit of a decline in that area, as he was taken down at will by a much smaller Jake Shields in his Strikeforce debut and was kept on his back for a full round by Shogun Rua at UFC 139.

While Henderson may have the better wrestling on paper, I think Rashad is a bit better in that area at this point in his career and his grappling may be his biggest advantage when it comes to a fight with Jones.

Edge: Evans

Cardio

One of the most overlooked aspects going into any given fight, cardio is key in a five-round title fight and it would be interesting to see what would happen if Evans or Henderson could put the pressure on Jones into the championship rounds.

While “Bones” looked solid during the fourth round of his fight against Rampage at UFC 135, he also had controlled the pace of the fight and was able to play to his strengths the entire bout.

One of the few signs of weakness that Jones has shown during his UFC career was a bit of a cardio issue back at UFC 94 when he fought Bonnar, and while he has grown considerably as a fighter since then, he still is a very large 205 lbs and could have some cardio issues if pushed.

Evans has never made it into the championship rounds during his career, but he has also never looked anywhere close to being gassed and has been able to keep up his attack well into the third round on multiple occasions.

Henderson, on the other hand, looked exhausted during the final round of his fight against Shogun in November, and while that fight held an insane pace for the duration, the same might have to be done if he wants to break Jones.

If cardio is the answer to solving the riddle that is Jones, I have to go with the guy who I’ve never seen winded.

Edge: Evans

Final Thoughts

Overall, it is hard to find any weakness in Jones’ game, and whether Henderson or Evans has a chance to take his belt remains to be seen, but if I had to lay money down on one of them Rashad is my guy.

The fight with Machida taught Rashad not to take unnecessary chances on the feet against a superior striker, and his wrestling and ground-and-pound have always been his greatest assets anyway.

Henderson’s reliance on landing a big shot has made him somewhat predictable in his recent bouts, and with a trainer like Greg Jackson in his corner, I doubt that that would go unnoticed by Jones and he would likely try to take the bout to the mat early and often.

Rashad has a chance to put the pressure on Jones from the opening bell and try to wear him down and frustrate him early, and it’s at that point during which we will see if Jones is as unbeatable as we think he is.