Trainer: UFC Champ Jon Jones has ability to pick apart Rashad Evans, Dan Henderson, Phil Davis

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones has had one of the single best years of any MMA fighter ever with his 2011 campaign, capturing the title and then defending it in impressive fashion twice. As he enters 2012, many consider him as close to an unbeatable champ as there can be in a sport where just about anything can happen, but that doesn't mean there aren't challenges ahead of him.

With Rashad Evans, Dan Henderson, and Phil Davis all trying to get lined up for a fight with him next year, he's got three different types of fighter that he'll be preparing for. He believes he's ready for those challenges, and at least one of his trainers - coach Mike Winkeljohn - doesn't think any of them are enough to take out the champ.

"I think [against] all of them, Jon's got the ability to just pick them apart from long range like he has with all of his other fights and break them down and then finish the fight when it's time," Winkeljohn said in an interview with Sherdog.com.

Winkeljohn concedes that they each present a different type of challenge, but they've also got areas that Jones can take advantage of, and Winkeljohn sees Jones being favored in all of those matchups.

"Dan's big right hand is always a big challenge. [He's] somebody that could be able to close that gap and find a hole and try to get to Jon's chin. That's probably the dilemma with him, but he's small. I don't think he can outwrestle Jon. I think Jon beats him everywhere. I don't think he can hit [Jones] with that right hand."

"I think Jon kills Phil Davis with his standup. I think Phil Davis is a tremendous wrestler and I'm sure his standup's going to get better daily. We'll see how much better it's improved when he fights Rashad."

As for Evans, the fact that the two trained together gives Evans a certain edge that the other two names don't possess, but despite that, Winkeljohn still doesn't think Jones will have an issue with that fight.

"I think he's prepared to fight Rashad," Winkeljohn said. "I think mentally, I don't have a problem with where his head's at with Rashad. He believes in his heart that he can beat Rashad. So no matter what Rashad says, it becomes posturing. ? I think Jon sees that and I'm not worried about it."

Penick's Analysis: Of the three names, I think it will be the big right hand of Dan Henderson that becomes the biggest test for Jones. He's been able to figure out different styles and different opponents with relative ease thus far in his career, and he took a few hard shots from Machida, but he's never been cracked by power the likes of Henderson's. If Henderson is able to land a shot, that's going to be the one thing we haven't really seen Jones have to deal with. Even then, he may have the type of chin that walks through those punches, or that at least allows him to recover quickly, so even then Henderson may not have enough there. Jones is a special talent, and a fighter who realistically hasn't shown any real weaknesses, only areas that could use some more improvement. And as he continues to improve those areas, it's going to make it even more difficult to envision any of his currently lined up opponents truly being able to take him out.

[Jon Jones art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_11892.shtml

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