I always feel conflicted when people ask me who I want to see win leading into fights. I feel that I am so invested in this sport and want it to succeed so much that what the win means to the rest of the industry, not just who I like personally, often plays on who I want to see walk away the victor.
For instance, when Machida stepped into the cage at UFC 140 I still wasn’t sure who I was cheering for. Although he’d only defended the belt a single time, Jones already manages to emanate that Anderson Silva-type of air that makes him seem unbeatable. Because of this, and that awesome viral Karate Kid video that made the rounds during the lead-up to the fight, I found my heart in the underdog’s corner and during that first round I was out of my seat cheering for Machida as he popped away at the elusive champion.
But in the back of my mind I knew that MMA needed Jones to win. Although he has managed to turn many fans away since he has grabbed the title belt, his skillset and undeniable fluid fighting in any situation make him the perfect subject to become the Michael Jordan of the Mixed Martial Arts world.
And in my mind, that is exactly what the sport needs.
Although Anderson Silva has produced unmatched results, his not-so-sunny disposition and inconsistent behaviour and attitude haven’t exactly made him the people’s champion.
Some, like Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture, managed to break the barrier into more mainstream markets, but they were always the warriors of the sport, never the unbeatable phenomenon that Jones is starting to become.
And like Jordan had with his amazing dunks and smooth footwork, so too does Bones possess with his highlight-reel spinning elbows and dominating wrestling expertise.
Because, even though we all look for those close match-ups, people also delight in the superhero-like status of athletes that seem to run rings around their peers and make the game look so easy.
Although he needs to work hard to get the fans back on his side, Jones has the charisma and intelligence to talk the talk on mainstream television and has already begun to attract the kind of sponsors that usually don’t deal with the gritty combat side of sport.
It may not matter whether we all love him anymore or not because if he keeps on his current path, his prominence will be so undeniable that his personality may be overshadowed by it.
