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Tag: Jon Jones

  • UFC 197 DFS Playbook: value picks, who to avoid

    The Octagon heads back to Las Vegas and pay-per-view for UFC 197 on Saturday night, featuring the top two pound-for-pound fighters in the sport. Jon Jones makes his return against Ovince Saint Preux in the main event for the UFC Interim Light Heavyweight Championship, and Demetrious Johnson defends the UFC Flyweight Championship against Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo in the co-main event. Below are our studs, value plays and fighters to avoid when making your fantasy line-ups for Saturday’s event.

    STUDS

    Jon Jones ($11,400)

    Jon Jones is the top play for this weekend’s event as he makes his long-awaited and much-anticipated return to the Octagon. It isn’t the fight everyone wants since Daniel Cormier pulled out due to injury, but he gets Ovince Saint Preux, who is a solid top-ten fighter at 205 pounds, but a favorable matchup for Jones. Jones commands the highest salary of all the fighters on the card, and really, that is to be expected seeing as he is arguably the best fighter in the world. The biggest question surrounding Jones is whether the 15 months off and the distractions throughout that time hinder his performance.

    There is nothing that suggests that, though. Saint Preux is powerful at this weight and has solid striking and a great submission game, but he is taking the fight on short notice, and he can’t match the skills of Jones. Jones has dynamic striking, great wrestling and excellent submissions, and is suffocating from top position. Saint Preux struggles when he is controlled on the mat, often looking like a lost puppy when on bottom. Jones should finish him, it’s just a matter of when. Jones should be the most used fighter on the card.

    James Vick ($10,900)

    James Vick is entering UFC 197 on Saturday with a perfect 8-0 record in his career, and a 4-0 record inside the Octagon. If you include his bouts on TUF, his overall record would be 11-1, with the only loss coming to Michael Chiesa, a top-ten ranked lightweight. To say the least, Vick’s record isn’t too shabby. The only problem is his lack of activity due to injuries and various reasons. He was on the TUF Live season in early 2012, but didn’t make his UFC debut until August 2013. He was then out of action for over a year, but had three fights between August 2014 and May 2015.

    He hasn’t fought since that May fight, when he submitted Jake Matthews, who was also undefeated at the time and hyped by a lot. Vick has scored stoppage wins in five of his eight wins, all of them in the first round. He is fighting TUF Brazil winner Glaico Franca on Saturday. Franca won his lone UFC bout in August but this is a huge step up in competition for him. Vick should be able to easily score the win on Saturday, and a finish is very likely. He is an excellent play on Saturday.

    VALUE PLAYS

    Andre Fili ($8,900)

    Andre Fili boasts an impressive 15-3 record in his professional career but has struggled for consistency inside the Octagon. He is just 3-2 in the UFC and has rotated wins-and-losses in those bouts. History would dictate that he is set up for a loss on Saturday as he won his last fight. However, he looked the best he has to date in his first-round TKO win over Gabriel Benitez in November, and he is improving in his overall performance. He has struggled with UFC caliber opposition, and he has that on Saturday in the form of Yair Rodriguez. Rodriguez is a former TUF Mexico winner and has been solid in his three UFC bouts, and is coming off an impressive showing in his most recent win. Fili is the toughest test for Rodriguez to date in the UFC, and he has more than twice the experience of Rodriguez. Fili is a very solid value play on this card and worth a look.

    Henry Cejudo ($8,400)

    Henry Cejudo has been to the top of the mountain in every competition he has been in, and the only thing left is to win UFC gold. He has that opportunity on Saturday night when he takes on Demetrious Johnson for the UFC Flyweight Championship. Cejudo is undefeated in his MMA career and is a former Olympic gold medalist in wrestling. He enters the fight with Johnson on Saturday night as a big underdog, thus making his salary very low, among the lowest on the card. He has a tall task in front of him in Johnson, who is one of the best in the world.

    What makes Cejudo an interesting play is the fact that this fight is five rounds, and it is likely to go the full five rounds. Cejudo has been the distance in all of his UFC bouts and Johnson has gone to the fifth round in all but two of his title fights. That should give both men more opportunities to land significant strikes and for Cejudo to use his wrestling. He also has a good chance at scoring an upset. It is hard to pick against Johnson, but Cejudo’s salary makes his excellent value.

    FIGHTERS TO AVOID

    Kevin Lee ($10,300)

    Kevin Lee is looking to rebound from a disappointing loss to Leonard Santos in December, a fight many expected to go his way. Perhaps he was thinking that too and got too overconfident, and it ended up with him being finished in the first. That ended Lee’s four-fight win streak and has relegated him to opening fight duties on the UFC 197 card. Lee gets a tough opponent in Efrain Escudero, a long-time UFC veteran and former TUF winner who needs a win himself if he wants to avoid being cut for the third time. Lee is the favorite and should get the win, but here is why I am putting him as a fighter to avoid. At his salary, I see better options available at similar salaries. I don’t see him finishing Escudero, and I don’t see him scoring a lot of points en route to a win. Lee likely will win, but for fantasy reasons, I recommend fading him in your line-ups.

    Walt Harris ($9,800)

    Walt Harris has fought three times inside the Octagon, and all three times he has lost. His last two losses have been by knockout. Surprisingly, he has a higher salary than his opponent, Cody East. East is making his UFC debut coming off of Dana White’s Looking For A Fight show, and he boasts a 12-1 record. East has won nine straight fights and eleven of his twelve wins have come by stoppage. East has eight wins in the first round, and he should be looking for an impressive debut win. Harris trains with a top camp in the American Top Team camp, but has just a 7-4 overall record. He badly needs a win to avoid being cut from the UFC roster, and that will give him added motivation. It is just a bad matchup for him, and I am avoiding Harris at all costs.

    OUR LINEUPS

    RYAN FREDERICK- Jon Jones ($11,400), Danny Roberts ($10,400), Marcos Rogerio de Lima ($10,000), Cody East ($9,600), Henry Cejudo ($8,400)

    Jon Jones is my top play this weekend and my top pick. He has the highest salary and I expect him to get the finish of Ovince Saint Preux. I think a second-round submission win is in the cards for Jones. Danny Roberts is another solid pick. He fights Dominique Steele, a man who won his last bout but was knocked out quickly in the bout before. Roberts is an excellent finisher and I see him getting another first-round win here. Marcos Rogerio de Lima fights Clint Hester. One man is going to sleep in that fight as both rarely go the distance. de Lima hits way harder and is bigger and I like him.

    Cody East has a ton of first-round finishes and his opponent, Walt Harris, is a good bet to go down early. My last pick is Henry Cejudo. I think he has a realistic shot at getting the win, and going five rounds will add to the points. Even in a defeat, I see him getting enough points over 25 minutes to equal another underdog that wins points total. He is a risk, but one I’m taking.

    PAUL FONTAINE- Jon Jones ($11,400), Robert Whittaker ($10,700), Sergio Pettis ($10,100), Juliana Lima ($9,200), Henry Cejudo ($8,400)

    I don’t really care what Jones’ salary is, he’s a must for my team. After 16 months away and facing the weakest opponent since before he won the title, he’s almost a lock to score an early finish. I’m picking Henry Cejudo to unseat the champion here in the year of upsets. Robert Whittaker should continue his impressive run at middleweight with another stoppage win over the aging Natal. I like Sergio Pettis to cement his place in the line of flyweight contenders with a dominant win over my countryman Kelades. Rounding out by team is Juliana Lima. She’s got the former champion Esparza coming in off a brutal defeat at the hands of Joanna Champion and should score a victory here.

    PEACH MACHINE- Demetrious Johnson ($11,000), Robert Whittaker ($10,700), Kevin Lee ($10,300), Juliana Lima ($9,200), Edson Barboza ($8,800)

    Again, another perfect use of 50,000. Bet this line-up. DJ is my number one power player in DK. He goes five rounds and gets finishes. IDK if he’ll be able to finish Cejudo, but he will win. Barboza is my questionable pick. I like him to beat Pettis, but it’s iffy. Whittaker is who I THOUGHT i was picking last week. I really like him to beat Natal. Lima is gonna destroy Esparza. I guarantee Esparza will come out scared and flat and will get beaten, and rightfully so. She was absolutely decimated the last time she entered the cage. Kevin Lee is going to be faster and stronger than the fading Escudero. Escudero is one of those guys that had a ton of potential, and just couldn’t get the job done. Lee will get the job done.

  • Jon Jones to face Ovince Saint Preux for the UFC interim light heavyweight title

    The day after news broke that UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier was injured and out of his UFC 197 title defense against rival and former champion Jon Jones, Double J now has a new opponent –Ovince Saint Preux — and a new goal: the UFC interim light heavyweight title on April 23rd.

    The news was made official by Dana White during ESPN Sportscenter on Saturday night with White saying since Jones never lost the title, they felt it was right for the title to be on the line. Recently, UFC announced an interim featherweight title fight between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar for UFC 200, so the buzzword of 2016 is ‘interim”. 

    Anthony Johnson and Rashad Evans were considered, but Johnson recently had dental surgery that made him unvailable. Jones said Saturday he doesn’t like short notice fights, but was up for anything at light heavyweight or heavyweight.

    Jones is returning after more than a year off due to a slew of legal issues. He last fought and beat Cormier in January 2015 and the rematch was expected to do big PPV business. While this match is interesting, the show will no doubt take a hit with PPV buyers, especially with a lack of star power on the rest of the show.

    OSP (19-7) is coming off a February decision win over Feijao Cavalcante, and has won three of his last four.

  • Daniel Cormier pulls out of UFC 197 rematch with Jon Jones

    Daniel Cormier has pulled out of his April 23rd rematch with Jon Jones due to an apparent knee injury.  There have been reports of people seeing Cormier limping around earlier in the week.  

    Cormier lost the first bout against Jones by decision in January of 2015 at UFC 182.  Cormier then won the UFC Light Heavyweight title over Anthony Johnson by submission in his next fight after Jon Jones was stripped of the title following a felony hit and run incident that ended in a plea agreement.  Rumors are that Anthony Johnson has been training and is willing replace Cormier but there is no guarantee that Jones will accept the fight.  Anthony Johnson since losing the title fight against Cormier has dispatched both Jimi Manuwa and Ryan Bader by knock-out.

    The title fight was already in doubt when Jon Jones was arrested last week for violating his probation after being cited in Albuquerque, New Mexico for drag racing.  Though that was resolved when Jones agreed to anger managment and driver improvement courses along with 60 more hours of community service.

    There is already a title fight on the card between Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson and Henry Cejudo.

  • April 4, 2016 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Wrestlemania 32 preview, Jon Jones arrested

    WrestleMania 32 on 4/3 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas is far from the strongest WrestleMania lineup in history, and is likely not to be remembered as the biggest, but it caps off what looks to be the biggest weekend of shows in one location in history.

    At press time, WrestleMania had 85,000 tickets out for $13.5 million, both records. There have been virtually no primary outlet sales in the last week because almost no tickets are left. There may be some seats released at the last minute after production is moved in and seats are opened, but the real attendance figure won’t be much above this figure.

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  • Jon Jones arrested for probation violation; UFC fight vs. Cormier still on for now

    Former UFC light heavyweight champion and No. 1 contender Jon Jones was arrested Tuesday for violation of his probation stemming from an altercation with a police officer last Thursday after he was pulled over and accused of drag racing.

    Jones had claimed that he had just revved up his engine of his Corvette, and noted that he wasn’t speeding nor arrested for speeding. The entire confrontation was caught on tape, and has inspired a mixed reaction from fans and media.

    Jones was taken into custody at 10 AM local time by the Probation & Parole department and taken to the detention center where he was being held at last word.

    TMZ Sports first reported the story and posted Jones’ new mug shot. They also reported that EAG Sports, which represents Jones, issued a statement saying, “Jon and his team are taking this very seriously and we will let the legal process play out. We are confident he will be released once he has an opportunity to explain to the judge the facts in this case.”

    Jones was sentenced to probation from his hit and run conviction last year, which resulted in his being stripped of his UFC light heavyweight championship.  He has not fought since his January 2015 win over Daniel Cormier who subsequently defeated Anthony “Rumble” Johnson later in the year to win the vacant title. The Cormier vs. Jones rematch was scheduled to headline UFC’s next big show on 4/23 in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.  At this time, no
    statement has been made regarding if the arrest will affect this match.

    Jones’ 18-month probation was not revoked when he got a recent traffic citation because of the feeling that was a minor charge, and Jones proved he had a license and registration, something he didn’t have in his possession when pulled over.

    It was a day after his court case when it was agreed all charges would be dropped, pending him not getting in trouble over the next 90 days, when he was pulled over on the claim he was drag racing.

    Jones was charged with drag racing, a noise disturbance violation, an illegible license plate, exhibition driving and an inability to maintain being in a traffic lane, which was considered a probation violation.

    The UFC released a statement saying, “UFC is aware that Jon Jones turned himself into the Albuquerque Police Department this morning for a potential probation violation stemming from a traffic stop last week. UFC has been in touch with Jones’ legal team and will have no further comment until the organization has had appropriate time to gather necessary information.”

  • Observer Radio 10/24: WWE Hell in a Cell preview, UFC Dublin report, Jon Jones returns, all the weekend news

    Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez, Dave Meltzer and Filthy Tom Lawlor returns today with our first of many shows this weekend talking WWE Hell in a Cell, ROH and GFW crowning new champions, New Japan’s latest show, UFC Fight Night Dublin, the return of Jon Jones and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!

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  • Wrestling Observer Live 10/23: Jon Jones reinstatement, Dr. Lucha talks Lucha Underground, more!

    Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive returns today to talk all the news in wrestling and MMA including the official reinstatement of Jon Jones to the UFC, plus Dr. Lucha joins us to talk Lucha Underground and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!

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  • UFC reinstates Jon Jones, Rematch with Daniel Cormier inevitable

    The Ultimate Fighting Championship today announced the reinstatement of former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

    Jones had been suspended since an April hit-and-run case, coming a few months after a cocaine test positive a well as a late night car crash.

    Dana White had said previously that if Jones was reinstated, he could immediately challenge for the championship that he never lost.  The title is currently held by Daniel Cormier, who Jones defeated via decision on Jan. 3 in one of UFC’s biggest pay-per-view shows of recent years.  A Cormier vs. Jones title match would be expected next on the agenda.   

    Jones pleaded guilty to one felony charge and was given 18 months probation and 72 appearances for either charity of speaking with children, which was meant to be one per week during his probation period.

    The UFC released this statement this morning.

    “Following a review of the plea agreement reached by Jon Jones and officials in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the judge’s decision, UFC announced today the formal reinstatement of Jones to the UFC roster.  Effective immediately, Jones is eligible to return to competition.  As such, UFC expects Jones to meet all the terms of his plea agreement, including mandatory community service, as a condition of his reinstatement.

    UFC is currently discussing with Jones a potential date for his return to the Octagon.

    `We’ve made it clear to Jon that this new opportunity to compete in UFC is a privilege and not a right, and that there are significant expectations we have regarding his conduct moving forward,’ said UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta.  `We’re happy to read and see reports that he has embraced the terms of his plea agreement and is using this experience to grow and develop as a person.’

    `I am thankful to be able to do what I love once again and I look forward to proving myself as a champion in and outside of the Octagon,’ Jones said.”

    Jones also said on Facebook:  “It took me losing almost everything I had worked for to realize how much I had.”

    Jones, who has a 21-1 record, is generally considered the most talented fighter in the history of the sport. In his 22 pro fights, he won every one of them handily with the exception of a close decision win over Alexander Gustafsson.  His lone loss, to Matt Hamill, was via disqualification in a one-sided fight where he had destroyed Hamill the entire fight.

    At 24, he was the youngest champion in UFC history when he defeated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua to win the title.  With eight title defenses, he was on the verge of Anderson Silva’s record of ten when the title was stripped from him due to his suspension.

    “Congrats to Jon `Bones’ Jones on his reinstatement to the UFC,” wrote Cormier on Facebook.  “For MMA fans, this is a good day.  A guy that has shown to be one of the greatest fighters of all-time is back.  As a competitor, there could be no other outcome and this is the best news I’ve heard in a long time.  Jon has said the right things and his actions are backing his words up.  We all hope this is the last time we have to deal with anything like that.  And lastly, as a fan, you get to see two of the best fighters compete against each other.  With that being said, I can’t wait to compete against him again.”