Experts’ predictions for UFC 145
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans FOWLKES: Evans might have the best chance yet to find out what Jones can do…
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans
FOWLKES: Evans might have the best chance yet to find out what Jones can do off his back, but nothing I’ve seen from the current champ gives me any reason to doubt him. He might have a harder time with Evans than he did with Lyoto Machida, but I think Jones still gets his hand raised via a late finish. Jones by TKO.
HUNT: At the end of the night, when Jones’ hand is raised, Evans — the most successful fighter to come out of The Ultimate Fighter series — can take stock in knowing that nobody can beat Jones right now except Jones himself. Jones by TKO.
WAGENHEIM: I don’t know if Evans is good enough to beat the champ, but he’s good enough to give Jones what no one has given him before: a scrap. Bones has too much fight and too much flair, however, to skip to anyone else’s Lou. Jones by KO.
WERTHEIM: Most anticipated fight on 2012 so far. Even discounting the obligatory trash talk as hype to pump pay-per-view buys, for the first time, Jones faces an opponent he truly dislikes. He’s younger, healthier, more creative and has a sizable reach advantage. Short of catching Jones, it’s hard to imagine Evans becoming the first fighter to solve the Jones riddle. Jones by decision.
READERS: In an SI.com poll, 76 percent of our readers said Jones will beat Evans.
