Jon Jones tops Anderson Silva in SI P4P list
Anderson Silva won the UFC middleweight championship in October 2006, and has successfully defended it a record nine times. He…
Anderson Silva won the UFC middleweight championship in October 2006, and has successfully defended it a record nine times. He owns UFC bests in consecutive wins (14), longest title reign (six years and six months, and counting) and most gasps of disbelief from awestruck fans.
It would take something extraordinary for “The Spider” to be unseated from the top spot in the mixed martial arts rankings.
Meet Jon Jones.
While it’s tough to argue against Silva, it’s impossible to hold down Jones any longer.
Just ask Rashad Evans. Just ask Lyoto Machida. Just ask Quinton Jackson. Just ask Mauricio Rua. All of them were former or reigning champs who were made to look run of the mill.
True, Silva has dominated most every fighter the UFC has stuck in the octagon with him, but he’s not faced the murderer’s row that Jones has recently. Four champions in 13 months! And while one might argue that “Bones” hasn’t been doing it for as long as Silva has, this ranking is no lifetime achievement award. Jon Jones, at age 24, is on top of his game and deserves to be recognized as such.
Dana White no doubt will disagree. The UFC president has insisted over and over, loud and clear, that Silva belongs in the No. 1 spot.