Quote of the Day: Brandon Vera - "Nobody’s Ever Been Able to Push Jones"
by Nick Thomas on Mar 12, 2010 9:11 AM EST
in MMA News
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"The only thing that we can really find is his [Jon Jones] inexperience," said Vera. "His game is tight. His striking is good. His defense works good. We’ve been studying him for a while, and his biggest weakness is his inexperience. That’s the only X-factor in this game. Everything else is almost like a seasoned vet."
"Nobody’s ever been able to push Jones," said Vera. "He said he’s trying to stay comfortable and relaxed in the ring."
"Between me and Jones, if you just watch both of us fight, both of us has a hole -- somebody drops a hand here, somebody drops a hand there, somebody turns the wrong way and both of us have been capitalizing on other opponents (this way)," said Vera.
"I’ve been trying to finish fights," said Vera. "I’m getting more and more comfortable in the 205-pound division. It’s a different pace, a different game, (and) I’m feeling a lot better."
-- Brandon Vera sees some of himself in Jon Jones.
Brandon Vera (11-4) +225
Loss Randy Couture - Decision (Unanimous) UFC 105 11/14/2009 3 5:00
Win Krzysztof Soszynski - Decision (Unanimous) UFC 102 8/29/2009 3 5:00
Win Michael Patt - TKO (Leg Kicks) UFC 96 3/7/2009 2 1:27
Loss Keith Jardine - Decision (Split) UFC 89 10/18/2008 3 5:00
Jon Jones (9-1) -285
Loss Matt Hamill - DQ (Illegal Downward Elbows) UFC 12/5/2009 1 4:14
Win Jake O'Brien - Submission (Guillotine Choke) UFC 100 7/11/2009 2 2:43
Win Stephan Bonnar - Decision (Unanimous) UFC 94 1/31/2009 3 5:00
Win Andre Gusmao - Decision (Unanimous) UFC 87 8/9/2008 3 5:00
HT: sherdog.com
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Its amazing what a favorite Jon Jones is in this fight
I mean when I think about the line I don’t have a problem its just not what I expected.
I am interested in seeing how this plays out.
I am a big fan of Jones, but this won’t be an easy fight for him.
Vera should have the crisper striking and his wrestling is very solid as well. Couture wasn’t able to man handle Vera he was with many other fighters.
Can Jones do better agains’t Vera’s wrestling?
Does Jones want to test Vera’s BJJ?
Where is Jones strength in this fight on the ground or standing?
Then again, I was asking myself some of the same questions before the Jones vs Hamill fight. I know if Jones would be able to take Hamill down. I didn’t know how he would handle someone with Hamill’s strength. He aquitted himself quite well in that one.
While Vera’s defensive wrestling is solid, I think the explosiveness of Jones will be a deciding factor. When Couture uses his wrestling, he does so in a methodical way. That gave Vera plenty of time to counter.
If Jones forces a wrestling match, I imagine he’s going to be as dynamic as he has been in the past, and that’s a hard thing to counter. Jones by decision.
I can see that happening. Jones' explosiveness is hard to match.
If it doesn’t translate though, he could be in for a tough one.
Good observations. I think Randy’s overall wrestling has gone down rather significantly in the past year-plus, in large part due to a decrease in his explosive power. Jones is definitely not lacking in that department. At this point in time, I wouldn’t want to see Randy step in against Jon Jones, as he’d get hurt badly. I think Vera may match up better against Jones than Randy does, but I still don’t see Vera winning.
by Hardcharger on Mar 12, 2010 10:07 AM EST up reply actions
I agree that Jones’ speed in thought and action are the keys here both in the wrestling and the standup. Vera doesn’t seem like the guy to “push” anyone, at least not recently. To me that’s been his fundamental problem of late. Much too passive. I appreciate that Vera’s talking about just throwing down with no fear of takedowns, but I’ll have to see him demonstrate that to believe it. Jon could do something crazy and get caught standing or on the ground, but in general I think his aggression and confidence give him a freedom that Vera hasn’t shown in a long time, and I think Brandon will fall into playing defense for most of the fight.
by Kwisatz Haderach on Mar 12, 2010 10:44 PM EST up reply actions
I just have a hard time seeing Vera win this...
….based on his track record, Jones will be coming into this fight looking to finish his opponent. If Vera holds true to form, he’ll be fighting not to lose.
Vera striking looked good in the HW division when he wasn’t fighting other strong strikers. That’s practically evaporated looking at his fights against Jardine, Reese Andy, and Soszynski. Haven’t seen much from Vera’s wrestling either to see him use it effectively. He was still able to get pushed up against the cage by Couture, whereas Jones handled himself quite well against Hamill. I don’t think Jones needs to be particularly wary of Vera’s BJJ either from what I’ve seen.
If Vera wants to win, he’ll have to do it on the feet, and his lack of aggression will hurt him unless that changes. Jones via decision, or TKO.
Yeah, Jones isn't someone to try and counter-strike against.
Is striking is very unorthodox as well as unpredictable.
Actually
it seems like a solid counter striker would be ideal in taking out Jones. Jones is unorthodox and all that jazz but he’s also sloppy and leaves himself open plenty. I’m really interested in seeing how he finally does against a striker as refined as Vera is.
"That's right I'm into hardcore crack, that's why my teeth are so bad"
I am going with Vera on this one
I honestly feel that Vera will win this one because he has the better fundamentals, especially in the standup department. Outside of some crazy kick, spinning backfist/elbow, or some other high risk strike, I don’t see Jones winning the standup unless it has improved dramatically (it looks like he is utilizing the jab more). Looking at Jones’ past opponents (Hammill, O’Brien, Bonnar, Gusmao), none of them had solid fundamentals in the standup department. Vera is a Greco-Roman guy as well and has good BJJ, and he is already hard enough to take down. With that said, it wouldn’t surprise me if Bones won, but I will go with Vera on this one (most likely by decision).
If the Vera that showed up against the likes of Mir and Assuerio shows up here he should get the win. If the Vera that showed up against Reese Andy shows up Jones is going to demolish him.
It all depends on which Vera shows up. I think he has looked awful at 205 and should probably just go back up to HW if he loses..
+225 for Vera is a good bet, I think. Jones is riding a wave of hype because of his dynamic style that people just aren’t used to seeing. But I think the fight will be close.
I wouldn't bet on vera
Jon Jones is the real deal. He proved that against Hammil, who’s no walk in the park. Vera is simply to conservative. Unless Vera has a break-out fight, this one’s over before it starts.
I love it...
Just goes to show you how uneducated hype amongst gamblers can push the lines. How can Vera be at +225 — we have absolutely no idea how good a fighter Jones is, and we know that Vera is a damn good fighter.
I’m not gonna be able to cash in on this like I did in the Maia/Marquardt hype fiasco, but the line is obviously being pushed by dimwitted Jones Fanboy’s. If anybody out there is gonna put money on Jones — you should have your head examined.
Faber, Florian, Nick Diaz, 'Mayhem', Mousasi, Fedor
this is actually true
noone has tested jones so i have no idea how hes gonna respond to adversity when he finally faces it, maybe he has an arlovski like chin we have no idea really
Shenanigans
Jones destroyed Noone. That guy was never in the fight.
I'm the best ever. You're the most average in a minute.
And NEW UFC Welterweight Champion of the World.....Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy!
by slapjaw ackrite on Mar 12, 2010 6:26 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
people think that its Vera who’s changed so much. The Vera who knocked out the bums in HW is one in the same with the Vera who cant finish in LHW.
Sure he looks as if he has lost some killer instinct. That’s it though. He is more skilled now that ever. What you are seeing is what happens when a really good fighter fights bums and then fights really good fighers.
This.
I hate to bad mouth a fighter, because I respect all their hard work and just guts to do it, but i’ve felt for awhile now that Vera just isn’t elite standard, look who he’s beat, none of them are truly up their or are past it a bit now. Jones IMO is Vera but at that elite level, the only way Jones losses this is if he gets DQ’d again.
by TheKeyboardWarrior on Mar 12, 2010 1:58 PM EST up reply actions
Vera's fights with Randy, and Jardine...
both could’ve went his way…. I think its more than just competition… He had a chance to finish Randy and just didn’t pull the trigger, and its seemed that he’s had a hard time opening up
I'm like PacMan fightin you silly kids... throw ya Hatton the ring, and get knocked outlike Ricky did.
lol.
Vera most certainly has elite skills. He however is not a top ten fighter so that would mean he is not an elite fighter so I guess your right perse.
Skill for skill not many people can even come close to matching Vera. He has the skills to beat anyone or at least compete with anyone it’s just that it hasn’t matched his peformances.
Vera is extrememly underated lol which is hard to say because vera himself has overated himself to a point its almost needed because hes such a doosh.
Surely he has the skills to be the LHW champ potenitally. Key word is potentially.
My prediction: Brandon Vera beats Brandon Vera
by dreamers_12345 on Mar 12, 2010 10:54 PM EST reply actions
Not the "inner me"
but the “inna me”
by dreamers_12345 on Mar 13, 2010 12:55 AM EST up reply actions
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