Jon Jones
Pic by SHERDOG.COM -click for source- Credit: Dave Mandel

After beating his second bulked up middleweight in a row in Chael Sonnen at UFC 159, Jon Jones stands (controversially over GSP I might add) at second place in the world, or at least according to fightmetric.com’s official UFC rankings.

What we already know about Jones is that he has ardently marched through every elite light heavyweight fighter to have graced the Octagon over the past decade. The ones he hasn’t fought have simply lost relativity in the division or can’t string enough wins together to warrant the opportunity of a title shot at this point.

He has accomplished so much in so little time that all he really has to do at this point, to earn the immortalizing recognition in the fight game, as the pound for pound number one fighter, is wait.

If Anderson Silva loses just once, Jones will take his place in everyone’s hearts and minds. Yet what would he have to accomplish to take Silva’s spot if neither champion slows down anytime soon?

The top light heavyweights in his division may be talented, but let’s face it, they are over shadowed by the champ at this point. It doesn’t really matter that Glover Teixeira and Alexander Gustaffson have arrived. Sure they beat Rampage Jackson and Mauricio Rua respectively, but does anyone give them the credit they deserve as respectable challenges for Jones?

No none of us do, and like Anderson Silva, people are beginning to wish he would move up in weight and take on the hungry lions circling the heavyweight division.

Where Silva dabbled in a weight class above himself and then went back to dominating the weight class he had become accustomed to dominating over time, therein lies the opportunity for Jones to trump Silva, while The Spider is still in his prime.

He has to make a run at the heavyweight title. Ridiculous sounding in nature, it’s the only way Jones can transcend Silva’s legend while they still both hold gold.

If he moves up and wins one fight at heavyweight, I bet Dana and co. would give him the shot. Hell, it would be the only logical way to move forward for the promotion and they’ve all but said it lately.

Dana has been trying to convince Silva to fight Jones, GSP to fight Silva, and everything in between for years. The UFC contracted the Dallas stadium for the possibility, not for the actually thing, but just the possibility they would have the opportunity to host our generation’s first super fight.

Then, Dana said Jones had a plan after the Sonnen fight. It sounded interesting and yet mysterious in the way Dana has been able to create a little hype here and there in the way he does best. Conjuring fact out of fiction and turning rumors in to serious plot points within the sport’s 20 year history.

I predict whoever comes out on top between Junior Dos Santos vs. Mark Hunt, will be Jones’s next challenge. When that happens, it will be for the undisputed number one contender at heavyweight. Dana White and the UFC will get their Superfight, and Jones will earn the chance at dethroning Anderson Silva, without laying a hand on him.