Issue 078

August 2011

If current trends continue, the world’s supply of aluminum may run short in the very near future. With the number of tinfoil hats being donned as of late by mixed martial arts fans, those grocery-store rolls of wrapper must be flying off the shelves.

Listen, I’m all for a good conspiracy theory when it comes to presidential assassinations and international espionage, but when it comes to UFC champions such as Jon Jones ‘ducking’ fights, I think we’re crossing the line.

Jones’ troubles began in the weeks that followed his shocking destruction of former champion Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua in March. While the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board issued the new title holder an indefinite suspension pending an X-ray, MRI and orthopedic clearance of his right hand, Jones wasn’t worried. Dating back to his college wrestling days, Jones was used to dealing with an ailing hand that would swell up and cause temporary discomfort, but the injury would traditionally subside after just a few days of rest. This time, it did not.

With former friend and training partner Rashad Evans already in negotiations for an August 6th meeting with the champ, Jones followed the UFC’s advice and had the appendage inspected. The news was not good, and after seeking multiple opinions, Jones agreed with the advice of his surgical consultants: a torn ligament was the culprit, and surgery was his only option.

With Jones on the sidelines, Evans was experiencing an unfortunate case of déjà vu. After missing two separate title-fight appointments – once because of an injury to his opponent and the other due his own ailment – Evans was forced to make a decision. Burned by waiting one time before, Evans decided to soldier on and fight undefeated prospect Phil Davis at UFC 131.

But as Jones prepared to go under the knife, new information surfaced. A final pre-operation visit revealed Jones wouldn’t need surgery after all.

The pain wouldn’t go away, his doctor revealed, but Jones could return to fighting sooner if he relied on rehab alone rather than subject himself to surgical repair. The affected digits, his thumb and forefinger, had no limitations in movement or function, so there was no absolute requirement for the procedure, which would have removed a ligament from the fighter’s wrist and laced it into his hand.

For Jones, the news was fantastic, and he immediately informed the UFC of his choice. For Evans, the decision was seemingly akin to treason.

By virtue of simply following doctor’s orders, a fact that UFC president Dana White assured Fighters Only was indeed the case, Jones had come to the brink of an operation only to be saved from the invasive procedure at the 12th hour. Except Evans didn’t see it that way. 

Now tied into the bout with Davis and unable to rebook a fight with the champ, from Evans’ point of view, Jones was ducking him. 

According to Evans, the 23-year-old wrecking machine that re-arranged Brandon Vera’s face, left a previously undefeated Ryan Bader looking like anything but a top-level prospect and embarrassed 30-fight veteran Vladimir Matyushenko in less than two minutes was actually scared to stand on the other side of the cage. The six-foot-four whirling dervish of knees and elbows that left Chute Boxe legend Rua tapping out in pain – and whose only professional loss came from being disqualified as a result of delivering blows so lethal they’re banned in competition – was so hoping to find any possible way to avoid a confrontation that he was actually faking a torn ligament.

Evans’ frustration, while seemingly misplaced, is certainly understandable. After all, Evans brought Jones to Greg Jackson’s famed New Mexico academy, and now he was being forced to train somewhere else. When Evans was on top, he insisted he would never fight the man he considered a brother. When that brother was the division’s kingpin, things quickly changed. 

But for Evans’ theory to gain traction in the MMA community is downright shocking. Perhaps it relates to Jones’ in-your-face manager, Malki Kawa, who has been accused of mishandling his client’s career in the short time they’ve worked together. Maybe it comes from our culture’s seemingly endless need to attack those who appear to be most successful. After all, in the course of a few short weeks, many fans went from calling Jones MMA’s pound-for-pound king-in-waiting to a mere coward afraid to sign a bout agreement to face Evans.

It was a shocking transformation, especially for a fighter who has yet to truly show a single weakness in the cage.

I don’t blame Evans for floating out his theories. It’s part of his job as a prizefighter to sell fights, and if you’re able to get a rise out of a usually stoic foe along the way, then all the better. But fans buying into such hype must certainly consider themselves die-hard ‘Suga’ supporters. If not, then perhaps PT Barnum was right. Maybe there is a sucker born every minute.

By John Morgan, former Fighters Only World MMA Awards ‘Journalist of the Year’.