Jon Jones' quick ascension in the light heavyweight division is quite impressive, but UFC president Dana White believes the 24-year-old has even more potential to show.
Jones will compete for the fourth time this year when he defends the light heavyweight title against Lyoto Machida at UFC 140.
While appearing at a pre-UFC 140 press conference earlier this week, White spoke highly of both competitors and said Jones has handled the pressure tremendously well at his age.
"I've said it many times that this guy is the whole package. At such a young age, taking on the names and beating the guys that he has," White said. "You have to respect what he's been able to do at such a young age and how he's done it.”
To put it simply, Jones has manhandled his opponents in such an unprecedented fashion. "Bones" has seemingly made his successful run look easy at this point, while walking away with little or no injuries.
Holding victories over such veterans as Vladimir Matyushenko, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Jones has already cemented his claim for one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in mixed martial arts.
And, according to White, a win over Machida will certainly solidify his pound-for-pound status.
"If Jon Jones can walk through Machida the way he walked through Rampage, then he has arrived, he is the real deal," he said. "[Lyoto] Machida is stylistically very tough and I think this is a fun fight.”
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