UFC 100 Preview: The Prelims

Jon Jones (8-0) vs. Jake O'Brien (11-2)

The Breakdown: The light heavyweight prospect du jour takes on the incredible shrinking heavyweight, as Jones looks to keep his anointed status intact against Ireland’s favorite wrestler. Wrestling had better be a big part of O’Brien’s game plan, as Jones’ unorthodox and undeniably effective striking makes him a nightmare for which to prepare. Equally unorthodox is Jones’ wrestling, which consists of explosive throws and precision trips; O’Brien prefers more standard-issue techniques. Those old-school favorites have served O’Brien well in his career, but Jones’ entirely unique style is something a cookie-cutter wrestler may not be able to handle.

The X Factor: Much like the Large Hadron Collider, no one’s sure if Jones is going to create a black hole with one of his throws or end up as a trivia answer. Jones remains a raw prospect and his overall game still has some question marks, not the least of which being the effectiveness of his guard. O’Brien will look to expose some holes, and if Jones cannot keep this fight on his own terms, he may get to join luminaries like Michael Olowokandi and Akili Smith in the Big Busts Hall of Fame.

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The Bottom Line: Thus far, O’Brien has found success as a one-dimensional wrestler, but his UFC run has been marred by his embarrassing impotence when it comes to finishing a fight. Going 15 minutes with such an offensively gifted opponent looks like a death wish for someone like O’Brien, and, truth be told, Jones is likely the better wrestler of the two. Watch for Jones to bust out the triple spin back elbow on O’Brien’s dome en route to another stellar showing for the most compelling prospect in the game today.