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[Sakara=Excitement]

Ryan Bader vs. Jon Jones targeted for UFC 127 in February | MMAjunkie.com

A matchup between two of the brightest prospects in the UFC's light heavyweight division appears likely for early 2011.

A long-discussed contest between "The Ultimate Fighter 8" winner Ryan Bader (12-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) and the dynamic 23-year-old Jon Jones (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) appears likely for the as-yet-unannounced UFC 127 event.

MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) learned of the planned date from sources close to the event.

UFC 127 is expected to take place Feb. 5 in Las Vegas and feature a middleweight title fight between current champion Anderson Silva and dangerous striker Vitor Belfort.

Jones' agent, Malki Kawa, recently told MMAWeekly.com he was hoping for a Jan. 1 booking for his client, but that now appears unlikely.

Bader recently earned a high-profile decision win over longtime veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at this past-month's UFC 119 event. The win was Bader's fifth-straight in the octagon and 12-straight victory overall since turning pro.

Meanwhile, Jones fought most recently in August, when he needed just 1 minute and 52 seconds to dispatch of another longtime veteran, Vladimir Matyushenko.

The prospective matchup between Bader and Jones has been rumored for months, and "Bones" talked about the potential contest on Friday's new edition of HDNet's "Inside MMA."

"If that's the fight to have, I'm excited," Jones said.

While Bader's wrestling credentials are well-documented, Jones said he sees the contest as a chance to proves his own grappling prowess.

"I've been trying to prove that since my debut," Jones said. "I'm trying to secure a respect level in my wrestling. I'm sure Ryan Bader, the advantage he'll have going in is to be 'the better wrestler.' I want to try and prove the UFC wrong again.

"It'll be fun."

While the UFC's 205-pound division is one of the promotion's deepest, the winner of the Bader-Jones contest will certainly emerge as a top contender. And should he prove victorious, Jones says he hopes to face someone with a different skillset than Bader and past opponents Matyushenko, Matt Hamill and Jake O'Brien.

"I'm ready to fight some strikers; I'm ready to fight some southpaws," Jones said. "I'm ready to really mix it up, maybe some jiu-jitsu black belts., but if this is what I have, this is what I have."

[ckauffman28]

wonder if this is gonna be superbowl card or a over seas...

[xraygex]

Winner of this should get winner of Machida/Rampage for title shot.

Anyone agree ?

[GangGreenWarrior]

I'd rather see Machida/Rampage winner get title shot and winner of this fight another top ranked guy like Thiago Silva, Forrest Griffin, or Rich Franklin. I don't want either guy to go for a title shot before facing some more big names....if at least just to get them more known with casual fans.

[Buffalo Soldier]

I have Jones by murder death kill if the ref falls asleep.

[MickeyKnox]

Oh Fuck-yeah.

This fight is going to be spectacular!

FTW!

Someone is going to go unconscious.

Really don't want either of them to lose.

[xraygex]

Originally Posted by GangGreenWarrior

I'd rather see Machida/Rampage winner get title shot and winner of this fight another top ranked guy like Thiago Silva, Forrest Griffin, or Rich Franklin. I don't want either guy to go for a title shot before facing some more big names....if at least just to get them more known with casual fans.

Machida and rampage are both coming off loses. So 1 win and they get a title shot ? I think thats bs!! those are both "big names" and it would be a big draw for either bones or bader. And t.silva, franklin, and forrest arent relevent in the title picture right now.

[Fedorlei Gomipierre]

Gollygosh on this one, I guess Joe Silva would prefer not feeding Franklin, Couture or Forrest to Bones afterall.....

Ummmm, this has the Hamill fight without the 12 to 6 elbowstrikes written all over it. Not to shit on Bader too much here, but he's seriously nowhere near ready for this level of competition and Bones is a virtual human wreckingball at this juncture with perimeter level challengers. Bader's got power and sheer wrestling prowess, but his gastank will be pushed to the limit here and Jones is sooooo smooth in his entire game, that I see this being a complete game shutout for Jones.

I don't like seeing either hotshot prospect lose here and see it akin to that Carwin/Cain fight that was supposed to happen last Nov. Bader squeeked by a tenative Lil Nog and nearly got teed off on, Bones will as said above MDK him.

[GSPvsSILVA2012]

Originally Posted by xraygex

Winner of this should get winner of Machida/Rampage for title shot.

Anyone agree ?

yeah, I love the lhw division

[Rumble]

Originally Posted by Fedorlei Gomipierre

Gollygosh on this one, I guess Joe Silva would prefer not feeding Franklin, Couture or Forrest to Bones afterall.....

Ummmm, this has the Hamill fight without the 12 to 6 elbowstrikes written all over it. Not to shit on Bader too much here, but he's seriously nowhere near ready for this level of competition and Bones is a virtual human wreckingball at this juncture with perimeter level challengers. Bader's got power and sheer wrestling prowess, but his gastank will be pushed to the limit here and Jones is sooooo smooth in his entire game, that I see this being a complete game shutout for Jones.

I don't like seeing either hotshot prospect lose here and see it akin to that Carwin/Cain fight that was supposed to happen last Nov. Bader squeeked by a tenative Lil Nog and nearly got teed off on, Bones will as said above MDK him.

I got to agree I hate seeing the loss of a prospect, but if this is the fight the UFC wants then I think Jones is going to take this.

Now don't get me wrong I'm a big fan of both guys, but I just think that Bones' is going to be too much for Bader. His wrestling is on par if not better than Bader's (in terms of effective MMA wrestling) and I think it will keep him out of trouble for the most part. I think Bader's best shot is to land a HUGE power shot on Jones and hope for the KO. That being said I still think Jones will takes this by (t)KO of his own.