A Bit Premature? Cain Velasquez Opens As Hefty -275 Favorite Over Jon Jones

UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones has been in the news as of late, but it’s been for for all the wrong reasons. From the controversy of his last fight against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165 to his withdrawal from proposed bouts with Glover Teixeira at both UFC 169 and 170 in February, the circumstances surrounding Jones are cloudy at best.

Many began to believe that Jones is simply looking to beat around the bush in order to avoid facing Gustafsson again. “The Mauler” was without a doubt “Bones’” toughest challenge to date, proving that a fighter with similar size and reach could indeed give Jones fits.

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To circumvent all that talk Jones spoke up at a Q&A session last week to lay down the groundwork for a fight that may even be potentially bigger than a rematch with Gustafsson. “Bones” said that he’s planning a superfight against UFC Heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez within the next year. Tons of MMA fans and media balked at the proposition, noting that if Velasquez can destroy Junior dos Santos the way he did at UFC 166, “Bones” will stand little chance of dethroning the grinding Heavyweight king.

And it appears like the early odds makers agree with that belief.

According to BestFightOdds.com, Velasquez has opened as a nearly three-to-one favorite over Jones at -275. Can anyone really argue with that? After all, Jones just got wheeled out of his fight with Gustafsson on certified zombie status. He may have picked up a unanimous decision win but he sure didn’t look like it. Gustafsson was noticeably gassed but he never complained about the decision or endured a serious injury.

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However, Jones is one the shelf mending from an injured left foot suffered in the fight. He’s rumored to return to the cage in March or April, but who knows? At the rate it’s going right now a straight answer about his next fight doesn’t seem to be on the imminent horizon.

Is the champ just trying to get away from the Gustafsson discussion by bringing up a superfight with Velasquez? If he is serious about the whole thing, he may be diving headfirst into shark-infested waters. Jones has never been regarded as the most genuine of fighters, and many think he’s beginning to come across as scared. Will we ever see him face off against Velasquez in the Octagon?

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