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San Diego, California, United States (AHN) - Jon "Bones" Jones is a bad, bad man. But don't take our word for it, ask the bad man himself.
"When it comes to MMA, I'm kind of a geek," Jones said.
A geek that can shatter your orbital socket with an elbow and make rain with a spinning backfist. He's someone you don't want to anger. You wouldn't like him when he's angry. Right, Bones?
"I'm a pretty emotional guy, and a sensitive guy," Jones said, "and trash talk gets to me."
This is the man that demolished Stephan Bonnar, dismantled Jake O'Brien, and destroyed Brian Vera. His only loss was a disqualification against Matt Hamill, because his elbows were too fierce.
"I was very disappointed," Hamill said of his performance against Jones. "Nobody had every taken me down before, but he gave me a wake-up call. I don't feel like I won that fight."
He's a real-life video game character. Anything's possible--No move too flashy, no punch too violent.
"Who am I," Jones asked? "I'm the young kid who's only been training a few years. I'm a nobody trying to make a name."
Nothing is as disjointed as watching Jones fight, then listening to him talk. We expect saber rattling and get "Aw shucks."
Instead of Mr. T, we get Steve Urkel.
"Being humble is really really important to me," Jones said. "People say I haven't fought anyone, and I'm not proven. In a way they're right. I haven't fought a top-10 or top-five guy yet. Knowing that, I don't have any leeway to say I'm the best."
"A real black belt focuses on what he doesn't know," Jones continued. "I know I have a lot to learn, and I have gaps in my game. Until I'm a well-rounded fighter, I'm going to stand proud and be grounded."
See? All the power of the Hulk, with the charisma of Aquaman.
Sunday night in San Diego, Jones will be facing Vladimir Matyushenko in the main event of UFC on Versus 2. His first main event was the March bout with Brian Vera that ended with a fractured eye socket.
When a fighter starts appearing in main events, the strut comes out. He has a responsibility to help promote the card with wild pre-fight hype.
However, as we've seen that's not Jones' style.
"Being in a main event doesn't affect my mindset," Jones said. "The only difference is I'm the last guy to leave the locker room. All my guys have left me. I'm in there reading my notebook--my list of moves written down--and visualizing a positive outcome for myself.
"Everything is the same, the only difference is you see your face in the hotel when you walk through the lobby."
Cue the explosion graphics and the dramatic voice over: "Sunday night, Bones Jones is going to look at his picture on the fight poster, then read his notebook in the locker room." That sound you hear is throngs of people charging to the box office.
Low-key interviews aside, there's no question that Jones' actions in the cage provide all the hype a show needs. Sunday's bout will put Jones up against the most experienced opponent he's faced in his brief career.
Matyushenko has almost twice as many wins as any of Jones' previous 11 opponents and fought Tito Ortiz for the UFC title when Jones was 14.
"The biggest thing is to use his experience against him and be something he hasn't fought against," Jones said. "A guy that can throw high and low kicks with both legs, switch stances, shoot double legs and throw. I'm taller. I have good footwork. I've watched his fights, and I don't' think he's fought anyone like me. It's going to be experience versus ambition."
It almost sounds like Jones was talking smack. Perhaps our young fighter is growing up.
"Just so you guys know," Jones added, "I'm 23 now. So I'm not all that young anymore."
