Stephan Bonnar vs Jon Jones UFC 94 fight on tap

by MMAmania.com on Oct 22, 2008 2:41 PM EDT

Stephan Bonnar (11-4) confirmed that he will return to action against Jon Jones (6-0) at UFC 94 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on January 31, according to a recent interview with InsideFighting.com.

Bonnar -- The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season one light heavyweight finalist -- has been on the mend nursing a surgically repaired knee back to health for the past several months.

He sustained the catastrophic injury while training for a big fight against Matt Hamill at UFC Fight Night 13 back in April, derailing the progress he had made after a suspension for steroids. In fact, he was on a two-fight win streak, finishing Eric Schafer and Mike Nickels, respectively, establishing himself once again as a dangerous light heavyweight threat.

Now training at X-Treme Couture in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Chicago transplant will have to gear up for one of the most promising prospects in the division.

Jones scored a unanimous decision win over veteran Andre Gusmao at UFC 87: "Seek and Destroy" back in April, electrifying the crowd with his raw talent and improvisation within the cage that included spinning backfists, double spinning back elbows … crazy stuff.

And he did it all on just days notice.

It marked the sixth career win for Jones and his sixth fight of 2008. That’s right, "Bones" is a decorated collegiate wrestler who just recently made the transition to mixed martial arts and is already making some waves at the UFC level.

He’ll have his hands full, however, against a very hungry and experienced "American Psycho" on Super Bowl weekend.

UFC 94 will feature the welterweight superfight between former 170-pound champion and current lightweight kingpin BJ Penn versus reigning welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, as well as the highly anticipated showdown between light heavyweight unbeatens Lyoto Machida and Thiago Silva.

To check out the latest UFC 94 fight card and rumors click here.

Tweet Comment 36 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Jones will be in very deep water, this should be a brawl.

by DSmith on Oct 22, 2008 2:49 PM EDT reply actions

NICE, I love Stephan Bonnar… and why are Fitch and Karo not fighting each other? Neither have an opponent yet, I’d like to see it!

by 1-0 via Arm Triangle on Oct 22, 2008 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Isn’t Karo recovering from somehting? I forget why he pulle dout of the last fight.

by DSmith on Oct 22, 2008 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions

His vagina hurts…

by BNF on Oct 22, 2008 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Fitch is suppose to be facing Stun Gun at ufc 93 in dublin. Hasn’t been properly confirmed yet though.

by Macho Bullshit on Oct 22, 2008 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Fucking good fight if thats true.I think Fitch would probably take it.

by Flying Knee on Oct 22, 2008 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions

fitch will take it but Stun Gun should make it interesting! I expect a WAR!

I want to see Fitch vs. Jake Sheilds ASAP!

this Bonner vs. JOnes match up will be extremely exciting but Bonner is going to take it. Jones is Wild, Bonnar is a more refined boxer and it will make a big difference. If it goes to the ground its over because Bonnar is a very nice grappler!

by john on Oct 22, 2008 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Who is stun gun?

by Dayzah on Oct 22, 2008 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Stun Gun is the guy who just “won” a split decision over Matt Brown. I expect Fitch to handel him with relative ease, especially since he took a beating in his last fight.

by BNF on Oct 22, 2008 6:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Dong Hyun Kim right?

by RoB on Oct 22, 2008 6:42 PM EDT up reply actions

the DONGER.

by b.w. on Oct 22, 2008 8:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Gun slaughtered Jason Tan recently, good build, like Georges, great elbows from the top!!! Just as Tan = )

by ( (Adam G) ) on Oct 22, 2008 9:28 PM EDT up reply actions

*ask

by ( (Adam G) ) on Oct 22, 2008 9:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Sweet, can’t wait to see Bonnar back in the ring.

by DDT on Oct 22, 2008 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions

I really wanted to see Bonnar against Tim Boetsch but this is good too.

by NameNotRequired on Oct 22, 2008 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions

What was the entrances song to Jon Jones?

by dsfsfsdf on Feb 1, 2009 4:52 AM EST up reply actions

bonnar wins

by kevin (most moderated guy on mmamania) on Oct 22, 2008 2:52 PM EDT reply actions

lmfao!!!!

by kevin (most moderated guy on mmamania) on Oct 22, 2008 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions

you laugh hesterically at your own prediction?

by sinister on Oct 22, 2008 9:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Lets hope ring rust doesn’t effect Bonnar nor does nervousness impact Jones.

by RyanHobbs on Oct 22, 2008 2:57 PM EDT reply actions

I don’t see Jones being too nervous, but inexperience will definitely get him.

by DSmith on Oct 22, 2008 3:17 PM EDT up reply actions

I just think that there is potential nervousness because Bonnar is a big name and a big step up from Andre Gusmao.

by RyanHobbs on Oct 22, 2008 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions

True.

by DSmith on Oct 22, 2008 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions

I like Bonnar. I hope he is back to form. This should be an exciting fight though.

by mike on Oct 22, 2008 3:26 PM EDT reply actions

I wonder if this fight will make it to the main card. Bonnar is always in exciting fights, I wouldn’t mind. Mania makes Jones sound exciting as well. 6-0 and all of them this year, crazy. Maybe he is not ready for a guy like Bonnar? Does anyone have any fight footage?

by BNF on Oct 22, 2008 3:47 PM EDT reply actions

go to youtube and type in jon jones…there are several of his fights on there from his friends videos, not sure if there is anything official from ufc or mma. its worth a shot though.

by chris on Nov 20, 2008 1:38 PM EST up reply actions

Im stoked to see Bonnar back. Always comes to fight til the end. Love that guy. Forrest/Bonnar will be heard about forever Im sure.

by enzo-enormous on Oct 22, 2008 3:54 PM EDT reply actions

Will Bonnar get hurt before this fight or after this fight? Because Bonnar gets hurt a lot and is out for an extended amount of time.. or he just pisses horse steroids..

But I hope Bonnar wins.

by "Mr. NC-17" on Oct 22, 2008 5:18 PM EDT reply actions

The guy is like a walking open sore, there’s always something wrond with him.

by DSmith on Oct 22, 2008 7:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Bonner is with X-Treme Couture now?

Lack of top notch training has been his big setback. Good to see he’s fixed that.

by Jon on Oct 22, 2008 5:26 PM EDT reply actions

Im excited for jones future but think he’ll be out skilled in this one. and if he does win then daaaammmee. then a lower top ten should be next

by doomdoom on Oct 22, 2008 5:38 PM EDT reply actions

Or at least a matt hammil or tim boestch then a lower top ten. but im jupping the gun a bit.

by doomdoom on Oct 22, 2008 5:45 PM EDT reply actions

Decent addition to an already amazing card (just the GSPENN fight is enough for me) all else is a bonus for me. BJ BJ BJ!!!

by ( (Adam G) ) on Oct 22, 2008 6:05 PM EDT reply actions

I want to know who Fitch and Karo are fighting. Swick and Sanchez (if he is healed) are the only top notch guys not locked into something left at 170. Marcus Davis, but he wants to fight in Ireland.

by mike on Oct 22, 2008 7:20 PM EDT up reply actions

bonnar by decision (unanmiou

by BradReams on Oct 22, 2008 10:40 PM EDT reply actions

Jon Jones is a great wrestler, if this goes to the ground look out bones definitley has the upper hand..andre wouldnt dare take jon to the ground, which made it a fairly wierd fight for jon who had just realized his boxing potential in his previous bout which you can see on youtube, i think it was at 10 second knock out..

long live the spinning back fist!

by jsqu on Jan 26, 2009 5:27 PM EST reply actions