(Image Source: UFC)

BY MATT NOONAN

ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO

You're watching multisource sports video news analysis from Newsy. 
 

Current Champ vs Former Champ. Youth vs Experience. Athleticism vs Power.

The contrast between UFC fighters Jon “Bones” Jones and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson couldn’t be more striking. Both fighters appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live this week to hype their highly anticipated title fight – each mugging for the camera and trading thinly veiled insults.

ESPN’s Franklin McNeil says neither fighter is taking this bout lightly:

“I don’t agree that Jones is worried… I do think that Jones is taking Rampage very seriously, and that he expects a difficult fight.

“Rampage, on the other hand, is not concerned with Jones’ style – it’s very unorthodox. He’s looking at it from the standpoint of ‘I don’t really care what Jon Jones brings, I’m going to be Rampage.’”

Jackson may not care what Jones brings, but MMA fans certainly do.  MMA Fighting.com says the intriguing matchup is a home run:

“There are a lot of easy-to-sell storylines on the Jones-Jackson fight, with Jones playing the role of the All-American nice guy and Jackson as the tough dude from the wrong side of the tracks… that's an easy way to sell the fight to a new audience.”

But Bleacher Report featured columnist Adam Wells says the UFC has more to gain if Jones is successful in his first title defense:

“[Jones] can become the biggest star the company has ever created if he is able to put together a long and successful title run… Jackson is the speed bump standing in the way of Jones becoming that superstar.”

He could become that superstar, but Fight Week’s Jordan Breen says Jones is a very polarizing individual in the MMA community:

“A world of MMA fans has been turned on to his brand of violence – breaking fighters off in the octagon with his unique blend of athleticism, brutality, and creativity – Jon Jones’ own version of the ABCs.

“However, whether or not he gets to hang out with Kenny Powers in commercials, Jones still rubs a lot of hardcore MMA fans the wrong way. He refuses to sign replica belts, comes off as self-righteous, and insincere at times.”

If he still rubs some fans the wrong way, an SB Nation blogger wonders if the UFC is ready for Jones to become a mainstream success:

"Mixed martial arts has always been different than traditional sports. We're told the fighters are just like us... [Jones] has more in common with basketball or tennis prodigies than a typical fan or fellow fighter. In short, Jones is MMA's first mainstream athlete in the worst sense of the word."

Transcript By Newsy