Mastering His Universe

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In a perfect world, Baltimore would still be playing football, allowing Arthur to be a part of the NFL’s grandest stage just a day after his brother competes in the Octagon.

“It would’ve been awesome if they would’ve beaten the Steelers and made it to the Super Bowl. That would’ve been a very rejoicing time for my mom,” Jon says. “I’m actually secretly happy that my brother’s team didn’t win because [he] will be at the fight with me.

“Me and my brother have gone to [wrestling] tournaments together for years,” he adds. “Just to have him with me always spikes me up, just to see him in that front row before I step in that cage. He’s a very accomplished wrestler. We always made it to the finals together in high school. We’d be the only ones in the locker room together, just slapping each other in the face and getting ready and stuff. He’s definitely a great source of motivation for me.”

In the past UFC President Dana White has said he expects his company to eventually surpass the NFL in terms of popularity, but Jones’ experience at the birthday party of Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs last year demonstrated the gap that still exists between the two brands.

“He had security guards with guns, and just everyone was so flashy and stuff. The NFL world’s so different than MMA -- thousand-dollar suits and million-dollar jewelry. But it was a cool experience. The guys were actually very down to earth, just a little more flashy with the way they present themselves,” he says.

The Task at Hand

When Jones and Rashad Evans work out side-by-side in Jackson's fight school, it becomes nearly impossible to keep the mind’s wheels from turning. Evans, the No. 1 contender at 205 pounds, has a date with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in March to regain his light heavyweight strap. Jones, with a win over Bader, will continue to ascend the pecking order in that very same division.

A potential matchup between the two teammates appears farfetched since training partners within the camp usually avoid confrontations in the cage.

“It’s old hat,” Evans says of the subject. “I said before that me and Keith [Jardine] would never fight. It worked itself out with Keith, and I’m sure that it will work itself out with me and Jon. I’m only here to help Jon, and he’s only here to help me, as well.”

As teammates, working toward the common goal of victory has proven invaluable.

“He’s a major confidence booster -- to know that I can compete with a guy like Rashad in grappling and wrestling. He’s the No. 2-ranked guy in the world. I would have to credit Rashad for the most competitive work I’ve had this training camp,” Jones says.

Jones’ progression has proven so advanced, however, that Evans does not have to offer much in the way of advice.

“Jon is a rare case,” Evans says. “He’s a young fighter with a lot of maturity and a lot of poise, so there’s really not a lot that I do tell him. If I see him out of position or something like that then I let him know, but, for the most part, Jon is pretty well-rounded and pretty on top of things right now.”

Such composure should benefit Jones as he squares off against Bader, a wrestler who showed an added dimension to his attack when he knocked out Jardine at UFC 110.

“He hurts people when he throws his punches. They’re so hard. He uses them, especially his overhand, to set up his takedowns,” Winkeljohn says. “He throws so hard that people have to pull away from it, and they’re pulling in the direction of his takedowns.”

Many will point to Bader’s Arizona State wrestling pedigree as his greatest advantage in the fight, a notion that Jones -- a junior college national champion at Iowa Central Community College -- disputes.

“My wrestling career came to an end as I was getting better and better. I was competing against Division I guys the year I left Iowa Central, so I feel confident in my wrestling ability. No one’s ever tried to take him down in the UFC, so no one knows what his takedown defense looks like,” he says. “So I’ll be the first to try to get my takedowns and feel as if I could be a stronger wrestler than him.”

If the fight remains upright, Jones can take advantage of his reach, which has been measured as the longest in the UFC.

“Obviously, we want to fight long,” Jackson says. “Jon’s actually pretty good on the inside, as well. He’s one of those few long guys who’s at his best when he’s doing elbows and spinning stuff like that. Even if our reach gets nullified -- which I fully expect Bader to be training to do that -- hopefully, we’ll have a good arsenal of moves from that inside position.”

Jones turns 24 in July. He believes that, as long as he maintains focus and continues to rack up convincing victories, a title shot could be attainable by 2012.

“My goals and dreams are to be in the very top of the division,” he says. “I realize I have a lot of work to do. I realize there’s a lot I need to learn. A lot of these veterans have the experience, and just one punch could end a fight, so I try to make sure the odds of that happening are very slim.”

All part of remaining the captain of his grid square.