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UFC cannot resist Jon Jones' march to title shot

Dana White had planned a slow rise to prominence for Jon Jones © UFC

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Jon Jones is forcing the UFC's hand far quicker than they had originally planned, and victory over Vladimir Matyushenko could already move the light-heavyweight star to within 'two or three fights' of a title shot.

At 23 years of age, Jones is already considered headline material as he prepares to line up on the main event of UFC on Versus against Matyushenko. Boasting a 10-1 record, the one loss coming via disqualification, he already has an emphatic win against Brandon Vera to his name, and Matyushenko is largely expected to become the next victim.

The UFC had initially hinted that Jones, who trains with Greg Jackson, would be slowly nurtured up the light-heavyweight ladder, with the Vera fight viewed as the first of six or seven bouts lining his path to the title.

However, such has been the Greco-Roman star's impact - earning Knockout of the Night against Vera - that the UFC has been forced to readjust its plans. UK president Marshall Zelaznik confesses a top-10 opponent would be Jones' reward for beating Matyushenko, at which point he may only stand two fights from a crack at the championship.

"Jon just burst onto the scene but has looked so exciting in all his fights," Zelaznik, a self-confessed Jon Jones fan, told ESPN.co.uk. "I'm not privy to the thinking of Dana [White] on the matter, but Jon Jones is certainly one of those guys with a lot of expectation who Dana and Joe [Silva] will have to nurture in the correct way.

"A victory over Vladimir Matyushenko would already put Jones at the top and closing in on a title shot. He would probably be two or three fights away, and if he keeps winning it will be very hard to keep him from walking through that Octagon door to a title shot."

In the past, fighters who have burst onto the scene in a similarly devastating manner to Jones, such as Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez, have found it increasingly difficult to find willing opponents. Zelaznik insists that is no issue with Jones though, who has rivals queuing up in a bid to shock the world.

"Jon's got a great temperament, nobody is really pissed off by him, and he has plenty of people wanting to work out the mystery of how to beat him," confirmed Zelaznik.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.