• UFC on Versus

Jon Jones wants top-three opponent after crucifix finish

Jon Jones wants Mauricio Shogun Rua © Getty Images

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Jon Jones needed less than two minutes at UFC on Versus 2 to live up to his already-inflated reputation as a UFC champion-in-waiting, and he immediately called on Dana White to give him a top-three opponent.

Jones featured in the second main event of his career against Vladimir Matyushenko in San Diego, yet by the time the fight had been stopped there was almost a look of disappointment on the 23-year-old's face - such was the simplicity of the victory. Matyushenko had won 11 of his previous 12 fights, yet he was made to look like a novice.

Ascertaining his range from the opening klaxon, Jones popped a couple of jabs before waiting for his opponent to over-commit. Matyushenko took the bait, swinging directly into a Greco-Roman clinch, where Jones swept him to the mat with consummate ease.

Matyushenko's career has been based on wrestling, yet he had no answer. Jones, as if performing an exhibition for the crowd, moved into a mounted crucifix, locking the arms before teeing off with those vicious elbows that are fast becoming his trademark. Matyushenko had no complaint with the stoppage, which came after 1.52 of the first round, and Jones called for a 'real test' in the future.

"Every opponent I've had are really tough guys," Jones said, referring to the likes of Matt Hamill, Stephen Bonnar and Brandon Vera. "But right now, I'm passing these tests with flying colours.

"I really don't want to sound arrogant, so I've got to be careful the way I word this, but I want to fight someone who's really going to give me a really tough test. That has to be the champion or whoever. I want to fight someone who's supposedly much better than me ... so I can really step up and evolve to a different level.

"There's the champion (Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua), and he's the toughest guy right now. He's very well-rounded. He's a great striker. Just like the top three contenders. I really want to push myself against the No. 1, 2 and 3 guys now. I really feel like that needs to happen. The top three guys are the guys I'd like to fight - except for (team-mate) Rashad (Evans), obviously."

It was a more difficult night for Britain's Paul Kelly, who simply could not counter Jacob Volkmann's smothering ground game. In another example of the difficulty that British fighters face to match their American counterparts' collegiate backgrounds, the Liverpudlian lightweight found himself giving up presentable submission opportunities as he struggled to work off his back. All three judges scored the bout 30-27 in Volkmann's favour.

Elsewhere, Yushin Okami employed a sprawl and brawl tactic to beat Mark Munoz by split decision, Takanori Gomi delivered a devastating one-punch knockout of Tyson Griffin that saw Griffin's head slam face-first into the canvas, and Jake Ellenberger's devastating ground-and-pound forced a third-round doctor's stoppage of John Howard, who could not open his left eye.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.