Jon Jones Defeats Lyota Machida After Praying for God's Will on Twitter
Jon “Bones” Jones beat Lyota Machida on Saturday, after giving the match to God.
Jones, the 24-year-old UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, took to his Twitter account before the match to thank God for his match before it even began.
“God if it’s your will than it’s already done and I thank you for giving me the victory," Jones said before tweeting "2Timothy 1:7."
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Jones, the youngest Champion in UFC history, managed to defeat Machida in two rounds with a standing guillotine choke. However, the young fighter admitted that he had to make adjustments during the fight.
“I’ve never fought a south paw ever,” Jones admitted during the press conference after the fight. “I've never fought anyone like him so the first round was very confusing for me.”
In an interview with Heavy.com before the fight, Jones spoke about being inspired by his opponent.
“The only thing I took from Lyoto is when he won the belt and said ‘if you have a dream, then go for it.’ That touched me,” Jones says. “He was right. My dream was to hold that belt. He doesn’t even know it, but he inspired me.”
The fighter also maintained that he was inspired by a higher power when speaking to Heavy. Jones told the publication about his affinity for church.
“I don’t think I missed many Sundays until I was twelve or thirteen. I went to church every single Sunday for the majority of my life, and I’ve just kept that up,” Jones said. “It was instilled in me at a very young age.”
Jones recognized that people questioned his faith, and said he was surprised by the criticism he received.
“They ask ‘how in the world can you be so religious out there, like someone is backing you or helping you or pushing you,” Jones said. “But it’s what I believe, and I’m sometimes surprised that people can’t even open their minds to believe it’s a possibility.”
While Jones maintains faith in his Christianity, the recent fourth win out of four fights this year caused UFC president Dana White to sing his praises.
"If he stays on the right track, does the right things, this guy could go down as the greatest ever," White said in a USA Today report. "I just don't see anybody beating this guy anytime soon."
