In a twist to that, Jon Jones fight to reclaim the only loss in his career has been halted despite the recent changes in the rule that might give him an advantage. This heavyweight champion was recently in the news after the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports Mixed Martial Arts Committee (ABC) recently legalized the rather questionable 12-6 elbow strikes. This change made Jones to request for reconsideration of his 2009 disqualification loss to Matt Hamill so that he could wash his name.
Normally for Jones who has been linked with UFC supremacy for so long, he quickly went to his twitter account demanding to be redeemed. Jones later went to his Twitter and posted, ‘Undefeated then, undefeated now. Danawhite we gotta get that loss out of the history books.’ The legalization of the 12-6 elbow strike which was used by him against Hamill causing him to be disqualified seemed like a chance of a lifetime.
Still, according to MMA journalist, Ariel Helwani, this timing is the problem In opting to appeal the verdict. To the same question, Helwani added that albeit the 12-6 elbow strike is now legal, Jones’s chance to reverse the decision in favor, therefore, overturn the verdict was likely small because fifteen years have passed. “We forget that Jones can appeal the 2009 loss to Hamill, seeking a no contest in place of a loss but probably too late it was a decade ago,” Helwani continued.
Not only does Lorenzo have to worry about the 12-6 elbow, there are more issues to avoid; Addition to all these, there is former middleweight contender Chael Sonnen. Sonnen later stated that Jones’ disqualification was not as a result of the 12-6 elbow alone. Sonnen added that Jones was also deducted points for punch the back of Hamill’s head. “Jon Jones who was disqualified against Matt Hamill was not only doing a 12 to 6 elbow if I heard it correctly, it was to the back of the head,” Sonnen said. And, further explaining, he said, “What they’ll tell you is the back of the head, so it was a double infraction.”
Sonnen’s comments underscore that the disqualification was due to multiple infractions, not just the now-legal elbow strikes. He suggested that had Jones employed different techniques, such as strikes to the side of Hamill’s head, the outcome might have been different. “In a very realistic scenario, had Jon Jones not used that technique but instead used one of five other techniques, coming from the side, one shot right in the ear, you’re fine,” Sonnen noted.
Dana White’s Longstanding Efforts
UFC President Dana White has been a vocal advocate for overturning the loss since the incident. At the UFC 304 post-fight press conference, White reiterated his frustration with the original decision. “I’ve been trying to do that since it happened. I think I wanted it more than he did. So, it hasn’t worked out too well though,” White said. He reflected on the controversial nature of the officiating at the time, stating, “We had an incompetent referee… A guy who, we can all agree now, maybe I sounded like an a**hole back in the day, but now we can all look back and a hundred percent say that the guy was completely incompetent.”
