23 years old

Dare to compare
the present
shades of the past

Jon Jones rise has been meteoric and virtually unparalleled. Keyword, virtually. At the age of 23 he is 12-1 as a professional, the same record held by a 23 year old Mauricio Rua in 2005. March 19th at UFC 128 these men meet. So I'll ask this question, At 23 years old who accomplished more?, and answer with the assumption that Bones wins the upcoming fight since he will still be 23 in March.

Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
Win 12–1 Ricardo Arona KO (Strikes) R1 2:54 Won Pride 2005 Middleweight GP Final
Win 11–1 Alistair Overeem TKO (Punches) R1 6:42
Win 10–1 Antônio Rogério Nogueira Decision (Unanimous)
Win 9–1 Quinton Jackson TKO (Soccer Kicks) 1 4:47
Win 8–1 Hiromitsu Kanehara TKO (Soccer Kick) 1 1:40
Win 7–1 Yasuhito Namekawa TKO (Soccer Kicks and Punch) R1 3:37
Win 6–1 Akihiro Gono TKO (Soccer Kick) R1 9:04
Win 5–1 Akira Shoji TKO (Punches and Stomp) R1 3:47
Loss 4–1 Renato Sobral Submission (Guillotine Choke) R3 3:07
Win 4–0 Erik Wanderley TKO (Punches) R2 2:54
Win 3–0 Evangelista Santos TKO (Punches) R1 2:31
Win 2–0 Ângelo Antônio TKO (Soccer Kicks) R1 0:55
Win 1–0 Rafael Capoeira KO (Head Kick) R1 4:00

Jon "Bones" Jones
Win 13-1 Mauricio Rua*
Win 12-1 Ryan Bader Submission (Modified Guillotine Choke) R2 4:20
Win 11-1 Vladimir Matyushenko TKO (Elbows) R1 1:52
Win 10-1 Brandon Vera TKO (Elbow and Punches) R1 3:19
Loss 9-1 Matt Hamill DQ (Illegal Elbows) R1 4:14
Win 9–0 Jake O'Brien Submission (Modified Guillotine Choke) R2 2:43
Win 8–0 Stephan Bonnar Decision (Unanimous)
Win 7–0 Andre Gusmao Decision (Unanimous)
Win 6–0 Moyses Gabin TKO (Punches) R2 1:58
Win 5–0 Parker Porter KO (Punch) R1 0:36
Win 4–0 Ryan Verrett TKO (Punches) R1 2:58
Win 3–0 Anthony Pina Submission (Guillotine Choke) R1 1:15
Win 2–0 Carlos Eduardo KO (Punches) R3 0:24
Win 1–0 Brad Bernard TKO (Punches) R1 1:32

Bones would never lose to Babalu.

wait is the question who would win or who accomplished more? Different answers there. Because no doubt Shogun did more.

Jones is still unbeaten in my eyes. He dominated Hammill and the illegal blow wasn't even the reason for stopping the fight(dislocated shoulder), just unlucky there.

When Shogun was 21 he fought and lost to a 28 year old Babalu who was 23-5 at the time. Is Stephan Boner that equivalent for the 21 year old Bones?

GDPofDRC wrote:

When Shogun was 21 he fought and lost to a 28 year old Babalu who was 23-5 at the time. Is Stephan Boner that equivalent for the 21 year old Bones?

Babalu comment was a joke. Shogun's resume is far more impressive at that point in their career, not even a question IMO.

even if you count the hammil fight as a win, which most of us do, Shogun still accomplished more and the scary thing is that run didnt stop there

If Jones beats Shogun that is equal to when Shogun beat Arona. The Bader win is like Shogun beating Page. If he has one successful title defense if he beats Shogun that puts him over the top for me but that won't be in his first 23 years.

Shit I voted before I understood the question. Shogun did more by that age. It fucks me up cause I feel like I have to vote before reading the op

GDPofDRC wrote:

If Jones beats Shogun that is equal to when Shogun beat Arona. The Bader win is like Shogun beating Page. If he has one successful title defense if he beats Shogun that puts him over the top for me but that won't be in his first 23 years.

I agree the Arona win is close to Jones beating Shogun. But Bader was/is overrated and not comparable to Shogun beating Page IMO. I don't think it is that close at this point. Although if he beat Shogun and say Rampage that would go a long way.

lol

"23 years old"?

OU wrote:

GDPofDRC wrote:

If Jones beats Shogun that is equal to when Shogun beat Arona. The Bader win is like Shogun beating Page. If he has one successful title defense if he beats Shogun that puts him over the top for me but that won't be in his first 23 years.

I agree the Arona win is close to Jones beating Shogun. But Bader was/is overrated and not comparable to Shogun beating Page IMO. I don't think it is that close at this point. Although if he beat Shogun and say Rampage that would go a long way.

I was thinking about putting Overeem there instead of page, but page back then was not as highly regarded as he was 2007-10 IMO. But you know what I mean.

GDPofDRC wrote:

lol

"23 years old"?

How do you know he won't win 2 fights by July? lol

He actually might if he was to beat Shogun quick and easy. I doubt it though, more likely he losses the fight to Shogun but then wins the fight against dying in the following weeks.

Shogun and it aint even close

I updated the OP ,hope it makes more sense. I think the way Bones does win as he faces better and better competition makes it an interesting conversation, but Shogun did his share of running through people as well. There are very few fighters to be successful in the manner they have been especially considering the division.

GDPofDRC wrote:

He actually might if he was to beat Shogun quick and easy. I doubt it though, more likely he losses the fight to Shogun but then wins the fight against dying in the following weeks.

3 fights in 6 months would be sweet lol

OSP is not impressed

Neither guy have anything on 23 year old Nick Diaz.

Cool thread, it'd be very close, but I'd have to give it to Bones because he'd be beating Shogun himself, maybe one defense would be needs but still winning the Title from Gun would be crazy at 23.