Pumphrey94
12-04-2009, 10:46 PM
"The Ultimate Fighter 3" veteran Matt Hamill (7-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) has already fought through hearing impairment and stereotypes on his way to UFC relevance.
Now seeking top-10 status, "The Hammer" fights young gun Jon Jones (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in the co-feature of Saturday night's The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
And while "Bones" is the one with all the buzz, Hamill said he's got one thing Jones can't match: heart.
"This is the type of opponent I need to be ready for the next level," Hamill told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "My goal is to be a top-10 fighter in the world, so I'm still working on that, still climbing. I have to win this fight.
"[Jones] is a well-rounded fighter. He's got more tools on the table than I have. But he doesn't have the heart that I have. That's all that matters."
Both Hamill and Jones will have strong wrestling bases on which to rely during the course of the fight. But Hamill believes the subtle differences between the pair's grappling skills will prove evident.
"Jon Jones is very good at Greco-Roman wrestling," Hamill said. "Greco-Roman is like upper body. I'm good at freestyle. It's going to be a great show, but I know I have a great wrestling background. I've been doing it for 27 years."
Of course, Jones also brings a certain striking flair to the cage, as well. In his three UFC wins, the 22-year-old has shown a propensity for improvisation with spinning kicks, flying knees and elbows from every possible angle.
Hamill knows his opponent's style is crowd-pleasing, but he also believes it will leave him open for a well-timed counterattack.
"People like to be entertained," Hamill said. "You've got to be entertaining in the fight. Some fighters fight more of a boring fight, and fans don't want to see them. Jon Jones is a star. People like to watch him. He's throwing elbows and knees. But that style doesn't really fit me. I just have to go in there and fight smart.
"If he throws those strikes, it could leave him more open. That could be a good opportunity for me to take him down. That's when I can use my wrestling background and ground and pound. He's pretty good scrambling and can escape. I just have to lock and load."
Still making his way in the sport at 33 years old, Hamill knows his time in mixed martial arts is limited. And while young fighters like Jones undoubtedly represent the future of the sport, Hamill believes his time is now.
"A lot of people keep asking me, 'Isn't 33 a little too old?'" Hamill said. "But I feel younger. Jon Jones is 22. He's young blood, and he's really hungry. He's staying unbeaten. But I'm training really hard, and I promise you it's going to be a great one.
"I just want to be in the top 10. I'm so close. I have all the will, and the deaf community, they're all going to watch me fight. It's time for me to shine. I've got to win this fight."
Now seeking top-10 status, "The Hammer" fights young gun Jon Jones (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in the co-feature of Saturday night's The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
And while "Bones" is the one with all the buzz, Hamill said he's got one thing Jones can't match: heart.
"This is the type of opponent I need to be ready for the next level," Hamill told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "My goal is to be a top-10 fighter in the world, so I'm still working on that, still climbing. I have to win this fight.
"[Jones] is a well-rounded fighter. He's got more tools on the table than I have. But he doesn't have the heart that I have. That's all that matters."
Both Hamill and Jones will have strong wrestling bases on which to rely during the course of the fight. But Hamill believes the subtle differences between the pair's grappling skills will prove evident.
"Jon Jones is very good at Greco-Roman wrestling," Hamill said. "Greco-Roman is like upper body. I'm good at freestyle. It's going to be a great show, but I know I have a great wrestling background. I've been doing it for 27 years."
Of course, Jones also brings a certain striking flair to the cage, as well. In his three UFC wins, the 22-year-old has shown a propensity for improvisation with spinning kicks, flying knees and elbows from every possible angle.
Hamill knows his opponent's style is crowd-pleasing, but he also believes it will leave him open for a well-timed counterattack.
"People like to be entertained," Hamill said. "You've got to be entertaining in the fight. Some fighters fight more of a boring fight, and fans don't want to see them. Jon Jones is a star. People like to watch him. He's throwing elbows and knees. But that style doesn't really fit me. I just have to go in there and fight smart.
"If he throws those strikes, it could leave him more open. That could be a good opportunity for me to take him down. That's when I can use my wrestling background and ground and pound. He's pretty good scrambling and can escape. I just have to lock and load."
Still making his way in the sport at 33 years old, Hamill knows his time in mixed martial arts is limited. And while young fighters like Jones undoubtedly represent the future of the sport, Hamill believes his time is now.
"A lot of people keep asking me, 'Isn't 33 a little too old?'" Hamill said. "But I feel younger. Jon Jones is 22. He's young blood, and he's really hungry. He's staying unbeaten. But I'm training really hard, and I promise you it's going to be a great one.
"I just want to be in the top 10. I'm so close. I have all the will, and the deaf community, they're all going to watch me fight. It's time for me to shine. I've got to win this fight."