When it was announced that rising star Jon “Bones” Jones would fight Vladmimir “the Janitor” Matyushenko at UFC on Versus 2 in Salt Lake City, Utah, fans were somewhat perplexed by the choice. Jones has been on a tear since joining the organization nearly two years ago, leading many to believe that “Bones” would face off against a recognizable name in his next bout.

To longtime MMA fans, Matyushenko will be remembered for his participation in the disaster that was UFC 33. That night, “the Janitor” fought Tito Ortiz for the light heavyweight title. The fight card marked the first time an MMA event was sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. As such, there was intense scrutiny going into the event. With three title bouts scheduled, time was of the essence. To the chagrin of the UFC, nearly all of the bouts went the distance. Midway through the Matyushenko bout, pay-per-view customers were suddenly cut off by their cable providers before the match had ended.

For casual fans, Matyushenko is just a 39-year-old making his last run in the sport. Pitting him against Jones should be a walk in the park for the younger, faster fighter. Matyushenko relishes the opportunity.

“It’s a good thing. I like to be the underdog. In this case, it kind of calms me down. It doesn’t make me angry and stuff, it just motivates me to train and prove everybody wrong. I don’t think of it as disrespect. I think it is people somehow not being well-educated. These days in the UFC, the promotion is a lot greater than it was before. Still, the new generation of fans doesn’t really know who the older guys are. I’m one of the veterans of the sport and I’m here to prove that I’m still one of the best guys out there. That’s why I’m excited to be on the main card again. I’ll have to be in great shape and prove that I’m one of the best. I think that’s why the UFC didn’t put me on television at the start — They wanted to see what kind of shape I was in and how I was going to do.”

With both athletes known for their wrestling, it is likely that the fight will go to the ground. While Jones has become known for his ground and pound abilities, Matyushenko carries the reputation of being somewhat boring. As far as he’s concerned, Matyushenko doesn’t see why he should change his game plan if it brings results. However, “the Janitor” is keenly aware of his opponent’s strengths.

“He’s definitely a talented and athletic guy. He wants to prove himself and I respect him very much. His style is very interesting and the fans seem to like it. Somebody has to stop him. It doesn’t seem like the fans want me to fight him very much but somebody has to do it. Why not another tough guy. He’s kind of hard to read because I know that he’s a different kind of wrestler but he also likes to strike. He’s a decent wrestler. He was able to take Brandon Vera down. It’ll be interesting though because we are both wrestlers. I’m going to try to please the fans with this fight. Earlier in my career, I didn’t really understand that, but these days, I’m trying to put on a good show. I don’t want to be known as a boring wrestler, but why change it if it works? When it comes down to it, you just want to win. My eventual goal is to fight for a title again and achieve my goal of becoming a UFC champion. This fight is going to be a big step for me.”

Before Matyushenko can continue his quest for the belt, he must first overcome one of the most dynamic fighters he’s ever had to face.

The UFC on Versus 2 will be broadcast August 1 on the Versus Network. Check local listings for availability.

(Source: Sherdog)