Sometimes, people say absurd things, and it’s part of our job to let you, the reader, know about it.
In MMA, that’s just called “today.” So for your Friday lunacy, we’re obliged to tell you Matt Hamill, the 47-year-old former UFC fighter best known for being the only loss on heavyweight champion Jon Jones’ record, has offered to end his 6-year retirement to rematch Jones for the belt.
“Let’s cut this chase… @danawhite – I know you’re desperate to get @jonnybones an undefeated record. I see how you want to profit from that! Is also why you bail him out of all the other things…” Hamill posted on Instagram. “How about a rematch?! I’ll be happy to fight him for a heavyweight title. If I beat him, I want a UFC belt. Let me know if Stipe Miocic backs out. I’ll take short notice, just remember he already lost to me!”
It all stems from Tuesday’s unanimous decision from the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports committee to lift the longstanding ban on 12-6 elbows, so named for their straight up and down motion, like the hands on a clock at 12 and 6.
On Dec. 5, 2009, at the UFC’s Season 10 finale of “The Ultimate Fighter” in Las Vegas, Jones was disqualified against Hamill for the illegal elbows. In the first round of the fight, after Jones had delivered plenty of ground-and-pound on Hamill, he landed a pair of 12-6 elbows. After the first, referee Steve Mazzagatti started to warn Jones. On the second, he stopped the fight immediately and told Jones he was taking a point away.
When Hamill couldn’t continue, the ruling was changed to a disqualification loss, much to Jones’ dismay. Nearly 15 years later, it remains the only blemish on his record, and those sympathetic to that blemish have campaigned with Jones that the loss should be overturned.
When Jones heard of the rule change, which will take place in November, he lobbied UFC CEO Dana White to help remove the loss from his record. That, of course, might be something the Nevada Athletic Commission would take issue with. There is no question the 12-6 elbows were illegal at the time of the fight. If Jones knew the rule, and Jones broke the rule, and it led to a loss, the argument is he shouldn’t have broken the rule.
Reversing his DQ loss would be akin to a driver getting a speeding ticket for doing 50 in a 35mph speed zone in 2009, but in 2024 the speed limit there was changed to 50 and the ticketed driver wants a refund and a cleared record. It was the law at the time. Good luck with that.
And just as absurd to most is Hamill’s claim he’d hop right into a UFC cage and give Jones a fight and walk away as heavyweight champion. Jones virtually destroyed Hamill 15 years ago on his way up and unquestionably only got better after that.
Jones’ 2009 loss, in a just world, will remain a loss. Break the rules, suffer the consequences. But a just world also might ask for Hamill to get another Jones beatdown just for the suggestion that’s a fight that needs to be settled.
Two things can be true at the same time: Jones demolished Hamill. And Jones deserved to be disqualified under the letter of the law.
