How does everyone feel about the Jones vs Sonnen UF decision?

Im sure everyone knows about the recent decision to put jon jones against chael sonnen in the upcoming season of the ultimate fighter, and im sure there has already been threads about it. I'd just like to know peoples opinions on this and who they think should be getting the next title shot given that dana white had already promised both dan henderson and lyoto machida there own chances to fight for the belt?

Personally, i believe Henderson deserves the next shot. If he's still injured give it to Machida maybe but dont just give it to Chael thats ridiculous. Machida should fight Shogun for the next shot in my opinion, then Hendo. I do understand the issue with the Ultimate Fighter ratings however and believe it justifies the issue, but if this doesnt work i think its time to cancel the show and move on. Either way from a fighters standpoint Chael does not deserve this title shot as much as i like him and would love to see it happen.

It appears that the UFC is hoping and keeping their fingers crossed that Chael Sonnen will merely transfer his vaunted trash talk from Anderson Silva to Jon Jones.

They are praying his trash talk will be epic, to goose the gate and give them a big payday.  

From the mediocre numbers their current TUF is pulling, and the terrible numbers most of their 2011 - 2012 PPV events got, I assume they are scrambling to find a big event.  

Since 2011, due to a combination of a brutal economy, unbelievable occurrence of injuries which messed up fight cards, the UFC has hosted 7 events which topped the 500 PPV buys levels, but 18 that did not.  If fact 14 events failed to reach 400,00, and 7 couldn't even break 300,000.  

I do NOT fault the UFC for those low numbers.  The injuries plague was beyond reason.  And the economy is still unforgiving.  No doube many here in the house might be struggling to get by and cannot afford as many events as they would like.

The rigid policy of $45. per event, regardless of the strength of the card is not helping.  Not in this kind of economic situation.  Some kind of pricing flexibility might have pumped up the PPV buy numbers.

Sonnen has already started. Remember the "Jon jones special" at "mean street pizza"? I really not understand why GI works. 

I wonder if this was the plan all the time.

Each season the TUF ratings have been on a decline, this is the ploy to hopefully change things. 

Sonnen would have been an interesting coach against anyone by having him go up against the champ that seems to be having some trouble with the public will be like shooting fish in a barrel for him which is what the UFC wants. These guys are fighting only because they are coaching tuf, not the other way around.

I'm just excited to see Chael win that belt!

Chael will never be UFC champion. Not MW LHW or WW (If he tries it)

I just can't see Chael being competitive fighting Jon Jones.  He better not stand and bang with him or he'll be beaten quickly.  

If he takes him down, I don't think Chael is big enough to hold him down.  Jon Jones is a decorated wrestler, far, far superior to Anderson Silva.  And his size is not the only reason.  Jones has ground skills that Silva did not.

Either way, I just can't see how Sonnen can be competitive with Jones, once the cage is shut and his mouth is shut.

It will be a really brutal night for Chael.  And I say that with regret.  I really like Sonnen, but this is one fight that has no real basis to be made.  And I don't think it will be a big seller either.  The fans are not stupid.

The UFC really needs to put more thought into these things.  It appears that they are getting desperate.  This is not a thoughtful situation.

* Edited at 10.22.2012, 9:58 AM ET *

Bill, I agree with your assessment except you give the fans too much credit. I think the only reason the fight was made is because it will draw, both as a fight and for TUF. 

Seems like nothing promised is ever solid until signatures are laid down and even then, there is always a back door.

I can't honestly say if he deserves the shot at the title or not, but I'm assuming there will be enough trash-talking between these two to rival the real housewives and therefore draw a lot of spectatorsm, which is what this all comes down to.

I'm not one to back fighters with ridiculous egos, but sometimes the borderline-WWE entertainment value us just too tempting  lol

Whatever, It's gonna be good.

What?
Sonnen is obviously the clear favorite here
i think he dominates "Bonsie-Boy" and shows him the man has arrived
;)

Ill be hoping for chael the whole damn time, but i really doubt he will win.  I really dislike jones but he has an amazing skill set.

This is what will happen guys:

Round 1: Chael Sonnen rushes in, shoots for a takedown, gets stuffed and then gets decimated by Jones.

Rinse and repeat until Jon Jones starts getting bored with Chael's destruction.

Jon Jones is a personable, young man.  He's likable enough.  He meditates and seems to be easy-going.  But for some reason, trash-talk seems to follow him.  First with Rashad, which was kind of understandable.  Then with Rampage.

It seems that Jon is very sensitive to what his opponents say about him and that is true with most MMA fighters.  So I assume that the TUF TV show will have its fair share of bad-mouthing going on.  

Chael has raised the level of trash-talking smack to an artform.  He's the Rembrandt of smack-speak.  He seems to have spoken it from birth, as if its his native tongue.  He speaks it that fluently.  

Chael has political aspirations.  When this is so, no Rosetta Stone program is necessary to learn to speak **** about thy opponents.  It comes as naturally as breathing.   Chael not only kissed the Blarney Stone, he swallowed it whole.

* Edited at 10.22.2012, 4:48 PM ET *