Jon Jones would have a 14-inch reach advantage over Dan Henderson in a potential UFC match-up © Getty Images Enlarge

Randy Couture insists Jon Jones' reach advantage would not be a big issue for Dan Henderson if he was handed the next shot at the UFC light-heavyweight title.

Couture predicted, where many others didn't ahead of the weekend, that Lyoto Machida would be no walkover for Jon Jones at UFC 140. His forecast was proved correct when Machida came closer than anyone to beating the 205lb champion, eventually losing by second-round submission.

Jones' next opponent will likely be either Rashad Evans or Henderson, the latter of whom has already been written off in certain quarters due to his size. Having fought at middleweight for a large chunk of his career, Henderson would give away around 14 inches in reach to Jones, in addition to five inches in height.

Couture goes back a long way with Henderson, having spent a significant section of his career training with the Greco Roman wrestler. And he rubbishes the suggestion that Jones would just use the veteran as target practice.

"It'd be interesting to see Danny against Jon Jones," Couture told ESPN. "At the ripe old age of 40 Danny is coming into his own. He's firing on all cylinders right now.

"He's got a tremendous wrestling background, he's got one of the best right hands in the sport, it'd be interesting to see how he'd deal with Jon and how Jon would deal with him.

"I don't see reach being a huge issue. I don't see Jon being able to stay on the outside and pick Dan apart. There's going to have to be an engagement at some point in that cage and we'd get to see what type of punch Jon can take."

UK fans can now personally meet Randy on his UK book launch tour from 9 to 14 December in London, Nottingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Glasgow, Newcastle and Dublin. For full details on locations please visit www.maavid.net now and join Randy at his Xmas book launch parties.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.