MrPerfect
MuscleChemistry Guru
Disrespectful or not, UFC wunderkind Jon Jones was just fine to accompany his fight-week autographs with "Champion 2011."
Jones, now the youngest title holder in UFC history, showed flashes of brilliance en route to claiming the promotion's light heavyweight title in a three-round dismantling of former champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
The bout served as the main event of Saturday's "UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones" event, which took place Saturday night at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., and aired on pay-per-view.
Jones maintained an eerily calm demeanor throughout the contest as he dominated Rua in absolutely every aspect of the fight. From his trademark spinning elbows to Anderson Silva-esque side kicks to the knee, Jones striking prowess and stunning range meant Rua's vaunted Muay Thai served him little value. Jones' massive frame dwarfed his opponent in the cage, both on the feet and the floor, and the two looked as if they were competing in some open-weight bout of olden days.
Jones patiently attacked Rua and appeared to be simply picking his shots as he played with his opponent like some mortally wounded pray. The opening came with a pair of knees and a straight punch that rocked Rua at the close of the opening frame. The Brazilian never recovered.
In the second, Jones stayed at distance and picked his opponent apart from the outside. Staggered, swelling and obviously frustrated, Rua had no answer for "Bones," and his face showed equal parts frustration and damage. The Thai clinch became Jones' strongsuit, and Rua resorted to diving for his opponent's legs while hoping for some miraculous comeback.
It wouldn't happen.
After meditating briefly on the stool between the second and third rounds, Jones arose and unleashed hell.
Rua again attacked the leg, and simply allowed Jones to again assume top position – a spot which has now proven lethal to four-consecutive opponents. Jones unloaded powerful punches and elbows, and Rua crumpled under the pressure of the assault. Referee Herb Dean watched closely as Rua tried desperately to avoid the onslaught of blows, but Jones was both pinpoint and powerful. Rua did scramble to his feet, but it was only to absorb massive punches and fight-ending knee to the skull.
Rua fell to the floor, and as Dean rushed in to save him, Rua also tapped sheepishly with his right hand. Two minutes and 37 seconds into the third round, Jones was the sport's newest champion; Rua was hardly recognizable. According to a CompuStrike report, Jones landed some 87 total strikes in the contest; Rua just 13.
"It means a lot to me, but now I know I have a huge target on my back," Jones said after receiving the belt. "And when you guys come and strike at me, I'll be ready to strike right back."
Following the celebration, former UFC champion and current Jones training partner Rashad Evans was brought into the cage and announced as the new title holder's next defense.
With his fifth-straight octagon win and an utter dismantling of one of the sport's all-time greatest fighters, Jones (13-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) appears poised for true greatness the likes of which the sport has rarely seen. Rua (19-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) falls to 1-2 in his past three fights.
Jones, now the youngest title holder in UFC history, showed flashes of brilliance en route to claiming the promotion's light heavyweight title in a three-round dismantling of former champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
The bout served as the main event of Saturday's "UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones" event, which took place Saturday night at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., and aired on pay-per-view.
Jones maintained an eerily calm demeanor throughout the contest as he dominated Rua in absolutely every aspect of the fight. From his trademark spinning elbows to Anderson Silva-esque side kicks to the knee, Jones striking prowess and stunning range meant Rua's vaunted Muay Thai served him little value. Jones' massive frame dwarfed his opponent in the cage, both on the feet and the floor, and the two looked as if they were competing in some open-weight bout of olden days.
Jones patiently attacked Rua and appeared to be simply picking his shots as he played with his opponent like some mortally wounded pray. The opening came with a pair of knees and a straight punch that rocked Rua at the close of the opening frame. The Brazilian never recovered.
In the second, Jones stayed at distance and picked his opponent apart from the outside. Staggered, swelling and obviously frustrated, Rua had no answer for "Bones," and his face showed equal parts frustration and damage. The Thai clinch became Jones' strongsuit, and Rua resorted to diving for his opponent's legs while hoping for some miraculous comeback.
It wouldn't happen.
After meditating briefly on the stool between the second and third rounds, Jones arose and unleashed hell.
Rua again attacked the leg, and simply allowed Jones to again assume top position – a spot which has now proven lethal to four-consecutive opponents. Jones unloaded powerful punches and elbows, and Rua crumpled under the pressure of the assault. Referee Herb Dean watched closely as Rua tried desperately to avoid the onslaught of blows, but Jones was both pinpoint and powerful. Rua did scramble to his feet, but it was only to absorb massive punches and fight-ending knee to the skull.
Rua fell to the floor, and as Dean rushed in to save him, Rua also tapped sheepishly with his right hand. Two minutes and 37 seconds into the third round, Jones was the sport's newest champion; Rua was hardly recognizable. According to a CompuStrike report, Jones landed some 87 total strikes in the contest; Rua just 13.
"It means a lot to me, but now I know I have a huge target on my back," Jones said after receiving the belt. "And when you guys come and strike at me, I'll be ready to strike right back."
Following the celebration, former UFC champion and current Jones training partner Rashad Evans was brought into the cage and announced as the new title holder's next defense.
With his fifth-straight octagon win and an utter dismantling of one of the sport's all-time greatest fighters, Jones (13-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) appears poised for true greatness the likes of which the sport has rarely seen. Rua (19-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) falls to 1-2 in his past three fights.
