UFC 128: Jon Jones Dethrones Shogun for UFC Gold

UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones changed the light heavyweight division at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on March 19, 2011. Jon Jones stopped Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in the third round to become the UFC’s youngest champion at age 23. Urijah Faber made a winning UFC debut against Eddie Wineland, and Jim Miller extended his lightweight winning streak on a twelve-fight card with seven preliminary bouts.

Video: the UFC 128 weigh-in, featuring Rua and Jones before their championship fight.

Jones takes the championship with a complete performance

Jones had earned this opportunity only weeks earlier, after submitting Ryan Bader at UFC 126. An injury to Rashad Evans opened the title assignment. Rua entered as the champion after knocking out Lyoto Machida at UFC 113, but Jones immediately made the defense uncomfortable with an aggressive opening and sustained offense.

An early flying knee signaled the challenger’s intent, and Jones soon put Rua on the mat. His range, pressure and ground work prevented the champion from building a reliable attack. Through the first two rounds, Jones remained effective in multiple phases while Rua absorbed damage and struggled to create meaningful momentum of his own.

The finish arrived in the third. Jones continued his attack, and a final series of punches and knees dropped Rua, bringing referee Herb Dean in at 2:37. The official result was a TKO and a new light heavyweight champion. It was a commanding performance against a respected titleholder, giving a decisive answer to the question of whether Jones’s promise would translate to championship competition.

For the division, the result marked a major transition. Rua’s dangerous striking and experience had been central to his championship ascent, but Jones’s ability to combine unusually long-range offense with close control created a problem the champion could not solve that night. The title change also gave the event a clear historical distinction: the youngest UFC champion had arrived.

Faber wins his debut; the Miller brothers have mixed fortunes

Urijah Faber and Eddie Wineland brought their WEC championship histories into the co-main event. Wineland had success early, but Faber adjusted, using takedowns and ground offense to turn the contest. Three 29–28 scores gave Faber a unanimous decision in his first UFC appearance. The bout was a bantamweight contender matchup, not a title fight.

Jim Miller stopped previously unbeaten Kamal Shalorus in round three. The win was his seventh straight in the UFC, adding to the momentum from his submission of Charles Oliveira at UFC 124. Miller’s accurate offense and eventual finishing attack strengthened his case in a crowded lightweight division.

His brother Dan Miller faced a tougher outcome, losing a unanimous decision to Nate Marquardt after moving into the matchup on short notice. Marquardt took all three rounds on the judges’ cards. At heavyweight, Brendan Schaub overcame a second-round point deduction to knock out Mirko Cro Cop late in the third, extending his progress after beating Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 121.

Seven preliminaries deliver competitive decisions and quick finishes

Edson Barboza and Anthony Njokuani produced a close striking contest, with Barboza winning 29–28 on all three cards. Their bout received Fight of the Night honors. Luiz Cane supplied a first-round stoppage of Eliot Marshall, while Erik Koch knocked out Raphael Assunção in his UFC debut. Koch’s finish and Schaub’s knockout both received Knockout of the Night bonuses.

Mike Pyle beat Ricardo Almeida by unanimous decision, and Gleison Tibau edged Kurt Pellegrino by split decision. Joseph Benavidez began his UFC run with a decision over Ian Loveland. New Jersey’s Nick Catone also won by unanimous decision against late replacement Costas Philippou in a 195-pound catchweight bout. The actual undercard matters here: Rory MacDonald and Nate Diaz did not fight at UFC 128.

Complete UFC 128 results

Main card

• Jon Jones def. Mauricio Rua — TKO (punches and knees); round 3, 2:37. Jones won the light heavyweight title.
• Urijah Faber def. Eddie Wineland — unanimous decision; round 3, 5:00.
• Jim Miller def. Kamal Shalorus — TKO (punches); round 3, 2:15.
• Nate Marquardt def. Dan Miller — unanimous decision; round 3, 5:00.
• Brendan Schaub def. Mirko Cro Cop — KO (punch); round 3, 3:44.

Preliminary card

• Luiz Cane def. Eliot Marshall — TKO (punches); round 1, 2:15.
• Edson Barboza def. Anthony Njokuani — unanimous decision; round 3, 5:00.
• Mike Pyle def. Ricardo Almeida — unanimous decision; round 3, 5:00.
• Gleison Tibau def. Kurt Pellegrino — split decision; round 3, 5:00.
• Joseph Benavidez def. Ian Loveland — unanimous decision; round 3, 5:00.
• Nick Catone def. Costas Philippou — unanimous decision; round 3, 5:00 (195-pound catchweight).
• Erik Koch def. Raphael Assunção — KO (punch); round 1, 2:32.

Sources

• UFC: Jones–Rua event retrospective.
• UFC: main-card report.
• UFC: preliminary-card report and bonuses.
• UFC: official lineup and catchweight.
• Sherdog: complete results.

Article Tags

UFC 128, Jon Jones, Shogun Rua, Urijah Faber, UFC Light Heavyweight