UFC 135: Jon Jones Submits Rampage in First Title Defense

UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage took place on September 24, 2011, at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. Jon Jones made his first successful defense of the light heavyweight championship by submitting Quinton Jackson in the fourth round. The ten-fight event also featured Josh Koscheck’s late first-round knockout of Matt Hughes, a demanding heavyweight victory for Mark Hunt, and Nate Diaz’s successful return to lightweight.

Event video: Jones versus Jackson and the champion’s first title defense.

Jones turns a title win into a title reign

Jones had captured the belt from Mauricio Rua at UFC 128. Jackson presented a different test: an experienced former champion with powerful boxing and a reputation for punishing mistakes. Defending a championship against that kind of opponent required more than carrying momentum from the night Jones won it.

The champion’s reach and varied attacks made it difficult for Jackson to establish his preferred punching exchanges. Jones could threaten from outside Jackson’s best range, change the target, and force the challenger to keep responding. Those advantages helped him build a fight in which Jackson struggled to impose sustained offense.

The finish came in round four. Jones took the fight to the mat, secured Jackson’s back, and applied a rear-naked choke. Jackson submitted at 1:14, giving Jones his first title defense. The result strengthened the impression created by his victory over Rua: his unusual physical tools were supported by a grappling game capable of closing out elite opposition.

Koscheck stops Hughes as Diaz returns to lightweight

Koscheck stepped in for the injured Diego Sanchez to face Hughes. It was his first appearance since challenging Georges St-Pierre at UFC 124. Hughes found early success with his jab and left hook, making the opening round competitive before Koscheck’s punching power changed the fight near the bell.

Koscheck finished Hughes with punches at 4:59 of round one. The timing made the reversal especially abrupt: Hughes had almost completed the round when the knockout arrived. It was a decisive comeback for Koscheck and another difficult result for one of the most accomplished welterweights in UFC history.

Diaz also made a strong statement, submitting Takanori Gomi with an armbar at 4:27 of the first round. After four fights at welterweight, including a loss to Rory MacDonald at UFC 129, Diaz returned to 155 pounds. He hurt Gomi standing and linked a triangle threat to the finishing armbar, showing how his striking and submission attacks could reinforce each other.

Hunt and Browne win demanding heavyweight contests

Hunt’s unanimous decision over Ben Rothwell was an exhausting contest that tested both men beyond their reputation for heavy punches. Hunt escaped an early mounted position, produced effective work on the ground himself, and threatened with an armbar in the second round. The fight became increasingly taxing, but he did enough to claim scores of 29–28, 29–27, and 30–27.

Travis Browne took a clearer decision against Rob Broughton, winning 30–27 on all three scorecards. Coming after his knockout of Stefan Struve at UFC 130, the victory continued Browne’s unbeaten professional run. The two heavyweight results offered contrasting paths forward: Hunt through a grueling contest, Browne through three rounds of control.

Preliminary highlights

Tony Ferguson’s fight with Aaron Riley ended after the first round because of Riley’s jaw injury. Tim Boetsch outpointed Nick Ring, continuing his successful move to middleweight. Junior Assunção beat Eddie Yagin by decision, while Takeya Mizugaki and James Te Huna supplied the preliminary card’s in-round stoppages.

Complete UFC 135 results

Main card

• Jon Jones def. Quinton Jackson — submission (rear-naked choke); round 4, 1:14. Jones retained the light heavyweight title.
• Josh Koscheck def. Matt Hughes — KO (punches); round 1, 4:59.
• Mark Hunt def. Ben Rothwell — unanimous decision; round 3, 5:00.
• Travis Browne def. Rob Broughton — unanimous decision; round 3, 5:00.
• Nate Diaz def. Takanori Gomi — submission (armbar); round 1, 4:27.

Preliminary card

• Tony Ferguson def. Aaron Riley — TKO (jaw injury); round 1, 5:00.
• Tim Boetsch def. Nick Ring — unanimous decision; round 3, 5:00.
• Junior Assunção def. Eddie Yagin — unanimous decision; round 3, 5:00.
• Takeya Mizugaki def. Cole Escovedo — TKO (punches); round 2, 4:30.
• James Te Huna def. Ricardo Romero — KO (punches); round 1, 0:47.

UFC 135’s lasting significance begins with Jones proving he could defend the championship he had won so emphatically. Elsewhere, Koscheck and Diaz returned to the win column, Hunt showed resilience over three rounds, and the preliminaries supplied important steps for several developing contenders. Explore more of our MMA coverage.

Sources

• UFC: Jon Jones career highlights.
• UFC The Blueprint — Jones versus.
• UFC 135 main-card report.
• UFC 135 preliminary report.
• Sherdog: complete event results.

Article Tags

UFC 135, Jon Jones, Quinton Jackson, Light Heavyweight Championship, UFC Results