The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey tonight for UFC 159: “Jones vs Sonnen.” The event featured a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship bout between reigning 205-pound champion Jon “Bones” Jones and veteran challenger Chael Sonnen.
Also on the card, Michael “The Count” Bisping took on fellow middleweight contender Alan “The Talent” Belcher, and Roy “Big Country” Nelson battled Cheick Kongo. Sara McMann faced Sheila “The German Tank” Gaff on the preliminary card. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for UFC 159.
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Jon “Bones” Jones vs Chael Sonnen
Round 1:
Jones slammed Sonnen down right away, but Sonnen scrambled up to his feet and landed a series of uppercuts in close. The fighters exchanged knees and Jones took Sonnen down again. Sonnen stood against the cage and attempted a guillotine choke. Jones snuck in an uppercut and an elbow, then followed with a spinning elbow. Jones picked Sonnen up and put him on the ground a third time.
Jones postured up and landed short elbows as Sonnen tried to squirm and get back up. Jones landed more punches and elbows and he kept Sonnen pinned down against the base of the cage wall. Jones cut Sonnen with elbows and Sonnen rolled to his side. Jones unloaded with punches, a knee to the body and more elbows. He dropped down left elbows and right hands until referee Keith Peterson stopped the fight.
Winner: Jon Jones by TKO (Punches & Elbows) at 4:33 of round one. He improves to 18-1-0 and remains the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.
Michael “The Count” Bisping vs Alan “The Talent” Belcher
Round 1:
Belcher landed two body kicks in the first minute of the fight. Time was briefly called when one kick struck Bisping in the groin. Action resumed and Bisping countered a right hand with a one-two. Belcher threw more kicks to the lead leg and body. Bisping landed a nice body kick of his own. Belcher scored with an overhand right, but Bisping answered right back with a flurry and a hard right of his own.
Belcher backed Bisping up with a right hook to the temple and he followed with jabs. He just missed with a lead uppercut and Bisping replied with a right cross. Bisping was poked in the eye and time was called. The fight continued seconds later and Belcher slipped while throwing a body kick. He stood and Bisping attempted a head kick. Bisping landed a nice right hook just before the bell. Close round. 10-9 Bisping, barely.
Round 2:
After an exchange of punches in round two, Bisping attempted a head kick and he began to hold an edge in the striking battles with crisp right hands. Belcher blocked a head kick but ate a three-punch combination. Bisping landed another hard right hook. And another. A one-two and a head kick partially landed for Bisping and the fighters traded right hooks. Bisping landed more right hooks and a big left. Belcher failed with a takedown attempt, but he landed three powerful hooks. Bisping scored with a combination before the bell. 10-9 Bisping.
Round 3:
Bisping began to taunt in round three and he backed it up with more right hooks and combinations. Bisping landed a three-punch flurry to the head and body and he followed with a head kick. Belcher tried to catch the kick, but Bisping pulled his leg free. Belcher began to target the liver with kicks and punches, but Bisping answered right back with power punches.
Bisping flurried in close and cracked Belcher with an overhand right. Another combination to the head and body landed for Bisping and he remained active with his punches. He stuffed a takedown and countered a Belcher right hook with an uppercut. Belcher was poked in the right eye and dropped to the mat. Belcher’s surgically-repaired eye began to bleed and the fight was stopped.
Winner: Michael Bisping by Unanimous Technical Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) at 4:31 of round three. He improves to 24-5-0.
Roy “Big Country” Nelson vs Cheick Kongo
Round 1:
Nelson clinched and held Kongo against the cage in the opening round. Short knees were exchanged and Nelson secured a body lock. The fighters were separated and Nelson dropped Kongo with a huge overhand right. Kongo tried to recover and got to his knees, but Nelson landed another right hand that put him down for good.
Winner: Roy Nelson by KO (Punches) at 2:03 of round one. He improves to 19-7-0.
Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis vs Vinny “Pezao” Magalhaes
Round 1:
Magalhaes opened the fight with a variety of kicks and Davis replied with a right hook to the body. Magalhaes threw a head kick and Davis countered with a one-two. Magalhaes clinched, but Davis broke away and Magalhaes resumed kicking at his lead leg. Davis landed right hooks and staggered Magalhaes with a head kick. More punches landed for Davis, but Magalhaes recovered and stayed on his feet.
Davis landed a one-two and a leg kick, but Magalhaes caught the kick and took him down. Magalhaes punched from a partial back control, but Davis shrugged him off and stood up. The fighters traded punches and Davis was the aggressor. Magalhaes was poked in the eye, but the fight continued and Davis flurried. Magalhaes kicked to the leg and body and Davis responded with a series of one-twos as the round came to an end. 10-9 Davis.
Round 2:
Magalhaes scored with a right hook over the top and an uppercut in round two. Davis landed one-two combos in return and took Magalhaes’s back. Magalhaes rolled and tried to pull guard. Davis backed away and allowed Magalhaes to stand. A right hook and a short left uppercut connected for Davis. He countered a leg kick with a jab and a right hook. Magalhaes attempted a head kick and Davis blocked it.
Davis continued to pick his shots with quick two-punch combinations and stiff jabs. Magalhaes backed up and offered little offence in return. Magalhaes fell and Davis let him stand again. Davis punched to the head and body and Magalhaes began to land leg kicks again. Davis landed a kick to the upper chest and four punches that forced Magalhaes to retreat again. He shot in for a takedown and Davis stuffed it. 10-9 Davis.
Round 3:
Davis stuck to his jab in round three and easily avoided a head kick from Magalhaes. He dumped Magalhaes to the mat and walked away. Magalhaes stood and ate more jabs. Davis landed two right hooks over the top and an uppercut. His one-twos kept Magalhaes on the defensive and the crowd grew restless. Davis connected with another right hook and he blocked a head kick.
Davis ducked under Magalhaes’s punches and landed a counter combination. He walked Magalhaes down with jabs and right hands. Magalhaes kicked at Davis’s lead leg, but it seemed to have little effect. Davis easily avoided a takedown attempt. Magalhaes picked up the pace with punches and a body kick, but then slowed back down again. Magalhaes landed a head kick in the final seconds. 10-9 Davis.
Winner: Phil Davis by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 11-1-0, 1 NC.
Pat “Bam Bam” Healy vs Jim Miller
Round 1:
Miller landed a nice leg kick and a left cross in the opening minute and he pressed forward with punches to the body. Healy countered with elbows over the top and Miller used a leg-sweep takedown to get him down. Healy looked to set up an armbar and he switched to an omoplata. Miller escaped and transitioned to a back crucifix. Miller switched to an armbar, but Healy defended well and got back to his feet.
Healy countered a leg kick with a body kick and a takedown. He landed punches as Miller stood up. Healy took him back down and moved to back control. Miller scrambled and turned into Healy’s guard. He landed punches and elbows that caused Healy’s right eye to swell up. Miller closed out the round with more punches from side control and Healy narrowly made it to the bell. 10-9 Miller.
Round 2:
Healy scored a brief trip and tried to take Miller’s back in round two. Miller stood and held Healy against the cage. Healy broke free with an elbow, but Miller clinched again and landed a slashing elbow over the top. Healy responded with a takedown and he moved to half-guard. Healy landed punches as Miller regained full guard and attempted an inverted armbar.
Healy postured up to escape and landed punches from the top. He bloodied Miller’s nose with more punches and elbows. Miller used the cage to work back to his feet, but Healy kept him down on one knee and moved to back control. Healy nearly secured a rear-naked choke, but Miller scrambled and landed elbows. Healy picked him up and Miller countered a takedown with a modified guillotine choke. 10-9 Healy.
Round 3:
Miller scored with a right hook in the final round. The fighters attempted takedowns and quickly returned to their feet. Miller landed another right hook and countered a cross with a leg kick. Healy cracked Miller with a powerful hook and followed with knees in the clinch. He took Miller down and punched from the top as Miller used rubber guard to defend.
Miller began to bleed more heavily from the face as Healy battered him with punches and short elbows. Healy took Miller’s back and landed more punches. He locked on a rear-naked choke and Miller tried to punch backwards to escape. He could not get out and was rendered unconscious.
Winner: Pat Healy by Technical Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:02 of round three. He improves to 32-15-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)