UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Roe Jogan
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
Introduction
UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones. March 19, 2011. Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey. Jon Jones became the youngest UFC champion in the history of the sport, defeating Mauricio Rua by TKO at 2:37 of round three. Jones was 23 years and 243 days old — a Guinness World Record.
Jones replaced Rashad Evans, who had withdrawn with a knee injury. Hours before the fight, Jones and his coaches foiled an attempted robbery in a park in Paterson, New Jersey — Jones used a figure-four leg lock to restrain the alleged assailant. He went on to land 102 total strikes to Rua’s 11, complete three takedowns, and finish with a knee-and-punch combination in the third round. The Jones era began.
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Quick Stats
3. The Build-Up
4. Main Event
5. Co-Main Event
6. Full Results
7. Bonuses & Awards
8. Records & Milestones
9. Legacy & Impact
10. FAQ
11. References
Quick Stats
Date: March 19, 2011
Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, USA
Attendance: 12,619; Gate: $2,140,000; PPV: 490,000 buys
Main Event: Mauricio Rua (c) vs. Jon Jones — UFC LHW Championship
Result: Jon Jones def. Rua — TKO (Knees and Punches) — R3, 2:37 — YOUNGEST UFC CHAMPION EVER (23 years, 243 days; Guinness World Record)
Notable: Jones foiled armed robbery hours before fight; replaced Rashad Evans (knee); Urijah Faber UFC debut; Benavidez UFC debut; Cro Cop KOs Schaub
The Build-Up
Rashad Evans had been scheduled to challenge Mauricio Rua for the LHW title. Evans withdrew with a knee injury. Jon Jones — who had been fighting his way toward a title shot with wins over Vera, Matyushenko, Bader, and others — was confirmed as the replacement on relatively short notice. Jones was 28-1 (his sole loss a DQ against Matt Hamill for illegal elbows).
On the morning of March 19, Jones and his coaches — Greg Jackson and Mike Winklejohn — visited a park in Paterson, NJ for a pre-fight meditation session. An armed robbery was in progress. Jones restrained the alleged assailant with a figure-four leg lock. He told TMZ: ‘It was a great pre-fight warmup for me!’
Main Event
Mauricio Rua (c) vs. Jon Jones — UFC LHW Championship
Round one: Jones opened with a flying knee. He followed with a takedown and brutal ground and pound. Rua returned to his feet but was on rubber legs from the opening assault.
Round two: Jones continued to control the fight with his reach, wrestling, and combination striking. Rua attempted to counter on the feet but could not generate sustained offence.
Round three: Jones landed a knee to the head that dropped Rua. Ground and pound followed. Referee Marc Goddard stopped the fight at 2:37. Jones had landed 102 total strikes to Rua’s 11 and completed three of three takedown attempts.
Co-Main Event
Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Wineland — Bantamweight
Faber made his UFC debut after the WEC-UFC merger, winning by unanimous decision 29-28 on all three scorecards over Wineland. Faber’s WEC BW title had been a defining chapter of the 135-pound division; his UFC debut confirmed that chapter’s continuation.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Nick Catone def. Constantinos Philippou — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (30-27 x3)
Joseph Benavidez def. Ian Loveland — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — BW; Benavidez UFC debut
Gleison Tibau def. Kurt Pellegrino — Decision (Split) — R3, 5:00 (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) — LW
Raphael Assuncao def. Erik Koch — KO — R1, 2:32 — FW
Mike Pyle def. Ricardo Almeida — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (29-28 x3) — WW
Edson Barboza def. Anthony Njokuani — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (29-28 x3) — LW
Luiz Cane def. Eliot Marshall — KO — R1, 2:15 — LHW
Main Card
Mirko Cro Cop def. Brendan Schaub — KO (Punch) — R3, 3:44 — HW
Nate Marquardt def. Dan Miller — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (30-27 x3) — MW
Jim Miller def. Kamal Shalorus — TKO (Knee) — R3, 2:15 — LW
Urijah Faber def. Eddie Wineland — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (29-28 x3) — BW; Co-Main; Faber UFC debut
UFC LHW Championship — Main Event
Jon Jones def. Mauricio Rua — TKO (Knees and Punches) — R3, 2:37 — LHW Championship; youngest champion in UFC history
Bonuses & Awards
KO of the Night: Jon Jones vs. Mauricio Rua — $65,000 to Jones.
Sub/Performance of the Night: Jim Miller vs. Kamal Shalorus — $65,000 to Miller.
Records & Milestones
Youngest UFC champion in history — Jon Jones, 23 years and 243 days; Guinness World Record (replacing Josh Barnett’s record).
Jones foiled armed robbery on fight day — used a figure-four leg lock to restrain an alleged assailant in a Paterson, NJ park before the event.
Jones replaced Rashad Evans — the original challenger withdrew with a knee injury; Jones was confirmed on short notice.
Urijah Faber and Joseph Benavidez UFC debuts — both former WEC champions making their UFC debuts after the WEC merger.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 128 is the moment the Jon Jones era began. He had been a rising contender on a remarkable winning streak but Shogun was the LHW champion and a legitimate threat. Jones’s dominance across three rounds — 102 strikes, three takedowns, finishing with a knee — was so complete that the questions about his ceiling immediately shifted from ‘can he be champion?’ to ‘how many defences can he make?’
The robbery story on fight day added an almost mythological element to the narrative. The record for youngest UFC champion followed immediately. The Jones era ran continuously from UFC 128 through multiple title defences and remained the most consequential LHW chapter of the 2010s.'),
FAQ
Did Jon Jones replace someone at UFC 128?
Yes. Rashad Evans was the original challenger for Mauricio Rua’s LHW title at UFC 128. Evans withdrew with a knee injury and Jones was confirmed as the replacement.
What happened before UFC 128 on fight day?
Hours before the fight, Jon Jones and his coaches Greg Jackson and Mike Winklejohn visited a park in Paterson, New Jersey. An armed robbery was in progress. Jones restrained the alleged assailant using a figure-four leg lock until police arrived.
Was Jon Jones the youngest UFC champion ever?
Yes. At 23 years and 243 days old, Jones became the youngest UFC champion in history at UFC 128, setting a Guinness World Record. He replaced the previous record holder, Josh Barnett.
Who made their UFC debut at UFC 128?
Urijah Faber and Joseph Benavidez both made their UFC debuts at UFC 128, following the WEC-UFC merger. Faber defeated Eddie Wineland by unanimous decision; Benavidez defeated Ian Loveland by unanimous decision.
How dominant was Jon Jones against Shogun Rua?
Jones landed 102 total strikes to Rua’s 11, completed three of three takedown attempts, and finished with a knee-and-punch combination in round three. It was one of the most one-sided LHW title fights in the division’s history.
References
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