UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Dana Black
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans. April 21, 2012. Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia. Jon Jones defended the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against Rashad Evans by unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46) in five rounds — the first time Jones had been taken the distance in the UFC. The event was originally planned for Montreal and was moved to Atlanta.
Jones and Rashad Evans were former teammates at Jackson’s MMA under Greg Jackson. Their professional relationship broke down when Jones took Evans’ title shot at UFC 128. Evans left Jackson’s MMA. The public feud lasted over a year. At UFC 145, Jones won every round on two scorecards and four of five on the third. Evans landed the best punches Jones had absorbed in his title reign and took him the full 25 minutes.
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: April 21, 2012
Venue: Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (originally planned for Montreal)
Main Event: Jon Jones (c) vs. Rashad Evans — UFC LHW Championship (5 rounds)
Result: Jones def. Evans — UD (50-45, 49-46, 49-46) — third title defence; first time Jones went 5 rounds; Jones outlanded Evans 112-56 total
Notable: Former teammates; Evans left Jackson’s MMA over the feud; stepping elbows signature; Rothwell FOTN; Browne bonus; $65k bonuses
The Build-Up
Jones took the LHW title shot that was originally assigned to Rashad Evans at UFC 128. Evans suffered a knee injury; Jones replaced him; Jones won the title. Evans felt betrayed and left Jackson’s MMA for Imperial Athletics in Florida. The two engaged in a bitter, public feud throughout 2011 and early 2012. The fight had been scheduled twice before: first cancelled due to a Jones hand injury, second due to an Evans thumb injury. UFC 145 was the third scheduled date.
Main Event
Jon Jones (c) vs. Rashad Evans — UFC LHW Championship
Jones used his reach and range throughout five rounds. His stepping elbow was the signature technique — a stiff, quick strike that Rashad Evans had no consistent answer for.
Co-Main Event
Ben Rothwell vs. Brendan Schaub — Heavyweight
Rothwell landed a right hand that dropped Schaub in the first round. The Fight Night bonus went to Rothwell. Schaub, who had been on a promising run, suffered his second KO loss at HW.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Marcus Brimage def. Maximo Blanco — KO — R1 — FW
Chris Clements def. Keith Wisniewski — KO — R1 — WW
Mac Danzig def. Efrain Escudero — Decision — R3 — LW
Anthony Njokuani def. John Makdessi — Decision — R3 — LW (catchweight 158 lbs; Makdessi 2 lbs over)
Main Card
Matt Brown def. Stephen Thompson — Decision — R3 — WW
Travis Browne def. Chad Griggs — TKO — R? — HW; bonus ($65k to Browne)
Mark Bocek def. John Alessio — Decision — R3 — LW
Eddie Yagin def. Mark Hominick — KO — R? — FW; bonus ($65k each)
Michael McDonald def. Miguel Torres — TKO — R? — BW
Rory MacDonald def. Che Mills — TKO — R2, 2:20 — WW
Ben Rothwell def. Brendan Schaub — KO — R1 — HW; Co-Main; Fight of the Night ($65k to Rothwell)
UFC LHW Championship (5 rounds) — Main Event
Jon Jones def. Rashad Evans — UD (50-45, 49-46, 49-46) — LHW Championship; first time Jones went 5 rounds
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Ben Rothwell vs. Brendan Schaub — $65,000 to Rothwell.
KO of the Night: Travis Browne vs. Chad Griggs — $65,000 to Browne.
Sub/KO Night: Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin — $65,000 to each fighter.
Records & Milestones
First time Jon Jones went the distance in the UFC — Evans took Jones to round five; Jones had finished his previous four UFC opponents.
Rashad Evans — landed the best punches of Jones’ title reign in defeat; kept Jones honest but could not find a route to the finish.
Jones third LHW title defence at age 24 — continued the most dominant start to a LHW championship tenure since Chuck Liddell.
Legacy & Impact
The Jones-Evans rivalry was one of MMA’s most publicly bitter. A friendship that included Evans taking Jones under his wing at Jackson’s MMA turned adversarial when Jones accepted the title shot that Evans had been expecting. Rashad Evans’s departure from Jackson’s MMA and the extended feud made UFC 145 the event where observers expected a war. It was a war. Jones dominated, but Evans never stopped competing.
Rashad Evans revealed post-fight that his familiarity with Jones’ training did not translate into an advantage inside the octagon. Every time Jones used his stepping elbow, it scored. Evans’ best moments came in the early rounds when Jones was cautious.
FAQ
Why were Jones and Evans fighting each other at UFC 145?
Jones had accepted Rashad Evans' scheduled title shot at UFC 128 after Evans was injured. Jones won the title. Evans felt betrayed, left Jackson's MMA, and the resulting feud culminated in a title fight.
Was this the first time Jones went to a decision at UFC 145?
Yes. Jones had finished all four of his previous UFC opponents as champion. Evans was the first opponent to take Jones the full five rounds.
Why was UFC 145 moved from Montreal to Atlanta?
The event was initially scheduled for Montreal in March 2012 but was moved to Atlanta in April after the UFC was unable to secure a championship fight due to scheduling complications.
What was Jon Jones' striking approach in the UFC 145 main event?
Jones relied heavily on his stepping elbow throughout the fight. The technique involves advancing forward while throwing a bent-arm elbow strike. Evans had no consistent counter for it.
Who was Jones' next opponent after UFC 145?
Dan Henderson was confirmed as Jones' next opponent. Henderson had won by unanimous decision over Mauricio Rua at UFC 139 and was the top-ranked LHW contender.
References
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