UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Dana Black
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Introduction
UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort. September 22, 2012. Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Jon Jones defended the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against Vitor Belfort by submission (americana) at 0:54 of round four. The event was the first numbered PPV since the cancellation of UFC 151 — the only cancelled event in UFC history. Jones entered having also faced public criticism over a DWI arrest in May 2012.
Vitor Belfort nearly submitted Jones with an armbar in round one. Jones refused to tap and survived. He controlled the subsequent rounds with elbows and ground-and-pound, then applied an americana in round four. In the co-main event, Demetrious Johnson became the first ever UFC Flyweight Champion by defeating Joseph Benavidez via split decision, marking the birth of the flyweight division.
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: September 22, 2012
Venue: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (second UFC in Toronto after UFC 140 in December 2011)
Attendance: 16,800; Gate: $1,921,000; PPV: 450,000
Main Event: Jon Jones (c) vs. Vitor Belfort — UFC LHW Championship (5 rounds; first numbered PPV after UFC 151 cancellation)
Result: Jones def. Belfort — Sub (Americana) — R4, 0:54; Jones said he would have let his arm break rather than tap in R1
Notable: First UFC FW champion crowned (DJ def. Benavidez SD); Belfort armbar nearly caused upset; Jones DWI backstory; $65k bonuses
The Build-Up
UFC 151 was cancelled on August 23 after Dan Henderson suffered an MCL tear and Chael Sonnen agreed to replace him on eight days notice — but Jones declined the fight. Dana White called the cancellation one of his all-time lows as UFC president and labelled Greg Jackson a ‘sport killer.’ Jones had also been arrested on a DWI charge in May 2012, and had already publicly stated he did not want to fight Lyoto Machida in a rematch (Machida was briefly proposed for UFC 152 before declining short notice). The UFC ultimately booked Vitor Belfort, who had not competed at LHW in five years.
Main Event
Jon Jones (c) vs. Vitor Belfort — UFC LHW Championship
Jones took Belfort down 30 seconds into the opening round. From guard, Belfort locked in a tight armbar on Jones’ right arm. Jones slammed Belfort down to escape. The armbar had been locked in long enough to cause genuine damage. Jones said post-fight: ‘I’ve never had my arm pop like that before. I would have let it break before I tapped.’
From round two, Jones controlled with elbows, cutting Belfort and accumulating damage. Belfort pulled guard repeatedly and looked for submission openings that did not materialise. In round four, Jones achieved a dominant position, dropped elbows, and applied an americana. Belfort tapped at 0:54. Jones’ fourth LHW title defence.
Co-Main Event
Demetrious Johnson vs. Joseph Benavidez — UFC FW [Flyweight] Championship Inaugural Title Fight
The first UFC Flyweight Championship was contested at UFC 152 between Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez over five rounds. Johnson won by split decision (46-49, 48-47, 47-48), becoming the inaugural UFC Flyweight Champion. The flyweight division (125 lbs) had been created to add a new weight class to the UFC’s roster.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
T.J. Grant def. Evan Dunham — Decision — R3 — LW
Sean Pierson def. Brian Ebersole — Decision — R3 — WW
Mitch Gagnon def. Charlie Brenneman — Submission — R? — BW
Matt Hamill def. Roger Hollett — Decision — R3 — LHW; Hamill return from retirement
Main Card
Cub Swanson def. Charles Oliveira — KO — R1, 2:40 — FW
Michael Bisping def. Brian Stann — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — MW
Demetrious Johnson def. Joseph Benavidez — Decision (Split) — R5, 5:00 (46-49, 48-47, 47-48) — FW; Co-Main; FIRST EVER UFC FW CHAMPION
UFC LHW Championship (5 rounds) — Main Event
Jon Jones def. Vitor Belfort — Sub (Americana) — R4, 0:54 — fourth title defence; Jones refused to tap to armbar in R1; Sub Night ($65k)
Bonuses & Awards
Sub of the Night: Jon Jones vs. Vitor Belfort — $65,000 to Jones.
Fight/KO Night: Various — $65,000 per recipient.
Records & Milestones
First UFC Flyweight Champion crowned — Demetrious Johnson defeated Joseph Benavidez by split decision to win the inaugural UFC FW title, establishing the 125 lb division as an active weight class.
Jon Jones — fourth LHW title defence; survived the most dangerous moment of his title reign (Belfort armbar R1) before finishing the fight in round four.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 152 was the first numbered PPV following the UFC 151 cancellation. Jones entered under the heaviest cloud of negative press of his career to that point: the DWI arrest, the UFC 151 fallout, and Dana White’s public castigation. His willingness to absorb Belfort’s armbar in round one rather than tap — in front of 16,800 fans who had come in on his behalf — partially rehabilitated his public standing. Chael Sonnen, who had accepted the UFC 151 fight Jones turned down, was in the stands.
Demetrious Johnson’s inaugural flyweight title win marked the beginning of what became the most dominant championship run in UFC history. He made eleven consecutive flyweight title defences before losing to Henry Cejudo by split decision in 2018.
FAQ
Why was UFC 152 the first numbered PPV after UFC 151?
UFC 151 was cancelled after Dan Henderson suffered an MCL tear and Jon Jones declined to fight replacement Chael Sonnen on eight days' notice. Dana White cancelled the entire card. UFC 152 was the next numbered event.
Did Vitor Belfort almost finish Jones at UFC 152?
Yes. Belfort locked in a tight armbar from guard in round one that genuinely damaged Jones' arm. Jones slammed Belfort to the canvas and escaped. Post-fight Jones said he would have let his arm break rather than tap.
Who was the first UFC Flyweight Champion?
Demetrious Johnson became the inaugural UFC Flyweight Champion by defeating Joseph Benavidez via split decision over five rounds at UFC 152. He went on to make eleven consecutive title defences.
Why did Vitor Belfort get the UFC 152 title shot?
Belfort accepted the short-notice fight after Dan Henderson was injured and Jon Jones declined Chael Sonnen as a replacement. Lyoto Machida was also proposed but declined the short-notice terms. Belfort agreed.
What was Jones' personal situation entering UFC 152?
Jones had been arrested on a DWI charge in May 2012 and had publicly attracted criticism for his role in the UFC 151 cancellation. UFC 152 was his first fight in four months, under significant public and promotional pressure.
References
Comments