UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Roe Jogan
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen. April 27, 2013. Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey. Jon Jones defended the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against Chael Sonnen by TKO at 4:33 of round one, his fifth consecutive LHW title defence. Jones fought with a broken toe sustained during the fight and still dominated from the opening seconds.
Jones took Sonnen down three times in the opening round. Prior to UFC 159, Sonnen had been taken down just three times combined in his previous eight fights. Jones beat Sonnen using Sonnen’s own strength. Pat Healy submitted Jim Miller for a Fight of the Night bonus, then tested positive for marijuana; the result was overturned to a No Contest.
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 27, 2013
Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, USA
Main Event: Jon Jones (c) vs. Chael Sonnen — UFC LHW Championship (5 rounds); Jones fought with broken toe sustained during the fight
Result: Jones def. Sonnen — TKO (Punches) — R1, 4:33; five consecutive LHW defences (ties Tito Ortiz record); Jones took Sonnen down 3x in R1
Notable: Jones broke toe during fight; Healy def. Miller sub (overturned to NC – marijuana); Sara McMann UFC debut; Roy Nelson KOTN; $65k bonuses
The Build-Up
Chael Sonnen had agreed to replace Dan Henderson at UFC 151 on eight days’ notice — the fight Jones refused, leading to the first cancellation in UFC history.
Main Event
Jon Jones (c) vs. Chael Sonnen — UFC LHW Championship
Chael Sonnen came out aggressively with pressure on the feet. Jones clinched, worked for a takedown, and got it.
Co-Main Event
Michael Bisping vs. Alan Belcher — Middleweight
Bisping defeated Belcher via technical decision after an accidental eye poke forced an early stoppage. Two of three judges had Bisping ahead at the time of the stoppage. The outcome was controversial given the premature finish but was legally correct.
Full Results
Preliminary Card (FX)
Sara McMann def. Sheila Gaff — TKO — R1, 4:06 — WBW; Sara McMann UFC debut (Olympic wrestling silver medallist)
Bryan Caraway def. Johnny Bedford — Submission — R3 — BW; bonus ($65k)
Ovince St. Preux def. Gian Villante — Decision (Majority) — R3 — LHW
Rustam Khabilov def. Yancy Medeiros — TKO — R1 — LW
Main Card
Jim Miller vs. Pat HealyNo Contest — R3, 4:02 — LW; Healy won by sub but overturned to NC (marijuana positive)
Phil Davis def. Vinny Magalhães — Decision — R3 — LHW
Roy Nelson def. Cheick Kongo — KO — R1, 2:03 — HW; Fight of the Night ($65k to Nelson)
Michael Bisping def. Alan Belcher — Technical Decision — R3 (eye poke stoppage) — MW; Co-Main
UFC LHW Championship (5 rounds) — Main Event
Jon Jones def. Chael Sonnen — TKO (Punches) — R1, 4:33 — fifth LHW title defence; Jones broke toe during fight; tied Tito Ortiz LHW consecutive defence record
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Jim Miller vs. Pat Healy — $65,000 to each fighter (bonus paid; result later overturned to NC due to Healy’s failed drug test).
KO of the Night: Roy Nelson vs. Cheick Kongo — $65,000 to Nelson.
Sub of the Night: Bryan Caraway — $65,000.
Records & Milestones
Jones — 5th consecutive LHW title defence; tied Tito Ortiz’s record for most consecutive LHW defences in UFC history.
Chael Sonnen taken down 3x by Jones in round one — he had been taken down just 3 times in his previous 8 bouts combined; Jones beat Sonnen at wrestling.
Pat Healy vs. Jim Miller result overturned — Healy’s submission win was later changed to a No Contest after he failed a post-event drug test for marijuana.
Sara McMann UFC debut — McMann was a 2004 Olympic silver medallist in Greco-Roman wrestling; her UFC debut was a TKO of Sheila Gaff.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 159’s main event was less a fight than a demonstration. Chael Sonnen had parlayed the UFC 151 cancellation into TUF coaching credits and a title shot against a dominant champion at a different weight class. Jones’ performance — 3 takedowns in 4 minutes against a two-time MW title challenger whose identity was built on wrestling — made the mismatch explicit and final. It was
The Healy-Miller result being overturned to a No Contest for marijuana was one of the first post-event drug test reversals in a high-profile UFC bonus fight. The bonuses had already been paid. The result reversal became part of the ongoing public debate about marijuana’s place in the sport’s drug policy.
FAQ
How did Chael Sonnen get the UFC 159 title shot?
Sonnen accepted the replacement fight at UFC 151 on eight days' notice that Jones declined, which led to the first event cancellation in UFC history. The UFC rewarded Sonnen with a TUF 17 coaching slot opposite Jones and then a title fight.
Did Jones fight with a broken toe at UFC 159?
Yes. Jones broke a toe during the fight but continued competing without noticeable limitation. He dominated all of round one and finished Sonnen by TKO at 4:33.
How dominant was Jones' performance vs Sonnen at UFC 159?
Jones took Sonnen down three times in the opening round. Sonnen had been taken down just three times in his previous eight fights combined. Jones beat him at his own discipline before finishing with ground-and-pound.
Why was the Healy vs Miller result overturned at UFC 159?
Pat Healy tested positive for marijuana following the event. The result was changed from a Healy submission win to a No Contest. The Fight of the Night bonuses had already been paid to both fighters before the test result was returned.
Was UFC 159 a significant card for women's MMA?
Yes. Sara McMann, the 2004 Olympic silver medallist in Greco-Roman wrestling, made her UFC debut at UFC 159 with a first-round TKO win over Sheila Gaff.
References
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