UFC 235: Jones vs. Smith | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Daniel Cornmeat
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
Introduction
UFC 235: Jones vs. Smith — March 2, 2019, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas. One of the most loaded single cards of early 2019, delivering two title fights, one of the most controversial finishes in recent UFC history, and a changing of the welterweight guard that the division had been waiting years for. Jon Jones made his first UFC Light Heavyweight title defence since reclaiming the belt at UFC 232, defeating Anthony Smith by unanimous decision across five dominant rounds. Kamaru Usman ended Tyron Woodley’s 1,036-day welterweight title reign with a complete five-round grinding performance that left no doubt in any judge’s mind. And Ben Askren’s UFC debut against Robbie Lawler produced one of the most disputed stoppages the organisation has seen.
Woodley had defended the WW title four times since winning it in 2016 — the fourth defence against Darren Till at UFC 228 — but Usman had been building a case that was impossible to ignore: unbeaten in the UFC, a dominant wrestler with improving striking, and a pace that opponents simply could not sustain.
Quick Stats
📅 Date: March 2, 2019
📍 Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
📺 Broadcast: Pay-Per-View
🏆 Main Event: Jones (c) vs. Smith — UFC LHW Championship
✅ Results: Jones def. Smith UD R5 | Usman def. Woodley UD R5 (NEW WW Champion) | Askren def. Lawler R1 (sub, controversial)
🥇 Champions: Jones retained LHW title | Usman NEW WW champion
The Build-Up
Jones had reclaimed the LHW title at UFC 232 under the cloud of Nevada’s refusal to licence him. Anthony Smith had punched through the LHW contender list with a series of finishes and arrived as a credible challenger willing to engage in a stand-up fight. Usman’s path to the WW title shot had been earned through a sequence of dominant wins that exposed Woodley’s reluctance to engage with high-volume grapplers. Woodley had defended four times but none of his opponents had brought Usman’s combination of wrestling pressure and improving striking.
Ben Askren’s UFC debut was one of the most anticipated in years. The former Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight champion arrived with a 19-0 record and a wrestling-based style that had suffocated everyone he had faced. Robbie Lawler, the former UFC WW champion, had been one of the division’s fiercest finishers. The contrast in styles generated enormous anticipation for what was scheduled in the co-undercard.
Main Event — Jones vs. Smith
Jon Jones (c) vs. Anthony Smith — UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Jones was methodical and composed, fighting the kind of controlled championship performance that defined his best years. He used his reach and oblique kicks to neutralise Smith’s forward pressure in the early rounds, mixing his entries and preventing Smith from setting up his offensive sequences. Smith had moments — he pushed forward with intent and wasn’t dominated to the point of embarrassment — but Jones controlled distance and ate very little through five rounds. The unanimous decision was never in doubt, though it was not the spectacular performance some had hoped for. Jones remained a simultaneously revered and polarising figure at the LHW summit.
Co-Main Event — Usman vs. Woodley
Kamaru Usman vs. Tyron Woodley (c) — UFC Welterweight Championship
Usman’s performance was one of the most complete WW title fight victories in UFC history. He applied wrestling pressure from the opening minute, forced Woodley against the cage repeatedly, and ground his way through five rounds at a pace that Woodley’s cardio simply could not match. Woodley, who had built his championship on explosive power and counter-striking, was unable to create the space to land his dangerous right hand. Usman outworked him on every level — in cage control, takedown attempts, clinch work, and overall output.
The unanimous decision was 49-46, 49-46, 49-46 — dominant, clear, and definitive. Woodley’s 1,036-day WW title reign was over. Usman, the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’, began a divisional era that would extend for years and see him defend the title five consecutive times. He would become the most dominant WW champion in UFC history. The title context from Woodley’s reign is covered in our UFC 228 profile.
Askren vs. Lawler — The Controversial Debut
Askren shot for a takedown within the first ten seconds. Lawler defended, flipped Askren, and briefly had Askren’s back against the cage. Askren worked back to an upright position, eventually landing a bulldog choke that appeared to render Lawler unconscious at the fence. Referee Herb Dean stopped the fight. Lawler immediately protested, apparently alert, that he had not tapped. Video review suggested Lawler’s arm had dropped and his body had gone limp before the stoppage. The result stood on replay review. Askren won his UFC debut by submission at 0:51 of round one, and almost no one was satisfied. The finish remains one of the most debated stoppages in WW division history, and it gave Lawler’s career a deeply unsatisfying moment to carry forward.
Full Results
Main Card
Jones def. Smith — Unanimous Decision | R5 5:00 | LHW Championship (Jones 1st defence)
Usman def. Woodley — Unanimous Decision (49-46 ×3) | R5 5:00 | WW Championship (Usman NEW champion)
Askren def. Lawler — Submission (bulldog choke, controversial) | R1 0:51 | WW
Magomedsharipov def. Stephens — Unanimous Decision | R3 | FW
Nunes def. De Randamie — Unanimous Decision | R5 | Women’s BW
Preliminary Card
Whitmire def. Moyle — Split Decision | R3 | Women’s BW
Oliveira def. Lee — Submission (rear naked choke) | R2 | LW
Bonuses & Awards
🏅 Performance of the Night ($50,000 each): Kamaru Usman for his dominant five-round title win over Woodley; and Charles Oliveira for his R2 rear-naked choke submission of Gleison Tibau in the prelims.
Records & Milestones
Usman’s win ended Woodley’s 1,036-day WW title reign, the longest in the division since Georges St-Pierre. Woodley had defended four times, with his last successful defence at UFC 228. Usman’s title win began a run that saw him become the most dominant WW champion in UFC history. Askren’s debut win, however controversial, recorded his 20th professional victory without a loss. Jones’ first-round oblique kicks on Smith were noted by medical professionals and the broader MMA community for their potential long-term damage implications. Amanda Nunes’ UD of Germaine de Randamie was her Women’s BW title defence number three.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 235 is primarily remembered as the beginning of the Kamaru Usman era at welterweight — one of the most dominant title reigns in UFC history. The Woodley defeat was complete and clean, and it ended a period in which the WW title had been criticised for defensive, low-output performances. Usman’s version of the title promised something different. The Askren–Lawler controversy ensured the night also generated lasting debate about refereeing standards. Jones’ continuation at LHW was the default status quo for a division that had no answer for him; the Cormier rematch was the only story anyone wanted. UFC 235 sits alongside UFC 234 as one of the key structural events of early 2019.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Usman beat Woodley at UFC 235?
Usman used relentless wrestling pressure, cage control, and superior cardio to outwork Woodley across five rounds. He won 49-46 on all three judges’ scorecards — one of the most dominant WW title-fight performances in UFC history.
What was controversial about the Askren vs. Lawler finish at UFC 235?
Askren applied a bulldog choke from a standing/kneeling position against the fence. Lawler appeared to go limp, referee Herb Dean stopped the fight, and Lawler immediately protested he was not tapping and was not unconscious. Video review showed Lawler’s arm dropped before the stoppage. The result was upheld, giving Askren the win by submission at 0:51 of round one.
How long had Woodley held the WW title before UFC 235?
1,036 days, since winning the title at UFC 201 in July 2016. He made four successful defences, the last at UFC 228 vs. Darren Till.
Was UFC 235 Ben Askren’s UFC debut?
Yes. Askren arrived in the UFC as part of the trade that sent Demetrious Johnson to ONE Championship, as covered in our UFC 227 profile. He was 19-0 going in. His debut win over Lawler was controversial; his UFC career was ended by a brutal KO from Jorge Masvidal at UFC 239.
Who received the UFC 235 post-fight bonuses?
Performance of the Night: Kamaru Usman ($50,000) for his dominant five-round WW title win; and Charles Oliveira ($50,000) for his R2 RNC submission in the prelims.
References
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