UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida – Preview & Event Coverage
By Justin Bolduc
*Click here for UFC 140 Weigh-In Results*
*Click here for UFC 140 Live Results & Extended Event Coverage*
This weekend the UFC returns to Toronto, Canada with a strong twelve-bout offering at the Air Canada Centre. In the main event the world’s top light heavyweight, Jon Jones, defends his UFC title against former UFC champion Lyoto Machida. The co-main event features a heavyweight rematch between former UFC champion Frank Mir and former PRIDE and UFC interim champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
Also on the main card is a high-profile bout between UFC legend and former champion Tito Ortiz against PRIDE legend Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Fast-rising talent Brian Ebersole appears against Claude Patrick, while highly-regarded featherweights Mark Hominick and Chan Sung Jung open the pay-per-view broadcast in PDG’s Match-Up of the Night.
The preliminary portion of the card features three bouts on the UFC’s official Facebook page and four bouts on ION Television. On the Facebook portion of the card UFC newcomers John Cholish and Mitch Clarke kick off the night. The Ultimate Fighter 11’s Rich Attonito welcomes Jake Hecht into the UFC while Mark Bocek and PunchDrunkGamer’s Nik Lentz round out the Facebook portion of the card.
The ION Television broadcast features the sole bantamweight bout of the night between Yves Jabouin and Walel Watson. Long-time mixed martial arts veteran Dennis Hallman two-time UFC veteran John Makdessi in a lightweight contest, while Jared Hamman faces Constantinos Phillipou in the night’s lone middleweight bout. The final ION bout sees The Ultimate Fighter alum and IFL veteran Krzysztof Soszynski take on Igor Pokrajac.
Jon Jones (14-1) vs. Lyoto Machida (17-2)
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Jon Jones (8-1 UFC) quickly rose as a fan favorite with exciting, inventive performances against Andre Gusmao and Stephan Bonnar. Jones then made short work of Jake O’Brien, picking up his first finish in the UFC before steamrolling The Ultimate Fighter 3’s Matt Hamill – although illegal 12-to-6 elbows from mount gave Jones a disqualification loss, the only loss of his career.
Following the Hamill bout, Jones brutalized Brandon Vera with elbows from guard, and then used elbows to finish Vladimir Matyushenko – each in the first round. After stopping The Ultimate Fighter 8 winner Ryan Bader with a guillotine choke, Jones was given a shot at the UFC light heavyweight title.
In his title shot, Jones overwhelmed PRIDE superstar Mauricio “Shogun” Rua with size and aggressiveness, becoming the only fighter to stop Rua by TKO. In his first title defense Jones showed patience aggression which led to a fourth round rear naked choke over former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Jones, who is the youngest champion in UFC history, was a national JUCO champion while wrestling at Iowa Central Community College. Jones currently trains under Greg Jackson and owns four wins by submission and eight by TKO.
Lyoto Machida (9-2 UFC) made a name for himself amongst hardcore fans prior to joining the UFC. Earlier in his career he carried a special mystique, not much unlike Fedor Emelianenko, with high-profile victories over former UFC champions B.J. Penn and Rich Franklin, as well as wins over Stephan Bonnar and Vernon “Tiger” White.
Machida first UFC bouts didn’t help earn him fans, as he simply out-pointed Sam Hoger and David Heath in lackluster fashion. His next bout against PRIDE veteran Kazuhiro Nakamura saw an increase in aggression before he finally submitted PRIDE veteran Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou with an arm-triangle choke. Machida then won a unanimous decision over former UFC champion Tito Ortiz before knocking out Thiago Silva in the first round.
Machida then challenged Rashad Evans for the UFC light heavyweight title, knocking out Evans in the second round. In his first title defense Machida won a highly-controversial decision over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, causing an immediate rematch. Machida was knocked out in the first round by “Shogun”, losing the title in his first career loss. Machida then lost controversial decision against former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, but most recently knocked out former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Randy Couture in the legends last mixed martial arts bout.
Machida made karate popular inside mixed martial arts, but also possesses a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Machida is one of the most elusive fighters in the sport and owns two submission victories in his career, along with six TKO’s.
Mark Hominick (20-9) vs. Chan Sung Jung (11-3)
PDG’s Match-Up of the Night
In PDG’s Match-Up of the Night recent featherweight contender Mark Hominick (3-1 UFC) takes on “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung (1-0 UFC). Hominick enters the bout coming off a loss against Jose Aldo in a featherweight title fight, but had previously been on a five-fight win streak, including three in the WEC. Hominick holds notable career victories over Yves Edwards, Bryan Caraway, Yves Jabouin, George Roop, Stephane Vigneault, Leonard Garcia, and Jorge Gurgel. Jung enters Saturday’s bout coming off a submission of the year candidate in a rematch with Leonard Garcia in his UFC debut. Utilizing the only twister in UFC history, Jung entered the rematch on a two-fight skid in the WEC against Garcia and George Roop. “The Korean Zombie” owns notable victories over Matt Jaggers and Shintaro Ishwatari.
Frank Mir (15-5) vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (33-6-1, 1 NC)
Co-Main Event
In the co-main event of the evening former champions Frank Mir (13-5 UFC) and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (4-2 UFC) rematch. Mir enters the rematch on a two-fight win streak, knocking out PRIDE’s 2006 Open-Weight Grand Prix champion Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic before most recently winning a unanimous decision over The Ultimate Fighter 10 winner and former IFL champion Roy Nelson. Mir was the first person to finish Nogueira in mixed martial arts and holds additional notable career wins over Tim Sylvia, Brock Lesnar, and Cheick Kongo. Nogueira built a name for himself in PRIDE as the promotion’s first heavyweight champion, before later becoming a UFC interim champion. Nogueira enters Saturday’s bout coming off a knockout win over The Ultimate Fighter 10 finalist Brendan Schaub. Nogueira holds notable career wins over Josh Barnett, Heath Herring, Mirko Filipovic, Randy Couture, Tim Sylvia, Ricco Rodriguez, Dan Henderson, Sanae Kitaoka, Semmy Schilt, Mark Coleman, and Tsuyoshi Kohsaka.
Tito Ortiz (16-9-1) vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-5)
Main Card
In one of the most highly-anticipated bouts on the card UFC legend Tito Ortiz (15-9-1 UFC) takes on PRIDE legend Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (2-2 UFC). Ortiz, who is on the brink of retirement, enters the bout coming off a late-notice replacement TKO loss against former champion Rashad Evans. Prior Ortiz had snapped a five-bout winless streak which spanned five years by submitting The Ultimate Fighter 8 winner Ryan Bader. Ortiz holds notable career victories over Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva, Forrest Griffin, Evan Tanner, Yuki Kondo, Vladimir Matyushenko, Patrick Cote, and Guy Mezger. Nogueira enters the bout on a two-fight losing streak, the first of his career, against Ryan Bader and Phil Davis. Nogueira had won his first two UFC bouts over Luiz Cane and Jason Brilz and holds notable career wins over Vladimir Matyushenko, Alistair Overeem, Kazushi Sakuraba, Kazuhiro Nakamura, Guy Mezger, Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, and Dan Henderson.
UFC 140 Fight Card
Main Card (PPV):
Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida (UFC Light Heavyweight Championship)
Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Brian Ebersole vs. Claude Patrick
Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung (PDG’s Match-Up of the Night)
Preliminary Card (ION TV):
Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Igor Pokrajac
Jared Hamman vs. Constantinos Phillipou
John Makdessi vs. Dennis Hallman
Yves Jabouin vs. Walel Watson
Preliminary Card (Facebook):
Mark Bocek vs. Nik Lentz
Rich Attonito vs. Jake Hecht
Mitch Clarke vs. John Cholish
