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Get ready UFC, for you have now entered the Era of Bones. Unless you are living under a rock, you will now know that Jon "Bones" Jones has become the youngest champion in UFC history. The fight went down in Newark, NJ at the Prudential Center and aired live on Pay-Per-View. Bones stole the show Saturday night with a brutal and dominating win over the former Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Shogun never mounted any kind of offense and was completely dismantled in the stand up game as well as when the fight hit the ground. Shogun’s night ended when he took a devastating knee straight to the face. Luckily, Herb Dean was there to save him from further destruction. Whether or not Rua was suffering from ring rust, knee problems or was just simply outclassed can only be speculated upon. The fact of the matter is that he was easily handled and finished in the third round. Now, the Light Heavyweight division is reeling with the fact that they will have to climb the most stacked division in the UFC and then have to face the daunting offensive blitz that will come out of the new 23-year-old champion. Let’s not forget that the new champion is a veritable superhero after he chased down and subdued a thief hours before the show began. The young man is now a media darling with the tools to impose his will on any man he faces.
The new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion was very excited about his win, but remained humble as he had this to say to Joe Rogan during the post fight interview. “It feels so good,” said Jones, who, at 23, became the youngest UFC champion in history. “It’s a testament that dreams do come true. Believe in yourself, and once you get there, don’t slow down. It comes true, everybody.”
Jones went on to let the division know that he is ready for anything they may throw at him as he followed up the first comment with this gem, “It means a lot to me, but now I know I have a huge target on my back.” Jones also said. “And when you guys come and strike at me, I’ll be ready to strike right back.”
The former champion Rua seemed astonished to have been so easily handled the way he was yet remained gracious in defeat as he told Rogan this, “The strategy was to fight him anywhere the fight would go. I have to congratulate him. He was better than me. He is a very tough guy, and he showed great muay Thai and ground work. He is the man.”
Now Jones will prepare to face his friend and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion "Sugar" Rashad Evans who had recently told the press that he wouldn't fight the up and coming fighter due to their close relationship. That seems to have vanished now that the former champion has a title fight dangling in front of his face. The prospect of UFC gold seems to be too much for Rashad. When this fight happens it should be a candidate for fight of the year if Rashad brings his “A” game. We know Bones certainly will.
The rest of the night was just as exciting as we saw former WEC Champion Urijah Faber win his UFC debut against hardnosed fighter Eddie Wineland. Faber earned a hard fought unanimous decision where he outstruck and just outfought Wineland. The win puts Faber in line for a title shot against current UFC Champion Dominic Cruz. Faber has already destroyed the champ once with a first round submission choke at WEC 26. He will look to do it again and gain UFC gold. This win will also set up the two fighters as coaches of the next season of “The Ultimate Fighter” and with the end of the season featuring a Title bout against the two Coaches.
Jim Miller tore through his opponent Saturday night with a slick TKO in the third round. Kamal Shalorus looked optimistic coming into the fight, but that quickly turned to dismay as Miller imposed his will at every corner. With seven straight wins now in the UFC, the hard working fighter is asking for a title fight. He certainly deserves the fight and could very well take the belt. The question is who will he be fighting, Edgar or Maynard? We will find out at UFC 130: Maynard vs. Edgar III.
We saw the end of a great fighting career Saturday night, as the once feared Pride Absolute Champion was taken to task by the much younger and more athletic Brendan Schaub. The TUF runner up came with powerful and textbook strikes to outduel Cro Cop and easily pushed the smaller man around in the Clinch. Cro Cop showed flashes of his former self as he bloodied the nose of Schaub as well as opening a cut over the eye of the former NFL player. It just wasn’t enough to take the fight, though as late in the third round he was caught while trying to throw one of his trademark kicks. Schaub timed it perfectly and crushed Cro Cop with a perfect right to the temple. Cro Cop crashed to the ground and Herb Dean came to the rescue. Schaub is looking better and better in each fight and we will most likely see him in a title fight soon. Brendan took home a $75,000 Fight of The Night Award for his efforts.
Nate the Great took home an easy win by controlling Dan Miller throughout their fight. The other Miller brother couldn’t bring home a win as his brother Jim Miller did but fought just as hard nonetheless. Nate Marquardt has stated after this win that he may make the drop to the welterweight division. This will definitely shake up the division, as the bigger Marquardt will not be welcomed with open arms. His drop in weight would certainly alter the training of certain fighters that he will inevitably face.
Overall, the night was a rousing success and it needed to be as the UFC has now purchased its competitor Strikeforce. If the UFC is going to make a case as having the best fighters in the world, then the fights these fighters do battle in need to be equally great. All the fighters shined even the fallen Cro Cop who stayed in the scrap with a much younger and more athletic competitor before succumbing to defeat. The Alpha Male, Urijah Faber looks to rip his title back from a former foe after performing beautiful in his UFC debut. The path of the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion is wide open and the sky is his limit. Will we see him jump over buildings in a single bound? Don't be surprised if you do. If UFC 128 was an indicator of things to come then this summer should be the biggest summer in MMA history. Bring it on!
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