UFC 139

Lore & Background

By mid-2012, the Jones–Evans rivalry had already produced two of the most talked-about light-heavyweight bouts of the decade. Their first meeting at UFC 117 saw Jones impose his length and counter-striking to stop Evans early. Their rematch at UFC 129 flipped the script, with Evans landing a devastating body kick sequence to claim the title. Jones walked in as champion again after the UFC had reinstated the belt following the Evans victory, and he made no pretense of a war of attrition. From the opening bell he pressed forward, combining long-range jabs with crushing overhand rights and knee strikes that drove Evans into the cage. The first-round TKO was swift and decisive, ending the trilogy on Jones's terms and silencing much of the criticism that had followed his loss at UFC 129. Beyond the main event, the card featured a strong co-main bout in Daniel Cormier's matchup with veteran Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, a fight that showcased the next generation of light-heavyweight talent stepping into the spotlight.

In Their Own Story

The MGM Grand Garden Arena hummed with a low, electric murmur as the cage was sealed. Jones bounced on the balls of his feet, hands loose at his sides, the kind of calm that fans had learned to associate with him. Across the octagon, Evans rolled his shoulders, jaw set, the memory of that body kick at UFC 129 still fresh in his mind. The referee's voice cut through the noise: "FIGHT."

What followed was less a battle than a correction. Jones stepped in, jab, jab, then a right hand that caught Evans flush on the chin. The veteran stumbled. A knee. Another. Evans's legs folded, and the canvas swallowed the sound of the crowd's roar. The timekeeper waved it off. Jones stood over him, breathing hard, then raised both arms as the lights strobed white. Three fights. Three rounds that mattered. One crown, back where it belonged.

Reader's Guide

• Jones reasserted his dominance with a first-round stoppage, ending the series 2-1 and reclaiming his place as the division's benchmark. • Co-main event: Daniel Cormier vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, a marquee light-heavyweight bout that highlighted the depth of the division beyond the top two. • A Las Vegas homecoming for Jones, fought in front of a packed arena in the city that had become his unofficial base. The card balanced a marquee title trilogy with strong supporting fights, giving fans a full evening of light-heavyweight action and a clean, decisive ending to one of the era's great rivalries.

Did You Know?

• The Jones–Evans trilogy is one of the few title rivalries in UFC history where the same two fighters met three times for a championship, with the series split 1-1 before the final chapter.
• The event took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, a venue that has hosted numerous UFC title fights and is strongly associated with the promotion's Las Vegas era.
• Daniel Cormier's performance on the card helped solidify his reputation as a top-tier light-heavyweight contender in the years before his move to the heavyweight division.