UFC 150

Lore & Background

The road to UFC 150 was paved with years of animosity. Chael Sonnen had captured the light heavyweight crown in 2010, only to be dethroned by the then-23-year-old Jon Jones in a fight that showcased Jones's terrifying combination of wrestling, striking, and grappling. The rematch was sold as a settling of scores, a final chapter in a rivalry that had defined the division's narrative for two years. On the night itself, the Barclays Center hummed with a New York crowd that had largely never seen a UFC main card in person. Jones, fighting in what was arguably the most hostile environment of his career, controlled the early rounds with his trademark pressure and takedowns. Sonnen, a veteran of 30-plus professional fights, weathered the storm and landed clean shots, but in the fourth round Jones locked in a rear-naked choke from the back. Sonnen tapped out, and the Brooklyn arena erupted. Jones stood over his fallen rival and, in a moment that would become iconic, raised his arms in a quiet, almost reverent acknowledgment of the crowd that had come to witness the end of the saga. Beyond the main event, UFC 150 was a cultural milestone for the sport in New York. It demonstrated that the city's massive, passionate fan base would fill a modern arena for mixed martial arts, paving the way for future events in the region and cementing the UFC's presence on the East Coast as a permanent, mainstream entertainment force rather than a niche attraction.

In Their Own Story

The walkway behind the Barclays Center was a tunnel of noise before the arena even opened its doors. Jones sat on a bench in his corner, headphones on, jaw working a piece of gum. Sonnen was somewhere across the venue, already barking at the press, already performing. The two men had shared a locker room at UFC 117 two years earlier; Jones remembered Sonnen's hand on his shoulder, the words 'you're not ready for this,' delivered with a grin. Now the grin was on a t-shirt, on a billboard in Flatbush, on every screen in the building. Jones pulled his headphones off. The crowd was a single, breathing thing—twelve thousand throats in Brooklyn, and none of them were on his side. He stood, rolled his shoulders, and walked toward the cage. The roar hit him like a wave. He didn't flinch. Four rounds later, the wave was still there, but the man who'd made it was on his knees, tapping, and the story was over.

Reader's Guide

UFC 150 — October 27, 2012 — Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY Headline: Jon Jones (c) def. Chael Sonnen by submission (R4) — UFC Light Heavyweight Title

• The long-awaited rematch of UFC 117 (2010), where Jones first dethroned Sonnen; two years of public feuding made this the most anticipated light heavyweight fight of the era. • One of the first major UFC events held in New York City, proving the sport could fill a modern arena in the nation's largest media market and anchoring the UFC's East Coast presence. Scannable takeaway: a single, definitive fight resolved a two-year rivalry in front of a sold-out New York crowd, and the result—Jones by choke—closed the chapter for good.

Did You Know?

• UFC 150 was a rematch: Jones and Sonnen first met at UFC 117 in 2010, where Jones won by TKO to take the light heavyweight title.
• The event was among the first major UFC cards staged in New York City, helping establish the UFC as a permanent fixture in the region's entertainment landscape.
• Chael Sonnen was a former light heavyweight champion (2010) and one of the sport's most recognizable media personalities, which made the rivalry a crossover event that drew viewers well outside the core MMA audience.