UFC 135
{{short description|UFC mixed martial arts event in 2011}}
{{Infobox MMA event
|name=UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
|image=UFC-135-new.jpg
|promotion=Ultimate Fighting Championship
|date=September 24, 2011
|venue=Pepsi Center
|attendance=16,344{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/25425/ufc-135-draws-16344-for-2-1-million-live-gate-second-best-attendance-of-2011.mma|title=UFC 135 draws 16,344 for $2.1 million live gate; third-best attendance of 2011|publisher=MMAjunkie.com|date=September 27, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130129014242/http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2011/09/ufc-135-draws-16344-for-2-1-million-live-gate-second-best-attendance-of-2011|archive-date=January 29, 2013}}
|previousevent= UFC Fight Night: Shields vs. Ellenberger
|followingevent=UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson
}}
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on September 24, 2011, at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.{{cite web |url=http://www.ufc.com/event/UFC135#/fight|title=UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage|date=14 September 2018|publisher=ufc.com}}
Background
The Ultimate Fighting Championship had its first ever event{{cite web|url=http://www.mmaentry.com/upcoming-mma-ufc/fight-card-event-details-results/ufc-135-jones-vs-rampage.html|title=UFC 135: Fight Card Lineup |work=MMAentry.com |date=August 13, 2011 |last=Samuels |first=Albert |access-date=August 17, 2011}} in Denver nearly 20 years prior to UFC 135, but the promotion has not operated a pay-per-view event in the Mile High City since The Ultimate Ultimate in 1995. Zuffa, the UFC's parent company, was not the owner back then. UFC president Dana White, in an interview with MMAWeekly.com, says that the company has long been on a course to return to Denver, but they wanted to do it the right way. “We knew that we wanted to bring a big exciting card back to Denver, and we finally got it done.”{{cite web |url= http://mmaweekly.com/ufc-president-dana-white-we-always-planned-to-come-back-to-denver |title=UFC President Dana White: We Always Planned to Come Back to Denver |date=July 24, 2011 |publisher=MMAWeekly.com |access-date=2011-07-24}}
Jon Jones was expected to make his first title defense on August 6, 2011, at UFC 133 against Rashad Evans, but Jones was sidelined with a hand injury.{{cite web|url=http://mmaweekly.com/jon-bones-jones-injured-rashad-evans-faces-phil-davis-at-ufc-133|title=Jon "Bones" Jones Injured|publisher=MMAWeekly.com|date=April 25, 2011}} It was initially announced that the hand injury would require surgery, but Jones opted for rest and rehabilitation without surgery after further consultations with doctors.{{cite web|url=http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/05/13/jon-jones-elects-to-not-have-surgery-on-injured-hand/ |title=Jon Jones Elects to Not Have Surgery on Injured Hand |last=Helwani |first=Ariel |publisher=MMAFighting.com |date=2011-05-13 |access-date=2011-05-16}} Jones' injury was originally thought to keep him out of action until late 2011, but instead, he made his first title defense against Quinton Jackson at this event.{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/24004/as-expected-champ-jones-and-challenger-rampage-headline-ufc-135.mma|title=As expected, champ Jon Jones and challenger "Rampage" Jackson headline UFC 135|publisher=mmajunkie|date=June 15, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110618020357/http://mmajunkie.com/news/24004/as-expected-champ-jones-and-challenger-rampage-headline-ufc-135.mma|archive-date=June 18, 2011}}
UFC 135 featured two preliminary fights live on Spike TV.{{cite web |url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/24453/spike-tv-adds-ufc-prelims-special-for-ufc-135-jones-vs-rampage.mma |title=Spike TV adds "UFC Prelims" special for "UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage" |publisher=MMAjunkie.com |date=July 18, 2011 |last=Morgan |first=John |access-date=July 18, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130129022543/http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2011/07/spike-tv-adds-ufc-prelims-special-for-ufc-135-jones-vs-rampage |archive-date=January 29, 2013 }}
Manny Gamburyan was scheduled to face Diego Nunes. However, on August 15, it was announced Gamburyan had to pull out of the bout due to a shoulder injury.{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/24830/injured-manny-gamburyan-out-of-ufc-135-fight-with-diego-nunes.mma|title=Injured Manny Gamburyan out of UFC 135 fight with Diego Nunes|publisher=mmajunkie|date=August 15, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120110012046/http://mmajunkie.com/news/24830/injured-manny-gamburyan-out-of-ufc-135-fight-with-diego-nunes.mma|archive-date=January 10, 2012}} Then, on August 29, Nunes confirmed his own exit from the card, citing injury and a murder attempt on his father.{{cite web | url=http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Nunes-Confirms-UFC-135-Exit-Awaits-Gamburyan-in-December-35155 | title=Nunes confirms UFC 135 exit, awaits Gamburyan in December. | publisher=Sherdog.com | date=August 29, 2011 | access-date=August 29, 2011}} The fight was later rescheduled for UFC 141, where Nunes won via unanimous decision.
A bout between Norifumi Yamamoto and Damacio Page was expected for this event.{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/23982/bantamweights-kid-yamamoto-vs-damacio-page-targeted-for-ufc-135.mma|title=Bantamweights "Kid" Yamamoto vs. Damacio Page targeted for UFC 135|publisher=mmajunkie.com|date=June 13, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710074850/http://mmajunkie.com/news/23982/bantamweights-kid-yamamoto-vs-damacio-page-targeted-for-ufc-135.mma|archive-date=July 10, 2012}} However, the bout was scrapped on September 1 after both fighters sustained injuries while training for the bout.{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/25047/norifumi-kid-yamamoto-vs-damacio-page-scratched-from-ufc-135-prelims.mma|title=Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto vs. Damacio Page scratched from UFC 135 prelims|publisher=mmajunkie.com|date=September 1, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713111414/http://mmajunkie.com/news/25047/norifumi-kid-yamamoto-vs-damacio-page-scratched-from-ufc-135-prelims.mma|archive-date=July 13, 2012}}
Diego Sanchez was expected to face Matt Hughes, but was forced out of the bout with a broken hand and replaced by Josh Koscheck.{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/25114/matt-hughes-vs-josh-koscheck-official-for-ufc-135-in-denver.mma|title=Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck official for UFC 135 in Denver|publisher=mmajunkie.com|date=September 6, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002160610/http://mmajunkie.com/news/25114/matt-hughes-vs-josh-koscheck-official-for-ufc-135-in-denver.mma|archive-date=October 2, 2011}} After this fight Matt Hughes was offered a non competitive role in the UFC which resulted in his retirement from MMA.
Results
{{MMAevent}}
{{MMAevent card|Main Card}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Light Heavyweight
|Jon Jones (c)
|def.
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|4
|1:14
|For the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Welterweight
|def.
|KO (punches)
|1
|4:59
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Heavyweight
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–27, 30–27)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Heavyweight
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Lightweight
|def.
|Submission (armbar)
|1
|4:27
|
}}
{{MMAevent card|Preliminary card (Spike TV)}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Lightweight
|def.
|TKO (corner stoppage)
|1
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Middleweight
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent card|Preliminary card (Facebook)}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Featherweight
|def.
|Eddie Yagin
|Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 30–26, 30–27)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Bantamweight
|def.
|TKO (punches)
|2
|4:30
|This bout aired last on PPV broadcast following the Jones vs. Jackson fight.
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Light Heavyweight
|def.
|KO (punches)
|1
|0:47
|This bout aired on the Spike broadcast following the Ferguson vs. Riley fight.
|header=no}}
{{MMAevent end|notes=yes}}
Bonus awards
The following fighters received $75,000 bonuses.{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/25392/ufc-135-bonuses-koscheck-diaz-jones-and-jackson-earn-75k-fighter-awards.mma|title=UFC 135 bonuses: Koscheck, Diaz, Jones and Jackson earn $75K fighter awards|work=MMAjunkie.com|date=September 24, 2011|access-date=September 24, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713200548/http://mmajunkie.com/news/25392/ufc-135-bonuses-koscheck-diaz-jones-and-jackson-earn-75k-fighter-awards.mma|archive-date=July 13, 2012}}
- Fight of the Night: Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson
- Knockout of the Night: Josh Koscheck
- Submission of the Night: Nate Diaz
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.ufc.com/}}
{{UFC Events}}
Category:Ultimate Fighting Championship flagship events
Category:2011 in mixed martial arts
Category:Mixed martial arts in Colorado