• UFC

Jones silences Rampage in Denver

ESPN staff
September 25, 2011
Jon Jones submitted Rampage Jackson by rear-naked choke in the fourth round © Getty Images
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Jon Jones made a successful first defence of his light-heavyweight belt, forcing Rampage Jackson to tap out for the first time in his UFC career at UFC 135 in Colorado.

Jones used his 11-inch reach advantage and superior speed to good effect, and put a bleeding Jackson in a rear naked choke hold in the fourth round, forcing the veteran to signal he was done.

In the city where the UFC staged its first championship fight nearly 20 years ago, it didn't take long for Jones to get going against his rival, who had claimed in the build up to the fight that Jones was overhyped.

Jones opened up a cut above Jackson's right eye with a vicious elbow in the third against the former champion. With Jones the superior in the clinch and on the mat, Jackson's best hopes of victory was with a knockout, but he never had a chance to get inside.

With former training partner and likely future opponent Rashad Evans watching on, Jones showed him just what he can expect when the pair step into the Octagon, taking Jackson down before locking him in a choke.

"The kid is good. I thought he was hyped. But I take my hat off to him," said Jackson. "But you know what, I'm staying home and getting drunk tonight. I want to fight Shogun in Japan in February. Make it happen UFC."

In the other big fight of the night, Josh Koscheck knocked out UFC hall of famer Matt Hughes in the first round. In his first fight since last December after shattering his orbital bone in his defeat to Georges St-Pierre, Koscheck showed no signs of rust as he jumped on the 37-year-old Hughes early, and with a second remaining in the opening round, the referee stepped in to halt the fight.

"I just want to say thanks to Matt Hughes for taking this fight late in his career. He's a legend," Koscheck said. "I'm really proud to fight him."

Heavyweight Travis Browne extended his unbeaten record with a unanimous decision over Britain's Rob Broughton, but the Englishman pushed the highly-regarded Browne through all three rounds.

Mark Hunt claimed back-to-back wins with a unanimous decision victory over Ben Rothwell. Making his first appearance in over a year after recovering from a knee injury, the 6'5" Rothwell failed to make the most of his superior height against the 5'10" Hunt as the heavy-handed New Zealander bloodied the face of Rothwell early in the second round en route to a convincing win.

Nate Diaz marked his return to the lightweight division with submission of the night in his victory over Takanori Gomi. Diaz, dropping back to 155lbs after a spell at welterweight, made quick work of the Fireball Kid, forcing him to tap out with an armbar late in the first round.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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