Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson weren’t around to hear the news, but their classic battle at UFC 165 was named Fight of the Night.
Both fighters gave their all for 25 minutes in what has to be the new front-runner for fight of the year Saturday night at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre. Jones won via unanimous decision on scores of 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46, to retain the UFC light heavyweight title, then both fighters were taken to a nearby hospital for observation.
While the main eventers weren’t at the post-fight press conference, the other winners of $50,000 awards were there. UFC interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao finished Eddie Wineland with a memorable spinning back kick, good for Knockout of the Night honors; and Mitch Gagnon won Submission of the Night first-round guillotine choke of Dustin Kimura.
Attendance in Toronto was announced at 15,504 with a gate of $1.9 million.