Jon Jones wasted little time in dismantling three-time UFC title contender Chael Sonnen in the main event of UFC 159. The champion picked up a first-round victory for the first time since 2010 when he earned a TKO stoppage with less than 30 seconds left on the clock.
But how did Jones do it? Let’s go over the pivotal moments from this matchup and see what went right for the champion.
In the opening of the fight, Sonnen closed the distance quickly and looked to unleash damage on Jones with a right hook. However, Jones surprised many when he ducked under the punch and took Sonnen to the canvas.
This sort of pressure was a constant throughout the battle, as some think Jones “Sonnened” Sonnen by scoring a trio of takedowns in the first round.
As if trying to emulate Sonnen’s highlight reel, Jones enjoyed fighting from within the guard of his opponent and throwing quick strikes from the position. It is the take-em-down, beat-em-up style that has made Sonnen famous in fights against the likes of Anderson Silva, Nate Marquardt and Yushin Okami.
The finish of the contest came when Jones was able to press a fallen Sonnen up against the cage. The champion returned to his feet, where he continued to pressure him with strikes. As Sonnen looked to cover himself from punches raining down from above, “Bones” unleashed a knee to the body.
For those of you wondering how Jones broke his toe during the contest, the fracture occurred during the final sequence. While the champion was pressuring Sonnen, he was pressing off his back foot to stay tight. The angle was slightly sideways, and with too much lateral pressure on his big toe, the entire thing snapped.
Watch full fight highlights for Jones vs. Sonnen here on Bleacher Report. Also, stay tuned to Bleacher Report MMA for post-fight analysis on all things UFC 159.
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