Barely sharing a glance, UFC light-heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and challenger Jon Jones practically ignored each other during their brief time together at the UFC 128 weigh-ins. Jones, for one, was anxious enough to leave the stage that he started to leave before being called back to do a brief interview with weigh-in host Joe Rogan.
Saturday night, they’ll have no choice but to engage in a fight that is expected to produce far more fireworks. Both champ and challenger came in at 205 pounds for the main event fight at Newark’s Prudential Center.
“I think certainly Jon Jones is a great fighter,” Rua said afterward. “He also has a lot of experience. But this belt is mine and it will keep being mine.”