UFC 135
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage was a mixed martial arts (MMA) event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on September 24, 2011, at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.[1] The pay-per-view event featured ten bouts, headlined by a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship defense between champion Jon Jones and challenger Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, a former titleholder known for his knockout power and prior success in PRIDE Fighting Championships.[1] It marked Jones' first defense of the belt he won earlier that year and drew an announced attendance of 16,344 spectators, generating a live gate of approximately $2 million.[2] In the main event, Jones retained his title by submitting Jackson via rear-naked choke at 1:14 of the fourth round, showcasing his grappling prowess after dominating with strikes and takedowns in the early rounds.[1] The co-main event saw welterweight veterans Josh Koscheck defeat Matt Hughes by TKO (punches) at 4:59 of the first round, ending Hughes' attempted comeback and highlighting Koscheck's striking improvements.[1] Other notable performances included lightweight Nate Diaz submitting Takanori Gomi with an armbar in just 4:27 of the first round, and light heavyweight James Te Huna securing a quick knockout victory over Ricardo Romero at 0:47 of the opening round.[1][3] The undercard featured competitive decisions and finishes, such as Travis Browne outpointing Rob Broughton by unanimous decision in the heavyweight division and Mark Hunt edging out Ben Rothwell similarly, contributing to a card with a mix of established stars and rising talents.[1] UFC 135 was significant as the promotion's return to Denver after a 16-year absence and underscored Jones' rapid ascent as a dominant champion in the light heavyweight division.[4]Event Information
Date and Venue
UFC 135 was held on September 24, 2011, at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.[1] The venue, situated at an elevation of 5,280 feet above sea level, marked the UFC's return to the city that hosted its inaugural event in 1993, a decision emphasized by UFC President Dana White as a planned homecoming to a key market.[5] The high altitude of Denver presented unique logistical challenges for fighters, requiring acclimatization to thinner air that can impact stamina and performance. The event's broadcast schedule featured preliminary bouts streaming live on Facebook starting at 6:30 p.m. EDT, followed by a Spike TV special airing two additional prelims at 8:00 p.m. EDT.[6] The main card then commenced at 9:00 p.m. EDT on pay-per-view, aligning with the standard timing for UFC events in 2011.[7] The Pepsi Center was configured for mixed martial arts, with a seating capacity of approximately 18,000 spectators to accommodate the anticipated crowd.[8] This setup included the standard Octagon placement on the arena floor, surrounded by tiered seating and suites to optimize visibility and atmosphere for the pay-per-view audience.Broadcast and Attendance
UFC 135 was broadcast on pay-per-view through the UFC's platform, generating an estimated 520,000 buys, driven by the high-profile main event matchup.[9][10] The preliminary card featured two bouts aired live on Spike TV starting at 8:00 p.m. ET: a middleweight contest between Tim Boetsch and Nick Ring, followed by a lightweight matchup between Tony Ferguson and Aaron Riley.[11][12] The Spike TV prelims averaged 1.6 million viewers, marking a strong lead-in to the main card.[13] Additional preliminary fights were streamed for free on the UFC's official Facebook page, including three bouts accessible to users who liked the profile.[14] The event's production team included Mike Goldberg handling play-by-play duties, with Joe Rogan providing color commentary, a standard pairing for UFC pay-per-view broadcasts at the time.[15] Veteran ring announcer Bruce Buffer introduced the fighters and announced the results throughout the night.[1] At the Pepsi Center in Denver, UFC 135 drew an announced attendance of 16,344 paid fans, representing the second-highest attendance figure for a UFC event in 2011.[16] The live gate revenue totaled $2,089,575.[17] These metrics underscored the event's commercial success amid heightened interest from the Jones-Jackson rivalry.Background
Main Event Build-up
Jon Jones entered UFC 135 as the reigning UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, having captured the title just six months earlier at UFC 128 by defeating Mauricio "Shogun" Rua via third-round technical knockout, making him the youngest champion in UFC history at age 23. At that point, Jones maintained an undefeated professional record of 14-1 (with one no contest), showcasing a rapid rise through the division with his unorthodox striking, elite wrestling, and exceptional reach advantage.[18] Challenging Jones was Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion who held the title from 2007 to 2008 after knocking out Chuck Liddell at UFC 71 and defending it once against Dan Henderson at UFC 76 before losing to Forrest Griffin at UFC 86. Jackson was returning after a 16-month layoff following a unanimous decision loss to Rashad Evans at UFC 114 in May 2010, during which he expressed frustration with the UFC and a desire for a high-profile rematch with Liddell to reestablish his stardom, but ultimately accepted the title shot against Jones amid ongoing trash talk from the champion.[19] The buildup featured intense promotional angles, including Jackson's voiced concerns about competing at Denver's high altitude, which he addressed by training there to acclimate, and his struggles with the weight cut that left him appearing visibly drained at the official weigh-in where he came in at 204 pounds—four pounds under the limit—while Jones weighed in at 204.5 pounds looking sharp and muscular.[20][21] Heated exchanges escalated at press conferences, with Jackson accusing Jones of sending a spy to his camp and Jones mocking Jackson's acting career and physique, fueling a narrative of personal animosity.[22] The stakes were high, marking Jones' first title defense after an injury postponed his bout with Evans, positioning the 24-year-old phenom to solidify his dominance against a battle-tested veteran. Jackson, seeking a second championship reign at age 33, aimed to exploit his knockout power against Jones' creative, reach-heavy style in a matchup marketed by the UFC as a generational clash of unorthodox innovation versus proven punching prowess.[23][24][25]Undercard Developments
A featured light heavyweight bout pitted former light heavyweight champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua against Dan Henderson. Rua entered the fight as his first since losing the UFC title to Jon Jones via third-round TKO at UFC 128 in March 2011. Henderson, meanwhile, was making his return to the UFC after a successful stint in Strikeforce, where he captured the light heavyweight title with a knockout victory over Rafael Cavalcante and later defeated Fedor Emelianenko by unanimous decision in a heavyweight bout on April 2, 2011. The pairing evoked their previous meeting at Pride FC 21 in June 2003, where Rua defeated Henderson by unanimous decision, fueling anticipation for a rematch between two Pride-era standouts.[26] In the welterweight division, Hall of Famer Matt Hughes, aged 37 and aiming for a career resurgence following recent setbacks, faced Josh Koscheck, a top contender renowned for his All-American wrestling pedigree from Edinboro University. The matchup arose from a long-standing rivalry, with Koscheck publicly expressing desire to test himself against the seven-time welterweight title challenger for several years. It also came about after an injury to Diego Sanchez forced changes to the card, positioning Koscheck as Hughes' opponent. Heavyweight action featured Mark Hunt, celebrated for his devastating knockout power honed during stints in K-1 kickboxing and Pride FC, against Ben Rothwell, a former IFL heavyweight champion emphasizing grappling and wrestling. Rothwell was returning from a 15-month layoff due to an ACL injury sustained in his previous fight. Hunt sought to build on his recent upset knockout win over Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127, marking his first victory in the UFC. The preliminary card included notable lightweight clashes, such as Nate Diaz, riding a two-fight winning streak with a unanimous decision over Marcus Davis and a submission victory over Dong Hyun Kim, against Takanori Gomi, the former Pride FC lightweight champion who was 0-2 in the UFC with a TKO loss to Diego Sanchez and a submission loss to Clay Guida. Another lightweight bout saw Tony Ferguson, preserving his perfect 12-0 professional record following his TUF 13 tournament victory, take on Aaron Riley. Card adjustments were necessitated by injuries to featherweights Diego Nunes and Manny Gamburyan, leading to Junior Assunção stepping in to face Eddie Yagin; no other significant cancellations occurred.Fight Card
Main Card
The main card for UFC 135 featured five high-profile bouts broadcast on pay-per-view, headlined by the light heavyweight championship and including matchups across welterweight, heavyweight, and lightweight divisions.[1][17] The scheduled fights were as follows:| Weight Class | Bout | Records at Time of Event |
|---|---|---|
| Light Heavyweight Championship | Jon Jones (c) vs. Quinton Jackson | Jones: 13-1; Jackson: 32-8 |
| Welterweight | Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck | Hughes: 45-7; Koscheck: 15-5 |
| Heavyweight | Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt | Rothwell: 29-7; Hunt: 7-7 |
| Lightweight | Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi | Diaz: 14-6; Gomi: 32-7 |
| Heavyweight | Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton | Browne: 11-0-1; Broughton: 15-6-1 |
Preliminary Card
The preliminary card of UFC 135 consisted of five bouts spanning lightweight, middleweight, featherweight, bantamweight, and light heavyweight divisions, serving as supporting matchups to the main event. These fights were broadcast across multiple platforms, with two airing live on Spike TV, two streaming on Facebook, and one untelevised but available post-event. The undercard highlighted a mix of established veterans and undefeated prospects, contributing to the event's overall depth.[1] The matchups, along with the fighters' professional records entering the event, were as follows:| Weight Class | Fight Matchup | Entering Records |
|---|---|---|
| Lightweight | Tony Ferguson vs. Aaron Riley | Ferguson (12-2) vs. Riley (21-10) |
| Middleweight | Tim Boetsch vs. Nick Ring | Boetsch (11-3) vs. Ring (10-0) |
| Featherweight | Junior Assunção vs. Eddie Yagin | Assunção (13-2) vs. Yagin (14-4) |
| Bantamweight | Takeya Mizugaki vs. Cole Escovedo | Mizugaki (12-5-2) vs. Escovedo (12-4) |
| Light Heavyweight | James Te Huna vs. Ricardo Romero | Te Huna (9-2) vs. Romero (13-0) |