UFC Live: Vera Vs. Jones Play By Play
This is the first UFC show on Versus, and if I were to guess, UFC on Versus probably helped Versus in their face-off with DirecTV. DirecTV folks now get their UFC, WEC, and NHL again. Life is good.
I’m intrigued, as are many I would assume, with how Jon Jones does against someone like Brandon Vera who is almost patient to a fault. It will be an interesting fight as Jones is all offense, and Vera can be all defense.
1. James Irvin vs. Alessio Sakara
Rogan says Irvin cut a tremendous amount of weight and he doesn’t remember when he’s seem someone so drawn out at the weight-ins.
With less than two minutes in the round, Sakara threw a left hook that caught Irvin in the eye and he stumbled backwards like it was an eye poke. And the fight is over. Not the most stellar debut for UFC on Versus, especially with the way these guys were talking like they were going to have an exciting fight that would end in knockout.
Winner: Alessio Sakara by way of 1st round TKO
2. Paul Buentello vs. Cheick Kongo
Paul Buentello is either a man’s man, or he’s as dumb as a rock. Kongo took him down and held him down for some time. At some point, Buentello’s pinkie looked to be dislocated and the fight was stopped. It looked like the doctor was pulling on it and he was ready to fight again. But then he got taken right back down. Maybe he should pretend his pinkie was dislocated again. Easily Kongo’s round.
Kongo did the same thing to start the second round. He backed Buentello against the cage and went for the takedown and ground and pound. But he kneed Buentello in the face and Big Herb Dean took a point away. This is the kind of fight where Kongo is definitely winning and dealing out punishment, but it’s not like Buentello looks like he’s getting maimed. But tomorrow, he’s going to feel like he got maimed. Because of the point deduction, it’s a 9-9 round.
Buentello tapped early in the round because of elbows to his upper thigh. It was probably more of a accumulation of punishment more than anything else.
Winner: Cheick Kongo by way of 3rd round TKO
Rogan is interviewing GSP and GSP says his fight with Dan Hardy will be the toughest of his career. And yes, he said that with a straight face.
3. Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Junior Dos Santos
Wow. It was a 10-10 round until Dos Santos dropped him with a left hook, which was off a Gonzaga leg kick. And then Dos Santos jumped on him and finished him.
Winner: Junior Dos Santos by way of 1st round TKO.
Since Cain Velasquez is waiting in line for his title shot, maybe Dos Santos can face him to get a little revenge for Big Nog?
4. John Howard vs. Daniel Roberts
This is a fight from early in the day since they have a few minutes to waste.
Howard just decimated him. On the ground, he came in with a round house left hand and Roberts was out. He got two more lefts in before the referee was able to step in. Scary knockout.
Winner: John Howard by way of 1st round TKO.
5. Jon Jones vs. Brandon Vera
Jones is from New York so of course, he’s coming out to Empire State Of Mind. When the UFC finally gets in NY, they need to get Jones in there just so they can play this song.
Well, Jones didn’t do anything wacky. He was all business. He had top position early on and Vera gave him an upkick to the face, but Jones had one knee on the ground and it was illegal. Big Herb Dean took a point away from him. They were put back in the same position and Jones hit him with an elbow close to the eye and Vera took cover and looked hurt. Herb stopped it.
Winner: Jon Jones by way of 1st round TKO.
Thoughts…
Jones continues to train wreck anyone put in front of him. He didn’t face any resistance in clinching and tossing Vera to the ground. He also seemed completely fearless of Vera’s BJJ. Then he absolutely crushed him with a powerful elbow. Crazy that he was able to finish the fight from inside Vera’s guard.
Junior Dos Santos continues to dominate but I still want to see him against one of the wrestlers that wait atop the food chain.
Poor Buentello. He may be looking for a new organization soon.
Irvin should return to 205.
I’d be more worried for Vera than Buentello.
I didn’t see it when I was watching, but someone said that Jones left his arm for the taking a couple times. Vera just couldn’t pull the trigger.
I’m so sick of seeing Kongo fight. He has a most undeserved reputation for being in these classic stand up wars. Can anyone name a good fight he has had??? I thought not. His persistent reliance on takedowns in recent fights annoys me more than anything. It’s like we have seen what happens when you come up against a decent wrestler already. We see the same cycle over and over again. How many more times do we need to be subjected to the rebuilding process only for him to be thrown into a big fight and completely fall apart again.
The only thing interesting about him was that he could knock heads off. Now, he’s not doing that. Mid-card forever.
Kongo will spend the remainder of his fighting days as the 3rd or 4th fight on main cards until new strikers move him out of the organization.
Joe Rogan did say how exposed Jones was at several points during the fight, but Vera never pulled the trigger despite it being obvious he was working towards something. Jones never seemed worried though.
I figure Vera gets one more fight before cutting released. Perhaps a rematch against Jardine to see who finds a new organization.