The Light Heavyweight title fight between the current UFC 205-pound champion Jon Jones and the former CCFC and VFC Middleweight champion Anthony Smith headlined the UFC 235 PPV (pay-per-view) event, which went down last night (Saturday, March 2, 2019) from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The referee in charge for this contest was Herb Dean.
In the first round, fighters were trading shots, but Jon Jones remained dominant. We’ve seen two fantastic spinning back kicks to the body by Jones, who controlled the distance well. Smith delivered one big right hand to the opponent’s head.
The same thing continued in the second round. Jon Jones was dominant and he was landing various strikes. His rival was focused on the defense. Jones won the round, and his strongest strike was a big right hand.
The third round brought the first takedown in the match. Jon Jones totally dominated it. Smith was defending from north-south position. Jon was keeping his opponent on the fence literally all the time.
Jones dominated in the beginning of the fourth. Yet, Jones delivered one illegal soccer kick, but the referee Herb Dean didn’t warn him. Smith turtled, and Jon continued raining brutal blows.
But at the end of the round, the current champ delivered a dirty knee to the head of the grounded opponent. Herb Dean abducted two points from Jones and warned him he wouldn’t tolerate such things anymore.
A one-sided blowout continued in the fifth round. Smith was pressed against the cage, and Jones was purely dominating again. Shoulder strikes and knees to the thigh were simply too much for “The Lionheart”, who was waiting for the match to end.
In the end, Jon Jones won Anthony Smith via unanimous decision (48-44, 48-44, 48-44). Jones is still the UFC Light Heavyweight champion. Smith’s score dropped to 31-14 MMA, 7-3 UFC, while Jon Jones now has 24-1, 1 NC MMA, 18-1, 1 NC UFC.
Check out the highlights below:
We are underway!#UFC235 pic.twitter.com/mNQySiH41F
— UFC (@ufc) March 3, 2019
Spinning back kick lands early in round 1 by @JonnyBones #UFC235 pic.twitter.com/8I3oH5JaoT
— UFC (@ufc) March 3, 2019
The champ is cut!
@LionheartASmith lands a right hand that cuts Jones! #UFC235 pic.twitter.com/oULJtwfAQr
— UFC (@ufc) March 3, 2019
Violent takedown from @JonnyBones! #UFC235 pic.twitter.com/UGE28GYsGB
— UFC (@ufc) March 3, 2019
Jon Jones takes flight #UFC235 pic.twitter.com/AJoLcpzmOW
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 3, 2019
Dominance, yet again. @JonnyBones #UFC235 pic.twitter.com/Ge3RCPLhkc
— UFC (@ufc) March 3, 2019
#AndStill LHW champion of the world | @JonnyBones #UFC235 @TrifectaSystem pic.twitter.com/ArrJH8DdeL
— UFC (@ufc) March 3, 2019
#AndStill Dominant. @JonnyBones #UFC235 pic.twitter.com/m4wUOLchcd
— UFC (@ufc) March 3, 2019
Pros Reaction:
GOAT!!! Huge congrats @JonnyBones What a masterclass that was #ufc235
— Alistair Overeem (@Alistairovereem) March 3, 2019
No argument. Best Cheater Ever. #ufc235
— Zachary Makovsky (@ZachFunSize) March 3, 2019
Man I thought we were about to see a hamill moment 😱 #ufc235
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) March 3, 2019
Damm Jon Jones is good 🔥 #UF235
— Bec Rodriguez (@RowdyBec) March 3, 2019
And this is why I said the LHWT and HWT division are the weakest, in regards to talent and skill-set. Compare it to the TOP 15 to the men’s 135, 145, 155, 170, and 185 lb division. Tell me I’m fucking lying.#UFC235
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) March 3, 2019
https://twitter.com/blondefighter/status/1102086901635387392
@JonnyBones just making that look easy sad for @lionheartasmith just couldn’t get into it
— Anton Zafir (@AntonZafirUFC) March 3, 2019
Anthony Smith could have potentially won a belt on that foul and didn’t . Respect #ufc235
— Sean O'Connell (@realOCsports) March 3, 2019
Awesome seeing @JonnyBones holding the @MonsterEnergy drink with the new @ufc legacy belt as the holster! Congrats champ
— CrisCy₿org.Com (@criscyborg) March 3, 2019
Ok well I was wrong jones is just too good, Smith still in it but Jones too much
— Ross Pearson (@RossTheRealDeal) March 3, 2019
The king remains the king!
Congrats @JonnyBones on an amazing performance again! #GOAT
— Siyar Bahadurzada (@Siyarized) March 3, 2019
Yeeaaaaahhhh… it's time to give that belt a new home! Let me get a taste of @JonnyBones @ufc @danawhite @Mickmaynard2 #UFC235
— Corey 'Overtime' Anderson (@CoreyA_MMA) March 3, 2019
Only competitive fight for Jones is DC.
— Will Brooks (@ILLxWillBrooks) March 3, 2019
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