Jones escapes with slender choice over Santos

2:13 AM ET

Marc RaimondiESPN

LAS VEGAS — It was hardly a classic Jon Jones efficiency. In reality, it was most likely one of the lackluster efforts in his lengthy reign as UFC gentle heavyweight champion.

Ultimately, although, it was sufficient for Jones to win a cut up choice in opposition to a really robust Thiago Santos and retain his title in the principle occasion of UFC 239 on Saturday evening at T-Cell Enviornment.

Two judges scored it 48-47 for Jones, and a 3rd choose had it 48-47 for Santos.

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This was the primary time in Jones’ profession when he had gone to a choice that he was the loser on a choose’s scorecard. The one time Jones misplaced was in 2009, when he was disqualified in a struggle in opposition to Matt Hamill due to the usage of unlawful elbows.

Jones acknowledged afterward that Santos made him look “unhealthy” and that Santos’ technique of specializing in leg kicks to Jones’ calf was very efficient.

“He did a extremely good job,” Jones stated. “He exploited a gap in my recreation, and that is one thing that will not be there subsequent time.”

Regardless of the character of the victory, Jones set a UFC file for the longest unbeaten streak at 17 (16-Zero with one no contest). Jones tied Georges St-Pierre for essentially the most UFC title wins at 13.

Santos stated he injured his left knee within the first spherical, and he appeared to favor it all through. Nevertheless, Jones by no means realty took benefit of it and pushed the motion, most likely out of hesitation due to Santos’ prodigious punching energy.

“I’m so sorry,” Jones stated afterward within the cage. “I do know you guys are booing me. Everyone knows that his finest probability was to win by knockout. I performed it good.”

Choose Mike Bell had Jones profitable the second, third and fourth rounds. Derek Cleary had Jones profitable the second, third and fourth. Junichiro Kamijo, the choose who awarded the struggle to Santos, had Santos profitable the primary, second and fourth.

It was a detailed struggle all through. Santos had moments within the first two rounds, notably along with his kicks. Within the second, Santos landed a head kick that Jones appeared to take with out a lot harm.

Santos landed a tough combo on Jones within the third but in addition fell to the canvas coming in for a placing alternate. It was unclear if Jones did any actual harm in that second or if Santos simply slipped. Jones landed a pleasant head kick and simply grazed Santos with a flying knee within the third as properly.

Within the fourth, Santos landed an enormous left hand on Jones. Jones took over towards the tip of the spherical as Santos’ leg damage turned extra noticeable. Santos was clearly injured within the fifth however did essentially the most harm along with his kicks and punches.

Jones by no means actually went for a takedown and didn’t make the most of his superior wrestling.

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Dana White displays on Jon Jones defeating Thiago Santos by cut up choice at UFC 239. For extra UFC, join right here for ESPN+ http://plus.espn.com/ufc.

“I felt like I used to be profitable, so there was no have to take him down,” Jones stated. “We had been taking part in a really high-level recreation of chess in there. Any time you out-kickbox a black belt in Muay Thai, you should not maintain your head down.”

Jones (25-1, 1 NC) has received three straight bouts since getting back from a 15-month suspension for a failed drug take a look at. The resident of Albuquerque, New Mexico, regained the UFC gentle heavyweight title that was stripped from him by beating Alexander Gustafsson by way of third-round TKO at UFC 232 in December.

Jones, 31, has been in seven five-round choice victories. He landed at the least 92 vital strikes within the first six of these fights, however on Saturday he landed solely 59 of 90 (65 p.c); Santos landed 43 of 166 (25 p.c).

Santos (21-7) had received 4 straight coming in, together with his previous three since transferring as much as gentle heavyweight, all by end. The Brazilian slugger had received eight of 9 fights total earlier than this defeat. Santos, 35, misplaced solely his second profession struggle by choice.

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