| UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information | ||||
| Promotion | Ultimate Fighting Championship | |||
| Date | September 24, 2011 | |||
| Venue | Pepsi Center | |||
| City | Denver, Colorado, USA | |||
| Attendance | 16,344 [1] | |||
| Total gate | $2,089,575[1] | |||
| Buyrate | 475,000[2] | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
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UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on September 24, 2011 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.[3]
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The Ultimate Fighting Championship had its first ever event [4] in Denver nearly 20 years prior to UFC 135, but the promotion has not operated a pay-per-view event in the Mile High City since The Ultimate Ultimate in 1995. Zuffa, the UFC’s parent company, was not the owner back then. UFC president Dana White, in an interview with MMAWeekly.com, says that the company has long been on a course to return to Denver, but they wanted to do it the right way. “We knew that we wanted to bring a big exciting card back to Denver, and we finally got it done.”[5]
Jon Jones was expected to make his first title defense on August 6, 2011 at UFC 133 against Rashad Evans, but Jones was sidelined with a hand injury.[6] It was initially announced that the hand injury would require surgery, but Jones opted for rest and rehabilitation without surgery after further consultations with doctors.[7] Jones' injury was originally thought to keep him out of action until late 2011, but instead, he made his first title defense against Quinton Jackson at this event.[8]
UFC 135 featured two preliminary fights live on Spike TV.[9]
Manny Gamburyan was scheduled to face Diego Nunes. However, on August 15, it was announced Gamburyan had to pull out of the bout due to a shoulder injury.[10] Then, on August 29, Nunes confirmed his own exit from the card, citing injury and a murder attempt on his father.[11] The fight was later rescheduled for UFC 141, which will take place on December 30th.
A bout between Norifumi Yamamoto and Damacio Page was expected for this event.[12] However, the bout was scrapped on September 1 after both fighters sustained injuries while training for the bout.[13]
Diego Sanchez was expected to face Matt Hughes, but was forced out of the bout with a broken hand and replaced by Josh Koscheck.[14]
Fighters were awarded $75,000 bonuses.[15]
| Fighter | Artist | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Rothwell | Nickelback | "Burn It to the Ground" | Dark Horse |
| Cole Escovedo | Eminem | "Won't Back Down" | Recovery |
| Eddie Yagin | Kid Rock | "American Bad Ass" | The History of Rock |
| Jon Jones | Diddy - Dirty Money (feat. Skylar Grey) | "Coming Home" | Last Train to Paris |
| Josh Koscheck | Red Hot Chili Peppers | "Higher Ground" | Mother's Milk |
| Junior Assunção | Survivor | "Burning Heart" | Rocky IV |
| Mark Hunt | Dr. Dre (feat. Eminem & Skylar Grey) | "I Need a Doctor" | Detox |
| Matt Hughes | Hank Williams, Jr. | "A Country Boy Can Survive" | The Bocephus Box |
| Nate Diaz | 2Pac | "Ballad of a Dead Soulja" | Until the End of Time |
| Quinton Jackson | Project Pat | "Get Down" | Crook by da Book: The Fed Story |
| Ricardo Romero | Beastie Boys | "Slow and Low" | Licensed to Ill |
| Takanori Gomi | The Mad Capsule Markets | "Scary: Delete Streamin' Freq. from Fear Side" | Cistm Konfliqt... |
| Takeya Mizugaki | Linkin Park | "Numb" | Meteora |
| Travis Browne | Travis Barker (feat. Yelawolf, Twista, Busta Rhymes & Lil Jon) | "Let's Go" | Give the Drummer Some |