UFC 135: Rampage Jackson submitted by Jon Jones – admits he has handed over torch to a champion

JON JONES FLAWLESS IN TITLE DEFENCE AGAINST RAMPAGE JACKSON – SUBLIME STRIKING THEN SUBMITS JACKSON IN FOURTH ROUND

There is no other walk to the Octagon which comes close to that of Rampage Jackson. “Switch on, switch on” his boxing coach Mark Kinney screamed at him over the thumping sounds accompanying Quinton Jackson's, slow, deliberate march up the steps and into the fighting arena here at the Pepsi Center in Colorado. Slow. Deliberate.

“Head on,” his team told him. They had been studying the movement of Mike Tyson, bobbing head, moving from the waist. He’d worked on it in training. Could he replicate it to get in close against Jon Jones, the UFC light-heavyweight champion ? Rampage waited. Now it was Jones…head upright, air of the champion, head shaven. Looking the business. There was huge anticipation here this week as fans and writers, analysts and the bookmakers debated whether Jones is simply too skilled, and has come to the fore ready to wipe out a generation of fighters with global acclaim.

Jones squatted to pray at the open door of the Octagon. The 23-year-old appears to grow as he steps into the fighting arena. He punched a pillar, wobbling it, twice, with his left hand as a sign to his rival Rampage Jackson.

There was an eagerness about Jones. They met in the middle. Jones did not look Rampage in the eye.

Jones began the opening seconds in a crouch. They clinched. Jackson was against the wall of the Octagon. Vicious elbow from Jones . Two minutes against the cage wall. They separated, and both were breathing heavily.

Kicks from Jones. Rampage seemed calm in there waiting for his opportunity. He was caught by a spinning back elbow, but then ducked under a huge reverse kick from Jones, yet ended the round pursuing the champion, as the partisan crowd reached fever pitch.

The second round was just as compelling. Jones was still scoring with single shots, leg strikes and punches mainly from the southpaw stance, but you could sense Jones’s fear – or a deep respect – when Rampage was throwing bombs, anywhere near him. He seemed to know that it might only have taken one big shot to change the course of the fight.

In the third, Jones had Rampage down, in side control, and then in full mount. When he regained his feet, there was a spiteful, heavy right-left from Jones; then more kicks.

Rampage seemed confused. He was bleeding from the right eye. Jones indulged in some showboating. He looked away, as a feint, and threw a left which landed.

They came out and boxed at the beginning of the fourth. Jones was dancing. He scored a few times, then took Rampage down, and then transitions on the ground to submit Jackson by rear-naked choke. It was one-sided, but utterly compelling. There is an argument that Jones has still not been fully tested. Yet it was a great performance.

Jones said: “He insulted my striking, so I lifted it up a level.”

“The kid is good. I thought he was hyped. But I take my hat off to him,” said Jackson. “But you know what, I’m staying home and getting drunk tonight. I want to fight Shogun in Japan in February. Make it happen UFC.”