UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen
United States
Main Card • Final
R1, 4:33
Title Fight
England
R3, 4:31
R1, 2:03
Knockout of the Night
France
R3, 5:00
Brazil
R3, 4:02
Fight of the Night
Prelims • Final
Russia
R1, 2:32
Haiti
R3, 0:33
R1, 4:06
Germany
R3, 4:44
Submission of the Night
Early Prelims • Final
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Official Event Results
$65k FOTN
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$65,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: Originally awarded to Pat Healy vs. Jim Miller. Following the event, Pat Healy tested positive for marijuana metabolites, leading the NJSACB to overturn the bout to a No Contest and the UFC to rescind Healy’s $65,000 FOTN award. Jim Miller retained his $65,000 share.
Knockout of the Night: Roy Nelson received $65,000 for his thunderous first-round knockout punch against Cheick Kongo at 2:03 of Round 1.
Submission of the Night: Pat Healy originally earned the award, but after his positive drug screening rescinded both of his bonuses, UFC re-awarded the $65,000 Submission of the Night bonus to Bryan Caraway for his third-round guillotine choke over Johnny Bedford.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $400,000 | — | — | $400,000 | |
| LOSS | $100,000 | — | — | $100,000 | |
| WIN | $275,000 | — | — | $275,000 | |
| WIN | $24,000 | $24,000 | $65,000 | $113,000 | |
| NC | $41,000 | — | $65,000 | $106,000 | |
| WIN | $16,000 | $16,000 | $65,000 | $97,000 | |
| LOSS | $70,000 | — | — | $70,000 | |
| WIN | $33,000 | $33,000 | — | $66,000 | |
| LOSS | $37,000 | — | — | $37,000 | |
| WIN | $14,000 | $14,000 | — | $28,000 | |
| WIN | $12,000 | $12,000 | — | $24,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| LOSS | $20,000 | — | — | $20,000 | |
| LOSS | $19,000 | — | — | $19,000 | |
| NC | $17,500 | — | — | $17,500 | |
| LOSS | $8,000 | — | — | $8,000 | |
| LOSS | $8,000 | — | — | $8,000 | |
| LOSS | $8,000 | — | — | $8,000 | |
| LOSS | $8,000 | — | — | $8,000 | |
| LOSS | $8,000 | — | — | $8,000 |
*The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board (NJSACB) does not publicly disclose official fighter purses by state policy. Figures listed above reflect base purse guarantees, verified contractual win bonuses, financial discovery filings, and reliable industry reporting. Total estimated amounts include official $65,000 post-fight performance bonus awards.
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC 159
Jon Jones tied UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz for the most consecutive light heavyweight title defenses in promotional history with his 5th straight defense.
Jon Jones suffered an open dislocation of his left big toe during the bout; stopping Sonnen at 4:33 of round one prevented what would have been a doctor’s stoppage loss between rounds.
UFC 159 became the first event in UFC history to feature two bouts decided by technical decision on the same card due to accidental eye pokes (Bisping vs. Belcher and Saint Preux vs. Villante).
Pat Healy became the first athlete in UFC history to forfeit $130,000 in post-fight awards after positive drug tests stripped his Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night bonuses.
Bryan Caraway was awarded the forfeited $65,000 Submission of the Night bonus for his third-round finish of Johnny Bedford, the first post-event bonus reassignment in UFC history.
2004 Olympic wrestling silver medalist Sara McMann made a victorious UFC debut, becoming the first Olympic wrestling medalist of any gender to win inside the Octagon via first-round TKO.
Roy Nelson joined an elite group of UFC heavyweights by recording his third consecutive first-round knockout victory, stopping Cheick Kongo in just 2:03.
UFC 159 drew 15,227 fans for a gate of $2,700,000, setting a new benchmark for mixed martial arts live gates at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Jon Jones extended his light heavyweight winning streak to 9 consecutive bouts, at the time the longest uninterrupted winning streak in 205-pound division history.
Rustam Khabilov defeated Yancy Medeiros via a rare doctor stoppage TKO at 2:32 of Round 1 after Medeiros suffered a severe compound dislocation of his right thumb while defending a slam.
Former Strikeforce standout Ovince Saint Preux successfully transitioned to the Octagon, capturing a technical decision victory over local prospect Gian Villante.
Phil Davis broke his previous career records by attempting 268 significant strikes against Vinny Magalhaes, proving his technical evolution on the feet across three rounds.
When and where did UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen take place?
UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen took place on Saturday, April 27, 2013, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Who won the main event between Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen?
Jon Jones defeated Chael Sonnen via TKO (punches and elbows) at 4:33 of Round 1 to successfully defend the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.
What happened to Jon Jones’ toe during the fight against Chael Sonnen?
During a takedown scramble in the first round, Jon Jones suffered an open dislocation and severe fracture of his left big toe. He did not notice the gruesome injury until his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan.
How did Michael Bisping defeat Alan Belcher?
Michael Bisping defeated Alan Belcher via technical unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) after an accidental eye poke at 4:31 of Round 3 left Belcher unable to continue.
Why were there two technical decisions at UFC 159?
Both Michael Bisping vs. Alan Belcher and Ovince Saint Preux vs. Gian Villante were halted in the third round due to accidental eye pokes. Because both fights progressed past the halfway mark of the bout, they went to the judges’ scorecards for technical decisions.
Who received the post-fight bonuses for UFC 159?
The official $65,000 bonus winners were Jim Miller (Fight of the Night), Roy Nelson (Knockout of the Night), and Bryan Caraway (Submission of the Night).
Why were Pat Healy’s post-fight bonuses rescinded?
Pat Healy originally won two $65,000 bonuses for Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night. However, he tested positive for marijuana metabolites during post-fight drug screening, resulting in a 90-day suspension, his win overturned to a No Contest, and the forfeiture of $130,000 in bonuses.
Who received Pat Healy’s rescinded Submission of the Night bonus?
UFC President Dana White re-awarded the $65,000 Submission of the Night bonus to Bryan Caraway for his third-round guillotine choke submission of Johnny Bedford.
How did Roy Nelson win Knockout of the Night?
Roy Nelson connected with a vicious overhand right followed by punches to defeat French heavyweight Cheick Kongo via knockout at 2:03 of Round 1.
Did Sara McMann win her UFC debut at UFC 159?
Yes. 2004 Olympic wrestling silver medalist Sara McMann made her promotional debut, dominating German striker Sheila Gaff to secure a first-round TKO (punches) at 4:06.
How did the fight between Rustam Khabilov and Yancy Medeiros end?
Rustam Khabilov won via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 2:32 of Round 1 after Yancy Medeiros suffered a severe dislocated thumb while attempting to break a slam takedown.
Who won the featured light heavyweight fight between Phil Davis and Vinny Magalhaes?
Phil Davis defeated Vinny Magalhaes via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) by keeping the fight standing and out-striking the Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion over three rounds.
What were the official attendance and live gate figures for UFC 159?
UFC 159 drew an attendance of 15,227 spectators and generated a total live gate of $2,700,000 at the Prudential Center.
How was UFC 159 broadcast and how many PPV buys did it generate?
The main card aired live on Pay-Per-View, generating approximately 530,000 buys. Preliminary bouts aired on FX, with early preliminary bouts streamed on Facebook.
Who was on the broadcast team for UFC 159?
The event was called cageside by play-by-play voice Mike Goldberg and color commentator Joe Rogan, with Bruce Buffer serving as the official Octagon announcer.
UFC news
