UFC 145
| UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans | ||||
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A poster or logo for UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans.
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| Information | ||||
| Promotion | Ultimate Fighting Championship | |||
| Date | April 21, 2012 | |||
| Venue | Philips Arena | |||
| City | Atlanta, Georgia | |||
| Attendance | 15,545 | |||
| Total gate | $2,200,000 | |||
| Buyrate | 700,000 | |||
| Total purse | $1,501,000 | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
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UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It was the 9th UFC event of the year, and took place on April 21, 2012 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
The headline fight at UFC 145 was a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship contest between champion Jon Jones and challenger Rashad Evans. Jones and Evans are former teammates at Jackson's MMA, under the tutelage of coach Greg Jackson. Evans was one of Jackson's most successful fighters, and was a core member of his training camp. Being in the same weightclass, and a long-time member of Jackson's MMA, the UFC veteran Evans naturally took the young and inexperienced fighter Jones under his wing. In the months leading to UFC 145, the two engaged in a bitter and public feud.
At UFC 128 (March 19, 2011), Evans was expected to fight for the Light Heavyweight title against then-champion Mauricio Rua. However, a knee injury forced Evans off of the card. Needing an opponent for Rua at UFC 128, the UFC offered Jones the match. Jones accepted, with Evans' blessing. Shortly afterwards, Jones stated in an interview with MMA reporter Ariel Helwani he would be willing to fight Evans if the UFC asked. Evans felt betrayed by his teammate and friend, starting a feud which forced Evans to leave Jackson's MMA. Evans then joined the Imperial Athletics camp in Florida.
Since UFC 128, Jones had defended his championship twice against former champions (Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida). Evans had defeated former champion Tito Ortiz, as well as Phil Davis, to setting the stage for "the most anticipated Light Heavyweight bout since Chuck Liddell fought Tito Ortiz". This was the third scheduled contest between the two. The first match was scrapped due to a hand injury to Jones, the second because of a thumb injury to Evans.
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