UFC 152

UFC 152, formally promoted as UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort, was an Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts event held on September 22, 2012, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was staged as a pay-per-view card and became the organization’s replacement for the cancelled UFC 151 event. The show was built around a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship defense by Jon Jones against former champion Vitor Belfort. The event’s main-event history was shaped by a rapid sequence of changes. Jones had originally been scheduled to defend his light heavyweight title against Dan Henderson at UFC 151 in Las Vegas. Henderson withdrew after suffering an MCL tear, and Chael Sonnen offered to take the fight on short notice. Jones declined that replacement bout, after which UFC 151 was cancelled. The cancellation was historically significant because it was the first time the UFC had called off an event after its official fight card had been announced. UFC president Dana White publicly stated that UFC 151 would not be rescheduled as an event. Jones was then initially matched with Lyoto Machida for UFC 152. Machida declined the proposed rematch, and Belfort was selected as the replacement challenger. Belfort had previously held the UFC light heavyweight championship and entered the fight as a substantial underdog. Jones retained the title, while Belfort’s performance remained notable because he threatened Jones with an early armbar attempt. Later reports also stated that Belfort competed with a broken hand and that a pre-fight test identified elevated free testosterone levels. The undercard underwent several additional changes. Rory MacDonald was scheduled to meet former two-division champion B.J. Penn, but MacDonald withdrew after suffering a forehead cut during training. The fight was moved to UFC on Fox 5 in December 2012. Matt Hamill’s planned opponent also changed more than once: Roger Hollett was initially removed because of a contract dispute, Vladimir Matyushenko was brought in as a replacement, and Matyushenko later withdrew after tearing his Achilles tendon. Hamill and Hollett were ultimately rebooked to fight at the event. A bout between Kyle Noke and Charlie Brenneman was transferred to UFC 152 following the cancellation of UFC 151. Dan Miller also withdrew from his scheduled contest with Sean Pierson after learning that his son was undergoing a kidney-transplant operation; Lance Benoist replaced him. Evan Dunham versus T. J. Grant, originally expected on the main card, was moved to the FX preliminaries for reasons that were not specified in the cited reference material. The event also hosted a semifinal bout in the UFC flyweight championship tournament between Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez. Johnson had reached the semifinal after his earlier fight with Ian McCall ended in a draw, while a subsequent rematch victory over McCall determined his progression. At weigh-ins, Charles Oliveira initially exceeded the featherweight limit by four-tenths of a pound. He later weighed 146.2 pounds, and his opponent accepted the contest at a catchweight; Oliveira was not fined. UFC 152 awarded $65,000 bonuses for Fight of the Night to Dunham and Grant, Knockout of the Night to Cub Swanson, and Submission of the Night to Jon Jones.

UFC 152 was held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on September 22, 2012, at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre. It was announced and developed in the aftermath of UFC 151, an event that was cancelled after its headline championship bout was disrupted by Dan Henderson’s MCL injury. Jon Jones had been scheduled to defend the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against Henderson, but the proposed short-notice replacement involving Chael Sonnen did not go ahead after Jones declined the matchup. The cancellation marked the first time the UFC had abandoned an officially announced event. Jones was subsequently moved to UFC 152. Lyoto Machida was initially selected as his opponent, but Machida declined the rematch. Vitor Belfort, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, then accepted the title challenge. Despite being a significant underdog, Belfort created an early threat with an armbar attempt. Jones survived the submission attempt and retained the championship. Reports later stated that Belfort had fought with a broken hand and that a pre-fight test showed elevated free testosterone levels. The rest of the card was also affected by injuries, contractual issues, personal circumstances, and the cancellation of UFC 151. Rory MacDonald’s scheduled bout with B.J. Penn was postponed after MacDonald sustained a cut while training. Roger Hollett was removed from a planned fight with Matt Hamill because of a contract dispute, and Vladimir Matyushenko, who replaced him, later withdrew after tearing his Achilles tendon. Hamill and Hollett were ultimately matched. Kyle Noke versus Charlie Brenneman was moved to UFC 152 from the cancelled UFC 151. Dan Miller withdrew from his contest with Sean Pierson after learning about his son’s kidney-transplant operation, and Lance Benoist replaced him. Evan Dunham versus T. J. Grant was moved from the principal card to the FX preliminaries. The event included a semifinal in the UFC flyweight championship tournament involving Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez. Its weigh-ins also produced a minor issue when Charles Oliveira initially missed the featherweight limit by four-tenths of a pound. He later weighed 146.2 pounds, and the bout proceeded at a catchweight without a fine. UFC 152’s performance bonuses were listed at $65,000 for each category: Dunham and Grant received Fight of the Night, Cub Swanson received Knockout of the Night, and Jon Jones received Submission of the Night.

• 2012

  UFC 151 was cancelled

  [1]UFC 152en.wikipedia.org

  Dan Henderson’s injury and the failure to arrange a short-notice replacement led to the cancellation of UFC 151, creating the circumstances for UFC 152’s revised headline bout.

• 2012

  Jon Jones versus Vitor Belfort confirmed

  [1]UFC 152en.wikipedia.org

  After Lyoto Machida declined a proposed rematch, former champion Vitor Belfort was selected to challenge Jon Jones for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.

• 2012

  Toronto pay-per-view event held

  [1]UFC 152en.wikipedia.org

  UFC 152 took place on September 22 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario.

A major UFC championship pay-per-view and a replacement showcase following the cancellation of UFC 151, positioned around a light heavyweight title defense in the Canadian market.

• Mixed martial arts pay-per-view event · 2012

  UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort

  The principal UFC 152 event product was a live mixed martial arts card distributed through pay-per-view and staged at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Its central attraction was Jon Jones defending the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against former champion Vitor Belfort. The broader card combined championship-level fights, a UFC flyweight tournament semifinal, and preliminary bouts.

• 2012

  UFC replaced the cancelled UFC 151 main event at UFC 152Strategy

  Background

  Dan Henderson was unable to compete after suffering an MCL tear, and a proposed short-notice fight between Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen did not take place. UFC 151 was consequently cancelled.

  Action taken

  The UFC moved Jones to UFC 152, considered Lyoto Machida as his opponent, and then selected Vitor Belfort after Machida declined the rematch.

  Aftermath

  UFC 152 proceeded in Toronto with Jones defending the light heavyweight title against Belfort. The cancellation of UFC 151 became a notable event in UFC scheduling history.

  Source

• 2012

  UFC revised the UFC 152 undercardOther

  Background

  The card was affected by training injuries, a contract dispute, a fighter’s family emergency, and the transfer of a bout from UFC 151.

  Action taken

  The UFC rebooked or replaced several matchups, including Hamill versus Hollett, Noke versus Brenneman, and Miller versus Pierson with Benoist as Miller’s replacement.

  Aftermath

  The event retained a full preliminary and main-card structure despite multiple late changes.

  Source

1. 1UFC 152en.wikipedia.org
2. 2UFC official event pageufc.com