Jon Jones checked in at 206 pounds for his matchup with former International Fight League light heavyweight champion Vladimir Matyushenko (206) in the UFC on Versus 2 headliner on Sunday at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego. The six other men booked to compete on the main card -- including co-headliners Yushin Okami (185) and Mark Munoz (185) -- also met their mandated weight requirements at the official weigh-in.
Jones, 23, last appeared in March, when he stopped Brandon Vera with first-round punches and elbows at UFC on Versus 1 in Broomfield, Colo. His disputed disqualification against Matt Hamill seven months ago remains the lone blemish on his otherwise pristine resume. A national wrestling champion at the junior college level, Jones now trains out of Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts in Albuquerque, N.M. The 6-foot-4, Rochester, N.Y., native has delivered eight of his 10 career victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission.
Matyushenko has posted 11 wins in his last 12 fights and earned a split decision over Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Eliot Marshall in March. The 39-year-old Belarusian has only been finished twice in 28 professional bouts and holds notable victories against Pedro Rizzo and the world-ranked Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Matyushenko was a national wrestling champion in the Soviet Union and his native Belarus.
UFC on Versus 2 -- which also features a welterweight bout pairing Jake Ellenberger (170.5) with John Howard (170.5) and a lightweight duel pitting Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts standout Tyson Griffin (154) against former Pride Fighting Championships titleholder Takanori Gomi (156) -- will air live on the Versus network at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Jon
Jones (206) vs. Vladimir
Matyushenko (206)
Yushin
Okami (185) vs. Mark Munoz
(185)
Jake
Ellenberger (170.5) vs. John Howard
(170.5)
Takanori
Gomi (156) vs. Tyson
Griffin (154)
Paul
Kelly (155) vs. Jacob
Volkmann (156)
* DaMarques
Johnson (172) vs. Matt Riddle
(171)
James
Irvin (205) vs. Igor
Pokrajac (204.5)
Brian
Stann (186) vs. Mike
Massenzio (184)
Darren
Elkins (154.5) vs. Charles
Oliveira (154)
Rob
Kimmons (185) vs. Steve
Steinbeiss (185)
* Johnson originally weighed in at 172.5 pounds. He tried to lose the additional weight but only dropped half a pound, according to UFC.com, and doctors would not afford him any further attempts. He will fight Riddle at 172 pounds and was docked 20 percent of his purse.
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