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The cancellation of UFC 151 was but a passing thought in the back of UFC fans' minds when fighters took to the Octagon last night.
UFC 152 lived up to the expectation that MMA events strive for with big moments during countless fights.
No one had more to gain than Jon Jones, who was fighting for the respect of UFC management and its fans. He lost it back in August when his contender at UFC 151 in the light heavyweight championship bout, Dan Henderson, withdrew due to an injured MCL, and Jones refused a match with replacement Chael Sonnen.
Let's take a look at three surprising moments from UFC 152.
Light Heavyweight Championship: Vitor Belfort's Armbar on Jon Jones
Originally slated to fight Lyoto Machida, who turned down the matchup, Jones faced off against veteran Vitor Belfort, a former UFC champion, who hadn't fought at the light heavyweight class in five years.
Despite a clash with the law in June and his recent debacle with the UFC, Jones is one of the most recognizable faces in the sport and was a heavy favorite to defeat Belfort.
It was all the more surprising when Belfort locked Jones into a convincing armbar in the first round, putting a ton of stress on Jones' elbow.
Jones was quoted by USA Today saying, "He got that armbar in every way, shape and form. I've never had my arm pop like that before, and I don't know. I felt it, but I worked too hard to give up. I honestly was waiting for it to break. I was not going to tap out."
It was nearly an upset, but Belfort loosened up on the armbar, allowing an escape. It was all Jones from there, leading to a fourth-round submission.
Featherweight Championship: Cub Swanson's Impressive KO of Charles Oliveira
Cub Swanson officially proved his worth as a featherweight contender, defeating Brazilian Charles Oliveira in Round 1.
It was a quick knockout for Swanson, who landed an incredible body shot to Oliveira that caused him to stagger. He then finished him off with a haymaker to the right temple. Oliveira stood dazed for a moment before falling to the mat.
It was a painful loss for the Brazilian, both physically and mentally, as he laid in pain after the KO.
Lightweight Championship: T.J. Grant's Knee to Evan Dunham's Forehead
The fight between Canadian T.J. Grant and American Evan Dunham may have been one of the bloodiest of the year.
Dunham had a few solid takedowns of Grant, but he lost the match in a unanimous decision.
One of the deciding moments came with 1:40 left in the second round when Grant landed a hard knee to Dunham's forehead, splitting it open and causing blood to rush down Dunham's face.
It never closed, and the rest of the match was fought in a mix of blood and sweat.
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1344580-ufc-152-results-nights-most-surprising-moments
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