UFC light heavyweight champion and New Yorker Jon “Bones” Jones returns to Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on Saturday, April 27 to defend his title against controversial and unpredictable star, Chael Sonnen. The Ultimate Fighting Championship announced today that it will be returning to the Garden State this spring for this long awaited grudge match between two of the sport’s most recognizable names.
Jones and Sonnen serve as coaches on this season’s The Ultimate Fighter, the longest running sports reality show on television. Tension between the two has never been higher and it will come to a boil during a two-hour season premiere Tuesday, Jan. 22 on FX at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
“Jon Jones has destroyed all the top guys in the light heavyweight division,” UFC President Dana White said. “He has defended the title four times and is one of the pound-for-pound best in the world. This fight with Chael is personal! Chael called Jones out and said a lot of things about him. Chael always comes to fight and I’m very interested in this matchup.”
“There’s a rumor going around that says Jon Jones is the best,” Sonnen said. “We’re going to find out who wins – the best or the baddest?”
“The rumors are true, I am the best,” Jones, who won the title at Prudential Center in March 2011 by defeating then-champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, said. “On April 27th, Chael will be put through the test. When it’s all said and done, he’ll be just like the rest.”
Tickets for UFC 159: JONES vs. SONNEN, presented by MetroPCS, go on sale Wednesday, Jan. 23 at 10 a.m. ET and are priced at $550, $350, $225, $185, $150, $100 and $60. Fans can purchase tickets at Ticketmaster.com, charge by Phone (800-745-3000), and any Ticketmaster outlet. Prices do not include applicable service charges.
UFC Fight Club members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event on Monday, Jan. 21 at 10 a.m. ET via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers on Tuesday, Jan. 22, starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this pre-sale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.
