UFC 239 results: Jon Jones defeats Thiago Santos by decision, Jorge Masvidal scores fastest KO in promotion's history
Re-live all the action from the UFC light heavyweight title fight in Las Vegas
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Your support makes all the difference.Jon Jones (25-1, 1 NC) retained his light heavyweight title at UFC 239 in Las Vegas on Saturday night, defeating Thiago Santos (21-7-0) by split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47).
In the co-main event, Amanda Nunes (18-4) retained her women's bantamweight title with a first-round finish against Holly Holm (12-5), stopping the former champion with a head kick late in the round.
Meanwhile, Jorge Masvidal (34-13) created history by knocking out the previously undefeated Ben Askren (19-1, 1 NC) in five seconds, marking the fastest KO in UFC history.
When is UFC 239?
UFC 239 takes place on the night of Saturday 6 July.
What time does it start?
The UFC 239 main card begins at 3am BST (10pm ET). The early prelims begin at 11pm BST (6pm ET), with the prelims getting underway at 1am (8pm ET).
How to watch
The fight will be shown live in the UK on BT Sport, with prelims being shown on BT Sport 1 and the main card on BT Sport Box Office at a cost of £19.95.
The fight can also be purchased on the BT Sport website, which will enable the broadcast to be watched online and on tablet.
Full fight card
Jon Jones (c) vs Thiago Santos (light heavyweight)
Amanda Nunes (c) vs Holly Holm (women’s bantamweight)
Jorge Masvidal vs Ben Askren (welterweight)
Luke Rockhold vs Jan Blachowicz (light heavyweight)
Diego Sanchez vs Michael Chiesa (welterweight)
Preliminary card
Gilbert Melendez vs Arnold Allen (featherweight)
Marlon Vera vs Hohelin Hernandez (bantamweight)
Claudia Gadelha vs Randa Markos (women’s strawweight)
Alejandro Perez vs Yadong Song (bantamweight)
Early prelims
Edmen Shahbazyan vs Jack Marshman (middleweight)
Ismail Naurdiev vs Chance Rencountre (welterweight)
Julia Avila vs Pannie Kianzad (women’s bantamweight)
Jones drops Santos with a kick to the body, while the Brazilian is against the cage. It's less from the impact and more from Santos' inhibited movement, I'd say. As the round draws to a close, 'Marreta' looks to make this a bit more of a brawl.
Santos is already fighting a better fight than Jones' last two opponents. He looks relaxed for the most part. Possibly one round all heading into the third.
Jones is grazed by a head kick, but that's the story of the fight so far: Santos is going for heavy strikes and narrowly missing or just about connecting. The challenger tests Jones' chin with a combination as the champ moves backwards, but Jones responds by dropping Santos with an elbow! He then goes for a flying knee, doesn't get all of it and falls to the mat. He gets up and both men reset. Santos seems fine.
Jon Jones is starting to do what Jon Jones does. Santos is tiring a bit and the champ is varying his offence and picking up points, hurting his challenger more and more as the fight progresses. Santos has a cut on his head, but Jones' leg is swelling. He's fighting out of an orthodox stance at the moment.
Jones misses with a couple of big shots. An uppercut, a spinning back fist. He's ahead in this fight, though, and if he can keep doing what he's doing for another round and a half, he'll leave Vegas with his title.
It's such a shame that Santos' left leg is impaired, because he's shown tonight that he can trouble Jones. The champion's chin has held up well, though.
It's surprising that Jones hasn't tried to wrestle Santos at all tonight. He's kept things in an area that suits 'Marreta' well, and the challenger has had his moments, landing some solid strikes throughout. But as the final buzzer sounds, it looks likely that Jones will retain his belt via decision.
And there it is, but closer than some will have expected, as one judge scores the main event in Santos' favour.
Jones def. Santos by split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47).
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