Shogun, Jones Cleared for UFC 128

When Mauricio “Shogun” Rua ascended to the top of the 205-pound division for the first time in 2005, Jon Jones was but a few months removed from high school and nearly three years away from his professional mixed martial arts debut.

In a matter of hours, they will square off for the right to be called the world’s best light heavyweight, as past and present clash with what many view as the future.

Rua (Pictured, File Photo) tipped the scales at 205 pounds for his first title defense against Jones (205) in the UFC 128 headliner on Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The eight other men booked for main card duty -- including co-headliners Urijah Faber (135.5) and Eddie Wineland (135.5) -- also met their contracted weight requirements at Friday’s official weigh-in.

Attempting to rebound from his third reconstructive knee surgery in four years, Rua has not fought since UFC 113 in May, when he flattened Lyoto Machida with first-round punches and captured the light heavyweight crown at the Bell Centre in Montreal. The 2005 Pride Fighting Championships middleweight grand prix winner holds notable victories against former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, reigning Strikeforce heavyweight titleholder Alistair Overeem (twice) and UFC hall of famers Mark Coleman and Chuck Liddell. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and aggressive standup fighter, Rua has secured 16 of his 19 career victories by knockout or technical knockout. The 29-year-old Brazilian sports a 3-2 mark inside the Octagon.

Jones, who replaced injured Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts teammate Rashad Evans, will carry a three-fight winning streak into the match. The 23-year-old Rochester, N.Y., native last competed at UFC 126 in February, when he plowed through the previously unbeaten Ryan Bader and submitted “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 8 winner with a second-round guillotine choke at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Jones has delivered 10 of his 12 wins by knockout, technical knockout or submission. A decorated amateur wrestler, he won a national championship at Iowa Central Community College in 2006.

UFC 128 -- which also features a lightweight battle pairing the world-ranked Jim Miller (155.5) with Kamal Shalorus (155), a middleweight duel pitting former King of Pancrase Nate Marquardt (186) against Dan Miller (185) and a heavyweight tilt matching 2006 Pride open weight grand prix winner Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic (229) with Brendan Schaub (245) -- will air live on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. An hour prior, Spike TV will carry a pair of bouts from the undercard: Luis Artur Cane Jr. (205.5) vs. Eliot Marshall (205) and Anthony Njokuani (155) vs. Edson Barboza Jr. (155.5). In addition, the UFC will stream two other matchups on its Facebook page at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, as Ricardo Almeida (170) meets Mike Pyle (171) and Kurt Pellegrino (156) locks horns with Gleison Tibau (155).

UFC 128 “Shogun vs. Jones”
Saturday, March 19
Prudential Center
Newark, N.J.

UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (205) vs. Jon Jones (205)

Urijah Faber (135.5) vs. Eddie Wineland (135.5)
Jim Miller (155.5) vs. Kamal Shalorus (155)
Nate Marquardt (186) vs. Dan Miller (185)
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic (229) vs. Brendan Schaub (245)
Luis Artur Cane Jr. (205.5) vs. Eliot Marshall (205)
Anthony Njokuani (155) vs. Edson Barboza Jr. (155.5)
Ricardo Almeida (171) vs. Mike Pyle (170)
Kurt Pellegrino (156) vs. Gleison Tibau (155)
Joseph Benavidez (136) vs. Ian Loveland (135)
Raphael Assuncao (145) vs. Erik Koch (145)
Constantinos Philippou (195) vs. Nick Catone (194)

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