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UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen Gate and Attendance

UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen Gate and Attendance

With New York still on MMA lockdown, UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen returned to the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on Saturday night, drawing it’s usual large crowd and hefty gate receipts.

UFC 159 attracted an audience of 15,227 for a live gate totaling $2.7 million.

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones successfully defended his belt against Chael Sonnen in the night’s main event. The victory tied him with Tito Ortiz at five for the most light heavyweight title defenses in the promotion’s history.

Ironically enough, Jones tied Ortiz’s record in the same venue where he initially won the belt.

Jones defeated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua for the 205-pound divisional championship at UFC 128 at the Prudential Center two years ago, the last time the promotion held an event in Newark.

UFC 159 – much like Jones has improved in the Octagon – improved on the numbers for UFC 128, which drew an audience of 12,619 for a live gate of $2.14 million.

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