UFC 239: Jones vs. Santos results and post-fight analysis

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLCUFC 239 (and International Fight Week 2019) has wrapped up, and I think it’s far to say that Jon Jones escaped with a split decision win over Thiago Santos. I scored it 48-47 for Jones but can see how you’d get to 48-47 Santos, as the Brazilian’s vaunted power and kicks remained a danger even after he messed up his left knee in the opening round.

What transpired was a glorified kickboxing battle with basically no meaningful attempt by Jones to wrestle, even with Santos compromised and getting beaten up on the other leg too. As much as I’ve praised Jones for always fighting smart, this was about as overly cautious and sub-optimal a bout I’ve ever seen…