Jones vs. Belfort Results: What Went Right for Jon Jones

UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones dominated Vitor Belfort at last night's UFC 152, submitting the former champ in the fourth round to retain his title.

"Bones" had an early scare, however, getting caught in an armbar in the first round, but he fought through the pain and dismantled "the Phenom."

Other than that, a lot of things went right for Jones in this fight, showing his ever-improving MMA skill set.

Top Game

Jones did a lot of work from inside Belfort's guard, dominating with his top game.

The champ didn't have to do too much work getting "the Phenom" down, as the former champ—for some reason—kept pulling guard throughout the fight.  

Other than getting caught in an early armbar, Jones did a great job at keeping control from the top and not letting up on Belfort.

Ground and Pound

Because of his dominance from the top, Jones' ground-and-pound was on point in this fight.

The champ cut Belfort early with an elbow and constantly attacked with short strikes throughout the fight.

Jones gave "the Phenom" a real beatdown later in the fight, catching the challenger in a crucifix position while pummeling him with elbows.

Thanks to his ground-and-pound, Jones was able to take the energy and power out of Belfort.

Keeping Distance

Knowing Belfort's power and speed, Jones' focused much of his game plan on staying out of harm's way by keeping the former champ on the outside.

Using a lot of front leg side kicks to the leg and body of Belfort, Jones was able to keep him at a distance while also delivering hard strikes against the southpaw.

Submissions

Jones' submission game has always been deadly, and it was on point last night.

The champ ended the bout by easily passing Belfort's guard in the fourth round before locking up a picture-perfect Americana.

UFC commentator and recently awarded BJJ black belt Joe Rogan even noted how technically accurate the submission was, praising Jones for quickly bringing Belfort's elbow down to his side before cranking the shoulder.

Warrior Spirit

The things that worked the most for Jones were his warrior spirit and ability to overcome the antagonism of Belfort.

The Brazilian popped Jones' elbow with an armbar early in the first round, but the champ kept fighting and never tapped.

Say what you will about Jones, but you can't deny that he has the heart of a champion.

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