One of the sport’s most promising prospects and one of its most durable veterans hit the scales on Saturday and made official their plans to throw leather with one another.
Jon Jones checked in at 206 pounds for his matchup with former International Fight League light heavyweight champion
Vladimir Matyushenko (206) in the
UFC on Versus 2 headliner on Sunday at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego. The six other men booked to compete on the main card -- including co-headliners
Yushin Okami (185) and
Mark Munoz (185) -- also met their mandated weight requirements at the official weigh-in.
Jones, 23, last appeared in March, when he stopped
Brandon Vera with first-round punches and elbows at UFC on Versus 1 in Broomfield, Colo. His disputed disqualification against
Matt Hamill seven months ago remains the lone blemish on his otherwise pristine resume. A national wrestling champion at the junior college level, Jones now trains out of Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts in Albuquerque, N.M. The 6-foot-4, Rochester, N.Y., native has delivered eight of his 10 career victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission.
Matyushenko has posted 11 wins in his last 12 fights and earned a split decision over Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
Eliot Marshall in March. The 39-year-old Belarusian has only been finished twice in 28 professional bouts and holds notable victories against
Pedro Rizzo and the world-ranked
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Matyushenko was a national wrestling champion in the Soviet Union and his native Belarus.
UFC on Versus 2 -- which also features a welterweight bout pairing
Jake Ellenberger (170.5) with
John Howard (170.5) and a lightweight duel pitting Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts standout
Tyson Griffin (154) against former Pride Fighting Championships titleholder
Takanori Gomi (156) -- will air live on the Versus network at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Jon Jones (206) vs.
Vladimir Matyushenko (206)
Yushin Okami (185) vs.
Mark Munoz (185)
Jake Ellenberger (170.5) vs.
John Howard (170.5)
Takanori Gomi (156) vs.
Tyson Griffin (154)
Paul Kelly (155) vs.
Jacob Volkmann (156)
*
DaMarques Johnson (172) vs.
Matt Riddle (171)
James Irvin (205) vs.
Igor Pokrajac (204.5)
Brian Stann (186) vs.
Mike Massenzio (184)
Darren Elkins (154.5) vs.
Charles Oliveira (154)
Rob Kimmons (185) vs.
Steve Steinbeiss (185)
* Johnson originally weighed in at 172.5 pounds. He tried to lose the additional weight but only dropped half a pound, according to UFC.com, and doctors would not afford him any further attempts. He will fight Riddle at 172 pounds and was docked 20 percent of his purse.
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