This Day in MMA History: Sept. 1

Cole SheltonSep 01, 2019

UFC 151 was scheduled to take place on Sept. 1, 2012, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. However, the pay-per-view never took place and was canceled after the main event fell through. Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White blamed Jon Jones and his coach Greg Jackson for the matter.

The UFC’s light heavyweight champion in Jones was scheduled to defend against Dan Henderson, but on Aug. 23, White announced that “Hendo” had suffered a partial rupture of his MCL and was out of the fight. The UFC then made the shocking announcement that UFC 151 was going to be the first event in company history that was canceled after “Bones” declined to fight Chael Sonnen.

This made the UFC boss furious and White then went on a massive rant. "I'll go on the record saying [Jackson] is a f--king sport-killer. This guy is from another planet. I've never even seen anything like it in my life,” exclaimed White.

"This is one of the most selfish, disgusting decisions that doesn't just affect you. This is affecting 16 other lives, their families, kids are going back to school. The list goes on and on of all the things, the money that was spent for fighters to train and the list goes on and on. Like I said, I don't think this is going to make Jones popular with the fans, sponsors, cable distributors, television network executives or other fighters.

“UFC 151 will be remembered as the event Jon Jones and Greg Jackson murdered."

Jones ended up fighting at UFC 152 just weeks later where he beat Vitor Belfort by submission. He would later fight Sonnen at UFC 159, and defeated him by TKO in the first round.