Drama begins outside of the octagon ahead of a massive night of fights.
It is being hyped as one of the biggest UFC promotions of the year and the sparks began to fly during the weigh-ins.
From champion Jon Jones failing to look at his challenger Chael Sonnen in the eye to Michael Bisping and Alan Belcher carrying on their war of words, the weigh-in was full of talking points.
In the main even both Jones and Sonnen weighed in right on the 205 pound limit, with the contrasting styles of both men again apparent when asked for a few quick words after stepping off the scale.
If there is such a thing as a few quick words on fight eve with Sonnen.
“You’re going to tell your kids’, kids’, kids that he was real,” Sonnen said of himself.
“He exsisted. The myth of Chael Sonnen stood before us, he brought down the hometown hero, and when it was all said and done, it was one more for the record books, one more in the win column and one more for the bad guy.”
Jones was his usual, reserved self, having previously said he needs to enter the title defence with a clear mind.
“I’m here to conquer, I’m here to be corageous,that’s about it,” Jones said.
The only person not to make weight for the event was preliminary fighter Nick Catone having tipped the scales at 173 pounds for his welterweight bout.
Instead of re-weighing, Catone’s fight against James Head will go ahead, with the former to sacrifice 20 per cent of his purse.
Check out the entire UFC 159 weigh-in below:
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