Jon Jones’ light heavyweight title defense over Glover Teixeira in 2014 is historically significant for a couple reasons.
It’s been 12 years since Jones, who was 26 at the time, left Teixeira a bloody and mangled mess in the UFC 172 main event in Baltimore on April 26, 2014. Jones swept the judges’ scorecards for a dominant decision and extended his UFC record with a seventh straight light heavyweight title defense.
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But along with Jones’ legitimate violence through elbows and head kicks and spinning attacks and an entire litany of offense, Jones continued to be criticized – and in fact has never been criticized more – for his use of extended fingers toward opponents’ faces, particularly their eyes.
Against Teixeira, it reached a boiling point, and afterward UFC CEO Dana White said something needed to be done about it. So did officials, other fighters, athletic commissions – and by 2016, the Unified Rules of MMA were amended to make leading with a finger-extended hand a foul, even if it doesn’t lead to an eye poke.
These days, it’s a regular warning from referees to fighters to close their hands. Call it the “Jon Jones Rule,” if you must. Has it made a difference? Some would argue it hasn’t mattered a bit. (Ask Tom Aspinall.)
The other thing to note about Jones’ win over Teixeira is, it really was the last time fans had a Jones fight that wasn’t also tainted with some kind of Jones-related controversy. Sure, he had his DUI arrest when he wrapped his Bentley around a light pole in 2012. But after the Teixeira fight in April 2014, Jones really headed into “that Jon Jones” territory. And you all know the one that means.
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So relive the last of an era, sort of – Jones’ win over Teixeira at UFC 172 – above.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: April 26, 2014 in MMA history: Jon Jones vs. Glover Teixeira, UFC 172
