Jon Jones sustains right elbow damage
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Light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones showed up late for the customary post-fight news conference and with his right arm in a sling after defending his belt for a fourth consecutive time on Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre.
Jones did not show up for the news conference until it was at least half over.
When asked where Jones was, UFC president Dana White told reporters that “there’s something wrong with his elbow.”
It turns out, according to Jones, that the champion has some “nerve damage” in the arm.
Jones told ring interviewer Joe Rogan after his successful title defence over Vitor Belfort at UFC 152 that the Brazilian had hurt him early in the fight when the 35-year-old veteran put him in an arm-bar.
“It’s numb, I’m going to have to get it looked at,” Jones said.
Belfort told Rogan he could hear Jones’ elbow “cracking and popping.”
Despite the pain, Jones managed to get to his feet and slam the veteran Brazilian into the mat a few times, with Belfort still hanging on. Eventually a tired Belfort had to let go of the young 25-year-old champion’s arm.
Jones won submission of the night to pick up some extra cash after an arm-lock forced Belfort to tap out in the fourth round.
Jones has now won eight consecutive fights to improve to 17-1 and has defended his belt four consecutive times.
White said Jones would be taken to the hospital to get checked out.