After a few years away from the Octagon, Jeremy Stephens made a brief return to the UFC, but his grand comeback was halted by Mason Jones.
Stephens promised a spectacular performance at UFC Des Moines, and he tried his best, but he was outstruck by Jones. The British fighter was not the fans’ favorite as he stepped into the cage to battle Iowa hometown hero Jeremy Stephens, but he didn’t allow this to stop him from putting on a stellar performance. Jones came into the cage with a lot of energy, landing strikes and head kicks. Stephens retaliated with heavy shots and a straight jab that rocked Jones’ jaw. The fighter was dazed for a while but quickly recovered and continued surging ahead. He went in for a takedown and almost scored a submission with a rear-naked choke, but Stephens survived the round.
In the following rounds, Jones moved with more confidence, looking to brawl with Stephens. The seasoned fighter welcomed the challenge and continued to unload punches and uppercuts to score a takedown, but Jones was tenacious, landing a spinning back elbow that led to a cut on Stephens’ face. The vet responded with a huge shot that sent Jones’ mouthpiece flying out. He recovered quickly and maintained his distance, but he soon went in for a takedown. He tried to secure a kimura, but Stephens was resilient and continued to fight, hindering a submission.
Jones kept the fight on the canvas, dragging Stephens down every chance he got and staying on top every time despite suffering some heavy blows. Jones gave as good as he got, and the bout ended in a decision win for him.
His win has propelled him to another potential shot in Saudi Arabia, while Stephens is free to do what he wants as his contract only includes one fight.
