Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - There are no bones about it. Jon Jones is the real deal. For evidence, look no further than the New Yorker’s first round TKO of perennial contender Brandon Vera Sunday night, which not only lifted his record to 10-1, but lifted him into the upper echelon of the 205-pound weight class in the first UFC Live on VERSUS event at 1st Bank Center.
By Thomas Gerbasi
BROOMFIELD, March 21 – There are no bones about it. Jon Jones is the real deal. For evidence, look no further than the New Yorker’s first round TKO of perennial contender Brandon Vera Sunday night, which not only lifted his record to 10-1, but lifted him into the upper echelon of the 205-pound weight class in the first UFC Live on VERSUS event at 1st Bank Center. Watch post-fight interview
“I try not to pay attention to it (the hype), but I’m aware that it’s there,” said the 22-year old Jones. “I just want to try to live up to my potential.”
Right now, that potential seems limitless.
The fighters immediately engaged in the middle of the Octagon, with Jones drawing first blood with a takedown of Vera. Vera fought his way back up, but moments later Jones took him back to the canvas. While there, Vera fired off strikes from the bottom position as Jones tried to land the one big shot from the 
top. In the midst of the action, Vera drilled Jones with an illegal upkick to the head, drawing a point deduction from referee Herb Dean.
When the action resumed on the mat, Jones again worked his strikes while Vera kept his eyes open for a possible submission. Yet just when it looked like the action was going to stall, Jones fired off a flush left elbow to the jaw. Vera winced and turned his head to the side, and Jones pounced, firing off strike after strike, and with Vera not answering back, Dean halted the bout at 3:19 of the opening round.
With the defeat, Vera falls to 11-5.
