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Jones edges out Reyes to defend title in UFC 247 main event

Josh Hedges / UFC / Getty

Jon Jones defeated Dominick Reyes by unanimous decision to retain the light heavyweight title in the UFC 247 main event Saturday in Houston.

The judges scored the fight 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46 for Jones.

It didn't come easy for Jones, who broke the UFC record for most wins in title fights (14). Reyes entered the contest with an undefeated record and proved he was a game opponent after a strong start.

Reyes attacked Jones from the opening bell and didn't back down. He landed several punches that had the longtime champion on his heels. He mixed in leg kicks, too, and it seemed as if Jones' reign was in danger of coming to an end during the first 10 or 15 minutes.

But the challenger, who had never gone five rounds in his career, slowed down in the later frame, allowing Jones to take over. Jones used his pressure to outpoint Reyes down the stretch, and while Reyes was still able to land strikes, they didn't have as much of an impact as they did early in the fight.

In the fourth and fifth rounds, Jones picked his opponent apart with a wide array of strikes. He's known for being creative on his feet, and that was no different in Saturday's title defense.

Jones defended his belt for the third time in his current title reign. He's widely considered one of the greatest fighters of all time, and he's the UFC's pound-for-pound king.

Jones is riding an 18-fight unbeaten streak. His only career loss is a controversial disqualification due to an illegal elbow in 2009.

Reyes suffered his first pro loss in his first shot at UFC gold. He signed with the UFC in 2017 and racked up six straight wins, including a first-round knockout of former middleweight champion Chris Weidman last October.

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