A UFC fighter pulled off a massive win on Saturday night after taking the match on just two days’ notice, and many were hailing it afterward as both the UFC’s Upset of the Year and Comeback of the Year.
“Trevin Jones may have just pulled off the upset and comeback of the year against Timur Valiev. Unbelievable. Valiev was as high as -2000 some places,” MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn posted.
Trevin Jones may have just pulled off the upset and comeback of the year against Timur Valiev. Unbelievable. Valiev was as high as -2000 some places. #UFCVegas7
So it wasn’t a terrible promotional debut for Trevin Jones against Timur Valiev even if it had begun that way.
After getting wrecked for most of the opening round and gutting through a horrendous kick to the body that would have stopped most fighters, Jones scored an epic second-round knockout over his opponent in the next round in a fight that never looked like it would go his way until the very end.
In fact, Jones appeared to be completely outclassed right from the start.
But the 30-year-old Jones made it through the round and amazingly ended up pulling off the knockout after surviving another onslaught in the second.
You can see the stunning sequence below.
Jones took the catchweight fight on just two days’ notice in hopes of securing future fights. Now, the fighter is sure to have won his way into the hearts and minds of UFC fans and UFC executives, too.
As noted by MMA Junkie’s Bohn on social media, Valiev was as big a favorite as -2000 with some oddsmakers. The implied probability for Valiev winning the fight was 95.2%.
So Jones winning the fight was truly a massive upset, and the fighter doing so after things appeared so hopeless so fast made it even more spectacular.
Now, Jones is sure to be back in another UFC fight soon.
And next time he’ll have way more than just two days’ notice.
UFC World Reacts to Huge Upset
According to UFC News, Jones scored the biggest comeback win of 2020 from a statistical perspective.
Trevin Jones has earned the biggest statistical comeback finish of 2020, finishing his opponent with a -40 significant strike differential (26 to 66). #UFCVegas7
Results: t.co/GJJzaXE4va
Just how bad was it? All three judges had scored the first round 10-8 for Valiev.
Trevin Jones was trailing in a major way on the scorecards before securing the second round finish against Timur Valiev at #UFCVegas7
(via @UFCNews)
Still, ESPN’s Brett Okamoto revealed that Jones predicted the finish from the moment he accepted the fight.
Text message I got from someone close to Trevin Jones two days ago, after he accepted the fight: “Tough one on short notice but Trev says he’s ready and will finish this guy.” Wow.
The journalist also hailed the fighter’s victory as “one of the craziest wins” of 2020.
OMMMMGGGG!!! That is one of the craziest wins of the YEARR!! Trevin Jones on just days notice and nearly getting finished in the first round!!! Perfect shot! Unbelievable!
UFC bantamweight contender Aljamain Sterling called the stunning win “unreal”.
WHAT?!?! That is UNREAL!! I think Jones heard me saying, “THROW SOMETHING!!” From the back room. What a comeback! Fight game is crazy y’all!
#UFCVegas7
Heck, even Jones seems to have impressed himself.
“He did not know I was that tough. I’m here to stay, baby,” said Jones.
You can watch his full post-fight interview below.
“He did not know I was that tough. I’m here to stay, baby.”
Trevin Jones reflects on his debut, short-notice win, including the flurry he endured in the first round as well as how he got the finish in the second. #UFCVegas7
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UFC Fighter Pulls Off ‘Upset And Comeback Of The Year’ [WATCH]