They say you don’t have a second chance to make a first impression, but technically Trevin Jones achieved that feat with his appearance at UFC 259.
After accepting and winning his debut spectacularly in one of the biggest twists in recent UFC history, Jones had his victory taken after he tested positive for marijuana and the victory was overturned for a no contest.
With a full training ground this time, Jones made the most of his second appearance by flattening Mario Bautista with a nasty uppercut to return to the victory column as the first fight of the night in Las Vegas. The stoppage occurred at 40 seconds of the second round, as Jones can now proclaim his first victory in the UFC for the second time.
“It was very frustrating,” admitted Jones when asked about his first win being overturned for an unmatched competition. “It motivated me more. I had to treat this fight as if it were my debut again. I was not losing this fight. Everything was perfect for this fight and I was here to stay ”.
While he had to contend with serious adversities on his debut, Jones showed control throughout the opening round this time while battling Bautista in the clinch and using a series of leg kicks to eventually prepare for his blows.
At the start of the second round, Jones’ previous work paid off, as he feinted with a punch and then threw the uppercut that threw Bautista’s head back and threw him on the screen. Jones continued with a few more hammer fists to ensure that the fight was stopped while he celebrated his victory.
With two outstanding performances to start his career in the UFC, Jones seems to be a prospect worth watching and chances are that he will find himself in a higher position on his next card, after closing the second straight knockout.