I go to thinking about this and came to the decision the ultimately the UFC is to blame for canceling the event. Whatever you think of Jones' decision, if the card had enough other matchup that the UFC felt could draw a good PPV, they would have still put on the event.
I don't mean to disrespect any of the other fighters on the card, I have trained with a few professional guys and know how much time and money are poured into a training camp. Ultimately it will be the undercard fighters that are hurt the most. Hopefully the UFC will step up and, at least, give them their "show money".
On a side note. Does anyone think that any of the UFC brass told JBJ and Jackson that if they turned the fight down, the event would be cancelled? If so, that is an even more classless act by JBJ and Jackson MMA than I originally thought. 
They share the blame. UFC should have had a stronger card to survive the main event dropping (of course it would hurt buys). Jones could/would have saved it taking on an out of shape 185er, but ducked.
Anyone remember who was on the undercard when Bones fought Rampage, Machida, or Rashad? Me either. Build a strong card all you want, most people only remember the big fights. How pissed were people when Chael/Silva II fell though at 147 or Aldo/Koch at 149? Heinous things were said then, and would have been said again. Nobody wants a Franklin/Wanderlei debacle again. All on JBJ.
Who chose not to fight? Jon Jones.
Who is responsible? Jon Jones.
formerspook - Anyone remember who was on the undercard when Bones fought Rampage, Machida, or Rashad? Me either. Build a strong card all you want, most people only remember the big fights. How pissed were people when Chael/Silva II fell though at 147 or Aldo/Koch at 149? Heinous things were said then, and would have been said again. Nobody wants a Franklin/Wanderlei debacle again. All on JBJ.
Nate Diaz vs Takanori Gomi
Ben Rothwell vs Mark Hunt
Travis Browne vs ????
Jon jones has cost people money the ufc and people who was meant to fight on the card,
The card wasn't strong without the main event so the ufc is supposed to put it on and lose a shit ton of money?
Jon jones is a bitch he should fight anyone who challenges him talk bout letting fans down
MANY cards in the past have gone on with the loss of a the Main Event.
It hurts more recently because the UFC has watered down the cards to where the ONE fight is all people want to pay for...
Therefore, the responsibility to the fighters who spent thousands of dollars and left their families to train, falls on the UFC.
NO PPV CARD SHOULD BE SO TOP HEAVY THAT IT CANNOT LOSE THE MAIN EVENT
This isn't boxing.....
or is it?
the UFC entirely.
The brand should be selling the PPVs over single named fighters. There were other solid fights on that card.
but this goes to show how much the UFC has diluted their product to an entire PPV being marketed around 3 fights normally.
3-4 yrs ago the entire card sold the show, not a single fight or a single fighter. With the launch of a more mainstream product and inclusion of the TV contracts... the UFC has spread themselves too thin and this is a direct result of that.
vengence - the UFC entirely.
The brand should be selling the PPVs over single named fighters. There were other solid fights on that card.
but this goes to show how much the UFC has diluted their product to an entire PPV being marketed around 3 fights normally.
3-4 yrs ago the entire card sold the show, not a single fight or a single fighter. With the launch of a more mainstream product and inclusion of the TV contracts... the UFC has spread themselves too thin and this is a direct result of that.
I have ot agree with the UFc taking a big portion of the blame for this card being scrapped. The product is so watered down, there's no way for the show to go on if the main event is lost. And Jones deserves blame too, he's the one who opted to not fight a 185er coming off a KO loss and taking the figh ton 8 days notice. WTF is wrong with Jones? He's all about money, he just passed up on serious coin. This guy has become a primadonna. Big Jones fan no longer a fan. Lets go Machida, Sonnen or Hendo.
Yep they still could have put together a decent new main event and let the show go on so the under card fighters could get paid and they could at least recoup some of their cost. Jones and Jackson pulled a bitch move but UFC did not have to cancel the entire show.
UFC 90%, Jon Jones 10%
Jones is to blame they got him a replacement who would have been at a huge disadvantage taking the fight on such short notice and him having a full camp, and he declined. Fuck him!
willienugget - "There were other solid fights on that card."
Like what? Besides Bones/Hendo this card had zero draw. I like Ellenberger but I don't want to see him fight Heiron enough to pay for it.
Jake Ellenberger vs Jay Hieron
Australia Kyle Noke vs Charlie Brenneman
Dennis Hallman vs Thiago Tavares
were solid.... but this also prove me point even more of the UFC putting 'filler' fights so to say to leverage out having at least 8-10 fights per card.
its become a diluted programming model to keep interest in the big name fights, have a few other decent names, and then lesser known fights and hoping those loesser known guys can make a big impact with high energy high paced fights.
UFC unfortunately got too big for their own good and are too spread out
The UFC is to blame for canceling the show. For starters their PPV cards do suck, the UFC is pretty much admitting this by canceling the show because one fight was scrapped. Secondly, I thought they had back up plans for when a fighter cancels. Why didn't they have a fighter on the shelf in case Hendo or Bones pulled out? Why not discuss this possibility with the fighters and come to an agreement ahead of time?
I don't think that excuses Bones either. This is not the kind of guy I want to see wearing a belt and being a face for the sport. I've lost a ton of respect for him and hope Machida beats him badly, but Bones is not to blame for the cancelation of an entire event. He will have himself to blame when the fans are celebrating his downfall and the UFC is giving him the Sylvia treatment.
I do think the show should go on for the fighters who trained and for the fans who bought tickets to go see a UFC live. They could have done SOMETHING to make up for the main event. Or maybe it just woulda been a shitty PPV with low ratings, so what? It wouldnt be the first. This canceling an entire card? That's a first.
Card subject to change (And by change we mean it may not happen at all)
LilBrockonmychest -Alpha World Peace - Who chose not to fight? Lyoto
Who is responsible? UFC
Fixed that for you
Hope there's a hanky nearby. You've got a little bit of JBJ nut sweat on your chin still.
JBJ as the champ should fight anyone put in front of him and it is pretty shit that he has backed out from a fight against a fighter with a very similar style to his original opponent, minus the knockout power. I don't think all the blame can lie with him though. Surely he wasnt to know that by not taking the fight the whole card would be cancelled??
IMO it is clearly the UFCs fault for going down the watered down / boxing style of weak overall cards. Way too many events these days and in hindsight (such a wonderful thing) this was always eventually going to happen.
Is the UFC going to compensate all the fighters and fans for all their expenses??
Those pre Fox, stacked cards seem so long ago.....
Zuffa is to blame. There is no reason to cancel a fight card over 1 fight period.
Yes!!!
best course of action would have been to acknowledge the change as a company, apologixe and emphacise that cards are subject to change.... it sucks.
BUT that they will make it up to the fans...as has been done before for shitty PPV cards...
then you get a stellar fight card together and put it on free TV.
that made ppl happy in the past