Thoughts & Shots From UFC 197

It has been a bit of a topsy-turvy year for Jon Jones, but you can check returning to the Octagon off his list of things to do for 2016. The former light heavyweight champion headlined UFC 197 against late replacement Ovince St. Preux. If Jones was looking to knock off some of the ring rust he’d accumulated during his nearly 16-month absence, he sure gave himself ample time. Jones used the entire 25-minute allotment to batter “OSP” on his way to a one-sided unanimous decision. It wasn’t Jones’ most inspiring performance, but it whetted everyone’s apatite for the main course: a rematch between Jones and arch-rival Daniel Cormier, who now holds the belt Jones never lost in the cage. Jones was presented with an interim title belt after his victory, but he let everyone know that it wasn’t the one he was looking to put around his waist. He wants his old belt back, the one Cormier has been toting around for nearly a year. That said, Jones really is pretty fortunate to get the chance to fight at least once before going up against “DC.” I’m not going to join the chorus and say Jones would have lost if he fought a healthy Cormier on Saturday night. I still think he would have likely found a way to get the “W,” but it would have been much tougher than the sparring session he put in against St. Preux. I’m not trying to disrespect St. Preux — he is tough as hell, but he got humbled by a former champ who was running at least one cylinder down. However, I think a confident, active Jones would have made short work of his latest victim. Now, with five rounds of work in the bank, it is going to be even tougher for Cormier to hang onto his title. I know he thinks he has solved the Jones riddle, or at least that is what he is intimating, but unless he is able to get to Jones’ chin early, I think we’re going to see more of the …

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