This weekend won't be the first time Jon Jones comes back after an extended period of time off.
The former UFC light heavyweight champion is scheduled to end a three-year layoff Saturday when he faces Ciryl Gane for the vacant heavyweight title in the UFC 285 main event.
Jones, widely considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, has had three bouts in the UFC in which he was competing for the first time in at least a year. Let's take a trip down memory lane and re-examine Jones' three career comebacks so far.
Ovince Saint Preux fight
Days between fights: 475
Event: UFC 197 on April 23, 2016
At stake: UFC interim light heavyweight championship
Result: Jones def. Saint Preux via decision (50-44, 50-45, 50-45)
Reason for layoff: The UFC suspended Jones indefinitely and stripped him of the light heavyweight title on April 28, 2015, after he was involved in a hit-and-run accident that injured a pregnant woman. Jones pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and was sentenced to 18 months of supervised probation. In his absence, Daniel Cormier defeated Anthony Johnson to win the vacant light heavyweight title. The UFC reinstated Jones on Oct. 23, 2015. He was scheduled to face Cormier in a rematch for the undisputed title, but Cormier pulled out of the fight due to an injury and was replaced by Saint Preux.
How did Jones look: Overall, this was a fine performance. There's no question that Jones dominated Saint Preux - he won all five rounds and even earned a 10-8 score from one judge. But at the same time, it wasn't anything special. At this point in time, we were used to Jones destroying his opponents. He made the likes of Lyoto Machida, Chael Sonnen, Glover Teixeira, and Quinton Jackson look levels beneath him. He had no mercy on them.
Against Saint Preux, Jones was tactical, using his reach to pick him apart from the outside and then coming in close to batter Saint Preux with elbows and knees in the clinch. Jones also scored three takedowns, once again proving he was a well-rounded fighter. But it was far from a demolition. And that was surprising because Saint Preux - ranked No. 6 in the division at the time - was a lesser foe compared to Jones' other opposition. Jones did what he had to do to win, but that's about it.
Key postfight quote: "It definitely took me a while to pull the trigger tonight. It felt like I used 20% of the technique I actually know. ... I was watching, anticipating, and imagining techniques landing, knowing when techniques would've landed, and just not even going for it. I was watching tonight instead of reacting."
Overall grade: C. It was a below-average performance for one of the GOATs.
Daniel Cormier rematch
Days between fights: 461
Event: UFC 214 on July 29, 2017
At stake: UFC light heavyweight championship
Result: Jones def. Cormier via KO; overturned to NC
Reason for layoff: Jones was suspended one year by USADA, stripped of the interim light heavyweight title, and removed from a UFC 200 rematch against Cormier after testing positive for two banned substances in a June 2016 drug test. His team argued that Jones believed he was taking Cialis, a male enhancement pill. Arbitrators ruled that Jones didn't intend to cheat but was reckless.
How did Jones look: In some ways, this performance was a tale of two fights. Jones convincingly beat Cormier by a score of 49-46 in their first matchup in January 2015. But Cormier looked surprisingly good in the first two rounds of their rematch. Jones was more aggressive than against Saint Preux and landed some good shots, but Cormier got into his range a lot more than before. "DC" ended the second round by landing a powerful overhand right, showing Jones that he didn't come to play.
But in the third stanza, Jones looked much better - and like the dominant champion we knew he was. He found his target a lot more, and Cormier struggled to close the distance. And then Jones landed a perfect left head kick - and that was all she wrote. He pounced on Cormier, not giving his bitter rival any chance to recover, and rained down brutal ground-and-pound until referee John McCarthy had no choice but to wave off the fight.
Key postfight quote: "I did a lot of right things to get back in this position."
What happened after: On Aug. 22, 2017, it was announced that Jones had failed a drug test in relation to the UFC 214 fight for the anabolic steroid Turinabol. The Nevada State Athletic Commission overturned the result to a no-contest, and the UFC reinstated Cormier as light heavyweight champion. About one year later, USADA officially handed Jones a 15-month suspension retroactive to July 2017, meaning he would be eligible to return in October 2018.
Overall grade: F. Sorry, but you can't score any higher than that when your fight is ruled a no-contest because you tested positive for a banned substance.
Alexander Gustafsson rematch
Days between fights: 517
Event: UFC 232 on Dec. 29, 2018
At stake: Vacant UFC light heavyweight championship
Result: Jones def. Gustafsson via TKO
Reason for layoff: Jones failed a July 2017 drug test and was suspended 15 months.
How did Jones look: This was a great victory for Jones. He was fairly sharp on the feet in the first two rounds, landing a hard knee to Gustafsson's body and several kicks. Gustafsson had a few good moments, but Jones stayed out of his punching range, allowing "Bones" to control the pace of the fight.
Jones turned up the heat - and maybe changed up his game plan - in Round 3. Less than a minute in, he went for a takedown and easily secured it. Jones immediately attacked Gustafsson with elbows, taking full advantage of the moment. Eventually, he took his opponent's back, flattened him out, and then unleashed hellacious ground-and-pound until referee Mike Beltran stepped in.
After almost a year and a half away from the Octagon, Jones reclaimed the light heavyweight throne - again - and looked tremendous doing so.
Key postfight quote: "The first time I fought Alexander, I stayed in his punching range. The main difference was I was aware of how far away I was at all times. Alexander threw some great combinations, but if you really go back and watch the fight, he landed very few punches on my face tonight."
Overall grade: A. Good stuff, Jonny Bones.
