Bone collector: Jon Jones' 5 greatest performances
The UFC keeps lining them up, and Jon Jones keeps knocking them down.
Aside from a 2009 disqualification against Matt Hamill for violating a much-maligned rule, Jones' 23-fight record is as pristine as they come. He may no longer call the UFC's light heavyweight crown his, but the 30-year-old still owns just about every one of the promotion's divisional records, from submission victories (5) to title defenses (8).
In just a few days' time, "Bones" will look to get back to his dominant ways in a rematch with his greatest rival, reigning 205-pound king Daniel Cormier, at UFC 214.
But before he graces Anaheim's Honda Center, here's a look at five of the all-time great's most memorable performances:
Mauricio Rua - UFC 128
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In his first headlining gig on pay-per-view, "Bones" delivered under the bright lights in resounding fashion.
Jones made then-champion Rua - a Pride FC legend - the first of many casualties in his stint atop the light heavyweight food chain, beating the Muay Thai artist from pillar to post in front of 12,000 strong at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
"Shogun" valiantly made it to the third round, only to lose the light heavyweight title in a brutal assault of knees and punches against the fence, and just like that, a new era began.
Lyoto Machida - UFC 140
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Fight fans are no strangers to walk-off KOs, but it was Jones who treated them to their first walk-off submission in his second fight as champion.
The notoriously cagey and elusive Machida gave Jones fits through the opening round of their tilt, but the champ made him rue his crafty ways in the second stanza. Jones cracked "The Dragon" with a short left hand as his foe closed the distance, then put the squeeze on him with a power guillotine as Machida made his way back to his feet.
The former titleholder refused to put himself out of his misery by tapping, instead venturing into dreamland before Jones nonchalantly dumped his lifeless body to the canvas in victory.
Rashad Evans - UFC 145
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Jones became persona non grata in Rashad Evans' book when his former Jackson's MMA cohort was tapped to challenge for his title, but he did his talking in the Octagon - and he did it boldly.
"Suga" went the distance in his grudge match with Jones, but he made it to the final horn on heart alone, as the champ outclassed him in both the striking and grappling departments to take a lopsided verdict for his third consecutive defense of the throne.
Alexander Gustafsson - UFC 165
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As dominant as he'd been in his six previous title bouts, it was a closely contested five-round battle with Gustafsson that proved Jones' mettle was worth the crown he wore.
"Bones" had emphatically knocked off a handful of former champions before "The Mauler" gave him a lesson in adversity at Toronto's Air Canada Centre, and the defending king proved the ideal pupil. From first bell to last, Jones and Gustafsson gave as good as they got en route to an instant classic, but when all was said and done, Gustafsson's takedown defense and masterful use of angles weren't enough to dethrone the champ, who stoically fought his way to a razor-close unanimous decision.
The victory gave Jones sole ownership of the UFC light heavyweight record for title defenses with six - a distinction previously held by Tito Ortiz.
Daniel Cormier - UFC 182
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Jones and Cormier wasted little time building one of MMA's greatest rivalries when they were booked to face each other at UFC 178 three years ago. The pair wouldn't meet until January 2015 at UFC 182, where Cormier's best efforts couldn't keep Jones from walking the walk.
Despite Cormier's Olympic-level wrestling pedigree, it was Jones who proved the better grappler in the five-round grudge match, repeatedly stifling his nemesis' attempts to impose his will, and scoring three takedowns to the challenger's one. "Bones" won the battle of blows just as easily, outlanding Cormier 92-58 to take a decision that wasn't nearly as close as their battle of wits.