Jon Jones UFC 197 entrance: Relive Bones' stunning walkout in his comeback fight against Ovince Saint Preux
Jon Jones made his highly anticipated return to the Octagon in 2016 after serving a year-long suspension. Bones' walkout during his comeback made for one of the most iconic entrances in UFC history.
Jones was suspended after he was allegedly involved in a hit-and-run incident in Albuquerque. The UFC stripped Jones of his light-heavyweight title in April of 2015 and UFC 137 was Jones' shot at redemption.
Jones' walkout song, 'Coming Home' by Dirty Money, added to the backdrop of his bid to reclaim his title against Ovince Saint Preux. The lyrics for the song read: "I know my kingdom awaits and they've forgiven my mistakes", which perfectly suited the occasion. Here is the video of Jon Jones' iconic UFC 137 walkout:
While the undisputed champ Daniel Cormier (after defeating Anthony Johnson at UFC 187) was out of action due to a foot injury, Jon Jones had to settle for a fight for the interim championship against OSP. Bones put on a technical clinic to score the unanimous decision on all three judges' scorecards (50-44, 50-45, 50-45).
In order to unify the light-heavyweight belts, the UFC re-booked the Jon Jones vs Daniel Cormier rematch for UFC 200. However, Jones was found guilty of violating the UFC's anti-doping policy. Jones was subsequently banned for another one year by USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) and the NSAC (Nevada State Athletic Commission).
When is Jon Jones going to fight next?
Speculation about Jon Jones' move to heavyweight have been doing the rounds for almost a year now. Even UFC president Dana White stated in an interview earlier this year that Jones is next in line for a heavyweight title shot.
However, it now appears that due to contract negotiation issues between the former champion and the UFC brass, the bout may not come to fruition any time soon. ESPN reporter Ariel Helwani recently tweeted that a rematch between Francis Ngannou and Derrick Lewis is in the works.
Since the UFC is not ready to give in to Jones' demands for a higher paycheck, it is uncertain when the former light-heavyweight champion will make his return to the Octagon.