PRESS BOX: The long-awaited return of the GOAT

Bersabeh Kemaw, Contributing Writer

After spending three years away from the Octagon, Jon “Bones” Jones returned for his first fight back, where he defeated Ciryl Gane on March 4, in Las Vegas, for the heavyweight title at UFC 285.

Jones’ return to the sport has been highly anticipated, considering the fact that he is one of the greatest fighters the UFC has seen, with a record of 27 wins and one loss. Although his one and only loss against Matt Hamill was very controversial, I believe it served as a learning opportunity for Jones.

This fight was also Jones’ debut fighting in the heavyweight division for the first time, according to ESPN.

Jones was initially supposed to fight Francis Ngannou for his debut return. However, due to disagreements with contracts and deals, Ngannou decided to leave the UFC. He was also stripped of his heavyweight championship title after deciding to separate from the franchise, according to ESPN.

Jones’ hiatus from the sport had to do with disagreements with Dana White, the president of the UFC, about the amount Jones was to be paid for his upcoming fight at the time. After some back and forth, Jones announced on Twitter that he would be departing from the sport, according to ESPN.

“Just got off the phone with @Ufc, today I confirm that I’m vacating the light heavyweight championship. It’s officially up for grabs,” Jones stated. “It’s been an amazing journey, sincere thank you to all my competition, Ufc and most importantly you fans.”

Although Jones made the ultimate decision to leave the sport, the legacy he created for himself within the franchise was not going anywhere. 

Jones has been a fighter in the UFC since 2008, but it was in 2011 that he won the light heavyweight championship at just 23 years old, making him the youngest belt holder in UFC history, according to ESPN. 

Being the youngest belt holder was only the scratch on the surface for Jones’ journey in the UFC, as he continued to make great strides and accomplishments.

Although Jones had great success in the octagon, he unfortunately had many scandals and faced tremendous backlash and criticism in the media, on many occasions, that arguably hurt his reputation.

Jones got in trouble with the law multiple times for reasons that included driving with a suspended license, leaving the scene of an accident, violating his probation, and so forth, according to ESPN.

Not only did he get in trouble with the law, but he was also in and out of trouble with the UFC for drug violations, potential cheating and doping, according to ESPN.

Due to these violations and scandals, his title was stripped from him and he was suspended in both 2015 and 2016, making him the first champion to be stripped of his title twice, according to Bleacher Report. 

With all of his scandals, trouble in and out the octagon as well as a three year sabbatical, this fight versus Gane was a big one for Jones. This fight gave him an opportunity to show the viewers, fans and franchise that he and his legacy were not going anywhere.

The time Jones spent away from the sport benefited him as a whole. It made viewers eager to not only see his return, but to see his return as a fighter in a division that fans were anticipating to see him fight in, prior to his sabbatical. 

His decision to stay away until he and White came to a common ground was also respectable because it showed, in a way, that he wasn’t willing to compromise on what he believes, even if that means how much you’re getting paid.

One of the many excited people for Jones’ debut was no other than White. White spoke at a press conference after Jones’ fight against Gane, where he stated that Jones was the greatest of all time in the UFC in a video. 

“He’s undefeated. He’s never lost a fight in the UFC ever. He’s fought all the best competition out there,” White said. “He’s a total freak of nature. He’s the best ever.”

Even though there is some controversy that surrounds Jon Jones and the name he has made for himself, it is undeniable that he truly is the GOAT at fighting. Now that he is back, it’s only a matter of time til we see him make history, again.