# UFC 197
**UFC 197: Jones vs. Saint Preux** was a mixed martial arts event held by the [Ultimate Fighting Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/ultimate-fighting-championship) on April 23, 2016, at the [MGM Grand Garden Arena](https://www.edgepedia.org/mgm-grand-garden-arena) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Its main event saw [Jon Jones](https://www.edgepedia.org/jon-jones) return from a 15-month absence to win the interim UFC Light Heavyweight Championship with a five-round unanimous decision over Ovince Saint Preux, and its co-main event saw flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson stop the previously undefeated Henry Cejudo by technical knockout 2:49 into the first round.[1](https://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-197) • [2](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/By-the-Numbers-UFC-197-103833) • [3](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2016/04/24/jon-jones-shakes-off-the-rust-of-15-month-absence-to-win-a-unanimous-decision-at-ufc-197/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date and venue | Saturday, April 23, 2016, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas[1](https://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-197) |
| Main event | Jon Jones def. Ovince Saint Preux by unanimous decision over five rounds to win the interim light heavyweight title[1](https://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-197) |
| Co-main event | Demetrious Johnson def. Henry Cejudo by first-round TKO at 2:49, his eighth successful flyweight title defense[2](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/By-the-Numbers-UFC-197-103833) |
| Why the interim title | Champion Daniel Cormier withdrew about three weeks out with an injury to the interosseous membrane in his left leg[4](https://www.ufc.com/news/cormier-injured-jones-vs-saint-preux-headlines-ufc-197) |
| Jones's return | First fight since January 2015, after he was suspended and stripped of the title following a hit-and-run accident[3](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2016/04/24/jon-jones-shakes-off-the-rust-of-15-month-absence-to-win-a-unanimous-decision-at-ufc-197/) |
| Attendance | 11,352[3](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2016/04/24/jon-jones-shakes-off-the-rust-of-15-month-absence-to-win-a-unanimous-decision-at-ufc-197/) |
## The main event: Jones vs. Saint Preux
The card was originally built around a rematch between light heavyweight champion [Daniel Cormier](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-cormier) and Jon Jones, who had beaten Cormier by unanimous decision at [UFC 182](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-182) in January 2015. Cormier withdrew after injuring the interosseous membrane in his left leg, and the UFC replaced him with [Ovince Saint Preux](https://www.edgepedia.org/ovince-saint-preux), the No. 6 contender, whose recent run included knockouts of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Patrick Cummins.[4](https://www.ufc.com/news/cormier-injured-jones-vs-saint-preux-headlines-ufc-197) • [5](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/4/1/11351428/daniel-cormier-injured-out-of-ufc-197-rematch-against-jon-jones)
**Jones's return** carried heavy context. He had not fought since January 2015, having been suspended and stripped of his championship after a hit-and-run auto accident that led to a felony conviction and probation. For the first time since March 2011 he entered the Octagon without a belt, and he left with the interim light heavyweight championship after a shutout five-round decision over Saint Preux.[3](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2016/04/24/jon-jones-shakes-off-the-rust-of-15-month-absence-to-win-a-unanimous-decision-at-ufc-197/) • [6](https://www.ufc.com/news/jon-jones-wins-return-claims-interim-title) The Washington Post described him as fully in control throughout the fight, though observers questioned his sharpness: Cormier, watching from outside, said he wondered whether Jones was rusty, adjusting to the new anti-doping rules that banned post-weigh-in IV rehydration, or unsure of himself for the first time in his career.[3](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2016/04/24/jon-jones-shakes-off-the-rust-of-15-month-absence-to-win-a-unanimous-decision-at-ufc-197/) • [7](https://abcnews.com/Sports/cormier-jon-jones/story?id=38635280)
After the event, Cormier said he wanted to face Jones at [UFC 200](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-200) on July 9 in Las Vegas to unify the titles, pending medical clearance, and dismissed Jones's new belt as "a play belt."
## The co-main event: Johnson vs. Cejudo
[Demetrious Johnson](https://www.edgepedia.org/demetrious-johnson), the only flyweight champion the UFC had known, defended his title against [Henry Cejudo](https://www.edgepedia.org/henry-cejudo), the 2008 Beijing Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling, who was undefeated and walked out to Olympic theme music. Cejudo scored a takedown, but Johnson powered back to his feet, then hurt him with knees in the clinch and finished the fight by technical knockout at 2:49 of the first round; the UFC's own event page records the stoppage time as 2:50.[8](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/4/24/11496620/ufc-197-results-demetrious-johnson-steamrolls-henry-cejudo) • [1](https://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-197) • [9](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/4/24/11496908/henry-cejudo-on-demetrious-johnson-fight-it-was-a-humbling-experience)
The stoppage was Johnson's eighth successful title defense, tying former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones for the third-most in UFC history and leaving him two short of [Anderson Silva](https://www.edgepedia.org/anderson-silva)'s record of ten. It was also the second-quickest finish of his UFC tenure, and he was unbeaten in his previous 11 fights.[2](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/By-the-Numbers-UFC-197-103833) • [8](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/4/24/11496620/ufc-197-results-demetrious-johnson-steamrolls-henry-cejudo) "I am the best pound for pound fighter in the world," Johnson said afterward.[8](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/4/24/11496620/ufc-197-results-demetrious-johnson-steamrolls-henry-cejudo)
**The matchup favored experience.** Both fighters were 29, but Johnson had six more years as a professional and nearly five times as many Octagon minutes; Cejudo had one more career fight than Johnson had UFC title fights, and had never fought past 15 minutes. Johnson was the betting favorite at -365 to -440, with Cejudo between +270 and +350, the closest odds in a Johnson fight since 2013. Cejudo had never finished a UFC opponent and had not yet been taken down or put on his back in the promotion.[10](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/UFC-197-Statistical-Matchup-Analysis-Johnson-vs-Cejudo-103525) Cejudo later called the loss "a humbling experience."[9](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/4/24/11496908/henry-cejudo-on-demetrious-johnson-fight-it-was-a-humbling-experience)
## The rest of the card
The undercard produced wins for [Edson Barboza](https://www.edgepedia.org/edson-barboza), Robert Whittaker, Yair Rodriguez, and [Sergio Pettis](https://www.edgepedia.org/sergio-pettis), with Pettis, Andre Roberts (as listed in UFC's recap), and [Carla Esparza](https://www.edgepedia.org/carla-esparza) going the distance in their bouts, and Walt Harris defeating Cody East in an explosive Fight Pass prelim.[11](https://www.ufc.com.br/news/demetrious-johnson-defends-crown-barboza-whittaker-and-rodriguez-score-wins) The scheduled bouts included Anthony Pettis (No. 3 lightweight contender) against Edson Barboza (No. 8), Robert Whittaker (No. 8 middleweight) against Rafael Natal (No. 13), Yair Rodriguez against Andre Fili at featherweight, Sergio Pettis (No. 15 flyweight) against Chris Kelades, and Walt Harris against Cody East at heavyweight.[12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDfZxC99Z5s)
## Aftermath
Johnson's reign continued until August 2018, when Cejudo, in their rematch at [UFC 227](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-227), ended it by five-round split decision to become only the second flyweight champion in UFC history, leaving Johnson's record at eleven consecutive defenses.[13](https://www.ufc.com/news/history-making-cejudo-takes-belt-dj) • [14](https://as.com/masdeporte/2018/08/04/polideportivo/1533417538_840729.html) Jones never met Cormier at UFC 197; the two were instead booked for UFC 200 that July, before Jones was removed from that card over a potential doping violation three days before the event.[5](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/4/1/11351428/daniel-cormier-injured-out-of-ufc-197-rematch-against-jon-jones) • [15](https://time.com/4396309/jon-jones-ufc-doping/)
## References
1. [UFC 197 | Jones vs Saint Preux, UFC.com](https://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-197)
2. [By the Numbers: UFC 197, Sherdog](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/By-the-Numbers-UFC-197-103833)
3. [Jon Jones won at UFC 197. But did Demetrious Johnson emerge as MMA's No. 1?, The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2016/04/24/jon-jones-shakes-off-the-rust-of-15-month-absence-to-win-a-unanimous-decision-at-ufc-197/)
4. [Cormier Injured; Jones vs. Saint Preux Headlines UFC 197, UFC.com](https://www.ufc.com/news/cormier-injured-jones-vs-saint-preux-headlines-ufc-197)
5. [Daniel Cormier injured, out of UFC 197 rematch against Jon Jones, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/4/1/11351428/daniel-cormier-injured-out-of-ufc-197-rematch-against-jon-jones)
6. [Jon Jones wins in return, claims interim title, UFC.com](https://www.ufc.com/news/jon-jones-wins-return-claims-interim-title)
7. [Cormier: I wonder if this is the new Jon Jones, ABC News](https://abcnews.com/Sports/cormier-jon-jones/story?id=38635280)
8. [UFC 197 results: Demetrious Johnson steamrolls Henry Cejudo, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/4/24/11496620/ufc-197-results-demetrious-johnson-steamrolls-henry-cejudo)
9. [Henry Cejudo on Demetrious Johnson fight: 'It was a humbling experience for me', MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/4/24/11496908/henry-cejudo-on-demetrious-johnson-fight-it-was-a-humbling-experience)
10. [UFC 197 Statistical Matchup Analysis: Johnson vs. Cejudo, Sherdog](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/UFC-197-Statistical-Matchup-Analysis-Johnson-vs-Cejudo-103525)
11. [Demetrious Johnson defends crown; Barboza, Whittaker and Rodriguez score wins, UFC.com](https://www.ufc.com.br/news/demetrious-johnson-defends-crown-barboza-whittaker-and-rodriguez-score-wins)
12. [UFC 197: Jones vs. Saint Preux Fighter face off, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDfZxC99Z5s)
13. [History in the making: Cejudo takes belt from DJ, UFC.com](https://www.ufc.com/news/history-making-cejudo-takes-belt-dj)
14. [Resumen y resultados del Dillashaw - Garbrandt: UFC 227, AS.com](https://as.com/masdeporte/2018/08/04/polideportivo/1533417538_840729.html)
15. [Jon Jones Off UFC 200 Main Event Over Potential Doping Violation, Time](https://time.com/4396309/jon-jones-ufc-doping/)
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