UFC 197: Jones vs. Saint Preux | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Roe Jogan
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Introduction
UFC 197: Jones vs. Saint Preux. April 23, 2016. MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas. Jon Jones returned to the UFC Octagon after his April 2015 suspension for the hit-and-run incident, winning the interim LHW title by unanimous decision (50-44, 50-45, 50-45) over Ovince Saint Preux. Jones dominated all five rounds and won his 13th consecutive UFC fight, the second-longest win streak in the promotion’s history at the time.
The event was originally planned as Jones vs. Daniel Cormier 2 for the undisputed LHW title. Jones was arrested on March 29 for drag racing and probation violation related to his 2015 hit-and-run. Cormier then withdrew on April 1 with a foot injury. Saint Preux stepped in on three weeks’ notice. Jones refused to accept the interim title post-fight.
Demetrious Johnson stopped Henry Cejudo by TKO in round one in the co-main event for his eighth consecutive FW title defence. Yair Rodriguez knocked out Andre Fili with a jumping switch kick in round two. Edson Barboza defeated Anthony Pettis by UD. Robert Whittaker beat Rafael Natal by UD.
Contents
Quick Stats
Date: April 23, 2016
Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
PPV: 322,000 buys
Original Main Event: Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier 2 — LHW Championship; Jones arrested March 29 (drag racing/probation); Cormier withdrew April 1 (foot injury)
Main Event: Jon Jones vs. Ovince Saint Preux — Interim LHW Championship (OSP on 3 weeks’ notice)
Result: Jones def. OSP — UD (50-44, 50-45, 50-45) — Jones refused interim title post-fight; 13th consecutive UFC win
Co-Main: DJ def. Cejudo — TKO R1 — FW Championship; DJ’s 8th consecutive FW defence
Bonuses: FOTN: Roberts/Steele ($50k each); POTN: DJ + Yair Rodriguez ($50k each)
The Build-Up
Jones vs. Cormier 2 had been anticipated since Jones’s reinstatement in October 2015. The UFC announced the April 23 date. Then on March 29, Jones was cited on traffic charges in Albuquerque including drag racing and was subsequently arrested for violating his probation from the 2015 hit-and-run. Five days later, Cormier withdrew with a foot injury on April 1. The promotion needed a new opponent in three weeks.
Ovince Saint Preux accepted. He was not a significant challenge to Jones on paper but was the only available and willing LHW contender at that timeframe. The fight proceeded as an interim title bout, which Jones declined to accept after winning.
Main Event
Jon Jones vs. Ovince Saint Preux — Interim LHW Championship
Jones controlled immediately with his oblique kicks and length. Saint Preux looked uncomfortable and struggled to find range or timing against a fighter who’d made LHW contenders look amateur for years. Jones appeared tentative at points — rust from the year-long absence — but his technical toolkit was still far beyond Saint Preux’s.
From round three, Jones became increasingly dominant with wrestling. A late R4 slam appeared to injure Saint Preux’s left arm. Jones landed elbows from the crucifix position and won all five rounds. The final scorecards (50-44, 50-45, 50-45) were a near-shutout. Post-fight, Jones stated: ‘I am the champion. There’s only one champion, and it’s not interim. I’m the real deal.’ He did not accept the interim belt.
Co-Main Event
Demetrious Johnson (c) vs. Henry Cejudo — UFC FW Championship
Cejudo— the 2008 Olympic freestyle wrestling gold medalist — represented the most credible wrestling-based threat Johnson had faced in years. In round one, Johnson used his speed and combination striking to stun Cejudo and secured a stoppage. The TKO win was Johnson’s eighth consecutive FW title defence, breaking his own UFC records once again.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Kevin Lee def. Efrain Escudero — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 — LW; Kevin Lee early UFC career
Marcos Rogerio de Lima def. Clint Hester — Sub (Arm-Triangle) — R1 — LHW
James Vick def. Glaico Franca — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 — LW
Carla Esparza def. Juliana Lima — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 — WSW
Danny Roberts def. Dominique Steele — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 — WW; FOTN ($50k each)
Main Card
Robert Whittaker def. Rafael Natal — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) — MW; Whittaker continuing MW title run
Yair Rodriguez def. Andre Fili — KO (Jumping Switch Kick) — R2 — FW; POTN ($50k); spectacular finish
Edson Barboza def. Anthony Pettis — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) — LW; Barboza dominant with kicks
Demetrious Johnson def. Henry Cejudo — TKO — R1 — FW Championship; POTN ($50k); DJ’s 8th consecutive FW defence; Co-Main
Interim LHW Championship — Main Event
Jon Jones def. Ovince Saint Preux — Decision (Unanimous) — R5, 5:00 (50-44, 50-45, 50-45) — Interim LHW; Jones refused title post-fight; 13th consecutive UFC win
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Danny Roberts vs. Dominique Steele — $50,000 to each fighter.
Performance of the Night: Demetrious Johnson + Yair Rodriguez — $50,000 each.
Records & Milestones
Jon Jones — 13th consecutive UFC win, second-longest in the promotion’s history behind Anderson Silva’s record of 16. First UFC fighter stripped of a title twice (April 2015 and November 2016, after failing a USADA test before UFC 200).
Demetrious Johnson — 8th consecutive FW title defence; TKO of the 2008 Olympic wrestling gold medalist Cejudo in round one. Johnson’s dominance of the FW division continued uninterrupted.
Yair Rodriguez — jumping switch kick KO of Andre Fili; continued to establish his reputation as one of the sport’s most creative and dynamic strikers.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 197 was a bridge event in the Jones-Cormier saga. Jones returned, confirmed his physical supremacy over an available contender, and refused the interim title — his way of saying the real fight was still coming. Cormier watched from outside the Octagon, reacted to Jones’s win in a post-fight interview, and waited.
The rematch was rescheduled to UFC 200 on July 9, 2016. On July 6, Jones was removed from that event by USADA after testing positive for a banned substance (estrogen blockers). He was stripped of the interim title in November 2016 — the second time he had been stripped, a first in UFC history.
FAQ
Why was Jones vs. Saint Preux and not Jones vs. Cormier 2?
Jones was arrested March 29 for drag racing and probation violation related to his 2015 hit-and-run. Then Cormier withdrew with a foot injury on April 1. OSP stepped in on three weeks’ notice for the interim title fight.
Why did Jones refuse the interim title at UFC 197?
Jones stated post-fight that he considered himself the undisputed LHW champion, not the interim champion. He had held the real title before being stripped (due to his hit-and-run) and didn’t want to claim an interim belt. He said: ‘I am the champion. There’s only one champion, and it’s not interim.’
Who did DJ beat at UFC 197 and was it significant?
Johnson stopped Henry Cejudo by TKO in round one. Cejudo was a 2008 Olympic freestyle wrestling gold medalist, representing the most credible wrestling-based challenge the flyweight division could offer. The win was Johnson’s 8th consecutive FW title defence.
What happened with Jones after UFC 197?
Jones was booked for a rematch with Daniel Cormier at UFC 200 on July 9, 2016. On July 6, he was removed from the event by USADA after a potential doping violation was flagged. He was subsequently suspended for one year by USADA and stripped of the interim title in November 2016 — the second time he had been stripped.
Was Robert Whittaker at UFC 197?
Yes. Whittaker defeated Rafael Natal by UD at UFC 197. His 30-27, 30-27, 29-28 win was one of his steps toward the MW title, which he eventually won at UFC 213 in July 2017.
References
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