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The ascension of Jon Jones ascension to the heavyweight champion of the world was a foregone conclusion. His victory over Ciryl Gane in just 2 minutes and 4 seconds on Saturday in Las Vegas to claim the vacant UFC belt was the culmination of a prophecy. From the beginning of his career almost 15 years ago, it was clear that Jones was too much for the light heavyweight division to handle.

Jones' dominance was evident from the moment he stepped into the Octagon, effortlessly tossing around opponents who were former champions and future Hall of Famers. His size and wingspan made him appear larger than life, and his fights often seemed like a mismatch between athletes from different weight classes.

However, at UFC 285, Jones faced an opponent who was his own size, or at least very close to it. He weighed in at 248 pounds, just half a pound heavier than Gane, a career-long heavyweight. After three years away from the sport, Jones had returned to the cage, 43 pounds heavier than when he had last fought at 205 pounds. It was as if he had evolved into a new fighter.

Jon Jones Heavyweight Return

Despite his evolution to a heavyweight fighter, one aspect of Jon Jones has remained constant. His immense talent and ability to thrive in big moments are not limited to his physical stature but extend to his metaphorical presence in the sport. Jones' swagger has always been enough to dominate the entire sport, and in his return to the Octagon, he did not shy away from another monumental moment.

Jones delivered a stunning and dominant performance in a brief amount of time. He walked out to a rousing reception from an adoring and forgiving crowd at T-Mobile Arena, taking a moment to embrace his family and fiancée. Stepping into the cage for the first time in over three years, Jones performed a cartwheel across the center, reminiscent of old times. Buffer introduced him as "the one and only," and Jones showed why those words were accurate.

Within the first minute of the fight, Jones had Gane under control, and within 30 seconds, he had him on the canvas. Jones then pinned Gane against the cage, rendering him defenseless before finishing him with a guillotine choke, reclaiming his title as champion once again.

"Man, I'm so excited," Jones said after leaping on top of the cage to celebrate, then climbing down to lift up his father and carry him around, both wearing huge smiles. "I've been working for this for a long time. A lot of people thought I wouldn't even be coming back. I've been reading it all the time: 'This dude's never coming back.' But I've been faithful to my goal."