The rematch. Finally.
The UFC has booked Jon Jones versus Daniel Cormier for the light heavyweight championship on five separate occasions. Yet, they've fought only once.
This has been a snakebitten matchup for the UFC, with multiple dates falling through for various reasons -- but at UFC 214 inside Anaheim's Honda Center on Saturday, we'll finally see it for the second time.
Jones has fought just once in the past two years, limited by a failed drug test and legal issues. Cormier is the reigning champion, but he is 0-1 in his rivalry with Jones.
This UFC 214 event features two additional title fights: Cris "Cyborg" Justino meets Tonya Evinger for the vacant featherweight title, and Tyron Woodley looks to defend his welterweight strap over Demian Maia.
Here's everything you need to know about UFC 214's fight between Woodley and Maia, courtesy of ESPN's Cheat Sheets.
Tyron Woodley (17-3-1) vs. Demian Maia (25-6), welterweight championship
Odds: Woodley -220; Maia +180
Woodley: 'I will be a superstar'
As he prepares to defend his welterweight title at UFC 214, Woodley is keenly aware that it is both "his time" and "not his time" all at once.
It is his time in the sense he's trying to prove that he's the best welterweight in the world. But in terms of commanding the fight world's attention, it's simply not Woodley's turn yet. And he doesn't mind admitting that.
"Everybody is going to have their moment," Woodley told ESPN. "I recognize that when my time comes, it's going to be nobody else's time. Nobody is going to have my moment, and I will be a superstar.
"If you listen to me talk, I understand this fight is really about 'DC' and Jon Jones. I understand this quarter of the year is really about [Floyd] Mayweather and [Conor] McGregor. I have no problem being honest and recognizing that."
In the meantime, Woodley, of St. Louis, is planting seeds. He has opportunities in film after UFC 214, which he says he booked himself. He recently did an interview with well-known radio host Sway Calloway, whom he also sought out himself.
Eventually, Woodley believes the right opponent will elevate his status as well, although Maia doesn't fit that bill. Neither did Stephen Thompson, who Woodley fought twice in a four-month span but had zero animosity with.
"These guys are so likable, so friendly, so kind with words -- I'll never have a rivalry with [Thompson] or Demian Maia," Woodley said. "There are very few guys I can have that rivalry with, and the guys who are barking aren't even on the radar. So I'm just going to go out there, pop on my leather gloves and constantly make connections outside the Octagon, and that will make me bigger in the Octagon."
UFC president Dana White has said former champion Georges St-Pierre will face the winner of Saturday's title fight. Woodley says that would be his dream fight, but he's not optimistic St-Pierre will ever fight him.
"Yeah, I believe I'm fighting Demian Maia this weekend and I'm going out to finish," Woodley said. "Everything else is smoke and mirrors. I don't believe nothing."
Maia: A modern MMA unicorn
When Maia hears people describe him as a "one-tricky pony" in the Octagon, no, he doesn't mind. Why would he? It's 100 percent accurate.
Maia, 39, is a very rare breed in today's MMA. Especially today's elite MMA, which he is clearly a part of. Should he win on Saturday, he will not just be UFC champion -- he'll be tied with Michael Bisping for the most wins in UFC history.
"I really don't care about people saying that," Maia said. "I do have one skill, and I do it very well. That's the important part.
"There was a time in my career, right after my first loss to Nate Marquardt in 2009, when I took time learning the footwork and the punches -- but after a while, I went back to my core. There was a time that training how to strike was the most important thing to me, but grappling suits me better."
Maia doesn't even hide the fact he's not trying to knock opponents out. His last win by knockout was in 2012, but that was due to his opponent suffering a rib injury. The only legitimate knockout of his career was 16 years ago.
"My style is more punching for setups," Maia said. "When I'm fighting, I don't think too much about it. It's just the way I've trained. You do what you train, and normally I train my jiu-jitsu skills. That's why I don't strike too much."
Maia was forced to win seven consecutive fights to get a title shot, and yet this opportunity is still rushed. He's had just a five-week camp for this fight, as the UFC was committed to adding it to this date.
The Brazilian said he was upset by that at first, but it has not impacted him negatively. This will mark the second title fight of his career. He fought Anderson Silva for the middleweight belt in 2010.
Fight breakdown
Sure, Maia may do just one thing well (grapple), but the way in which he does it is incredibly diverse.
Maia's chain wrestling usually begins with a snatch single, but he can go any and every direction from there. He's very good at using the cage to his advantage, but he doesn't need it to take you down. If all else fails, Maia has no shame in pulling guard or awkwardly scooting himself between his opponent's stance and tying them up that way. He basically pulled Matt Brown into full mount, for crying out loud, before sweeping to top position.
It's never a bad idea to put a fast, powerful striker like Woodley against the fence, so expect Maia to do so whenever possible. Historically speaking, that's been one of Woodley's weaknesses in general. He's allowed rounds slip away hanging out on the fence. He didn't mind doing so against Thompson's unorthodox striking style, though -- in fact, it seemed Woodley preferred to shrink the fighting area against Thompson. But this is a completely different matchup.
Both are most dangerous early. Maia, who turns 40 this year, is not among the best athletes in the division. But when he's fresh in an opening round, he can be menacing. Let's not forget he's a former middleweight. He's got a good-sized frame for this division, and when you combine his world-class technique with even the smallest amount of horsepower, that's a deadly combination.
That horsepower fades fast, though. If this fight goes into later rounds, it could all but vanish. At that point, Maia almost has to rely on an opponent's mistake. His double leg attempts late in fights are telegraphed and slow. But it cannot be understated how small of a window he requires to take an opponent down. If Woodley also shows fatigue at any point, even a lumbering Maia could find a way to drag him to his world.
Both will find ways to rest periodically in a fight. All in all, the expected pace probably favors Woodley. There will be a constant challenge on his mental focus and reflexes to deny every single one of Maia's takedown attempts. But the fact those attempts lose so much speed as the fight progresses has to favor the younger, more athletic former collegiate wrestler.
Prediction: Woodley via TKO, second round.