Daniel Cormier versus Jon Jones is one of the best rivalries in the history of mixed martial arts. Pretty amazing, considering they've fought only once.

Including this weekend, the UFC has booked this matchup on five occasions. The rivalry dates all the way back to 2010, when Jones told Cormier he could take him down during their first introduction.

UFC 214 Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, California

When: Saturday

TV: PPV, 10 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. PT

Whether the bad blood ends this weekend or it proves to be just another chapter to the saga, ESPN asked some of the brightest minds in the game for their thoughts on Saturday's rematch at UFC 214 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Robert Follis, Xtreme Couture

Jones is just a freak athlete. He has the ability to do whatever he wants -- the reach, the creativity when he's in there. For me, the question with Jones is: What is his personal life like? Will he show up at his best?

Cormier has to take away Jones' reach. Can he take him down early? I don't think that's easy. If Cormier does what he did when he fought Frank Mir -- push him against the fence, use uppercuts, drive into him -- for a round or two, I think he's got a chance of putting something together.

It's hard to bet against Jones, right? Can anybody do anything to Jones when he is on point? That's kind of the question. If it wasn't for his personal life, that dude would be fighting every six months and putting away tons of money.

John Kavanagh, SBG Ireland

This is a tough one because I'm a big Cormier fan. You absolutely cannot meet a nicer guy. He coaches wrestling with kids, he has the title of captain on that fight team -- nobody would deserve that title more.

All that being said, he is going against a phenom -- a genuine, super-skilled fighter who doesn't come along all that often.

If my mind is speaking and not my heart, I believe it is in Jones' temperamental hands. And what I mean by that is if Jones has knocked off the stuff he was doing outside the gym -- whatever bad lifestyle he had going on -- if he has devoted himself to training properly, it's going to be a very, very tough mountain for Cormier to climb.

If Jones is slipping again, partying, not taking the fight seriously, then he's in for a very bad day. Cormier has been active, and he's been in there with monsters. I have to be honest, I bet against Cormier in the rematch with Anthony Johnson, and I said I would never do that again. But if you're asking me to pick, my heart says "DC" and my brain says Jones.

Firas Zahabi, Tristar MMA

To me, the major X factor is what Jones has been doing during his layoff. Has he been training or has he been taking the time to live a normal life? I don't know. I do think he is the best light heavyweight in the world when he's at his best.

Jon Jones, left, defeated Daniel Cormier by unanimous decision at UFC 182 in 2015. Rod Mar for ESPN

If he shows up in tip-top form, he'll win. If not, he'll lose -- because Cormier has learned, he has matured, and I think anything less than top-form Jon Jones loses to him right now. Cormier has won and defended a title. That's a journey. That will change a man. So, I think he's improved and he's gained experience. I think this will be a lot harder of a fight than the first one.

Cormier has to close distance and avoid takedowns. I think a few of the rounds he lost in their first fight had a lot to do with takedowns, and it messed him up. He can't afford Jones getting on top.

The first time, I picked Jones to win. This second time around, I really don't know who to pick. But I think it will be close.

Mike Brown, American Top Team

All these layoffs and distractions for Jones, it has to do something to him. I don't know if he's going to be the same guy when he comes back. You can't take all that time off and not have it affect you at all.

I think it's going to be a more difficult fight for Jones this time, but I also have trouble picking against a guy when he has never lost before -- especially when he's already beat the guy he's facing. I would love to see his training with my own eyes, to know what's going on. Right now, all I can rely on are past performances.

Cormier's path to victory is taking Jones down or hitting him with a big shot and hurting him. Anybody can get hurt, especially at that weight of 205. His greatest chance, though, is getting onto his legs, getting a big takedown, grinding him, beating him up with ground and pound. Both guys have a good gas tank, but that length of Jones will give him problems.

Jason Parillo, RVCA VA Sport

Jones has fought once in the past two years, against Ovince Saint Preux, and didn't look too hot. This long layoff does him no favors, but he is that type of athlete like Muhammad Ali, who disappeared for three years and came back a world beater.

Daniel Cormier, right, scored an impressive submission victory over Anthony Johnson at UFC 210 in April. Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images

Jones might have Cormier's number, but Cormier is a guy you can't count out. Basic fundamentals say Cormier has to get into Jones, but the problem is Jones is a good wrestler. If you're on Cormier's side, you're hoping he has developed putting things together better.

The smaller guy can use that to his advantage if he knows how to do it. Not everyone knows how to be the smaller fighter, but Cormier does. He was fighting at heavyweight for god's sake. Jones is just really intelligent with the way he uses his frame. He's not the fastest or the strongest, but he blends it all together so well. Cormier really has to put it on him with all the time Jones has had off. Get inside, make him work and then maybe catch him upstairs.

Justin Buchholz, Team Alpha Male

I've got to go with Jones. I don't want Cormier to see this and then I've got to run into him, but Jones is one of the best of all time. Through all the controversies, whatever, that's why people still like him. When you're that great, beating Mauricio "Shogun" Rua the way he did when he was 21 or whatever, then taking out all those great names? Jones just tooled them all.

Jon Jones has fought only three times in three years due to personal issues and for testing positive for banned substances. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images

The world of MMA is with Cormier, though. If you look at the news conferences, you see Cormier doesn't hold back anymore. He talks over Jones -- Jones can't even get a word in. Before, Cormier wasn't letting his personality out like that. If you're Cormier, you're saying, 'You've been gone for two years, this is my house.' He's been commentating and this and that. Jones hasn't even been at the fights.

All that being said, it's a 25-minute fight, and I feel Jones will win and it will look the same as the last fight. Cormier might get some big slams, but I don't think he can control Jones or out-strike him. Cormier is my height, and I fought at 155 pounds. I don't care what anyone says, that matters. If you fight intelligent, the body type matters one million percent. With Cormier's body type, it's impossible to hurt him; he's a meat-wad bowling ball. It's a clash of styles, but I've got to go with Jones.

Duke Roufus, Roufusport

Cormier can't let Jones get in his head. At times, Cormier was too obsessed with the wrestling credentials going into an MMA fight. He has to his find his range and not get caught up in the psychological warfare. Cormier is a hell of a fighter, but Jones knows his psychology; he knows Cormier didn't win it all in college because of Cael Sanderson, and now Jones is kind of Cormier's Sanderson in MMA.

Jones uses his reach very well. He's got a unique build for 205 pounds. If Cormier can't make adjustments, Jones is going to win the same way as in their last fight.

If I were coaching Corm, I'd tell him to watch the first fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier at Madison Square Garden. Frazier really shut down Ali's reach and smothered him. The clinch isn't where you want to be with Jones. He is very good at wrestling and understands those positions. I think Cormier needs to make it more of a fist fight than a wrestling match.

Henri Hooft, Combat Club MMA

I think Cormier knows it will be a difficult fight. For me, Jones it the best fighter ever in MMA. He's still very young and has physical advantages -- I think he's just better everywhere. Jones is the best fighter, and there's nothing wrong with that. I like Cormier -- he beat my guy twice [Anthony Johnson] -- but I just don't think Jones is a guy he can beat.

The fight will end the same way the last one did.