They both have changed since that fight, so those changes will be what is significant in this fight. Will Jon's extra muscle mass help him, or will it hinder him (ala Conor vs Diaz)? Also, does Cormier have a different approach and gameplan if he can't get the takedown? He gassed in the first fight, in my opinion, because he spent too much energy trying to keep pace with Jones.
Also, will Jones suffer any ill effects from his extended layoff? He's always been a pretty active fighter, so will he suffer from any ring rust?
In my opinion, DC will not have a better chance to beat Jon. Jon's coming off a really long layoff, and is fighting with a new body. He's not used to carrying all that extra muscle in a fight. With those variables, and the fact that DC has been pretty active and has a confidence boost from winning and defending the title, I actually think I'm picking DC by decision.
Yep, I talked myself into it. DC remains the champ.