Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane will decide about the new UFC heavyweight champion this Saturday night. Jones comes back to the octagon after three years, ready to win another title and cement his legacy as arguably the greatest-ever UFC champion. On the other side is Gane, who already had one shot at the title but failed to utilize it. The Frenchman is the underdog, yet that doesn’t have to mean anything.
Get ready to see the preview for the UFC 285 main event.
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JON JONES π VS. CIRYL GANE π¨π΅LE PREMIER FACE Γ FACE π
CA VA ΓTRE UNE DINGUERIIIE #UFC285 pic.twitter.com/ZhJOwMcptg
— ARENA (@MMArena_) March 3, 2023
Jon Jones VS Ciryl Gane Preview
Jon Jones
Jones has 26 wins and one loss in his career, that wasn’t even a loss but a disqualification due to illegal elbows. He destroyed Matt Hamill in that one. Bones, as the fans call him, is the most dominant fighter in the UFC ever, and even though many don’t like him, they will agree with this.
Incredibly athletic with a long reach and very slick movement, Jones has presented a problem for the rivals right from his appearance. But not only that, his savage approach inside the octagon, and brutal finishes testify about the power this guy has and his various ways of hurting his counterparts.
Many famous names were beaten by Jones, Brandon Vera, Ryan Bader, Mauricio Rua, Rampage Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Vitor Belfort, Sonnen, Gustafson etc. He didn’t look that sharp in his last two title defenses against Thiago Santos and Dominick Reyes. Still, he managed to end up on the winning side of the decisions, for many, undeservingly.
Ciryl Gane
The Bon Gamin met his former training partner, Francis Ngannou, in the UFC heavyweight title fight and lost. The Predator took the battle to the mat, completely surprising everyone, and Gane couldn’t adapt. It was a major blow for the Frenchman, who suffered the only loss in his career versus Ngannou.
Apart from it, he has 11 victories, three via submission and decision and five via knockout. Gane recovered from the loss against Ngannou and was better than Tai Tuivasa in September 2022. It was an exciting battle, with Taivasa knocking down Gane, and testing his chin pretty nasty on several occasions. In the end, the French fighter’s versatile striking decided the event, as Tuivasa suffered a KO in the third round.
Gane is a Muay Thai master, which allows him to hit from a distance and keep the rival away. He didn’t have a proper takedown defense against Ngannou, but afterward, he allegedly worked a lot on that aspect of his battle. In his career, Gane defeated dos Santos, Rozenstruik, Derrick Lewis, and Alexander Volkov, among notable names. He doesn’t have a one-punch KO power, but his constant hitting and very flexible strikes for a guy his size.
Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Game Prediction
Jones was without a fight for three years. He could have some ring rust, but his body is completely healed on the other side. What is an enigma is whether he knows to carry added weight. Jones is massive now, with at least 15 to 20 pounds more than he fought last time. That might affect his cardio.
Gane is near his prime and doesn’t have all those factors surrounding his current situation. He might be less gifted than Jones, but he is in a competitive rhythm. Also, he is fighting in his division, unlike Bones. We would go with the Frenchman winning this event, despite him being the underdog.
Pick: Gane wins at 11/5 BetXchange