UFC 285 Prediction: Jon Jones Makes Triumphant Return

This Saturday, March 4, UFC 285 will take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card is absolutely stacked, including former Penn State wrestler Bo Nickal’s UFC debut against Jamie Pickett and Valentina Shevchenko’s flyweight title defense against Alexa Grasso.

But the main event of the evening absolutely steals the show. Ciryl Gane will step into the octagon to compete for the UFC Heavyweight Championship against none other than Jon “Bones” Jones.

Today, I’m taking a look at this fight, what’s on the line for each contender, and making a bold prediction.

The Return of a Legend

This will be Jon Jones’ first fight in just over 3 years. For a while, fans seemed to forget about him. But as UFC 285 approaches, we’re all remembering the legend that famously goes by “Bones.”

Jones is considered by many to be the greatest MMA fighter of all time. In 2011, he knocked out Mauricio “Shogun” Rua to become the youngest champion in UFC history. In the time since, Jones has defended his belt numerous times while also having it stripped from him due to problems outside of the octagon. However, he’s never lost the belt in a fight. It’s important to remember that.

Jones dominated the light heavyweight division for years, but now he steps back into the spotlight as a heavyweight. Many have questioned how Jones will look after his long absence and considerable weight gain, but knowing the 35-year-old’s incredible resolve and fight IQ, I expect him to look as solid as ever.

Championship On The Line

Jones’ opponent, Cyril Gane, is no joke. He’s been a threatening force in the heavyweight division for nearly four years. He is a former interim champion, having lost that title to official champion Francis Ngannou in January 2022.

Gane will be a threat to Jones on the feet. He is one of the fastest heavyweights in the UFC, able to dart around his opponents and catch them off-guard despite his hefty weight. Jones will likely be up to that challenge, however, being a notoriously disciplined analyst of his opponent’s styles.

Jones will likely look to eliminate the threat of Gane on the feet and take him down so he can assert his power and work submissions. This is exactly where Gane DOES NOT want to be and where he will lose this fight.

That’s really the key for this fight– whether or not Jones gets Gane to the ground. If he does, Gane likely doesn’t stand a chance, for even if he prevents Jones from submitting him, it will be extremely difficult to escape that position. But… if Gane can stay on his feet, there is a real possibility he does damage to Jones and may steal the championship.

However, I think Jones’ fight IQ and wrestling ability bests Gane in the late rounds.

Prediction: Jones by submission (Round 4)

Jon Jones’ Five Greatest UFC Victories