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A new heavyweight champion was crowned during the UFC 285 headliner on Saturday night after Jon Jones dominated Ciryl Gane.
The event went down at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the first time “Bones” fought north of light heavyweight and his first contest in over three years. But, Jones looked like he hadn’t missed a beat. After taking Gane to the ground after the opening minute, “Bones” secured a guillotine choke, forcing the Frenchman to tap out.
Jones became one of only a few two-division UFC champions ever with the victory, and he called for a July match with former heavyweight king Stipe Miocic next. Miocic has also expressed interest in the fight and timeline.
Considering the magnitude of the consensus GOAT vs. heavyweight GOAT matchup, the fight would be a perfect International Fight Week headliner.
Multiple UFC Champions Weighed In With Their Take on Jones’ Triumph
Take a look at how the MMA community reacted on Twitter:
The man who holds Bones’ former light heavyweight belt, Jamahal Hill, tweeted: “I mean he’s Jon Jones!!! Congratulations Champ!!!”
UFC play-by-play commentator John Gooden tweeted: “He made that look easy.”
Former ONE Championship and Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren tweeted, “Wow that was too freaking easy. Man Gane tapped so fast.”
UFC middleweight contender Chris Curtis tweeted, “You will NEVER convince me that Gane has EVER set foot on a wrestling mat… Turns out Jon Jones is still Jon Jones.”
CBS Sport’s Luke Thomas tweeted: “Jon Jones took 3 years off, changed weight classes and blew the doors off of THE top contender in a way that made it look comically easy. If he’s not your GOAT, your list needs updating.”
“If Jon Jones did that to Ciryl Gane, what’s he going to do to all the other Heavyweights?” the MMA History Today Twitter account wrote. “Skill for skill, Gane was the best contender in the division. Jones made him look like a novice.”
MMA bettor Luca Fury tweeted: “Cyril Gane can’t grapple. This is the same dude who blew his last title fight by diving for a knee bar while in top position with 2 minutes left in the final round of a fight tied 2-2 in rounds. I still can’t believe he did that. Now again, he has serious issues on the mat.”
“Unless Jon Jones gasses, Stipe Miocic is getting tooled,” Fury continued. “Worse striker, wrestler & grappler with shorter reach, weak to leg kicks. If Jones has his 205 cardio that’s another huge edge. Just a dreadful matchup for the HW GOAT Stipe. Jones will take that label from him.”
Reactions Continued to Pour In
Former multiple-time UFC title challenger Kenny Florian tweeted: “Honestly, people who thought Gane would be able to do anything on the ground against Jones is insane.”
“I’m just glad I don’t have to hear people talk about Jones’ physique anymore and pretend it’s a fight breakdown,” he continued.
UFC welterweight champion Aljamain Sterling tweeted, “Talk about an epic return to the octagon! Easy work.”
Top-ranked UFC middleweight Sean Strickland tweeted, “@ciryl_gane goddamn! Bro you looked more scared than Jones wife after some cocaine.. Wtf bro!!! Although real talk Jones is a scary mother fucker.. pound for pound best fighter to ever grace a octagon.”
Heavy’s Kelsey McCarson tweeted: “Jones destroying Gane like this is the best possible outcome for the UFC. Ngannou had real trouble with Gane. Jones just absolutely annihilated him.”
“Nobody has handled Gane like that,” MMA Fighting’s Alexander Lee tweeted. “Just completely outclassed by Jones.”
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