Jon Jones DESTROYS Cyryl Gane with unbelievable ease to claim the vacant heavyweight title and cement his GOAT status, as US forces strike a guillotine choke in the first round of the UFC 285 main event
- Jon Jones is now UFC heavyweight champion after sidelining Cyryl Gane in Las Vegas on Saturday
- American landed an early takedown, piled Gane into the cage, and blocked him with a guillotine choke.
- He then called a fight against Stipe Miocic later this year, in what would be a massive clash.
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Jon Jones underscored his status as the greatest MMA fighter in history by cutting Ciryl Gane like a hot knife through butter at UFC 285.
The controversial American had not fought for more than three years since vacating his light heavyweight title to bulk up for a shot at the top division.
But there were no signs of rust as he secured the first takedown he attempted, dragging Gane to the ground and making the Frenchman, who has had an immensely impressive young career, look like an amateur.
There were so many questions surrounding Jones and real uncertainty about the type of form in which he would appear.
His last handful of performances at light heavyweight were mediocre by his own high standards and some believed he was on a downward trajectory.
Jon Jones cemented his status as the greatest MMA fighter in history by defeating Cyryl Gane to become heavyweight champion.
It was a much more one-sided victory than expected, but it showed the monstrous class of a man who has never been beaten.
Gane was dropped on Jones’ first attempt in the main event of UFC 285 in Las Vegas.
Jones placed his arms under the chin of Gane, who struck fast only in the first round of the fight.
Three years of pay lines, false dawns and delays finally culminated in his return for an immediate shot at the heavyweight title, which was vacated by Francis Ngannou when he couldn’t agree to the terms of a new deal with the UFC.
It was an ignominious start, with Jones barred from entering the Octagon by an eagle-eyed referee, who was unhappy with the way his toes were taped.
After the tape was cut between two of them, Jones was allowed to continue, but the start of the fight itself wasn’t ideal either.
In the first actual exchange, Gane landed a kick to the groin, causing a temporary delay before ‘Bones’ shook off and continued.
Perhaps Gane had recklessly irritated Jones, and from there, Jones landed a couple of kicks before attempting his first takedown. Gane put up little resistance and crept toward what he believed to be the sanctuary of the fence.
But Jones crumpled his man up and wrapped his long arms around his neck in a guillotine. At first it wasn’t clear why Gane had tapped so fast, but then it became clear that the submission was deep and there was no way out.
He seemed calm and confident all week, insisting the fight was a huge mismatch and even calling Gane the UFC’s most sketchy heavyweight in the top five.
But Jones will expect more challenges later this year. He called Stipe Miocic, who was in the packed T-Mobile Arena to watch.
Jones piled his opponent on the fence and the youngster had nowhere to go, unable to fight back into the submission.
Jones jumped on top of the cage and roared in celebration along with his many thousands of supporters.