Marc RaimondiESPN Staff Writer3 Minute Reading
LAS VEGAS — In mixed martial arts, Jon Jones and others have been around for more than a decade. After a weight gain and three years away, absolutely nothing has changed.
Jones defeated Ciryl Gane by guillotine choke in 2 minutes, 4 seconds in the first round on Saturday night in the main event of UFC 285 at T-Mobile Arena. Jones is now the UFC heavyweight champion after owning the light heavyweight division for years. He is already considered the greatest MMA fighter ever — this victory leaves no debate.
“I’ve been working for this for a long time,” Jones said in his postfight interview. “A lot of people thought I would never come back. I stayed true to my goal. I stayed true to the mission. There were days when I didn’t want to train and I was always there.”
Frankly, Jones makes everything look easy. He takes Gane down, sits him on the cage and locks in a choke. This is unorthodox; Gane seems to be safe. But Jones squeezed and Gane had to tap.
“I’ve been wrestling since I was 12 years old,” Jones said. “I felt stronger and more comfortable on the ground than before. … When I got my hands on him, I knew that’s where I was most comfortable and I could control.”
Jones has not fought since February 2020. He relinquished the light heavyweight belt in August 2020, preparing for a move up to heavyweight. Jones wanted the season to progress the right way — and he got it. He packed on more than 25 pounds of muscle, weighing in at 248 pounds on Friday after being a 205-pound fighter his entire career.
Jones talked about moving up to heavyweight back in 2012. He was never beaten in the cage, with his lone loss coming by a controversial disqualification in a fight he dominated.
The UFC heavyweight title was vacated by former champion Francis Ngannou, who left the UFC as a free agent earlier this year.
Jones’ win sets up a fight with Stipe Miocic, the most successful heavyweight fighter in UFC history and a former two-time champion.
“You guys want to see me beat up Stipe?” Jones said in his Octagon interview. “One thing I know about the UFC is that we give the fans what they want to see. Stipe Miocic, I hope you’re training, my man. You’re the greatest heavyweight of all time. That’s what I want — I really want you.”
Jones (27-1, 1 NC) holds the UFC records for longest unbeaten streak (19), title fight wins (15) and title defenses (11 , tied by Demetrious Johnson). The New York native, who lives and trains in Albuquerque, New Mexico, last fought in February 2020, a victory over Dominick Reyes in defense of the 205-pound title.
Jones, 35, is also the youngest fighter to win a UFC title (23 years old) back in 2011.
Gane (11-2), 32, is coming off a third-round knockout of Tai Tuivasa last September. Another loss in his MMA career came in a unanimous decision loss to Ngannou for the UFC heavyweight title in January 2022 at UFC 270.