Jon Jones is back, and he’s back with a vengeance. After a hiatus from the sport, Jones returned to the octagon to fight Ciryl Gane, the number one ranked heavyweight on the planet. Jones didn’t just beat him, he ran through him with ease, submitting him in the first round with a guillotine choke. What’s more, this was Jones’ fastest championship win of his entire career, finishing the fight in just two minutes and four seconds.
Jones’ performance was impressive from start to finish. Despite concerns about ring rust, Jones showed good defense, wrestling skills, and a great squeeze on that Guillotine. He proved to be three steps ahead of his opponent, showcasing his technique and outsmarting Gane at every turn.
One of the most impressive things about Jones’ victory was his ability to control the fight on the feet. Gane seemed intimidated by Jones’ wrestling skills, which led him to show a lot of respect to Jones and move away from him. He threw jabs and left straights with no set up, exposing himself to Jones’ counter punches. Jones, on the other hand, caught every single one of Gane’s light kicks and tried to land that right straight down the center, using his long reach to his advantage.
Jones’ victory raises the question: who can beat him? He’s set to fight Stipe Miocic next, and it doesn’t look like Miocic has what it takes to defeat him. Miocic is over 40 years old now, and he’s going to be much slower than Jones. Jones’ kicks to the leg will be devastating to Miocic, and if Jones gets him to the ground, he can try some submission attempts as well.
Other fighters who might have a chance against Jones include Curtis Blaydes and Sergey Pavlovich. Blaydes has good wrestling skills, but he doesn’t do much on the feet. Pavlovich has good takedown defense, so he might be able to hold his own against Jones.
The most interesting match for Jones would be if Francis Ngannou were still in the heavyweight division. Ngannou’s power is always an equalizer, and he wouldn’t show Jones the same kind of respect that Gane did. He probably would have better takedown defense as well.
Jones’ victory also raises questions about Gane’s future. He seemed to have no takedown defense at all, which means other fighters might start to take advantage of that weakness. It’s possible that Gane had a good path to a title, but now that his weaknesses have been exposed, his future is uncertain.
Overall, Jones’ return to the octagon was nothing short of impressive. He showed that he’s a force to be reckoned with in the heavyweight division, and he’s motivated to keep winning. Fans who haven’t seen Jones fight in a while are in for a treat – this is a whole new Jon Jones, and he’s ready to take on all comers.
