He’s back! The one many consider the “Greatest of all Time” (GOAT), Jon Jones, returns to the UFC after a three-year hiatus. In his first fight since 2020, Jones duels Ciryl Gane for the UFC Heavyweight Championship. The UFC odds favor Jones who could become the newest UFC legend to become a two-division champion. How does he get it done?
Let’s check the latest UFC news, stats, and UFC lines for Jones vs Gane. We’ve got plenty of UFC picks for you to consider
Jones Favored Despite Weight Change and Layoff
It speaks a lot to Jones’s greatness that he can simply step back into the Octagon, fight the top-ranked heavtweight contender, and be favored in doing so. Jones will fight at heavyweight for the first time in his UFC career and has spent the better of the last three years bulking up for the move.
As for the layoff, Tatiana Suarez proved last week that it meant nothing as she easily beat Montana De La Rosa despite not fighting since 2019. Jones has been training and staying sharp. He soundly defeated both Ovince Saint Preux and Alexander Gustafsson despite separate one-and-a-half-year layoffs. And the two have fought at heavyweight.
Against Gane, Jones faces his biggest opponent – literally. However, Jones still has the reach advantage and will weigh just as much if not more than Gane. He is also favored on the online sports betting lines not just because of his name. Jones also has a trump card in his wrestling, which happens to be a weakness of Gane.
Is Gane Throwing Smoke Screens?
Just weeks before one of his biggest fights, Gane broke news by admitting to French media outlet La Sueur that he was “lazy” when it came to MMA training. “I love grappling. But unfortunately, I’m lazy, that’s the truth. I only train when a fight is announced”.
Ciryl Gane admits #UFC contention a difficult life balancing act: ‘I’m lazy, that’s the truth’ https://t.co/LpP1mJFFAN
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) February 16, 2023
Of course, Jones did not buy this, and his coach, Fernand Lopez came to his defense. “Even when he was injured, he kept training on strength and conditioning. So, I’m not worried about that. What he’s saying is not any excuse, try to prepare an excuse like if he lost, in case he lost because he didn’t train”.
Indeed, Gane is not lazy and trains hard. But has he trained on his wrestling enough? He surrendered four takedowns to Francis Ngannou in their bout. Then he had an ill-advised leglock attempt that ultimately cost him the decision. If Gane will cash as a bet online, he better have polished on his grappling.
Jones vs Gane Head-to-Head
Jones and Gane are both 6’4” though Jones will have the 3.5-inch reach advantage. The favorite is also three years older than Gane. They both strike in the orthodox stance.
Jones vs Gane Fight Information
- Fighters: Jon Jones (26-1-0) vs Ciryl Gane (11-1-0)
- Location: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
- Day/Time: Saturday, March 4, 10 p.m. ET
- Jones vs Gane Live Stream: UFC Fight Pass
Jones vs Gane Betting Lines
Jones vs Gane Picks and Prediction
Other than a bogus disqualification against Matt Hamill, Jones is undefeated. Thus, he’s been the best UFC bet since he debuted with the promotion. As the lines have it, Jones is set for a big 2023 and it begins with a win here. Jones should beat Gane via a decision. Betting either Jones or the total to go over 4½ rounds are solid plays.
Jones is listed at -165 in our Vegas UFC lines. This means that if you wager $100 on Jones, you have a chance to win $61. Gane is +135, offering a chance to win $135 on a $100 wager. The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Jones a 62.26% chance to win, with Gane at 42.55%.
