Daniel Cormier is just one of several former UFC fighters to have given his prediction ahead of Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 this weekend. Jones’ old rival is predicting a win for ‘Bon Gamin’ and believes Jones will struggle with the Frenchman’s size.
Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane – Predicts Daniel Cormier
Daniel Cormier is one of the most decorated fighters in UFC history. The Louisiana man is one of a very select few boxers to have won world crowns in two weight divisions. The now-retired MMA fighter has won both the UFC Light Heavyweight title and the UFC Heavyweight Champion.
The 43-year-old retired from MMA a few years ago and has since taken up a role as a commentator for the UFC. Of course, Cormier knows Jon Jones very well, having shared the Octagon with him on two occasions. ‘DC’ never beat Jones, but he doesn’t think ‘Bones’ has what it takes to move up to heavyweight.
One of the reasons Cormier thinks Jon Jones could struggle on Saturday night is the fact that he doesn’t have enough power on his hands. ‘DC’ believes the Albuquerque, New Mexico man will have to use his superior skill set if he has any chance of beating Ciryl Gane at UFC 285.
With only days to go until fight night, UFC fans can watch the Jones vs. Gane fight live on ESPN+ PPV. This is hands down the biggest fight of the year so far. American fight fans will expect this fight to live up to all the hype. Will Jon Jones make a successful comeback and become a UFC two-weight champion, or will the Frenchman upset the odds and win the UFC heavyweight title on his second attempt?
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With just days to go before the fight, ‘DC’ is another former UFC superstar who has weighed in with his prediction for how the fight between Jones and Gane will play out. Cormier knows better than anyone what it’s like to take on ‘Bones’, having fought him twice in her career. On his ESPN show ‘DC & RC,’ the now-UFC commentator feels his former rival doesn’t punch hard enough to cause trouble in the heavyweight division.
The former UFC two-weight champion believes Saturday is going to be an incredibly tough night for Jon Jones and is leaning towards a victory for Ciryl Gane:
“I think he’s going to have to use his ability because I’m telling you this right now: Jones didn’t hit very hard.
“Like, that was one of the things that stood out about him. Now, he kneed hard, kicked hard, elbowed hard. He did many things very well. But in terms of his striking ability, he didn’t have jarring power.
“Now, gaining 30lbs, maybe he has a bit of a stronger punch, but he will never match Ciryl Gane in terms of punching power. She will need her ability to do this.”
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Despite dominating at 205 pounds for the better part of a decade, Cormier believes the power and size advantages Jones is losing at heavyweight will prove decisive in the Frenchman’s favor.
“Here’s the problem, Ciryl Gane has many of those same abilities. She can stand on the outside and fight, she can shoot you from the outside, and she possesses jarring power when she lands.
“Jon Jones always had a bit of a size advantage over a lot of the guys he fought at 205 as well. That will be missing. But when you look at Jones, he looks bigger.
“But a lot of the weight is on top. Her lower half still looks pretty skinny. Look at Ciryl Gane, it looks like someone stuck an air pump in that guy’s mouth and started pumping.
“He looks huge, but he only weighs about 250 pounds. He is not heavy. He’s lean, he’s scarred, he’s big and strong. This is a very big challenge for Jon Jones.”
In the lead up to the fight, Jon Jones remains the favorite to win the fight with the best overseas betting sites at odds of -160. However, many people are backing Ciryl Gane to win the fight as the underdog. She is currently priced at around +140 with the best overseas gambling sites to pull off the surprise.
Only time will tell what will happen in the main event of UFC 285! What a fight we have in the offing – fingers crossed it lives up to the hype!
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Jon Jones vs Ciryl Gane – UFC 285 Fight Info
???? UFC Match: Jon Jones vs Ciryl Gane ???? Records: Jon Jones (26-1, 10 KO’s) | Ciryl Gane (11-1, 5 KO’s) ???? Date: March 4, 2023 ???? Main Event Time: approx. 22:30 EST ???? Title: UFC Heavyweight Title ???? TV Channel: ESPN+PPV
???? Venue: T-Mobile Arena | Las Vegas, Nevada ???? Fight odds: Jones -160 | Earn +140
