5 Opponents for Jon Jones at heavyweight in 2022

#2. Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane

UFC 265: Derrick Lewis v Ciryl Gane

Ciryl Gane, the interim UFC heavyweight champion and a potentially dangerous rival for Jones, has an undefeated 10-0 record. He has defeated some of the top heavyweights in the sport.

It’s hard to believe that Gane has only been in the UFC for two years. In that time, he has defeated the likes of Junior dos Santos, Alexander Volkov, and Derrick Lewis. Gane was 3-0 when he joined the UFC and has since won 7-straight fights. Gane’s win over Lewis was impressive as he managed to out-strike him on his way to a TKO win.

Gane would be a very intriguing opponent for Jones because of his striking ability. He is able to utilize his Muay Thai background and is just as agile as Jones. Depending on the outcome of Gane vs. Ngannou at UFC 270, he could be Jones’ first opponent at heavyweight.

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#1. Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou

UFC 249 Ferguson v Gaethje

Francis Ngannou, the reigning UFC heavyweight champion, is arguably the most feared striker in the sport. He has made quick work of some past heavyweight champions including Cain Velasquez, Andrei Arlovski and Junior dos Santos.

Prior to defeating Stipe Miocic, Ngannou was riding a 4-fight winning streak with all finishes coming in the first round. During that stretch of wins, Ngannou’s longest fight was 1:11, which is extraordinary. Jones would definitely have to weather the early storm and hope he doesn’t get caught.

Jones vs. Ngannou is such a fascinating matchup that it could breathe new life into the UFC’s heavyweight division. The two have gone back-and-forth on social media in the past, and it seemed like a fight being booked was inevitable.

It looks like money was a key reason why the bout never came to fruition. Should Ngannou decide to stick with the UFC next year, the dream fight could be very near.