5 questions that will be answered at UFC 285: Jones vs. Gane

The third UFC pay-per-view of 2023 is set to go down at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, this Saturday with promotional superstar and longtime light heavyweight champion Jon Jones headlining the stacked fight card.

Jones will make his heavyweight debut against Ciryl Gane for the vacant title after flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko takes on Mexican challenger Alexa Grasso in the co-main event.

Numerous up-and-coming prospects are also set to feature in the upcoming pay-per-view, with no shortage of explosive matchups and high stakes clashes on tap. The UFC landscape across multiple divisions will undergo a few shifts on Saturday night and it remains to be seen how things will pan out.

On that note, here are five questions that will be answered at UFC 285: Jones vs. Gane.

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#5. Will Bo Nickal deliver another masterclass in his UFC debut?

Despite having just three professional MMA fights under his belt, Bo Nickal is among the biggest attractions at UFC 285. The Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS) graduate made quite a statement last year to earn a UFC contract and will finally make his full promotional debut this weekend.

A three-time NCAA national champion, Bo Nickal is among the most credentialled wrestlers signed to the UFC. Nickal made his pro MMA debut last summer, knocking out his opponent in just 33 seconds. He subsequently produced two lightning quick submission wins in DWCS, which saw his stock skyrocket.

At UFC 285, Nickal will make his octagon debut when he takes on Jamie Pickett in the main card opener. This is a somewhat favorable matchup for the collegiate wrestling standout, with Pickett holding a UFC record of 2-4 since earning a contract in DWCS back in 2020.

As expected, Nickal is a massive betting favorite heading into the bout. While he is widely expected to come out on top, another flawless first-round finish could prompt the matchmakers to give him a ranked contender next.

Nickal has big plans for his UFC journey and will be eager to get off to a dominant start.

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#4. Just how good is Shavkat Rakhmonov?

16 fights. 16 finishes.

Shavkat Rakhmonov's record speaks for itself, but his true potential is quite hard to determine at this stage of his career. The Kazakh phenom boasts a 100% finish rate, with eight knockouts and just as many submission wins to his name. 'Nomad' will look to uphold his momentum when he returns to action this weekend.

Shavkat Rakhmonov joined the UFC in 2020 and racked up three quick wins against unranked welterweights to break into the top 15. He then put on an absolute clinic against divisional gatekeeper Neil Magny to break into the top 10, and will have the opportunity to break into the top 5 this Saturday.

His opponent, No.5-ranked Geoff Neal, doesn't quite get the attention he deserves. Nevertheless, 'Handz of Steel' is a well-rounded 170-pounder with world class striking and could prove to be a real test for Rakhmonov. Neal is coming off a scorching knockout win over Vicente Luque, so both fighters will enter this contest on form.

Neal has never been finished in the UFC. If Rakhmonov stops the American inside the distance at the upcoming pay-per-view, the sky's the limit for 'Nomad'.

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#3. Is Valentina Shevchenko's dominance inevitable, or can Alexa Grasso upset the odds?

Valentina Shevchenko is the most dominant champion in the UFC at the moment. Since winning the women's flyweight title back in 2018, 'Bullet' has reigned with an iron fist, dispatching one title challenger after another to cement her legacy as one of the greatest female fighters ever.

It's safe to say that her next challenger, Alexa Grasso, is really up against it on Saturday night.

Valentina Shevchenko has already defended her belt seven times. She will look to add the eighth ruby to her belt when she squares off against Alexa Grasso in the pay-per-view co-headliner, wherein she is rightfully a sizeable betting favorite.

While Shevchenko did struggle at times in her last title defense against Taila Santos, largely due to the Brazilian's grappling, Alexa Grasso doesn't really possess the same skillset. All things considered, this is a very tough matchup for the Mexican challenger, who largely relies on her crisp boxing to win fights.

With Shevchenko being one of the best strikers in MMA, it's hard to imagine her losing to Grasso on the feet. 'Bullet' is also bigger and stronger than her next opponent, who used to compete in one division below.

All signs point to another Shevchenko title defense, unless Grasso can pull off a monumental upset.

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#2. Will Ciryl Gane become the first fighter to defeat Jon Jones?

After suffering the first loss of his professional career against Francis Ngannou last year, Ciryl Gane returned to winning ways with a TKO win over Tai Tuivasa, putting himself back in the title mix. Following Ngannou's UFC exit, Gane was booked opposite former 205-pound kingpin Jon Jones for the vacant heavyweight belt.

Jones has never been bested inside the octagon, but Gane certainly has the tools to give the consensus GOAT a tough night out.

Ciryl Gane is unlike any heavyweight we've ever seen. The towering Frenchman has incredible footwork and movement, coupled with dynamic striking and an underrated submission game.

His loss to Francis Ngannou ultimately came down to a mistake he made in the final round, so 'Bon Gamin' will be desperate to claim undisputed gold this time around. However, Ngannou exposed some pretty glaring holes in Gane's wrestling defense, which likely had Jon Jones licking his lips.

While Jones opened as the betting underdog, he is now a slight favorite. The American's wrestling advantage is a tough hurdle to overcome for Gane, who can't be sure what to expect from 'Bones' after a three-year hiatus.

Needless to say, if Gane gets his hand raised, he would've beaten arguably the best fighter of all time.

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#1. Can Jon Jones end the GOAT debate once and for all?

Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Demetrious Johnson, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Jon Jones.

These are the UFC fighters, and perhaps just a few others, who are in the GOAT discussion. Silva, St-Pierre and Johnson's lengthy championship reigns boosted their claims to being the best ever, while Nurmagomedov's consistent dominance and unblemished record are unprecedented.

Jones, however, is a different animal.

Take away all his issues outside the octagon, the run-ins with the law and the problems with USADA, and one thing becomes undeniable – Jon Jones is the greatest fighter to have ever graced the octagon.

After winning the light heavyweight title at the age of 23, a feat which is yet to be topped, Jones dominated the division. 'Bones' cleared out two whole generations of 205-pound contenders between 2011 and 2020, albeit with a few legal hiccups in-between.

While his accomplishments at 205 pounds are arguably already worthy of the GOAT moniker, his unfortunate shortcomings outside the cage plagued his reputation and standing among fans. However, with a new chapter on the horizon for the polarizing former champion, this is an opportunity to make his case undeniable.

If he emerges victorious against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285, Jones deserves to be celebrated as the greatest fighter ever, at least until another fighter accrues over a decade of dominance at the highest level.