Jon Jones vs Ciryl Gane: What are the oddsmakers and pros saying? There is little to give between the behemoths

Former light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones is set to make his highly-anticipated heavyweight debut at the upcoming UFC 285 event on March 4th, 2023 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This monumental moment in MMA history has garnered significant attention from fans and experts alike. Jones will face former interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane in the main event, with the vacant heavyweight title up for grabs, making this a must-see fight for any MMA enthusiast.

Jon Jones, a seasoned UFC fighter, is facing an unusual situation heading into his upcoming fight - he is considered the underdog. According to BestFightOdds.com, Jones, who is 35 years old, is currently listed as a slight underdog at +140, while his opponent Ciryl Gane, who is 32 years old, is a -166 favorite. This means that a bet of $100 on Jones would only yield $140 in winnings, while a $166 wager on Gane would earn bettors $100. Odds are subject to change as the fight approaches.

Jon Jones' underdog status in his upcoming fight against Ciryl Gane is a rare occurrence in his UFC career. This will be only the third time in his 23 UFC appearances that Jones has opened as a betting underdog, and the first time in almost 14 years. The only other two instances were in his first two UFC fights, with the most recent being against Stephan Bonnar in +140. Despite being the underdog, Jones went on to secure a unanimous decision victory over Bonnar on January 31, 2009, at UFC 94.

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Experts weigh in on the forthcoming battle between Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane

Setting expectations for Jon Jones' upcoming fight against Ciryl Gane is challenging, given that he hasn't fought since early 2020 and has gained a significant amount of weight to enter a new weight class. Although Jones is widely regarded as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, his recent inactivity and weight gain make him something of an enigma going into this heavyweight title bout. It remains to be seen how he will perform against an opponent as formidable as Gane.

Prominent MMA analyst Marc Raimondi of ESPN provided his thoughts on the impending battle, Raimondi stated:

"The thing about Jones is that he has an innate sense of fighting and knows how to win MMA contests. No one in the sport's history has come close to Jones' savantlike acumen.

He further added:

"He is still training with excellent coaches in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Scottsdale, Arizona. We can't expect a prime Jones in two months that would not be a fair expectation but we should see a prepared one."

When it comes to discussing the greatest MMA fighter of all time, opinions are divided between fans and pundits. Many consider Jon Jones to be the greatest of all time due to his impressive record and numerous accomplishments in the octagon. However, others believe that Jones' multiple failed drug tests disqualify him from being in the conversation for the greatest of all time.

Jeff Wagenheim of ESPN MMA expressed his thoughts on Jones vs. Gane and said:

"If Jones can conquer Gane more emphatically than Ngannou did Gane and Ngannou went five back-and-forth rounds last year that would add luster to a legacy that's already blindingly shiny. But it seems to me that this heavyweight debut is just another new beginning for Jones."