Ciryl Gane's three routes to victory at UFC 285

Jon Jones returns to the Octagon this weekend at UFC 285 after a three-year hiatus to face Ciryl Gane as he makes his debut in the heavyweight division. The step up in weight is something he has been preparing for some time now but the bookmakers are clearly going with the UFC legend to win on his debut in this division.
That may seem somewhat harsh on Gane who has an impeccable record in the UFC barring his sole defeat on points to previous heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou in January 2022.
Gane may well relish the role of underdog here and the opportunity to beat one of the greatest ever to step into the Octagon. While Jones has commented on the 'big holes' in Gane's game, we look at Gane's routes to victory in Saturday's main event.
Heavyweight knockout power
Gane has only won five of his bouts by knockout but those have come against some solid chins like Tai Tuivasa, Derrick Lewis and Junior dos Santos. This is arguably the biggest test for Jones and Gane will be keen to find out if Jones' chin can stand up to heavyweight power nice and early.
Sharpness
Since Jon Jones' last bout against Dominic Reyes in February 2020, Gane has fought six times in the UFC including his last fight in September last year where he knocked out Tai Tuivasa in the a fight of the night. If Jones shows any sign of ring rust, Gane will feel more than prepared to take advantage of that.
Hunger
All the talk around this fight is centred on Jones' return but Gane's hunger to win the vacant heavyweight belt should not be underestimated. After winning the interim against Lewis in August 2021 and then losing the crown to Ngannou, Gane will be desperate to rise to the occasion and upset the odds.