Jon Jones DEFEATS Ciryl Gane Via First-Round Submission To Win Heavyweight Title I UFC 285 RECAP
Welcome to CBS Sports Combat Analyst and co-host of the award-winning morning combat, Brian Campbell. BC John Jones first fight in three years makes quick work of Cyril Gahn. Two minutes into round one via guillotine. He said all week he was gonna make this look easy. That's exactly what he did. He called Gahn one of the most incomplete fighters in the division, said his ground and pound was weak and as soon as he got gone up against that cage he took care of business. Your reaction is what to what you just saw.
The more things change the more things stay the same and that's death taxes and John Jones the greatest fighter in mixed martial arts history. He's a gamer at the end of the day despite the numerous setbacks outside the cage, despite multiple drug suspensions stripped of his title three times and in this case as you mentioned a three-year layoff in a new division with a new body upwards of 45 pounds added on his frame. John Jones wasn't going to win a bodybuilding competition but what he did was take the fight to an advantageous position for him on the ground and use his added size and bulk to dominate Cyril Gahn in an area where as we know he's not as strong. You saw John Jones apply a front choke. It didn't look that deep but when he's able to get that torque put his weight on top of Gahn the tap happened quickly for as anticlimactic in some ways as this fell. This is the John Jones that we know. Dominant goes in there fights anyone in line.
It's been a long time like we mentioned but this looked like a new John Jones. A focused, hungry and humble one. If you watch the post-fight interview the kiss with his fiance bringing his father and his brother into the cage. This was like a return of a conquering hero and some 10 years after John Jones originally teased the idea of moving up and weight and conquering heavyweight he did just that in less than a round. He's great. We knew that coming in at 35 still is. We had a little drama right before the fight started.
He has to cut the tape off of his toe then Cyril Gahn checks him in the man region and then a couple minutes later we get a guillotine. So it's like it's like this is it was it was supposed to be scripted this way a little bit weird in the beginning. You see John Jones not the chiseled one that you'd see in the past but he takes care of business here and he now has won the most title fights in UFC history with 15 becomes the eighth UFC fighter to win a title in multiple divisions. So now he puts the title on the line against former two-time UFC heavyweight champ Steve Aimeoch. I say this is goat against goat because Steve Aimeoch is my guy in Cleveland. I know you love John Jones but this is goat against goat. Who do you like in this matchup.
I think you've got a favor John Jones based on this very very short piece of business we had tonight in his new division. Unfortunately this fight did not go deep into multiple rounds or even anywhere near the championship rounds to find out what John's cardio would look like with all that added bulk. But we do know that he's a born wrestler and he once again leaned into those strengths on this night. And how about this for billing. You have the greatest fighter in history in John Jones against the most decorated heavyweight in UFC history in Steve Aimeoch. Should that go off the first weekend in July International Flight Week. That would be a major event for the UFC.
I think fans one that fans would love to see even though Steve Aimeoch it's right around age 40 and maybe not where he was in his prime but still a dangerous contender. One thing to note though Francis and Ghanu's name not mentioned obviously on the broadcast at all after giving up his title not able to come to terms with the UFC in terms of contracts. UFC president Dana White was asked this week would they ever consider bringing Francis back. And he outright said no Ben they're done that. You do have to wonder though should John Jones continue this heavyweight reign. Should he add Steve Aimeoch to his resume. Is this a fight that can be made in the future.
Because even though John Jones is now the greatest fighter in the history without debate. Some would still argue that the greatest heavyweight fighter in the game today is not in the UFC. Will he come back. Will he box. We don't know what Francis and Ghanu's future is but until that becomes a conversation it's John Jones sandbox and we're all watching him play to the tune of two titles in as many divisions and as you mentioned most of these UFC records for wins longevity. John would have already had them if he hadn't been stripped of his title three times and he may end up finishing his career by owning them all. One of the greatest careers in all of pro sports history.
Never seen him lose cleanly and even after three years off. What can you else can you say. John Jones the goat. Yeah. All right. So your early lean is John Jones. Is that what I'm hearing over Steve Aimeoch.
Is that your early lean. He is because look he's focused and even though we didn't get the full picture off that three year layoff. He said his timing was a little bit off in the early going against Ghan striking wise. This is a John Jones who didn't spend three years sitting out. He rebuilt his body. He's been working hard. He reunited with his original team and coaches.
I believe John Jones would be the favorite going against Steve Aimeo. But knowing the wrestling ability and the knockout power of Miochich a very tough matchup that could go either way. Should this take place the first week of July in Las Vegas. John Jones back in the octagon for the first time in three years fighting at heavyweight for the first time making quick work of Cyril Ghan submits him two minutes into round one. That's impressive for John Jones the greatest of all time. And now he's going to set up a big matchup with Steve Aimeochich. Massive upset in the co-main event BC Alexa Grasso at plus 650 defeats Valentina Shavchenko via fourth round submission to win the flyweight championship.
It's Shavchenko's first loss since 2017 said she regretted throwing the spinning back kick in round four. Your reaction is what to what went down in the co-main event. You know this was shocking. Let's give Alexa Grasso a lot of credit known for her striking ability on the feet and in the opening round I scored it in her favor. It looked like she rocked Shavchenko with a left cross may have broken or bloodied up at least her nose from there though Shavchenko was able to take the fight to the ground and control it. But what have we seen in terms of recent trends over the last year plus in MMA. Champions can be dominant even in title fights late.
But until you finish the job anything can happen. We saw Leon Edwards land a high kick against Kamaru Usman to win the welterweight title. We saw Alex Pereira do it in the final round against Adesanya to win the middleweight crown. This time around it was Alexa Grasso. If you had her to win by submission it was plus twenty five hundred in terms of betting odds. This was unlikely as possible but all it took was one mistake. The spinning attempt from Valentina Grasso took her back and took her down.
And before you know it the choke was in rear naked choke to get the tap. A shocking turn of events considering Shavchenko arguably the most dominant champion the UFC women's divisions had ever seen. She has a record for UFC females with seven total title defenses but we knew this division was slowly catching up to her and at age thirty four you saw that tonight a close fight last year with Tyler Santos. This time Valentina giving up the title. Third Mexican born fighter to win a belt joining Brandon Moreno and Yair Rodriguez as Alexa Grasso pulls off the upset. Just impressive stuff at UFC 285 Brian Campbell wrapping up for us here on CBS Sports HQ BC thank you. And for all things combat check out the award-winning morning combat with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell you can watch a series on YouTube you can also listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify Morning Combat the award-winning morning combat download and follow today.
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