The Jon Jones bets are already pouring in ahead of UFC 285. Jones will make his return to The Octagon for a highly-anticipated bout against Ciryl Gane with the heavyweight championship of the world on the line. Jones is arguably one of the best mixed martial artists of all time and has the name recognition to boot. So it is no surprise that he is receiving heavy betting action ahead of the bout. The Jon Jones bets have come in at such a high volume that the Jones-Gane betting line has taken a drastic shift since opening.
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The Jones-Gane UFC 285 Betting Line Shifts
Per BetMGM data analyst John Ewing, the Jon Jones bets have caused him to go from an underdog to a substantial favorite. Jones (-175 currently on BetMGM) has 73% of bets on his moneyline, with 89% of the money coming in on the legendary fighter. The Jones-Gane betting line opened with Jones as a +130 underdog, but quickly moved as fans began pouring in bets on Jones. Only 3% of bettors were able to get money in on the underdog line.
Jones (26-1) makes his return after a three-year hiatus, moving up another weight class to try to win another title and add to his remarkable track record. He notched wins via decision in his last three bouts before taking a break from fighting, staying away from heavy shots, and using his striking and takedown ability to dominate the competition.
Although Jones claims to have respect for Gane, he also believes he’ll be able to have his way with the heavyweight champ.
“I realize he doesn’t have much wrestling,” Jones said, per MMA Fighting. “He relies on evasion, trying to get away. He relies on jiu-jisu instead of solid takedown defense. Same with the ground game. I watched Francis Ngannou be able to rack up maybe five or six minutes of top time in that fight, and Francis is not a guy that’s known to control people on top.
“He does have the striking down. I don’t think defensively, he’s a very strong kickboxer. He has a really nice offense. His defense is mainly in his footwork. Two other big holes are jiu-jitsu and wrestling.”
Jones is referring to a fight between Gane and Ngannou in January of last year when Ngannou went against his usual striking style to secure three takedowns in a dominant decision win. With Ngannou taking his own break from fighting, Gane was able to win back the heavyweight championship belt with a knockout win over Tai Tuivasa in September.
UFC 285 offers fighting fans one of the biggest spectacles in fighting in some time. And with all eyes on the return of Jon Jones, bettors are expecting him to make a statement.
