5 fights to make after UFC 285: Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane
UFC 285 always looked like a blockbuster show, and in execution, it delivered hugely. It’s likely that the ramifications of it will be felt for some time.
Coming out of UFC 285: Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane, which fights should the promotion’s matchmakers look to book next? For some of this past weekend’s fighters, there are clear and obvious paths for them. For others, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby may have to do a bit of thinking.
Here are five fights to make coming out of UFC 285: Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane.
#5. UFC middleweight bout: Bo Nickal vs. Joaquin Buckley
One of UFC 285’s most impressive fighters was middleweight debutant Bo Nickal. Already recognized as one of the best wrestlers to ever step into the octagon, Nickal ran right through Jamie Pickett, submitting him in the first round.
Judging by this fight, ‘The Allen Assassin’ is probably closer to Cain Velasquez than Josh Koscheck in terms of wrestlers getting started in MMA. Therefore, the promotion’s matchmakers probably don’t quite need to protect him so carefully.
BO NICKAL IS HIM
@NoBickal | #UFC285 https://t.co/ZilUEt8CiM
Despite this, it’d be crazy to throw Nickal in with a top 10-ranked foe right now. Sure, he looked amazing against Pickett, but he still only has four professional fights to his name.
Who should he face, then? Realistically, Nickal needs an opponent who is dangerous yet beatable, and has a big enough reputation that a win over him would mean something.
The perfect foe, then, could be Joaquin Buckley.
‘New Mansa’ is coming off two back-to-back losses, but in this instance, it shouldn’t matter. He’d be by far the best opponent to face Nickal thus far, and his explosive striking has the ability to take anyone at 185 pounds out.
However, he’s shown issues with his takedown defense and durability before, and with four octagon losses to his name, he’d definitely be a beatable opponent for ‘The Allen Assassin’.
Given that his famous spinning back kick knockout from 2020 still resonates with fans, Buckley could therefore be both an excellent and intriguing test for Nickal in his next octagon visit.
#4. UFC middleweight bout: Dricus du Plessis vs. Robert Whittaker
By stopping the No.5-ranked middleweight in the UFC, Derek Brunson, in the second round, Dricus du Plessis proved he’s a legitimate 185-pound title contender this weekend.
The win took ‘Stillknocks’ to an overall record of 19-2, with five of those wins coming in the octagon. Remarkably, the native of South Africa has still not gone the distance since arriving in the promotion in 2020.
It’s clear that du Plessis needs to fight another elite-level opponent next, so who should the matchmakers turn to?
Prior to this weekend, one name on the lips of du Plessis was Paulo Costa, but following his win over Brunson, the South African has stated that he isn’t really interested in fighting ‘Borrachinha’ at this point.
Instead, he’s called for a title shot or a top contender’s bout. If that’s the case, the only opponent who really makes sense is Robert Whittaker.
The former champ has essentially beaten everyone in the division not named Israel Adesanya or Alex Pereira, and his last scheduled bout – coincidentally against Costa – fell apart on late notice.
‘The Reaper’ would undoubtedly be a step up for ‘Stillknocks’. He’s remarkably well-rounded, but it’s his striking that has been most effective over the years, allowing him to turn back the challenge of opponents like Jared Cannonier and Marvin Vettori.
Could he deal with the sheer aggression and knockout power of du Plessis, though? Gut instinct would say yes, but it’d still be a great fight to watch. To be quite frank, this is the kind of huge fight that ‘Stillknocks’ has earned.
#3. UFC welterweight bout: Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Colby Covington
UFC 285’s Fight of the Night award went to Shavkat Rakhmonov’s welterweight tilt against Geoff Neal. It was a wild brawl that saw both men exchange some huge blows. In the end, ‘Nomad’ came out on top, choking Neal unconscious in the third round.
With the future of Khamzat Chimaev in the welterweight division up in the air, it’s arguable that Rakhmonov might be the best prospect at 170 pounds right now. Based on what he’s done so far, he’s a bonafide title contender.
Considering this, then, it’s time to elevate him up the ladder – so why not match him with former interim champion Colby Covington?
‘Chaos’ has not fought since his 2022 win over Jorge Masvidal, but he remains ranked at No.2 in the division. Recent reports have seen Dana White claim he’s “ready to fight anyone.”
White also stated, in the aftermath of this weekend’s event, that Rakhmonov would be a “fun opponent” for ‘Chaos’. So should the promotion make the fight?
youtu.be/LOThRATQk68Dana White says Colby Covington is "ready to fight" and Shavkat Rakhmanov would be a "fun" opponent 👀
Full #UFC285 scrum ▶️ youtu.be/LOThRATQk68 https://t.co/S5zbYzzeTw
Absolutely. Covington is undoubtedly a tremendous fighter, but given Rakhmonov’s well-rounded skills and killer instinct, there’s definitely a chance that ‘Nomad’ could come through with a win.
If he could do that, of course, then he’d almost certainly warrant a shot at the welterweight title. With 17 wins to his name and five finishes in the octagon, it’s time for him to really step up. This fight could be perfect.
#2. UFC flyweight title: Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko
The biggest upset at UFC 285 was undoubtedly produced by Alexa Grasso, who somehow managed to sink a fourth-round face crank on Valentina Shevchenko, claiming the flyweight title in the process.
Given Shevchenko’s prior dominance and reputation as one of the greatest female fighters of all time, Grasso’s win should probably be considered one of the biggest upsets in octagon history.
Realistically, then, there’s only one way to go for her, and that’s an immediate rematch with ‘Bullet’.
None of the division’s other contenders have really marked themselves out as deserving a title shot yet. Given that this weekend was her eighth defense, Shevchenko has more than earned an attempt at regaining her title.
Given that Grasso was losing the fight at the point in which she sunk the fight-ending hold – a moment that saw her brilliantly capitalize on a rare mistake from ‘Bullet’ – it’s likely that the former champ would be favoured in a second bout.
#UFC285ALEXA GRASSO HAS SUBMITTED VALENTINA SHEVCHENKO!!
WE HAVE A NEW FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION 👑🇲🇽 #UFC285 https://t.co/t4HMH5vXnw
However, we’ve seen in the past before that this kind of title switch can change a fighter’s trajectory altogether. Therefore it’d be impossible to count the Mexican out.
Overall, this rematch could – and should – become one of the bigger fights of 2023 somewhere down the line.
#1. UFC heavyweight title: Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic
The big news coming out of UFC 285 was the successful heavyweight debut of former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Not only did Jones look great after three years away from the octagon, but he dealt with Ciryl Gane with ease, capturing the vacant heavyweight crown in the process.
Whether ‘Bones’ can dominate the heavyweight division as he did the 205-pound weight class from 2011 to 2020 remains to be seen, but it looks like his first defense is already set.
From all reports, Dana White and company are intent on giving Jones the opponent he wants – former titleholder Stipe Miocic.
Usually considered the consensus most successful heavyweight in UFC history, Miocic has not fought since losing his title to Francis Ngannou in 2021. However, given the absence of ‘The Predator’, the former champion is definitely the next best opponent.
Sure, Miocic might be a little past his best now, but his size, wrestling ability and boxing should still give ‘Bones’ a tricky test.
If Jones could beat Miocic, then it’d definitely help the promotion to continue to erase the memories of Ngannou – and it’d also be hard not to see him as the legitimate champion.