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UFC 285 is fast-approaching and will feature the long-awaited return of Jon Jones. The former light heavyweight kingpin hasn't set foot inside the octagon since facing Dominick Reyes in a hotly-contested bout that ended in controversy. Fans and fellow fighters alike described it as a robbery.
His scheduled opponent is former UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane. The Frenchman is one of the most dynamic strikers at 265 lbs and is expected to be the most difficult foe 'Bones' has faced in years. But there is more to UFC 285 than Jon Jones' heavyweight debut.
The PPV will feature Bo Nickal's promotional debut alongside the return of Shavkat Rakhmonov, one of the UFC's latest undefeated sensations. With so much scheduled to take place at the event, this list breaks down all of the possible things that could happen in the PPV.
#5. Cody Garbrandt could be released by the UFC
In the past, Cody Garbrandt was a potential PPV star. He possessed many of the necessary ingredients to achieve success under Dana White's banner. Not only was he an undefeated power puncher, but he also dethroned Dominick Cruz for the divisional crown.
Unfortunately, 'No Love' failed to defend his title as he suffered a knockout loss against TJ Dillashaw and hasn't been the same since. Including his initial loss to Dillashaw, Garbrandt has lost five of his last six bouts. Furthermore, four of these losses were knockouts, one of which was in his flyweight debut.
He is scheduled to face Trevin Jones, a fighter with a record of 13 wins, 9 losses, and one no-contest. Worse still, Jones is on a three-fight losing streak. If Garbrandt, a former champion, loses to an unranked fighter on a losing streak, his time in the UFC could be over.
#4. Derek Brunson vs. Dricus du Plessis could be the Fight of the Year
Derek Brunson and Dricus du Plessis are the ingredients needed for an explosive and highly entertaining fight. The two men have certain attributes and habits that play into the possibility of their clash eventually being recognized as the fight of the year. Both of them possess a crushing level of knockout power.
Not only are they both exceedingly powerful fighters, but they also have poor defensive habits and reckless offensive tendencies. Both often extend their combinations in striking exchanges for too long, rendering them susceptible to being easily hit. Additionally, they never tuck their chins, leaving them exposed to punches.
They also lunge recklessly into exchanges while leading with their faces. Thus, the fight is almost guaranteed to be a wild, knockdown-filled affair that ends with a knockout that may very well be 2023's Fight of the Year.
#3. Shavkat Rakhmonov emerges as the UFC welterweight division's latest title contender
Islam Makhachev earned a UFC title fight against Charles Oliveira after defeating Bobby Green. So it isn't far-fetched to assume that Shavkat Rakhmonov could earn his title fight by defeating Geoff Neal, who in many ways mirrors Bobby Green. 'The Nomad' is currently unbeaten in 16 bouts.
He is not merely undefeated, he has also finished every single opponent he has ever faced. Furthermore, he has an equal number of submissions and knockouts, with eight apiece. His latest victim was Neil Magny, one of the most durable welterweights of all time.
If Rakhmonov dispatches Neal with the same ease as everyone else, he may very well emerge as the welterweight division's newest title contender. This is especially possible given Khamzat Chimaev's recent weigh-in failure against Nate Diaz.
#2. Bo Nickal could become a UFC star
At UFC 285, Bo Nickal will be making his highly anticipated promotional debut after generating significant hype. The three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion recently expressed how comical he found the grappling exchanges between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira in their previous matchup.
Additionally, he expressed his belief that he matches up well with the entire middleweight division due to its lack of strong wrestlers. He has even offered his thoughts on Khamzat Chimaev's wrestling skills, which he asserts pale in comparison to his own.
His first UFC test will come against Jamie Pickett in the opening bout of the main card. If 'The Allen Assassin' crushes his foe as many expect him to, the promotion may see the birth of a new star that they can build the middleweight division around if Israel Adesanya loses to Alex Pereira again.
#1. Jon Jones could suffer his first legitimate loss
There are a lot of questions surrounding Jon Jones' upcoming heavyweight debut. Among the questions is how well 'Bones' will perform after his three-year absence from the octagon. Another question is will he be able to use his skill set against a 265er given his infamous struggles against opponents of his own size?
Much of what Jones does, from his wrestling to his striking, hinges on him being taller and longer than his opponents. Once these advantages are nullified, he struggles tremendously. If Ciryl Gane proves to be too big for 'Bones' to comfortably outwrestle, he may very well taste defeat.
The only loss on Jon Jones' record was a disqualification loss to Matt Hamill. The former 205er was dominating the fight before landing an illegal 12-6 elbow. He has never been overcome inside the octagon by a better fighter. UFC 285 might be the very first time.
