Jon Jones has weighed in at 248lb for his heavyweight debut against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285.
Jones will return to the cage after a three-year lay-off when he challenges for the vacant title in Las Vegas on Saturday night. And he scaled just half a pound more than Gane's 247.5lb despite the Frenchman's long career in the weight division.
Jones will fight for the first time since he outpointed Dominick Reyes in 2020 in a fight many observers thought the long-reigning light-heavyweight champion lost. Jones' decision to give up his 205lb title brought an end to a nine-year reign as champion.
Jones had been expected to fight Francis Ngannou for the title but the Cameroonian instead quit the UFC earlier this year, vacating the belt in the process. And Jones believes Gane is the most "incomplete fighter" in the heavyweight top-five, adding: "I realised that he doesn't really have much wrestling.
"He relies on evasion and trying to get away. He relies on jiu-jitsu instead of solid takedown defence. He does have the striking down, I don't think defensively he is a very strong kickboxer. Two other big holes are jiu-jitsu and wrestling."
Will Jon Jones beat Ciryl Gane? Let us know in the comments section below
Gane, meanwhile, lost to Ngannou last year when he was outpointed by his former training partner. But he insists he has learned his lesson ahead of his second title challenge. "I made a lot of mistakes against Francis on the wrestling game, because I expected him to strike so I was not expecting that," he said.
"Everybody knows the wrestling game of Jon Jones so I am very focused on that. We've been working on that and we're going to be ready for him. Everybody knows that Jon Jones it the greatest of all-time, so that's why I respect him and his career."
