American Jon Jones became UFC heavyweight champion by defeating Frenchman Ciryl Gane by submission in the first round on Saturday in a mixed martial arts fight in Las Vegas.
It was barely after 2 minutes and 4 seconds spent in the octagon that Gane folded. He had struck first, somewhat awkwardly with a kick that landed in the area of his opponent’s genitals, who winced in pain. The Vendéen has collected “USA! US! from the excited crowd that filled the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Then Gane got tricked into being taken down by Jones, one of whose great strengths is his wrestling skills. And the experienced American did not fail to finish, forcing “Good kid” to ask the referee to stop the fight.
Jones, greatest fighter of all time?
The 32-year-old Frenchman concedes his second defeat in 13 fights. And if for his first attempt to climb to the top of MMA, thirteen months earlier, he had been defeated by not much by Cameroonian Francis Ngannou, who has since decided to leave the octagon for boxing, this time there was no photo.
He probably paid for a relative inexperience against a seasoned opponent, who imposed an almost uncontested domination among the light heavyweights for ten years.
His absence from the cage for three years has in no way affected his fighting technique, despite the risk that a rise in category constituted. What comfort the many observers, who consider him the greatest fighter of all time.
(With AFP)
►Also read : MMA: clash of extremes between legend Jon Jones and French star Ciryl Gane