Is Gane the best striker Jones has faced?

[RoyJonesJr]

If we include power, I'd say yes.
(Which we should, but you could argue a p4p type perspective might yield a different result, maybe)

Machida was a phenomenal striker with speed and a unique style, southpaw like Gane, but Lyoto was a small LHW who has since spent years as a MW...

Gane is a true heavyweight. 6'4-6'5 247 pounds and he moves REALLY well.

This is a tough matchup for Jon.
I'm curious to see what gameplan they come with to try to solve it.


Vitor was a damn good striker too, I believe that was TRT Vitor, as he would go on to head kick KO Bisping and Luke and Hendo in his next 3 fights... you could make a case for that monster.

I think this is the right answer, when you factor in the power behind Cyril he's easily the most dangerous.

From a technical stand point, he's up there for sure. He may not have the boxing of Gus, but Gus doesn't even throw anything other than 1-2's and jabs.

 

[mjfan23]

But he hasn’t faced him yet. So rua or machida for now

 

[Deleted member 585708]

Also factor in ring rust and moving up to HW for Jones


DC
Gus
Shogun
Machida
Rampage Jackson
Glover
Smith
Belfort


I think so, the guys above may be faster (Gus) or have better dirty boxing (DC), but Gane has the best footwork out of anyone and he's a HW.

I think the first minute or so, Jones will try his usual stand up style mixing it up and all. But will soon realize he's having a hard time adjusting since he's not as a fast at HW, and Gane is so bouncy for HW. He'll get hit a couple times and go to a full on grappling approach similar to Francis.

After that I don't know, its 50/50 IMO. Jones submits him or Gane catches him in at some point

No.

Gane isn't a better striker than Machida.

 

[Clark Rogers]

Are Gane's footwork and striking really superior to Machida, Vitor, others there, or is he getting graded on a curve because he moves better than most people his size?

Serious question, I realize he's skilled, but I haven't done any side by side comparisons to the others on the list.

 

[jeff7b9]

I think this is the right answer, when you factor in the power behind Cyril he's easily the most dangerous.

From a technical stand point, he's up there for sure. He may not have the boxing of Gus, but Gus doesn't even throw anything other than 1-2's and jabs.

To take it a step farther, the way he moves FOR HIS SIZE is a tough riddle to solve.

I was watching some film of Gane and that man is exceptionally light on his toes for a big man, he glides and bounces like he doesnt weigh 250 pounds. Dude must jump rope or spend hours at the discotheque

 

[chs140]

gane is easily the best striker jones has faced. best technique and most power. no question... jones will wrestle him and win tho. ngannou outwrestled gane. jones is a much much better wrestler than ngannou.

Best technique is crazy.
Heavyweights are not good. They are physically imposing

 

[jeff7b9]

Are Gane's footwork and striking really superior to Machida, Vitor, others there, or is he getting graded on a curve because he moves better than most people his size?

Serious question, I realize he's skilled, but I haven't done any side by side comparisons to the others on the list.

Gane's footwork is something pretty special. I don't know how you really take the size out of it, because the fact that he is doing what he is doing at his size is a big part of why it is mind blowing... but yeah, a Middleweight who had Gane's footwork would be noticed for having really good footwork.

His strikes are good, not great imo because he lacks KO power, which you would expect for a man his size who is landing relatively clean strikes but it is likely he is trading off some power for mobility by not planting his feet. It is a worthwhile trade in my opinion.


If we were assessing on a pound for pound basis, then I would give prime Machida an edge in striking. He had the footwork and the KO power, he could end a fight with his hands or his feet, he had immaculate entries and exits and he was hard to hit for most fighters, especially when he was younger. He slowed down a little in his 30s and got hit more.


Gane, imo has better footwork than Vitor, but I could see arguing Vitor has better overall striking due to his KO power (it would depend on if evaluating P4P or not), but I think Gane is a more dangerous striker in terms of who poses a bigger threat to Jon Jones if that makes sense.

 

[Clark Rogers]

Gane's footwork is something pretty special. I don't know how you really take the size out of it, because the fact that he is doing what he is doing at his size is a big part of why it is mind blowing... but yeah, a Middleweight who had Gane's footwork would be noticed for having really good footwork.

His strikes are good, not great imo because he lacks KO power, which you would expect for a man his size who is landing relatively clean strikes but it is likely he is trading off some power for mobility by not planting his feet. It is a worthwhile trade in my opinion.


If we were assessing on a pound for pound basis, then I would give prime Machida an edge in striking. He had the footwork and the KO power, he could end a fight with his hands or his feet, he had immaculate entries and exits and he was hard to hit for most fighters, especially when he was younger. He slowed down a little in his 30s and got hit more.


Gane, imo has better footwork than Vitor, but I could see arguing Vitor has better overall striking due to his KO power (it would depend on if evaluating P4P or not), but I think Gane is a more dangerous striker in terms of who poses a bigger threat to Jon Jones if that makes sense.

Makes perfect sense, good info, thanks.

He's definitely one of, maybe the smoothest HW I've seen. You would expect heavier shots from someone that size, but you're likely right that it's a mobility tradeoff.

I'm admittedly stumped on what to expect with this fight. Gane's a hell of a first HW test, and you've got Jon coming off a long break, adding weight, not looking great his last couple fights... lot of reasons to think it's all Gane.

But, it's also Jones and like him or not, he's one of those that's hard to discount in any fight.

IF, and I think it's a big if, Jones is one of these freaks that can add mass and power yet maintain speed and mobility, yikes. We've seen some examples of guys that can do that across various sports, but they're rare, usually younger too.

I think it's one of the few fights where I'm less pulling for either fighter, and more just amped to see how it plays out, while hoping against a tentative snoozer. Could be historic.

 

[asdf122345]

Yes

 

[The_Renaissance]

Ganes will get stopped.

He’s not even close to being good enough to fight Jones.

Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos say hi.

I do think Jones wins though probably finishes him. I actually think Blaydes is now the toughest fight for Jones. Ticks every box. Only KO artists get him. Jones ain't that. Huge, good cardio, better wrestler than guys Jones struggled with at 205 like Reyes and Gus 1st fight.

Underrated striking and power.

 

[jeff7b9]

. We've seen some examples of guys that can do that across various sports, but they're rare, usually younger too.
.

So you mentioned bigger guys "that can add mass and power yet maintain speed and mobility"

Jon's kid brother, Chandler Jones.

6'5 266 pounds
4.77 second 40 yard dash
22 reps 225 bench press
120in broad jump (10 feet)
36 in vertical jump.

4x NFL pro bowl selection
Superbowl champion
2017 NFL league leader in sacks
Etc


So... genetically speaking, Jon is quite closely related to a man that moves insanely athletically with a 6'5 266 pound body. Who ran faster than 75% of guys* at the NFL combine, which is already a creme of the crop selection of pedigree "A level athletes"

 

[AdamWarlock]

gane is def the hardest opponent of jones' career, and pico boy has faced some killers
if he beat gane it will be more impressive than gsp beating bisping

 

[abject]

Ngannou is in the argument for goat. He cleaned out the division. The fight with Gane was razor close. Gane is an elite striker at hw. Jones wont have anything for him at hw on the feet. The sherdog hate for non americans is amusing. Expect Jones to fail in the standup and go for the clinch and takedowns. Something he will also likely fail at unless hes now 120kg.

 

[abject]

So you mentioned bigger guys "that can add mass and power yet maintain speed and mobility"

Jon's kid brother, Chandler Jones.

6'5 266 pounds
4.77 second 40 yard dash
22 reps 225 bench press
120in broad jump (10 feet)
36 in vertical jump.

4x NFL pro bowl selection
Superbowl champion
2017 NFL league leader in sacks
Etc


So... genetically speaking, Jon is quite closely related to a man that moves insanely athletically with a 6'5 266 pound body. Who ran faster than 75% of guys* at the NFL combine, which is already a creme of the crop selection of pedigree "A level athletes"

View attachment 963629 View attachment 963630

Artie Jones also failed drug tests.

 

[fzoid4454]

Also factor in ring rust and moving up to HW for Jones


DC
Gus
Shogun
Machida
Rampage Jackson
Glover
Smith
Belfort


I think so, the guys above may be faster (Gus) or have better dirty boxing (DC), but Gane has the best footwork out of anyone and he's a HW.

I think the first minute or so, Jones will try his usual stand up style mixing it up and all. But will soon realize he's having a hard time adjusting since he's not as a fast at HW, and Gane is so bouncy for HW. He'll get hit a couple times and go to a full on grappling approach similar to Francis.

After that I don't know, its 50/50 IMO. Jones submits him or Gane catches him in at some point

I think Jones will still have the speed edge. That's what translated so well for Randy when he moved up - his Greco background enabled him not to get pushed around, but he had the speed edge that he didn't have at LHW.

But will it be enough of a speed edge, with the power and natural size difference, to keep Gane off of him? If I can't sting you enough to at least throw off your rhythm and to make you at least consider that you might get cracked, speed won't keep you from pushing me into a corner then going to work.

This is interesting. How will Jones and his body look and perform with the extra weight? Will he be able to muscle with those big boys? Will he have some extra meat on those spindly chicken legs of his? Or will he look like a puffed up LHW, without any kind of natural functional power that most HWs have? If a powerful HW lands a couple leg kicks, I don't see anything resembling his LHW toothpicks holding up.

 

[jeff7b9]

Artie Jones also failed drug tests.

For peds or party drugs?

Either way not shocking though.

 

[abject]

For peds or party drugs?

Either way not shocking though.

Peds.

 

[Alpha_T83]

I think Jon fought a lot of good strikers that should have always competed at middleweight (Belfort, Machida, Rua). Of the legitimate LHW fighters Jon fought (ones that walk into the cage at 225 MINIMUM), Gane is the best striker by far.

 

[arcadeperfect]

Gane's size is going to make the fight really interesting. There's only a 3 inch difference in reach, and the 6'5 Gane will happily trade kicks with Jones from afar.

 

[NEETzschean]

Of course he is and by a wide margin. Gane is not just skilled and athletic, he's a natural heavyweight.