Dana White: Jon Jones cements 'GOAT' status with stunning win over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285

American returns after long hiatus to seal emphatic first-round victory and capture heavyweight crown

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  Jon Jones, center, celebrates after defeating Ciryl Gane in a UFC 285 mixed martial arts heavyweight title bout Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo / David Becker)

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  Jon Jones dances with announcer Bruce Buffer after defeating Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. AP

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  Jon Jones celebrates to the crowd after his victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. AP

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  Jon Jones fights against fighter Ciryl Gane during their UFC 285 heavyweight title bout at T-Mobile Arena. AFP

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  Jon Jones takes down Ciryl Gane during their UFC 285 heavyweight title bout. AP

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  Jon Jones celebrates after defeating Ciryl Gane in their UFC 285 heavyweight title bout. AFP

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  Jon Jones celebrates his victory over Ciryl Gane as he walks from the octagon after the UFC 285 mixed martial arts heavyweight title bout Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo / David Becker)

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  Jon Jones celebrates after defeating Ciryl Gane in their UFC 285 heavyweight title bout. AFP

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  Jon Jones after defeating Ciryl Gane in their UFC 285 heavyweight title bout. AFP

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  Ciryl Gane receives attention after losing to Jon Jones in their UFC 285 heavyweight title bout. AP

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  Jon Jones enters the arena for the UFC heavyweight championship fight against Ciryl Gane. Getty

Dana White said there is no denying Jon Jones is the greatest UFC athlete of all-time after the American marked his return to the octagon with a stunning victory to become heavyweight champion.

Competing for the first in more than three years, Jones submitted No 1-ranked contender Ciryl Gane in the first round of the headline bout at UFC 285 on Sunday morning to claim the vacant belt.

The former long-time light heavyweight champion, last in action in February 2020, needed only two minutes and four seconds to see off Gane by guillotine choke, sending the sell-out crowd at T-Mobile Arena wild.

In winning on heavyweight debut, Jones became only the eighth UFC athlete in history to secure belts in two different divisions. His professional record stands now at 27-1.

Speaking to reporters after the event, UFC president White said: “Anyone deny this guy is the 'Goat' [Greatest Of All Time] anymore? I don’t think anybody would deny it. Not only is he the greatest light heavyweight ever, he looks like the greatest heavyweight ever too.

“There were a couple of interviews leading up to this fight where he was saying, ‘I’m going to make this look easy.’ And I thought that was a silly thing to say. The guy is unbelievable, man. He really is.”

White has a long and colourful history with Jones, with the UFC's youngest champion in history involved in a pay dispute with the promotion for some time. It was one of the reasons that delayed Jones' comeback; his most recent outing before Sunday was his contentious victory against Dominick Reyes at UFC 247.

“Let’s just put it this way, there’s no doubt that Jon Jones is special,” White said. “He’s the greatest of all time; he’s undefeated; he’s never lost a fight ever in the UFC; he’s fought all the best competition out there.

“But dealing with him is like dealing with an artist, is the best way to explain it. I don’t know what’s going to happen from here on out. I’m just happy we got to see what we saw tonight."

White added: “I’m a big believer in ring rust and what it does to you. We didn’t even get to see any ring rust. Who knows if there was any ring rust tonight?

"He just went in there and literally made it look like nothing, like it was the easiest thing in the world for him to do. He’s a total freak of nature. And he’s the best ever.”

Jones, 35, said immediately afterwards that he wants to defend his title against two-time heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic.

Miocic, who has not competed since losing the belt to Francis Ngannou in March 2021, has already said he is targeting Jones for a clash during International Fight Week in Las Vegas this summer. That event is expected to be UFC 290 on July 8.

“I don’t know when, but he’s definitely fighting Stipe.” White said.

Meanwhile, White joked that he was concerned how Jones would celebrate his win. The Albuquerque, New Mexico native is known also for a series of transgressions outside the octagon.

When informed Jones had an afterparty booked in Las Vegas, White said: “It does worry me a little bit.

“I told [UFC chief business officer] Hunter [Campbell], ‘Charter a jet and send him right back to New Mexico right now. Let’s get him home, safe and sound’.”