UFC 285: Top 5 most memorable moments

Jon Jones made his victorious comeback at UFC 285 following a three-year hiatus. After deciding to abdicate his 205-pound crown, fans were eager to watch the GOAT claimant enter the octagon for the first fight. No one was dissatisfied with his performance except his rival, Ciryl Gane.

Advertisment

The PPV, however, included other noteworthy activities and results. In many respects, it has set the tone for the remainder of the year and cemented its status as a challenging PPV to beat. The most notable UFC event to date is still UFC 285, even as the brand waits for Conor McGregor to return.

It was a star-studded affair with one of the strongest matchup cards the promotion had put together in recent years. Can't-miss fights were there in the prelims as well. The five most significant events at the event are included in this list in order of importance.

5. Cody Garbrandt's first win in three years

Advertisment

Cody Garbrandt (Source: Twitter)

Nobody could have predicted Cody Garbrandt would endure such a severe, tough time a few years ago. 'No Love' once dethroned Dominick Cruz to take the latter's bantamweight reign as the unbeaten knockout artist. Sadly, those times have long since passed. In his previous six fights, Garbrandt had only achieved one victory. Trevin Jones, an unranked fighter with 13 wins, 9 defeats, and one no-contest, was his opponent on the pay-per-view. At a fork in the road, Garbrandt was. He would have most certainly been fired from the UFC after a defeat. Instead, 'No Love' defeated his opponent to earn his first victory in three years despite initially appearing virtually unbeatable.

4. Bo Nickal's exceptional performance

Advertisment

Bo Nickal (Source: Twitter)

Bo Nickal, who had just three professional fights under his belt then, was chosen by the UFC to open the PPV main card at UFC 285. The decorated wrestler was subjected to much pressure from the promotion. He was positioned as a potential star and title challenger. Jamie Pickett was his rival. He is significantly more experienced than the three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion, despite having a record of 13 victories and 8 defeats. Nickal disproved his detractors by steamrolling his opponent as the cage door banged shut. After two minutes, he secured a knee-tap takedown and proceeded to an arm-triangle choke. Nickal, who was asked to begin the PPV main event on his UFC debut, not only triumphed but also demonstrated that he was up to the task with a commanding victory.

3. Shavkat Rakhmonov's rise as UFC's new welterweight contender

Shavkat Rakhmonov (Source: Twitter)

Shavkat Rakhmonov and Khamzat Chimaev are similar in many aspects. The two fighters are unbeatable superstars with a wide range of finishing skills in both grappling and striking. Also, they are the biggest 170-pounders in the welterweight division, making them physical specimens. The distinction between them is that "Borz" is likelier to use foul language. This, together with his speedy turnarounds, made him a sensation overnight.

Meanwhile, 'The Nomad' is a silent assassin who handles himself respectfully. Consequently, he managed to avoid being noticed. Yet, Shavkat Rakhmonov's fight with Geoff Neal at UFC 285 ended up mirroring Khamzat Chimaev's conflict with Gilbert Burns. However, "The Nomad" won via a standing rear-naked choke to keep his perfect finishing record and vault into contender status rather than by split decision.

2. Alexa Grasso with the year's biggest upset

Alexa Grasso (Source: Twitter)

Fans frequently associate domination with Valentina Shevchenko. The former multiple-time Muay Thai champion has easily dispatched most of her rivals, leaving no space for doubt as to the outcome. Sadly, "Bullet "'s" most recent match was much closer than anticipated. She battled to defeat Taila Santos at UFC 275 before an unintentional headbutt altered the contest's outcome. In her subsequent fight, "Bullet" attempted to defend her championship against Alexa Grasso at UFC 285. Shevchenko discovered the fight much harder than anyone had imagined, not the straightforward match she had anticipated.

Grasso could cover the gap much more quickly than Shevchenko could handle, thanks to her excellent hand speed and swift, linear movement. 'Bullet' was forced to use takedowns because he was outstruck. Unfortunately, in the fourth round Shevchenko was exposed to a back-take that led to a face-crank after a disastrous spinning back-fist. She had no choice but to give up and name her Mexican opponent the new women's flyweight champion due to the force of Grasso's clutch.

1. Jon Jones cements GOAT status

Jon Jones (Source: Twitter)

Fans hadn't seen Jon Jones in the octagon before UFC 285 in three years. Since Cain Velasquez ruled the 265-pound weight division, talk about the former 205-pounder's upcoming heavyweight debut has been rife. However, "Bones" never seemed to keep his word. 'Bones' opponent was Ciryl Gane, the former interim heavyweight champion, rather than the AKA star. As soon as their fight started, Jones ran over "Bon Gamin," immediately dismissing concerns about cage rust and the difficulties of the new category. 'Bones' ultimately achieved his goal of becoming the heavyweight champion by defeating him. Not only did the victory give him the 265-pound title, but it also made him the indisputable GOAT of mixed martial arts.