UFC 285 Jones vs. Gane: Prop Bet Odds & Picks (2023)
With its first two PPV events of 2023, the UFC ventured abroad, electrifying the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, earlier this month after doing the same for Rio de Janeiro’s Jeunesse Arena in January. But now, it’s time to return home to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for UFC 285, where a huge card highlighted by two championship battles is scheduled to take place this weekend.
Another card presents another round of opportunity for some of my top UFC predictions as we dive into my favorite prop bets throughout the card.
- UFC 285 Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane
- UFC 285 Bo Nickal vs. Jamie Pickett
- UFC 285 Valentina Shevchenko vs. Alexa Grasso
- UFC 285 Geoff Neal vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov
- UFC 285 Mateusz Gamrot vs. Jalin Turner
- UFC 285 PrizePicks Fighter Prop Bets & Picks
- UFC 285 Prelims
Top Prop Bets for UFC Vegas 70
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
Julian Marquez (+105) vs. Marc-Andre Barriault (-125)
Marc-Andre Barriault (MAB), who began his UFC career with three straight losses, has subsequently gone 3-2 with victories over Abu Azaitar, Dalcha Lungiambula, and Jordan Wright. MAB uses his striking to drag the opponent into deep waters and with above-average cardio for this division, he should be able to accomplish the same thing here with striking advantages all around.
As for Marquez, a two-fight winning streak in 2021 was stopped in June by Gregory Rodrigues after he spent nearly three years outside the octagon from 2018 to 2020. Although his previous three victories had all been by way of submission, Marquez’s defeat marked the first time in the UFC that he was unable to use his ground game to his advantage.
In addition, MAB ought to be able to thwart those advances with a 61% takedown defense.
The largest advantage, in my opinion, comes from MAB’s use of training sessions with Marquez’s most recent foe Rodrigues in his buildup to this bout. Moreover, Daniel Mendez, Rodrigues’ trainer and striking coach, has been working with him and will be in his corner for this bout.
With edges everywhere, MAB gets it done early here.
Bet: Marc-Andre Barriault – Inside the Distance (+130 via DraftKings)
Jon Jones (-170) vs. Ciryl Gane (+145)
This one is going against the market, but I just don’t see this one going the distance. When these odds opened up, Gane was actually the slight favorite, and I think the market has largely overreacted to a fighter in Jones, who, while the GOAT, has been inactive for three-plus years.
That doesn’t mean I don’t think he’ll be aggressive, though.
Definitely the most athletic fighter Gane will face, Jones will most be a threat to the Frenchman on the ground. In his sole loss against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, Gane struggled mightily on the ground.
That’s a major problem here, as Jones is one of the best wrestlers the heavyweight division has ever seen.
Even if Gane can force the striking, I expect one of these guys to end the fight within five rounds.
Bet: Fight doesn’t go to Decision (-105 via DraftKings)
Whether you're new to sports betting or a betting pro, our How To Bet and Sports Betting Strategy and Advice pages are for you. You can get started with our Sports Betting 101 Section - including 10 Sports Betting Tips for Beginners - or head to more advanced sports betting strategies - like Key Numbers When Betting Against the Spread - to learn more.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts
Johnny is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Johnny, check out his free UFC picks newsletter and follow him @JohnnyCovers.