UFC 232 predictions -- Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson: Fight card, staff picks, odds, location
A pair of highly anticipated title fights go down in Los Angeles on Saturday night
On Saturday night in Inglewood, California, Jon Jones will once again make his return to the Octagon. No, not from injury or a contract dispute with UFC brass, but once again from an issue with drug testing from USADA. And if that wasn't bad enough, Jones once again popped for another issue the Sunday before UFC 232, which forced the promotion to move the entire event from Las Vegas to California on a week's notice because Nevada would not sanction the former light heavyweight champion.
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Now, Jones will still square off against Alexander Gustafsson in a highly anticipated rematch for the vacant 205-pound strap, but questions are still abundant after Jones seemingly received preferential treatment from the organization.
In the co-main event, Cris Cyborg will put her featherweight title on the line against 135-pound queen Amanda Nunes in what is arguably the biggest women's fight in UFC history. The two have shared respect in the lead up, but clearly understand the importance of the moment.
Here's a look at the complete card with the latest odds from Bovada.
UFC 232 odds
| Favorite | Underdog | Weightclass |
|---|---|---|
Jon Jones -300 | Alexander Gustafsson +230 | Light heavyweight title |
| Cris Cyborg (c) -250 | Amanda Nunes +190 | Women's featherweight title |
Michael Chiesa -160 | Carlos Condit +130 | Welterweight |
| Ilir Latifi -150 | Corey Anderson +120 | Light heavyweight |
| Chad Mendes -155 | Alexander Volkanovski +125 | Featherweight |
Walt Harris -175 | Andrei Arlovkski +145 | Heavyweight |
| Cat Zingano -150 | Megan Anderson +120 | Women's featherweight |
Petr Yan -310 | Douglas Silva de Andrade +240 | Bantamweight |
| Ryan Hall -450 | BJ Penn +325 | Lightweight |
| Nathaniel Wood -115 | Andre Ewell -115 | Bantamweight |
| Bevon Lewis -120 | Uriah Hall -110 | Middleweight |
| Curits Millender -150 | Siyar Bahadurzada +120 | Welterweight |
| Montel Jackson -165 | Brian Kelleher +135 | Bantamweight |
With a big card on tap, our experts took a crack at picking each of the main card fights. Here are your pick makers: Brian Campbell (combat sports writer), Matthew Coca (producer), Michael Mormile (producer), Jack Crosby (editor) and Brandon Wise (editor).
UFC 232 predictions
| Fight | Campbell | Mormile | Coca | Crosby | Wise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jones vs. Gustafsson | Jones | Jones | Jones | Jones | Jones |
| Cyborg vs. Nunes | Cyborg | Cyborg | Nunes | Cyborg | Nunes |
| Chiesa vs. Condit | Condit | Chiesa | Condit | Chiesa | Chiesa |
| Latifi vs. Anderson | Latifi | Anderson | Latifi | Latifi | Latifi |
| Mendes vs. Volkanovski | Mendes | Volkanovski | Mendes | Mendes | Volkanovski |
| Overall (2018) | 32-32-0 | 38-26-0 | 35-29-0 | 32-32-0 | 37-27-0 |
Campbell on why Jones will win: For as many questions as Jones must answer entering this fight due to his numerous drug infractions and overall inactivity, let's not forget that Gustafsson will need to answer many of the same. Although it seems insane to consider, Jones has actually fought more recently than his opponent has. And even though their first fight was an instant classic, Jones admitted to poor training and drug use in the lead up. Gustafsson is a great fighter but Jones has consistently proven he is even better, if not outright the G.O.A.T. Look for Jones via mid-round stoppage in a slugfest.
Wise on why Jones will win: There's an argument to be made that Jones' in-cage fighting style parallels that of his personal life. He's a rugged, win-at-all-costs warrior who has brought more than a few questions into his training methods. We also have a tendency to think the unstoppable warriors will never fall and are always a fight too late in picking that first loss. However, I don't think it happens here. Gustafsson will bring that same fire and forward pressure into this rematch, but it just won't be enough to get the stoppage he needs to get the win.
Wise on why Nunes will win: There's plenty of reason to question Nunes in this matchup. But don't be quick to write off the bantamweight queen. She has taken out the best of the best at 135 pounds with a resume built to add another impressive name to the list. Not to mention, this is a more natural weight class for the Brazilian. Nunes' speed and longevity will pay of in the long run and lead to a somewhat shocking decision victory.
Crosby on why Cyborg will win: Cyborg has long been waiting for the moment where she feels she'll be fully-recognized as the best in women's MMA. She wanted that moment to come by defeating Ronda Rousey when the former women's bantamweight champion was tearing her way through UFC, but she'll be more than happy to take it at the expense of Nunes. Not taking anything away from the impressive run that Nunes has been on, but in this battle of two vicious strikers, the power of Cyborg will simply be too much in the end.
















