Dana White, Jon Jones Critique Lackluster Heavyweight Headliner at UFC Fight Night 186

Neither the UFC president nor the man who plans on capturing heavyweight gold in the near future was particularly impressed with the main event at UFC Fight Night 186.

Ciryl Gane improved to 8-0 with a five-round unanimous decision against Jairzinho Rozenstruik at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night, but it was a contest largely devoid of action as the Frenchman was content to pick his opponent apart on the outside for the better part of 25 minutes.

According to Dana White, Gane still has a long way to go before he can be regarded as one of the top contenders in the heavyweight division.

“Everybody’s talking about Ciryl being this big contender, but look what Francis [Ngannou] did to Jairzinho,” White told Yahoo Sports. “This was [Ciryl Gane’s] coming out party and his chance to show the world who he is. He won, but let’s leave it at that, he won.”

While Gane didn’t dispatch Rozenstruik in 20 seconds like Ngannou did at UFC 249 this past May, but “Bon Gamin” said that he did his best to finish his opponent when White’s criticism was relayed to him.

“I can understand that,” Gane said. “He is the boss, and he wants to make money, so you want the guy marketable. The people want the show. They want the big KO. So yes, I don’t finish the fight. I tried, but I don’t do it. I can understand that [criticism], but I’m OK.”

Meanwhile, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was an interested observer during the UFC Fight Night 186 headliner, and he sent a message to the heavyweight division in the middle of Gane vs. Rozenstruik.

“These boys better get used to pushing the pace, all this standing around ain’t gonna fly when daddy comes home,” Jones wrote on Twitter.

These boys better get used to pushing the pace, all this standing around ain’t gonna fly when daddy comes home. #ufcvegas20

— BONY (@JonnyBones) February 28, 2021

Jones is expected to make his heavyweight debut in a title bout against the winner of the Stipe Miocic-Ngannou championship rematch later this year.

“Heavyweights are hit or miss,” White said. “I thought it was going to be a much better fight than it was. I think Jon Jones said it best in his tweet, though. These guys need to get a lot busier.”