Jon Jones will return to the Octagon in March after a more than three-year absence when he meets Ciryl Gane for the now vacant heavyweight title at UFC 285.
Jones (26-1 MMA, 20-1 UFC), a former longtime light heavyweight champion, has touted a return to action for his heavyweight debut since vacating the 205-pound title in May 2020. Now the time has finally come. He meets Gane (11-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) for the belt that the UFC took from Francis Ngannou (17-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) after a contract dispute with promotion.
UFC President Dana White confirmed the matchup Saturday after UFC Fight Night 217 after photos of a digital billboard at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas surfaced on social media. The same venue is set to host the March 4 event, which will be broadcast on pay-per-view following the prelims expected for ESPN and ESPN+.
White said Ngannou has been released from his UFC contract and can fight elsewhere.
“We’ve been negotiating with (Ngannou) for more than two years,” White said, adding that Ngannou’s knee, which was recently surgically repaired, could also be a problem for him. “We offered Francis a deal that would have made him the highest paid heavyweight in the history of the company – more than (Brock) Lesnar, more than anyone else, and he turned the deal down.”
Jones, who many consider one of the greatest fighters in MMA history, has not competed since UFC 247 in February 2020. He edged out a close and controversial decision over Dominick Reyes in this fight for his 13th career title fight win at 205 pounds.
Shortly thereafter, Jones committed to a heavyweight promotion he had been planning for more than a decade. However, he wanted a better contract from the UFC and held out hoping for a better deal. It’s unknown if Jones renegotiated the contract he wanted or if he will fight on his previous terms.
For most of Jones’ division changes, Ngannou and Stipe Miocic were the two names most associated with his heavyweight debut. Instead, he faces former interim champion Gane, who was KO’d by Tai Tuivasa in the third round at UFC Fight Night 209 in September. Gane lost a unification fight to his former teammate Ngannou in January 2022 at UFC 270.
The latest UFC 285 lineup now includes:
- Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane – for the vacant heavyweight title
- Derek Brunson vs. Dricus Du Plessis
- Geoff Neal vs Shavkat Rakhmonov
- Viviane Araujo vs. Amanda Ribas
- Bo Nickal vs Jamie Pickett
- Jessica Penne vs. Tabatha Ricci
- Farid Basharat vs Da’Mon Blackshear
- Julio Arce vs. Cody Garbrandt
- Mario Bautista versus Guido Cannetti
- Marc Andre Barriault vs Julian Marquez
- Kamuela Kirk vs. Esteban Ribovics
Visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 285 for more information on the card.
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Photos: Jon Jones over the years
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Photos: Ciryl Gane over the years
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