Jon Jones will make his UFC comeback in March, it has been introduced
Jon Jones will face Ciryl Gane for the UFC heavyweight title in Las Vegas in March after promotion president Dana White confirmed that now-former champion Francis Ngannou has been launched from the corporate.
Jones and Gane will face off in the principle occasion at T-Cell Enviornment at UFC 285 on March four, marking the return of the person many contemplate to be the best MMA competitor of all time.
Former light-heavyweight champion Jones has not fought since defending his 205lbs title towards Dominik Reyes in February 2020. The following interval has seen Jones constantly tease a step as much as heavyweight in a bid to be topped the UFC’s newest two-weight champion.
Jones, 35, will now get that probability – though it gained’t be the bout many had clamored for towards Cameroonian fighter Ngannou, after White confirmed that the UFC had been unable to agree contract phrases with the hard-hitting heavyweight star.
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White mentioned Ngannou, 36, had been provided a deal to make him the “highest-paid heavyweight” in UFC historical past – eclipsing former famous person Brock Lesnar – however that he had turned down the contract proposal.
Ngannou final fought in January 2022, when he made a primary title protection with a unanimous determination victory over Gane. Ngannou later introduced he would endure main knee surgical procedure, though relations have been strained with the UFC hierarchy for a while, with the fighter complaining that he has not been paid his value. The heavyweight big has additionally touted a crossover to boxing to face the likes of Tyson Fury.
Saying the Jones-Gane struggle following the UFC’s occasion in Las Vegas on Saturday, promotion president White defined the circumstances surrounding Ngannou’s exit after seven years and 14 fights.
“I’ve instructed you guys this earlier than, in the event you don’t need to be right here, you don’t should be,” White instructed the media. “I feel Francis is in a spot proper now the place he doesn’t need to take quite a lot of danger. He seems like he’s in a very good place the place he might struggle lesser opponents and make more cash. We’re going to let him do this, launch him from his contract and quit our proper to match.”
White mentioned that Jones had been able to struggle anybody within the heavyweight ranks upon his return. Regardless of being concerned in contract disputes of his personal with the UFC in recent times, Jones has signed a brand new eight-fight cope with the promotion, in accordance with White.
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Jones commonly options in lists of the best MMA practitioners of all time. His solely defeat in a 28-fight profession has come through disqualification in a 2009 contest with Matt Hamill, whereas the opposite blemish on Jones’ report got here in 2017 when his KO win towards Daniel Cormier was later declared a ‘no contest’ on account of a doping violation.
Along with doping suspensions, Jones has confronted notoriety for a number of run-ins with the legislation. In September 2021, he was detained in Las Vegas simply hours after being inducted into the UFC Corridor of Fame.
Jones shall be welcomed on his return to the UFC by Gane – the highly-rated French star who claimed the interim heavyweight title and was undefeated in 10 fights earlier than struggling a call loss to Ngannou of their title struggle 12 months in the past. Gane, 32, bounced again from that defeat by knocking out Tai Tuivasa within the third spherical of their foremost occasion at UFC Paris in September.
