Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jones' long-awaited heavyweight debut takes center stage at T-Mobile Arena.
One of the biggest PPV events of the year is nearly upon us. UFC 285 is set to go down on Saturday night in Las Vegas with the long-awaited return of Jon Jones tipping the bill. Jones will make his debut in the heavyweight division when he takes on former title challenger Ciryl Gane in the main event.
The fight announcement was paired with the disappointing news that UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou was stripped of the title after being released from the organization. Jones long dominated the 205-pound division with his elite striking, wrestling, distance management and fight IQ. Gane is an athletic, nimble and rangy striker packing a serious punch. Gane has been nearly flawless since debuting with the UFC in 2019, going 8-1 with a close decision loss to Ngannou as the only blemish on his record.
The co-main event sees another stellar champion return to the Octagon when women's flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko takes on Alexa Grasso. Shevchenko is unbeaten since the division's inception in 2018 with nine straight victories. Grasso, meanwhile, enters having won her last four contests.
This card is among the deepest in years in terms of talent. Look no further than the featured bout where rising lightweight contenders Matuesz Gamrot and Jalin Turner square off. Plus, undefeated contender Shavkat Rakhmonov is back in a welterweight contest against veteran Geoff Neal. And Bo Nickal makes his much-anticipated debut when he takes on Jamie Pickett at middleweight.