{"id":186940,"date":"2023-01-15T03:55:56","date_gmt":"2023-01-15T03:55:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/jon-jones-vs-ciryl-gane-set-for-heavyweight-title-fight-at-ufc-285-francis-ngannou-a-free-agent\/"},"modified":"2023-01-15T03:55:56","modified_gmt":"2023-01-15T03:55:56","slug":"jon-jones-vs-ciryl-gane-set-for-heavyweight-title-fight-at-ufc-285-francis-ngannou-a-free-agent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/jon-jones-vs-ciryl-gane-set-for-heavyweight-title-fight-at-ufc-285-francis-ngannou-a-free-agent\/","title":{"rendered":"Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane set for heavyweight title fight at UFC 285, Francis Ngannou a free agent"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Jon Jones finally has a date and opponent for his heavyweight debut \u2014 and the best heavyweight in the world is no longer a UFC fighter.<\/p>\n

Jones, 35, one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in MMA and the most decorated light heavyweight champion in UFC history, is set to meet one-time title challenger Ciryl Gane for the UFC heavyweight title on March 4 in the main event of UFC 285. UFC president Dana White announced the news Saturday at the UFC Vegas 67 post-fight press conference.<\/p>\n

The news means that UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has vacated his title and is now a free agent, White said. Ngannou captured his title in 2021 with a knockout of Stipe Miocic and defended it in January 2022 with a hard-fought decision over Gane. He has been sidelined while rehabilitating a knee injury ever since, however he will now look for a new home as one of the most coveted free agents to hit the open market in MMA history.<\/p>\n

Jones (26-1, 1 NC) is widely considered one of the greatest fighters to ever compete. A two-time UFC light heavyweight champion, Jones racked up 11 title defenses from 2011-20, defeating a slew of all-time greats including Daniel Cormier, Glover Teixeira, Maur\u00edcio Rua, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, and more.<\/p>\n