Jon Jones vs Ciryl Gane CONFIRMED with UFC heavyweight making long-awaited return after fight is leaked
JON JONES’ UFC return has been leaked – as a Las Vegas venue displayed a huge advert promoting his next fight.
With Francis Ngannou vacating the heavyweight crown – Jones is now set to take on Ciryl Gane in March.
The clash has now been confirmed with fight chief Dana White also revealing Ngannou was leaving UFC after contract talks failed.
Former light-heavyweight king and pound-for-pound No 1 Jones, 35, has been bulking up for the higher division in nearly three years out.
And a massive ad on the outside of the outside of Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena suggested “Bones” would meet 32-year-old Frenchman Gane at UFC 285 before it was officially confirmed.
Fellow icon Ngannou, 36, has been in a costly wrangle with the UFC over his desire to add boxing to his MMA schedule.
The Cameroonian claims he’s lost millions from possible UFC fights as he wants to negotiate a deal allowing him to box in showpiece contests.
Ngannou last fought when defeating ex-training partner Gane to retain his title on a unanimous points decision in January 2022.
He surprised many that night by using superior grappling to end ex-interim champ Gane’s unbeaten record.
But for now it’s Jones who has wrestled back the spotlight.
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And meeting Gane in two months’ time would captivate a sport where some rate him as the greatest ever.
Some reports, however, suggest the T-Mobile Arena’s banner ad for a March match-up was just a “behind-the-scenes mistake”.
But the prospect of such a mega bout is being taken seriously by others.
Gane, in fact, recently called out Jones for a fight at UFC 285 as he wrote on Twitter: “Where you at Jonny Bones? I’m free this March, Vegas.”
And as long ago as last summer UFC chief Dana White insisted Jones was “ready to go” for his comeback.