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FRANCIS NGANNOU GETS STRIPPED & JON JONES RETURNS TO FIGHT CIRYL GANE FOR THE TITLE

Las Vegas, NV (January 15th, 2023)– The return of Jon Jones has finally been announced and this time the fight will be against former title challenger Ciryl Gane for the official UFC Heavyweight championship.

UFC President Dana White announced yesterday that UFC World Heavyweight MMA champion Francis Ngannou, from a torn ACL and MCL before his UFC 270 win against Ciryl Gane a year ago in January 2022, has been released from his UFC contract and stripped of his title by the UFC. The UFC claimed it offered Ngannou the most lucrative contract in UFC history, with the opportunity to earn more than the retired Brock Lesnar did during his career. Ngannou turned it down.

Instead, former UFC World Light Heavyweight champion Jon ‘Bones’ Jones, after an absence from The Octagon of almost two years, signed a new eight-fight deal with the UFC and will face Ciryl Gane for the vacant UFC World Heavyweight MMA title on March 4, 2023, at UFC 285. UFC 285 pay-per-view is set for T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Dana also said no one would not be able to box if they are the UFC. Francis did express interest in boxing while under the UFC contract. 

 Jones, considered the greatest MMA fighter of all time, has been inactive since February 2020, marked by troubles with the law. In September 2021, Jones was arrested in Las Vegas and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery violence, and injuring or tampering with a vehicle. The domestic battery charge was eventually dropped. Jones pleaded guilty to misdemeanor destruction of property.

 According to White, “I’ve told you guys this before. If you don’t want to be here, you don’t have to be. I think Francis is in a place right now where he doesn’t want to take a lot of risk. He feels like he’s in a good position where he could fight lesser opponents and (at the same time still) make more money. We’re going to let him do that, (so we released) release him from his contract and give up our right to match.”





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Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert is the Head Boxing Correspondent for Real Combat Media Boxing since 2013. Robert is also a photographer and ringside reporter for the RCM Tri State region which includes NJ, NY and PA. Robert conducts exclusive interviews, provides historical boxing articles and provides editorial ringside coverage of major boxing events. You can contact or follow Robert on Facebook and by email at [email protected].