Jon Jones Says His UFC Return Will Be Against Cyril Gane For The Heavyweight Championship On March 4th

Guess who's back - back again....

It has been 1,071 long days since we've seen Jon Jones - arguably the greatest fighter in the history of mixed martial arts - step foot in the UFC octagon, but it appears the wait is almost over.

Earlier today, the T-Mobile Arena put up a building-wide advertisement for UFC 285, featuring the return of Jon Jones against French phenom Cyril Gane for the heavyweight championship of the world….

Jon Jones' return (and debut at heavyweight) has been rumored for literally years at this point, but with all of us having heard NOTHING about this fight prior to today, I was shocked to see the news break like this. I mean - a bit underwhelming, no? No big trailer, or even a cool poster announcement?! Just a matchup screen on the side of an arena?!

Do we think somebody at the T-Mobile Arena ran that ad too early? If so, the Big Goof aka Dana White is gonna be livid. You remember how pissed he was when Brock Lesnar's return at UFC 200 broke before their trailer dropped. I thought he was going to have Ariel Helwani decapitated live on the Las Vegas Strip.

Some have suggested they’re doing the ol' 'advertise the fight to pressure both sides into signing' plan, but Jones is talking about the fight like it's a done deal in that video above, so I doubt it. 

Jones is also pronouncing Cyril Gane like "Cereal Gain" which made me laugh.

If you don't know Gane, he's an absolute savage and a REEEAAAL test for Jones at heavyweight in my eyes. He's the most athletic guy in that division and has only lost to Francis Ngannou.

The UFC is back with their first card of the year tonight, and it's been a very enjoyable card thus far - check out this knockout from Khabib's cousin Umar Nurmagomedov….

….we've still yet to hear an official announcement from the UFC on Jones/Gane, but I'll let you know if news breaks during the card. It certainly wouldn't be the first time a steroid abuser took on the French.

UPDATE: Dana White just confirmed this fight….

….and announced Francis Ngannou has turned down a deal that would make him the highest paid heavyweight in UFC history. 

Sounds like he's boxing and/or PFL bound, folks….

2023 continues to be batshit insane in MMA.