A weight change can benefit a fighter or hold them down like an anchor. Competing in the 205-pound division his entire career, Jon Jones took three years out to prepare for a move to heavyweight. Will he have any luck against a long-standing heavyweight at UFC 285?
Jones faces Ciryl Gane for the vacant UFC heavyweight title on March 4. It is the first time Jones, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, has fought in a new division.
Gane, a Muay Thai champion, turned pro in 2018. Joining the UFC a year later, he has beaten the likes of Junior dos Santos, Alexander Volkov, and Derrick Lewis. His last fight took place in September, when he knocked out Tai Tuivasa. A natural heavyweight, Gane insists that he's ready for the challenge.
In fact, the French fighter believes that he will benefit from Jones' moving up.
MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 285 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
“Maybe he going to be quick. He’s going to be fast, technical, of course. Everybody knows that. But I did my camp for a guy who looks like a heavyweight… I think he’s going to be a little bit less faster than before,” Gane told TMZ Sports. "When my weight was around 220 pounds, I was a little bit faster… He’s going to have speed… I think he will probably love to go with the ground game. I’m going to manage this. I’m going to manage my distance, I’m going to punch him, I’m going to touch him like I do every time.”
Jones holds multiple records in the UFC. He is the youngest (23) champion, has the most (14) UFC title fight wins, and has the longest unbeaten streak (18) in UFC history. Making his MMA debut in 2008, Jones has beaten the likes of Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson, Vitor Belfort, Chael Sonnen, Alexander Gustafsson, and Daniel Cormier. Each performance was better than the last.
Training at Fight Ready MMA in Scottsdale, Arizona, Jones has worked with heavyweights Walt Harris and Maurice Greene, along with former bantamweight and flyweight champion Henry Cejudo. Cejudo and MMA coach Eddie Cha saw firsthand Jones' growth throughout the transition.
“He's just different, man,” Cejudo told UFC.com about Jones. “He’s got light heavyweight speed, heavyweight power, (and) he’s got length. It's absolutely ridiculous – his ability to be light on his feet and still be tricky. I think that's the biggest thing with Jon. What makes Jon Jones Jon Jones is the fact that he's got tricks up his sleeve.”
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The last time Jon Jones fought on a PPV was UFC 247. At the time, fans had to pay $64.99 for that event. Here's all the information you need to watch UFC 285, including the price of the event.
Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane PPV price: How much does UFC 285 cost?
- $79.99 (current ESPN+ subscribers)
- $124.98 (new subscribers)
In the U.S., the UFC 285 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 285 is $79.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $124.98 for the UFC 285 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of more than 30 percent.
MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 285 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $9.99/month |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $99.99/year |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $12.99/month |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $19.99/month |
| UFC PPV Standalone | $79.99 each |
| UFC PPV Package (UFC PPV & ESPN+ Annual) | $124.98, then $99.99/year |
| UFC PPV & The Disney Bundle | $79.99, then $12.99/month |
Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform.
How to watch UFC 285: Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane
| Country | Date | Channel + Live Stream (main card) |
| United States | Sat. March 4 | ESPN+, ESPN PPV |
| Canada | Sat. March 4 | BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
| United Kingdom | Sun. March 5 | BT Sport |
| Australia | Sun. March 5 | Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
The main card for UFC 285 is available in the U.S. and Mexico on the ESPN+ subscription streaming service for a pay-per-view cost. Earlier fights are viewable live on ESPN+.
In Canada, the main card pay-per-view is available on BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.
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In the United Kingdom, the main card will be available on BT Sport, with the prelims on UFC Fight Pass.
In Australia, the main card will be on Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.
When is UFC 285: Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane?
- Date: Saturday, March 4 | Sunday, March 5
- FIGHT PASS Prelims: 6 p.m. ET | 11 p.m. ET GMT | 10 a.m. AEDT
- Prelims: 8 p.m. ET | 1 a.m. GMT | 12 p.m. AEDT
- Main card: 10 p.m. ET | 3 a.m. GMT | 2 p.m. AEDT
- Main event: 12:15 a.m. ET | 5:15 a.m. GMT | 4:15 p.m. AEDT (approx.)
UFC 285 takes place on March 4.
The early prelims start at 6 p.m. ET | 11 p.m. ET GMT | 10 a.m. AEDT, followed by the prelims at 8 p.m. ET | 1 a.m. GMT | 12 p.m. AEDT. The UFC 285 main card will begin at 10 p.m. ET | 3 a.m. GMT | 2 p.m. AEDT.
Jones and Gane should make their way to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. ET | 5:15 a.m. GMT | 4:15 p.m. AEDT, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
UFC 285 fight card
Main card
- Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane for the UFC heavyweight title
- Valentina Shevchenko (c) vs. Alexa Grasso for the UFC flyweight title
- Geoff Neal vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov; Welterweights
- Jalin Turner vs. Mateusz Gamrot; Lightweights
- Bo Nickal vs. Jamie Pickett; Middleweights
Prelims
- Cody Garbrandt vs. Trevin Jones; Bantamweights
- Derek Brunson vs. Dricus du Plessis; Middleweights
- Viviane Araujo vs. Amanda Ribas; Flyweights
- Julian Marquez vs. Marc-Andre Barriault; Middleweights
FIGHT Pass Prelims
- Ian Garry vs. Song Kenan; Welterweights
- Jessica Penne vs. Tabatha Ricci; Strawweights
- Cameron Saaiman vs. Leomana Martinez; Bantamweights
- Da’Mon Blackshear vs. Farid Basharat Bantamweights
- Loik Radzhabov vs. Esteban Ribovics; Lightweights
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