Back in action for the first time since 2020, Jon Jones wants to become a two-division champion. Standing in his way is former contender Ciryl Gane. The two are ready to face one another for the vacant UFC heavyweight title at UFC 285 on March 4 in Las Vegas.
Jones last fought in February 2020 and is fighting in T-Mobile Arena for the first time since 2010. Gane will be making his T-Mobile Arena debut.
Jones is considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. The former UFC light heavyweight champion has beaten several MMA greats, including Stephan Bonnar, Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Vitor Belfort, and Glover Teixeira. The only loss he suffered was via a DQ. Jones has been nearly untouchable throughout his career, minus positive drug tests.
“Bones'’” decision to move up in weight, per the man himself, was a business move. He wanted more of a challenge and better pay. Jones got what he asked for with a new eight-fight deal.
MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 285 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
“I wasn’t happy with my pay, either. I’m stuck fighting guys like Reyes — who had been dreaming of fighting me, probably since college, and [he] was just relatively unknown to the general public. I just wanted more, I wanted to be nervous again,” Jones said on Unlocking the Cage with Jimmy Smith via MMA Fighting. I wanted to have fear again. I think fear is healthy, and now we’re in this position. The heavyweight division has never been scarier, and I’m glad to be in the middle of it.”
There was interest in a fight with Francis Ngannou, who left the UFC over a salary dispute. Jones now faces Gane, who is 8-1 in the UFC. The French fighter will be competing for the UFC heavyweight title for the second time. He lost to Ngannou for the belt at UFC 270 last January.
With Jones’ new deal with the UFC, how much is he expected to earn in this fight? Here is a full breakdown of the fighter's salaries.
Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane fight purse, prize money
When Jones signed for the heavyweight title fight, he signed a new eight-fight deal with the UFC. His advisor, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour that his current salary is at the top of the UFC’s heavyweight division.
“That deal which we made for Jon — in the history of the UFC — makes Jon now the highest-paid Heavyweight athlete. Overall, I think as [UFC Chief Business Officer] Hunter [Campbell] mentioned to me, probably the second highest number next to Conor McGregor,” Schaefer said via Bloody Elbow.
MORE: How much do tickets for UFC 285 cost?
In his last fight against Dominick Reyes, Jones made about $540,000. That includes fight bonuses.
It is unknown the exact amount both will make at UFC 285. However, per The Sports Daily, Jones made about $12,000 in his debut fight in 2008. When he won the UFC light heavyweight title in 2011 against Mauricio Rua, Jones took home $140,000. The highest salary Jones earned, until recently, was in 2017, when a win against Daniel Cormier was deemed a no-contest after testing positive for Turinabol. He earned $580,000.
At UFC 265 against Derrick Lewis, Gane was estimated to have made about $432,000. The California State Athletic Commission released the salaries of fighters who competed at UFC 270. Against Francis Ngannou, Gane took home $500,000, per MMA Fighting.
Against Tai Tuivasa in his last fight, Gane made $6,000, per MMA Junkie (via the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay program). He made an additional $50,000 thanks to a Fight of the Night bonus. It is unknown the total amount he made in the fight.
What is Jon Jones’ net worth?
Per Celebrity Net Worth, Jon Jones' net worth is about $3 million.
Comparing Jones to other fighters on the UFC roster, Israel Adesanya's net worth is about $4 million, while Leon Edwards has a net worth of $1.5 million. Conor McGregor’s net worth is about $200 million.
MORE: 'Definitely think I won': Volkanovski calls for UFC 284 rematch
What is Ciryl Gane's net worth?
Gane’s net worth is reportedly about $1-$2 million.
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.
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+.
MORE: Israel Adesanya backs Francis Ngannou's decision to leave the UFC
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.
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.
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.
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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