Jones to fight Gane for heavyweight title; Ngannou leaving UFC

Jon Jones is back. And Francis Ngannou is gone.

The UFC released Ngannou and stripped him of the heavyweight title after the two sides failed to come to terms on a new contract, UFC president Dana White announced Saturday. Ngannou, who fought out his deal in January 2022, is now an unrestricted free agent.

Meanwhile, Jones, the former light heavyweight champion, is set to return against Ciryl Gane in a bout for the vacant heavyweight title at UFC 285 on March 4 in Las Vegas.

White said the UFC waived its exclusive negotiating window with Ngannou and its right to match any offer he receives, meaning the former heavyweight champion can officially do business elsewhere effective immediately.

White said Ngannou rejected an offer that would've made him the highest-paid heavyweight in the promotion's history, including former UFC superstar Brock Lesnar.

"I think Francis is in a place right now where he doesn't want to take a lot of risk, feels like he's in a good position where he could fight lesser opponents and make more money," White said. "So we're going to let him do that. ... He can go wherever he wants and do whatever he wants."

Jones signed a new eight-fight deal with the promotion ahead of the Gane fight, White said.

The UFC had been targeting a heavyweight title fight between Ngannou and Jones, White said. Jones was ready to compete in late 2022, White added, but the promotion delayed his return in hopes that Ngannou would sign a new deal. It eventually had to move on without Ngannou.

"Jon Jones was literally ready to fight anybody," White said. "He didn't care who it was. And we could've done a fight with Jon back in October, November, December. We kept trying to get this deal done with Francis, and then finally we got to the realization that it wasn't going to happen."

Ngannou parts ways with the UFC in an unprecedented fashion. He is the top heavyweight in the world and is currently ranked fifth in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings.

"The Predator," who won the heavyweight title by knocking out Stipe Miocic in March 2021, is coming off a unanimous decision win over Gane last January. Ngannou had one fight left on his contract heading into that bout and sat out the rest of the year after undergoing knee surgery in March. He tore his MCL and damaged his ACL three weeks before the Gane fight.

The Cameroon native had been at odds with the UFC early into his championship reign. The two sides couldn't agree on the date for his first title defense, and the promotion ended up booking Gane against Derrick Lewis for the interim heavyweight title in August 2021.

The conflict between Ngannou and the UFC only worsened after Ngannou defeated Gane. Ngannou said he wanted better treatment from the UFC and wasn't simply after more money. He wanted a deal that allowed him to pursue other opportunities, such as a boxing match with heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

"They hold you in captivity," Ngannou said of the UFC during an appearance on "The MMA Hour" in January 2022. "You can't do anything. You have no rights. The contract is one-sided."

Jones, who was at odds with the UFC himself in recent years, hasn't stepped into the Octagon since a successful light heavyweight title defense against Dominick Reyes in February 2020. He relinquished his title that summer and said he was moving up to the heavyweight division, but a financial dispute with the UFC delayed his return.

"Bones" initially pushed for a superfight with Ngannou in 2020, but he said the UFC was "unwilling" to pay him more to move up in weight for the Ngannou bout. Then, in 2021, Jones was expected to challenge the winner of Miocic-Ngannou for the heavyweight title, but he again failed to come to terms with the UFC. Jones asked the promotion to release him from his contract multiple times. Jones hinted at his return multiple times in 2022 - either against Ngannou or Miocic - but neither matchup was finalized.

Jones, one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, will finally compete at heavyweight after promising he would one day move up in weight over a decade ago. He held the 205-pound title on two occasions, recording 11 title defenses, and he holds the record for most wins in UFC title fights with 14. Jones is riding an 18-fight unbeaten streak, though his only career loss is a controversial disqualification in 2010.