UFC 285: Jon Jones vs Ciryl Gane date, UK start time, live stream, TV channel and undercard for heavyweight title fight

JON JONES will make his long-awaited return to the octagon in the main event of UFC 285 – after THREE YEARS on the sidelines.

And the former dominant light-heavyweight champion will FINALLY be making his long-anticipated heavyweight debut.

Jones, 35, will challenge French Muay Thai phenom Ciryl Gane for the vacant UFC heavyweight title.

The belt became up for grabs in January after former champion Francis Ngannou left the promotion after failing to agree a new contract.

Should Jones get his hands on the strap, he’ll become a two-division champion, and, in the eyes of many, cement his status as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time.

Elsewhere on the card, dominant women’s flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko will defend her title against Alexa Grasso.

And welterweight sensation Shavkat Rakhmonov will look to prove he’s a legitimate contender with a statement victory over Geoff Neal.

When is UFC 285 – Jones vs Gane?

Jon Jones’ historic clash with Ciryl Gane will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 4.

Close to 20,000 fans will be in attendance to see Jones’s bid to become a two-weight world champion.

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What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

UFC 285 will be shown live on BT Sport 1 in the UK and Ireland.

The prelims will get underway at 11pm on UFC Fight Pass before switching to BT Sport 1 at 1am.

The stacked main card will get underway 3am.

Fans can live stream the action from the BT Sport app, which is available for download on your mobile or tablet device.

The mouthwatering main event is expected to get underway at around 5am UK time on Sunday, March 5.

UFC 285 Full Card

Main card

Jon Jones vs Ciryl Gane – heavyweight title fight
Valentina Shevchenko (c) vs Alexa Grasso – women’s flyweight title fight
Geoff Neal vs Shavkat Rakhmonov
Jalin Turner vs TBD
Bo Nickal vs Jamie Pickett

Prelims

Derek Brunson vs Dricus du Plessis
Ian Garry vs Son Kenan
Viviane Araujo vs Amanda Ribas
Julian Marquez vs Marc-Andre Barriault
Jessica Penne vs Tabatha Ricci
Da’Mon Blackshear vs Farid Basharat
Kamuela Kirk vs Esteban Ribovics

What’s been said?

Jones said: “It’s kind of short time for me. I wish I had a little bit more time to prepare

“This idea of preparing for a new opponent in about six or seven weeks, I’ve done it before and I think it’s more than enough time.

“Yes, when you have a big guy that just wants to kill you with one punch, it’s more easier for a guy well-rounded and smart like Jon Jones to manage the situation.

“Me, also, I am not like that. I like to manage the situation. It’s going to be really good.”

UFC 285: Jon Jones vs Ciryl Gane date, UK start time, live stream, TV channel and undercard for heavyweight title fight | The Sun

Leigh Wood vs Mauricio Lara LIVE: Leigh-thal puts WBA title up for grabs against Bronco in Nottingham – undercard latest

LEIGH WOOD is back in action TONIGHT as he defends his WBA featherweight world title against heavy-hitter Mauricio Lara.

Nottingham fighter Wood will be determined to build on his epic 12th-round knockout win over Michael Conlan 11 months ago.

But Lara is set to be a tough test which Josh Warrington found out back in 2021 after being caught cold in the first round.

Main event start time: 10pm GMT
TV/Live stream: DAZN

Wood vs Lara is here…welcome aboard

WBA featherweight champion Leigh Wood is facing Mauricio Lara in Nottingham tonight in what simply could be fight of the year!

Lara is best known for fighting Josh Warrington twice, knocking him out in the first with the second being stopped after the Mexican suffered a cut from an accidental headbutt.

Both Wood and Lara are heavy punchers and most will see this fight as the most explosive the featherweight division has to offer.

Home-town favourite Wood, who was upgraded to full WBA 126lbs champion earlier this year, was scheduled to fight Lara last year before he pulled out with an injury.

Lara said: “I’m grateful to him for taking this fight. We know nobody wants to face me at 126lbs for a World Title but this one will happen, and we know what we are capable of doing.

“We know it’s a big fight. We know it’s the acid test. We know Leigh Wood is a great champion but I have big aspirations and a great desire to become World Champion and as I’ve said, whatever it takes, I have to do it this time.”

All systems go then for that should be an absolute cracker later on, stick with us here on SunSport as we bring you all of the updates…

Leigh Wood vs Mauricio Lara LIVE: Leigh-thal puts WBA title up for grabs against Bronco in Nottingham – undercard latest | The Sun

KOK World Series returning to Vienna

KOK World Series returning to Vienna, Austria for event to be held on 18th of February 2023 at Eventhotel Pyramide & Congress Centre, the venue is very famous in Austria.

KOK The leading global kickboxing brand. With the strongest fight cards delivering non-stop action, these spectacular premier series events thrill live audiences in sold-out arenas and millions more watching live on television worldwide.

Austria host‘s the KOK event, which features number of world-class fighters from all over the globe.

The main attraction of the evening is a KOK Middleweight Title fight between Loic Njey of Swiserland and Austrian Karim Mabrouk.

One night. One ring. One champion.

Boxing promoter Frank Warren gives major Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk undisputed title fight update

BOXING promoter Frank Warren has given a major update on Tyson Fury’s undisputed title fight against Oleksandr Usyk.

That’s after reports claimed the Gypsy King was lining up a FOURTH bout against Deontay Wilder instead.

Fury, 34, is desperate to fight on April 29 after seeing Anthony Joshua secure a home clash against Jermaine Franklin earlier in the month.

But despite being in talks with Usyk’s camp since December, there is yet to be an agreement for a fight with the Ukrainian.

And reports on Monday claimed Fury was exploring a possible fourth fight against American foe Wilder as an alternative.

World Boxing News says the rivals have already held secret talks over a battle at Wembley Stadium.

And promoter Warren has now intervened to provide an update on Fury’s next opponent.

He insists the WBC king is not thinking about Wilder and is fully focused on fighting Usyk next.

Warren is adamant that an agreement is close after Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk flew to the UK for crunch talks.

And he hopes treating Krassyuk to tickets for Arsenal vs Man City will help seal a deal on Wednesday.

Warren told TalkSport: “[Fury talks with Wilder?] Not to my knowledge at all, not to my knowledge. No, absolutely. That’s not happened.

“From what I understand, I think he [Wilder] been ordered to fight Andy Ruiz to become the mandatory.

“We are very, very close to getting this [Fury vs Usyk] done. Very, very close.

“His people are coming in tomorrow and I’m hoping we’re gonna get some news for everybody. We’re close to getting it done.

“Tomorrow we’re gonna meet up. Alex Krassyuk, his promoter, is coming to the Arsenal vs Man City game with me.

“I’m hoping that if I can get enough wine down him that we can do the deal.

“We’re meeting him to get an agreement on the various scenarios to make it happen.

“There’s a few more hurdles for both sides to get over. They’re not [insurmountable], not at all. Location is the main thing.

“If we go abroad, then you go there for a premium, that’s the reason you do it.

“If not, then we get down to the reality of what it’ll be at Wembley where the numbers are what they are.

“We broke the box office record with the fight vs Dillian Whyte last April. If we get this one on, I think that will break that record.

“I think it’s well in excess of a million [UK PPV] buys, one-and-a-half million.

Boxing promoter Frank Warren gives major Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk undisputed title fight update | The Sun

Spinning Back Clique: UFC 284 reaction, Jens Pulver in HOF, Wilder-Ngannou talk, more (noon ET)

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King and Dan Tom will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate:

The UFC 284 main event in Perth, Australia, was a monumental one. Not only did featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski move up to challenge new lightweight champ Islam Makhachev, but it was a fight between two fighters who were 1-2 on many pound-for-pound lists. Makhachev squeezed out a unanimous decision, but the fight was a lot closer than the betting lines indicated before the bout with Volkanovski a big underdog. Was it one of the best title fights in UFC history, and will we see a rematch down the road?
So how about that pound-for-pound conversation now? Volkanovski was atop MMA Junkie’s list going into the fight, followed by Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya. Now all three of them are working off losses, and Makhachev could have a major rise up the chart from his spot on our list at No. 9. How should this all play out?
Yair Rodriguez looked great in the UFC 284 co-main event when he put away the hard-to-finish Josh Emmett to win the interim featherweight title. Now he’s got a unification bout in the future against Volkanovski – and he’d like for it to be in Mexico. We know Volkanovski has been an impossible puzzle to solve at featherweight, so can Rodriguez be the one to figure him out and live up to his promise from years ago.
One of the early big names in the UFC’s lighter weight classes was Jens Pulver, who was a lightweight champion, a coach on “The Ultimate Fighter,” and holds a win over future two-division champ B.J. Penn. On Saturday, the promotion announced he’ll be part of the UFC Hall of Fame Pioneer Wing and will be inducted this summer. Pulver wasn’t the winningest fighter in his later years, but his impact can’t be denied. Is he a good choice for the Hall?
Former boxing heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder would love to be Francis Ngannou’s first test after he left the UFC to become a free agent. Wilder wants to box him, but also suggested he’d then return the favor in an MMA fight with Ngannou. Ngannou has been wanting to box, and it reportedly was a point of contention in his UFC contract negotiations. Do we like this potential twofer situation for him?

Felix Sturm returns to the ring on February 18th in Stuttgart and meets Sükrü Altay!

Felix Sturm Shooting — Fellbach, Deutschland, 30.08.22: Felix Sturm Shoozing (Foto: Tom Weller / 24passion)

The Dream Boxing fans in Porsche Arena can look forward to a spectacular main fight.

Felix Sturm will meet amateur world and European champion Sukru Altay from Kempten in boxing night organized by Sturm Boxing and Dream Boxing Promotion. The son of Turkish immigrants has been a professional boxer since 2018.

More than 6000 spectators will be at the venue.

In addition to Felix Sturm’s main fight, there will be other highly interesting preliminary fights. Former super middleweight boxing champion Tyron will come back to the ring after nearly three years.

Special evening accent of the boxing night will be charity fight, between former Porshe AG’s head Uwe Huck and former heavyweight world champion Francois Botha. 27 years after the scandal night in Stuttgart, when Botha won a controversial victory against Axel Schulz, after which bottles, glasses and chairs were thrown through the Schleyer Hall, Botha will let his fists fly for a good cause.

Between the fights, the spectators can look forward to entertainment program.

The hall opens and the program starts at 4.30 p.m., the first fight will take place around 5 p.m.

For the KOK World Champion belt Finnish and Lithuanian fighter will be fighting against each other

LBF announces the title fight for the KOK world champion belt in the weight category up to -71kg. Gustas Dimsa #5 will be fighting Niko Konvertaus #3 in international “KOK’110 MEGA SERIES” tournament on March 18 in Vilnius Jeep Arena. At the beginning of February, by the decision of the International Bushido Federation, lightweight champion title became vacant.

“I will answer all questions in the ring,” said best -71kg. Finnish fighter Niko Konvertaus, when talking about upcoming fight with the representative of “Tora” sports club Gust Dimsa.

“This will be the fight of my life. I am not one of those who underestimates my opponents, I know that I will meet with worthy, young and strong fighter, representing karate style, said Niko Konvertaus. – I have been waiting for this long and I am very happy to have the opportunity to fight for the most valuable title in the world of kickboxing. I will definitely not miss my chance.”

According to Nikos Konvertaus, the winner in the fight will be determined by experience. “Of course, a lot will be determined by psychological, physical and spiritual preparation, but experience is the most important,” said the fighter.

“Tora” fighter Gustas Dimsa admitted that LBF’s trust and appreciation made him happy. “Fighting for the champion belt? This is great news, – said “Tora Gym” coach Ovidijus Antanaitis. “I believe that Gustas will use his youth as an advantage and show his strengths in the ring.”

Due to the renovation of the ASG Arena, after temporarily moving the tournaments to Zalgiris Arena in Kaunas, LBF returns to capital city with top-level tournament.

March 18 In Vilnius- “Jeep Arena”- “KOK’110 MEGA SERIES”

Follow www.bushido.lt and www.kokfights.com for all the news about the upcoming fights.

Anthony Joshua says he’s ‘mentally and physically’ ready to fight after breaking down in tears following Usyk loss

ANTHONY JOSHUA insists he’s “mentally and physically” ready to return to the ring – six months after his emotional post-fight outburst.

The Watford warrior went on an uncharacteristic and expletive-filled rant following his second successive defeat to pound-for-pound king Oleksandr Usyk last August.

Joshua, 33, will bid to pick up the pieces of his near-shattered career in April in a must-win showdown with American gunslinger Jermaine Franklin but will do so in a much better state of mind than in his last outing.

The Brit said: “I’m looking forward to stepping back into the ring on April 1 at The O2 in London. Mentally and physically I feel ready.”

AJ will be under the guidance of renowned coach Derrick James for his first outing at the O2 in six-and-a-half years and plans to put on a show for his new trainer.

The former two-time unified heavyweight champion said: “I want to put on a show and impress my coach as he has high standards.

“Franklin has a good style and a great attitude, which he has shown in recent fights.”

The pressure of avenging his first lopsided defeat to Usyk and regaining the unified heavyweight titles to set up a mouthwatering Battle of Britain with Tyson Fury ate away at AJ ahead of the ill-fated Saudi showdown.

He admitted: “I swear to you, [it] just tore me apart.

“I had so much riding on it for me, the British fans, the undisputed fight.

“It just really tore me apart, so from a mental capacity, my close ones are telling me you should rest mentally. Physically I’m down to ride.

“I’m a warrior. I like this game, I like competing, but on a mental aspect, I think people are really seeing that this means a lot.

“Even if I’m not fighting I see my name getting called out every day.

“So, it’s the mental pressure that’s being AJ as well.

“And obviously holding up a reputation as well, these type of things go hand in hand. It’s tough, man.”

🥊 Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin – Date, live stream, TV channel and all you need to know about heavyweight bout

Defeat to Franklin – who was on the receiving end of a controversial split-decision defeat to Dillian Whyte last November, would be curtains for Joshua’s faint world title hopes.

Promoter Eddie Hearn told iFL TV: “You go into that fight in April and you know that defeat, it’s all over, really.

“It would be a third back-to-back defeat and yet a great performance and a showroom knockout will get everyone saying, ‘We’re back, baby.’

“That’s what I can’t wait for because I love it when our backs are against the wall.

“I’m excited. I’m really excited. This is the most excited I’ve been in Joshua’s journey so far.”

Anthony Joshua says he’s ‘mentally and physically’ ready to fight after breaking down in tears following Usyk loss | The Sun

Former WWE star Mandy Rose REFUSES to rule out wrestling return after controversial sacking

MANDY ROSE is refusing to rule out a stunning return to the ring – less than two months after being axed by the WWE.

Wrestling’s premier promotion gave the 32-year-old the boot late last year after she violated their policy on using third-party monetization websites.

Rose – real name Amanda Saccomanno – was sacked for selling racy snaps on her FanTime page, which has raked her in thousands of pounds.

Although she’s enjoying making content, Rose very much misses the thrill of being in the ring.

During an appearance on The Sessions with Renee Paquette, she said of a potential return: “I haven’t ruled it out, for sure.

“It’s not like the boots are hung up and stuff.

“It’s not like that, but right now, it’s not my main focus, but definitely for the future, maybe, we’ll see.”

Rose joked with her colleagues that she’d be axed not long after the WWE learned of her side business.

She said: “The next day, which I was anticipating with how everything went down, I was making jokes about it, actually the night before, because you know how we are.

“‘It’s the only way [to get through it]. I was making jokes about it, and all the girls were like, ‘Oh my god, stop, like no you’re crazy’ and I’m like ‘It’s not crazy.’

The former NXT Women’s Champion didn’t know of her release until after she lost her December dust-up with Roxanne Perez.

She said: “I had the inclination that something was up because everyone has treated me so great at NXT.

“I had a great relationship with Shawn Michaels, the writers, the producers, and everyone.

“So I was never kept out of the loop either, you know, being a champion for 413 days.

“I was in the loop with everything and I didn’t really have many surprises like that.

“So it was very like, ‘did I do something? What’s going on?’

“Obviously, I had some inclination because of what was happening on social media and what was going on the night before.

“It came from Shawn Michaels himself, so obviously, I knew it was coming from the head of creative in that sense.

“I knew that I didn’t really have to go and try to seek other answers even though I wanted other answers.

“But at that moment, I had to do my job and get planning our match and everything else that we had to do that night.”

Former WWE star Mandy Rose REFUSES to rule out wrestling return after controversial sacking | The Sun

‘They know there’s a cost of living crisis, right?’ – Boxing fans fume at DAZN price to watch Anthony Joshua fight

FANS have been shocked at the price it will cost to watch Anthony Joshua fight Jermaine Franklin.

The Brit will make his comeback against the American on April 1 at the O2 Arena in London.

It will be his first fight since he lost his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk back in August.

The bout will be shown live on DAZN in the UK.

However, the monthly price to subscribe to the service has jumped from £7.99 to £19.99 per month.

Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn has a partnership with DAZN and promoted what is coming up this year in a tweet captioned: “No PPV (Pay Per View). Just a small taster of what is to come in 2023.”

This has left many fans of the sport fuming with them taking to social media to vent their frustrations.

One tweeted: “The cheek to say no PPV when the subscription fee to Dazn has just gone up.”

A second commented: “Going to a supermarket to decide on whether to buy these eggs or get a DAZN monthly subscription is not the executive decision I’m prepared to be making in 2023, got dang it.”

A third wrote: “They know there’s a cost of living crisis right?

“With BT I get moto GP, the footy, UFC and boxing. Sky the same plus NFL and F1. Dazn? Skye Nicholson and Turkish MMA. Bye, bye Eddie!”

A fourth said: “Technically, it still is because you have to pay to view it on DAZN, and they have just magically increased the monthly fee to £19.99 per month, timely.”

A fifth added: “No PPV but PPV price every month?”

Speaking on the fight, Hearn has said: “You go into that fight in April – you know that with defeat, it’s all over, really. It would be a third back-to-back defeat.

“And yet a great performance and a showreel knockout gets everyone saying, ‘We’re back, we’re back baby.’

“That’s what I can’t wait for, because I love it when our backs are against the wall.

“That’s the best moments and this is one of those moments for AJ. He wants a big fight in the summer.

“The one that would make sense and the one that should be hopefully quite straightforward to make is the rematch with Dillian Whyte.

“We’re open to a Deontay Wilder fight, we’re open to a Tyson Fury fight.

‘They know there’s a cost of living crisis, right?’ – Boxing fans fume at DAZN price to watch Anthony Joshua fight | The Sun

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