Tag: UFC 285

UFC 285 video: Valentina Shevchenko, Alexa Grasso shake hands in final pre-fight faceoff

Champ Valentina Shevchenko and challenger Alexa Grasso faced off for the final time before their title fight at UFC 285.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] and [autotag]Alexa Grasso[/autotag] have faced off for the final time ahead of their UFC 285 women’s flyweight title fight.

Shevchenko (23-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) will attempt to make an eighth consecutive defense of her title on Saturday when she meets Mexican challenger Grasso (15-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in the co-headliner at T-Mobile Arena. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

Both women were first to the scale at the official weigh-ins Friday morning, each weighing in at 124 pounds for the co-main event.

Check out the video above to see Shevchenko and Grasso face off one last time at the UFC 285 ceremonial weigh-ins.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 285.

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Video: Watch Friday’s UFC 285 ceremonial weigh-ins live on MMA Junkie

Check out a live video stream of the UFC 285 ceremonial weigh-ins with Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane and Valentina Shevchenko vs. Alexa Grasso.

LAS VEGAS – UFC 285 ceremonial fighter weigh-ins take place Friday, and you can catch a live video stream of the proceedings here on MMA Junkie at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT).

The weigh-ins take place at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The nearby T-Mobile Arena hosts Saturday’s event, which has a main card on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+.

Before the ceremonial weigh-ins, a heavyweight panel including Daniel Cormier, Stipe Miocic, Frank Mir, Curtis Blaydes, and Mark Coleman answer questions from the fans.

In addition to the video stream above, you can check out the early and official UFC 285 weigh-in results from earlier in the day.

Israel Adesanya picks Ciryl Gane to beat Jon Jones at UFC 285, cites activity as big factor

Israel Adesanya raises concern over Jon Jones’ inactivity heading into his fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285.

[autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] raises concern over [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]’ inactivity heading into his fight against [autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag] at UFC 285.

It will have been more than three years since Jones (26-1 MMA, 20-1 UFC) competed when he takes on Gane (11-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) for the vacant heavyweight title in Saturday’s main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

Many pundits are pointing to Gane’s wrestling as something for Jones to exploit after he was outgrappled by Francis Ngannou at UFC 270, but Adesanya says Ngannou’s grapple-heavy approach took Gane by surprise.

“Jones out for three years, (and) Gane’s been active – he’s that new breed of heavyweight,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “He’s light on his feet, very mixed striking, good grappling. People forget just because Francis took him down, but I think that’s the element of surprise, as well. Francis is strong as f*ck and knows how to wrestle.

“So when Gane wasn’t expecting it, he thought he was going to have to bang with Francis because that’s what Francis is known for. But Gane can grapple, man. The way he fights as a heavyweight, he’s so light. He does the oblique kick well, great footwork, good submissions so far. Real creative, real random ones, like a heel hook. Good leg kicks, as well. Jones’ wrestling, that’s his superpower, isn’t it? And range control.”

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However, Adesanya says three years is a long time to be out of action and can’t help but think it’ll impact Jones – especially against a fighter like Gane.

“The thing is, three years, bro,” Adesanya said. “Three years away from the game is a hard ask for any man just to be away from fighting for that long. There’s a few, special few, that can actually f*ck off and come back and still look great, and I feel like Jon’s one of them. But again, when you talk about special few fighters, trust me, Ciryl’s one of those guys, as well.

“If you want to wake up for a guy in the morning, this is the guy. Ciryl Gane, ‘Bon Gamin’ – he’s game. This is a guy to wake up for. I think because of activity, to be honest, and who he is, I’m going to go Ciryl, but I won’t be surprised if ‘Bones’ wins.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 285.

Jon Jones not disrespected he opened up as betting underdog vs. Ciryl Gane at UFC 285

Jon Jones isn’t offended he opened up as a betting underdog against Ciryl Gane in their vacant heavyweight title fight at UFC 285.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] isn’t offended he opened up as a betting underdog against [autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag].

Jones opened up as a +140 underdog when his vacant heavyweight title fight against Gane first was announced, but as of early Friday was a -170 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook. The comeback on underdog Gane, a former interim heavyweight champion, is +145.

Considering that Jones’ single MMA loss came by disqualification, the former light heavyweight king was asked if he was disrespected by the opening odds. But Jones said several factors likely led to that.

“No, I don’t think it was disrespectful,” Jones told reporters at the UFC 285 pre-fight press conference. “Ciryl Gane’s been really active. He’s been really busy in the UFC. I understand that there’s a lot of fans that have never seen me compete before, and it is what it is. I would imagine a lot of people were putting in some pretty big money when I was the underdog and the oddsmakers had to change that up real quick.

“I’m not a big guy into gambling, but I would say betting on me isn’t the worst idea.”

Jones will return from a layoff of more than three years when he faces Gane in Saturday’s UFC 285 headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

Jones as a -170 favorite over Gane means a $170 bet would be needed on “Bones” to return $100 profit. A $100 bet on France’s Gane would result in $145 profit with a win.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 285.

UFC 285 video: Michael Bisping previews Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane, knows ‘exactly what’s gonna happen’

UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping is confident he knows “exactly” how the UFC 285 title fight between Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane will unfold.

LAS VEGAS – UFC 285 is rapidly approaching, and UFC Hall of Fame [autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag] is confident he knows how the [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag] vacant heavyweight championship main event is going to play out.

In fact, Bisping thinks he knows “exactly what’s gonna happen” when Jones (26-1 MMA, 20-1 UFC) and Gane (11-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) step in the octagon for Saturday’s headliner at T-Mobile Arena, which airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

The UFC Hall of Famer and current MMA analyst joined MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn after UFC 285 official weigh-ins at the UFC Apex and gave an in-depth preview of the highly anticipated fight.

Bisping and Bohn discuss Jones’ physique in the move up to heavyweight, the strategic approach for both sides and gives his official prediction. Also, there’s a guest appearance from fellow UFC commentator Laura Sanko.

Check out the video above to see the UFC 285 main event preview.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 285.

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UFC 285 ‘Embedded,’ No. 5: Behind the scenes with two intense title fight faceoffs

The popular “Embedded” series is back behind the scenes at UFC 285, including some up-close-and-personal angles of the title fight faceoffs.

The UFC is back with its third pay-per-view of the year, which means the popular “Embedded” fight-week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.

UFC 285 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

In the main event, the vacant heavyweight title is up for grabs as [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] (26-1 MMA, 20-1 UFC) makes his highly anticipated divisional debut after a three-year layoff to take on former interim champion [autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC). And in the co-headliner, women’s flyweight champ [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] (23-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) goes for her eighth consecutive title defense when she meets [autotag]Alexa Grasso[/autotag] (15-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC), who seeks to become the first Mexican woman to win a UFC belt.

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The fifth episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:

Daniel Cormier breaks down the main event; Bo Nickal takes on the GOAT. The title fighters face off at the press conference: Jon Jones vs Ciryl Gane and Valentina Shevchenko vs Alexa Grasso.

Also watch:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 285.

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Bettors shouldn’t overthink Jon Jones’ return and heavyweight debut at UFC 285

How to bet Jones’ first fight in three years.

After a three-year hiatus, an MMA legend returns to the Octagon on Saturday when Jon “Bones” Jones (26-1) makes his heavyweight debut against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285.

The fight is for the vacant heavyweight title and will be Jones’ first since February 2020, when he last defended the light heavyweight title he held for so long.

His opponent is a worthy one.

Gane (11-1) is the former interim heavyweight champion, earning that title with a win over Derrick Lewis in August 2021. He failed to gain undisputed status a few months later after losing by decision to Francis Ngannou, who just vacated the heavyweight belt in January. Now, Gane is back to claim it after winning his last fight in September. But he can he take down the GOAT?

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Jones is favored to win with -170 odds at DraftKings, and the only real question is whether his age and the move to heavyweight impacts how we know he can performance.

Jones, 35, weighed in at 248 pounds, which is 43 pounds heavier than his old fighting weight and a half-pound more than the 32-year-old Gane.

To me, that sounds more dangerous for Jones’ opponent than anybody. My suggestion for bettors is to not overthink this one — Jones is known as the best for a reason.

I’m rolling with Bones to not only win in his return, but I’ll take the +200 odds on a decision, which is how he’s won seven of his last nine fights, including the last three.

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UFC 285 official weigh-in highlights and photo gallery

Official weigh-ins for UFC 285 are complete following Friday’s session. Check out our photo gallery and video highlights.

LAS VEGAS – The UFC 285 fight card is now official following Friday’s weigh-in session, at which 26 of 28 athletes scheduled to compete successfully hit their marks on the scale.

Saturday’s card, which takes place at T-Mobile with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+, is headlined by a pair of championship fights.

Jon Jones (26-1 MMA, 20-1 UFC) and Ciryl Gane (11-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) will meet in a vacant heavyweight title bout in the main event, while Valentina Shevchenko (23-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) and Alexa Grasso (15-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) battle for women’s flyweight gold in the co-main event.

Check out the weigh-in highlights in the video above, and a link to the photo gallery from all of Friday’s happenings below.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 285.

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UFC 285 weigh-in results: Title fights set, but two come in heavy in Las Vegas

Check out the results from the official UFC 285 weigh-ins, featuring Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane and Valentina Shevchenko vs. Alexa Grasso.

LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie was on scene and reporting live from Friday’s official UFC 285 fighter weigh-ins, where two fighters missed their marks.

The title fights are set, though, at the top of the bill. Former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones (26-1 MMA, 20-1 UFC) and Ciryl Gane (11-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) meet in the main event for the vacant heavyweight title.

Gane, a former interim heavyweight champ, was the first of the two to come to the scale and was 247.5 pounds. Jones came not long after that and was 248 for his first fight at heavyweight.

In the co-feature, dominant women’s flyweight champ Valentina Shevchenko (23-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) meets challenger Alexa Grasso (15-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC). Grasso was the first fighter to the scale in the two-hour window and was 124.5 pounds. Shevchenko was right behind her and weighed the same.

Mana Martinez (10-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) missed the bantamweight limit for his fight against Cameron Saaiman (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC). He came in at 137 pounds and will be fined 30 percent of his purse.

And Geoff Neal (15-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) missed weight by four pounds for his welterweight fight on the main card against the unbeaten Shavkat Rakhmonov (16-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC). He’ll be fined 30 percent of his purse, as well.

The early weigh-ins took place at the UFC host hotel in Las Vegas and preceded the ceremonial weigh-ins for the fans, which take place at 7 p.m. ET at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The nearby T-Mobile Arena hosts Saturday’s event, which has a main card on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+.

The full UFC 285 weigh-in results included:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Jon Jones (248) vs. Ciryl Gane (247.5) – for vacant heavyweight title
  • Champ Valentina Shevchenko (124.5) vs. Alexa Grasso (124.5) – for women’s flyweight title
  • Geoff Neal (175)* vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov (171)
  • Mateusz Gamrot (156) vs. Jalin Turner (155.5)
  • Bo Nickal (185.5) vs. Jamie Pickett (186)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPNews, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Cody Garbrandt (136) vs. Trevin Jones (135)
  • Derek Brunson (185.5) vs. Dricus Du Plessis(185)</li>
  • Viviane Araujo (126) vs. Amanda Ribas (126)
  • Marc-Andre Barriault (185) vs. Julian Marquez (186)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

  • Ian Garry (171) vs. Song Kenan (171)
  • Mana Martinez (137)** vs. Cameron Saaiman (135)
  • Jessica Penne (116) vs. Tabatha Ricci (115.5)
  • Farid Basharat (136) vs. Da’Mon Blackshear (136)
  • Loik Radzhabov (155.5) vs. Esteban Ribovics (156)

*Neal missed the welterweight limit and will be fined 30 percent of his purse.
**Martinez missed the bantamweight limit and will be fined 30 percent of his purse.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 285.

UFC 285 video: Jon Jones weighs in at 248 for heavyweight debut; Ciryl Gane at 247.5

Jon Jones is officially a heavyweight after weighing in for his UFC 285 vacant title headliner with Ciryl Gane.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] is officially a heavyweight after weighing in at his new division for the first time Friday ahead of his UFC 285 vacant title headliner with [autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag].

Jones (26-1 MMA, 20-1 UFC) registered at 248 pounds at official weigh-ins ahead of his return to competition after more than three years, where he’ll attempt to add a second weight class title to his resume in the main event at T-Mobile Arena. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

Gane (11-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC), for his part, tipped the scales at 247.5 pounds, and now the runway is clear for the pair to clash and determine a new titleholder after Francis Ngannou relinquished the strap when he parted ways with the UFC following failed contract negotiations.

Watch the video above to see Jones and Ngannou weight in for UFC 286 at the UFC Apex.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 285.