When does Jon Jones fight next? Who is he competing against?

Jon Jones is arguably one of the greatest mixed martial artists to step inside the octagon. History is a reminder that many combatants relish the spotlight for only a short time before receding into obscurity. Some competitors leave such an indelible mark that their names are forever associated with the legacy of the sport. Such is the peculiar case of Jon Jones, who has gone through a series of career hiatuses.

Jon 'Bones' Jones was embroiled in a contract dispute with the UFC for the longest time following his victory over Dominick Reyes at UFC 247. He enlisted veteran boxing promoter Richard Schaefer as a representative to steer his negotiations with the UFC. Jones reaped the benefits of the decision, becoming the second highest-paid fighter after Conor McGregor and is gearing up for a return to action soon.

Jon Jones will return to action at UFC 285 next month against former interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane. The fight for the vacant heavyweight throne will serve as the main event on March 4, 2023, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, United States.

'Bones' was linked to a fight with Francis Ngannou for an extended period of time, even throughout his contract negotiations stage. Ngannou has now departed the UFC, alleging that he was unable to negotiate a new deal with the promotion. Jones claimed in an interview with MMA Underground that although he is looking forward to facing Gane, a bout with Ngannou was something he preferred:

"Francis is this big scary intimidating man, where Ciryl is relatively unknown.... I'm very honoured to fight Ciryl Gane, and I knew that would be happening eventually, inevitably, but that's the fight [against Ngannou] that I was really bummed didn't happen."

Watch the full interview below:

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Jon Jones sets his sights on Stipe Miocic following Ciryl Gane fight

Jon Jones will return to the octagon for the first fight in over three years in the main event of UFC 285 on March 4 in Las Vegas. He will face Ciryl Gane for the vacant heavyweight title.

Jones vacated the light heavyweight championship after defeating Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 in February 2020 to go up a weight class and challenge then-champion Francis Ngannou for the heavyweight throne. The fight never materialized, and Ngannou is no longer affiliated with the UFC.

'Bones' has also been targeting a fight against former heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic for the longest time. Jon Jones has even called Miocic the greatest heavyweight fighter in the UFC. During a Twitter Spaces with Kanpai Pandas, Jones stated that he would like to challenge Miocic next once he gets past Gane:

“I’ve got my sights on Stipe Miocic. I think it just means the most. There’s a lot of guys out there, but for me, personally, for my legacy, to defeat the greatest heavyweight of all-time, it just means the most to me."