Francis Ngannou released from the UFC, Jones vs Gane set for Heavyweight Gold

Francis Ngannou is no longer the UFC heavyweight champion and will be released from his contract, according to UFC President Dana White. White stated in a press conference that Ngannou rejected a contract that would have made him the highest-paid heavyweight fighter in UFC history. As a result, Jon Jones will now face Ciryl Gane for the vacant UFC heavyweight title in Las Vegas on March 8, after a three-year hiatus from the sport. Jones has signed an eight-fight deal.

White stated that the division can't be held up waiting for Ngannou to agree to a fight and that Ngannou believes there are bigger opportunities outside of the UFC with less challenging opponents. Ngannou's last fight was in January 2022 where he defeated Ciryl Gane to unify the heavyweight division and was on a six-fight winning streak. He had injured his knee during training and has not fought since undergoing surgery. White said "It's been fun while he's been here, I wish him the best," CNN reached out to Ngannou's representatives for comment but did not receive a response.