Jon Jones takes UFC heavyweight belt

PATRICK T. FALLON/ AFP

Jon Jones employed a guillotine choke to submit Ciryl Gane in the first round of the UFC 285 main event on Saturday night in Las Vegas, claiming the vacant heavyweight title.

Jones becomes the eighth fighter in UFC history to win titles in two divisions.

Also, Alexa Grasso submitted Valentina Shevchenko in the fourth round in a stunning upset to become the new women's flyweight champion.

Jones, who vacated the 205-pound title to move up to heavyweight, submitted Gane at 2.04 of the opening round for his first submission in 11 years.

"I've been working for this for a long time," Jones said afterward. "A lot of people thought I wasn't coming back. I've been faithful to my goal. I've been faithful to the mission. There were days I didn't want to train and I was always there."

Jones had not fought since February 2020.

Grasso submitted Shevchenko at 4.34 of the fourth round with a rear naked choke. Shevchenko had successfully defended her title seven times.

"Please punch me, I feel like I'm dreaming," Grasso said. "I've been dreaming for this moment for so long."

More from Sports

  • Bencic stuns Rybakina to set up Krueger final

    Belinda Bencic is through to another Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open final after eliminating reigning champion Elena Rybakina in a pulsating contest. The Swiss star will now meet Ashlyn Krueger, who defeated Linda Noskova in straight sets, in Saturday's final.

  • Desert Vipers beat Sharjah Warriorz to reach final

    The Desert Vipers defeated the Sharjah Warriorz in the DP World ILT20 Season 3 Qualifier 2 clash bowling exceptionally well and followed it up with a scintillating batting display to cruise to a seven-wicket win at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.

  • Maguire heads Man United into FA Cup fifth round

    Manchester United clawed back from a goal down to beat Leicester City in a 2-1 fourth-round FA Cup victory on Friday at Old Trafford, thanks to a last-gasp controversial header from veteran defender Harry Maguire plus a strike from Joshua Zirkzee.

  • January football transfer spending reaches record levels

    Clubs worldwide spent a record $2.35 billion on international transfers in men's soccer in the January window, nearly a 58 per cent increase from last year, world soccer's governing body FIFA said in a study published on Friday.

  • FIFA suspends Congo Republic, Pakistan

    FIFA has suspended the Congo Republic's football association (FECOFOOT) and the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), barring both from international competitions, the world soccer's governing body has said.

News

  • H.H. Sheikh Mohammed to honour Arab Hope Makers

    His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai will meet with a group of young humanitarians at a ceremony on February 23, as part of the Arab Hope Makers initiative.

  • UAE Floating Hospital admits 30 Palestinians since ceasefire

    The UAE Floating Hospital in Al-Arish has admitted around 30 patients from Gaza since the start of the ceasefire and the resumption of medical evacuations through the Rafah crossing, as part of the Operation Chivalrous Knight 3.

  • UAE condemns school shooting in Sweden

    The UAE on Friday strongly condemned a shooting at an adult education centre in Sweden that killed 11 people, expressing solidarity with the victims' families.