UFC 285 Results And Recap: Two New Champions Crowned In History-Making Night

Champions Jon Jones and Alexa Grasso react during UFC 285 (Image Courtesy: UFC Media via Getty Images)

Las Vegas, March 5: History was made at the sold out T-Mobile Arena as two new champions were crowned during the headliner of UFC 285: Jones vs. Gane on Saturday (March 4) night.

In the main event, Jon Jones made his celebrated return by winning the UFC heavyweight title in just over 2 minutes, and Alexa Grasso became the first Mexican woman to earn a UFC belt by defeating number one women's pound-for-pound Valentina Shevchenko.

The T-Mobile Arena ($12.15 million) and 19,471 (sold out) saw the fourth highest gate in UFC history and highest gate for a heavyweight main event.

The stacked 14-fight card of UFC 285 saw 8 of 14 fights end in stoppages as 6 fights went the distance. Among the 8 stoppage wins, 5 including the headliners were submissions and three were either KO or TKO.

Headliners and newly-crowned champions Jones and Grasso pocketed an extra USD50k as performance bonuses along with Bo Nickal, who also claimed a submission win in the main card opener.

Also, the main card welterweight battle between Shavkat Rakhmonov and Geoff Neal was awarded the Fight of the Night bonus for their three-round fight that ended in stoppage.

Here is a look at UFC 285 recap, results and highlights:

Main Event: Jones chokes Gane in a hurry

The return of former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was just as epic as any performance he's ever put on. Jones faced No. 1 UFC heavyweight Ciryl Gane for the vacant heavyweight title, and it took him less than one round to get the take down and get Gane to tap to a guillotine choke.

New UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones spoke about his comeback and called out Stipe Miocic after the quick finish of Gane in the main event of UFC 285.

"I'm so excited. I've been working for this for a long time. A lot of people thought I wouldn't be coming back. But I've been faithful to my goal, faithful to the mission. I'm really a product of the men and women in my life. Stipe Miocic, you're the greatest heavyweight of all time, and I want you real bad," Jones said in the Octagon interview.

Co-main Event: Grasso becomes first female UFC champ from Mexico

A brilliant back and forth clash for the UFC women's flyweight was held over four rounds between champion Valentina Shevchenko and No. 6 ranked Alexa Grasso.

In the final half minute of the fourth, Grasso capitalized on a missed spinning back kick, took the back and was able to get Shevchenko to tap out, ending her dominant reign of seven defenses and becoming the first Mexican woman to win a UFC title.

After the title win, Grasso said, "I feel like I'm dreaming! I've been dreaming about this for so long. I knew she does spinning stuff so I trained that move every single day, harder than any time in my life. Thank you to everyone who helped me!"

Other Main Card Action: Nickal and Rakhmanov claim submission wins

Shavkat Rakhmonov and Geoff Neal delivered a thrilling three rounds of action with huge strikes from both, but the end came by submission at the final minute of the fight when Kazakhstan's Rakhmonov clinched a standing rear naked choke and Neal was forced to tap.

Stand out wrestler Bo Nickal made his UFC debut in spectacular fashion with a first round submission of veteran Jamie Pickett, while Mateusz Gamrot edged Jalin Turner to earn a split decision in a lightweight bout.

Preliminary and early prelims action

Former champ Cody Garbrandt got himself back into the win column, closing out the UFC 285 prelims with a patient, measured win over Trevin Jones.

Earlier, a couple of middleweight bouts ended in second round TKO as Dricus Du Plessis stopped Derek Brunson after Marc-Andre Barriault stopped Julian Marquez.

Also, Amanda Ribas, on her return, picked up a massive victory, collecting a unanimous decision win over fellow Brazilian Viviane Araujo on the televised prelims.

In the early prelims, Ian Garry finished Song Kenan via TKO in the third round of a welterweight bout after Tabatha Ricci submitted Jessica Penne in the second round of a women's strawweight bout.

Meanwhile, Loik Radzhabov, Farid Basharat and Cameron Saaiman claimed decision wins in their respective bouts over Esteban Ribovics, Da'Mon Blackshear and Cameron Saaiman.

UFC 285 Results

Main Card

1. UFC Heavyweight Championship Bout: Jon Jones defeated Ciryl Gane by submission (guillotine) at 2:04 of Round 1

2. UFC Women's Flyweight Championship Bout: Alexa Grasso defeated Valentina Shevchenko by submission (rear naked choke) at 4:34 of Round 4

3. Catchweight (175lbs) Bout: Shavkat Rakhmonov defeated Geoff Neal by submission (rear naked choke) at 4:17 of Round 3

4. Lightweight Bout: Mateusz Gamrot defeated Jalin Turner by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)

5. Middleweight Bout: Bo Nickal defeated Jamie Pickett by submission (arm-triangle) at 2:54 of Round 1

Preliminary Card

1. Bantamweight Bout: Cody Garbrandt defeated Trevin Jones by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

2. Middleweight Bout: Dricus Du Plessis defeated Derek Brunson by TKO at 4:59 of Round 2

3. Women's Flyweight Bout: Amanda Ribas defeated Viviane Araujo by unanimous decision (29-27, 30-26, 30-27)

4. Middleweight Bout: Marc-Andre Barriault defeated Julian Marquez by TKO (punches) at 4:12 of Round 2

Early Preliminary Card

1. Welterweight Bout: Ian Garry defeated Song Kenan by TKO (punches) at 4:22 of Round 3

2. Catchweight (137lbs) Bout: Cameron Saaiman defeated Mana Martinez by unanimous decision (29-26, 28-27, 28-28)

3. Women's Strawweight Bout: Tabatha Ricci defeated Jessica Penne by submission (armbar) at 2:14 of Round 2

4. Bantamweight Bout: Farid Basharat defeated Da'Mon Blackshear by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

5. Lightweight Bout: Loik Radzhabov defeated Esteban Ribovics by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Story first published: Sunday, March 5, 2023, 13:54 [IST]

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