With UFC 285 only a few days away, fans are eagerly anticipating the return of former UFC light heavyweight Jon “Bones” Jones to the octagon after three years of inactivity.
Jones will be moving up to the heavyweight division and facing the number one contender Ciryl Gane in the main event on March 5th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for the vacant heavyweight belt.
However, during a recent online interview with TMZ Sports, the reporter made a hilarious mistake by referring to Gane as Francis Ngannou.
Gane was asked several questions regarding his upcoming bout during the interview. However, towards the end of the interview, the reporter mistakenly called him “Francis” instead of Ciryl Gane.
“My last question for you, Francis. Thank you so much as always for your time. If Jon Jones is watching this, what would you say to him?” The interviewer asked.
Despite the error, Gane remained calm and collected, albeit slightly flustered.
The incident quickly became the talk of the town, with fans jumping to the comment section to joke about it. One fan suggested that Gane should have responded by saying, “Hey Jon, I’m not Francis,” while another joked that the UFC is doing a great job promoting Ngannou.
It is interesting to note that even after Ngannou’s departure from the UFC, his shadow is still present, especially with an upcoming title bout like this.
The former UFC heavyweight champion is no longer with the promotion after turning down an $8 million offer due to the UFC refusing to grant him his wishes, such as sponsorship, health insurance, and advocating for every UFC athlete. Ngannou is now a free agent and pursuing a more lucrative deal in boxing.
While the interviewer’s mistake was amusing, it is evident that Ciryl Gane is focused on his upcoming event against Jon Jones.
Fans are eagerly anticipating this long-awaited match, and the outcome is anyone’s guess. UFC 285 promises to be an exciting event, and it will be interesting to see how it all unfolds.