Miocic to face winner of Jones-Gane title fight

Stipe Miocic will face the winner of Saturday's heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane, UFC president Dana White has announced.

Jones makes his long-awaited return to the UFC at heavyweight in Las Vegas.

A former two-time light heavyweight champion, Jones is facing Gane for the vacant heavyweight belt after Francis Ngannou left the UFC as a free agent.

Ngannou beat Miocic and Gane in his last two fights before quitting, and Jones will take on the same pair in reverse order if he comes through Saturday's bout at UFC 285.

"He's absolutely the next one," White said of Miocic. "So, whoever wins on Saturday night will face Stipe next."

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But there will be no blockbuster return for Ngannou, who White says will not be allowed back into the UFC.

"We negotiated with him for years," he said. "It's over. That's over. He'll never be in the UFC again."