Jones submits Gane to claim UFC heavyweight crown

LAS VEGAS, March 4 (Reuters) - Jon Jones scored a sensational first-round submission win over top-ranked Ciryl Gane to claim the vacant UFC heavyweight title at UFC 285 on Saturday, re-staking his claim to be the greatest fighter of all time after an emphatic return to the octagon.

Former light heavyweight champion Jones, who last fought in 2020, moved up a division for his heavyweight debut against Gane and needed less than three minutes to become the eighth fighter in UFC history to win titles in two divisions.

American Jones, 35, scored a takedown a minute into the opening round and snatched a guillotine choke that trapped Gane against the cage, with the Frenchman tapping out to end the fight at the 2:04 mark.

Jones won the belt relinquished by Francis Ngannou, who exited the UFC as a free agent in January.

In the co-main event, Mexico's Alexa Grasso won the women's flyweight title after pulling off a stunning upset to dethrone eight-times defending champion Valentina Shevchenko with a fourth-round submission.

An errant spinning kick from Shevchenko paved the way for Grasso to expertly take her back and lock in a rear naked choke to finish the bout, ending one of the most dominant title reigns in UFC history.

Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore

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