UFC 295 has already had plenty of drama, without a fighter even stepping into the Octagon. We were expecting to see a huge heavyweight title clash in what could have been Jon Jones' final hurrah.
Injury has struck, though, ruling the champion, who many believe to be the greatest ever, out for eight months.
The show must go on though, and we're all set for an exciting interim title fight as Tom Aspinall steps up for his shot at glory. Here are all the details on UFC 295:
When is UFC 295? Date and start time
Getty ImagesUFC 295 will be held on November 11, 2023, at Madison Square Garden, New York City, the home of fighting.
We've seen many great bouts at the venue down the years, and it's the MMA promotors' first return to the city for a year when the Gardens hosted UFC 281. That proved a great night, and we can expect the same again, with the action underway from around 7 pm local time and the main event scheduled around 11 pm.
That means in the UK, the action gets underway at midnight, with a main event at 4 am, and Brit Tom Aspinall's ringwalk is the penultimate co-headline fight of the night.
The early preliminary bouts will take place two hours before the main action gets underway.
How to watch UFC 295 in the US
UFC 295 is available on PPV in what could be one of the most exciting UFC events of the year. The early preliminary and preliminary bouts are available to watch in the USA on ESPN+, the home of UFC, with the main card needing to be purchased.
An ESPN+ subscription can be purchased for $9.99 per month, with no contract, while you will need to get the main card. The UFC PPV main card can then be purchased at $79.99, giving you full access to all the action, with five fights on the main card, including two championship matches.
You can also get the UFC PPV package, which includes an annual ESPN+ subscription and all UFC PPV events. The package costs $ 134.99 per year for the first 12 months and then drops to $109.99 per year.
How to watch UFC 295 in the UK
In the UK, the preliminary card and main card will be broadcast on TNT Sports 1 from 1 am, as well as via the Discovery+ app. A subscription to Discovery+ with TNT Sports is priced at £29.99 monthly.
UFC 295 Fight Card
Getty ImagesUFC 295 was supposed to be Jon 'Bones' Jones's final hurrah in his home state of New York, but a tear in his pectoral tendon has ruled the legendary fighter out for up to eight months.
He was due to face Stipe Miocic, but both fighters have been pulled, and we'll instead see a bout for the interim heavyweight title as Tom Aspinall takes on Sergei Pavlovich in the co-main event.
Top of the bill comes in the form of Jiří Procházka versus Alex Pereira, who battle it out for the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.
The full fight card - subject to change - can be found below:
Main Card
| Weight | Fight |
|---|---|
| Light Heavyweight Championship | Jiří Procházka v Alex Pereira |
| Interim Heavyweight Championship | Sergei Pavlovich v Tom Aspinall |
| Featherweight | Diego Lopes v Pat Sabatini |
| Women's Strawweight | Mackenzie Dern v Jessica Andrade |
| Lightweight | Matt Frevola v Benoit Saint-Denis |
Main event tale of the tape: Procházka v Pereira
Following the vacation of the Light Heavyweight Championship by Jamahal Hill, after rupturing his Achilles, Jiří Procházka and Alex Pereira go head-to-head in the main event of the evening.
For Procházka, it's his opportunity to get his hands back on the belt he won back in June of last year, producing the Fight of the Year against Glover Teixeira. He had to vacate following an injury to his right shoulder.
It's been a long lay-off, and the Czech fighter will return to the ring against a man making only his second appearance at light heavyweight.
The bookies have got the fight close, with Pereira just ahead after impressing against Jan Błachowicz earlier this year at UFC 291.
Here's a look at the tale of the tape…
| Statistic | Jiří Procházka | Alex Pereira |
|---|---|---|
Age | 31 | 36 |
Height | 1.93m | 1.93m |
Reach | 203cm | 200cm |
Style | Muay Thai | Kickboxing |
Total Fights | 33 | 10 |
Wins | 29 | 8 |
Wins by KO | 25 | 6 |
Wins by Submission | 3 | 0 |
Wins by Decision | 1 | 2 |
Losses | 3 | 1 |
Draws | 1 | 0 |
News about UFC 295
The big news of UFC 295 is that Jon Jones will no longer be headlining the event, where he was due to take on Stipe Miocic in a huge bout for the Heavyweight Championship.
The UFC's president, Dana White, explained the injury: "Jon Jones was training last night, got injured, he was wrestling, and he tore the tendon that connects your pec to the bone, off the bone. [Out] eight months, going to need surgery. He's out."
Jones is one of the most decorated fighters in the UFC, with many fans believing him to be the best ever. But at 36-years-old and a long road back, it's unknown whether we may see Bones in the Octagon again.