Dana White: UFC 285 winner will face Stipe Miocic next

Miocic (20-4) held the heavyweight crown from May 2016 to January 2018. After losing the belt to Cormier in July 2018, Miocic won it back in a rematch with Cormier in August 2019, then beat Cormier again in August 2020.

FILE PHOTO: Miocic lost the championship to Francis Ngannou in March 2021 and hasn’t fought since. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES

The winner of the UFC 285 battle for the vacant heavyweight championship between Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane already knows what awaits next: a matchup with two-time heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic.

UFC president Dana White made the announcement on Friday in Las Vegas ahead of the UFC 285 card on Saturday.

“(Miocic is) absolutely the next one,” White said, “so whoever wins on Saturday night will face Stipe next.”

In an interview with ex-champ Daniel Cormier posted Friday on YouTube, Miocic, 40, said he was told his matchup against Jones or Gane would be held in July.

Miocic (20-4) held the heavyweight crown from May 2016 to January 2018. After losing the belt to Cormier in July 2018, Miocic won it back in a rematch with Cormier in August 2019, then beat Cormier again in August 2020.

Miocic lost the championship to Francis Ngannou in March 2021 and hasn’t fought since.

Ngannou gave up the title when he left the UFC earlier this year, leaving White to line up Jones (26-1) and Gane (11-1) to square off for the championship on Saturday.