All the free UFC events open to the public this week

PHOTOS: All the UFC fighters you see up close and personal at free events this week in Houston UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will defend his title Saturday night at Toyota Center. In the days leading up to the fight, the UFC is having several free events to give fans a chance to be around some of their top fighters. Browse through the photos above for a look at some of the UFC fighters who will be at free events in Houston this week ... less PHOTOS: All the UFC fighters you see up close and personal at free events this week in Houston UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will defend his title Saturday night at Toyota Center. In the days ... more Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC Image 1 of / 26 Caption Close All the free UFC events open to the public this week 1 / 26 Back to Gallery

With UFC 247 at Toyota Center on Saturday night, there are plenty of opportunities for fans to interact with the fighters this week.

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones headlines the card, defending his title against undefeated Dominick Reyes.

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Jones and Reyes will both be at a free athlete panel open to the public from 5-7:30 p.m Wednesday at The Ballroom at Bayou Place. Jones and Reyes will be joined on the panel by a few other fighters on the card – Houston’s Derrick Lewis and his opponent Ilir Latifi and women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko and her opponent Katlyn Chookagian.

Doors open to the public at 5 p.m. and UFC analyst Jon Anik will interview the fighters onstage beginning at 6 p.m.

On Thursday, some UFC fighters not on this weekend’s card will have a gym day open to the public from 5:30-7 p.m. at Renzo Gracie Lake Houston (14555 West Lake Houston). Jorge Masvidal – the UFC’s No. 3 ranked welterweight – will be there along with Uriah Hall, Geoff Neal and Alex Hernandez.

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Friday’s weigh-ins also are open to the public. Doors to the Toyota Center will open at 3:30 p.m. with a press conference for UFC 248 – headlined by Israel Adesanya and Yoel Romero – beginning at 4 p.m. and the weigh-ins for UFC 247 beginning at 5 p.m.

There also is a UFC 247 Fan Experience at 1 p.m. Saturday at Toyota Center. The free event includes athlete meet and greets with UFC fighters such as Brian Ortega, Claudia Gadelha, Dustin Poirier, Curtis Blaydes, Jared Cannonier and Jessica Rose Clark.

That event ends at 3 p.m., 90 minutes before doors open for the fight card. Tickets for UFC 247 are available here.

Browse through the photos at the top of the page for a look at all the UFC fighters who will be at these free events this week.