As always, the latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the ladder toward contention and others fall away.
And in the aftermath of UFC 309, MMA News has you covered with this weekās updates to the official UFC rankings.
Menās Pound-For-Pound:Ā Dana White won’t be pleased looking at the updated P4P pecking order. Jon Jones’ successful heavyweight title defense at Madison Square Garden wasn’t enough to convince the panel that he should have the crown, with that remaining in Islam Makhachev’s possession. “Bones” has, however, climbed above Alex Pereira (#3) into the #2 position.
Further down, former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira (#15) has returned to the list as a result of his triumph over Michael Chandler on Saturday night. That’s left ex-middleweight kingpin Israel Adesanya without a number entirely.
Womenās Flyweight: There was just one change at 125 pounds, with Karine Silva’s defeat to Viviane AraĆŗjo at UFC 309 pushing her back one place to #12. That’s provided a boost for Tracy Cortez, who is up one spot to #11 months on from her main event loss to Rose Namajunas.
Womenās Bantamweight:Ā No changes.
Flyweight: No changes.
Bantamweight: Marcus McGhee has debuted in the UFC rankings following his victory over Jonathan Martinez. “The Maniac” has entered at #14, while his defeated opponent is no longer ranked. Aiemann Zahabi has been a beneficiary of those changes, seeing his number improved by one to #13.
Featherweight:Ā No changes.
Lightweight:Ā A few changes unrelated to Saturday’s pay-per-view have taken place at 155 pounds. That includes a switch of positions for Mateusz Gamrot and Beneil Dariush, with the former up to #8 and the latter down to #9. It’s a similar situation further down the ladder, with Paddy Pimblett climbing above Jalin Turner (#14) to #13.
Welterweight:Ā No changes.
Middleweight:Ā No changes.
Light Heavyweight:Ā No changes.
Heavyweight:Ā Following his defeat to Jones, Stipe Miocic announced his retirement from active competition inside the cage. With that, he’s swiftly been removed from the UFC rankings and replaced by Shamil Gaziev, who’s slot in at #15.
A much-desired title unification fight between UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and his interim counterpart Tom Aspinall continues to be the talk of the town.
Despite Aspinall having the interim belt wrapped around his waist in 2023, both Jones and the promotion remained steadfast on a decision to reschedule the champ’s clash with the returning Stipe Miocic.
It didn’t take long for Aspinall’s name to once again be presented to Jones. Although he appeared to entertain the prospect of facing the Brit inside the Octagon, his post-fight press conference told a different story.
But despite the fight appearing to remain a significant distance away from coming to fruition, that hasn’t stopped the fanbase from pondering who would emerge as undisputed king.
In the immediate aftermath of Jones’ win, the betting lines had Aspinall favored to do so.
Aspinall has widely been branded the leading man when it comes to the ‘new generation’ of heavyweights competing on MMA’s biggest stage, with his speed, power, and agility helping him accumulate an 8-1 record in the UFC ā the sole defeat on which came by way of a freak knee injury.
With that in mind, many seem to be leaning toward the interim champ when pondering his chances against Jones, with some even suggesting that the line should be wider in his favor.
Some others, however, were left bemused by seeing a leading candidate for GOAT status sat as an underdog.
Jon Jones has always surrounded himself with some of the best of the best in their chosen fields to help him in his career. During the time that he has spent at heavyweight, this means bringing in big bodies that can really push him physically day-in and day-out.
The heavyweight champion’s preparations in Albuquerque clearly paid off for him in his second fight in the weight class this past weekend. In the main event of UFC 309, he stopped the returning Stipe Miocic in the third round to defend his heavyweight title for the first time.
As seen in social media videos or the fight week build-up, two elite grapplers joined Jones for this camp, along with some of the boxers that he trained with. Standing side-by-side on the mats with Jones and elite grappler Gordon Ryan was the former Olympic gold medallist wrestler, Gable Steveson.
After becoming the youngest freestyle wrestler in his weight class to ever win Olympic gold having only recently turned 21-years old at the time, Steveson left Tokyo in 2021 with the world at his feet. There was a lot of talk as to whether he would move into MMA or professional wrestling and after brief stints in WWE and the NFL that didn’t work out, it looks like the Octagon could be in his future.
Jones spoke in his post-fight press conference about how Steveson showed that he had the passion and mentality to learn after offering to step-in for one of Jones’ injured sparring partners during a training session. He also referenced a video that caught the attention of fans on social media where Steveson shot in for a takedown and was hit by a knee from “Bones”.
“I kneed him in the face at one of his very first practices. He ate it, and he looked like a little kid who had just found a new toy.”
Jones believes that his teammate for this recent fight camp has all the tools he needs to succeed in MMA if he chooses to stay the course and develop his overall game. At just 24-years old, Steveson still has a lot of time to develop into a serious threat in MMA.
“He’s gonna be scary, he’s gonna be very scary when he decides to do MMA. He knows how to make men appear very weak, me being one of them. When he learns how to box and learns a little about jiu-jitsu, it’s a matter of if he’ll become a UFC champion, it’s when he’ll be a UFC champion. Whether he trains in Albuquerque with our family or finds a different team, whoever has him are going to be really blessed to have him.”
Jon Jones may be considered to be the greatest of all time in mixed martial arts but his incredible accomplishments inside the Octagon don’t come without come controversy along the way. For everything that “Bones” has done during his UFC tenure which is worth highlighting, there are plenty of other talking points that don’t color the heavyweight champion in the best light.
Some of these examples from the past are unavoidable when reflecting on Jones’ career like his previous suspensions from the UFC whilst others, like his run-ins with the law, are more of a reflection of his public image rather than his professional achievements. Despite all of this, UFC 309 was built up as the return of the GOAT who would be defending his belt for the first and possibly last time.
Since departing the UFC, “The Super Samoan” has been incredibly critical of his former home, particularly when talking about athletes that have either been accused or found guilty of taking performance enhancing drugs. This stems from Hunt’s fight against the returning Brock Lesnar at UFC 200 where he later attempted to sue the promotion, claiming that they knew Lesnar had failed a pre-fight test but withheld the information until after the bout.
He posted on social media and referenced Jones’ somewhat murky past with the UFC’s drug-testing procedures.
“The ufc heavyweight champion of the world ladies and gentlemen there u have it a cheating steroid rat who runs into pregnant women and runs off a rat that hides under the octagon for 10 hours hiding from being tested for drugs this is your ufc heavyweight champion this is the rat u need to look upto this is the rat we promote please be upstanding and raise your glass to a company that has zero credibility worthless belt worthless champion and even more worthless rip off company any other sport this loser wouldnāt be here thatās why ufc have no credibility because they promote this garbage.”
Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya appeared impressed while watching Jon Jones send Stipe Miocic into retirement with a brutal kick this past weekend.
Returning from a spell on the sidelines that spanned over three and a half years, many dismissed Miocic’s chances of unseating Jones and adding a third heavyweight reign to his illustrious record.
In spite of many focusing on his avoidance of Tom Aspinall, Jones’ latest triumph on MMA’s biggest stage drew widespread plaudits, including from some UFC peers whom he’s not always seen eye to eye with…
During a video recently uploaded to his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, Adesanya reacted live to the events that unfolded on the UFC 309 main card at MSG.
The Nigerian-New Zealander didn’t have much to say during the finishing sequence in the headliner, instead simply applauding Jones’ work.
“He did it, as he does,” Adesanya said. “Great main event. … Good to see Stipe hang them up. I still think he went out on top.”
He was subsequently asked the question on everyone’s lips ā will a unification fight with Aspinall happen?
“I think it’ll happen. If Jones is not retiring, I think they’ll figure it out,” Adesanya said. “Talk to Hunter (Campbell), talk to Dana (White)…sit down in the War Room, they’ll hash it out, they’ll figure it out.”
Those who feared a difficult night at the office for the returning former champion, who hadn’t competed in three and a half years, had their worries come to fruition.
Taking to X with his reaction moments after the main event concluded, Ngannou returned the favor by repeating the “I see you” line Jones posted in response to the Cameroonian’s winning debut under the PFL banner last month.
Jones looked great out there tonight. Congrats Jonny boyšš¾ I see you š
“Jones looked great out there tonight,” Ngannou wrote. “Congrats Jonny boy. I see you (wink)”
While a possible showdown between Jones and Ngannou looks set to enter the “what if” realm of matchups, “The Predator” had a lengthier address for a man whom he has thrown down with ā twice.
Following his defeat in New York City, Miocic announced his retirement, and Ngannou was among those paying tribute to the former two-time heavyweight king on social media.
Thank you, champion @stipemiocic , for all youāve done for our sport and, above all, for the class you embody and the example you set. Iām grateful for how our battles have shaped me into a better fighter; those moments taught me more than years in the sport. Enjoy yourā¦ pic.twitter.com/QAzR4uX94Y
“Thank you, champion @stipemiocic, for all youāve done for our sport and, above all, for the class you embody and the example you set,” Ngannou wrote. “Iām grateful for how our battles have shaped me into a better fighter; those moments taught me more than years in the sport. Enjoy your well-earned retirement and best wishes for all your future endeavors.”
Miocic faced MMA’s hardest hitter twice in the UFC, first outpointing Ngannou to become the first man to beat him in the Octagon at UFC 220.
Three years later, the pair renewed hostilities at the Apex, where “The Predator” got his redemption and crowning moment in violent fashion.
If Jon Jones steps back into the Octagon, heās made it clear he expects to be compensated handsomely. Following his dominant third-round victory over former champion Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Jones addressed his future in the sport.
The fight concluded with a spinning back kick to Miocicās body, solidifying Jonesā position as one of MMAās most formidable fighters. However, the conversation has now shifted to whatāor whoācomes next for the reigning heavyweight champion.
Two potential matchups are on the table: a clash with interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall or a showdown with reigning light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. At the UFC 309 post-fight press conference, Jones made it clear which fight he prefers.
“I’m not really worried about the Tom fight; I’m worried about the Pereira fight; that’s what I want to do,” Jones said. “I think if the UFC wants me back, that’s the fight they’ll make. I’ve been really clear about my intentions… I’ll retire the heavyweight belt if I have to. Give the dude what he wants at the end of the day. I feel like I’m at a place where I want to take super-fights. I don’t want to fight dangerous up-and-comers anymore. I want to fight dangerous, established champions. So, Tom can have the heavyweight championship; I don’t really care about it.”
Jones also hinted at retirement if his terms arenāt met, stating, “One of the really good things about negotiating is being willing to walk away from a deal, and that’s the deal that I want. If that’s not what the fans want, I guess I’ll say Sayonara.”
Additionally, Jones emphasized that he expects a lucrative payday, referencing his desire for āfāk you money,” should the UFC want him to fight Tom.
The UFC’s GOAT battle ended with Jones adding another name to his long list of fallen opponents, as he finished Stipe Miocic to retain the UFC heavyweight championship in the main event of UFC 309 at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Jones had a strong start after a feeling out process to start the fight, scoring a takedown a couple of minutes into the round and landing some brutal elbows that could have finished the outing.
The Rochester native seemed to take the second frame off but still landed the better shots. He then finished off Miocic in the third with a brutal spinning kick to the body.
Miocic announced his retirement from MMA after the fight. Jones, meanwhile, did not commit to calling it quits, but stated he’d have to do some negotiating with Dana White and Hunter Campbell before signing on for a fight with either interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall or light heavyweight kingpin Alex Pereira.
Jon Jones Puts Stipe Miocic Into Retirement With Third-Round Finish To Retain Heavyweight Title At UFC 309
Jon beating Stipe was as impressive as Jake Paulās win over Mike Tyson
UFC 309 took place tonight from Madison Square Garden in New York, and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights!Ā
In the main event, Jon Jones put his heavyweight title on the line against Stipe Miocic. While in the co-main event, Charles Oliveira faced Michael Chandler in a lightweight matchup.Ā
Make sure to catch all the UFC 309 results and highlights as they happen below!Ā
UFC 309 Results: Main Card
Heavyweight Championship Main Event: Jon Jones def. Stipe Miocic via TKO:Ā R3, 4.29
Lightweight Co-Main Event: Charles Oliveira def. Michael Chandler via unanimous decision (49-46×2, 49-45)
Middleweight: Bo Nickal def. Paul Craig via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
The fight between Marcin Tybura and Jhonata Diniz was stopped after the second round due to a doctor stoppage for Diniz. #UFC309pic.twitter.com/fmR6GK64f3
After capturing the gold in March 2023 by quickly submitting Ciryl Gane, āBonesā is next tasked with stalling Stipe Miocic’s ambitions of a return to the 265-pound mountaintop in what will mark the Ohio native’s first outing in three and a half years.
The stakes will also be high in the co-main event, which will see former lightweight champ Charles Oliveira look to secure another shot at regaining the crown by once again getting the better of Michael Chandler.
Elsewhere on the UFC 309 card, middleweight prospect Bo Nickal, rising flyweight Karine Silva, the always entertaining Mauricio Ruffy and former champion Chris Weidman have their next assignments inside the Octagon.
Ahead of the event,Ā 25 of the 26 fighters successfully made weight, with James Llontop’s 1.2-pound miss of the 165-pound catchweight limit marking the sole indiscretion on the scale. Nevertheless, every fight is intact, and all that remains on Friday is for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC 309 ceremonial weigh-ins!
UFC 309 takes place tomorrow night, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!
After staging fights in Edmonton and Las Vegas to kick off the month, the mixed martial arts leader will host its annual November numbered event from Madison Square Garden in New York City.
One title will be on the line at the top of the card, with Jon Jones defending his heavyweight belt against returning former champion Stipe Miocic n the main event. Co-headlining, meanwhile, will be a crucial lightweight rematch between ex-titleholder Charles Oliveira and the always entertaining Michael Chandler
Also on the main card will be returns for highly touted middleweight prospect Bo Nickal, surging flyweight contender Karine Silva, and electric lightweight newcomer Mauricio Ruffy.
UFC 309: Jones vs. Miocic Weigh-In Results
UFC 309 takes place Saturday, November 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.
See above for a replay of the UFC 309 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below.
Main Card:
Heavyweight Championship Main Event: Jon Jones (237.6lbs) vs. Stipe Miocic (248.6lbs)
Lightweight Co-Main Event: Charles Oliveira (155.6lbs) vs. Michael Chandler (155.6lbs)
Womenās Flyweight: Viviane AraĆŗjo (125.6lbs) vs. Karine Silva (125.8lbs)
Middleweight: Bo Nickal (185.4lbs) vs. Paul Craig (186lbs)
Catchweight (165lbs): Mauricio Ruffy (164.4lbs) vs. James Llontop (166.2lbs)*
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Jonathan Martinez (135.8lbs) vs. Marcus McGhee (135.6lbs)
Middleweight: Eryk Anders (185.6lbs) vs. Chris Weidman (186lbs)
Lightweight: Jim Miller (155.6lbs) vs. Damon Jackson (155.2lbs)
Featherweight: David Onama (155.6lbs) vs. Roberto Romero (155lbs)
Early Preliminary Card:
Heavyweight: Marcin Tybura (251lbs) vs. Jhonata Diniz (253.2lbs)
Welterweight: Mickey Gall (170.8lbs) vs. Ramiz Brahimaj (170.2lbs)
Welterweight: Bassil Hafez (171lbs) vs. Oban Elliott (170lbs)
Womenās Flyweight: Veronica Hardy (125.8lbs) vs. Eduarda Moura (125.2lbs)
*James Llontop missed the catchweight limit by 1.2 pounds
Topping the lineup will be reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, who is tasked with getting the better of former kingpin Stipe Miocic if heās to record a first successful title defense.
Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see ex-lightweight titleholder Charles Oliveira in action for the second time this year. After failing to get past Arman Tsarukyan, āDo Bronxā must add a second win over Michael Chandler to his record if he’s to keep his name in the title conversation.
Also set to make the walk on Saturday will be the likes of elite wrestling specialist Bo Nickal, rising women’s flyweight contender Karine Silva, the entertaining Mauricio Ruffy and former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman.
Ahead of the event, you can get some help from the group of experts at MMA News by checking out their predictions for the UFC 309 main card here.
UFC 309: Jones vs. Miocic Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 309 (as of 11/15), courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Jon Jones (-625) vs. Stipe Miocic (+455)
Charles Oliveira (-245) vs. Michael Chandler (+200)
Both Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic are not the kind of fighters that have too many questions surrounding their fighting styles and key attributes. There may be questions ahead of UFC 309 this weekend regarding how Jones looks at heavyweight and whether Miocic will be able to roll back the years but we know a lot of the other variables.
In a recent piece for UFC.com, E. Spencer Kyte sat down with Eric Nicksick, who knows a thing about heavyweight title fights as the coach of Francis Ngannou, to break down this Saturday’s headline bout at Madison Square Garden. Starting with “Bones”, the Xtreme Couture head coach gave his opinion on what the consensus greatest of all time does better than the rest.
“For Jon, obviously, I think itās his Fight IQ āĀ thatās definitely gonna be No. 1, but the way that heās able to apply different arts to the game plan; I think thatās what makes him the most intriguing fighter ever. He can beat you in any facet of the game and do it very, very well. He has an ego about him too, where if you watch the Cormier fight, āOh, youāre the best wrestler? Okay, Iāll take your a** down. Gustafsson, youāre the best striker? Iām gonna out-strike you.’ There is an edge and an aura to him where he likes to beat his opponent at their best attribute, and thatās what makes him freakinā amazing.”
Nicksick continued, adding what side of Jones’ game he believes will be the most important for this fight in particular.
“I think the attribute for him is his length ā keeping this fight long and at a pace that favors him. I think heās the ultimate puppet master in the way that he fights āĀ he gets you into his style of fight, he controls that pace, and thatās where I think a lot of guys have problems with him because they get snake-charmed.”
Ngannou’s coach also highlighted Jones’ offense which has seen him showcase a wide array of weapons, many of which have become adopted by other fighters.
“Itās in his creativity too that you see how good he is because you donāt get to train a lot of that. You donāt get to prepare for a spinning back elbow off a right cross. Thatās natural instinct like Saquon Barkley jumping over a guy; you look at it and go, āThatās the level of creativity in his mind that heās doing that,ā and you canāt train for that, you canāt prepare for that.”
Nicksick then turned his attention to the challenger in this Saturday’s main event. Having trained Ngannou to fight the former two-time heavyweight champion twice before, analyzing Miocic’s game is something that he has plenty of experience doing already.
“His best traits are his boxing, his toughness, his durability and his heart, all those things, but as someone that had to game-plan for the guy ā when you and I were talking about this fight last week, I was looking at some stuff, and it brought back an anxiety like I was going back and preparing for Stipe again. If you look at the trilogy with Cormier, Stipe looked better in every fight and got better in every fight. He was winning the first fight until he wasnāt, he was losing the second fight until he wasnāt, and then the third fight was a complete wash, but in that third fight, I saw so many different technical evolutions from him in that time.”
Nicksick believes that based on Miocic’s ability to adapt in the past, we could see even more developments in his game after he’s spent over three years outside of the Octagon.
“A lot of switch stances, a lot of lateral movement, a lot of shake steps āĀ things that I think are more predicated to lighter weight fighters, and he was implementing these things and very much confused Cormier. So I also think itās his evolution, and thatās a big question: how has he evolved these last three years? What has he been doing? I have to assume that heās only gotten better. With the type of personality and champion that he is, (I have to assume) that heās been working, doing new things.”
When the fight was scheduled to take place last year at UFC 295, a lot of people were quick to write off Stipe Miocic’s chances of dethroning the heavyweight champion, Jon Jones. Miocic has accomplished a lot a former two-time champion but his years away from the Octagon and last fight meant that a lot of people didn’t think that he would be at his best.
This same narrative has only increased since that fight was postponed due to Jones’ injury and rescheduled for UFC 309 this weekend, over one year on from their previously scheduled encounter. However, there are some fellow fighters that believe that this fight will end up being far more competitive than many are expecting.
Miocic was knocked out by Francis Ngannou the last time that we saw him in action but “The Predator” might be the most devastating puncher in the sport and Jones is not known for his heavy hands. In his trilogy with Daniel Cormier, Miocic was able to showcase his wrestling, boxing and fight IQ in order to win their second and third clashes.
Former UFC title challenger Steve Erceg is one member of the roster who believes that Miocic will prove to be a tough test for “Bones”. The Aussie flyweight recently gave his thoughts on the fight in an interview with Fox Sports Australia.
āIāve been thinking about this fight and believe itās going to be a really close. Even though everyone is saying Jon Jones will destroy Stipe, I donāt see it because I just canāt see Jon taking Miocic down consistently. I think people are overlooking that.
āJon Jones also isnāt known for his ridiculous knockout power, so to win heāll have to beat Stipe through five rounds and I canāt see him (Miocic) being picked apart for five rounds, either. When it comes to Stipe Miocic, I think most people know ā or should know ā that he isnāt someone to be trifled with. Thatās why I think itās going to be a barn burner. So while Iām probably still leaning towards Jon, if I was having a punt Iād go Stipe because in what I believe will be a close fight, heās great value.ā
Jon Jones is approaching his first UFC heavyweight title defense with a different mindset as he prepares to face Stipe Miocic in the main event of Saturdayās UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden.
Although the two fighters had mutual respect for much of the lead-up to the fight, tensions have escalated. Jones has taken a more personal approach to the matchup due to Miocic’s alleged comments.
The shift began when Miocic called Jones a “bitch,” a remark Jones did not take lightly. Matters escalated further when Miocic allegedly mentioned Jones’ children, which Jones interpreted as a direct attack on his family. However, Micoic has denied those remarks.
āEveryone likes first responders, and I actually respect men and women in the armed forces and law enforcement, things like that,ā Jones said during the UFC 309 press conference. āSo I made it a point to try to be very respectful to him. But thereāve been two scenarios now. First, he said, āMy kids will never look at me like Iām an asshole.ā That was a direct attack at me, my family, and my relationship with my kids. The second was him calling me a bitch. So, the respect is a little bit out the window, and weāll see that on Saturday. Itās very personal to me, yes.ā Donāt ever mention my kids again.
Miocic replied, āI never mentioned your kids.ā With these personal stakes adding fuel to the fire, fans can expect a charged performance from Jones as he looks to defend his title against the former UFC heavyweight champion.
Weāre deep into UFC 309 fight week, meaning it was recently time for the fighters set to be in action on November 16 to take to the stage and answer some questions.
Setting the stage for the UFC 309 headliners will be a crucial five-round contest at 155 pounds, with former kingpin Charles Oliveira looking to repeat his 2021 victory over Michael Chandler in their highly anticipated rematch.
Also on pay-per-view will be rising middleweight prospect Bo Nickal, who gets his toughest test to date in formerly ranked submission specialist Paul Craig. Thatās in addition to surging flyweight Karine Silva, who looks to keep climbing the ladder toward Valentina Shevchenko’s gold at the expense of her fellow countrywoman Viviane Araujo.
The UFC 309 main card will open with the always entertaining Mauricio Ruffy making his second walk to the Octagon. The Fighting Nerds standout will look to continue his winning start to life in the UFC against late-notice replacement James Llontop.
As is customary during major fight weeks, the athletes took to the stage on Thursday for the pre-fight press conference.
Their planned showdown at Madison Square Garden last November fell through, however, due to an injury on the side of “Bones,” and Tom Aspinall subsequently became interim champ as a result.
Even beyond that, Aspinall remains an opponent whom the Rochester native is looking to avoid. The champ has expressed a number of reasons for not fighting the Brit this year, from a potential retirement and lack of enthusiasm about the interim king’s record to his desire to face Alex Pereira instead.
Jon Jones did a scrum with media and emphasized that his priority going forward should he fight beyond Saturday is to compete in "fun fights" with athletes who are roughly his size.
It’s worth noting that Jones spent three years on the sidelines to bulk up and prepare for his stint at heavyweight, weighing in at 248 pounds for his divisional debut. That’s just three pounds lighter than Aspinall hit the scales at before knocking out Curtis Blaydes this past July.
Jones’ latest remarks drew plenty of backlash on social media, not least due to the fact his remark on size came during the same media scrum in which he pointed to Derrick Lewis as a “super fight” he could pursue.
The common theme among commenters was the “ducking” accusation that has followed Jones throughout UFC 309 fight week.
If it's his final fight…he's going out with a bang presser.
The main event will see heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones defend his title for the first time since capturing it at the expense of Ciryl Gane 20 months ago. To continue reign, “Bones” is tasked with spoiling the ongoing ambitions of returning former champ Stipe Miocic.
Co-headlining will be a former titleholder in Charles Oliveira, who will look to record his first victory of 2024 to book himself another shot at regaining the lightweight gold. In his way will be a familiar foe in Michael Chandler, whom he runs it back with after “Iron” finally moved on from a long-desired clash with Conor McGregor.
Elsewhere on the main card, Bo Nickal gets his toughest test to date opposite formerly ranked submission specialist Paul Craig, Brazilian flyweights Karine Silva and Viviane AraĆŗjo battle to advance their title aspirations, and the entertaining Mauricio Ruffy gets his second taste of Octagon action.
UFC 309: MMA News Staff Predictions
Ahead of Saturdayās UFC 309 event, Kyle Dimond, Ryan Jarrell, Thomas Albano, Pranav Pandey and Aakrit Sharma have provided their picks for the five matchups set for the main card.
Below, you can check out the current leaderboard through eight cards.
Thomas Albano (30-9)
Ryan Jarrell (25-14)
Kyle Dimond (22-17)
Pranav Pandey (13-7)
Andrew Starc (13-11)
Aakrit Sharma (9-6)
And with that, itās time for the teamās predictions for UFC 309.
Welterweight: Mauricio Ruffy vs. James Llontop
Images: DWCS/UFC/Zuffa LLC
Kyle Dimond: Letās be honest, this fight is here to showcase Ruffy. That performance against Mullarkey earlier this year was incredibly exciting, and I donāt see the winning streak of the Fighting Nerds ending here against an opponent that has lost his first two fights inside the Octagon. It would be a huge moment for Llontop if he does it, but as far as uphill battles go on this card, he may have the steepest one. (Prediction: Mauricio Ruffy)
Ryan Jarrell: Ruffy looked impressive in his UFC debut win over Jamie Mullarkey and kept his 100 percent finishing record in tact with his 10th stoppage win. I just donāt see a path to victory for Llontop in this fight. He is now 0-2 in the UFC, and this matchup stylistically isnāt a good one for him. Ruffy will find Llontopās chin at some point early in the fight and close the show. (Prediction: Mauricio Ruffy)
Thomas Albano: These are two names from the 2023 season of Dana Whiteās Contender Series whose time in the UFC has gone in two different directions. Ruffy made his Octagon debut at UFC 301 and made an impact with a strong flying knee KO of Jamie Mullarkey. And though thatās been his only UFC fight to date, he and his team, the Fighting Nerds, have surged in popularity and recognition this year, not only putting up strong performances but also earning key victories as well. Llontop has a cool nickname (āGokuā), but heās dropped both of his UFC fights this year, and missed weight for one of them in the process.
Iād say more about this fight, but Iāll be blunt and say what this is and whatās going to happen. The UFC is going to continue to push the Fighting Nerds (and I donāt blame them), and this fight is going to be used to give Ruffy and the team another strong, impressive outing. Meanwhile, Llontop moves to 0-3 in the UFC, causing his release (because thatās just the model of their fighter roster at this point). Ruffy is a tough-as-nails finisher, and that will occur again in this outing. (Prediction: Mauricio Ruffy)
Pranav Pandey: At this stage, it would be foolish to bet against a Fighting Nerds standout, so I’m all in on Ruffy and fully aboard the hype train. My pick isnāt just a blind leapof faith ā Ruffy truly earned my confidence with his stunning knockout of Mullarkey in promotional debut at UFC 301. With a flawless 100 percent knockout rate in all his victories, the Brazilian has left no doubt that heās a devastating force in the octagon. Iām confident heāll dominate every facet of the fight against Llontop. Additionally, with āGokuā stepping in on just two weeksā notice, itās hard to see how he can match Ruffyās intensity. (Prediction: Mauricio Ruffy)
Aakrit Sharma: I believe this to be a fairly easy fight for Ruffy, whoās fighting on a UFC PPV main card for the first time. Heās won all his fights via KO/TKO so far, and he should be able to get the same result this weekend. Ruffyās a tall lightweight who utilizes his range well and possesses KO power. Heās only lost to Manoel Sausa, which was more or less a result of him not keeping his guard up while striking. Llontop will likely be overwhelmed by his opponentās pace as well. I hope Ruffy performs spectacularly and gets booked against an exciting striker like Daniel Zellhuber next. (Prediction: Mauricio Ruffy)
Consensus: 5-0 Mauricio Ruffy
Women’s Flyweight: Viviane AraĆŗjo vs. Karine Silva
Images: UFC.com
Kyle Dimond: AraĆŗjo has got some good wins on her record but she does tend to lose to the contenders that are climbing the rankings and passing her by. It seems like Silva could be one of those opponents. In 11 UFC fights, AraĆŗjo has never been finished, so I think sheāll put up a good fight against Silva but wonāt have enough to secure the win. (Prediction: Karine Silva)
Ryan Jarrell: Silva has 17 total finishes and hasnāt lost since 2019. Her well-rounded game will give her the advantage in this fight regardless of where it goes. AraĆŗjo is a decision machine, which means she is durable and tough to put away. I expect her to fight out of any real bad spots and survive to lose on the scorecards to Silva. (Prediction: Karine Silva)
Thomas Albano: Silva is looking to continue her rise up the UFCās womenās flyweight division, while AraĆŗjo is looking to break her way back into the upper echelon of contenders. Silva has impressed with a 4-0 Octagon record thus far, taking care of Poliana Botelho, Ketlen Souza, and Maryna Moroz with three first-round submissions. Then, earlier this year, she bested Ariane Lipski da Silva via decision. Silva is developing well into an all-around fighter, and now she gets her toughest test.
AraĆŗjo is in the twilight of her career and has lost three of her last five, but she has continued to hold strong, such as with her win over former title challenger Jennifer Maia last year. She has faced some solid competition in her losses, including recent UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso and former title challenger Amanda Ribas, but there is a sense of concern with the downward momentum sheās on, going up against a woman who is on a nine-fight win streak. Silva has the youth advantage, the speed, the momentum and the skillset all on her side. (Prediction: Karine Silva)
Pranav Pandey: Silva has made an undeniable impact since her UFC debut through Dana White’s Contender Series, securing three back-to-back first-round submission victories. With a dangerous striking game and a knack for finishing fights, sheās quickly become one of the divisionās hot prospects. Alternatively, I’m not entirely convinced by AraĆŗjo, mainly due to her tendency to be inconsistent in securing victories. Despite being with the UFC since 2019, she has only notched a single knockout win, although her resilience is certainly admirable.
With Silvaās youthful energy and momentum, I believe sheāll smoothly handle this matchup and come out on top. (Prediction: Karine Silva)
Aakrit Sharma: AraĆŗjo has been in the UFC for over five years, and despite never losing more than two fights in a row, sheās not been able to win against elite competition. Silva, on the other hand, is riding an impressive nine-fight win streak in her pro career. I believe Silva has all the tools to beat AraĆŗjo. Sheās been relying a lot on her submission skills lately, securing seven submissions in a row before her last decision win. However, she also boasts KO power and I find it hard to see a path to victory for AraĆŗjo. (Prediction: Karine Silva)
Consensus: 5-0 Karine Silva
Middleweight: Bo Nickal vs. Paul Craig
Images: UFC/Zuffa LLC
Kyle Dimond: Many have counted out Craig in the past and been wrong, but when you look at his losses in the UFC, they usually come when heās unable to get his opponents to the ground, either by taking them down or pulling guard. Though Nickal seems to be suggesting that he will grapple with Craig if he needs to, I think heāll be able to keep the fight standing, where I think he holds the striking advantage. Iād love for āBearjewā to shock the world yet again but it seems unlikely if Nickal decides to avoid the grappling altogether. (Prediction: Bo Nickal)
Ryan Jarrell: This will be the stiffest test for the young wrestling phenom to get through, but I do expect him to get the job done. Craig is dangerous on the ground and has a ton of power on the feet. I just think the unreal wrestling acumen that Nickal possesses and his eagerness to bring the fight to his opponents will be the difference. Nickal will wear the veteran down and sink in a submission at some point in round two. (Prediction: Bo Nickal)
Thomas Albano: Time for another step up in competition for Nickal, huh? The UFC is pushing him to be a star for them, and so far, heās off to a decent start. After a pair of wins on Dana Whiteās Contender Series in 2022, Nickal has three straight finishes against Jamie Pickett, Val Woodburn, and Cody Brundage. But now presents an opportunity for him to take on a featured name for the first time ā and itās someone whoās a grappling specialist in the man Craig. The problem with this? Craig isnāt the same guy he was just from even just a couple of years ago.
Craig has lost four of his last five, and a pair of those defeats have come when he was bested on the ground. Now youāre going to take this soon-to-be 37-year-old fighter and put him against a young man like Nickal, who has a solid wrestling background and can transition that into strong ground and submission game, while also developing his striking. This doesnāt smell good for āBearjew.ā
This may turn out to be the most impressive that Nickal looks in the Octagon (though maybe his sub-minute finish of Woodburn will have something to say about that), and this fight may leave us wondering where Craig goes from hereā¦ (Prediction: Bo Nickal)
Pranav Pandey: On paper, this might look like a bread-and-butter victory for Nickal, but I donāt think itāll be as easy as the oddsmakers suggest. Nickalās fighting style is undeniably dominant, bolstered by his impressive NCAA-level wrestling, which makes him a force to be reckoned with. However, donāt sleep on “Bearjew.” Craig may not have Nickal’s wrestling pedigree, but he’s a seasoned veteran with a wealth of experience. Heās battled with some of the best in the octagon, and his submission game is a constant danger ā his threats come from every angle.
I believe Craig will present Nickal with a myriad of puzzling challenges, but I have faith that the All-American wrestler will be equipped to handle them and ultimately secure the victory. (Prediction: Bo Nickal)
Aakrit Sharma: I initially had a weird feeling Craig would pull off an unexpected submission like he did against Magomed Ankalaev. However, after rewatching his performance against Brendan Allen, Iām unsure if heāll be able to survive Nickalās wrestling. Nickal seems to have decent power in his hands, too, giving Craig another thing to worry about. After an impressive win streak at light heavyweight, āBearjewā hasnāt looked the same at middleweight, and Nickal is yet another rough opponent for him. (Prediction: Bo Nickal)
Consensus: 5-0 Bo Nickal
Lightweight: Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler 2
Images: UFC/Zuffa LLC
Kyle Dimond: This fight is deceptively close I think because Oliveira does get hit and Chandler can finish anyone. That being said, the Brazilian’s recent performances donāt give me the impression that heās had some kind of steep decline from his championship run. Losing to Islam Makhachev and having a close fight with Arman Tsarukyan are not results that come with red flags. I think Oliveira has the edge, partly because of his strength of schedule, but I am expecting some more wild moments between these two. Ultimately, I just think āDo Bronxā is better right now. (Prediction: Charles Oliveira)
Ryan Jarrell: Chandler looks amazing heading into this fight. He has had a lot of time to work on his body and looks to be in the best shape of his career. He also has a massive chip on his shoulder from the fallout of the elusive Conor McGregor fight that never happened. Chandler is always dangerous and has the ability to finish anyone in the division. But Oliveira is a unique matchup for the heavy-handed striker.
If Chandler wins, I expect it to be an early finish from some big bombs that land. But the safe bet is to lean “Do Bronx” to survive an early onslaught and submit “Iron” Mike. (Prediction: Charles Oliveira)
Thomas Albano: So, at this point, the future of McGregor in the Octagon looks to be up in smoke (at least in my eyes itās been). Sorry to you, Chandler, for wasting your time chasing him. As an apology gift, you now get an opportunity at revenge against the man you fell just short against at UFC 262 ā when you were mere seconds away from scoring a finish and the UFC lightweight title.
This will be Chandlerās first fight since losing to Dustin Poirier in the same venue two years earlier. Oliveira, meanwhile, missed out on a rematch with Makhachev for the UFC lightweight title and then dropped a decision to Tsarukyan at UFC 300. As mentioned, Oliveira and Chandler fought a really competitive outing at UFC 262, with both men having their moments before “Do Bronx” pulled off a comeback, second-round finish to capture the then-vacant championship.
Both of these men are in must-win situations in their own right, with Chandler maybe much more so. He was already in a must-win from the perspective that if he lost, maybe ā despite previous claims from UFC CEO Dana White ā the fight with McGregor goes up in smoke (if it isnāt already). But now, this is an all-or-nothing situation. If he wins, he gets his revenge and is right back into the lightweight title picture with a potential No. 1 contender’s fight next. A loss? At his age, and those opportunities gone, would there be anywhere for him to go? And unfortunately for Chandler, after this long layoff, and now going against a different (albeit familiar) opponent than the one heās trained for ā and a hungry former champion at that, this doesnāt look great. Second verse, same as the first. (Prediction: Charles Oliveira)
Pranav Pandey: In my opinion, this will be an absolute fireworks show! Honestly, I can’t see this one going the distance ā much like their thrilling title fight at UFC 262. That being said, “Iron” is a formidable force in the early moments of a fight, and his confidence is only bolstered by his ability to drop Oliveira in their previous encounter. On the other hand, “Do Bronx” is also no slouch, whether on the feet or on the canvas. His striking has evolved, and if the fight hits the mat, his submission game is always a looming threat.
Should Oliveira successfully navigate Chandler’s early onslaught or endure the storm, there’s no doubt in my mind that heāll find a way to finish him. No disrespect to Chandler, but when his early aggression doesn’t pay off, he often freezes up like a deer in headlights. As the rounds go on, his mistakes become more glaring, and those costly errors have repeatedly snatched victory from his grasp. (Prediction: Charles Oliveira)
Aakrit Sharma: Chandler risked a lot by waiting for McGregor for such a long time, but considering most of his fights are outright brawls, I believe spending over two years away from the Octagon will benefit āIron.ā Him being 38 should not be a factor, and now that heās committed to winning the UFC lightweight championship, he might fight in a more calculated manner than before.
Oliveira, meanwhile, didnāt hurt his brand despite losing at UFC 300, and heās still one of the most dangerous lightweights out there. However, I think Chandler will be way too powerful for the Brazilian and should be able to get out of any submissions. āIronā just needs to avoid adrenaline-sponsored mistakes in this fight, as Oliveira can capitalize on them better than almost anyone.
I highly doubt this fight will go the distance. Even though āDo Bronxā emerged victorious the last time, I feel Chandler will finally have a more careful approach like Justin Gaethje and Francis Ngannou adapted toward the latter parts of their careers. (Prediction: Michael Chandler)
Consensus: 4-1 Charles Oliveira
UFC Heavyweight Title: Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic
Images: UFC.com
Kyle Dimond: I really want this fight to be competitive, for Miocic to turn back the clock and really test Jones at heavyweight. Unfortunately, like the vast majority, I struggle to overlook the facts in this one regardless of how good Miocic has been in the past. I will be delighted if it doesnāt go the way that most expect it to, and I do think itās going to surprise people early on. But I just think the timing of this fight tips the scale massively in Jonesā direction, especially as the fight goes on. (Prediction: Jon Jones)
Ryan Jarrell: I would love to pick Miocic to beat Jones and reclaim the heavyweight throne. But I just donāt see it happening at this point of his career. The former champ is much older now and hasnāt been fighting consistently at all. Itās been three years since Miocic last fought and he didnāt look very good in that fight.
I know there are a lot of people who donāt like Jones for a variety of reasons, but you cannot deny his greatness inside of the Octagon. He is smart to ask for this fight now and not risk losing to Miocic in his prime. At some point, Jones will clip the former champ and end the fight with some vicious strikes. (Prediction: Jon Jones)
Thomas Albano: Itās the fight no one asked for, nobody wants to see, a year-plus removed from when it should have happened, and a whole lot of other slogans and phrases you can attach onto this fight. As a hot take, I donāt mind this main event. Itās perhaps the greatest fighter this sport has ever seen versus the man who ruled over the heavyweight division for the better part of 2016-2020 ā the GOAT of the UFCās heavyweight division. That kind of fight and its stakes speak for itself. I know plenty of people are unhappy with it because of where Tom Aspinall (and Alex Pereira) falls into the picture ā but I consider that a separate issue Iāll go into later.
One thing I will give to the detractors ā both guys have fought a combined one time (one time) since Miocic lost the heavyweight championship to Francis Ngannou in March 2021. Miocic waited on the sidelines for another title fight to come his way, accepting nothing less (as he did when the Daniel Cormier vs. Brock Lesnar rumors came and went in 2018-19). It took years, but he got his wish. Jones, meanwhile, vacated the light heavyweight title for the final time (we think) in 2020, with the UFC finally giving into his wishes to move up to heavyweight. He took years off to build his body and train correctly and then dominated Ciryl Gane for the championship. Unfortunately, it wasnāt the fight everyone wanted since Ngannou and the UFC parted ways at the start of 2023. Then this fight got delayed after Jonesā torn pec, paving the way for Aspinall to enter the title picture.
Letās start with the fight itself. Jones has fought plenty of specialists before (be it wrestling, grappling, submissions, etc.). Miocic definitely has KO power in his own right, but Jones has managed to dominate, finish, or sometimes survive (barely) them all since heās made his UFC debut. Sure, he has that one controversial DQ loss, but those 12-6 elbows are legal now! And wouldnāt it be something if those elbows came out to play in this fight? My point being ā Miocic has fought no one before Jones thatās still on the current, active UFC roster. Heās fought no one other than Ngannou or Cormier since 2018. He hasnāt fought since his loss to Ngannou. Weāve seen fighters take long breaks and come out victorious (see GSP, Julianna PeƱa, and Jones himself), but I just donāt know if Miocic can do that with the limited competition heās faced over recent years, especially when going up against one of the sportās greatest fighters ever. Miocic loses this fight easily (I give it about 10 minutes at most) and lays his gloves down.
ā¦And so, too, does Jones. He has teased that this would be his last fight, and itās honestly a great storybook ending. He finally gets to compete in his birthplace of New York, in the Worldās Most Famous Arena, and go out as a heavyweight champion. The problem? How is that fair to Tom Aspinall? As an interim champion, heās earned the right to try and unify the belt against whoever holds the gold. Sure, he can just be promoted to heavyweight champion, but that feels rather anti-climactic. Jones is even teasing that heād rather fight light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. Donāt get me wrong, thatās a legendary fight, but Aspinall is feeling like a side piece in all of this. And I feel bad for him. (Prediction: Jon Jones)
Pranav Pandey: I believe this bout goes beyond the UFC heavyweight title. To me, itās a showdown between two of the sportās most legendary figures, and I couldnāt be more hyped for it. Both fighters are entering the Octagon after extended layoffs, with Miocic especially nearing the twilight of his illustrious career. However, this doesnāt mean we should expect either of them to show signs of slowing down.
“Bones”, in particular, has consistently demonstrated the full spectrum of his diverse skillset, proving time and again why he remains one of the most dangerous and well-rounded mixed martial artists the sport has ever seen. Meanwhile, Miocic is arguably the greatest heavyweight to ever step into the UFC Octagon. His fists pack devastating power, a potential trump card for Jones if heās not careful. On top of that, the former champion possesses remarkable takedown defense, a crucial asset that will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in this high-stakes battle.
When it comes to my prediction, my heart leans toward Miocic, but my mind canāt help but favor Jones. While I believe Miocic will undoubtedly push Jones to the brink and give him one of his toughest challenges, āBonesā possesses a vast array of tools that, in my opinion, just edge him ahead. (Prediction: Jon Jones)
Aakrit Sharma: Unfortunately, many people donāt realize how talented Miocic is. Jones might be one of the best mixed martial artists of all time, but the heavyweight division is a completely new puzzle to solve. The quick win over Ciryl Gane helped āBonesā become the UFC heavyweight kingpin, but he was barely tested and I wouldnāt be shocked if heās surprised by Miocicās athleticism and fight IQ.
I donāt expect Jones to shut out Miocic entirely. This should be a competitive fight as Miocic is one of the most creative heavyweight strikers ever and he boasts powerful grappling too. The only reason Iām picking Jones is because Miocic is way past his prime and heās likely just fighting for a huge payday. (Prediction: Jon Jones)
Consensus: 5-0 Jon Jones
Thatāll do it for our UFC 309 staff picks! What do you think? Do your picks look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the full UFC 309 card below.
Main Card:
Heavyweight Championship Main Event: Jon Jones (C) vs. Stipe Miocic
Lightweight Co-Main Event: Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler
Womenās Flyweight: Viviane AraĆŗjo vs. Karine Silva
Middleweight: Bo Nickal vs. Paul Craig
Lightweight: Mauricio Ruffy vs. James Llontop
Preliminary Card:
Bantamweight: Jonathan Martinez vs. Marcus McGhee
Middleweight: Eryk Anders vs. Chris Weidman
Lightweight: Jim Miller vs. Damon Jackson
Featherweight: David Onama vs. Roberto Romero
Early Preliminary Card:
Heavyweight: Marcin Tybura vs. Jhonata Diniz
Welterweight: Mickey Gall vs. Ramiz Brahimaj
Welterweight: Bassil Hafez vs. Oban Elliott
Womenās Flyweight: Veronica Hardy vs. Eduarda Moura
Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 309!
The main event of UFC 309 features the consensus greatest of all time facing the best heavyweight we have seen inside the Octagon for the title in a bout that is over a year in the making. Yet, a lot of the talk during fight week has been about a third man in the picture.
Though the challenger, Stipe Miocic, has been his usual self all throughout the build up and is only focused on his upcoming clash with Jon Jones after their fight was rescheduled from UFC 295 last year, the narrative surrounding Jones and interim champion Tom Aspinall has dominated the headlines and key talking points.
Jones has faced some criticism over claims he is ducking Aspinall, whom many believe to be the toughest test out there right now and the rightful next opponent for “Bones.” The Rochester native has responded with some criticism of his own that has only led to more drama and discussion.
A video that was posted on social media by TNT Sports, which is the UK broadcaster of the UFC, showed how the Jones and Aspinall tension seemingly isn’t just for the cameras. Jones was carrying out his usual run of media duties as he walked into a room ready to be interviewed by the broadcaster’s team.
With the fight being shown on TNT Sports PPV and the return of the GOAT being the key draw, it’s not surprising that they would want to get some time with the champion ahead of Saturday night.
The clip shows that before Jones sat down, he declined to take part in the interview, telling his team that he didn’t want to do it because of the potential questions that he would be asked.
“Hey, I’m not going to do this interview, you know, because it’s going to be an Aspinall fest. I’m not doing it.”
The video also shows a quick interaction between Jones and the interviewer, TNT Sports’ Adam Catterall. Jones explained that his connection to Aspinall is why he refused to sit down and chat.
“Hey bro, nothing personal. I see how close you guys are, common sense tells me what type of questions I’m going to get asked.”
Catterall responded before the short clip cuts off with Jones walking down the hallway.
“You’re entitled to speak to speak to who you want to speak to.”
Jon Jones refused to do an interview with Adam from TNT Sports because of his ties with Tom Aspinall š¬
āCommon sense tells me what type of questions Iām just going to get asked.ā
Where things get slightly more confusing is that TNT Sports did in fact put up an interview with Jones. At the start of the video, this footage is shown, and after his brief interaction with Catterall, he walks right into another interview with the broadcaster’s other presenter, Nick Peet.
Peet is also close with Aspinall but the two sit down for a full interview, which has led to some pondering if this was a social media bit rather than a legitimate interaction. That isn’t 100 percent clear at this time.
Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya believes this weekend’s curtain-closer between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic will reach a conclusion well inside the five-round distance.
Given the veteran’s age and lengthy stint on the sidelines, which followed a brutal knockout loss to Francis Ngannou, not many are giving the Ohio native a chance of ripping the gold from Jones’ grasp at UFC 309.
And that includes a man who hasn’t always seen eye-to-eye with the Rochester native…
During a video recently uploaded to his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, Adesanya provided a brief breakdown of both UFC 309 headliners before making his prediction.
While “The Last Stylebender” praised Miocic’s toughness and past stints with the heavyweight crown in his possession, he went as far as to suggest that a victory for the challenger would mark the “biggest upset” the Octagon has seen.
“Jones lately looks better at heavyweight already. He’s been taking it seriously,” Adesanya said. “The Ciryl Gane fight was the one that made me go, ‘Yeah, he’s the best.’ I thought Ciryl Gane was going to give him some trouble, and Ciryl was the new-age heavyweight. Jones was like, ‘Hold on there.’ … The guy’s just crafty, creative with what he does.
“But with Stipe, Stipe is tough. He can outwork a lot of heavyweights. You’ve seen what he’s done in the past, you’ve seen his reign as a heavyweight. … But in this fight, man, I think he’s up against it,” Adesanya continued. “I’m going to pick Jon Jones….first two rounds, he’s going to finish him. … If Stipe gets it done, it will be the biggest upset in UFC history.”
Miocic will look to prove Adesanya wrong and deliver a major shock in “The Big Apple.”
In doing so, he’d likely return to the heavyweight throne in an even more shocking fashion than his redemption against Daniel Cormier back in 2019.
Fans have already seen how “Bones” has been working alongside one of the best jiu-jitsu competitors and wrestlers around right now by added Gable Steveson and Gordon Ryan to his close knit team. Over a month out from his first heavyweight title defense, Jones was also seen getting some training in one of the top heavyweight boxers around right now.
New Zealand’s Joseph Parker is coming off of his two most impressive wins to date with victories over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. Jones was incredibly impressed by the in-form competitor, as he spoke about during a recent interview with Fox Sports New Zealand.
“He’s so disciplined and so dedicated. Literally every day he was here, he was just trying to figure out ways to get better, his diet, his worth ethic. He’s just so humble like he was willing to learn from anyone around and you would imagine a person that’s fought at the level he’s fought would have a little bit of pride and a little bit of ego and man, he was just abnormally kind and I’m really grateful to call him a friend.”
Given that his upcoming opponent, Stipe Miocic, is known for his boxing skills, working alongside someone as high level as Parker is sure to have been a great experience for Jones heading into Madison Square Garden on November 16. He reflected on what he was able to gain from the time they spent together.
“Well it was very humbling to try to box with him. He’s just so powerful and so tight in his position and his technique. He gave me some great pointers. I don’t want to get into it in depth because a lot that he taught me, I’ll be trying to implement in my next fight but we both have many years of training experience and to collaborate and to learn different training methods from him was really nice, him and his coach [George] Lockhart.”
Jon Jones won’t extend his fighting career beyond UFC 309 to unify the heavyweight title, but he will if it means fighting the likes of Derrick Lewis and Jamahal Hill.
Rather than the matchup itself, the main talking point in recent months and days has been the former light heavyweight kingpin’s decision to avoid facing interim titleholder Tom Aspinall, who earned his belt last November as a result of an injury to “Bones.”
In a media scrum during UFC 309 fight week, Jones continued to dismiss fighting his interim counterpart. This time, though, he added more names to the list of potential opponents he’d favor over the Brit.
But it perhaps came as a surprise when the names Lewis and Hill followed the term “super fights.”
“I could see myself after this entertaining super fights only,” Jones said. “If we get a dominant performance, I’m prepared to vacate the heavyweight championship and fight for fun. I want to fight for fun. … I don’t necessarily want it to be over, but I just want to fight for fun.
“I think about one of my teammates, Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, he just fights. Win, lose, or draw, he just fights. I would love to kind of experience that for the first time in my career, just not having this belt to protect. Just fighting guys that I’d stylistically want to fight against,” Jones continued. “Random fights like Jamahal Hill. … I’m at an interesting weight where I can fight light heavyweights or heavyweights. Derrick Lewis, Biggest knockout puncher in history.”
Jones: "I could see myself, after this, entertaining super fights only"
Jones goes on to mention fighters like Jamahal Hill and Derrick Lewis as possibilities. pic.twitter.com/FNXE6LVKlv
Lewis, meanwhile, is without a win streak since 2021 and has lost five of his last eight fights.
Suffice to say, it would appear unlikely that the ‘ducking’ accusations being leveled against Jones would dissipate should he vacate the heavyweight title in order to fight the likes of “Sweet Dreams” and “The Black Beast.”
Former longtime UFC welterweight Matt Brown believes heavyweight champion Jon Jones should have approached his refusal to fight Tom Aspinall differently.
The pair were originally set to collide last November prior to Jones’ injury. An interim champ subsequently joined the fray when Aspinall knocked out Sergei Pavlovich, but that fact hasn’t stopped “Bones” from pursuing Miocic.
His decision to avoid unifying the title has proved to be a controversial one. And UFC 309 fight week has even seen Jones suggest that the continuation of his fighting career beyond this weekend would only be to face light heavyweight titleholder Alex Pereira.
“The fact that he brought up that he is going to fight again, and itās not going to be the current interim champion, thatās a mistake on his part,” Brown said. “UFC should have sent a PR trainer out there to him or something. ‘How about we donāt talk about the future and focus on what weāre doing now. Weāll cross that bridge when we get there.’
“But he crossed the bridge and opened up the door. He has to know when he says that, thereās going to be criticism that heās ducking,” Brown continued. “Itās not a good look. Jon donāt give a f*ck. He just says it.”
Should Jones be set to stick to his stance post-his planned victory this weekend, it would appear that Aspinall will be relying on a late-notice withdrawal from Miocic to make his dream of fighting the all-time great a reality.
The Brit is currently in New York City to weigh in as backup fighter for the UFC 309 main event. Beyond his assignment on the scale this Friday, the interim champ’s next step is unclear.
For many fight fans, a defining trait of the main event of UFC 309 this Saturday night is activity. Whilst the defending heavyweight champion Jon Jones has only has one fight in well over four years, Stipe Miocic hasn’t fought since March of 2021.
Not to mention the fact that in that fight, following his testing trilogy with Daniel Cormier that took three years to complete, Miocic was knocked out in devastating fashion by Francis Ngannou in their rematch at UFC 260.
The former two-time heavyweight champion is ready to return after his match-up with Jones was pushed back a year from UFC 295 due to Jones’ injury which only added to the talk about whether this will be a major factor at Madison Square Garden. For Miocic, he’s confident that the time away hasn’t had a negative impact on his ability.
He believes that he’s been able to let his body heal during this period and though he wasn’t dead-set on stepping back inside the Octagon, it was always an option for him after the Ngannou defeat. Miocic has said before that he pushed for a trilogy with his last opponent but when that didn’t happen, things went quiet on his end for quite some time.
āNo I was always gonna fight man, I love fighting. I love what I do but I mean, Iām also okay with if it didnāt happen, I was okay with walking away.ā
Later on in the interview, Miocic was asked whether he would have made his way back to the Octagon eventually if it wasn’t for this fight. If there was ever a reason to come back after a tough loss followed by a long break, a legacy defining fight against Jones where Miocic could recapture the heavyweight belt and become the first man to beat “Bones” at the same time would surely be the one.
He cut straight to the point, simply stating that he would have come back regardless of whether it was for this fight with Jones or something else.
While he defends his belt against the returning Stipe Miocic in the UFC 309 headliner, co-main eventing will be former lightweight titleholder Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler, who run it back three and a half years on from their first battle.
During fight week, those names and the rest of the lineup on Nov. 16 were told they wouldn’t be entering the Octagon sporting the new glove design that was introduced this past June.
The promotion announced the change back in April prior to UFC 300, outlining benefits such as additional padding to protect bone structure, a wristband locking system to prevent glove grabs, lighter weight and more flexibility.
A decrease in knockout percentages have kept the new gloves as a prominent talking point since, and the decision to revert back to the old gloves for UFC 309 got the MMA community talking online.
Many pointed to Jones’ history of eye pokes with the old design to share their conspiracy theories on the decision not to use the new gloves for his return fight.
It’s worth noting that the new design didn’t explicitly address the eye-poke issue, and that form of foul has far from been eradicated in the months since it was introduced.
Regardless, that didn’t stop fans from poking fun (pun intended) at Jones’ expense ahead of UFC 309.
