An Epic Battle Between UFC Legends 🥊
We know that both fighters are approaching retirement.
Just four sleeps remain until UFC 309, a pay-per-view event headlined by two of the sport’s most iconic figures: Jon ‘Bones’ Jones and Stipe Miocic.
The intriguing nature of this bout pits the most decorated light heavyweight champ—Jones—in UFC history versus the most accomplished heavyweight in UFC history—Miocic—albeit in a heavyweight title bout in which the former is defending the gold.
Grab your Bud Light or Monster Energy, stack up on Kudo Snacks, and let’s talk about some fighting! We’re back for another edition of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, this week, where I’ll unpack those juicy details with Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic at the forefront.
FIIIIIIIIIGHT WEEEEEEK!!!!!!
Jones vs Miocic is LIVE SATURDAY on @ESPNPlus PPV! #UFC309 pic.twitter.com/KMRAbdzzKM
— danawhite (@danawhite) November 11, 2024
Jones vs. Miocic: The Good
Two fighters whose names have been regularly thrown into the GOAT conversion coming together at Madison Square Garden to compete for the heavyweight championship sounds good enough, right?
Jon Jones throwing his lifeless body and walking away with no care in the world is insane #UFC309 pic.twitter.com/y3NJqwaoUU
— Jam (@Iswhatis1) November 11, 2024
Sure, some negative connotations can be attached to the word “GOAT” whenever Jones or Stipe are placed next to it, but there’s no denying their legacies in the sport. Although in-octagon activity hasn’t been their strongest suit over the past four years, these two names meeting in the middle of the cage at MSG is a spectacle for fight fans, especially old-school enthusiasts who’ve followed their respective careers from the beginning.
If Stipe Miocic did this to Jones, he would officially be the King of Ohio pic.twitter.com/i1PSXaxhlz
— Liam Picks Fights (@LiamPicksFights) November 12, 2024
Bones vs. Stipe: The Bad
Jones versus Miocic is four or five years too late.
This fight isn’t “bad” per se; putting two legends of the sport inside the cage won’t ever provide a dull night. However, no matter the result, it will be tainted by the variables surrounding it.
One of which includes Miocic’s age. At 42 and after over three years of inactivity, he is arguably entering this high-profile bout way beyond his prime fighting years. In contrast, and while he’s no spring chicken, Jones is 37, which, for a heavyweight, still gives him at least three or four more years until the dreaded father time might make a difference.
Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou II (2021)
📸 @jeffbottari pic.twitter.com/xcxuSoKfdn
— Fight Pics That Go Hard (@fightpicsgohard) October 19, 2022
Don’t get me wrong here. Stipe could look like a million bucks, but the chances of him replicating his prime fighting abilities are so low that the BetUS oddsmakers give him a +450 of winning in UFC 309.
The harsh truth is that this fight should’ve taken place years ago. Unfortunately, Jones’ out-of-octagon activities haven’t helped with the timing, and I think Francis Ngannou beat the confidence out of Miocic the last time he stepped into a UFC octagon.
Stipe Miocic is 3-2 in his last 5 UFC bouts and hasn’t fought a fighter other than Francis Ngannou or Daniel Cormier since May 2017. #UFC309 #UFC #StipeMiocic pic.twitter.com/FEg6iRBS01
— MMA UNCENSORED (@MMAUNCENSORED1) November 11, 2024
Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic: The Ugly
The state of the heavyweight division in UFC news could be heading down an ugly road. Both Stipe and Jones have hinted at retirement, no matter the outcome of Saturday’s main event. In the worst-case scenario, both men hang up the gloves, and our beloved Tommy Aspinall gets shafted.
Jon Jones says Tom Aspinall came to the UFC too “late” for them to fight:
“I’ve been the main event my whole career… Tom is late. I don’t know if he went the amateur route, but I’ve been here.”
🎥 @Sportsnet #UFC309 #UFC #MMApic.twitter.com/ZXCphRrTgM
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 12, 2024
We know that both fighters are approaching retirement. I’d give Jones two or three fights at maximum, with one or two on Stipe. If Jones isn’t trolling with the ducking Tom Aspinall saga, fans, and the interim heavyweight champ will feel robbed of the biggest possible fight the division can provide.
Jon Jones reiterates his belief that beating Tom Aspinall after #UFC309 would be meaningless. pic.twitter.com/l21JMlNxlZ
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) November 11, 2024
Dana White is constantly oiled up and calling Jones “The GOAT,” but could this be a ploy to stay in his good books? Are Jones’ comments regarding Aspinall and how he doesn’t want to fight him just one big tease?
There’s one clear No.1 contender. It’s the man who’s defending the interim title more than Jones has defended the undisputed title. Aspinall should be in Stipe’s shoes, but we’re willing to wait. However, if Bones walks off into the sunset, denies the masses, or seeks any fight outside the rightful contender, sh*t gets ugly, and we riot!
Hopefully, we live in a world where Jones has become the ultimate troll in UFC rumors. If all of his comments regarding Aspinall up to this date have been lies, we’d have to applaud him.
I wanted to make sure I took a couple days to gather my thoughts and try to really tell you guys what I think is happening as we headed to Ufc 309 with Jones now doing and starting to ramp up the promotion for next weekend my thoughts on this situation with Tom Aspinall is Live… pic.twitter.com/1sPuxaTRK0
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) November 9, 2024
But hey, he hasn’t defeated Stipe yet. Can you imagine the scenes if he doesn’t?
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