UFC 309 will head to Madison Square Garden this weekend, where heavyweight champion Jon Jones will defend his title against Stipe Miocic in a highly anticipated showdown.
The co-main event on this weekend's fight card will feature Charles Oliveira facing Michael Chandler, while earlier in the night, Bo Nickal will put his undefeated record on the line against Paul Craig.
Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic Jr preview
© Imago
This is a match that has been years in the making, and now we will finally get to see two of the greatest heavyweights to grace the octagon go toe-to-toe in what could be their first and last bout against each other.
Jon Jones became the youngest champion in UFC history at age 23 when he defeated the legendary Mauricio Rua in 2011, and he went on to dominate the light heavyweight division for nearly nine years before vacating the 205-pound title and announcing his move up to heavyweight.
'Bones' record is 27-1-1NC, made up of 10 knockouts and seven submissions, while the only loss on his record was a controversial disqualification against Matt Hamill in 2009 for an illegal elbow strike, a move that is now legal and could still be removed from his record.
However, Jones is stepping into the octagon after a somewhat inactive title reign, as it has been over a year since he has fought a professional bout when he took out Ciryl Gane for the belt, dare we say almost easily, at UFC 285.
Following that victory, 'Bones' joined an elite group of fighters to win UFC titles in two weight classes, but a torn pectoral muscle sustained during sparring led to the champ missing his first title defence against Miocic, and he has spent over a year working his way back to full fitness since then.
Thus, it remains to be seen in what sort of shape Jones is after that lengthy layoff, but if he is back to his best, it is hard to see 'Bones' fail to defend the title and cement his legacy as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time.
© Imago
Meanwhile, it is almost impossible to speak about MMA legends without mentioning Stipe Miocic, who has the most successful title defences in UFC heavyweight history.
The UFC's resident firefighter, who has a record of 20-4 and 15 knockouts, is a former two-time heavyweight champion and a well-rounded, powerful striker who could be the one to finally hand Jones a legitimate defeat.
However, there are a few glaring concerns for the challenger, chief among which are that he is now 42 years old and has not fought a pro bout in over three years since losing the title to Francis Ngannou in April 2021.
Miocic's extended hiatus from competition naturally also raises doubts about his ability to perform at the highest level, and despite being a former champion with extensive experience, age and inactivity do eventually catch up to even the most seasoned fighters.
Additionally, his physicality and skill set have been key to his success throughout his career but the cumulative damage he has taken in battles with elite opponents could impact his ability to compete against a fighter as skilled as Jones.
Tale of the tape
© Imago
Jon Jones
AGE: 37
NICKNAME: "Bones"
HEIGHT: 6ft 4ins
REACH: 84ins
STANCE: Orthodox
TRAINER: Greg Jackson
FIGHTS: 29
WINS: 27
DRAWS: 0
DEFEATS: 1
NO CONTESTS: 1
LAST FIGHT: Sub vs. Ciryl Gane (March 2023)
© Imago
Stipe Miocic
AGE: 42
NICKNAME: "Stone Cold"
HEIGHT: 6ft 4ins
REACH: 80ins
STANCE: Orthodox
TRAINER: Marcus Marinelli
FIGHTS: 24
WINS: 20
DRAWS: 0
DEFEATS: 4
LAST FIGHT: KO/TKO loss vs. Francis Ngannou (March 2021)
Career records
Jon Jones
Rank: Champion
Total: 29
Wins: 27
By knockout: 10
By submission: 7
By decision: 10
Losses: 1
By knockout: 0
By submission: 0
By decision: 0
By disqualification: 1
No Contest: 1
Stipe Miocic
Rank: #8
Total: 24
Wins: 20
By knockout: 15
By submission: 0
By decision: 5
Losses: 4
By knockout: 3
By submission: 0
By decision: 1
By disqualification: 0
No Contest: 0
We say: Jon Jones to win
While both these fighters are coming into this match after time out, Jones has missed a little over a year, while Miococ has not featured in almost four years and there is simply no telling what sort of shape Stone Cold will be in now at the age of 42.
In his prime, Miocic would have been a genuine contender against Bones, and while he still has a puncher's chance of pulling off a shock here, we highly doubt an upset is on the cards.
