After months of speculation and assumption, and UFC CEO and President Dana White going on his Jon Jones defense tour, it appears to be official: Jones will fight Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in New York City this November.
White announced the news in an interview with Complex on Saturday. He also hinted that, while he expects Miocic to retire following the fight, he wouldn’t be surprised to see Jones stick around to face Tom Aspinall.
“Jon Jones is going to fight at Madison Square Garden in November. And then if he wins, or Stipe wins, then we’ll see what happens next. Who will retire or whatever,” stated White. “Do I think Stipe will retire? I do. I do think he will, but you never know. Stipe might want to take the challenge. But I know for a fact if Jon Jones wins that fight, with all this talk out there, there’s no way in hell he’s not fighting Aspinall.”
UFC 309 takes place at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024. Michael Chandler recently revealed that he’ll be rematching Charles Oliveira in what is expected to be a five-round co-main event.
Jones and Miocic were supposed to face off last year, until an injury took Jones out of the fight. “Bones” has not competed since a March 2023 win over Ciryl Gane, his only fight to date at heavyweight. Miocic has been sitting even longer, the former champ last seeing action in March 2021, when he lost his title for Francis Ngannou.
White, of late, has been actively debating anyone questioning Jones’ spot on the UFC’s P4P list, despite his inactivity.
