When all is said and done, the legacies of Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic are secure. What their UFC 309 main event boiled down to, at the end of the day, was bragging rights, and pushing those legacies just a little bit further out of reach of the rest of the pack.
For Miocic, already a two-time heavyweight champ with the most title defenses, a third reign at age 42 would be all but unparalleled. Pushing him towards Randy Couture-like numbers (“The Natural” had three reigns at heavyweight, and two at light heavyweight). For Jones, well, just ask Dana White: he’s the GOAT. And, picograms aside, he’s certainly the favorite for such an accolade, with only Georges St-Pierre really in the running beside him.
With the main event underway at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, it was Jones making an attempt to throw a left hand early, which brought about a “Stipe” chant from the crowd. That, despite Jones hailing from New York state. Jones fired a kick to the midsection, and Miocic doubled, no tripled up on right hands. When they came together, however, Jones easily took Miocic down with a trip, then landed a solid elbow while settling in on top. Jones was in half-guard with Miocic fighting the wrists; Jones slipped in another elbow, then another. Jones postured up, and re-engaged, more elbows smashing into the side of Miocic’s head. Somehow, the former champ survived, spinning around to avoid at least one blow. Jones, however, stayed right on him, though Stipe was able to get guard back.
In the final minute, with Miocic looking to scramble, Jones got into side control, landing a few more elbows prior to the horn- finally opening up a cut on Miocic’s cheek.
Miocic circled outside to open round two, looking a tad hesitant. He fired an uppercut in tight when they came together, but Jones stepped back. Jones went back to his body kick, which was one of his better weapons in the early going. Miocic, meanwhile, was firing right hands that were missing the mark – and another body kick had Miocic clearly reacting. As the midway mark of round two passed, Jones mixed in some low kicks, then clinched and fired a knee to the body. A Miocic 1-2 saw the straight right back Jones up. “Bones” mixed up the levels of his kicks, which promoted Miocic to charge forward with a combo. A spinning back kick landed to the body for Jones.
Incredibly, after two rounds, Stipe Miocic was showing bruising to the belly, the result of Jones’ teep kicks. In the third, Miocic went on the attack, forcing Jones to retreat but still grazing him with a right hand. As they came together, Miocic landed a right, then followed up, forcing Jones to retreat again. Jones wisely went back to his kicks, and 90 seconds in, the champ stunned Miocic with a right! Miocic shook it off, but a round that had started strong for the Ohio native had been turned around on him.
It turned around completely in the final minute. As strong as a round as Miocic had to that point, another spinning back kick to the ribs connected for Jon Jones. And when it did, Miocic dropped to the ground, wind right out of his sails. Jones followed up with ground n’ pound, and that was the fight!
With that, Jones defended his heavyweight title. Referring to Miocic as “The Terminator,” Jones gave his opponent his dues following the bout, speaking with Joe Rogan. “I was hoping to get him out in the first round, but he hung in there,” said Jones.
The question now becomes, what is next for Jon Jones: Alex Pereira, Tom Aspinall, retirement? Instead of giving an answer, Jones gave credit to his faith, then added that “I decided that maybe I will not retire. I have some conversations to have with Dana and Hunter, some negotiating to do,” and suggested that if all goes well, he might just give the fans what they want to see.
Official Result: Jon Jones def. Stipe Miocic by TKO (spinning back kick and punches), Round 3, 4:29
