The sporting history of Madison Square Garden is set to be enriched with mixed martial arts heavyweight legends Jon “Bones” Jones (27-1) and Stipe Miocic (20-4) headlining UFC 309 this Saturday in New York City.
A long-awaited return for both men, this bout is a legacy match. The UFC Heavyweight Championship belt sitting almost as an added prize.
Jones, considered by many to be the greatest MMA fighter of all time, returns to the octagon after a pectoral injury hindered him from competing this past year. It occurred mere months after his return in March 2023, when he went up in weight class and gained the heavyweight belt against Ciryl “Bon Jamin” Gane (12-2). After a three-year absence and having his first bout at heavyweight, Jones forced Gane to submit within three minutes of the first round.
Miocic will have to shake off the ring rust. Once a dominant champion, and still a contender for greatest heavyweight ever, he has not fought since 2020 after losing his belt in a devastating second-round knockout by Francis “The Predator” Ngannou (18-3).
This megafight between Jones and Miocic was originally scheduled to headline an MSG card in November of 2023, before Jones was injured in training. In his absence, the UFC kept the heavyweight division moving while he healed, and Tom Aspinall (15-3) was crowned Interim Champion.
“I was very disappointed. At this age, injuries can be a death sentence, but I have a very strong support system,” Jones, 37, told ESPN last week. “I knew we would be back, especially with the people I have on my team.”
Normally, an interim champion would override any contender to immediately face the sitting champion if he or she is out with an injury. This, however, is currently not the case as UFC President Dana White stated that although Aspinall has a belt, Miocic is next in line for Jones.
Waiting for this legacy match to keep the division rolling, heavyweights have been left out to dry with prime fighters missing out on their rightful bouts.
This one could make up for all of that. But the bout feels more to viewers like a farewell to two greats instead of a match that will keep the title moving the way it should. After the yearlong push, fight fans have worried if either of the heavyweights will ever face the current interim champ. When asked about what would be next for the division, White gave some hope to both Aspinall and viewers.
“I truly believe that whoever wins this fight, the way these guys are wired and the reason they’re both massive legends in the sport, they’re not going to just ride off into the sunset without settling the dispute with Tom Aspinall,” he told TNT Sports last week. “Also, when you think about Jon Jones being the youngest champion in UFC history and all the things Stipe accomplished, they were given opportunities when they were young, and I think they will reciprocate.”
Although the yearlong delay has dissipated some momentum for the fight, viewers and current contenders are anxiously awaiting the result. Jones has cemented his legacy as the greatest lightweight champion in the history of the UFC. Miocic is doing the same at heavyweight, with four title defenses compared to Jones’ 11.
“I think he’s a great fighter and I think he would say the same about me,” Miocic told MMA Fighting on SBN last week. “We’re not going to feel the same way once we touch gloves, but we know it will be a show.”
Priming fans for the main event, which will air on ESPN Pay Per View, Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira (34-10) looks to continue his road to title redemption against Michael “Iron” Chandler (23-8). These two men first met in the octagon in May of 2021, with Chandler hurting Oliveira early in the first round. Having a point to prove, Oliveira came back heavy in the second round knocking out Chandler and winning the then vacant lightweight title.
Indeed, the past and present will merge at UFC 309 in a city that is important to White’s plans moving forward. Since professional MMA’s legalization in New York in 2016, the UFC has held events here almost annually. And with this being the 10th event to be held by the promotion at the iconic arena, it is clear that it will be one for the books.
