Decorated fighter Jon Jones wasn’t entirely happy when he successfully captured the UFC heavyweight title last year. That’s something he’ll have entering the UFC 309 main event on Saturday. He challenges Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in what will be his maiden defense after some 20-month layoff.
Jones returned from a three-year-long layoff to submit Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. He was a much-vaunted former interim heavyweight champ who had suffered a razor-thin loss to Francis Ngannou. However, the champion admitted to being disappointed despite easily winning the bout.
Beating Ciryl Gane was an amazing memory and experience, …I remember one of the first major feelings I had was a little bit of disappointment. I remember sitting on top of the cage and celebrating my victory, taking a deep breath and thinking, ‘Man, that was fast. That was fast.’ …three years leading up to that, a lot of prayer, a lot of meditation, a lot of teamwork.
Jon Jones ESPN’s Stan Verrett | ESPN MMA (@ESPNMMA)
In the lead-up to UFC 285, Jones and his team trained extensively. After his and his teams’ efforts, the quick victory may have turned anti-climactic. Gane quickly found himself in trouble before being choked out in just over two minutes. After so much time off, Jon Jones, chasing that golden legacy, hoped to log some more time in the cage.
😲Jon Jones says he felt disappointed and “robbed in a way” that his fight with Ciryl Gane was so short:
“I remember one of the first major feelings I had was a little bit of disappointment. I remember sitting on top of the cage celebrating my victory…thinking man that was… pic.twitter.com/g71afRp4Q3
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) November 8, 2024
Part of his mentality has been to chase and beat the best. It is what made him call Stipe Miocic right after, who went on a 3-0 title reign and a dashing trilogy while champion. He also had some internal challenges of rehabilitation when the Miocic fight fell through and his biggest rivalries. But now, he has a chance to get back at it again.
UFC 309 Embedded#1: Don’t call him Bones anymore, he’s ‘Jonny Meat’
Saturday’s UFC 309 headliner at MSG is the 18th UFC event in New York and just under ten from the venue. It sees the all-time great Jon Jones finally make a return in full force. He meets Stipe Miocic ahead of what could be his swan song. The main event fight has a lot riding on for the heavyweight champion.
With the promotion back for UFC 309, the popular “Embedded” fight week video series has also started dropping. The first episode, Embedded, follows the fighters as they prepare for Fight Week. Jones even visited UFC Vegas 100 (UFC Fight Night 247) along with Khalil Rountree and Aljamain Sterling. The UFC’s description of the episode reads:
Heavyweight champ Jon Jones arrives in Las Vegas and goes to UFC Fight Night; Bo Nickal is kicking it with his team; Charles Oliveira trains in Brazil; Michael Chandler has oxygen therapy at home; Chris Weidman does yard work; Stipe Miocic has a pasta dinner with his family.
UFC 309 ‘Embedded,’ No. 1 YT description (🎥: @ufc)
A more patient and tactile Jones even had a new name for himself. In the pay-per-view (PPV) co-feature, former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira (34-10 MMA, 22-10 UFC) squares up Michael Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC). Chandler found this booking after being left at the altar by Conor McGregor. As such, the hype is starting to get real for the week.
