The UFC 309 PPV card could potentially be the last time two fighters will compete in the promotion. Heavyweight champion Jon Jones and contender Stipe Miocic are nearing their retirements. Ahead of the PPV, former champ Aljamain Sterling recounted the tales of a young Jones. The story just adds to the already rich legacy of the current heavyweight champion.
In the main event of UFC 309, heavyweight champion takes on two-time heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic. A member of the UFC roster since 2014, “Funk Master” had quite a run. However, the ex-bantamweight has known Jones from a young age. Now, Aljamain Sterling adds to the sauce with a pre-fight night out tale with Jon Jones early in their lives.
[And] I’ve seen this first-hand…He offered me a couple shots at the bar, and I was fighting in like – I think I told him four or five weeks, and he was fighting in like two weeks [chuckles]…we were in upstate New York. he had just left down to New Mexico… And I was like ‘Am I doing something wrong?’ Like the math ain’t mathing right now. But then I watch him on TV, he’s going out there and he obliterates the competion…
Aljamain Sterling on ‘The Ariel Helwani Show’ (@ArielHelwani)
Despite his history of lawful run-ins and DUIs, Sterling has described how “Bones” and his resilience has inspired him. In the majority of his UFC octagon appearances, Jones has been nothing short of dominant. Jones had a couple of long layoffs in his career. Nevertheless, not once did he appear with ring-rust. Everyone knows what he did after his three-year long layoff.
Aljamain Sterling recounts a night at the bar w/ Jon Jones 2 weeks prior to one of his fights 😅#HelwaniShow pic.twitter.com/GEdHkha5El
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) November 12, 2024
Subsequently, the MMA clique has seen him work that charm. New to the class and culture, Jon Jones depleted 265-pound standout Ciryl Gane in March 2023 to win the vacant strap. Now, he makes a long-awaited defense of the strap. Jones has also said the fight is now “very personal” to him after remarks on his family. While such testimonials add to his fame, there are still pitfalls he must face.
Is Jon Jones officially “ducking” Tom Aspinall?
Tom Aspinall is in New York this week to headline UFC 309 pay-per-view (PPV) if need be. He has a lot of reasons to be there. Officially, the UFC has tapped the interim champ as a replacement for the heavyweight title fight between champion Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic. Unofficially – the British champ is just here to see the old dogs retire.
Jon Jones catches legacy flak before UFC 309 (Source: X/express.co.uk)Also on the official side, Aspinall said on the UFC’s official broadcast stream of the event’s weigh-ins on Friday that he had been denied. Amid actual fans dressing up as ducks (as in ‘ducking’) and Aspinall weighing in as backup fighter in full champ kit, it’s just havoc. Now, Aspinall weighs in (again, seriously, for the nth time) on the logjam.
Yes, I do [he’s ducking me], …He is. He definitely is. I think that there’s just an easier path for him, and I understand it. I do understand it…completely – I understand that there’s bigger fights out there for him for way less risk and way more money. I do understand it. But in all honesty, do I think he’s ducking me? Absolutely.
Tom Aspinall on UFC’s weigh-ins show
Jon Jones has said that with a win over Miocic on Saturday at UFC 309, he’s unlikely to go for unification. Mostly because he thinks Aspinall is just the new hot thing right now and does nothing for his legacy long-term.
When Jones was 6-1 in the UFC, 13 fights into his pro career, he got a shot at the lightweight title against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128. Even rivals have slammed that his reason for legacy pawning does not fit, given that is how he siphoned his GOAT status. But for now, Aspinall will play the long game with heavy-handed intentions.
