Jon Jones has decided to forgive Stipe Miocic and bury the hatchet ahead of their UFC 309 heavyweight championship clash, despite their rivalry becoming personal over perceived insults.
Jon Jones is patching things up with Stipe Miocic before their heavyweight title showdown. In the buildup to UFC 309, there’s been a lot of buzz about Jones feeling slighted by comments Miocic supposedly made. It all kicked off when Jones took offense to Miocic calling him a btch on UFC Countdown*. From there, tensions escalated.
During Thursday’s press conference, Jones wouldn’t shake Miocic’s hand. He claimed Miocic made remarks about his kids, leaving Miocic baffled. Jones clarified he was referring to an old video where Miocic allegedly implied Jones might be seen as a bad dad.
Despite this heated back-and-forth, Jones eventually shook hands with Miocic at Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins. Later, he explained his decision to let bygones be bygones. "I felt like forgiveness is the right thing to do," Jones said. "I made it clear I was disappointed in how he made me feel."
Jones has had his fair share of controversies outside the octagon. His rap sheet includes a hit-and-run conviction in 2015, costing him a UFC light heavyweight title. Then there was a failed drug test in 2017 that turned a win over Daniel Cormier into a no-contest. And let’s not forget the domestic violence arrest in 2021, though those charges were dropped later.
Safe to say, Jones knows about wanting to move past issues. "It’s just the right thing to do," he mentioned when asked why he’s letting go of personal animosity towards Miocic. "It’s what I represent and thought it’d be good practice."
Even though he’s no longer zeroing in on disliking Miocic, Jones still has plenty driving him for Saturday’s main event. "Oh, it’s very personal," he stated. "At the end of the day, fighting is personal. He has a massive legacy; I’ve got quite a reputation too."
In essence, both are fighting for more than just victory—it’s about preserving their legacies and what they stand for.