Jon Jones successfully defended his heavyweight title with a dominant third-round victory over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, leading to Miocic’s retirement, while Jones hinted at continuing his career with potential future fights.
Jon Jones? Still the heavyweight champ. And, in the eyes of many, the greatest of all time.
In his latest bout, Jones dismantled Stipe Miocic over three rounds at UFC 309. A vicious spinning back kick to the body rattled Miocic, sending him crashing to the canvas. Herb Dean rushed in for the stoppage—4:29 in the third round.
This victory marked Jones’ first title defense since he captured the heavyweight crown from Ciryl Gane in 2023. Dominance? Absolutely.
“He’s really, really good,” Jones remarked about Miocic post-fight. “Like fighting the Terminator. Very discouraging when someone doesn’t react to your shots. But a liver shot? That’s universal.”
Though it took until round three for the finish, Jones nearly ended it much earlier. Almost.
A ground technician at heart, Jones scored an early trip takedown. Vicious elbows rained down as Miocic bobbed and weaved, trying to avoid damage.
Relentless from the top, Jones kept attacking. Miocic moved just enough to stave off a finish—barely.
On the restart, Miocic seemed sluggish; his strikes more deliberate. This allowed Jones to dodge heavy blows and land some stiff body kicks and jabs.
As Miocic advanced, Jones went hard to the body with kicks and straight punches that had Miocic wincing. A brief counter from Miocic backed Jones off momentarily.
Miocic struggled to find openings, constantly dealing with Jones’ speed and precision. Though still dangerous, he couldn’t capitalize as Jones played a calculated game.
Late in round three, Jones backed Miocic against the cage—unleashing a spinning back kick. Heel to body. Miocic fell; Jones followed with a few more shots. The fight was done.
A dejected Miocic declined medical attention before announcing his retirement. A legend hangs up his gloves.
“It sucked ass, I lost,” Miocic admitted. “One of the best caught me in the ribs. Hats off to him—I’m done.”
“I’m hanging them up,” he said. “Retiring.”
Not the ending he wanted, but Miocic leaves as a two-time UFC heavyweight champ—a Hall of Famer for sure.
As for Jones? Rumors swirled about his potential retirement too—but he seems ready for more. Maybe even a showdown with interim champ Tom Aspinall?
“I might not retire,” Jones revealed. “Conversations with Dana [White] and Hunter [Campbell] are needed—negotiations too.”
“We have options,” he added. “Let’s see what Uncle Dana and Uncle Hunter think—you’ll hear soon.”