LAS VEGAS – Jon Jones sits atop the heavyweight throne in the UFC, and his next test might be the most prolific of his career.
Following UFC 285 on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena, UFC president Dana White said Jones will face all-time heavyweight great Stipe Miocic in his first title defense as heavyweight champion.
Moving up a weight class after three years out of action, Jones (27-1 MMA, 20-1 UFC) had been overlooked by some prior to quick dispatching of Ciryl Gane (11-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) by submission. Not many knew what to expect from a fighter making a transition after so much time away.
Even after the victory, Jones seemed to indicate he’s skeptical that he’s silenced all the doubters, including Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC), whom he sent a warning to.
“I believe in my next fight, I’ll go into it with a different level of confidence, an even higher level of confidence,” Jones told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a UFC 285 post-fight news conference. “I believe that I’m going to look really great. I’m going to have even higher endurance than I had today, which is going to be hard to beat, because I’m in really great condition. … The next fight is going to be awesome.
“I say it respectfully to Stipe: I would take time off from being a firefighter right now. I mean that with all due respect. My whole world is going to be focused on him. This is the biggest opportunity in my life, to be the heavyweight GOAT, and I’m going to give it everything I’ve got – absolutely everything I’ve got. Stipe is talking about how he’s heavier than me right now. His head is already in the wrong spot if he thinks weightlifting is going to beat me. He’ll never be younger than he is right now. He’ll never be faster. I’m going to not only beat Stipe Miocic, I’m going to finish Stipe Miocic before the championship rounds.”
Prior to Saturday, Jones, 37, hadn’t competed in MMA since February 2019 due to contract disputes and matchmaking delays while he moved from light heavyweight to heavyweight.
Miocic hasn’t competed since March 2021, when he lost the heavyweight title after being knocked out by Francis Ngannou at UFC 260.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 285.