Sidelined for over two years from the Octagon, former two-time undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones has opened as a clear betting favorite to defeat his former heavyweight champion counterpart, Stipe Miocic – as the duo continue to find themselves tied to a possible matchup.
Jon Jones, a former two-time undisputed light heavyweight champion, has yet to step inside the Octagon since February 2020 – where on that occasion, he narrowly left Texas with his title in tow following a close, decision win over Dominick Reyes.
It’s been a hugely extended period of absence for the Rochester native, as he deals with legal issues amid another run-in with law enforcement, in tandem with plans to create a strict training regime in order to map out a long-awaited heavyweight division climb.
Regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists to ever velcro shut gloves, Jones has been continually linked with an eventual leap to the heavyweight ranks amid his ongoing dominance at 205lbs since assuming the throne at the age of 23, however, a climb up a division has yet to materiliaze.
Linked considerably with a heavyweight title fight against current undisputed champion, Francis Ngannou, Jones has since found himself tied to a potential matchup against compatriot and consensus heavyweight best of all time, Miocic – as talk of another interim crown introduction rumbles on.
Linked with a potential September matchup initially, Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic have also found themselves linked to a November title clash of some form at a targeted UFC 281 event at Madison Square Garden – in what would come as a New York return for Jones.
Jon Jones is widely favored to land a comfortable win against Stipe Miocic
With various lines available on a potential bout between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic, the former light heavyweight champion has opened as a clear and likely expected betting favorite over at blackjack online.
Comfortably expected to defeat former two-time heavyweight champion, Miocic, Jones has been placed as a -200 betting favorite against the Ohio veteran should they share the Octagon before the end of this year, with Miocic opening as a betting underdog with lines of +170 on offer at the time of publication.
Expected to enter the Octagon bolstering a significant weight increase upon the time of his heavyweight move, Jon Jones’ most recent light heavyweight appearances upon the beginning of his second regin as light heavyweight kingpin, came with their fair share of scrutiny.
Since landing the vacant title against two-time foe, Alexander Gustafsson, Jones’ performances against the trio of Anthony Smith, Thiago Santos, and the aforenoted, Reyes have all been highly criticized, with the former Jackson-Wink MMA trainee limping to wins over the course of each bout.
As for Miocic, the Euclid fan-favorite has shared the Octagon with just the duo of Daniel Cormier and the previously mentioned, Ngannou since 2018 – however, is regarded as the greatest heavyweight of all time by many – after lodging the most successful heavyweight title defenses in the UFC’s antiquity.
Himself sidelined since March of last year as he weighs up his next step, Miocic would mist certainly land himself a trilogy rubber match with Ngannou if he were to defeat Jones in a potential interim title outing next, having dropped his crown to the Cameroonian courtesy of a stunning second round knockout.