Tag: Jon Jones

Daniel Cormier Defends Jon Jones Against Claims Of Ducking Tom Aspinall

Jon Jones’ most vocal critic, Daniel Cormier, is standing by him against accusations that “Bones” is dodging a showdown with Tom Aspinall. Jones is set to make his first heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic in the UFC 309 main event, taking place this Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The buildup […]

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Defends Jon Jones Against Claims Of Ducking Tom Aspinall at MMA News.

Jon Jones’ most vocal critic, Daniel Cormier, is standing by him against accusations that “Bones” is dodging a showdown with Tom Aspinall.

Jones is set to make his first heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic in the UFC 309 main event, taking place this Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The buildup to this highly anticipated matchup has been overshadowed by widespread accusations within the MMA community, with many claiming that Jones is intentionally sidestepping a title unification bout against interim champion Aspinall. The New Yorker stirred up controversy once again last week, expressing little enthusiasm for the fight.

Jones claims that Aspinall’s performances inside the Octagon have failed to spark any real excitement for a potential matchup. He further stated that, unless he retires after UFC 309, the only fight that piques his interest at this stage is a showdown with light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.

Jones’ remarks have once again provoked insinuations that he’s avoiding a showdown with Aspinall, supposedly fearing a loss as his career nears its twilight. However, Cormier firmly rejects this idea, even though he doesn’t fully endorse the reasoning of his former fierce rival.

During a recent video on his YouTube channel, “DC” recognized the legendary career of Jones and emphasized that the former UFC light heavyweight champion harbors no fear of Aspinall or any other competitor.

“Look, Jon Jones isn’t afraid of Tom Aspinall,” Cormier said. “I wish people would stop saying that. He is not afraid of that guy. He is not afraid of anyone. He is not afraid to fight this guy. He’s not. I think he’s trying to be more strategic. He’s trying to make sure his legacy stands. I don’t know it could ever be faded. I know we have short memories, but could you ever forget what he did? I don’t think him fighting Tom Aspinall with the potential he would lose is a bad thing.

“But most would expect him to win the fight. But at the end of the day, the old guard has to get passed through for the new guard to go. Unless you don’t play the sport by the way that everyone else does it. Everyone else does it that way. Maybe Jones will be different.”

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Defends Jon Jones Against Claims Of Ducking Tom Aspinall at MMA News.

Jon Jones’ Coach Predicts Stipe Miocic’s Approach For UFC 309

Jon Jones returns in the main event of UFC 309 this Saturday night for what is just his second outing as a heavyweight. During his incredible light heavyweight title run, “Bones” was always one of the hardest fighters to predict or prepare for because he’s so good everywhere. Opponents could watch as much tape as […]

Continue Reading Jon Jones’ Coach Predicts Stipe Miocic’s Approach For UFC 309 at MMA News.

Jon Jones returns in the main event of UFC 309 this Saturday night for what is just his second outing as a heavyweight. During his incredible light heavyweight title run, “Bones” was always one of the hardest fighters to predict or prepare for because he’s so good everywhere.

Opponents could watch as much tape as humanly possible but ultimately, there’s no way to experience what it’s like to share the Octagon with the consensus greatest of all time other than physically being in there with him. This is even more true since he moved to heavyweight because of the lack of footage that is out there of him.

His heavyweight debut at UFC 285 against Ciryl Gane ended in just over two minutes so we still don’t really know how good Jones is at heavyweight. This creates a problem for Stipe Miocic and his team when it comes to strategizing for November 16.

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Jones’ long-time striking coach Brandon Gibson spoke about what he would do if he found himself in their opposition’s shoes and had to plan for a fight against the heavyweight champion. Suffice to say that Gibson is glad that he’s on this side of the Octagon rather than the other.

“That team at Strong Style, obviously they’ve built a lot of great fighters and built Stipe into an incredible champ so I’m not gonna presume what I believe their game plan would be. I think through Jon’s 16 championship fights and 27 fights total that you could definitely plot little elements here and there of when Jon has been hit or hit clean. I think it’s very hard to replicate and to duplicate.

“You know if I were them, I would just be training Stipe to be the best Stipe out there. We’re anticipating him to come out aggressive like he has shown in the past and on the other hand, if I were to coach against Jon Jones, I think that’s the hardest puzzle as a coach in this entire sport to solve. Nobody has solved it yet and I think they’re the ones with their hands full.”     

Continue Reading Jon Jones’ Coach Predicts Stipe Miocic’s Approach For UFC 309 at MMA News.

Jon Jones ‘Healed Enough’ For UFC 309 Return But ‘Not As Strong’ As Pre-Injury 

UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones has provided an update on his physical condition ahead of this weekend’s pay-per-view. Jones will return to the main event spotlight on Saturday night to headline UFC 309, set to play out inside the prestigious Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Rochester native was previously slated to do […]

Continue Reading Jon Jones ‘Healed Enough’ For UFC 309 Return But ‘Not As Strong’ As Pre-Injury  at MMA News.

UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones has provided an update on his physical condition ahead of this weekend’s pay-per-view.

Jones will return to the main event spotlight on Saturday night to headline UFC 309, set to play out inside the prestigious Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The Rochester native was previously slated to do so for the promotion’s 2023 visit to the iconic venue, but a torn pectoral tendon forced a postponement of his title defense against the returning Stipe Miocic.

12 months on — and despite many taking issue with “Bones” facing Miocic over interim champ Tom Aspinall — the pair will give their matchup a second go in “The Big Apple.”

Jones is unsurprisingly confident of his chances against Miocic, who hasn’t competed in three and a half years. But he seemingly wouldn’t describe himself as being at 100 percent himself when he enters the Octagon again.

During a recent interview with New York Post Sports, Jones looked back on his recovery and assessed how his training has compared to the lead-up to his canceled clash with Miocic last year.

“Bones” admitted that his strength is somewhat down from this time 12 months ago and suggested that other competitors might not be returning from a pectoral tear at this stage.

“I took my recovery pretty seriously. Right now, I feel like I’m in the shape of my life,” Jones said. “This is about as soon as I should be back in the cage. The injury was anywhere from eight months to a year. … Some athletes would still be using this time to recover but I know this sport only waits for so long.

“I do feel healed enough to be in there. I’m not as strong as I used to be but I’m smarter than ever, I have a lot of experience, and I’m plenty strong,” Jones continued. “Before my pec tear, I was benching like, 315 (pounds) I could do for five reps and I had about a 500-pound squat for a few reps. I was pretty strong. Now, I feel incredibly strong still but not like, superhuman strength the way I used to feel.”

While apparently not in the kind of condition he was set to enter UFC 295 in last year, Jones is evidently confident that he’s ready to make his return 20 months on from his crowning as heavyweight kingpin.

Continue Reading Jon Jones ‘Healed Enough’ For UFC 309 Return But ‘Not As Strong’ As Pre-Injury  at MMA News.

Jon Jones Hints at Retirement, Decision Hinges on Performance at UFC 309 – “Make It Look Really Easy”

Jon Jones Hints at Retirement, Decision Hinges on Performance at UFC 309 - "Make It Look Really Easy"Jon Jones‘ performance at UFC 309 will determine whether or not he lays down his gloves for good. 20…

Jon Jones Hints at Retirement, Decision Hinges on Performance at UFC 309 - "Make It Look Really Easy"

Jon Jones‘ performance at UFC 309 will determine whether or not he lays down his gloves for good.

20 months after scoring a quickfire submission victory over Ciryl Gane to win the vacant heavyweight title at UFC 285, ‘Bones’ will return to the Octagon on November 16 for a showdown with the division’s consensus GOAT, Stipe Miocic. The two titans will headline the promotion’s annual pit stop in Madison Square Garden, and could very well be the last time we see both of them compete.

459685185 1084510319705760 1780393120611401245 n

While Miocic’s retirement feels like a foregone conclusion at this point, Jones has been a little more up in the air with his fighting future. Recently, ‘Bones’ made it clear that if he did stick around, he had no intention of unifying his belt with interim titleholder Tom Aspinall. Instead, he’d much rather seek out another legacy fight with reigning light heavyweight king Alex Pereira.

But even that isn’t guaranteed.

gettyimages 2172056755 612x612 1

Jon Jones Doesn’t have ‘anything left to prove’

During a recent interview with KetoneIQ, Jones made it clear that his performance in NYC this weekend will determine whether or not he sticks around for one more fight.

“I feel like whether I retire or not will depend on this next performance,” Jones stated. “One of my main goals is to make it look really easy. If I can accomplish that, then curiosity will keep me in the game–just to see how far we can really take this thing.”

Jones continued, “But at the same time, I’m really happy with my career. It’s been unbelievable, truly unbelievable. I work on looking in the mirror and reminding myself that I am enough, that I’ve accomplished enough, and that I don’t have anything left to prove. Sometimes, you can get caught up in always needing more and more.”

gettyimages 1248061120 612x612 1

Jones’ fight against Miocic will be his second appearance inside the Octagon in nearly five years. Miocic is in a similar boat with the Cleveland native competing for the first time since a March 2021 loss to Francis Ngannou.

Tom Aspinall has fought seven times in the time it’s taken Jones and Miocic to rack up two combined fights — and that’s with Aspinall losing a year of his career due to a knee injury.

But please Mr. Jones, tell us more about how Aspinall hasn’t done anything.

gettyimages 2163999399 612x612 1

PHOTOS: Custom Shorts Revealed For Stipe Miocic, Charles Oliveira, Michael Chandler Ahead Of UFC 309

The UFC appears to be continuing its trend of designing tailored fight kits for its top athletes, with Stipe Miocic, Charles Oliveira, and Michael Chandler next in line to enjoy this stylish touch for their highly anticipated matchups at UFC 309. The penultimate UFC pay-per-view event of the year is set to electrify Madison Square […]

Continue Reading PHOTOS: Custom Shorts Revealed For Stipe Miocic, Charles Oliveira, Michael Chandler Ahead Of UFC 309 at MMA News.

The UFC appears to be continuing its trend of designing tailored fight kits for its top athletes, with Stipe Miocic, Charles Oliveira, and Michael Chandler next in line to enjoy this stylish touch for their highly anticipated matchups at UFC 309.

The penultimate UFC pay-per-view event of the year is set to electrify Madison Square Garden in New York City this weekend. In the headliner, Miocic will challenge reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, while the co-main event of UFC 309 features a high-stakes, five-round rematch between Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler.

As Miocic gears up for his first Octagon appearance in over there years, the former longtime heavyweight champion will debut custom fight shorts from Venum, the UFC’s official fight kit provider. Designed to honor his Croatian heritage, Miocic’s shorts showcase a checkered pattern on one side and the Croatian coat of arms on the other, drawing inspiration directly from Croatia’s flag.

The 42-year-old Ohio native last competed at UFC 260 in March 2021, where he succumbed to a second-round knockout by Francis Ngannou, forfeiting his heavyweight title in the process.

Meanwhile, Oliveira, coming off a split decision loss to Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300 in April, will step into the Octagon wearing abstract, multicolored shorts with his moniker, “Do Bronx,” emblazoned on one side. The inspiration behind this striking design remains unknown.

On the flip side, Chandler will don black shorts accented with gray straps and stars at UFC 309, a tribute to the American flag. “Iron” is making his long-awaited return after a two-year hiatus, following his submission loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 281 in November 2022.

The custom shorts for the fighters featured at UFC 309 add to the already revealed gear for “Bones,” which showcases two fierce red lions along with Philippians 4:13, the Bible verse Jones has inked on his chest.

Continue Reading PHOTOS: Custom Shorts Revealed For Stipe Miocic, Charles Oliveira, Michael Chandler Ahead Of UFC 309 at MMA News.

VIDEO: UFC 309 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Jones vs. Miocic & Oliveira vs. Chandler

Fight week for the UFC 309 pay-per-view this Saturday has kicked off with the release of the promotion’s latest Countdown episode. Under the spotlight in this edition is the headliner between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic and the co-main event between Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler. Saturday’s UFC 309 lineup is topped by a championship clash, with heavyweight kingpin […]

Continue Reading VIDEO: UFC 309 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Jones vs. Miocic & Oliveira vs. Chandler at MMA News.

Fight week for the UFC 309 pay-per-view this Saturday has kicked off with the release of the promotion’s latest Countdown episode.

Under the spotlight in this edition is the headliner between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic and the co-main event between Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler.

Saturday’s UFC 309 lineup is topped by a championship clash, with heavyweight kingpin Jones (27-1, 1 NC) looking to add a first successful defense to his reign, which got underway with a memorable submission victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in March 2023.

If “Bones” is to continue his rule atop the 265-pound mountain, he must record a victory over Miocic (20-4). The former two-time titleholder is returning from a lengthy layoff for his opportunity to regain the gold, having most recently been unseated in brutal fashion by Francis Ngannou back in 2021.

Before those two collide in the main event at New York City’s iconic Madison Square Garden, the stakes will also be high for a crucial five-round lightweight clash.

After a toe injury resulted in Conor McGregor’s withdrawal from UFC 303 this past June, Chandler (23-8) finally heeded the calls of those advising him to move on from the Irishman.

That decision has left him running it back with a former champion and current top-five contender in Oliveira (34-10, 1 NC), who will look to repeat his title-winning performance over “Iron” from 2022 and stake his claim for a shot at regaining the belt in the process.

Ahead of those two contests in “The Big Apple,” fans can catch previews in the full episode of UFC 309 Countdown on the promotion’s YouTube channel.

Continue Reading VIDEO: UFC 309 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Jones vs. Miocic & Oliveira vs. Chandler at MMA News.