Jon Jones defeats Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in MSG
Jon Jones secured a third-round TKO victory over Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden, prompting the two-time heavyweight champion to announce his retirement. The event also featured Charles Oliveira's decision win over Michael Chandler and the reintroduction of previous UFC glove designs.
Jon Jones stopped Stipe Miocic in the third round with a spinning back kick to the body. Jon Jones secured a TKO victory in the third round after he landed a spinning back kick to the midsection of Stipe Miocic during the heavyweight title fight in front of 20,200 fans at Madison Square Garden. The 37-year-old champion out-landed Miocic for three rounds before the stoppage. After the fight, the 42-year-old Miocic told Joe Rogan that he is hanging his gloves up for good. He leaves behind a legacy as the only two-time heavyweight champion in the promotion’s history. You know the basics of the Jones vs. Miocic delay, but the reality involves a torn pectoral muscle that forced Jones to withdraw from UFC 295 last November. Jones also expressed a desire for a six-month camp to prepare for Tom Aspinall, a request that Kevin Holland defended during a podcast appearance. Jones remains vague about his own future and said he decided maybe he will not retire. Will Jones ever face the interim champion in a title unification bout? Donn Davis of PFL even offered Jones $50 million to fight Francis Ngannou. Jones previously captured the heavyweight title with a first-round stoppage against Ciryl Gane. He vacated his light heavyweight title in 2020 to move up a weight class.
Five-round bouts and glove changes
The co-main event included a five-round lightweight rematch between Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler. Oliveira won via unanimous decision after he used ground control for more than 13 combined minutes. Chandler nearly finished Oliveira in the fifth round with heavy punches, but the Brazilian recovered to hunt a rear naked choke. The UFC also reintroduced its previous glove design following frequent complaints from fighters over a six-month period. This change follows the replacement of the gloves at UFC 302 in June. In another bout, Bo Nickal defeated Paul Craig via unanimous decision. The undefeated middleweight prospect focused on striking and failed to attempt a single takedown. The crowd booed Nickal for his inability to finish the fight. Mauricio Ruffy also won a decision against James Llontop in a 166.2 pound catchweight bout. Llontop weighed in 1.2 pounds over the limit and received a fine of 20 percent of his purse. Jim Miller, age 41, improved his record with a first-round guillotine submission of Damon Jackson. This was the 21st submission win of Miller’s 54 professional fights. Viviane Araujo defeated Karine Silva via unanimous decision in the third round. Marcin Tybura defeated Jhonata Diniz via TKO through a doctor stoppage in the second round. Tybura used heavy elbows from the full mount to cause the stoppage. Oban Elliott won his bout against Bassil Hafez via knockout in the third round. Ramiz Brahimaj defeated Mickey Gall in the first round with a knockout in just 2:55. David Onama defeated Roberto Romero via decision in the lightweight division.
The reality of Miocic’s retirement
Stipe Miocic retires with a professional record of 20-5. He held the heavyweight belt for 1,372 days during his first reign. His career included a dominant win over Francis Ngannou in 2018 and a knockout of Fabricio Werdum in 2016. Miocic worked as a full-time firefighter and paramedic in Ohio to support his family. He spent 14 years as a professional fighter. He once told reporters in 2018 that he loves shutting people up when they doubt him. Miocic also holds wins over Roy Nelson, Gabriel Gonzaga, Mark Hunt, and Andrei Arlovski. He made his UFC debut against Joey Beltran in 2011. Miocic was a standout wrestler in high school and a runner-up in the NCAA Division I wrestling championships at 215 pounds. His mother, Kathy, encouraged his involvement in sports. He also hit .344 in baseball during his senior year at Trevecca Nazarene University. His coach, Marcus Marinelli, noted his early talent. Mike Kokitka, his high school coach, called him an animal. Miocic’s victory over Ngannou in 2018 was a master class, as he won 50-44 on all cards. He also defeated Daniel Cormier in a rematch at UFC 241 to reclaim his title. He was the only heavyweight to defend the belt three consecutive times. He entered the professional ranks with a 5-0 amateur record.
