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Jon Jones is making his highly anticipated return to the octagon this Saturday to defend his UFC heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The former light-heavyweight champion, Jones, will face Miocic, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time. Miocic, at 42, holds the UFC record for the most successful title defenses in the heavyweight division. Jones, meanwhile, is defending the title he won in 2023 after dominating Ciryl Gane.
This fight was originally scheduled for November 2023, but a series of delays—including an injury to Jones and Miocic’s withdrawal pushed it back. As a result, Tom Aspinall stepped in and claimed the interim heavyweight title. Now, with both Jones and Miocic back to full fitness, UFC fans are eagerly awaiting what could be one of the sport’s most compelling matchups.
Jones on the showdown
Jones, 37, is often hailed as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time and has hinted that his showdown with Miocic could mark the end of his career. Both fighters have been sidelined for extended periods—Jones has not fought since March 2023, when he defeated Ciryl Gane to win the heavyweight title, while Miocic’s last fight was in March 2021.
The event will also feature a stacked undercard, including a lightweight battle between Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler, and exciting matchups like Scotsman Paul Craig facing Welshman Oban Elliott.
Key UFC 309 UK Times:
- Prelims: 01:00 GMT, Sunday, 17 November
- Main Card: 03:00 GMT, with Jones vs. Miocic expected to begin around 05:00 GMT.
UFC 309 Fight Card and Running Order:
Main Card:
- Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic – UFC Heavyweight Title (5x5 min rounds)
- Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler 2 – Lightweight (5x5 min rounds)
- Viviane Araujo vs. Karine Silva – Flyweight (3x5 min rounds)
- Bo Nickal vs. Paul Craig – Middleweight
- Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders – Middleweight
Undercard:
- Mauricio Ruffy vs. James Llontop – Lightweight
- Nikita Krylov vs. Azamat Murzakanov – Light Heavyweight
- Jonathan Martinez vs. Marcus McGhee – Bantamweight
- Jim Miller vs. Damon Jackson – Lightweight
- David Onama vs. Lucas Almeida – Lightweight
- Mickey Gall vs. Ramiz Brahimaj – Welterweight
- Oban Elliott vs. Bassil Hafez – Welterweight
- Veronica Hardy vs. Eduarda Moura – Flyweight
Head-to-Head Stats:
- Height: Both Jones and Miocic stand at 6'4".
- Reach: Jones boasts an 84.5-inch reach, while Miocic’s reach is 80 inches.
- Age: Jones is 37, while Miocic is 42.
UFC Heavyweight Rankings:
- 1: Tom Aspinall (Interim Champion)
- 2: Ciryl Gane
- 3: Alexander Volkov
- 4: Sergei Pavlovich
- 5: Curtis Blaydes
- 6: Jailton Almeida
- 7: Serghei Spivac
- 8: Stipe Miocic
- 9: Jairzinho Rozenstruik
- 9: Marcin Tybura
UFC 309 Fight Week Schedule:
- Wednesday: Media Day from 15:00 GMT, where fighters will engage with the press. Jones, Miocic, Oliveira, Chandler, and others will all be speaking to the media.
- Thursday: News Conference at 22:00 GMT, where all main event fighters, including Jones and Miocic, will address fans and media.
- Friday: Weigh-ins at 22:00 GMT (Ceremonial Weigh-Ins) and 14:00 GMT (Early Weigh-ins).
The ceremonial weigh-ins offer the final chance for fighters to face off before the big event.
