Jon Jones has announced his retirement status after his dominant victory over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 on Saturday, November 16. Jones successfully defended his UFC Heavyweight title with a TKO win in the third round, closing the bout at 4:29 with a spinning back kick and follow-up punches. This was Jones' first fight since March 2023, when he claimed the heavyweight title by defeating Cyril Gane.
The Jones vs Miocic showdown had originally been scheduled for last year, but Jones was sidelined due to injury. Miocic, for his part, had not fought since 2021, when he lost his title to Francis Ngannou.
After the fight, Jones thanked Jesus Christ and then addressed his future in the sport. He revealed that he would not be retiring just yet, stating he has some important talks to have with UFC President Dana White. “I decided maybe I will not retire. I have some conversation to have with Dana (White). We have some negotiating to do. If everything goes right, then maybe we’ll give you guys (the fans) what you want to see,” said Jones.
Jones was full of respect for Miocic, acknowledging his toughness. "He’s really, really good. He’s really tough. He’s really durable. I hit him with some pretty decent shots, and he just kept coming forward," Jones commented after the fight.
The victory further solidified Jones' dominance at heavyweight. His performance was near flawless, with no obvious weaknesses, as he handled Miocic's offense with ease. Miocic, on the other hand, chose to retire following the loss.
Charles Oliveira returns triumphant
In the co-main event, Charles Oliveira defeated Michael Chandler by unanimous decision, winning four of the five rounds with a mix of striking and submission attempts. Oliveira scored cards of 49-46, 49-46, and 49-45. Despite his struggles, Chandler called out Conor McGregor after the fight.
In other main card action, Bo Nickal improved his undefeated record with a unanimous decision win over Paul Craig (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). Viviane Araujo also bounced back from a losing streak with a dominant performance against Karine Silva, winning by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). The night opened with Mauricio Ruffy defeating James Llontop by unanimous decision in a catchweight bout (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
UFC 309 Main Card Results:
- Main Event: Jon Jones def. Stipe Miocic by TKO (spinning back kick and punches) at 4:29 of Round 3
- Co-Main Event: Charles Oliveira def. Michael Chandler by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-45)
- Bo Nickal def. Paul Craig by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Viviane Araújo def. Karine Silva by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Mauricio Ruffy def. James Llontop by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
