UFC 309: Jon Jones to defend heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic in New York

Next week, UFC will host its penultimate pay-per-view event of the year at New York’s Madison Square Garden with UFC 309.

In the main event, UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones puts his belt on the line against former champion Stipe Miocic. This fight was initially supposed to occur at UFC 295 a year ago, but Jones was forced to withdraw because of a torn pectoral tendon, News.Az reports, citing ESPN.

This will be Miocic's first time in action inside the Octagon since 2021. Luckily for MMA fans, it will be against new opposition. Miocic's five fights since 2018 have been against the same two opponents: Francis Ngannou and Daniel Cormier.

There are also plenty of other intriguing fights on the card, as Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler go head-to-head in the co-main event and rising prospect Bo Nickal returns to action.

Though the UFC is still a relatively young promotion -- November marks 31 years since the company was founded in 1993 -- it seems there aren't many "firsts" left to check off the list.

Perhaps, the most notable remaining first is a matchup between the greatest fighters of two different divisions.

Sure, there have been plenty of champion vs. champion fights. And plenty of great matchups between fighters with a case for calling themselves the best within the same division. But, the main event of UFC 309 is different.

When Jones, the best light heavyweight in MMA history, squares off against Miocic, the UFC's most decorated heavyweight, it will be the first time two UFC divisional GOATs have gone head to head.

Jones' run of dominance has been remarkable. Of his 23 fights since making his UFC debut in 2008, more than two-thirds have had title implications. Each of Jones' last 16 fights has been for a UFC championship.

Jones' being undefeated in UFC title fights is the cherry on top. He did, however, have a 2017 knockout win over former UFC double champion Daniel Cormier later ruled a no contest because Jones testing positive for a banned substance.

News.Az