Timeline: How the UFC got to Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic
Jon Jones returns from a 20-month layoff this weekend to defend his UFC heavyweight championship for the first - and perhaps final - time against former champ Stipe Miocic. The fight, which Jones hinted could be his last, headlines UFC 309, the promotion's annual event at Madison Square Garden in New York.
UFC CEO Dana White has billed Jones-Miocic as a legacy fight between arguably the greatest fighter of all time and the greatest heavyweight in UFC history. Jones was a longtime light heavyweight champion before capturing gold in the sport's heaviest division, while Miocic owns the record for most consecutive title defenses (three) and most defenses overall (four) in UFC heavyweight history. People have talked for years about a matchup between Jones and Miocic.
However, it's a bit controversial the fight is happening now. Tom Aspinall is the interim champion and has been for over a year, which would usually warrant a shot at the undisputed belt. Meanwhile, Miocic hasn't stepped into the Octagon since a knockout loss to Francis Ngannou in March 2021. But the UFC brass wanted to see Jones-Miocic before anything else - even after Jones suffered an injury last year and the fight was postponed.
In an ideal world, Jones and Miocic would've fought a number of years ago - when both were champions, when both were at the top of their game and at the top of the sport. But here we are, under two months to go in 2024, and the two all-time greats are finally set to throw down with the heavyweight crown on the line.
So how exactly did we get here? Here's a timeline of key events that led to this fight happening.
August 2019: Miocic begins 2nd title reign with TKO of Cormier
Thirteen months after dropping the heavyweight title in a stunning knockout loss to Daniel Cormier, Miocic exacted revenge and reclaimed the throne with a come-from-behind, fourth-round TKO over Cormier at UFC 241.
This marked the first time Miocic and Jones were champions at the same time (Jones held the light heavyweight belt), other than a brief period in 2017 when Jones knocked out Cormier but was later stripped of the title because of a failed drug test.
February 2020: Jones says he's 'the guy to beat' Miocic
Days before his light heavyweight title defense against Dominick Reyes at UFC 247, Jones declared he "really" wanted to move up in weight to face Miocic for a second belt. Jones was confident he'd come out of that matchup with his hand raised.
"I think I'm the guy to beat him for sure," Jones said in an interview with MMA reporter Ariel Helwani, "and I want to strike while I'm feeling hot."
By this point, Jones already said the Reyes fight - which he won by controversial split decision - was likely going to be his final appearance before moving up to heavyweight.
August 2020: Miocic retains title in trilogy bout with Cormier
Miocic settled the score with Cormier at UFC 252, sending his rival into retirement with a unanimous decision victory. It cemented Miocic as the UFC's greatest heavyweight ever.
White said postfight that a rematch between Miocic and Ngannou would be next.
August 2020: Jones teases plans to become 'baddest man'
On the same night as Miocic's win over Cormier, Jones hinted his long-awaited move up to heavyweight was imminent, saying on X he'd be "seeing" a second title "real soon."
"I'll be considered the baddest man on this planet," Jones wrote.
August 2020: Jones vacates light heavyweight title, announces move to heavyweight
Two days later, Jones confirmed he was relinquishing the light heavyweight championship to pursue a move to heavyweight. There were no immediate plans for his divisional debut, and Jones made it clear he wanted to take his time adjusting to the new weight class.
"(It) sounds like there will be negotiations for my next fight at heavyweight," Jones wrote on X. "All good news, the weight-gaining process begins."
Jones' announcement paved the way for the all-time great to finally challenge for a second title - something he'd promised to eventually do all the way back in 2012.
September 2020: Jones argues he should be next for Miocic
Jones said on X he wanted to leapfrog Ngannou and be the next to challenge Miocic for the title.
"Stipe asked for a new challenge, why not fight the light heavyweight GOAT?" Jones wrote.
Jones argued that a matchup with Miocic would line up "perfectly" because he was still adjusting to being at heavyweight and Miocic was still recovering from his win over Cormier.
Four months later, the UFC made the rematch between Miocic and Ngannou official.
February 2021: White says Jones next in line
The good news for Jones was that a few weeks later, White confirmed "Bones" would get the next title shot after Miocic faced Ngannou at UFC 260 in March.
March 2021: Ngannou KOs Miocic to become new champion
Ngannou captured the heavyweight title with a thunderous second-round knockout in his rematch with Miocic. Ngannou's victory kicked off a new era in the division and derailed any plans for Jones to face Miocic for the foreseeable future.
March-May 2021: Jones' financial dispute with UFC keeps him sidelined
Although Ngannou-Jones was now the biggest fight the UFC could put together, it wasn't meant to be.
Jones instead spent the next few months going back and forth with the promotion, seeking a raise before he agreed to get into the Octagon with Ngannou.
Two days after Ngannou won the title, Jones said he was unsatisfied with how the UFC handled his request for more money. He called for his release from the organization, posting, "Please just cut me already."
In April, White revealed that Jones asked for $30 million to fight Ngannou. It ultimately seemed like the UFC was unwilling to meet Jones' financial demands.
A month later, Jones announced on X he planned to sit out the rest of 2021.
February 2022: Jones 'game' to fight Miocic with Ngannou hurt
Two weeks after Ngannou defended his title with a win over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270, Jones (again) put out a feeler for a potential matchup against Miocic.
"The greatest heavyweight of all time versus the greatest light heavyweight, who wants to see it?" Jones pitched on X. "I'm game."
Ngannou underwent surgery after beating Gane to repair a knee injury he suffered in camp, sidelining him until at least late 2022. "The Predator" also fought out his contract in that bout, throwing a wrench in things. Regardless, Jones seemed to look at Ngannou's injury as a perfect opportunity to rekindle a matchup with Miocic.
October 2022: Jones tells Miocic to 'sign the contract'
As we got deeper into 2022, the UFC seemed to become more invested in the idea of booking a fight between Miocic and Jones with Ngannou still healing up - and potentially approaching free agency. But several months went by and no deal was made.
At one point in October, Jones called for Miocic to "sign the contract" for a potential bout at UFC 282 in December.
January 2023: Ngannou leaves UFC, Jones-Gane booked for vacant heavyweight title
Jones' return was finally set after nearly three years away from the sport, but it wouldn't be against Miocic.
White announced that Ngannou was leaving the promotion after the two sides were unable to come to terms on a new contract, and that Ngannou would be immediately stripped of the heavyweight title.
As a result, Jones was set to fight former interim champ Gane for the vacant title at UFC 285 in March.
March 2023: White says Miocic will face Jones-Gane winner
Though Miocic was the odd man out at UFC 285, White confirmed during fight week that the former champ would be next in line for the winner of Jones-Gane.
March 2023: Jones wins heavyweight title, calls out Miocic
Jones made it look easy in his long-awaited return to the Octagon, dispatching Gane with a first-round guillotine to become the new heavyweight champion and the eighth two-division champion in UFC history.
After the win, Jones got on the mic and called out Miocic.
"Y'all want to see me beat up Stipe?" Jones asked the crowd. "One thing I know about the UFC is we give the fans what they want to see. Stipe Miocic, I hope you're training, my guy. You're the greatest heavyweight of all time, and that's what I want. I want you real bad."
Miocic said later that night he was interested in challenging Jones at International Fight Week in July. By all accounts, Jones-Miocic would be next - finally.
July 2023: Jones-Miocic announced for UFC 295
Four months later, White announced Jones-Miocic would headline UFC 295 on Nov. 11 at MSG in New York.
October 2023: Jones suffers injury, Miocic fight canceled
Two-and-a-half weeks before UFC 295, White made the unfortunate announcement that Jones-Miocic was off due to Jones tearing his pectoral muscle in training. The immediate hope was to reschedule the fight in 2024.
Jones underwent surgery a few days later and hit the shelf for the foreseeable future.
As a result of the cancellation, the UFC booked a short-notice interim title fight between two of the other top contenders in the division, Sergei Pavlovich and Aspinall.
Aspinall knocked out Pavlovich in the first round of the UFC 295 co-main event to capture interim gold.
November 2023-January 2024: White and Jones insist on Miocic being next challenger
Aspinall called for the UFC to strip Jones of the title less than a week after becoming the interim champion. He argued Jones shouldn't be able to hold up the division while recovering from his injury. Aspinall said he wanted to fight Miocic and then give Jones an opportunity to get the belt back once he was healthy.
Jones and Aspinall went back and forth in the media a lot over the next few months. Jones said he thought it was "hilarious" Aspinall felt he could already call the shots.
But White was adamant he would reschedule the fight between Jones and Miocic, leaving Aspinall in an awkward spot.
"(Jones and Miocic) have paid their dues, they've done their things," White said in December 2023. "These two want to fight each other, and it's going to happen."
May 2024: Jones hints at November return
Shortly after the UFC announced Aspinall would defend the interim title against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in July, Jones hinted his next fight - presumably against Miocic - was in the works for November.
"I’m on the right path," Jones wrote on X. "I got until November to remind the world. Again."
September 2024: Jones-Miocic rescheduled for UFC 309
The UFC finally confirmed in September one of the worst-kept secrets in MMA: Jones would defend the heavyweight title against Miocic in the main event of UFC 309 on Nov. 16 in New York.
The fight is happening, at last.