Is Jon Jones About To Step Up To Heavyweight To Face Stipe Miocic

Is Jon Jones About To Step Up To Heavyweight To Face Stipe Miocic 

By Jack Maher 

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has recently teased a fight with former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic on Twitter, tweeting

“I don’t think you guys are ready to witness @stipemiocic and I, would July give you all enough time?”

The bout has not been officially announced, but ESPN’s Ariel Helwani has weighed in, saying that the fight is in “Embryonic stages”

‘Bones’ is not long back from a 15 month suspension that officially ended in late October of last year, and the Jackson Wink MMA Academy standout has fought twice since, claiming the vacant light heavyweight title with a third-round TKO over Alexander Gustafsson, in a rematch of their classic 2013 fight, as well as successfully defending his crown against Anthony Smith with a dominant decision in the main event of UFC 235 earlier this month.

Miocic has not fought since July of last year, when he lost his heavyweight championship to Jones’s former foe Daniel Cormier by knockout in the first round.

If the bout does take place in July like Jones’s tweet suggests, then it is likely to feature on UFC 239, which takes place on July 6th and will act as the culmination of UFC’s International Fight Week schedule. Jones did not specify if the fight would be 3 or 5 rounds, but given that Jones is an established PPV draw, and Miocic has several PPV main events under his belt, there is always the chance that the UFC may choose to book it as a 5 round non-title main event.

There is even the chance of the two men meeting for an interim heavyweight title, given that the long-awaited fight between Cormier and Brock Lesnar for the official heavyweight championship currently shows no sign of getting closer.

Jones has long been linked to a move to heavyweight, but has chosen to stay at 205 pounds where he has reigned supreme, with a disqualification loss to Matt Hamill in 2009 and failed drugs tests being his only hinderance.

Jones has beaten many of the top contenders at light heavyweight, and even has a win over current heavyweight champ Daniel Cormier at 205 pounds, as well as a no-contest due to Jones failing a drugs test after knocking out Cormier in their 2017 rematch. A win over Miocic would likely propel Jones to the front of the queue at heavyweight, and give him an opportunity to fight for the championship later this year if he chose to stay at the weight.

Miocic meanwhile already feels that he is deserving of a chance to reclaim the belt he held for over 2 years, due to the fact he holds the record for successful UFC heavyweight title defences (3). A win over Jones, who is ranked number 2 in the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings, would make Miocic’s case for another clash with Cormier hard to ignore.