Former UFC champion Daniel Cormier has credited heavyweight champion Jon Jones for keeping Stipe Miocic’s UFC career alive. Miocic, a former heavyweight champ and one of the greatest to ever step into the Octagon, hasn’t fought since his tough loss to Francis Ngannou in March 2021.
After such a long break, many wondered if Miocic would ever make a comeback. But then Jones entered the heavyweight scene, won the title, and called out the fireman for a showdown.
For Cormier, this challenge from Jones was exactly what Stipe needed to stay relevant in the UFC. Without it, he believes Miocic might have quietly faded into retirement.
Since Miocic was so adamant that he would only fight for the title, his options were extremely limited. But then Jones won the title against Cyril Gane and had only one target in mind.
“He literally stood on his business and said I am not fighting unless it is for the belt… ultimately he held out long enough to where he got it. But I think that if Gane would have beaten Jon Jones, Stipe was done. What saved Stipe is Jon Jones saying I want to fight Stipe Miocic.”
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Despite all these achievements, the way Miocic lost his last fight to Ngannou and went into hibernation for three years has definitely affected fans’ perception of Miocic. But it would be a mistake to not consider the greatest heavyweight in UFC history a threat.
So, regardless of his form, a win over him would be huge for an already stacked resume that Jones has earned.
Jones hopes for more than just UFC gold
Jones has hinted he might not fight beyond UFC 309, but if he does, he’s more interested in facing Alex Pereira than Tom Aspinall. Aspinall became the interim heavyweight champ after Jones’s injury, but Jones believes that title is unnecessary, created only to keep the UFC 295 event exciting.
For him, Aspinall’s interim status doesn’t mean he has to unify titles; instead, he sees a fight with Pereira as a bigger boost to his legacy. The Rochester native even says he’d happily vacate his heavyweight title to make a Pereira showdown happen, potentially competing for the “BMF” belt instead.
In his view, a clash with Pereira—who’s proven himself in multiple weight classes—would be a fitting addition to both their legacies, with each fighting for a third belt.
For Jones, it’s not just about the titles but about leaving on his own terms and cementing his place in MMA history. For fans more not myopic in their worship, it’s a dodge!
