The UFC has been trying for a long time to set up an interim heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic.
It remains to be seen when and if this long-awaited duel between the best light heavyweight and the best heavyweight in UFC history will take place.
Richard Schaefer, Jones’ adviser, told ESPN on Tuesday that the UFC originally asked Jones to face Miocic at UFC 276 on July 2 in Las Vegas. This fight would have been the headline event of the UFC’s annual International Fight Week. But Jones wrote in a tweet on Tuesday that he was told Miocic would not be ready for that date.
Jones indicated he would be willing to wait until September for Miocic, but was “disappointed” the fight wouldn’t happen sooner.
“Stipe says he’ll be at his peak in September,” Jones wrote on Twitter. “I’m disappointed, but patient, I want the best heavyweight in history to be at his best. I will wait until September. No excuses. »
Schaefer said Jones is ready and always has been, adding that as long as the interim title is on the line it doesn’t matter who the opponent is.
The 34-year-old fighter hasn’t fought since defending his UFC light heavyweight title against Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 in February 2020. He then vacated his title in August 2020 with intends to move up to heavyweight to conquer the belt. That goal hasn’t changed, Schaefer said. Jones has never truly lost in mixed martial arts, his only defeat being a controversial disqualification in 2009.
“We just want to fight for the heavyweight title,” Schaefer said. “Jon doesn’t care against whom. As long as it’s for the title. He waited, he trained. He is mentally and physically ready. »
Schaefer said Jones would be willing to wait until September, as he announced on Twitter, but the situation needs to be sorted out and September is the deadline for him to wait. Schaefer said he has a call scheduled for Wednesday with UFC chief commercial officer Hunter Campbell to discuss the situation.
“We wouldn’t want to wait two more months and talk about December,” said Schaefer, a longtime boxing promoter who has served as an adviser to Jones since last year.
Miocic, 39, has not fought since being stripped of his heavyweight title by Francis Ngannou at UFC 260 in March 2021. He defended his heavyweight title from the UFC record four times and won the belt twice.
Ngannou remains the UFC heavyweight champion, but he had knee surgery last month which sidelines him until late 2022 or early 2023. His absence makes the institution of an interim title likely by the UFC. Ngannou’s contract status with the UFC is also up in the air, and it looks like he could take advantage of his freelance next year to fight heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury in a hybrid bout.
