The UFC 309 will feature a battle between two legendary fighters. Jon Jones is the king of the light heavyweight division and the current champion of the heavyweight class, but Stipe Miocic can become the true monarch of this weight category. The collision of greats had to take place last year, but J. Jones’s health problems prevented the matchup from occurring.
The current champ had a torn pectoral tendon, and the UFC 295 event was not as spicy as it should have been. However, the UFC 309 is almost here, and the long-awaited clash of giants will emerge in less than two weeks. Regardless of who wins the fight, Tom Aspinall, the current interim UFC Heavyweight Champion, will look to take the big prize home in his next matchup, and maybe we will finally get the matchup everyone has been waiting for.
The Legalization & Memorable Fights
The UFC and the whole MMA made their way to the fighting market of New York City on the 22nd of March, 2016. It was a lengthy procedure, but after a challenging legislative battle, New York became the final state in the U.S. to legalize professional MMA competitions.
The first-ever UFC event at Madison Square Garden transpired on the 13th of November, 2016. The historical UFC 205 featured Conor McGregor, who defeated Eddie Alvarez and became the first fighter to hold two titles simultaneously. Nevertheless, it is not the only magnificent competition in the past eight years. Below, we display some of the most remarkable events in New York.
- UFC 217: Michael Bisping vs Georges St-Pierre
- UFC 244: Jorge Masvidal vs Nate Diaz
- UFC 268: Kamaru Usman vs Colby Covington II
- UFC 295: Jiří Procházka vs Alex Pereira
Schedule
UFC 309 can potentially beat all viewership and financial records as the main event is not the only intense matchup. The main card will also feature:
Main Card
- Heavyweight: Jon Jones (C) vs Stipe Miocic
- Lightweight: Charles Oliveira vs Michael Chandler
- Women’s Flyweight: Viviane Araujo vs Karine Silva
- Middleweight: Bo Nickal vs Paul Craig
- Middleweight: Chris Weidman vs Eryk Anders
Preliminary Card
- Lightweight: Mauricio Ruffy vs James Llontop
- Heavyweight: Marcin Tybura vs Jhonata Diniz
- Light Heavyweight: Nikita Krylov vs Azamat Murzakanov
- Bantamweight: Jonathan Martinez vs Marcus McGhee
- Lightweight: Jim Miller vs Damon Jackson
Early Prelims
- Featherweight: David Onama vs Lucas Almeida
- Welterweight: Mickey Gall vs Ramiz Brahimaj
- Welterweight: Bassil Hafez vs Oban Elliott
- Women’s Flyweight: Veronica Hardy vs Eduarda Moura
Jon Jones (C) vs Stipe Miocic
It is unthinkable to compare this legendary battle of heavyweights with any other fight card. Yet, what do the stats tell us about both of these fighters? How do they compare, and where do they differ? Let us glance at some insightful data that will give a better visual of this clash.
Striking abilities
- Jones has a broad striking arsenal, can effectively exploit elbows or knees, and can mix up attacks. His defence and fighting IQ help him minimize damage taken during fights. On the other hand, S. Miocic has outstanding knockout power, likes to engage in aggressive fights and can end it all with a single punch. Also, each opponent must consider his striking volume because heavyweights tend to wait for an opportunity – Stipe can create on his own.
Striking Accuracy: J. Jones (58%) > (53%) S. Miocic
Strikes Landed per Minute (SLpM): J. Jones (4.29) < (4.82) S. Miocic
Strikes Absorbed per Minute (SApM): J. Jones (2.22) > (3.82) S. Miocic
Defence: J. Jones (64%) > (55%) S. Miocic
Grappling & Ground Game
The current title holder has an impressive takedown defence, which allows him to dictate where the fight crops up. Regardless, S. Miocic also has reliable wrestling abilities and has efficiently defended against top-notch wrestlers in previous career stages. His grappling can help him massively, and if he does that, striking opportunities might open up.
Takedown Average/15 min: J. Jones (1.93) > (1.86) S. Miocic
Takedown Accuracy: J. Jones (45%) > (34%) S. Miocic
Takedown Defence: J. Jones (95%) > (68%) S. Miocic
Charles Oliveira vs Michael Chandler
Both UFC lightweight division challengers comprehend that to win the belt, they will have to go through the indomitable Islam Makhachev, one of the most dominant fighters in the entire UFC. However, it is still possible to get the shot for the title, but it all starts here. C. Oliveira won two bouts out of four, while his opponent, M. Chandler, prevailed only once.
Charles is a former UFC lightweight champion who had an eleven-fight win streak. Brazilian has outstanding grappling skills and finishing ability and has recorded the most submission wins in UFC history. In 2021, after being hurt early, C. Oliveira somehow got a TKO victory against M. Chandler and now seeks to firm his status as one of the most lethal contenders.
Nevertheless, M. Chandler is incredibly agile, displays high explosiveness in the first few rounds, and is not afraid to get into confrontations early. He last fought in the UFC almost two years ago, and Michael lost to Dustin Poirier by submission. It is intriguing to see how the co-main will unfold this time, but both title challengers can still let those guns out. It is impossible to foresee the outcome because two main events can not only alter the course of their careers but also their UFC legacies.
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