Jon Jones and Donald Trump (PTI Photo)
NEW DELHI: Jon Jones successfully defended his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 309 at a sold-out Madison Square Garden in New York City.
After that, Jon Jones did “YMCA” dance to celebrate and then pointed at the president of the USA, Donald Trump, accompanied by business tycoon Elon Musk.
Watch: Jon Jones dances to YMCA, acknowledges Trump post-victory over Stipe Miocic at MSG
Jones secured victory in the third round with a technical knockout, utilizing a spinning backkick that sent Miocic to the canvas. The official stoppage came at the 4:29 mark of the round.
This victory marked Jones’ return to the octagon after a hiatus since March 2023. He had undergone surgery for a pectoral injury, which led to the postponement of his highly anticipated matchup against Miocic, originally scheduled for UFC 295.
Following the fight, Jones expressed his admiration for Miocic’s resilience and skill.
“He’s really, really good,” Jones said of Miocic. “He’s really tough. He’s really durable. I hit him with some pretty decent shots, and he just kept coming forward.”
Jones displayed a flawless performance, effectively countering every strike Miocic attempted.
In the aftermath of the fight, Miocic announced his decision to retire from mixed martial arts, while Jones revealed his intentions to continue his heavyweight reign.
“I’ve decided maybe I will not retire,” Jones said, noting that he plans to speak with UFC CEO Dana White and UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell. “We’ll negotiate. If everything goes right, maybe we’ll give you guys (the fans) what you want to see.”
The main card commenced with an exciting catchweight bout between Mauricio Ruffy and James Llontop. Ruffy employed a well-rounded game plan, effectively mixing his striking and grappling to secure a unanimous decision victory. The judges’ scorecards read 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28, all in favour of Ruffy.
