Jon Jones previews Stipe Miocic matchup ahead of potential UFC 290 fight: ‘This means the world to me’

Recently minted undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, Jon Jones has claimed that a potential UFC 290 return to fight former two-tiem division champion, Stipe Miocic “means the world” to him, as he looks to defend his title for the first time.

Headlining UFC 285 last weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jones managed to clinch the vacant heavyweight title with a stunning, opening round guillotine choke win over former interim champion, Ciryl Gane.

Claiming he gave Gane a “chiropractic adjustment” with his taut first round guillotine choke win, Jones immediately called for a title defense opposite the above-mentioned Ohio veteran, Miocic, who revealed pre-fight that he had already been offered a title fight against the UFC 285 main event winner for July. 

Jon Jones walked back a potential UFC 290 fight with Stipe Miocic initially

Remaining coy on a July return to the Octagon during International Fight Week, Jones has explained, however, how the opportunity to fight Miocic – whom he considers the greatest heavyweight of all time, means the world to him.

“There has never been a fight that means more to me than beating Stipe Miocic,” Jon Jones said on the UFC 285 post-fight show. “I don’t think I’ve ever fought a GOAT and people consider him the greatest heavyweight of all time. None of my past champions that I’ve beat were considered GOATs, so this GOAT versus GOAT [fight], means the world to me.” 

Sidelined since March 2021, Miocic, a former two-time undisputed heavyweight champion, headlined UFC 260 against former undisputed titleholder, Francis Ngannou in the pair’s heavyweight championship rematch, suffering a thunderous second round KO loss to the Batié knockout artist. 

During his two successful title reigns, Miocic landed championship defenses against Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos, Ngannou, and common-opponent, former two-division gold holder, Daniel Cormier.