Dana White claims interim title fight offer to Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 would be ‘Completely disrespectful’
Following the cancellation of incumbent heavyweight champion, Jon Jones’ title fight defense against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 next month – according to promotional CEO, Dana White, the possibility of offering the former an interim title fight in order to keep him on the card was never considered.
Jones, the current undisputed heavyweight champion, was slated to make his comeback to the Octagon at UFC 295 next month at Madison Square Garden, taking on former two-weight champion, Miocic in New York City.
However, yesterday, the above-mentioned, White confirmed how Jones had suffered a pectoral tendon tear whilst training for his fight with Miocic, resulting in the cancellation of his championship bout.
And as a result, the promotion have since put together an interim championship pairing between the surging division challengers, Sergei Pavlovich, and Tom Aspinall in a co-main event bracket – while a vacant light heavyweight title fight between former gold holders, Jiri Prochazka, and Alex Pereira takes main event honors.
Dana White refuses interim title offer to Stipe Miocic at UFC 295
With Miocic now officially off the card with the view to booking him in a future title fight with Jones sometime in 2024, promotional boss, White claimed it would be a form of “complete disrespect” to offer the former two-time undisputed champion an interim title opportunity.
“Stipe’s (Miocic) not fighting for an interim title, you know what I mean?” Dana White told assembled media this week. “Jones said, ‘I wanna fight Stipe.’ I said, ‘You’re fighting Stipe.’ You have the greatest heavyweight of all time versus the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. This is a legacy fight for both of those guys.”
“I mean, to even call Stipe (Miocic) and ask Stipe to fight for an interim title is, you know, complete disrespect,” Dana White explained. “This is a fight for two legends, legacy, two of the greatest to ever do it. Fans wanna see it, I wanna see it, and they both wanna do it.”
Do you expect Stipe Miocic to fight Jon Jones next year?
