NEW YORK – Jon Jones did not hesitate when praising a former foe.
Heavyweight champion Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) makes his first title defense against Stipe Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 309 (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Hulu/FX, ESPN+) main event at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Jones has fought generations of light heavyweight elite during his reign there – including title wins over former champions Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson, Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, Glover Teixeira, and Daniel Cormier.