Stipe Miocic has been dialed in on a title fight with Jon Jones for months, and now that the date and location is official, his focus is unflappable.
Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) will return to competition for the first time in more than two years when he meets Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) in the main event of UFC 295 on Nov. 11 at Madison Square Garden in New York. It’s the promotion’s 30th anniversary celebration event, and one of the most significant fights that can be made in the sport gets top billing.
“I thought it was going to be July, but it didn’t happen that way,” Miocic told UFC’s Megan Olivi during a backstage interview at UFC 290 on Saturday in Las Vegas. “It’s Nov. 11. I’ve been waiting for this day. It’s the fight I want. It’s the fight he wants. Nothing better.”
Jones returned from a three-year layoff of his own in March to defeat Ciryl Gane by first-round submission and claim the vacant heavyweight strap. It was a near-flawless performance, and added to the legacy of arguably the greatest fighter in MMA history.
It’s a tall task for the 40-year-old Miocic to get through, but he promises he’s up for the challenge and thinks his team will assemble the game plan to hand “Bones” his first true defeat.
“I think it’s just the two styles – styles make matchups – we have two great styles to make electricity, a lot of firework,” Miocic said. “I’m going to come out on top and show a lot of people that I deserve to be the heavyweight champ.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 295.
