Stipe Miocic is not intimidated by the challenge of dethroning Jon Jones.
Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) takes on Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) for the heavyweight title in the UFC 295 headliner Nov. 11 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
The two-time UFC heavyweight champion thinks as long as he doesn’t allow Jones to get comfortable, he’ll be able to prevail.
“I’m not going to let him dictate what he wants to do,” Miocic said on the “Believe You Me” podcast. “I’m going to dictate what I want to do. I’m going to do what I want because the minute I let him stop doing what I want, I’ve lost the fight. But if I do what I want, my chances are a lot better of winning than losing.”
Jones used his wrestling to run through Ciryl Gane and capture the vacant heavyweight title at UFC 285 after over three years away from the octagon. But whether standing or on the ground, Miocic is confident he has the advantage.
“I’m walking out with the belt wrapped around my waist: ‘And new …’ There’s no question about that,” Miocic said. “I’m just going to beat him in every aspect of the game. I’m definitely going for the finish.”
Miocic now is a full-time firefighter, which former champion Dominick Cruz recently expressed concern over. He questioned the impact it could have on his training, but Miocic insists it’s not an issue.
“I’m doing everything I’m supposed to,” Miocic said. “I haven’t changed anything I’ve done. I can still work out at the station. I can do things there, too. It’s not like every day is a sparring day or a pad day. It’s conditioning, lifting. There’s recovery days. I don’t understand people.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 295.
