The highly respected UFC heavyweight legend, Stipe Miocic, shared an intriguing perspective on his final professional mixed martial arts bout, suggesting his opponent was not as invincible as perceived.
Miocic concluded his illustrious career in the octagon in 2024, stepping in for one last title challenge against another contender for the greatest of all time status, Jon Jones.
After a considerable layoff of over three years since his last appearance, Miocic faced Jones at UFC 309 in a highly anticipated pay-per-view main event. This marked Jones` first—and ultimately, only—heavyweight title defense, taking place in his home state.
Given Miocic’s age and extended break from active competition, many observers widely expected Jon Jones to secure a comfortable victory, a prediction that seemingly materialized with a third-round TKO stoppage.
However, despite the unfavorable outcome of his final UFC performance, Miocic maintains that the fight was far from a one-sided affair, believing he made a significant impact.
Stipe Miocic Asserts Jon Jones is ‘Beatable’ Despite TKO Defeat
The heavyweight icon’s final fight came to an end when Jones landed a powerful spinning kick to Miocic’s body. Nevertheless, Miocic insists that prior to that decisive moment, he was achieving success and finding openings against Jones.
During a recent appearance on Sofascore’s A Guest and a Half show, Miocic indicated that he identified numerous vulnerabilities in Jones’ game before being stopped by a strike he believes he was inches away from avoiding.
“We were going back and forth,” Miocic recounted. “Then he hit me with a spinning kick. I trained for that exact move. I just missed it by an inch.
“He’s good. Really good. But he has weaknesses. I think I exposed a few. He’s beatable,” Miocic confidently stated.
UFC Star Names His `Best American Fighter` Ever, Opting Against Jon Jones
Jon Jones is frequently regarded by many as the UFC`s greatest of all time, having also retired this year after a decorated career. However, this opinion isn`t universally shared across the MMA community.
For instance, UFC 320 title challenger Cory Sandhagen not only disputes Jones` claim to overall GOAT status but also doesn`t consider him the best American fighter in history.
In an interview with TNT Sports leading up to his upcoming bout against Merab Dvalishvili this Saturday, Sandhagen expressed his preference for Chuck Liddell over Jones. When prompted about the ultimate greatest of all time across all divisions, `The Sandman` put forward Anderson Silva as his choice.
