Stipe Miocic only wants to fight Jon Jones, but it's ultimately up to the UFC as to whether or not that matchup actually happens.
As he awaits his return, the 41-year-old former UFC heavyweight champion stresses he's not standing in anyone's way in the sudden clutter at the top of the division, which essentially stems from Tom Aspinall winning the interim heavyweight title after Jones tore his pectoral muscle, forcing the cancellation of his planned 2023 bout with Miocic.
The UFC is sticking with the Jones-Miocic showdown, while Aspinall is scheduled to defend his interim title against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in June.
Miococ understands Aspinall's frustration at not being able to unify the titles in his next fight, but it's a decision that can't be made on his salary.
“I understand,” Miocic told CBS Sports, “I feel the same way, but I'm not going to write him off. UFC can do what they want. That's the reality. The only person I want to fight is Jon Jones. But at the same time, UFC can pick who they want to fight. People don't know, but there have been a couple of times where I was ready to fight and they picked someone else. What do I do?”
“I'm not advocating a split like everyone says. I don't care. Do what you like and stop crying. I'm not saying he's crying, just the fans are saying that.”
Miocic hasn't fought since March 2021, when he suffered a knockout loss in a rematch against Francis Ngannou for the UFC heavyweight title. Three years later, Miocic initially wanted to settle the trilogy with Ngannou, but “The Predator” ended up leaving UFC and signing with PFL as a free agent.
With that option gone, Miocic turned to Jones, widely considered the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, while Miocic holds the record for most UFC heavyweight title defenses and has solidified himself as one of the all-time greats.
That's why Jones has targeted Miocic after winning the UFC heavyweight title in 2023, and obviously the matchup would be intriguing for Miocic as well.
“Everybody thinks he's going to beat me,” Miocic said of Jones. “I don't like to be told that. I like to shut people up. He can beat him. I know that. He can beat anybody. And I'll be the first to do it.”
Miocic frequently spoke about the possibility of facing Jones during “Bones”'s reign as light heavyweight champion, always hinting at a move up to a heavier weight class.
Not only is this a fight Miocic wants, but it's also a fight he's confident he can win.
“I think styles will determine the matchup,” Miocic said. “I don't think my style will go with his style. Maybe if it was the other way around, I would. He's better in a lot of ways: distance, kicking, ground. I'm better at taking the fight. I have the technique, but I can also take the fight and make him really uncomfortable, just like he does.”
“I think it depends on what the person wants to do. Unfortunately, I don't like being told what to do, so I do what I want to do.”
While no official offer or contract for the fight has been made, multiple people with knowledge of UFC's plans told MMA Fighting that the Jones-Miocic fight is currently scheduled for November, when UFC returns to Madison Square Garden in New York, a date that Jones has also publicly hinted at multiple times on social media.
If that bout is scheduled, it would mark Miocic's return after just under four years away from the cage, but he's not worried about the time off or his ability to handle an opponent like Jones upon his return to the Octagon.
“I'm very competitive and I'll never lose that,” Miocic said. “It's in my DNA. I love what I do and I have the best coaches in the world to get me prepared for whenever the fight is.”
