Retiring? Ducking? Nah, You Just Got Played
Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC
Aspinall was playing checkers. Jones was playing chess (and everyone else).
Reigning UFC heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, defended his 265-pound strap by smashing former division titleholder, Stipe Miocic, atop the UFC 309 pay-per-view (PPV) event last Sat. night (Nov. 16, 2024) at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
“Bones” captured a third-round technical knockout finish with a sensational spinning back kick that crumbled Miocic and sent referee Herb Dean running to intervene. The stoppage marked the second straight for Jones since moving to heavyweight in 2023.
Miocic retired following the defeat, as expected.
As for Jones, he was quick to walk back comments about his own retirement.
“As far as my future in the Octagon, I decided that maybe I will not retire,” Jones told Joe Rogan after the fight. “I have some conversations to have with Dana (White) and Hunter (Campbell) and we have some negotiating to do. And if everything goes right, maybe we’ll give you guys what you wanna see.”
The not-dumb Jones was never retiring with a victory over Miocic.
He also had no plans to duck current interim heavyweight champion, Tom Aspinall. That said, he did an admirable job of convincing everyone — including Aspinall — that he was avoiding the fight. Heck, Jones even threatened to vacate the 265-pound title.
Fans (and media) took the bait ... hook, line, and sinker.
By the time UFC 309 rolled around, the combat sports community was more focused on Jones fighting Aspinall than Miocic, a pre-planned strategy that paid off in victory because now everyone on social media is screaming for a title unification bout.
It would be difficult for UFC to sell anything other than Bundy Jones vs. Aspinall.
That gives Jones (28-1, 1 NC) more power at the bargaining table. Remember, this was the same strategy Jones employed against Francis Ngannou back in early 2020. Unfortunately, those plans went up in smoke when “The Predator” jumped ship for PFL riches.
A move that allowed UFC to rewrite the narrative.
Jones, 37, used the last few months to play the long game with UFC and Aspinall and it’s likely to pay off, since fans won’t settle for anything less. Now it’s up to White and Campbell to crunch the numbers and figure out how to add to that $8 million in cash.
For more UFC 309 results and fallout click here.
