Fedor Emelianenko, one of the MMA all-time greats to never enter the UFC, has now dropped his verdict on the 309 fight that will take place at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York. In an interview with Ushatayka, the MMA legend made a major claim that would surely disappoint fans of Stipe Miocic.
But what did he say? Well, the Russian fighter has given his prediction that it would be Jon Jones who will win the fight.
According to the former MMA fighter Fedor Emelianenko, while Stipe Miocic is very fluid with his movements and has speed by his side, he lacks the power to deliver a brutal knockout. So all Jon Jones will have to do is watch out for the speed.
He said, “I watched Miocic fights; of course he’s a former UFC champion. His technique is interesting; he moves well. But I would say, it’s just my opinion; he lacks power. He has the speed; he’s light on his feet, but he doesn’t have enough power. It was evident in his fight against (Francis) Ngannou.”
This is a rather surprising take since Stipe Miocic (20-4) has been listed as one of the best fighters in UFC history in the heavyweight category, with the record for the most successful defenses in the division championship. Of his 20 pro-MMA wins, 14 came off brutal knockouts delivered by the 20-4-0 former UFC heavyweight champion. However, one must not forget that his opponent is none other than Jon Jones. Jones is widely considered the greatest fighter of all time in the UFC, having beaten multiple legends and Hall of Famers. He is one of the few fighters to have been world champion in two different divisions: light heavyweight and heavyweight.
So there might be some truth in Fedor Emelianenko’s claims since it is possible that while Stipe’s punch can surely knock out many fighters, the strength might not be enough to take out Jon Jones. So surely there’s no correct answer as to who would turn out to be the winner at UFC 309. However, there is an unfortunate possibility that the fight may get canceled.
Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic clash in trouble?
As Jon Jones prepares for his probable final bout, training footage has caused quite a panic among MMA fans. In the footage, fans noticed a bandage over Jon Jones’ left toe. For the unaware, this is the same toe that got fractured during his 2013 fight against Chael Sonnen at UFC 159. So getting another injury on the toe surely made fans concerned about the fight and whether the UFC 309 main event would see a last-minute change.
Jones and Miocic were set to face at UFC 295; however, a torn pectoral muscle during his final sparring sessions led the UFC heavyweight champion to pull out of the fight. So now that we are just days away from UFC 309, fans wouldn’t want any other last-minute changes. Tom Aspinall had confirmed earlier that he was being seen as the replacement fighter if either ‘Bones’ or Miocic got injured; however, fans are now truly invested in seeing the latter two fight.
And if Aspinall has to fight Jon Jones, the MMA realm would want it to be a title unification match after this 309 clash. For now, fans can rest assured that there have been no major updates from the UFC that hint at the fight getting canceled. However, the toe might lead to Jones not being at his best inside the Octagon.