Two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic has clapped back at Jon Jones and Dana White.
Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic has been a major dream fight in the UFC for many years. The match-up was frequently rumored throughout 2022 but never came to fruition. According to Daniel Cormier, the general consensus regarding the fight’s delays was that Miocic’s financial demands were the key issue.
Miocic has not fought in over two years. He was last seen back at UFC 260, where he lost the UFC Heavyweight Championship to Francis Ngannou due to a brutal second-round knockout.
This year, Jon Jones made his long-awaited return to the Octagon, picking up the heavyweight gold thanks to a first-round submission win over Ciryl Gane. Jones has since pinned the blame on Stipe Miocic for why their clash still hasn’t been confirmed.
Stipe Miocic Highlights Jon Jones’ Radio Silence Since UFC 285
According to UFC President Dana White, Jon Jones has gone eerily silent since his triumphant return at UFC 285.
‘Bones’ reportedly asked White to let him know when the Stipe Miocic fight is confirmed before seemingly going into reclusion. Miocic recently tweeted the footage of White discussing Jones’ vanishing act.
In what appeared to be a callout aimed at both White and Jones, Stipe Miocic called into questions Jones’ sudden disappearance from the public eye.
The heavyweight battle was widely expected to headline UFC 290 in July. Disappointingly, recent reports have suggested the clash has been postponed yet again, with it now expected to take place this fall.
Delayed – and sometimes outright missed – top fights at 265lbs has become a recurring trend in recent years. Many fans were desperate to see Jones return and face then-Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou in either 2021 or 2022. In that same time, a trilogy bout between ‘The Predator’ and Miocic never came to fruition either.
Hopefully, Jones vs. Miocic can finally go ahead later this year.