Jon Jones insists Stipe Miocic isn’t ‘washed up’: ‘Francis would have knocked out 98 percent of the people that night’

(autotag)Jon Jones(/autotag) debunks the claim that (autotag)Stipe Miocic(/autotag) is past his prime.

UFC heavyweight champion Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) has been widely criticized for preferring to defend his title against Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) rather than interim champion Tom Aspinall.

UFC CEO Dana White has defended Jones’ decision, but Aspinall has really gone after the champion for not fighting him. Jones vs. Miocic is expected to take place later this year, and White hopes Jones will unify his belt with Aspinall if he defeats Miocic.

Despite everyone writing off Miocic, who hasn’t fought since his knockout loss to Francis Ngannou in March 2021, Jones is fully focused on adding what everyone considers the best heavyweight of all time to his resume.

Jones has also been out of action for a while and has continued to harp on about a potential retirement after fighting Miocic. Since returning to quickly defeat Ciryl Gane to claim the vacant heavyweight title in January 2023, Jones was scheduled to face Miocic at UFC 295. However, when Jones withdrew due to injury, the promotion opted to create an interim title in his absence, which Aspinall won by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295.

The Jones vs. Miocic rebooking has yet to be given an official date, prompting Aspinall to defend his interim title in the meantime. He made quick work of Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in July.

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This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Jon Jones Insists Stipe Miocic Isn’t ‘Washed Up’: ‘Francis Would Have Knocked Out 98 Percent of People That Night’