Jon Jones is set to make his highly anticipated return to the octagon on November 16. This news arrives shortly after Merab Dvalishvili captured the UFC bantamweight championship by defeating Sean O’Malley.
Jones, the reigning heavyweight champion, is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in UFC history.
His comeback fight will be against Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden in New York.
This bout marks Jones` first defense of the UFC heavyweight title, which he initially won in March 2023 with a first-round submission victory over Ciryl Gane.
That fight was significant as it was his first competition in three years and his debut in the heavyweight division. At the time, Jones expressed his determination, stating: “This is the biggest opportunity of my life, to beat the heavyweight GOAT. I am going to give it everything I have got. I am not only going to beat Stipe Miocic, I am going to finish Stipe Miocic!”
The clash with Miocic was originally planned for last year but was postponed due to a pectoral injury sustained by Jones.
The official announcement for the Jones vs Miocic fight was made at The Sphere in Las Vegas, which also hosted the O`Malley vs Dvalishvili event.
Interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has confirmed he will serve as the backup fighter for the Jones vs Miocic bout, positioning himself for a potential shot at the undisputed title.
In the bantamweight title fight, Merab Dvalishvili delivered an upset performance, controlling Sean O’Malley for the majority of the contest to earn a unanimous decision victory and the championship belt. The judges` scorecards read 49-46, 48-47, and 48-47 in favor of Dvalishvili.
On the same fight card, Valentina Shevchenko successfully reclaimed the women`s flyweight championship. She defeated Alexa Grasso by a dominant unanimous decision, winning every round according to all three judges. This marked the third encounter between Shevchenko and Grasso; Grasso had previously won their first fight to claim the title, while their second meeting ended in a draw.
