Stipe Miocic on Jon Jones: It sucks that he's going to lose
- Doug Mattushek
- 8 March 2023
Stipe Miocic is confident he will hand new UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones his first career loss when they meet later this year.
Stipe Miocic is confident he will hand new UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones his first career loss when they meet later this year.
A look at Jones' superlative MMA record will reveal a singular loss back in 2009, but the purists know it was a dubious disqualification for illegal elbows in a fight he had dominated.
Now, with the UFC crafting a new chapter for the heavyweight division following Francis Ngannou's unfortunate departure, their veteran former champion Miocic has answered the call.
UFC overlord Dana White made sure Miocic was octagon-side for Jones' demolition of Cyril Gane at UFC 285 on Saturday and gave him plenty of camera time, setting up the bout and confirming it in the post-fight press conference.
Talking to MMA aficionado Ariel Helwani on
MMA Hour this week, Miocic exuded confidence.
"I'm going to win, there's no question," said the 40-year-old who was brutally knocked out by Ngannou in his last outing in 2021.
"There's no question. I know that [he's never lost,]. It sucks that he's going to lose. He's going [to have] a big 'one'. I'm not going to imagine it, it's going to happen."
Jones fired the first jab at the post-fight press conference, saying Miocic should probably "take time off from being a firefighter right now" in order to prepare.
"I think everyone tries to say that and they realize they're in a world of hurt when it's not happening the way they want," Miocic retorted.
"I don't know if he knows this, but I've been a fireman the whole time I've been in my career in the UFC. But whatever, that's none of my business. I don't really care."
The UFC han't officially announced the bout, but Miocic did reveal that that 8 July, during International Fight Week, has been penciled in.
