Jones and Miocic Exchange Handshake at Weigh-in Following Prior Refusal

Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic exchanged a handshake during their final face-off, held before their heavyweight title fight at UFC 309 in New York’s Madison Square Garden on Saturday. This interaction occurred after Jones had declined to shake Miocic’s hand on Thursday. Jones, aged 37, had previously declined to shake the hand of his American counterpart Miocic at Thursday’s news conference but accepted the gesture during the weigh-ins, witnessed by an enthusiastic crowd. The reigning champion, Jones, registered a weight of 237.6lb (16 st 13lb), making him 11lb lighter than the 42-year-old Miocic. UFC commentator Joe Rogan introduced Jones as the “GOAT,” after which Jones stated: “Tomorrow is an awesome opportunity to display this gift god has given me. I’m super excited, I feel great. And still.” The weigh-in for the fighters utilized the identical scales famously employed for boxing legend Muhammad Ali’s fight against Joe Frazier at Madison Square Garden in 1974. These scales were specially retrieved from a museum for the occasion, an event the UFC has characterized as featuring the most significant heavyweight bout in the promotion’s history. Following the weigh-ins, Jones was the sole fighter to stay on stage, where he posed for photographs, waved to the audience, and playfully shadowboxed with fans. Miocic departed promptly after remarking: “It’s about time finally. And new.” Interim champion and designated back-up fighter Tom Aspinall was notably absent, having disclosed on Friday that he was prohibited from attending Thursday’s news conference. Aspinall has largely shaped the discussion throughout fight week, prompting an increasingly annoyed Jones to reiterate to the media that he would not compete against the Briton, stating: “it does nothing for my legacy.” On Friday morning, Aspinall, 31, recorded a weight of 254.8lb (18st 2lb), which was heavier than both Jones and Miocic. A year prior, Aspinall secured the interim title by defeating Russia’s Sergei Pavlovich on 17 days’ notice, a fight arranged after Jones’ original scheduled bout with Miocic was canceled due to injury. Instead of arranging a unification title match, Jones was subsequently rescheduled to face the 42-year-old Miocic. Jones, who achieved the distinction of becoming the youngest UFC champion in the company’s history at age 23, is now preparing for his initial defense of the heavyweight title, which he claimed by defeating Ciryl Gane in 2023. As a former light-heavyweight title holder, Jones possesses the record for the most championship fight victories with 15 wins and has only one loss in 29 professional fights, which was a disqualification against Matt Hamill in 2009. Miocic, conversely, has not competed since his knockout loss to Francis Ngannou in 2021 and is seeking to become the UFC’s inaugural three-time heavyweight champion. This marks Jones’s initial defense of his heavyweight title. Also on Saturday’s fight card, Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler will engage in a lightweight rematch of their 2021 encounter. While the main event may not hold the same level of anticipation as it did approximately five years ago when Jones first suggested a move to heavyweight to challenge Miocic, it remains an intriguing matchup. Jones, at 37, is considered the favorite to win, though questions persist regarding whether Miocic’s abilities have diminished at 42 years old. The events following the bout are generating as much interest as the fight’s outcome itself. Both competitors have alluded to potential retirement, although Jones has suggested he would remain active for a “super fight” against light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, provided he emerges victorious. UFC president Dana White, however, has declared that the victor must confront Aspinall, a fighter Jones has consistently expressed unwillingness to face. Aspinall has attempted to persuade Jones into a unification bout, which has visibly annoyed the American, raising questions about the UFC’s ability to orchestrate such a fight. A significant variable arises if Miocic secures a victory, handing Jones his first loss in 15 years and establishing Miocic as a three-time UFC heavyweight champion. In such a case, would Miocic proceed with his retirement plans, thereby elevating Aspinall to undisputed champion, or would he be persuaded into a unification contest with the Briton? These inquiries have overshadowed the UFC’s heavyweight division for more than a year, ever since Aspinall claimed the interim title, but resolutions are expected within a single day.