Jon Jones has spoken out about the double standards he feels fans apply when evaluating his victory over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 last year. Jones confronted the criticism surrounding his win while defending the heavyweight title, highlighting the inconsistent opinions about his accomplishments.
Jones Challenges Fans’ Perceptions of His Victory Against Miocic
At UFC 309, Jon Jones successfully defended his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic, marking a crucial moment in his career. Despite the significance of the victory, many fans dismissed the win, arguing Miocic was no longer at his peak and had taken on work as a firefighter outside the UFC. This viewpoint frustrated Jones, who publicly addressed what he considers unfair judgment of both Miocic’s status and his own achievement.
On social media platform X, Jones openly questioned the inconsistency in fans’ views:
“The best heavyweight in MMA history, but when I fight him, he’s just a fighter fighter? Make it make sense.”
—Jon Jones, UFC Fighter
Jones’ Interest in a Potential Fight With Alex Pereira After Miocic
Jon Jones has long expressed enthusiasm for legacy-defining matches and superfights. During the build-up to UFC 309, Jones revealed his interest in facing former UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, who was gaining attention for an impressive winning streak at the time. Jones viewed a fight with Pereira as a meaningful next step following his bout with Miocic.
In a pre-fight media interview, Jones outlined his plan and hopes:
“As far as retirement, the idea for me is to go out there and beat Stipe [Miocic]… The main goal is to get past Stipe and if I can do it in a really dominant, devastating fashion, then the desire in my heart would be like, okay now it’s Alex Pereira and if the UFC doesn’t want that to happen because ultimately it’s the boss’ decision, then it won’t happen and and I’ll just move on with my life.”
—Jon Jones, UFC Fighter
He further explained his perspective on the potential superfight:
“But one of the ways I look at it is, would you guys rather lose me or get one more super fight? and the only super fight that makes sense to me, not to everyone else, but to me and my team is Alex Pereira.”
—Jon Jones, UFC Fighter
Aftermath of UFC 309 and Jones’ Retirement Announcement
Following his defeat at UFC 309, Stipe Miocic chose to retire from professional fighting. Alex Pereira, the fighter Jones hoped to face next, lost the light heavyweight championship to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313. Meanwhile, Jon Jones recently announced his own retirement, without having the chance to pursue the anticipated superfight against Pereira, known as ‘Poatan’. This sequence of events has left Jones’ fans and the MMA community reflecting on what might have been for his legacy and future matchups.
Jones’ comments and his confrontation of perceived double standards emphasize the complex narratives that often surround top-level athletes and their careers, especially in a sport as competitive as mixed martial arts. The ongoing discussion about his wins and potential fights will likely continue to shape how his legacy is viewed in the coming years.