Jon Jones will wait until September to face Stipe Miocic: ‘I want the heavyweight goat at his absolute best’

Jon Jones will wait until September to face Stipe Miocic: ‘I want the heavyweight goat at his absolute best’

The long-awaited UFC heavyweight debut of Jon Jones apparently will not take place this summer.

According to the former UFC light heavyweight champion, he will wait until former heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic is ready, which according to him, will not be until September. UFC president Dana White recently said a matchup between Jones (26-1 MMA, 20-1 UFC) and Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) made sense as a part of the promotion’s summer lineup of events.

Earlier this month, MMA Junkie learned an interim heavyweight title bout was offered to Miocic to face Jones at UFC 276 in July. Apparently, Jones caught word that Miocic would not be ready to compete this summer, and shared his thoughts on the manner via social media.

“Stipe is saying that he will be at his absolute peak in September,” Jones wrote on Twitter. “I’m disappointed but patient, I want the heavyweight goat at his absolute best. I’ll wait until September. No excuses.”

A minute after posting the message, Jones replied to a fan who was also downhearted by the update.

“It really does man, my coaches and their families were definitely excited for this fight,” Jones wrote. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed today.”

Jones, 34, was last seen in the octagon at UFC 247 in February 2020, where he defeated Dominick Reyes to defend his light heavyweight title. Since then, Jones has teased a move to the heavyweight division and has been adding pounds of muscle to his frame in preparation for the move.

Miocic, 39, has not competed since UFC 260 in March 2021, where he lost his heavyweight title to Francis Ngannou in a rematch. Miocic was not in a rush to return to action after his wife gave birth to their second child.