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Stipe Miocic has weighed in on the debate around the UFC heavyweight title picture, as his title shot against Jon Jones looms.
Miocic, a former two-time champion, is the consensus greatest heavyweight in UFC history, while Jones is held in the same regard at light-heavyweight, where he was a two-time title holder before moving up a division.
The Americans will square off in the main event of UFC 309 on 16 November, a year after Jones suffered an injury that postponed their fight. Thanks to that delay, Jones has not fought in 20 months – and before his last fight, he had not competed in three years. Furthermore, Miocic has not fought in almost four years.
All the while, Tom Aspinall has gone on a searing run, claiming the interim heavyweight title 12 months ago and retaining it in July. Those first-round knockouts of Sergei Pavlovich and Curtis Blaydes have earned the Briton the right, in the eyes of many fans, to call himself the best heavyweight in the UFC – regardless of what happens between Jones and Miocic.
Now Miocic has addressed the convoluted situation, telling MMA Fighting: “It wasn’t my choice. It’s a fight I wanted, and the UFC gave it to me. They didn’t have to. They gave it to me.
“I believe [there’s a reason why it’s happening]. I believe people want to see that. I think a lot more people want to see [this] fight than [Jones] fight Aspinall.
“I don’t listen to anything on the outside. I used to when I was younger. When I started I was like: ‘Why would you say that? How dare you?’ I was real sensitive. I literally stopped caring anymore. I don’t care what anyone says. I really don’t care.
“[Aspinall is] tough, he hits hard, big boy. It’s what people want, he knocks people out.”
Fans have not only expressed frustration that Jones isn’t defending his title against the interim champion, but also that Jones, 37, and Miocic, 42, might retire after UFC 309 – leaving Aspinall without a chance of a legacy fight against either.
“I think every fight, I’m always preparing for my last one,” Miocic said. “I always thought about retiring after my first UFC fight. I say that all the time. Who wants to get beat up for 10 weeks, 12 weeks [in training camp], come back and do it again?
“I love what I do and it’s fun, so we’ll see, but right now my task at hand is Jon. That’s all I care about. That’s what I’m thinking about.”
