Jon Jones widely regarded as one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time, is set to make his long-awaited return to the octagon at UFC 309. The main event on November 16 will see Jones face off against legendary heavyweight Stipe Miocic.
This match marks Jones’ 17th UFC title fight, a milestone that’s both impressive and filled with mixed memories — especially regarding his last fight against Ciryl Gane.
Jon Jones recently reflected on his swift victory over Gane in an ESPN interview with Stan Verrett, revealing feelings of disappointment despite the win. While Jones scored a quick, first-round submission, he found himself feeling a bit robbed of the experience.
“Beating Ciryl Gane was an amazing memory and experience,” Jones shared. “But I remember one of the first major feelings I had was a little bit of disappointment, you know.”
Jones continued, recalling the whirlwind of emotions he felt immediately after his victory. “I remember sitting on top of the cage and celebrating my victory, taking a deep breath, and thinking, ‘Man, that was fast, that was fast.’” His heavyweight title fight with Gane lasted just 124 seconds, ending with Jones securing a swift takedown, pinning Gane against the cage, and finishing with a guillotine choke.
Jon Jones Disappointed With Ciryl Gane Fight
Reflecting on the years of preparation that led up to this brief moment, Jones remarked, “It was three years leading up to that [moment], a lot of prayer, a lot of meditation, a lot of teamwork — and for it to be over in two minutes and four seconds, I kind of felt robbed in a way.”
However, his sense of disappointment was soon overshadowed by the realization of his accomplishment. Jones had become a two-weight world champion, an achievement that only a few elite fighters ever reach.
“The next emotion that I felt was just gratefulness that I didn’t get hurt and that I did my job that I came to do flawlessly; so mixed emotions, [it was] bittersweet,” Jones reflected. “It felt just as good [as it did light heavyweight] but it felt slightly better just because it had been three years, and I had so many questions about how I would compete after three years off… And that was the best part of it I guess, being able to answer all of those questions in one night.”
Originally scheduled to fight Miocic at UFC 295, Jones had to withdraw due to a pectoral injury that disrupted his training. He admits that recovery wasn’t easy and required the support of his team. “I was very disappointed [because] at this age injuries can be a death sentence,” Jones acknowledged. Yet, his coaches remained positive, pushing him to focus on physical therapy and recovery.
“I have a very strong support base, so right away my coaches were very positive, very optimistic about a healthy return… I have really great trainers around me who got me on a great physical therapy program right away and I knew that we would be back,” he shared.
Jones On His Last Fight
Jon Jones admits he wasn’t always diligent with his physical therapy, confessing, “Physical therapy: I don’t think I did it to the best of my abilities. I definitely gained a lot of excess weight and stuff like that… I also stayed doing therapy [during camp], rebuilding my strength in my chest and my shoulders, so today, I feel phenomenal, completely healed and recovered.”
While fans are eager to see Jones face Miocic, many would prefer a matchup against interim champion Tom Aspinall. However, Jones has hinted at an alternative future opponent in Alex Pereira, suggesting the possibility of a super-fight instead of an encounter with Aspinall. UFC legend Michael Bisping even commented that Jones should be stripped of his title if he overlooks the interim champ.
With UFC 309 around the corner, all eyes are on Jones as he prepares for a major test at Madison Square Garden, where fans will see if he can extend his legacy even further.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
