After tearing his pectoral tendon, Jon Jones is back in the gym preparing for the expected Stipe Miocic fight. Per Instagram, Jones shared news that it was the first day back in the gym since October 2023. The current UFC Heavyweight Champion was expected to defend against the former UFC Heavyweight champion Miocic at November’s UFC 295.
Jon Jones Back in the Gym
Posing with his team at Jackson Wink in New Mexico, Jones resumed his training for an octagon comeback. The time table for his injury expects to be approximately a year. This April 24th return puts Jones the better part of 6 months into the recovery process.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C6Ii7eWO5JW/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link [Jones’ IG Post refuses to embed with URL or embed code)
Based on a year return, Jones is seemingly on track for another November fight date in 2024. The previous Miocic fight was scheduled for November 11th in 2023 at MSG. Can a re-booking of the bout happen one year later in New York’s iconic arena?
UFC Heavyweight’s Current Standings
After Jones withdrew vs. Miocic, England’s Tom Aspinall stepped into the main event for an interim title vs. Sergei Pavlovich. Aspinall won via 1st round KO, securing the interim Heavyweight belt during Jones absence. Despite Aspinall’s interim status, Jones admits his focus is on Miocic return fight. With Miocic approaching 42, Jones adamantly approaches the fight with Miocic as a legacy fight in his now second division he’s conquered.
Jones vs. Miocic expects to be a clash of an MMA Goat vs. Miocic’s status as the best Heavyweight in promotion’s history. Aspinall admits to understanding the difficult position he finds himself in as interim champ. Aspinall craves a defense first of his interim belt, particularly against Curtis Blaydes who holds the only promotional loss on champion’s record. Due to UFC 304 in Manchester, the interim belt is likely to be on the top of the bill for this British PPV and further sets expectations on Jones’ return vs. Miocic.
Potential for Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic
Stipie Miocic‘s absence from the octagon dates back to March 2021. The now 41-year old fighter clamored for one last crack at the title before riding off into the sunset. Jones sits at 36 years old with eleven title defenses at Light Heavyweight and one championship win at Heavyweight vs. Ciryl Gane. For Jones, the fight with Miocic lands in the legacy category with an additional pelt on his resume and bolstering his double champ status.
Despite a return the gym, there remains a lot of time until figuring out an exact return date for an MMA GOAT like Jones. Time will tell for a prospective Jones vs. Miocic bout while Heavyweight entertains the Aspinall interim championship run.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
