Stipe Miocic says there is “no question” he will defeat Jon Jones if and when the two clash later this year, and thus hand the newly crowned heavyweight champion the first true defeat of his career.
Miocic, the former two-time heavyweight title-holder, is expected to meet Jones during International Fight Week at UFC 290 on July 8, after the latter captured the crown in Las Vegas on Sunday morning.
Jones, 35, marked his return to the octagon following more than three years with a devastating performance against Ciryl Gane at the top of the bill at UFC 285, needing little more than two minutes to defeat the Frenchman and secure the vacant belt.
A former long-time light heavyweight champion, Jones became only the eighth athlete to claim UFC titles in two different weight classes. Sunday represented his debut at heavyweight.
Afterwards, Jones (27-1 as a professional, one no contest) said he would next fight Miocic, considered by many the greatest heavyweight in UFC history. Jones declared he would finish Miocic before the championship rounds.
However, speaking on The MMA Hour on Monday night, Miocic jabbed back.
“I’m going to win, there’s no question,” he said. “I know that [he’s never lost]. It sucks that he’s going to lose. He’s going [to have] a big ‘one’ [on his record]. I’m not going to imagine it; it’s going to happen.”
Jones’ sole defeat in 23 UFC bouts came against Matt Hamill in 2009, when he was disqualified for the use of illegal elbows – a result UFC president Dana White has long contested.
Jones, who holds numerous records in the UFC including youngest ever champion, also has a no contest on his CV, after his 2017 title victory against Daniel Cormier was overturned because Jones tested positive for a banned substance.
Miocic, meanwhile, is the record-holder for the most successful consecutive UFC heavyweight title defences, with three. The American, who last competed in his championship loss to Francis Ngannou in March 2021, is a firefighter paramedic outside of the octagon, with Jones joking on Sunday that Miocic would be better taking time off to focus on their fight.
On Monday, Miocic said: “I think everyone tries to say that and they realise they’re in a world of hurt when it’s not happening the way they want. I don’t know if he knows this, but I’ve been a fireman the whole time I’ve been in my career in the UFC.
"But whatever, that’s none of my business. I don’t really care.”
