Let’s get straight to the point—what was even the point of that fight? What did it prove, and what did it do for anyone? Absolutely nothing. UFC 309, which was supposed to be a monumental night for Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic, ended up feeling hollow and, quite frankly, underwhelming.
Going into this week, a lot of hype surrounded the matchup between Jon Jones and Miocic, and we’ve discussed it at length here. But it was clear that something else was on the minds of fans. The crowd’s reaction when Tom Aspinall’s name was mentioned during Jones’ post-fight interview was telling. They erupted. But when Alex Pereira’s name came up? Crickets. The same reaction—or lack thereof—would have followed if Dana White had mentioned other heavyweights like Derrick Lewis or Jamahal Hill. This wasn’t the vocal minority hijacking the conversation; the bigger narrative was about Jones and Aspinall, and fans have been craving that fight for months.
Now, if the fight between Jones and Miocic had been some epic showdown, maybe the criticism would’ve been silenced. But that’s not what we got. Instead, we saw Jon Jones dominate a version of Stipe Miocic that was clearly past his prime. Miocic, who hadn’t fought in nearly four years, looked every bit of a 42-year-old fighter with the wear and tear of a long career in the heavyweight division. This wasn’t the Miocic we were sold in the lead-up, the greatest heavyweight of all time that was supposed to challenge Jones at his best. That was not the case.
Did Jon Jones Prove Anything?
So, did Jon Jones prove anything with this victory? The short answer: no. Dana White might’ve hyped it up, but dominating a sluggish Stipe didn’t do much to solidify Jones as the undisputed number-one pound-for-pound fighter in the world right now. UFC 309 played the pound-for-pound promo, but let’s be real—how does beating this version of Miocic push Jones to the top of the rankings? It doesn’t.
Most fans already consider Jon Jones the greatest fighter of all time, and no one’s really debating that. But what about his status in the heavyweight division? His title reign started on shaky ground after he fought Ciryl Gane instead of Francis Ngannou. And while the fight with Miocic was supposed to bolster his case, it fell flat. Beating an older, slower Miocic doesn’t do much for Jon when people are still questioning how he would’ve fared against Ngannou or, more pressing, why he isn’t fighting Tom Aspinall.
Jones himself has talked about this fight being about his legacy, but I’m sorry to say—it won’t be remembered as such. This doesn’t feel like a defining moment in his career. Instead, it has more in common with Tito Ortiz beating Chuck Liddell in the latter’s career, when both fighters were past their prime. Every concern going into this fight came to life exactly as expected, and now Jones is in a weird place where neither of his heavyweight victories have shut down the critical voices.
Tom Aspinall: The Fight That Should Have Happened
It’s telling that Jon Jones has finally expressed interest in fighting Tom Aspinall. Dana White has said that’s the next fight to make, and sure, it could be the biggest heavyweight title fight of all time—but why is it just now happening? This should’ve been the fight to make all along. The UFC, Jon Jones, and Tom Aspinall were all aligned in wanting this fight at one point. But the negotiation roadblocks were hard to overcome. We’ve been down this road before with Jones’ fights with Ngannou, and even now, Jon is asking for better compensation to fight Aspinall. Dana White responded by saying Jon will be compensated appropriately and that he’s already making a lot of money. But let’s be honest: we’ve heard this before, and we shouldn’t be holding our breath for this fight to actually happen.
UFC 309: The Other Fights
Beyond the lackluster main event, there were some other notable moments at UFC 309. Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler put on a thrilling fight, with Chandler showing heart after being dominated for four rounds, but ultimately falling short. Oliveira’s win sets him up for another potential shot at Islam Makhachev, assuming he still holds the lightweight title after UFC 311. But it’s a tough sell for a rematch after their firs encounter was so one-sided.
Michael Chandler also took the mic after the fight and called out Conor McGregor, but the promo lacked any real fire. With McGregor likely to return only in late 2025, the hype for that fight feels nonexistent. Chandler also mentioned Max Holloway, and while that would be a fun fight, it’s unclear if Holloway would even be interested in that matchup at this stage of his career.
As for Bo Nickal, his highly anticipated bout against Paul Craig turned into a somewhat lackluster kickboxing affair. The crowd didn’t exactly enjoy it, but for Nickal, this was a good reality check. It showed that he still has a long way to go before he’s considered a complete mixed martial artist.
Stats from UFC 309
Let’s take a look at the numbers. UFC 309 had 12 fights, with 4 knockouts, 1 submission, and 7 decisions, for a total cage time of 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 8 seconds. Not surprisingly, the favorites took 9 out of the 12 fights, with only 3 underdogs prevailing. One of the biggest surprises came from Raiz Brahimi, who knocked out Mickey Gall in the first round, with odds at +2200. That’s why I don’t run a sportsbook.
Fight of the Night: Bo Nickal vs. Paul Craig (for all the wrong reasons—it was a reality check for Nickal).“Stats Don’t Lie” Award: Mauricio Rua, who outstruck Homus Yop 112 to 74 but somehow lost the fight.“Training Wheels Removed” Award: Bo Nickal, who absorbed more significant strikes in this one fight than in his entire MMA career before this.Fun Fact: Oliveira’s victory marked the first-ever five-round decision of his career, a testament to Chandler’s toughness.
Jon Jones’ win was his 17th consecutive fight for a UFC title, and he outperformed Miocic in nearly every statistical category. But when history looks back on UFC 309, it’s hard to see the main event as anything more than a missed opportunity.
Conclusion: What Was the Point?
In the end, UFC 309 was a reminder of the fights that should have happened and didn’t. Jon Jones’ dominant victory over Stipe Miocic didn’t provide the closure fans wanted and didn’t elevate him in the rankings. It was another example of missed potential for a card that could have defined the heavyweight division for years to come. Fans have been asking for Jones vs. Aspinall for months, and it’s starting to feel like the fight the UFC will finally make just because it’s the one that should have been made already.
UFC 309 will go down as another night where the right fights weren’t made at the right time, and the legacy-defining moment that everyone hoped for wasn’t delivered.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Don’t forget to like and subscribe for more lightning-fast breakdowns, and we’ll see you in December for the next UFC event.
