The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Jones wants to fight Miocic
Light heavyweight champ: ‘I feel I could beat him’
At the Jan. 22 Greater Cleveland Sports Awards, Stipe Mioicic’s manager Jim Walter had this assessment of the UFC heavyweight division and how it pertains to his client, the heavyweight champion of the world:
“Stipe’s all about growth,” said Walter. “I think he’s cleared out the heavyweight division. We look at someone who’s worthy to defend the belt against.”
Well, don’t look now but there could be “someone” ready to test himself as a UFC heavyweight against Miocic.
On Feb. 3 in an interview with ESPN, UFC lightweight champion Jon Jones said he’s ready to fight Miocic if he can beat Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 on Feb. 8.
Most are expecting that happen, and if that does, expect the Jones-Miocic train to get on the track as a runaway with little to stop the buzz of that potential mega-matchup until it comes to fruition.
“I feel like I really want to fight Stipe Miocic,” Jones said on ESPN’s Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show. “I feel like I could beat him. I feel like I could totally beat him, just based on his performances with (Cormier), our speed differences, my fight IQ, my versatility, my faith and confidence. I think I’m the guy to beat him, for sure. And I want to strike while I’m feeling hot.”
There are variables for Miocic fighting Jones, who’s 23-1 and 32 years old. First, Miocic — who said doctors recently cleared him to begin training — must be willing to fight Jones, who competes at no heavier than 205 pounds at light heavyweight. Miocic checked in at 230.5 for his rematch with Daniel Cormier, whom Miocic defeated last August to win back the heavyweight belt.
Second, if and when Miocic, who’s 37, is ready to step back in the octagon, UFC president Dana White has to sign off for what would be a huge pay-per-view draw. Jones is one of the most popular and polarizing figures in UFC, similar to Conor McGregor. So White saying no to a JonesMiocic bout seems highly unlikely.
White has said on multiple occasions a trilogy between Cormier and Miocic is in the works, but Jones’ willingness to fight at heavyweight could change things.
Against Cormier last August — when Miocic used a fourth-round knockout to reclaim the title — Miocic suffered a poked eye from Cormier, and that’s the reason he’s been on the mend. He had surgery in late 2019 to repair a damaged retina. The eye poke from Cormier was the second in two fights against Miocic.
“The eye pokes obviously are a problem,” said Walter.
Miocic (19-3) agreed with his manager’s statement, going as far as to say to The News-Herald Jan. 22 about Cormier, “I don’t like the guy.”
A message sent to Miocic about Jones’ statements was not returned.
Meanwhile, Cormier — who made Miocic wait 13 months for a rematch — is now playing the waiting game for his rematch. Cormier recently hinted he might not wait much longer.
He told ESPN that if the trilogy match with Miocic isn’t booked by the summer, retirement could be in the offing.
“You can’t wait forever,” Cormier told ESPN. “Every day that passes does not benefit me. I’m a realist. I understand that. Either we’re going to do it or we’re not going to do it.”
Miicic did say this Jan. 22 about his next UFC bout: “Whoever they want me to fight, honestly I don’t care.”
If Jones gets his wish, Miocic will be next.