Jon Jones will defend his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 309 tonight, a year after the fight was first scheduled.
Jones and Miocic were due to meet at Madison Square Garden last November, but a torn pectoral muscle forced “Bones” out of the fight – delaying his first title defence by 12 months. Now the former light-heavyweight champion, 37, and heavyweight great Miocic, 42, will meet at MSG at long last, though their fight has proven controversial.
When their bout fell through last year, Tom Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich stepped up, with the Briton knocking out the Russian to become interim champion. Since then, Aspinall has even retained the interim belt – a rare occurrence in the UFC – leading many fans to see him as the true champion.
Jones, meanwhile, has not fought since winning the vacant heavyweight title in March 2023, and Miocic has not fought in almost four years. Furthermore, Miocic’s last fight ended in a vicious KO loss, and he and Jones have both hinted at retirement after tonight’s bout… potentially leaving Aspinall in the lurch.
Follow live updates and results from the main UFC 309 main card and prelims, below.
Jon Jones defends heavyweight title against former champion Stipe Miocic
Fight was due 12 months ago, but injured Jones withdrew from contest
Interim champ Tom Aspinall awaits, should neither Jones, 37, nor Miocic, 42, retire
Charles Oliveira survives wild ending to beat Michael Chandler in co-main event
Oliveira wins via unanimous decision, two years after stopping Chandler
Middleweight contender Bo Nickal outpoints Paul Craig to stay unbeaten
Chris Weidman vs Eryk Anders cancelled on short notice, with Anders ill
Trump returns to MSG to watch fights – weeks after controversial rally
06:14 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Jones finally cut open Stipe at the end of the round, slicing the veteran’s cheek.
Miocic with a pair of jabs. More chants for the former champion in NYC. Short left hook by the Ohio native. Jones with a jab.
Uppercut by Miocic, but Jones fires back. Hard body kick by “Bones” now. Miocic jabs to the body. Another jab by Jones.
Miocic tries a combination but is lacking accuracy. Left hook by Jones. Front kick to the body. Fierce. Jones backs up Miocic, who looks hesitant to throw.
Inside low kick by Jones. Cross to the body from southpaw. He switches stances. Knee to the body by Jones in the clinch. Slick jab.
Miocic lands a cross, but he needs to throw more. Knee to the body – better.
06:07 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Jones starts southpaw, while Miocic is orthodox. Jones lands a cross, but Miocic connects with a counter hook. “Stipe” is the chant in MSG.
Hard low kick by Jones. Miocic just misses with a cross. Jones kicks to the body. Miocic presses forward with straight punches. Jones skips off to the side.
Jones with a well-timed trip! Harsh elbow from side control! He’s always so mean. Another elbow. Jones moves into half-guard and lands more elbows, plus some punches.
Plenty of time left in this round, with Miocic in a bad spot. Further elbows from Jones. His ground and pound is always so effective.
Miocic is trying to make space to stand, but Jones is keeping him down and raining down big elbows again! Miocic somehow survives…
I don’t know how Miocic isn’t cut! He’s at least got Jones in his guard now, a slight improvement.
One minute left in this opening round. Jones stands, then comes back down into side control. How on earth did Miocic make it to the buzzer?
05:50 , Alex Pattle
Onto the main event.
Jon Jones will defend his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic, a year after the fight was first scheduled.
Jones and Miocic were due to meet at Madison Square Garden last November, but a torn pectoral muscle forced “Bones” out of the fight – delaying his first title defence by 12 months. Now the former light-heavyweight champion, 37, and heavyweight great Miocic, 42, will meet at MSG at long last, though their fight has proven controversial.
When their bout fell through last year, Tom Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich stepped up, with the Briton knocking out the Russian to become interim champion. Since then, Aspinall has even retained the interim belt – a rare occurrence in the UFC – leading many fans to see him as the true champion.
Jones, meanwhile, has not fought since winning the vacant heavyweight title in March 2023, and Miocic has not fought in almost four years. Furthermore, Miocic’s last fight ended in a vicious KO loss, and he and Jones have both hinted at retirement after tonight’s bout… potentially leaving Aspinall in the lurch.
The main event is moments away. Oh, and Aspinall is in the crowd, by the way…
05:41 , Alex Pattle
Charles Oliveira def. Michael Chandler via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-45).
So, every judge has it four rounds to one, with one of them giving the former champ a 10-8.
The final round was Chandler’s, of course, but the rest were Oliveira’s.
05:35 , Alex Pattle
Round five
Oliveira motions like he wants to share a prayer with Chandler, who is having none of it. He doesn’t have a second to waste here.
Oliveira shoots for a takedown from range, but he’s denied. Right hook by Chandler, then a left, and a massive right hand!! Oliveira stumbles back!!
But Chandler misses with a left hook, swings himself off balance, and a grappling change ensues! What is happening?!
Chandler is in control, landing tons of hammer fists! WOW! Is Chandler about to steal a comeback win?! Oliveira manages to hold on, keeping Chandler close, denying the American room to strike!
Classic Oliveira, too: he recovers enough to work on a triangle! What a wild round. Chandler wriggles free and stands, allowing Oliveira back up.
Left hook by Chandler. Cross by Oliveira. Chandler beckons him on. Oliveira shoots and drags down Chandler! Ohhhhh, that’s surely game over!
Yet again, Oliveira has the back and tries a rear naked choke. One minute to go. Chandler stands, carrying Oliveira on his back, then jumps to the mat – slamming Oliveira, as he did in the first fight! He gets up, and does it again! What are we seeing?! He’s so strong!
The buzzer sounds. What a fight. Oliveira will take it.
05:30 , Alex Pattle
Round four
Chandler needs a finish in the next two rounds, or a big enough moment for a 10-8 round – and the latter would only get him a draw, anyway.
Jumping knee from Oliveira, but Chandler comes back with a trio of hard punches! Oliveira grabs a body lock and tries a trip… and eventually gets it.
Oliveira has the back and is trying a rear naked choke again. He’s also keeping his options open, though, isolating one of Chandler’s arms – with an armbar or arm-triangle on the cards…
Oliveira gets very close on the rear naked choke, but Chandler defends so well! Thirty seconds left in this frame…
Again, Chandler survives to the buzzer. But he’s four rounds down, and he needs a stoppage to win this.
05:23 , Alex Pattle
Round three
It feels as though Oliveira is closing in on victory, but as mentioned earlier, Chandler is a wildcard…
He marches forward and bounces in front of Oliveira. Oliveira reverses the pressure, though, and shoots for a takedown. Good sprawl by Chandler, but he’s constantly having to move left and right against the cage, in a panic.
Oliveira is unloading shots now, and he’s so accurate. Stern jab by Chandler, though, then a cross. Uppercut by Oliveira, and a jumping knee.
Cross by Chandler. Left hook, too. Another knee by Oliveira, then an elbow and an uppercut. He gets another takedown! He immediately gets the back, too, and works on a rear naked choke…
Chandler defends fairly well, but Oliveira mixes it up with some hard elbows and body punches. Ninety seconds left in the round.
Oliveira has a face crank, but Chandler fights free… He makes it to the buzzer! But he must have that sinking feeling…
05:17 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Their first fight ended about 15 seconds into round two. They’ve just crossed that point. Nice jab by Chandler, then a cross to the body.
Now Oliveira steps forward and lands a punch, and Chandler scrambles away, tripping in the process! Oliveira with another big right hand, and Chandler looks buzzed, trapped by the fence! He tries to laugh it off, but…
Oliveira is stalking forward. Chandler partially lands an uppercut, but it doesn’t deter Oliveira. Great knee by Oliveira. Chandler eats it well, and now he’s the one moving forward!
Another trip by Oliveira, and he lands in mount, wow! He’s got Chandler by the fence. Nasty elbows by Oliveira. Chandler is intermittently trying to bridge and create space – but to no avail.
More slashing elbows, and Chandler’s forehead has opened up. Chandler makes it to the buzzer, but he’s two rounds down now – and sporting some damage.
05:12 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Both men stand orthodox. They skip to the middle of the ring. Chandler blocks a front kick. Another one misses for Oliveira. The Brazilian is a fan favourite, but the MSG crowd is chanting “USA!”
Oliveira keeps touching his left eye. Was he poked? Is there something in it? Now he seems okay… He lands a front kick at last. And another.
A replay suggests Oliveira was accidentally poked in the eye. Chandler fights behind his jab for now. He lands a cross to the body. Single-leg by Oliveira, driving Chandler to the fence, and a great trip!
Oliveira is working on a leg lock… He’s sat on Chandler, holding a leg with his right arm, and threatening hammer fists with his left.
The position changes somewhat, with Oliveira now in a version of half-guard. He’s throwing body shots from above. He’s shimmying, too, trying to free his leg to reach mount.
One minute left in round one. Oliveira seems content to just hold Chandler and wear down on him. Chandler is throwing punches from below.
05:01 , Alex Pattle
Onto the co-main event, as Michael Chandler – who finally gave up on fighting Conor McGregor after nearly two years of waiting – aims to avenge a loss to Charles Oliveira.
Their first fight, in May 2021, was fantastic, with Chandler so close to winning, only to lose by TKO.
With that, Oliveira won the vacant lightweight title.
Five rounds scheduled here.
04:49 , Alex Pattle
Round three
Massive overhand right from Nickal, but the same trend continues: Craig eats it well.
There’s a period of inactivity, and Craig taunts Nickal. Meanwhile, the crowd boos.
Hard low kick by Nickal. Another overhand left, and Craig felt this one more than the others! He backs up to the fence, eyes wide, but Nickal isn’t throwing any follow-ups!
Nickal allowed Craig to recover there, and the Scot comes forward now. He is cut, though, around his right eye.
The crowd, which was chanting for Nickal before, is now saying: “O-ver-rat-ed.” Craig addresses the sound, making sure Nickal is listening.
Bo Nickal def. Paul Craig via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Boos for Nickal, who stays unbeaten!
04:43 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Between rounds, Craig tells his corner: “I’m just having so much fun.”
Nice jab by Nickal from an orthodox stance. Low kick by Craig, who is apparently talking to his opponent. Once again, Craig is just out of range of that southpaw overhand from Nickal.
Lots of kicks by Craig. Nickal is getting closer with that big left. Craig is trying to counter with left hooks. Nickal invests in the body.
Nickal lands the overhand clean, but from the right. Craig absorbs it well, to be honest. Clean left cross to the body of Craig.
More kicks from Craig, who checks a low effort from Nickal. Now the American connects with a southpaw cross; it’s clean, but Craig seems unfazed.
Another left snaps back Craig’s head, but still the Scot is undeterred. Craig keeps hammering kicks at the arms of Nickal.
04:31 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Both men stand orthodox. Nickal takes the centre of the ring. Now he switches stances. Craig hops about, looking to stay light on his feet.
Hard outside low kick by Nickal. He just about lands a big overhand left from southpaw… Craig moved back just enough to lessen the impact.
Nickal continues to change stances. He keeps throwing bombs, too, but he’s stumbled by a low kick. Again Craig lands a leg kick, but he’s tagged upstairs at the same time.
Craig checks an inside low kick and says something to Nickal, who then blocks a head kick – and another. “Bo” is the chant in MSG.
Stabbing side kick from Nickal, who follows up with a single-leg attempt, but he quickly lets go. A couple more hard left overhands land for Nickal, but Craig is taking them well… so far.
Right hand gets through for Craig, and Nickal circles away. Elbow from Craig. Nickal with more grazing overhands. Interesting round. 15-15 in significant strikes.
04:19 , Alex Pattle
Three fights left! Next up, Scottish veteran Paul Craig faces unbeaten up-and-comer Bo Nickal at middleweight.
American Nickal, 28, is just 6-0, but he’s been highly impressive since making his MMA debut in 2022.
All of his wins have come via stoppage (two KOs, four submissions), and five of them have been achieved in round one. In fact, three came inside one minute.
He’s a wrestling specialist, but he has powerful hands, too. Meanwhile, Craig is known for his jiu-jitsu expertise and submission threat.
04:17 , Alex Pattle
Round three
A fun scramble early in this round, and Araujo gets side control. It’s a rare moment of dominance from her, but she stands and lets Silva up!
Silva soon drops to her back, in a strange move, but Araujo refuses to follow her to the mat. Instead, she kicks Silva’s legs until Silva stands.
Now Silva presses forward. High kick from her, then two front kicks. None of those strikes quite land.
She kicks high again, and it’s caught. Again, Silva just falls to her back. She looks so tired, but she’s also trying to get Araujo to enter a grappling exchange.
Again, Araujo lets her fellow Brazilian stand, and YET AGAIN Silva falls down! Once more, Silva stands, and she actually has some success on the feet, landing a knee to the body in the clinch.
But Araujo ends the fight well, with a takedown.
Viviane Araujo def. Karine Silva via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
04:10 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Silva crashes forward with a hefty right cross, and Araujo’s face is sporting a fair bit of blood now…
Silva holds Araujo against the fence for a while, before the fighters separate and move into space.
Araujo seems to be bleeding from her nose, and she’s breathing with her mouth open. She’s eating hard right hands while trapped against the fence…
Silva with some grappling success now, securing a trip! Araujo is able to stand, but now she’s getting kneed against the cage wall.
Another trip by Silva, but Araujo is able to work on an armbar in the ensuing grappling phase… Silva rotates well to kill that submission.
She’s into side control. Araujo tries to scramble but gets caught in a D’Arce… but she escapes, and as the pair move about, she’s able to land strikes from above.
03:59 , Alex Pattle
Women’s flyweight action now, as Viviane Araujo faces Karine Silva. Under way!
Round one
Silva presses forward early. Araujo is kept moving laterally.
Araujo with plenty of feints, trying to deter Silva. Decent cross by Araujo, then she eats a low kick.
Silva misses with a couple of front kicks, but she lands low again – and again.
Silva tries a single-leg, but to no avail. More front-kick efforts from her, tons of them.
Araujo has been quite accurate with her output while moving backwards and sideways.
Ohhhh! But she’s stunned by a left hand, then a right! She’s able to move away and recompose herself, but that was a nice moment for Silva.
Silva lands a strike after the buzzer and apologises.
03:41 , Alex Pattle
Round three
Llontop is going forward, making this messy for Ruffy, who is slowing down.
Ruffy with some well-timed counters, though. Llontop investing in the body with straight shots. Now he kicks low.
Llontop is mainly orthodox now. He very slooooowly tries a single-leg, and Ruffy is able to shake it off.
Two hard inside low kicks from Llontop. Ruffy with a sharp punch on the turn! Lovely stuff.
And the final buzzer sounds.
Mauricio Ruffy def. James Llontop via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
03:35 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Llontop is pressing forward, keeping Ruffy moving and thinking.
But Ruffy lands a great, no-look left hook while he’s getting backed up, and he drops Llontop this time!!
For a second, it looks like this one might be done, as Ruffy pours on strikes… but Llontop manages to scramble back to his feet!
His left eye is swelling badly. Wheel kick from Ruffy. Hard straight by Llontop.
Blood is streaming down Llontop’s face now. I’m not sure if there’s a cut on his nose or an eye.
03:28 , Alex Pattle
After a bit of a delay, the pair are in the cage. And we’re under way.
Round one
Both fighters stand orthodox, though Llontop is teasing stance switches.
Ruffy misses with a biggggg overhand attempt. It’s a little cagey so far.
Now the 165lbers start to open up a bit more. Llontop is the busier of the two. Twice he lands crosses, with Ruffy just about landing hooks at the same time.
OH! Huge right cross by Ruffy, and Llontop stumbles backwards, but Ruffy throws a wild spinning kick and gets it awfully wrong!
A missed opportunity for Ruffy.
03:08 , Alex Pattle
Here’s the main card, in reverse order:
Jon Jones (champion) vs Stipe Miocic (heavyweight title)
Charles Oliveira vs Michael Chandler 2 (lightweight, five rounds)
Bo Nickal vs Paul Craig (middleweight)
Viviane Araujo vs Karine Silva (women’s flyweight)
Mauricio Ruffy vs James Llontop (165lb catchweight)
So, Ruffy vs Llontop will get the main card started in a few moments…
03:01 , Alex Pattle
Trump is in the building…
Donald Trump to return to MSG weeks after controversial rally for UFC 309 – reports
02:08 , Alex Pattle
Nice reaction for Miller. And we’re under way.
Round one
Jackson with a pair of hooks early, right then left. Miller stands southpaw as he looks to find a way through. And he lands a sniping cross.
Jackson works on a single-leg takedown, driving Miller to the fence. Miller gets free, and as the pair trade hands, he cuts Jackson somewhere along the way.
Jackson with a front kick to the body; he’s thrown that a few times already. And again.
Oh, clean southpaw cross from Miller. Lovely shot. Jackson rolls under another punch, shooting for a double-leg takedown, but Miller reacts quickly with a guillotine attempt!
And he gets the tap! Clinical from the legend.
Jim Miller def. Damon Jackson via first-round submission (guillotine choke, 2:44)
01:59 , Alex Pattle
David Onama def. Roberto Romero via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
No doubts about that one. It was fun, though!
More lightweight action now: veteran Jim Miller faces Damon Jackson.
01:57 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Onama tags Romero again, and the latter is on unsteady legs once more. But still he presses forward…
Onama with a clubbing left hook, then a trio of BRUTAL punches. The sound on these shots, jeez.
And down goes Romero again! Onama flies into his guard, and Romero holds on, trying to slow down his opponent.
Another round in the books.
Round three
More good work from Onama. Clean straights and hooks, as Romero’s face grows bloodier. Now Onama talks some trash.
But against the run of play, he goes down! It’s just from a well-timed leg kick, however, and he pops back up.
Nice head kick from Roberto, though Onama is able to just about catch it to lessen the impact. He turns it into a takedown, too.
Roberto stands quickly, but he’s taken down again, and Onama is in mount, also tying up his opponent’s legs. Eventually Onama stands, so he can come back down with strikes.
It’s an emphatic end to the fight from Onama.
01:45 , Alex Pattle
Next up, David Onama faces Roberto Romero at lightweight.
Onama was due to face Lucas Almeida at featherweight, but the latter withdrew this week. In steps Romero, with the bout taking place at 155lb, not 145lb.
Round one
Lots of stance switches from Onama, but he’s being too passive early on, as Romero starts very fast!
Plenty of output from Romero, including a slew of low kicks. Good elbow from Onama in the clinch, though.
KNOCKDOWN! Romero drops Onama, before taking the back and trying a rear naked choke!
Onama is lucid enough to fight the hands well, keeping Romero’s arm over his chin – not his neck.
And Onama is able to shake off Romero, while standing up. The pair then grapple against the fence for a while, before separating.
Clean right hook from Romero! Onama felt that… OH!!! But Onama lands hard, and Romero is in a world of hurt!
Onama lands two more mean shots, as Romero’s legs wobble all over the place, and eventually Romero falls! He survives to the buzzer, though!
WHAT A ROUND.
01:07 , Alex Pattle
Onto the regular prelims! In reverse order, we’ve got:
Jonathan Martinez vs Marcus McGhee (bantamweight)
Jim Miller vs Damon Jackson (lightweight)
David Onama vs Roberto Romero (lightweight)
Marcin Tybura vs Jhonata Diniz (heavyweight)
A reminder that Chris Weidman vs Eryk Anders was cancelled on VERY short notice, due to Anders being ill.
00:24 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Some better work from Hafez as the round goes on, but the fight is still largely being fought on Elliott’s terms.
The Welshman is managing range well, utilising kicks nicely. He lands a crisp left hook now.
Elliott is also starting to press forward more. Both men land in a tense exchange.
Elliott with a front kick to the face! He might have been trying a crescent kick, in fact. He then leans back to avoid a one-two; that was close.
Round three
OH! Elliott gets the finish early in round three!
He drops Hafez with a brutal overhand right, then pours on punches and hammer fists! Eventually, referee Marc Goddard steps in!
In truth, Elliott might have been allowed to land a few shots too many there…
It looked like he knocked out Hafez, then woke him back up, before Goddard finally intervened.
Oban Elliott def. Bassil Hafez via third-round KO (punches and hammer fists, 0:40)
00:16 , Alex Pattle
Onto welterweight action, between Bassil Hafez and Wales’s Oban Elliott.
Round one
Both men stand orthodox. There’s some early grappling between the pair, against the fence, initiated by Hafez.
They separate, and Elliott lands a hard body kick. He throws more and eventually goes too low on one, and is warned.
More body kicks by the Welshman, but they’re front kicks now.
Hafez has the centre of the ring and misses with a winging overhand right. He lands a spiteful kick of his own, and Elliott wags his finger to say it didn’t hurt him.
Good first round for Elliott.
Saturday 16 November 2024 22:58 , Alex Pattle
We spoke to UFC legend Michael Bisping about tonight’s main event, and he answered some of the overlooked questions ahead of Jones vs Miocic:
Jones vs Miocic won’t bring ‘traditional’ KO, Michael Bisping predicts
Saturday 16 November 2024 22:52 , Alex Pattle
Jones has said he has no interest in facing Aspinall, if he gets past Miocic tonight.
But UFC president Dana White will seemingly not let Jones off that easy…
