Stipe Miocic’s comeback title struggle could also be in jeopardy.
The present Final Preventing Championship (UFC) champion, Jon Jones, made his intentions clear as soon as his return bout with Ciryl Gane was made official. “Bones,” 35, promised combined martial arts (MMA) followers across the globe a minimum of two extra fights, indicating Gane and Miocic as his supreme match ups. With Gane out of the best way, Miocic has been the following goal ever since.
Sadly for Jones and Miocic, their initially desired July 8, 2023, date in Las Vegas, Nevada for UFC 290 by no means got here collectively. Now, it may not occur subsequent in any respect, based on three-time UFC title challenger-turned-analyst and insider, Chael Sonnen.
“I’m listening to sturdy rumors that Stipe and Jones goes to go up in flames and that Sergei Pavlovich vs. Jones is occurring in August,” Sonnen informed Thiccc Boy. “Sturdy sufficient that I can let you know that’s a minimum of being pursued. I don’t know the place they’re in agreeing, however that’s a minimum of being pursued. And for those who did have companions in Australia, you promised them ‘Izzy’ [Israel Adesanya] and also you stated, ‘Look, I can’t ship however I can deliver you Jones and Pavlovich, are we good?’ They’d in all probability say, ‘Yeah, we’re good.’
“I’ve to offer Jon Jones credit score, I actually do and that pains me,” he continued. “I bought to offer him credit score right here as a result of individuals have stated he was going to struggle Stipe then he was going to retire. It’s like effectively, maintain on, individuals. Let me remind you of 1 factor. While you discuss in regards to the mindset, you discuss like Jon Jones doesn’t have the braveness, let me simply remind you he thought he was preventing Francis, he agreed to struggle Stipe, and he ended up in there with Ciryl.”
UFC is ready to return to Australia with a Sydney pay-per-view, UFC 293, on Sept. 10, 2023. With the occasion’s announcement got here rumblings that the Middleweight champion, Adesanya, was being focused to face the winner of Robert Whittaker vs. Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290.
Presently ranked at No. 3 within the promotion’s Heavyweight rankings, the 40-year-old Miocic (20-4) hasn’t fought since dropping his title to Francis Ngannou through second spherical knockout in March 2021. Pavlovich (18-1), alternatively, sits at No. 2 and has received three fights by knockout in that window.