UFC 309: Jon Jones Responds to Stipe Miocic's Rude Comment on Countdown Episode—'Disrespect Didn't Have to Happen'

Jon Jones finally makes his long-awaited return to the UFC Octagon as he defends his heavyweight title against former champion Stipe Miocic. Having captured the vacant heavyweight belt by defeating Ciryl Gane at UFC 285, Jones was thwarted by a late-in-2023 injury that forced the postponement of his first title defense.

It's months of recovery and speculation, and Jon Jones returns for a battle that promises both action and controversy. Now, Miocic only triggered the intensity of the upcoming fight with a cold-blooded reply.

Jones vs. Miocic Bout Will Take Place This Time

Jon Jones' return comes with quite the debate because Miocic has not won since 2020, and the fans are split on how relevant this fight is. According to Bloody Elbow, the UFC decided to reschedule the fight regardless and announced that the heavy-hitter Miocic is looking to reclaim his former title. In contrast, Jones is looking to defend it against the fighter he believes poses a challenge.

However, recent back-and-forth between the two fighters in the lead-up to Saturday night's main event has put their respect, which was once shared, to check.

Trash Talk Heats: Miocic Protests Sparks Jones' Fury

As amicable as the lead-up to the event has concerned trash talk, things certainly heated up following an episode recently of UFC Countdown, aired on YouTube as part of the UFC 309 promotional series.

To this, Miocic concluded the episode by letting loose on an aggressive remark in which he dares Jones: "Bring it on, btch." Irked, composed Jones got a little personal and fired back with a tweet on X (formerly Twitter):

"Hiring black fighters to mimic me won't get you the win, Stipe. Nor should you ever have called me a btch, no disrespect required. Let's play."

Before that, Jones responded with a vicious comment to Miocic in a video. ""See the disrespect, you calling me a b*tch, Stipe. The disrespect didn't have to happen. You're gonna wish you didn't say that."

Jones Turns Down Fight with Interim Champion Tom Aspinall

There is still time for a firestorm before the main event, however, as Jones stirred the pot by claiming he doesn't plan on fighting Aspinall if he beats Miocic to win the heavyweight title. This has created just the right amount of division among fans who don't think Jones should flee from the fight to unify the heavyweight title.

In other news, MMA Fighting reports that Jones wants to add another championship under his name after UFC 309. The mixed martial artist said that he's willing to fight light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira to make this possible.

Related Article: Jon 'Bones' Jones UFC 295 Main Event vs Stipe Miocic Dealt Huge Blow; New Interim Title Clash Set