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Last month, reports about Jon Jones’ heavyweight debut against former champion Stipe Miocic began to float around. That piece of information was somehow solidified when Jones himself tweeted a specific date for the fight, which he said would be for UFC 282’s headliner on December 10.
I’m preparing to fight Stipe December 10 in Las Vegas. Not really sure what’s going on between Stipe and the UFC but I’m ready to compete! I’m going to control what I can and stay in shape. https://t.co/3Ouu9Xk8Ns
— BONY (@JonnyBones) October 25, 2022
The 35-year-old Jones, who relinquished the 205-pound title in 2020 to give way for his heavyweight debut, has yet to finalize his return. And according to UFC president Dana White, the Miocic fight was never an option, to begin with.
But he did guarantee that Jones’ debut will happen sometime in the first quarter of 2023.
“Jon Jones will fight next year, for sure. We never had a Stipe-Jon Jones fight,” White said during the UFC 281 post-fight scrum.
“He’s gonna fight next year.”
Jones last fought at UFC 247 in early 2020 against Dominick Reyes and won via decision. Miocic, meanwhile, hasn’t seen action since his knockout loss to Francis Ngannou at UFC 260 in 2021.
UFC 282’s current headliner is the light heavyweight title rematch between Jiri Prochazka and Glover Teixeira. It will take place at the T-Mobile in Las Vegas.
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