UFC 309 Poster Reveal Is Perfect Selling Point in UFC-PFL War

Opinion: Two days after the "PFL: Battle of the Giants," event the UFC unveiled its Jon Jones-Stipe Miocic poster ahead of their fight Nov. 16.

Jones (Getty) / Aspinall (DAZN) / Miocic (ESPN)

The highly-anticipated heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones (27-1, 1 NC MMA) and Stipe Miocic (20-4 MMA) is under a month away, headlining UFC 309 from Madison Square Garden in New York City, on Nov. 16.

Jones and Miocic were scheduled to fight last fall at UFC 295, but a torn pectoral muscle forced Jones to withdraw. Miocic opted not to take another fight unless it was against Jones but said his absence from MMA shouldn't be why the division remains at a standstill.

Regardless of Miocic's remarks, this fight has always been destined to happen since Jones vacated the light heavyweight title in 2020. Upon his arrival at heavyweight, he has always been open to taking on all challengers despite Francis Ngannou opting to leave the UFC after a contract holdout before signing with the PFL last May. Ngannou dispatched Renan Ferreira this past Saturday, becoming the organization's heavyweight champion.

Back to the UFC angle – it has every right to milk Jones vs. Miocic as one of the biggest fights in company history, much less divisional history. This narrative was pushed further Monday when the promotion revealed its poster featuring the fight prominently placed at the forefront of a New York City backdrop around MSG.

Francis Ngannou Reveals Time Frame for Next Fight After PFL Debut

Back in the BIG APPLE! 🍎@JonnyBones vs @StipeMiocic

[ #UFC309 LIVE on @ESPNPlus PPV | 10pmET/7pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/5TQiYDZO6K

— UFC (@ufc) October 21, 2024

It's easy to blame the UFC for making this fight a few years too late, but Jones could never claim to become the best heavyweight the sport has ever seen unless he defeats the man with the most title defenses in the division's history.

Jon Jones Is The Tom Brady of MMA

The UFC is trying to give Jones a storybook ending. Just like when Michael Jordan led the Bulls to six championship victories or when Tom Brady's run with the Patriots was captivated by a defensive masterclass against the Rams, Jones has his chance to complete his version of the story. For Miocic, an upset victory would help him remind the world his title run from 2016-2021 was no fluke, help him erase the sting of the Ngannou loss and, assuming he retires, end one of the best careers the sport has ever seen.

Even if Jones never fights Ngannou, their careers simply can't draw a fair comparison, much less factoring in Jones' dominance across two divisions instead of Ngannou's one.

Jon Jones Praises Rival Francis Ngannou for Spectacular PFL KO

Whatever the case may be, the debate regarding who the best heavyweight in the world is rages on. The fact of the matter is, however, it is no coincidence that Jones-Miocic is taking place around the same time as Ngannou's win. It's personal for both sides to one-up each other, and that's exactly what's happening here.

November 16, a story that has waited three years for its climax and eventual falling action commences. It's finally happening. Tom Aspinall will be waiting in the wings to pass the torch, and rightfully so.

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