UFC 309 Main Card Predictions: Does Stipe Miocic Defeat Jon Jones?

MMAKO staff pick UFC 309 main card winners.

Mathew Riddle, Christopher De Santiago, Drew Beaupre, Zain Bando | 2 Hours Ago

Chandler (MMA Fighting) / Miocic (Joshua Dahl-USA TODAY Sports) / Jones (Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) / Oliveira (Instagram)

UFC 309 is almost here, and with it comes another round of MMAKO staff predictions.

MMAKO's Mat Riddle (@notMattRiddle), Drew Beaupré (@mmameditations), Chris de Santiago (@Chris_DSantiago), and Zain Bando (@ZainBando99) band together for every major UFC PPV to see who has the best clairvoyance.

This week, Jon Jones defends his heavyweight belt against Stipe Miocic, and the team are divided on who wins each fight on the main card, check out their advanced predictions below.

Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic Predictions

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Mat Riddle: I'm picking Miocic to win, not for any real reason, just because it'd be the funniest thing to happen. (Pick: Miocic)

Drew Beaupré: With all of the talk around Jones potentially fighting Alex Pereira or Tom Aspinall after UFC 309, I’d love to see Miocic spoil those plans and miraculously reclaim the heavyweight title after more than three years away from the Octagon. I can’t pick the 42-year-old to win with all of the question marks around his return, but I’m also not sure if Jones will win this fight quite as dominantly as so many fans seem to be expecting. (Pick: Jones)

Christopher de Santiago: I expect Jones to just a bit better everywhere but I believe Stipe has the power advantage, seeing a real chance for him to catch Jones early in the first round. The longer the fight lasts the worse it is for Miocic and I think “Bones” breaks him down in rounds 3 and 4 for the TKO finish. (Pick: Jones)

Zain Bando: Regardless of any outside noise, Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic is the most significant heavyweight fight that can be made in the sport right now. All signs point to a Jones win, and Miocic might be rusty considering his long layoff. Unless Miocic takes chances, Jones can pick him apart from the outside and earn a late stoppage. Jones is better everywhere, which leads me to believe the fight will be relatively easy. (Pick: Jones)

Overall: 3-1 Jones

Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler Predictions

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Mat Riddle: I wouldn't be surprised if Chandler knocks Oliveira out, but I'm gunning for 'Do Bronx' to win. I think he's dangerous in more areas than Chandler and has kept active during Chandler's long layoff, which could give him the edge. (Pick: Oliveira)

Drew Beaupré: A win against Oliveira would put Chandler right back in the lightweight title conversation, and that would be an impressive feat considering he’s 2-3 overall in the UFC and hasn’t fought in two years. I’m tempted to side with the former Bellator champion given that he spent that layoff training hard for the Conor McGregor fight, but Oliveira proved in his closely-contested loss to Arman Tsarukyan that he’s still one of the very best lightweights in the UFC. (Pick: Oliveira)

Christopher de Santiago: Chandler. On paper, I’d probably go with Charles Oliveira because of strength of schedule but I think Chandler has a few tricks up his sleeve for this one after nearly two years away. A chip on his shoulder, I’m considering the intangibles to work well for Chandler in what could be a violent, more patient and more performance against a high-rated finisher in Oliveira, who he’ll have to watch out for. (Pick: Chandler)

Zain Bando: The first fight was incredible, and the second could be even better. Unlike the main event, Michael Chandler has been manifesting an opportunity to give the fans an exciting fight, and Oliveira is the perfect opponent. If Oliveira isn't careful, I think he will get caught, and the state of the lightweight division will likely change for good. (Pick: Chandler)

Overall: 2-2 tied

Bo Nickal vs. Paul Craig Predictions

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Mat Riddle: I think Craig is a decent fight for Nickal, considering Nickal's struggle with Cody Brundage at UFC 300. That said, it's still favorable matchmaking from the UFC to grow Nickal's name on a Jon Jones PPV. I have to go with the outcome that the UFC wants, which is a Nickal W, but I don't think it will come easy. (Pick: Nickal)

Drew Beaupré: Craig has suffered back-to-back stoppage-losses following a successful middleweight debut against Andre Muniz, and he now finds himself lined as a massive underdog against Nickal. I’d love to see “Bearjew” surprise the undefeated prospect with a submission off of his back, but this fight looks like it’s another step on Nickal’s road towards the middleweight Top 15. (Pick: Nickal)

Zain Bando: Another masterclass performance from Bo Nickal seems like a clever play here. The UFC has continued to push him since the beginning of his career, while Craig has been on the decline. I see Nickal finding an opening early to secure the submission. (Pick: Nickal)

Overall: 3-0 Nickal

Viviane Araujo vs. Karine Silva Predictions

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Mat Riddle: I'm not hot on this fight, but I think Araujo is a super middling fighter who is neither here nor there. Silva on the other hand has that desire to reach the top, and I'm hoping she can put an end to Araujo's ten-fight decision streak with a nice finish on Saturday night. (Pick: Silva)

Drew Beaupré: Silva quite clearly has momentum on her side after starting her UFC career with four-straight wins, and while I don’t love how lopsided the current betting odds are I have to pick “Killer” to extend that unbeaten run against Araujo. (Pick: Silva)

Zain Bando: This fight seems like the easiest one to predict on the main card. Karine Silva has won nine straight fights, while Viviane Araujo is 6-5 in the UFC and likely on the chopping block with another loss. I think Silva wins going away, doing so by decision. (Pick: Silva)

Overall: 3-0 Silva

Mauricio Ruffy vs. James Llontop Predictions

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Mat Riddle: I loved Ruffy's debut and his appearance on DWCS. He clearly has the striking and grappling acumen and the grit to carry it through all three rounds. Llontop is a short-notice replacement, and I think it bodes horribly for him. (Pick: Ruffy)

Drew Beaupré: I understand the urgency to try and secure his first UFC win, but stepping in to face Ruffy on short notice after back-to-back losses seems like an ill-advised move for Llontop. Ruffy made a huge statement in his promotional debut against Jamie Mullarkey in May, and putting the Brazilian in this spot to kick off the UFC 309 PPV seems like the promotion’s way of trying to capitalize on the massive success the “Fighting Nerds” have already had this year. (Pick: Ruffy)

Zain Bando: This is a fight between two solid prospects at lightweight. Despite the fight's transition to a catchweight earlier in the week, Mauricio Ruffy has more upside. He has won 10 of his 11 MMA appearances, including a successful UFC debut in May. His unorthodox style could cause problems for Llontop, as I see him dominating wherever the fight goes. (Pick: Ruffy)

What are your predictions for UFC 309?