Exclusive: Curtis Blaydes gets brutally honest about Stipe Miocic's loss to Jon Jones: "Looked his age"
Heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes has shared a candid assessment of Stipe Miocic’s performance against Jon Jones at UFC 295, where Jones retained his title with a dominant TKO victory.
Blaydes, in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA, remarked on the visible disparity between the fighters, attributing Miocic’s struggles to age and inactivity:
“Like you said like [Jones] is younger, he's been a lot more active and it it showed. Stipe looked his age and that's fine he's like what 42, he looked it and there's no shame and getting beat by Jon Jones at his age, so yeah.”
Check out Curtis Blaydes' interview with Sportskeeda MMA below (8:32):
Miocic, widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights in UFC history, entered the bout after more than three years away from competition. Despite holding records for the most heavyweight title defenses, his extended layoff and advancing years were evident as Jones showcased superior speed, technique, and striking precision.
The fight ended in the third round, with Jones landing a series of devastating strikes that forced referee Herb Dean to intervene. The win marked another dominant chapter in Jones’ storied career as he solidified his position as one of MMA’s all-time greats.
A look into the storied career of Stipe Miocic in the heavyweight division
Stipe Miocic's journey through the UFC heavyweight division has cemented his place as one of the greatest fighters in MMA history. Signing with the UFC in 2011, Miocic quickly made an impact with a series of dominant wins, including his knockout victory over Fabricio Werdum in 2016 to claim the UFC heavyweight championship.
Check out some of the top finishes from Stipe Miocic during his time in the UFC below:
Miocic defended his title multiple times, including dominant wins over Alistair Overeem and Junior dos Santos. His victory over Francis Ngannou in 2018 set the record for most consecutive title defenses in the heavyweight division. However, his reign ended in 2018 with a KO loss to Daniel Cormier.
Miocic regained the title in 2019 after defeating Cormier in their rematch, only to lose it again to Ngannou in 2021. After a hiatus, Miocic was set to face Jon Jones for the heavyweight title in 2023, but the fight was postponed due to Jones' injury.
The two finally met in November at UFC 309, and as mentioned, Miocic lost via technical knockout in the third round. Miocic announced his retirement after the defeat, closing the chapter on a legendary career.