Jon Jones addresses handshake with Stipe Miocic at final UFC 309 faceoff: "I felt like forgiveness is the right thing to do"
Jon Jones responded to why he shook hands with Stipe Miocic at the official ceremonial weigh-in in front of cheering fans. For context, on Thursday at a pre-fight press conference, Miocic extended his hand for a handshake, but 'Bones' declined during their faceoff.
‘Bones’ is set to go to war against the former two-time heavyweight champion Miocic in the main event of UFC 309. Leading up to the clash, tensions were rising as Miocic made some remarks about Jones. As a result, Jones refused to shake his hand during their faceoff.
Speaking to TNT Sports, the reigning heavyweight champion was asked why he shook hands with Miocic after refusing to do so at their first faceoff. Jones replied, saying:
“I felt like forgiveness is the right thing to do. I made it very clear that I was disappointed in the way he made me feel. I know that he knows what he said, and at the end of the day, I wanted to show forgiveness… it’s just the right thing to do. It’s what I represent.”
Another reporter chimed in and asked if it's still personal for him. 'Bones' responded by saying:
“It's very personal. At the end of the day, fighting is a personal thing. He has a massive legacy, and I have a pretty great reputation in the octagon as well. At the end of the day, he's trying to take something away from me—my fans, my family, and my team. I can't let him do it, so it's personal.”
Check out Jon Jones’ comments below:
Jon Jones reveals reason of him entering UFC 309 quite lighter than his previous fight
Jon Jones officially weighed in at 237.6 pounds for UFC 309, while Stipe Miocic came in at 248.6 pounds. Jones is 11 pounds lighter than he was in his previous fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285.
Speaking with his long-time rival and former two-division champion Daniel Cormier, Jones was asked why he chose to go lighter for this fight. Jones revealed the reason, saying:
"I've noticed the smaller I get, the more active I become. My output and movements are faster, my hips feel better, and my high kicks are there."
He continued:
"At 260, the bigger I got, I found myself depending on my boxing only. I think against Stipe, my versatility and speed are going to be key. We noticed an improvement in mobility as the weight came off, and I just said, 'Hey, let's keep this going."
Check out Jon Jones’ comment below: