Jon Jones weighs in on potential retirement or Alex Pereira fight after Stipe Miocic clash at UFC 309: "I don't need any more belts"
Jon Jones recently shared thoughts on his future following his upcoming bout with Stipe Miocic. He hinted at the possibilities ahead, whether that involves pursuing a showdown with Alex Pereira or perhaps stepping away from the octagon for good.
'Bones' is set to put his heavyweight title on the line for the first time against Miocic in the headliner of UFC 309, taking place on Nov. 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Jones has hinted at retirement following a potential victory over Miocic, while simultaneously dismissing the idea of facing interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall for a title unification bout. Instead, the New Yorker has staunchly expressed interest in a future champion vs. champion showdown with 'Poatan'.
During a recent interview on the UFC broadcast (via MMA journalist Jed I. Goodman), 'Bones' said that his decision to either retire after UFC 309 or pursue a showdown with Pereira will hinge entirely on his performance next weekend:
"The performance is definitely going to dictate what happens next. My goal is to have a flawless performance, a really dominant performance, and to either retire or to fight against Alex Pereira in a mega-fight, whether it's for the belt or not. I don't need any more belts."
Check out Jon Jones' comments below:
Jones is set to make his highly anticipated return to the octagon after a hiatus of over a year. His last appearance was at UFC 285 in March 2023, where he submitted Ciryl Gane to claim the heavyweight title.
The former UFC light heavyweight champion was initially scheduled to face Miocic at UFC 295, but a torn pectoral muscle forced him to postpone the fight for a year.
Jon Jones discusses why fight with Alex Pereira excites him more than facing Tom Aspinall
Jon Jones has faced significant criticism from parts of the MMA community for dismissing Tom Aspinall’s challenge, with some even accusing him of avoiding a showdown with the British contender.
During a recent conversation with Kevin Iole, Jones expressed his belief that Aspinall has not yet earned the right to challenge him in the octagon. Jones revealed that, should he have one fight remaining in his career, he would prioritize a matchup with Alex Pereira, a bout he feels would elevate his legacy even further:
"If there were to be a fight of a guy that’s still on our UFC roster that would be not only financially worth it, but legacy worth it, it would be Alex Pereira... I think that fight would go much farther on my legacy than a young man who’s cool today, and may be gone tomorrow."
Check out Jon Jones' comments below (7:58):