Nov. 12—It’s a small sample, yes. But it appears the Albuquerque combat-sports community is all in for the Duke City’s Jon “Bones” Jones in the UFC world heavyweight champion’s defense on Saturday against former champion Stipe Miocic.
Three coaches, one fighter and one manager/agent, contacted by the Journal, were in lockstep in their expectations for the main event of UFC 309 at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Their predictions are in line with how the oddsmakers see it; Jones was listed as a top-heavy, minus-625 betting favorite on Tuesday, Miocic as a plus-455 underdog.
“Jon Jones is the greatest fighter ever,” said Donald Sanchez, Albuquerque’s combat-sports Mr. Versatility (MMA, boxing, kickboxing, bare-knuckle). “He’s the most talented guy I’ve ever seen, ever trained with, ever watched.”
As Jones (27-1) nears the end of his MMA career at age 37 — how close to the end is another question — Sanchez said he believes Jones’ focus will be sharper than ever.
“Toward the end of what he wants to do, he’s training his ass off,” Sanchez said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him train this hard. So (Saturday’s) fight is gonna be something special.”
In Miocic (20-4), Jones will be facing a two-time UFC champion still considered by many to be the best heavyweight ever; Jones, the UFC light heavyweight champion for most of the past decade, has fought just once at heavyweight — winning the then-vacant title with a victory by first-round submission (guillotine choke) over France’s Ciryl Gane.
But longtime Albuquerque MMA trainer Chris Luttrell sees Miocic, 42, of Cleveland, as past his prime.
Miocic last fought in March 2021 when he lost the title to France’s Francis N’Gannou by second-round TKO. N’Gannou later vacated the title in a dispute over money with UFC President Dana White, paving the way for Jones to fight Gane for the belt.
“(Miocic) hasn’t been fighting regularly, so he’s gonna have some ring rust,” Luttrell said. “I think if he was in his prime and he was fighting regularly, I think he would win, but not at this point in his life.”
Jon Judy, the wrestling coach at Albuquerque’s FIT-NHB gym and promoter-matchmaker for the FightWorld MMA series, has come to know Jones well.
“He and I actually sat down and had something to eat a while back, and then he came to our last (FightWorld) show,” Judy said.
Jones’ process in moving from light heavyweight to heavyweight, Judy said, has been done carefully and intelligently. Jones had been out of the cage for almost three years before facing Gane as he reshaped his body.
Against Gane, Jones carried 248 pounds comfortably after more than a decade of having to make 205 pounds for his light heavyweight fights.
“Usually, when you see somebody bulk up a little bit to get the size … they lose their cardio,” Judy said. “But I think he’s in the best shape he’s ever been. So I’m super excited for him. I think he wins. I think he finishes Stipe.”
At heavyweight or at any weight, Albuquerque martial-arts instructor Ray Yee said via text, he believes Jones is simply the better fighter in Saturday’s matchup.
“I think he’s too well-rounded (for Miocic),” Yee said.
Ricky Kottenstette got to know Jones well during the latter’s years training at Albuquerque’s Jackson-Wink MMA when Kottenstette was the gym manager.
Kottenstette now heads Dinami Management & Associates, representing Albuquerque fighters such as John Dodson and Diego Sanchez. Like Judy and Luttrell, he sees a Jones victory on Saturday — but wonders if we’ll ever see Jones in the Octagon again.
“He’s gonna roll through Stipe, in my opinion,” Kottenstette said.
“… I think this could be his last fight, for sure. I don’t think he has anything to gain at this point in fighting (Tom) Aspinall, and I honestly think we could see him retire Saturday night.”
Jones has been cool toward the idea of fighting Aspinall, who won the UFC interim heavyweight title belt in November 2023 — dismissing the Englishman as “just another up-and-comer” who would contribute little toward Jones’ legacy should they meet in the Octagon.
Jones has said, however, he’d be interested in facing current UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira — not necessarily for the heavyweight title but for the unofficial “BMF” title that White has created.
Well, OK. Does Miocic even have a chance, if only the proverbial puncher’s chance?
“Absolutely,” said Luttrell, allowing that ring rust can come off in a hurry with the power of a single blow. Half of Miocic’s 20 victories have come via knockout or TKO.
“He’s got some good wrestling to keep it in standup,” Luttrell said. “And I think it’ll be a contest.”
