UFC 309: Jon Jones delivers cryptic Tom Aspinall message ahead of Stipe Miocic showdown - ‘Beat of my own drum’

Jon Jones made it clear that he will do things his own way with one eye on the future, should he successfully defend his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. The 37-year-old is making a first defence of the title he won by beating Ciryl Gane in March 2023. Should he overcome Miocic, then interim champion Tom Aspinall will be waiting in the wings for his shot at glory.

‘I don’t think Dana is wrong’ - Jones hints at Aspinall fight after Miocic battle

Video credit: TNT Sports

Jon Jones explained he will take time to reflect on his next move after defending the heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in New York on Saturday.

The 37-year-old is preparing to face Miocic at Madison Square Garden from 1am Sunday morning UK time - live on TNT Sports Box Office.

Should he be successful, attention will undoubtedly turn to a potential blockbuster fight against interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall.

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UFC president Dana White believes Jones will take a break after this fight with Miocic, before deciding upon his next move.

When quizzed about that assertion, Jones replied: "I don't think Dana is wrong; after this fight I can see myself taking a step back and just watching the landscape.

“I have crafted a really amazing career; it's an entertainment business and I think I do it pretty well. To be doing it this long and still be relevant and fighting the best guys out there, I think I’m doing it pretty well.

“One thing that people don't realise is a lot of combat is timing; combat is timing. I understand that better than most fans and I try to march to the beat of my own drum. That's what I'm doing and if people can't appreciate that, then it's not for them.”

‘Forgiveness is the right thing to do’ - Jones shakes Miocic’s hand but says it is ‘still personal’

Video credit: TNT Sports

The build-up to this highly anticipated bout against Miocic has an added edge, with Jones claiming that the 42-year-old made comments about his children.

However, the current heavyweight champion is now seemingly willing to consign that perceived slur to the past and added: “I felt like forgiveness was the right thing to do.

“I made it clear that I was very disappointed in the way that 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, what I represent, and I thought it would be a good time to practise it.

“It's going to be very personal; at the end of the day, fighting is a personal thing. He has a massive legacy, I have a big reputation as well in the Octagon and he's trying to take something away from me, my family, my coaches, my team and I can't let him do it so it's personal.”

Those comments have been dismissed by Miocic, who spoke of his admiration for Jones as a fighter before their battle for UFC supremacy.

“I have nothing but respect for the man; he thinks I said something about his kids, which I would never do,” he explained.

“I would never bring family into this, and I wanted to show him my hand. We're competitors, we're going to fight each other and may the best man win.”

How to watch UFC 309: Jones v Miocic

UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic will be exclusively live on TNT Sports Box Office and will cost £19.99 in the UK and can be watched on discovery+, EE TV, Prime Video, Virgin Media TV and Sky Sports. You do not need to be a TNT Sports subscriber to buy either event.

discovery+ - TNT Sports Box Office events are available to purchase and watch in the discovery+ app – on smart TV’s, computer or mobile device. Viewers wanting to watch the fight should visit https://www.discoveryplus.com/gb/ppv-purchases and follow instructions to subscribe and then purchase the event.

EE TV - Customers can purchase the event via their STB on channel 494.

Prime Video - Customers do not need to have a Prime or discovery+ subscription to access this event. You can find live and upcoming PPV events in the “Live and upcoming events” row on the Prime Video homepage and sports page, or by searching for a specific event title.

Virgin Media TV - Customers with a TiVo and/or V6 set-top-box should visit the On-Demand section and choose Live Events; customers with a Virgin TV 360 and/or Stream set-top-box should go to the Pay Per View events rail.

Sky Sports - customers can purchase on channel 490 via their remote control or via https://www.sky.com/boxoffice/tnt-sports. Customers in the Republic of Ireland can purchase TNT Sports Box Office via Sky for €29.99 at https://www.sky.com/boxoffice/tnt-sports

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