Watch ‘Countdown to UFC 309’ full video | Jones vs. Miocic

by · MMAmania.com

Jesse Holland is among the longest-tenured media professionals in the combat sports news space, covering MMA, professional wrestling and boxing on a full-time basis since early 2004.

The “Countdown” has begun for UFC 309.

Saturday night (Nov. 16) marks the return of UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who battles former 265-pound kingpin Stipe Miocic in the five-round championship main event. Elsewhere on the card, Michael Chandler returns in hopes of avenging his previous loss to Charles Oliveira in the lightweight pay-per-view (PPV) co-headliner, part of the “Big Apple” action inside Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Watch “Countdown to UFC 309” in the embedded video above.

“I feel that it’s unfortunate that we live in a world where one bad performance discredits a person so much,” Jones told Kevin Iole. “Stipe has beat everyone. I mean, Junior dos Santos, Francis Ngannou, Daniel Cormier – some of the biggest names, you know? Many champions he’s defeated. I feel like I’m wise enough to know that one bad night doesn’t make a man or break a man. Stipe is every bit of worthy as my opponent.

“It’s not easy winning championships back-to-back, especially in the heavyweight division. What he’s done is truly special, and I just want to give the man his opportunity. I know fighting me, for a lot of athletes, is a really big deal. If anyone deserves to be in there with me, it’s Stipe Miocic.”

We’ll find out this weekend in “The Empire State.”

LIVE! Watch UFC 309 PPV On ESPN+ Here!

LEGACY ON THE LINE! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to “The Big Apple” in New York, N.Y., on Sat., Nov. 16, 2024, with the long-awaited, legacy-defining Heavyweight showdown between reigning division champion, Jon Jones, looking to ride off into the sunset as the bonafide G.O.A.T. at the expense of former kingpin, Stipe Miocic. In UFC 309’s pay-per-view (PPV) co-headliner from inside Madison Square Garden, former Lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira, will run it back with Michael Chandler, who has been sitting on the sidelines unsuccessfully waiting for Conor McGregor’s ill-fated comeback. UFC 309 will also feature the exciting returns of super prospects Mauricio Ruffy and Bo Nickal (in separate fights) and so much more! UFC 309’s start time is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET (Prelims card) and 10 p.m. ET (PPV main card).

Don’t miss a single second of EPIC face-punching action!


Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 309 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPNews at 8 p.m. ET), before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 309: “Jones vs. Miocic” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.