Jon Jones KOs Stipe Miocic with brutal kick to retain UFC title

Jon Jones was defending his UFC heavyweight world title against Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night

Jon Jones stopped Stipe Miocic - and sent him into retirement - to retain his heavyweight title at UFC 309.

Jones was making the first defence of his heavyweight crown in a fight rescheduled from 12 months ago after the champion tore his pectoral tendon. In the meantime, Tom Aspinall became interim champion by beating Sergei Pavlovich.

And the Brit was watching from cageside as Jones took down former champion Miocic within two minutes of the first bell and worked his way into a position to rain down blows. Miocic survived and managed to see out the session, albeit it under more pressure.

Jones was prepared to be patient in the second session, picking off Miocic with his jab as he continued to dominate. The challenger enjoyed a brief flurry towards the bell but was struggling to sustain an attack. Jones continued to land his jab at the start of the third round but didn't look completely comfortable in the face of Miocic's response.

But a right hand appeared to hurt the former champion who was beginning to give off distress signals. And Jones finished the job when he landed a spinning kick to the body which left Miocic crumpled on the canvas. Jones appeared surprised at the impact before finishing the job on the ground. Miocic later announced his retirement from the sport.

In the co-main event, Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler met for a second time, three years after the Brazilian became world champion in their first meeting. Chandler had given up waiting for Conor McGregor to be ready to fight having pulled out of their summer showdown.

And after an opening round played out on the ground and edged by Oliveira, the second session burst into life thanks to the former champion's crisp and precise striking. Chandler grew more desperate as a result and began swinging and was then taken down by the Brazilian who saw out the round in control.

Chandler was soon back-pedalling again in the third round as Oliveira swarmed all over the former Bellator champion. And, as was becoming a habit, he took him down halfway through the session, and set about attempting to lock in a rear-naked choke. But Chandler, by now well behind and flailing, managed to resist.

Chandler cracked Oliveira with his left hand in the opening seconds of the penultimate round but was soon on the back foot once more. Again the Brazilian took the fight to the canvas but again the fight-finishing submission eluded him.

Chandler suddenly turned the tide in the final round when he wobbled Oliveira with a right hand. He tried to pile on the pressure but missed badly with his left and the pair tumbled to then canvas.

Chandler turned on the ground and pound but Oliveira held firm. The fight returned to the feet for a short period before Oliveira took Chandler down again and stifled him until Chandler punctuated the fight with successive back slams to bring the crowd to its feet. Ultimately, though, each of the judges gave the Brazilian the nod by scores of 49-46, 49-46 and 49-45.

Earlier on the main card, the New York crowd turned on rising light-heavyweight star Bo Nickal as he preserved his unbeaten record with a points win over Paul Craig. Nickal had won his opening six fights in the UFC and was cheered to the cage but struggled to stamp his authority on the Scotsman.

He did find an opening for his left hand as the second round wore on, but Paul grew frustrated at what he perceived was a lack of willingness from Nickal to engage. The crowd shared those feelings, chanting "overrated" at the American and drowned him out with boos as he spoke following the judges' decision.

FULL UFC 309 RESULTS

Main card
Jon Jones bt Stipe Miocic via TKO
Charles Oliveira bt Michael Chandler via UD
Bo Nickal bt Paul Craig via UD
Viviane Araujo bt Karine Silva via UD
Mauricio Ruffy bt James Llontop via UD

Prelims
Marcus McGhee bt Jonathan Martinez via UD
Chris Weidman vs Eryk Anders - CANCELLED
Jim Miller bt Damon Jackson via submission (guillotine)
David Onama bt Roberto Romero via UD
Marcin Tybura bt Jhonata Diniz via TKO

Early prelims
Ramiz Brahimaj bt Mickey Gall via KO
Oban Elliott bt Bassil Hafez via KO
Eduarda Moura bt Veronica Hardy via UD