Jon Jones is approaching his first UFC heavyweight title defense with a different mindset as he prepares to face Stipe Miocic in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden.
Although the two fighters had mutual respect for much of the lead-up to the fight, tensions have escalated. Jones has taken a more personal approach to the matchup due to Miocic's alleged comments.
The shift began when Miocic called Jones a "bitch," a remark Jones did not take lightly. Matters escalated further when Miocic allegedly mentioned Jones' children, which Jones interpreted as a direct attack on his family. However, Micoic has denied those remarks.
“Everyone likes first responders, and I actually respect men and women in the armed forces and law enforcement, things like that,” Jones said during the UFC 309 press conference. “So I made it a point to try to be very respectful to him. But there’ve been two scenarios now. First, he said, ‘My kids will never look at me like I’m an asshole.’ That was a direct attack at me, my family, and my relationship with my kids. The second was him calling me a bitch. So, the respect is a little bit out the window, and we’ll see that on Saturday. It’s very personal to me, yes.” Don’t ever mention my kids again.
Miocic replied, “I never mentioned your kids.” With these personal stakes adding fuel to the fire, fans can expect a charged performance from Jones as he looks to defend his title against the former UFC heavyweight champion.
