UFC Hall of Famer and former heavyweight champion Randy Couture makes the case for Stipe Miocic having the ‘best shot’ at beating Jon Jones.
There are only a handful of athletes who know what it takes to become UFC heavyweight champion, even fewer know what it’s like to capture that coveted title on three separate occasions – and MMA fans would do well to listen closely to what ‘The Natural’ had to say regarding his old stomping ground.
Randy Couture argues Stipe Miocic is the more dangerous opponent for Jones
The UFC heavyweight title picture is a mess; with Tom Aspinall set to defend his interim title next weekend at UFC 304, despite the undisputed title being put up for grabs just a few months later.
Yet even when it comes time for Jon ‘Bones’ Jones to make his long-awaited return to the octagon (rumored to be November’s UFC 309 in New York), it likely won’t be against the winner of Aspinall vs Blaydes, but former heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic.
Miocic’s last fight in the UFC was against Francis Ngannou back in 2021, with his last victory in the promotion coming against Daniel Cormier all the way back in 2020 – only a few weeks after Aspinall made his UFC debut.
In truth, very few fans and fighters are giving Miocic, who turns 42 years old in August, even the slightest chance of reclaiming his past gold and glory; we say few because it’s certainly not all.
Legendary MMA champion Randy Couture believes that the pundits have got it all wrong in counting out the veteran heavyweight; and ‘The Natural’ knows what he’s on about, having won the title for a third time when he was 44 years old.
Speaking via the InsideFighting YouTube channel, Couture was asked who he thought had the better chance of defeating Jon Jones out of Aspinall, Miocic, and light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.
“I think right now because of experience, Stipe’s probably got the best shot at beating Jon,” he claimed, adding that whilst fans are finding reasons to count Miocic out, the former UFC champion remains as game as ever.
“Stipe is an amazing competitor and that’s going to be one hell of a fight. He’s got good enough wrestling to make Jon stand with him, and he’s a little bit taller and longer than Jon so that makes it interesting.
“Jon usually has the advantage with that reach and he’s able to use his wrestling very effectively to keep guys where he wants them – but I think he’s going to have a bigger problem doing that with Stipe.
“Everybody’s counting Stipe out because of his age, I’m not going to fall for that cr** – that was the MO for me in my entire career so you cannot count out the old guys. They’re smart, they’re going to figure it out and that’s Stipe to a tee.”
Time’s ticking for Jones to fight Aspinall, or risk facing a different beast
Whilst Couture believes that out of all the potential candidates, Miocic has the ‘best shot’ at defeating the consensus GOAT, he also warned that time is ticking for ‘Bones’ to face the surging British interim champion.
“Aspinall’s got that raw physical ability and is still green enough, young enough that he’s going to be tough for Jon to deal with – especially if Jon waits any longer because he’s getting stronger and stronger each time that he goes out [there].
“I think that the longer Jon waits, the better he’s going to be. He’s going to be in full stride by the time that fight happens, so it’s interesting.”
Couture also remarked how even if he doesn’t get a shot at Jones and undisputed glory, Aspinall is “going to make his mark on the heavyweight division.”
Interestingly, ‘The Natural’ also seemed unconvinced about Alex Pereira’s chances of finding major success in the heavier weight class.
“Pereira has some things to prove, moving up is no easy task. It’s one thing to cut weight and move down and there’s still some questions there even but moving up and dealing with the bigger guys- and Jon’s answered that already- it’s a different thing.
“There’re still some questions there, he certainly has all the ability in the world and he’s a hell of a competitor having just demonstrated that again, so I think anybody’s crazy if they don’t think he- you better strap him on when you’re stepping in there with him because he’s going to bring it.”
Tom Aspinall vs Curtis Blaydes is the co-main event of UFC 304, scheduled for July 27 from the Co-op Arena in Manchester, England – Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic is expected for UFC 309, but has not yet been officially announced by the promotion.