Jon Jones will enter his first heavyweight title defense at UFC 309, taking on MMA legend Stipe Miocic.
The 37-year-old has cemented his status as one of the pound-for-pound greatest fighters of all time, after securing scintillating victories over the likes of Daniel Cormier and Vitor Belfort.
But now, with Jon Jones campaigning in the land of the giants, he will take on a vastly different assignment in the form of Stipe Miocic, who is bidding to become a three-time heavyweight champion.
And yet, while the American comes off an emphatic first-round submission victory against Ciryl Gane, the elite contenders of his division are still yearning for their shot at his trinket.
Francis Ngannou predicts the outcome of Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic at UFC 309
Miocic will be entering the octagon for the first time in over three years when he collides with Jones on November 16.
More than that, the 42-year-old is coming off a devastating stoppage defeat to Francis Ngannou, with the majority of fans suspecting that his best days are now behind him.
But still, Ngannou, who makes his PFL debut against Renan Ferreira this Saturday, is not convinced that Father Time has caught up with his former opponent just yet.
“Stipe hasn’t fought for three years — since we last fought,” Ngannou told Ariel Helwani. “So, I don’t really know where he’s at, I don’t know how he’s going to show up. I know he always shows up good, but it’s been a while and he’s not getting younger.
“All of those questions make me shift slightly to the Jones side, even though I feel the fight is [50-50].
“Stipe is a guy who is very committed when he shows up — he shows up in-full. So, if he shows up in-full, he can really surprise you, right? I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins.”
Will Jon Jones face Tom Aspinall or Alex Pereira?
With Jones gearing up for his second heavyweight title fight, interim champion Tom Aspinall has been forced to wait in the wings for his opportunity.
The Brit has expressed an interest in facing Jones ever since the UFC star moved up to his division, and yet he is seemingly no closer to securing the potential mega fight.
And while he has been criticized for taking the fight with Miocic, the two-division champion insists that a clash against Aspinall would only do big numbers in the UK.
Instead, Jones has mentioned Alex Pereira as a potential opponent, with the light heavyweight champion coming off a comprehensive outing against Khalil Rountree.