The year 2023 has been remarkable for the MMA world. Many big fights took place this year, leaving fans hungry for more, introducing emerging talents, reminding the crowd that some veterans are still here to make some noise, and proving that this sport is anything but done.
The UFC once again has taken all the spotlight with its big events and major fights, including Islam Makhachev beating Alexander Volkanovski, Brandon Moreno beating Deiveson Figueiredo in their fourth fight, as well as Israel Adesanya, who defied the odds with a notable KO over Alex Pereira to reclaim his light-heavyweight championship.
These are only a couple of fights that made the rounds around the MMA world in the first eight months of the year. Moreover, a couple of bouts have been drawing more and more attention from fans, who want to see the biggest names in the business put on a show.
Several fights, including the debuts of former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and controversial boxer Jake Paul at the Professional Fighters League (PFL), are getting some hype from fans. Still, only one is making the most noise right now, and you’re about to learn more about it.
The Fight Of The Year
Conor McGregor somehow remains a big figure in the MMA world, and he’s expected to take on Michael Chandler at the end of this year or the beginning of 2024. However, this one isn’t the most anticipated MMA fight right now.
On November 11, at the most famous arena in the world, legendary light-heavyweight Jon ‘Bones’ Jones will take on the biggest challenge of his career when he faces Stipe Miocic for the UFC heavyweight championship of the world.
Several years went by, with rumors suggesting this fight was close. In the middle of it, Miocic became arguably the greatest heavyweight of all time, beating Jones’ archrival Daniel Cormier in the process.
He took on Francis Ngannou and was able to win one of their battles, but after the Cameroonian-French fighter improved his skills, the Ohio native couldn’t repeat that feat.
Following Jones’ impressive win over Cyril Gane in March, many speculated about the 36-year-old going against Ngannou. Nevertheless, that never happened, and Miocic accepted Jones’ challenge.
This is a fight between the two best fighters of all time in their favorite classes. Jones did whatever he could in the 205-pound category, breaking and setting new records, becoming arguably the greatest fighter of all time. After his life started getting problematic, it was more unusual to see Jones doing his thing, but whenever he was called to the octagon, he never disappointed.
Miocic, on the other hand, revitalized a heavyweight category that didn’t have many stars. Little by little, he showed his quality, beating difficult rivals and stealing the show more than once. He’s now considered the greatest heavyweight of all time, which says a lot about the type of fighter he is.
Now, these two are set to clash at Madison Square Garden in a couple of months. This may be the last dance for these two legends, who will try to go on a high note. After many years of rumors and speculation, Jones vs. Miocic is a reality, and fans can’t be more excited about it.
Miocic is coming off a 32-month layoff, which makes a lot of people think he won’t stand a chance against ‘Bones,’ but we all know how dangerous Miocic can be, especially as the underdog.
Jones wants to continue his reign in the heavyweight class, and he knows it won’t be an easy task. Still, he hasn’t reached this status by doing easy things, and no matter how hard they look for fans, Jones always finds a way to win and put on a show for his supporters.
Jones enters this fight with a 27–1 (1 NC) record. As for Miocic, he stands at 20-4 following his loss against Francis Ngannou in UFC 260.