Will UFC 309 be the swan song for Stipe Miocic? Will he hand up his gloves regardless of the result of the bout? Not likely. Despite the anticipation (and resentment) surrounding this bout, Miocic has made it clear that he is not willing to think about retirement just yet. “I’m not going to worry about [retirement] until after [the fight],” he declared, underscoring his focus on the present and his commitment to the competition.

The standout former two-time UFC heavyweight champion is at a pivotal moment in his career as he prepares to face Jon Jones at UFC 309. And Jones’ former foe Anthony Smith believes Miocic will be around for a while longer after UFC 309. “I mean, there’s no way that Stipe Miocic beats Jon Jones and then doesn’t continue to fight,” Smith said to The Schmo,

According to Smith, he recently asked Miocic about retiring, and ‘Stone Cold’ simply said that there were several fights in the past after which he could’ve called it quits, but it’s all about how he feels at the end of the day. After all, beating the consensus MMA GOAT should have you feeling like you’re on top of the world, right?

‘Lionheart’ said, “I’m of the opinion that if he beats Jon Jones… I mean, what an incredible place to be. Do you really hang them up after that? How much money would you leave on the table, you know, if you retire after beating Jon Jones? I think that’d probably be the storybook ending, but that’s just not how we operate as MMA fighters. None of us are… just decide we’re done with this. Usually, the sport’s done with us.”

‘Stone Cold’, known for his impressive career in the octagon, has been a mainstay in the heavyweight division. However, the fight against Jones represents not only a chance for redemption but also a challenge that could define his legacy in the sport. Not only is this matchup crucial for Miocic in terms of his career, but it also has a huge impact on the UFC narrative.

The possibility of facing a legend like Jones adds an extra level of excitement to the contest. For now, Miocic prefers to leave retirement talks for later, prioritizing his performance and the desire to continue competing at the highest level. But who might he face next if he decides not to retire after the fight?

Stipe Miocic might go one-on-one against Tom Aspinall

Jon Jones has made it clear that he has no plans to fight Tom Aspinall in the near future. But will Stipe Miocic face the interim heavyweight champion? UFC CEO Dana White has named Aspinall as the backup, but this led many to question whether Jones or Miocic would accept such a dangerous opponent on short notice, including analyst Daniel Cormier, who “doesn’t think either will.”

However, Anthony Smith is confident that at least one side of the UFC 309 matchup would fight Aspinall. On the ‘Believe You Me’ podcast, Smith said, “I think [Miocic] will. Anytime I’ve ever had conversations about this kind of stuff with Stipe, I know that I think in this whole media world—not just [BYM host Michael Bisping] and I, but the media in the general and the UFC and everyone that talks about it—they make it seem like Stipe really gives a s–t. He doesn’t really give a s–t.” 

So even if UFC 309 goes as per plans with Stipe Miocic and Jones facing off without Aspinall filling in as backup fighter, Miocic might still agree to fight the British MMA fight since he actually isn’t afraid of the mighty striker. However, it surely would be more interesting if Miocic managed to win the belt against ‘Bones’ and make it a title fight.

The main event of UFC 309 has been heralded as a battle of legends, with Jones arguably the greatest fighter of all time based on his exploits in the 205-pound class and Miocic holding the record for the most consecutive successful defenses of the UFC heavyweight belt. Who do you think would be the winner of the mega event? Let us know in the comments.