Today at Madison Square Garden, Dana White once again demonstrated why he and his promotion stand at the pinnacle of MMA. As the head of the world’s leading MMA organization, he presented the year’s most anticipated pay-per-view event, marking the highly awaited return of UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones after a year-long hiatus. ‘Bones’ successfully defended his title, dominating former kingpin Stipe Miocic and sending him into the shadows.

The co-main event featured a thrilling lightweight clash, where Charles Oliveira rebounded from his previous loss to Arman Tsarukyan, facing Michael Chandler. With an action-packed lineup, Dana White, having learned from past mistakes, ensured UFC 309 set new records, capping off an unforgettable night at Madison Square Garden. The event solidified UFC 309 as a historic chapter in MMA. Without further delay, let’s break down the highlights.

UFC 309 shatters UFC 300’s gate

Since 2016, Madison Square Garden has become a cornerstone of UFC’s November events, especially notable for the UFC’s debut at the iconic venue in the form of UFC 205. That event, headlined by the remarkable lightweight title showdown between Conor McGregor and Eddie Alvarez, set a historic record with a $17 million gate, a mark that stood until UFC 306 at The Sphere surpassed it this year.

Earlier this month, fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen boldly predicted that UFC 309 would set the bar even higher, saying, “The most historic building, the biggest fights in the world, great live gate—it’s going to be through the roof.” While Sonnen acknowledged UFC 309 might not break the record set by UFC 306 at The Sphere, he believed it could surpass Conor McGregor and Alvarez’s achievement. However, with today’s conclusion, UFC 309 announced a gate of $16,673,954 with an audience of 20,200, just shy of breaking the previous record, according to MMA personality Jed I. Goodman.

Despite this, UFC 309 set a new record for this year, surpassing the gate of every other UFC PPV event, including UFC 297, the first event of the year, and UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi, where the data has yet to be fully released. While the Abu Dhabi event isn’t expected to surpass the American events, UFC 309 still managed to shatter the iconic UFC 300’s gate which was reported to be $16,508,823. Now, moving on to the second record broken at UFC 309, thanks to Charles Oliveira. To learn more, scroll down below.

Charles Oliveira becomes 1st UFC fighter to reach 20 performance bonuses

Despite the heavyweight showdown between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic headlining the event, it was the lightweight rematch between Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler that truly captured the audience’s attention. Both fighters were determined to prove their dominance, delivering a brutal five-round battle that displayed their resilience and skill. The fight also marked Chandler’s return to the octagon after a lengthy hiatus, largely due to waiting for a matchup with Conor McGregor. Ultimately, Oliveira emerged victorious, though Chandler pushed him to the limit.

After the fight, Oliveira lauded Chandler, calling him “one of the toughest guys” he’s ever faced. For their epic performance, Dana White and the UFC awarded both fighters the Fight of the Night bonus, marking Oliveira’s fourth FOTN honor. With this achievement, Oliveira now holds the record for the most post-fight bonuses in UFC history with his overall tally reaching 20!

Jon Jones joins yet another Mt.Rushmore

Along with Charles Oliveira, Jon Jones also earned a Performance of the Night bonus, bringing his total post-fight bonuses to 10 in the UFC. In his fight against former two-time champion Stipe Miocic, Jones made the task look easy, knocking Miocic out with a spinning kick in the third round. With this victory, Jon Jones joined the elite group of fighters who have successfully defended their championships in two weight classes, alongside Amanda Nunes, Henry Cejudo, and Daniel Cormier.

Now, With UFC 309 in the books, we’ve gained insight into what’s next for the promotion. While Stipe Miocic may have bid farewell to the UFC, Jon Jones, who had previously hinted at leaving, has decided to stay and pursue more challenges. So, who do you think Jon Jones should face next? A match with Tom Aspinall, or a showdown with Alex Pereira? Share your thoughts below.