Jon Jones had always made it clear that he would be facing the greatest UFC heavyweight ever on his return, side-stepping the challenge of Tom Aspinall. His decision angered a lot of fans and many felt he was running away from the young interim champion. However, his longtime coach Brandon Gibson believes this might just be the toughest challenge for Jones to date, mocking the interim champion.

But what exactly makes the 41-year-old one of the greatest ever? Let us take a look at what he had to say about the former heavyweight champion.

Brandon Gibson lauds Stipe Miocic for his ability before his UFC 309 fight

Since Jon Jones won his heavyweight title at UFC 285 in March of 2023, he has yet to defend it successfully. His first title defense will be against the man who has defended the same belt a record four times. ‘Stone Cold’ has been out of action for quite some time now which has been the talking point for many experts out there. However, Brandon Gibson still feels that the 41-year-old Stipe Miocic has all the skills which make him a dangerous opponent for ‘Bones’.

His longtime coach Gibson sat down for a chat with MMAFightingonSBN to discuss the upcoming fight at UFC 309. Gibson, during the conversation, pointed out the reasons as to why he thinks the former champion can cause a lot of trouble. He said, ” For sure Stipe. He’s a dog, right? Like we’ve seen Stipe come back in fights and that. You know he’s proven himself in those championship rounds. He doesn’t fade. He’s as tough as they come. And even you know the knockout in the second Francis Ngannou fight like Stipe was wobbled and still punching. Like that man is dangerous at all times. He’s willing to go out on the shield. And to me, that’s a much scarier matchup than you know maybe like a young prospect who’s never made it out of the first round.” 

Gibson is not the only one to point out Aspinall’s lack of experience beyond the opening round. While discussing a potential fight between the Brit and Alex Pereira, Chael Sonnen echoed the same sentiment. “I got one concern with Tom, and I’m one of Tom’s biggest advocates, but I do have a concern. In his UFC career, he has only left the first round once… I don’t love that a guy hasn’t had to breathe 15 minutes in. I don’t love that a guy hasn’t had his nose put on the other side of his face. I don’t love that a guy hasn’t had to come off the stool behind, tired and hurt, and found a way to win,” ‘The Bad Guy’ said.

Amidst all the chaos, Tom Aspinall has quietly tried to catch the attention of Jones which he has been doing for quite some time. Despite all his efforts, it seems his dream of facing the champion is over for now. But all this has not stopped the interim champion from making a prediction for the fight. Luckily for him, Stipe Miocic also agrees with him this time around.

Tom Aspinall’s prediction for the UFC 309 fight is correct, feels Stipe Miocic

The MMA world has been waiting for a long time to witness Jon Jones back in action. Now with the champion making a return fans have started making predictions for his upcoming fight. Will he be able to defend his title? Or will we see a new champion in Stipe Miocic for a record third time? Well, Tom Aspinall has a completely different take on the whole. The Brit believes that the fight is evenly poised and during a recent interview said, “They’re both as experienced as one another.” 

Fortunately for him, Stipe Miocic agrees with the statements given by him. The 41-year-old, during a recent interview with MMA Fighting, said, “I’m glad, you know, because I feel the same way. I think it’s 50-50 [and] I think it’s more towards me.” Miocic also confessed to the fact that earlier he used to focus on what others had to say and paid a price for that. However, this time around ‘Stone Cold’ is focused only on his training and isn’t quite worried about his legacy.

This might just be the last time we witness two of the legends of the sport fighting it out inside the Octagon. Are you excited about the clash? Who do you think will win between the two? What do you think will happen with Tom Aspinall in the aftermath of UFC 309? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.