Dana White has made it clear who the next opponent for Jon Jones is going to be! The UFC undisputed heavyweight champion has been on the sidelines after tearing his pectoral tendon ahead of UFC 295 in 2023. He was scheduled to face former champion, Stipe Miocic at the event for his first title defense, and now, it appears that the two men will get a chance to finally step inside the Octagon to face one another.

Jones has recently indicated that he has recovered from his surgeries and is training to get back inside the cage. But he has also been hinting at a possible clash against Alex Pereira on social media. As such, at the recent UFC St. Louis post-fight press conference, UFC CEO Dana White was asked about what the plans for Jones’s return were. And according to him, there’s only one name at the front of the list, and that is Stipe Miocic!

Dana White drops massive confirmation for Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miočić

In a recent appearance on the Jaxxon Podcast, Stipe Miocic confessed that the UFC initially was aiming to set up a July clash between him and Jones, but now, “I’m thinking more — maybe November again in New York.”

His comments are interesting as Jones also stated on X, “I am not changing my plans for anyone. Stipe is over there as the best heavyweight ever working his a** off. I’m gonna give that man what he wants…”

As such, during the recent post-event press conference, Dana White was asked his thoughts about Jones wanting to fight Alex Pereira. The UFC boss replied by stating, “… but he (Jon Jones) knows he’s fighting Stipe”. When further questioned about Miocic’s remarks about a November date in New York for the fight, White gave an affirmation as he responded by revealing, “That sounds right.”

As both fighters gear up for what promises to be an epic showdown, MMA fans eagerly anticipate the culmination of this highly anticipated matchup, but what about Tom Aspinall? The current interim heavyweight champion has been vocal about unifying his titles against Jon Jones, but according to a statement made by ‘Bones’, he is more interested in other names in the UFC and even blasted Aspinall’s decision to wait for him to settle his clash against Miocic!

Jones fires a salvo at Tom Aspinall for “sitting out”

Despite mounting pressure from many fans to face interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, Jon Jones recently dismissed such notions in a series of posts on social media. Firing back at statements that claimed ‘Bones’ was “holding up” the division, he responded on X by stating, “Would you agree that it’s just as selfish to have a completely healthy intern champion who is only 30 years old, sitting out and waiting to fight the winner of a 42 and 36 year old. Who literally actually already committed to fighting each other?”

He also pointed out that he was considering retiring from the sport prior to the announcement of the Miocic fight and as such, Aspinall’s interim title victory hasn’t changed his plans. Jones also took shots at the UK fandom as he claimed that, “They all know who the actual champion is.”

As the situation unfolds, Jones’s remarks regarding the UK fandom reflect his confidence in his status as the rightful champion, irrespective of interim titles or fan opinions. It remains to be seen what the future holds, but at the moment, the anticipation is building for Jon Jones’s return to the Octagon to face another legend. Who do you think Jon Jones should fight next after Stipe Miocic – Alex Pereira or Tom Aspinall? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!