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Since his knockout loss to Ngannou, Miocic's resurrection has been in jeopardy. The most prolific heavyweight in the UFC era, he won three title fights throughout his first reign as champion, which included a decision victory against then-rival Ngannou. Before giving up the title, he won two rematches and exacted revenge on Cormier for a devastating setback.
Since losing the title to Ngannou in March 2021 by knockout, Miocic has so far not engaged in a fight. Nevertheless, the 40-year-old firefighter and paramedic believe a match with the new champion in July would be ideal.
For a brief period, Miocic served on the receiving group for Jones' heavyweight introduction. Jones said a matchup with Miocic was planned for UFC 282 in December. Dana White, president of the UFC, later told journalists the idea was not in the cards. Jones and Miocic were supposed to compete against each other throughout 2022, but because of scheduling conflicts, Jones was paired with Gane.
“Stipe is still obviously very much in the mix,” UFC president Dana White said on Saturday, minutes after confirming the heavyweight division’s major happenings. “He’s going through some stuff right now that he’s dealing with. The timing just didn’t work for him.”
At UFC 218, Miocic and Jones were initially scheduled to square off, with Jones going higher in weight to take on the reigning champion. That plan was abandoned after Jones failed a drug test, according to White.
It is not clear at this time if the UFC has plans for a match between the winner of the most anticipated bout between Jones and Gane versus Stipe Miocic in July. However, it is not uncommon for fighters to express their desire for specific opponents or matches on social media or in interviews.
Jon Jones is a highly decorated mixed martial artist and a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest fighters in the history of the sport. Ciryl Gane is a French mixed martial artist and a rising contender in the UFC's Heavyweight division. He has an impressive professional record. Both of these fighters have only 1 loss in their MMA career.
A match between these two fighters would be highly anticipated by fans and could have major implications for the Heavyweight division's rankings and future title opportunities. As for Miocic, he is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, and a match between him and the winner of Jones vs Gane would be exciting to watch as well.