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The victor of this Saturday's championship match will encounter one of the most accomplished heavyweight competitors in UFC history.
The very next heavyweight championship fight will feature Stipe Miocic, a former two-time UFC heavyweight champion, UFC president Dana White told the media on Friday. The unoccupied gold would be contested on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena by Jon Jones & Ciryl Gane.
"He's absolutely the next one," White said of Miocic. "So, whoever wins on Saturday night will face Stipe next."
Miocic, who holds the record for the most consecutive heavyweight title defenses in UFC history, lost his belt to Francis Ngannou in March 2021. Since then the American has been out of action. He was considered to be the potential candidate to welcome Jon Jones into the heavyweight division back in December 2022. But the bout didn’t come to fruition due to Miocic's unavailability.
Miocic had been pushing for a chance to face the victor of Saturday's heavyweight match. Miocic declared his preference for the winner in July after UFC revealed the Jones-Gane fight in January. White made no mention of when Miocic could receive his chance. The main event of the UFC for July is most probably UFC 290. On July 8, it will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
On Saturday, Jones will compete in his first heavyweight bout. Moreover, he will be competing for the first time since winning over Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 to defend his light-heavyweight title in February 2020. The 35-year-old's weight on Saturday night was 248 pounds.
This is the first time following failing a unification match against Francis Ngannou in January 2022, Gane is vying for the heavyweight championship. He backed up the loss by prevailing over Tai Tuivasa at a UFC Fight Night event on September 3 in Paris.
Miocic is no stranger to facing elite competition, having defeated the likes of Ngannou, Daniel Cormier, and Alistair Overeem in his career. His experience and championship pedigree make him a formidable opponent for anyone in the division.
With the heavyweight title picture still somewhat murky, Miocic's next opponent is uncertain at this time. However, there is no denying his talent and determination to regain the belt, and fans are eagerly awaiting his return to the octagon.