UFC 309 saw the return of heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who successfully returned from a 20-month layoff to defend his title with a third-round TKO of Stipe Miocic, who was coming off an even longer layoff of more than three-and-a-half years. The fight headlined the pay-per-view event at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Jon Jones pulled off the biggest win of his career at UFC 309, as he handily beat Stipe Miocic to defend the heavyweight belt. This marked his 16th title defense, once again placing him as the arguably greatest mixed martial artist the world has ever seen.

UFC CEO Dana White was emphatic that he was not interested in that matchup. "There's no f---ing way I make the Pereira fight. Jon's too big, great wrestler... I like Alex Pereira,