Jon Jones KOs Stipe Miocic with brutal kick to retain UFC title

Jon Jones was defending his UFC heavyweight satellite rubric against Stipe Miocic astatine Madison Square Garden connected Saturday night

Jon Jones stopped Stipe Miocic - and sent him into status - to clasp his heavyweight rubric astatine UFC 309.

Jones was making the archetypal defence of his heavyweight crown successful a combat rescheduled from 12 months agone aft the champion tore his pectoral tendon. In the meantime, Tom Aspinall became interim champion by beating Sergei Pavlovich.

And the Brit was watching from cageside arsenic Jones took down erstwhile champion Miocic wrong 2 minutes of the archetypal doorbell and worked his mode into a presumption to rainfall down blows. Miocic survived and managed to spot retired the session, albeit it nether much pressure.

Jones was prepared to beryllium diligent successful the 2nd session, picking disconnected Miocic with his jab arsenic helium continued to dominate. The challenger enjoyed a little flurry towards the doorbell but was struggling to prolong an attack. Jones continued to onshore his jab astatine the commencement of the 3rd circular but didn't look wholly comfy successful the look of Miocic's response.

But a close manus appeared to wounded the erstwhile champion who was opening to springiness disconnected distress signals. And Jones finished the occupation erstwhile helium landed a spinning footwear to the assemblage which near Miocic crumpled connected the canvas. Jones appeared amazed astatine the interaction earlier finishing the occupation connected the ground. Miocic aboriginal announced his status from the sport.

In the co-main event, Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler met for a 2nd time, 3 years aft the Brazilian became world champion successful their archetypal meeting. Chandler had fixed up waiting for Conor McGregor to beryllium acceptable to combat having pulled retired of their summertime showdown.

And aft an opening circular played retired connected the crushed and edged by Oliveira, the 2nd league burst into beingness acknowledgment to the erstwhile champion's crisp and precise striking. Chandler grew much hopeless arsenic a effect and began swinging and was past taken down by the Brazilian who saw retired the circular successful control.

Chandler was soon back-pedalling again successful the 3rd circular arsenic Oliveira swarmed each implicit the erstwhile Bellator champion. And, arsenic was becoming a habit, helium took him down halfway done the session, and acceptable astir attempting to fastener successful a rear-naked choke. But Chandler, by present good down and flailing, managed to resist.

Chandler cracked Oliveira with his near manus successful the opening seconds of the penultimate circular but was soon connected the backmost ft erstwhile more. Again the Brazilian took the combat to the canvas but again the fight-finishing submission eluded him.

Chandler abruptly turned the tide successful the last circular erstwhile helium wobbled Oliveira with a close hand. He tried to heap connected the unit but missed severely with his near and the brace tumbled to past canvas.

Chandler turned connected the crushed and lb but Oliveira held firm. The combat returned to the feet for a abbreviated play earlier Oliveira took Chandler down again and stifled him until Chandler punctuated the combat with successive backmost slams to bring the assemblage to its feet. Ultimately, though, each of the judges gave the Brazilian the motion by scores of 49-46, 49-46 and 49-45.

Earlier connected the main card, the New York assemblage turned connected rising light-heavyweight prima Bo Nickal arsenic helium preserved his unbeaten grounds with a points triumph implicit Paul Craig. Nickal had won his opening six fights successful the UFC and was cheered to the cage but struggled to stamp his authorization connected the Scotsman.

He did find an opening for his near manus arsenic the 2nd circular wore on, but Paul grew frustrated astatine what helium perceived was a deficiency of willingness from Nickal to engage. The assemblage shared those feelings, chanting "overrated" astatine the American and drowned him retired with boos arsenic helium spoke pursuing the judges' decision.

FULL UFC 309 RESULTS

Main paper
Jon Jones bt Stipe Miocic via TKO
Charles Oliveira bt Michael Chandler via UD
Bo Nickal bt Paul Craig via UD
Viviane Araujo bt Karine Silva via UD
Mauricio Ruffy bt James Llontop via UD

Prelims
Marcus McGhee bt Jonathan Martinez via UD
Chris Weidman vs Eryk Anders - CANCELLED
Jim Miller bt Damon Jackson via submission (guillotine)
David Onama bt Roberto Romero via UD
Marcin Tybura bt Jhonata Diniz via TKO

Early prelims
Ramiz Brahimaj bt Mickey Gall via KO
Oban Elliott bt Bassil Hafez via KO
Eduarda Moura bt Veronica Hardy via UD