Jon Jones sends Stipe Miocic into retirement in front of Trump

Jon Jones sent Stipe Miocic into status with a stunning backmost footwear to the ribs and utilized a bid of blows to the caput successful the 3rd circular to clasp the UFC heavyweight championship successful beforehand of United States President-elect Donald Trump successful the main lawsuit of UFC 309 astatine Madison Square Garden.

Jones posed and played to the assemblage connected apical of the octagon connected Saturday nighttime successful beforehand of Trump, Elon Musk and Robert Kennedy Jr.

Trump walked retired to a rousing ovation successful beforehand of 20,200 fans conscionable earlier the commencement of the pay-per-view paper and seemed to bask successful the thrill of the fighters that passim the nighttime gave him props, including Jones.

Known by immoderate successful the mixed martial arts satellite arsenic the “Combatant successful Chief”, Trump counts UFC President Dana White arsenic a adjacent person and considers fans of the athletics portion of his governmental base.

“I privation to springiness a big, large convey you to President Donald Trump [for] being present tonight,” Jones said to a roaring ovation that bled into a “USA! USA!” chant.

“I’m arrogant to beryllium a large American champion,” Jones said.

Trump did immoderate creation moves arsenic his signature run song, YMCA, played implicit the loudspeaker. He yet sat down and talked animatedly to Musk.

Jones’s heavyweight rubric defence was his first combat since March 2023, and the 37-year-old successfully returned to the octagon aft undergoing pectoral country that postponed a gathering with Miocic astatine UFC 295.

Jones paid his respects to Miocic aft the fight, admiring his toughness.

“He’s really, truly good,” Jones said of Miocic. “He’s truly tough. He’s truly durable. I deed him with immoderate beauteous decent shots, and helium conscionable kept coming forward.”

While Miocic opted to discontinue aft the fight, Jones plans to instrumentality astir astatine heavyweight.

“I’ve decided possibly I volition not retire,” Jones said.