Tensions escalated between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic during the UFC 309 pre-fight press conference on Thursday, as the fighters engaged in a heated faceoff. The confrontation came to a head when Stipe Miocic extended his hand for a handshake, but Jon Jones ignored the gesture, leading to an intense stare-down. With UFC President Dana White attempting to maintain order, Jon Jones told Stipe Miocic, “Don’t ever mention my kids again.”
Miocic’s response was unclear, but he appeared unfazed as the fighters briefly separated before posing for a few more seconds and leaving the stage. The exchange marked a dramatic shift in their previously respectful demeanor, which had soured in the days leading up to UFC 309.
Jones, visibly frustrated, explained that Miocic had made two comments that deeply offended him. The first was an alleged remark about Jones’ relationship with his children. “He said, ‘My kids will never look at me like I’m an assh*le,’” Jones revealed. “That was a direct attack on me, my family, and my relationship with my kids.” The second remark, which Jones also took issue with, was Miocic calling him a “bitch” during an earlier UFC Countdown segment.
“I made it a point to be respectful to him,” Jones continued. “But after those two comments, they lost the respect.”
When asked if the altercations had affected his approach to the fight, Jones responded, “It’s very personal to me, yes.”
Miocic, however, was less concerned by Jones’ reaction. “I don’t even remember saying that about his kids. It was never aimed at him,” Miocic said, adding that his “bitch” comment was simply in defense of himself after Jones had called him out.
The animosity between the two heavyweights will culminate in the UFC 309 main event, where Jones and Miocic will settle their differences in the octagon with the heavyweight title on the line.
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