“It is complete disrespect!” Dana White REFUSED to call Stipe Miocic for interim title fight out after Jon Jones’ injury ahead of UFC 295

Dana White had a pretty good reason for not allowing Stipe Miocic to compete in the interim heavyweight championship bout at UFC 295.

“It is complete disrespect!” Dana White REFUSED to call Stipe Miocic for interim title fight out after Jon Jones’ injury ahead of UFC 295

Dana White refuses to give Stipe Miocic an interim heavyweight title fight (Image Source: IMAGO)

UFC CEO Dana White had to shuffle the UFC 295 card due to the withdrawal of Jon Jones. The new title fight would feature Tom Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich in an interim championship bout. Fight fans wondered why the UFC CEO did not allow Stipe Miocic to compete in the interim championship bout at UFC 295.

Reporters asked Dana White the same question during the Power Slap 5 press conference. This is what Dana White said in response:

Stipe is not fighting for an interim title. So Jones said ‘I wanna fight Stipe’ I said ‘you’re fighting Stipe’ you have the greatest heavyweight of all time versus the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. This is a legacy fight for both of those guys. I mean to even call Stipe and ask Stipe to fight for an interim title is complete disrespect.
Dana White during the Power Slap 5 Post-Event Press Conference

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Jon Jones was supposed to face Stipe Miocic for the heavyweight title at one of the most anticipated cards of this year, UFC 295. However, his injury made the UFC remove the bout from the PPV card. Luckily for the fans, Tom Aspinall will duke it out with Sergie Pavlovich for the interim heavyweight title.

Stipe Miocic has not fought since 2021. He faced a knockout defeat at the hands of Francis Ngannou at UFC 260. Dana White said the fight between Jones and Stipe would be rebooked for 2024. When that bout occurs, Stipe will have to shrug off a three-year hiatus from the sport to challenge Jones for the heavyweight title. Only time will tell how the matchup between Jones and Stipe pans out.

Jon Jones planned to retire after the Stipe Miocic fight

In an interview, Jon Jones recently said he planned to hang up the gloves after his highly anticipated bout with Stipe Miocic. However, due to his injury before UFC 295, his decision to retire remains in limbo.

Jon Jones
Jon Jones (Image Courtesy – The Mirror)

Jon Jones has an illustrious career in the UFC. His epic career, marked by a record of 27-1, has seen its fair share of ups and downs. The possible departure of a renowned warrior like Jones may reshape the structure of the UFC’s superstars that other fighters must rise to fill. This is what Jones had in mind before his injury canceled the bout against Stipe:

How cool would it be to spend my retirement fight dominating the greatest heavyweight of all time, in my home state at Madison Square Garden?
Jon Jones via X.

Jon Jones now faces at least an 8-month absence due to a pectoral tear he suffered in training camp for the Miocic fight. Fans are now on the edge, not knowing what this injury will entail for the long and illustrious career of Jon Jones.

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