The much-lauded UFC is making its triumphant return to the city popularly referred to as ‘the city that never sleeps’. The iconic Madison Square Garden will act as the stage for the upcoming UFC 309 event this weekend. A highlight of the event is the much-anticipated comeback of Jon Jones, widely regarded as one of the all-time greats in the brutal sport of ultimate fighting.
Jones is preparing to leap back into the octagon for the first time in 20 months. His return sees him pitted against Stipe Miocic in a fierce battle for the heavyweight championship in the main event. The excitement and tension surrounding their clash are palpable, promising a thrilling spectacle for all UFC fans.
A retrospective look reveals that Jones was initially due to defend his heavyweight title against Miocic in UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. However, this clash was scheduled to take place almost a year ago, but a devastating pectoral tendon tear suffered by Jones forced the fight schedule to be revised.
The injury which Jones sustained necessitated surgical intervention, thrusting the highly anticipated fight into limbo. In the resultant rearrangement, it was Alex Pereira who emerged victorious against Jiri Prochazka, clinching the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship on Nov. 11, 2023.
Jones’s last battle in the octagon was in UFC 285. A formidable opponent, he secured a victory over Ciryl Gane through a submission in the first round of the fight, held in Las Vegas inflicting a crushing defeat upon the latter in March last year.
UFC 309 signifies the second visit this year of the fiercely competitive UFC to the tri-state area. The prior occurrence was the UFC 302 event, which took place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, earlier in June.
The forthcoming UFC 309 event is slated for Saturday, Nov. 16. It will commence with four early preliminary bouts set to kick off at 6 p.m. These opening hostilities serve as the exciting prelude to the four prelim bouts that follow.
The night of adrenalized fights promises to be rounded off with five main card bouts, set to launch at 10 p.m. The night’s climactic highlight promises to be the clash between Jones and Miocic in the heavyweight title bout. This showdown embodies the essence of UFC: raw power, strategic mastery and the unconquerable desire to emerge victorious.
To add to the excitement, here are the odds for every fight in UFC 309. Main card: In the heavyweight title bout, Jon Jones (-650) is up against the No. 8 contender Stipe Miocic (+450). Their face-off is one of the most highly anticipated ones.
In the lightweight category, we have No. 2 Charles Oliveira (-250) facing off against No. 7 Michael Chandler (+200). Then there’s the middleweight bout between Bo Nickal (-1100) and Paul Craig (+700), which promises to be a test of strength and fortitude.
The women’s flyweight segment of the event features No. 9 Viviane Araujo (+220) and No. 1 Karine Silva (-275). In the catchweight category, we’re looking forward to the bout between Mauricio Ruffy (-900) and James Llontop (+600).
Moving to the preliminaries, the bantamweight bout will see No. 13 Jonathan Martinez (+120) locking horns with Marcus McGhee (-145). Also promising to put on a good fight is the middleweight bout between Chris Weidman (-105) and Eryk Anders (-115).
The lightweight bouts include enlightening faceoffs between Jim Miller (+135) and Damon Jackson (-165), plus David Onama and Roberto Romero, whose odds have not yet been determined.
Proceeding to the early preliminaries, the heavyweight category presents a fierce bout between No. 9 Marcin Tybura (-145) and Jhonata Diniz (+120). In the welterweight division, we have Mickey Gall (-140) against Ramiz Brahimaj (+115).
The last bouts in the preliminary segment include welterweight competitors, Bassil Hafez (+200) versus Oban Elliott (-250), and the women’s flyweight bout that puts Veronica Hardy (-150) against Eduarda Moura (+125). All these duels are part of a thrilling line-up providing an electrifying fight night for UFC enthusiasts.