Jon Jones defends his UFC heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. (Design: Hayden Hodge, Yahoo Sports. Photos: Getty Images.)
Uncrowned has UFC 309 results, live round-by-round updates, start time, and highlights for the Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic fight card on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. Following a near two-year layoff, UFC champion Jones make his first defense of the heavyweight title against former two-time beltholder Stipe Miocic in the night’s main event.
Jones (27-1, 1 NC) and Miocic (20-4) were supposed to fight at Madison Square Garden in November 2023, however the bout fell apart due to a Jones injury shoulder.
Jones, 37, submitted Ciryl Gane in the first round of his most recent UFC appearance in March 2023 to capture the vacant UFC heavyweight title in his divisional debut. Prior to that, Jones was a longtime UFC light heavyweight champion who held the belt under multiple reigns.
Miocic, 42, likewise is a record-setting former UFC titleholder who steps in off a long layoff and holds the UFC benchmarks for most consecutive (3) and combined (4) heavyweight title defenses. Miocic’s most recent Octagon appearance came in a March 2021 knockout loss to Francis Ngannou, while his most recent win came in an August 2020 title defense to complete his trilogy with Daniel Cormier.
In the co-main event, lightweight contenders Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler collide in a rematch of their 2021 title bout, which saw Oliveira beat Chandler via second-round knockout. A three-time Bellator lightweight champion, Chandler (23-8) has not fought since a November 2022 loss to Dustin Poirier, in large part because of his failed pursuit of Conor McGregor. Oliveira (34-10, 1 NC) has split his two bouts since dropping the UFC title in October 2022, first beating Beneil Dariush with a first-round knockout then losing a narrow split decision to Arman Tsarukyan this past April.
The UFC 309 start time for the preliminary card is at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The main card begins live at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
Follow along with Uncrowned’s live UFC 309: Jones vs. Miocic results and live blog below.
Main Card (LIVE NOW, ESPN+ pay-per-view)
UFC heavyweight title: Jon Jones (c) (-650) vs. Stipe Miocic (+425)
Lightweight: Charles Oliveira def. Michael Chandler via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-45)
Middleweight: Bo Nickal def. Paul Craig via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Oliveira sneaks a knee up the middle as Chanlder pressures. Nasty oblique kick bothers Chandler as he eats a right hand. Another oblique. Massive right hands land and hurt Oliveira! Chandler swings so hard he goes off balance and gives up a grappling exchange. COUNTLESS back of the head strikes from Chandler and the ref completely ignores them. Huge elbows from Chandler as they transition into full guard. Oliveira tosses up a potential triangle. Oliveira lets it go and gets up. Chandler smells blood, hunting, eating a jab. Straight right from Oliveira before a big takedown attempt into a body lock trip yet again. Oliveira threatens with the RNC again, but can’t secure anything as Chandler stands and does another drop to his back. He gets up to do it again for a hail mary of sorts. Horn sounds. What an absurd round.
10-9 Chandler. (49-46 Oliveira.)
Chandler landed over a dozen illegal shots
Those were some of the worst no call back of the head shots ever.
Pressure continues early from Oliveira. He eats a left hook for his trouble but walks it off. Straight right sneaks through Chandler’s guard. Bicycle knee lands for Oliveira as Chandler fires back. The pocket warfare from the Brazilian has been wild. Oliveira wraps on another body lock and works to Chandler’s back again. Chandler rolls onto his knees with an Oliveira backpack tightly strapped to him. Chandler bursts to get in a slightly better position leaning against the cage. Chandler tries to stand with Oliveira on his back as Oliveira locks on a near-choke. “Iron” survives and falls backward.
10-9 Oliveira. (40-36 Oliveira.)
It’s been all Oliveira through 3+ rounds
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 16: (R-L) Charles Oliveira of Brazil holds Michael Chandler of the United States of America in a choke hold in a lightweight fight during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Oliveira has just mauled Chandler for this entire fight so far. Getting to be desperation time for Mikey C.
Oliveira starts to utilize front kicks to keep Chandler at bay. Takedown attempt fails as Oliveira keeps on heavy pressure. Sneaky uppercuts for Oliveira on the backed-up Chandler. Hard jab from Chandler then a huge uppercut from Oliveira. Knees and elbows against the cage for Oliveira. Oliveira gets a body lock and just tosses Chandler to the ground and gets his back. Oliveira completely locks up Chandler in a body triangle and begins to work like a python. 12-6 elbows from the back for the crafty “Do Bronx.” More elbows before Oliveira starts to squeeze around the chin as he lets go of the body triangle. Chandler needs a finish.
10-9 Oliveira. (30-27 Oliveira.)
Chandler got taken down, mounted, and really didn’t even try to escape. The whole focus was on survival there.
Hard low kick from Oliveira connects first in the round. Chandler tries to jab to the body into the pocket. Punch combination on the entry for Oliveira pushes Chandler to the cage as he trips and gets chased down. Oliveira lands left hooks, bothering Chandler, who sprints away. Clean 1-2 for “Do Bronx.” Oliveira with a nice head kick and knee that Chandler somehow eats. Big swinging left hook from Chandler grazes. Far knee tap takedown from Oliveira lands him in mount against the cage. Nice elbows cutting through on Chandler. Dominant work from the former lightweight champion.
10-9 Oliveira. (20-18 Oliveira.)
Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler – Round 1
Early shot from Oliveira surprises Chandler and they land in an awkward heel hook position for Oliveira. Oliveira works from an odd half-half guard side control type position. No ground and pound, just working for position. Chandler punches lightly from the bottom. Control all for Oliveira to ride out the round with Chandler hanging on.
10-9 Oliveira
Oliveira damn near flipped Chandler into a Boston Crab.
