Cancellation of Jon Jones UFC 295 fight felt like a ‘kick in the nuts’; we were not offered an interim title

Stipe Miocic opened up about missing arguably his biggest career fight to date.

The former UFC heavyweight champion was disappointed to see his title fight with Jon Jones fall through, with just weeks to go before the event. Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) and Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) were supposed to headline UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden in New York on November 11 – a card that celebrates the UFC’s 30th anniversary. birthday. Unfortunately, Jones suffered a torn pectoral muscle during training and is expected to be out for eight months.

The news was a low blow for Miocic.

“How did I feel when I woke up today? Like I got kicked in the nuts,” Miocic said on his OnlyFans account. “In the morning I woke up to my phone vibrating. It was dark, I had my son on top of me, trying to move and get my phone I finally got my phone and got a text from my manager telling me my fight was over.

“I couldn’t sleep the rest of the night. I was supposed to fight Jon Jones in about two weeks in New York, UFC 295, Madison Square Garden. I was pretty excited about it. Actually, really excited. I guess he tore something in his chest. Unfortunately, it happens. It’s part of the game. I hope he gets better and feels better, but what happens now? Am I fighting someone else? I don’t know.”

In response to the fight’s failure, the UFC arranged an interim title fight between Sergei Pavlovich and Tom Aspinall. Miocic says the UFC didn’t offer him the opportunity to fight for the interim belt in order to stay at UFC 295, even though he was ready for the event.

“I don’t know why I wasn’t picked, which is fine,” Miocic said. “I understand they want to go in one direction. I agree with that. All the guys in the division are tough. I really want to fight the biggest fish, which is Jon Jones.

“It wasn’t my choice, it was theirs. Listen, everything happens for a reason. The fight being canceled sucks. there is no doubt. Unfortunately, that’s just the game we’re in. It happens. Like I said, I hope he’s okay. You want to be the best, you have to beat the best. I want this belt back. It’s my belt. It’s going to happen.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 295.

Story originally published on MMA Junkie