Jon Jones retires Stipe Miocic, retaining UFC heavyweight crown

Mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Jon Jones on Sunday sent Stipe Miocic into retirement with a spinning back-kick to the body in the third round to retain the UFC heavyweight championship in the main event of UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden.

The 37-year-old American looked fully in control throughout the main event, preventing his opponent from leveraging his boxing skills and finishing with a brutal heel to the body that left Miocic on the canvas clutching his ribs.

"That body shot man, no matter how tough you are, the liver's the liver," a jubilant Jones said in the cage following his victory.

After a cautious opening minute, former light heavyweight champ Jones took Miocic down with a superbly timed trip and trapped him before raining down elbows as he dominated the rest of the round.

Keen not to get taken down again, Miocic was hesitant as he tried to manage the distance, but Jones was able to measure strikes to the body from his southpaw stance to keep Miocic on the back foot.

Croatian-American Miocic enjoyed some success early in the third round, but once again Jones was able to work out the puzzle, connecting with a couple of punches late in the round before his creative rotating kick ended the bout.

After the fight, 42-year-old Miocic addressed the crowd in a post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, confirming his retirement.

“I’m done,” Miocic said. “I’m hanging ‘em up. I’m retiring. Thank God.”

This marked the end of a legendary career that saw him become a two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion and set multiple records.

Speaking in the octagon afterwards, Jones made special mention of US President-elect Donald Trump who was sat ringside alongside Dana White and Elon Musk.

Having received his title belt, Jones walked to celebrate with Trump, shaking hands and letting Trump hold the belt.

In the co-main event, Brazil's Charles Oliveira defeated Michael Chandler by unanimous decision to put his name back in contention for a crack at the lightweight title he was stripped of for missing weight in May 2022.