MMA pay-per-view events don’t get much bigger than UFC 309, which features a heavily-hyped match between reigning UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former two-time champ Stipe Miocic.
It’s the 30th professional bout of Jones’ storied career and fellow mixed martial arts legend Georges St-Pierre firmly believes it will be his last.
We recently sat down with the former two-division champion and current BET99.com ambassador to get his take on this weekend’s epic clash and to discover why he thinks Jones is poised to walk off into the sunset.
"I don't know if he will stick around because, man, he has done it all," St-Pierre said. "There is always going to be another guy and another guy. And people will say, 'Oh, he's scary, this and that.' But man, he's getting older a little bit and he's done it all."
St-Pierre considers Jones a friend and said he would encourage the New York native to step away from the fight game following this weekend’s showdown… at least for a few years. "Wait for another superstar to develop that will have a certain aura of invincibility and then come back and challenge him. He will get more money, and it will be more worth it for his legacy."
If, however, Jones opts to stay active, there is one fighter in particular St-Pierre would like to see him face. "I want to see him fight Tom Aspinall," he said. "But it's a big risk. And I understand from his point of view, why maybe he doesn't want to take the risk. And it's not worth it. His legacy is so much far ahead of everybody else in the division. It would be interesting, though. I would be the first one to tune in if it happened."
Regardless of the path Jones chooses, St-Pierre believes he’ll leave MSG a winner. "I can't see weakness in Jon Jones," he said. "He's strong everywhere. He's good on the floor, good standing up, he's good in the transition. He's tough as hell. Normally guys that are so talented, they lack toughness. Jon Jones is not the case. He's the complete mixed martial art package."
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St-Pierre especially likes the fact Jones has been working with two of the best trainers in the biz. "Jon's been training with Gordon Ryan, one of my training partners as well. He's probably the best grappler on the planet. He's been training with [Gable] Stevenson as well. He's one of the best wrestlers in the world, won the Olympics. Jon, one of the reasons also why he's the best is he's bringing the best guy to train with. He's not afraid to get out of his comfort zone to bring the best guy to train in their element. And that's why he's the best."
UFC 309 takes place on Saturday, November 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, beginning at 10 p.m. ET. Be sure to read our full Jones vs. Miocic odds, picks and predictions before wagering on this must-see event.
