Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya appeared impressed while watching Jon Jones send Stipe Miocic into retirement with a brutal kick this past weekend.
Jones and Miocic headlined Saturday’s UFC 309 pay-per-view inside Madison Square Garden in New York City, completing their long-awaited matchup over a year on from an injury shelving it first time around.
Returning from a spell on the sidelines that spanned over three and a half years, many dismissed Miocic’s chances of unseating Jones and adding a third heavyweight reign to his illustrious record.
And the veteran ultimately failed in his pursuit of proving them wrong, with “Bones” following a dominant opening round by eventually finding the finish in the third frame with a vicious spinning side kick to the body.
In spite of many focusing on his avoidance of Tom Aspinall, Jones’ latest triumph on MMA’s biggest stage drew widespread plaudits, including from some UFC peers whom he’s not always seen eye to eye with…
During a video recently uploaded to his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, Adesanya reacted live to the events that unfolded on the UFC 309 main card at MSG.
The Nigerian-New Zealander didn’t have much to say during the finishing sequence in the headliner, instead simply applauding Jones’ work.
“He did it, as he does,” Adesanya said. “Great main event. … Good to see Stipe hang them up. I still think he went out on top.”
He was subsequently asked the question on everyone’s lips — will a unification fight with Aspinall happen?
“I think it’ll happen. If Jones is not retiring, I think they’ll figure it out,” Adesanya said. “Talk to Hunter (Campbell), talk to Dana (White)…sit down in the War Room, they’ll hash it out, they’ll figure it out.”
While Jones initially appeared to tease a stance switch inside the Octagon when he suggested he could give the masses what they want, he quickly reverted back to dismissing Aspinall and expressing a desire to face Alex Pereira when he arrived backstage.
