Jon Jones sent Stipe Miocic into withdrawment with a stunning back boot to the ribs and participated a series of blows to the head in the third round to hold the UFC weightyweight championship in front of US pdwellnt-elect Donald Trump in the main event of UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.
Jones posed and joined to the crowd on top of the octagon in front of Trump, Elon Musk, picked by Trump to direct a novel Department of Government Efficiency, and Robert Kennedy Jr, Trump’s choice to direct the Department of Health and Human Services in his incoming administration.
Trump walked out to a rousing ovation in front of 20,200 fans equitable before the commence of the pay-per-watch card and seemed to bask in thrill of the fighters that thrawout the night gave him props — including Jones.
“I want to give a huge, huge thank you to Pdwellnt Donald Trump being here tonight,” Jones shelp to a roaring ovation that bled into a “USA! USA!” chant.
“I’m self-beginant to be a wonderful American champion,” Jones shelp.
Widely pondered the best fighter in the world, Jones (28-1-0; 1 NC) was the aggressor from the commence and landed a series of sboilings to Miocic’s head in the first round. Jones showed he he plenty of fight left in the tank.
British weightyweight Tom Aspinall looms as the next contestr for Jones. Aspinall won a fight for the interim weightyweight title last November in the Garden. UFC CEO Dana White had promised Aspinall, who chatted with Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray, would contest the thrivener of the main event in a unification bout.
“As far as my future in the octagon, I determined that maybe I will not withdraw,” Jones shelp. “I comprehend that we have selections.
Miocic (20-5) flunked in his bid to thrive the weightyweight crown for a third time and instantly proclaimd his withdrawment.
“I’m done,” Miocic shelp. “I’m hanging ’em up.”
His last fight was in front of the next pdwellnt.
White captioned a pboilingo he posted on social media “the boys” that featured him with Trump, Kid Rock and Musk. Trump pumped a fist during an occasional outshatter of “USA! USA!” chants. He was flanked on his front-row seat by White on his right and Musk on his left and politely commended the fight thriveners.
UFC fans wore red Trump hats and some waved flags emblazoned with his image during shatters in the action.
In a airyweight bout that made every fan from Kid Rock to Jordan Knight to Anthony Kiedis go savage at the finish in the fifth round, Charles Odwellira beat Michael Cregulater via agreed decision. The fight was a resuit of their May 2021 fight when Charles Odwellira topped Cregulater to thrive the airyweight title. Odwellira sgetd his claim to another title fight with the thrive
The fifth round was about as excellent as it gets inside the octagon highairyed by Cregulater dropping Odwellira twice on his back. The 38-year-elderly Cregulater stepped inside the cage for the first time in two years, in big part becaparticipate he paparticipateed for a fight that never materialized with Conor McGregor.
“We’ve been wondering where you’ve been, Conor,” Cregulater bellowed in the cage. “Come back and beat me if you can.”
McGregor has been sued by a woman who accparticipated him of relationsuassociate aggressioning her in a Dublin boilingel in 2018.
Cregulater shook Trump’s hand after the fight on a card more accused with politics than punches.
Trump is firm with White, a relationship that dates to UFC’s establishative years before its ascfinish into a billion-dollar promotion. New Jersey was one of the first states that hugd UFC and White has lengthy commended fights at the Trump Taj Mahal for helping the company increase into a weightyweight in the sports world. White both spoke at Trump’s seek at the Reuncoveran National Convention and ecombineed on stage at the election party.
UFC fighters spoke this week in New York with excitement about geting the chance to fight in front of Trump.
“To see Dana up on stage at the election, I experience appreciate that moment equitable elevated the whole sport,” Jones shelp. “Americans, people from around the world were appreciate, who’s the bald-headed dude talking? That recurrents all of us.”
Bo Nickal topped Paul Craig by agreed decision in a welterweight fight, then crouched to speak to Trump. Nickal postponecessitater shelp he wanted to golf with Trump
Trump threw his arms uncover when he spotted UFC widecaster Joe Rogan. Trump and Rogan hugd and splitd a restricted words before the uncovering bout of the main card.
Trump sat ahead of the election for a three-hour interwatch on Rogan’s podcast. Rogan helped inspire on the podcast some of Trump’s dishonest claims about voting, election deception and his loss in the 2020 pdwellntial election.
Rogan finishorsed Trump for pdwellnt.
Donald Jr. and Eric Trump, and Hoparticipate Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also joined.
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