The DAZN MMA Show discussed Stipe Miocic’s chances of defeating Jon Jones when the pair clash for the UFC heavyweight championship, expected to be in July 2023.
40-year-old Miocic is a two-time heavyweight champion while Jones just became the current beltholder with a win over Cyril Gane.
Many regard Jones as the great UFC fighter of all time, and while Miocic has his admirers, Dan Hardy told DAZN that he believes that only Francis Ngannou would be able to stop Jones’ momentum in the sport.
“I think it’s a tough test for Stipe,” he began. “Especially given the fact he’s been out for a while. And Jones looks so dominant as a heavyweight against Cyril Gane, I think he’s going to have a similar performance against the majority of people in the division.
“It’s going to take someone really outstanding to push Jones Jones past the first round at this stage.
“Miocic is an excellent fighter but he does tend to hang on his back foot a little bit which does make the oblique kicks of the lead leg less of a problem but it’s still going to be veryv difficult moving forward against Jones, and Stipe doesn’t really have a heavyweight reach, either , he’s got quite a short reach.
“I feel like Jones has the physiological advances with reach and with speed ,and I think his wrestling is going to be a problem for Stipe because Jones is going to be able to take the fight where he wants it.”
Hardy then identified Ngannou as the man to test Jones in the cage.
He explained: “I think it's going to be an interesting fight for Jones but I don’t think it’s going to be anywhere near what Francis Ngannou would be .
“Ngannou is a physiological problem and that’s the kind of person who’s going to beat Jones Jones, someone who’s going to punch him in the face and put him to sleep and I don’t know Stipe is going to be that guy.”