Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, was forced to withdraw from his highly-anticipated title fight against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 on Nov. 11, 2023, because of a torn pectoral tendon. The injury occurred during training last month (watch it happen here), requiring surgery to repair.
And it didn’t take “Bones” long to go under the knife.
Jones is expected to be out of action for approximately eight months, which means he is unlikely to return to the Octagon until at least mid-2024.
Indeed, it is important to note that these are just estimates, and Jones’ actual recovery timeline could be longer (or shorter). Here is a more detailed breakdown of Jones’ injury and timeline for return:
- Injury: Torn pectoral tendon
- Date of injury: Oct. 2023
- Treatment: Surgery
- Expected recovery time: Eight months
- Possible return date: Mid-2024
- Potential opponents: Sergei Pavlovich, Tom Aspinall, Stipe Miocic
While Jones’ recovery timeline is uncertain, it is possible that he could return to UFC in mid- to-late 2024. If he does, Jones could face several potential opponents, including the winner of the upcoming interim Heavyweight title fight between Sergei Pavlovich vs. Tom Aspinall.
However, Dana White and Co. are adamant Jones vs. Miocic happens … and are willing to put Miocic on ice until Jones is recovered.
Nevertheless, UFC’s Heavyweight division is constantly evolving, so the list of potential opponents could change in the months leading up to Jones’ return. He is one of the most talented fighters in the world — perhaps the greatest of all-time — and he has a long history of success inside the Octagon.
But, we doubt it.
That’s because he has admittedly very little (if any) interest in competing against the new generation of Heavyweight contenders (like Aspinall).
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This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
