UFC 309: Jon Jones stops Stipe Miocic to retain heavyweight title in front of Donald Trump

 (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Jon Jones stopped Stipe Miocic with a spinning back kick to retain his UFC heavyweight title in front of Donald Trump in New York.

Jones dropped Miocic in the third round to cement his stats as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time.

With American president-elect Trump watching octagon-side, 37-year-old American Jones imitated his campaign-trail dance as he celebrated.

Trump sat alongside Elon Musk and some of his cabinet picks.

Jones looked fully in control throughout the main event at Madison Square Garden and finished Miocic with a spinning back kick to the body that left him on the canvas clutching his ribs.

American president-elect Donald Trump was watching octagon-side (AFP via Getty Images)
American president-elect Donald Trump was watching octagon-side (AFP via Getty Images)

“That body shot man, no matter how tough you are, the liver's the liver,” a jubilant Jones said in the cage following his victory.

After a cautious opening minute, Jones took Miocic down with a superbly timed trip and trapped him before raining down elbows as he dominated the rest of the round.

Keen not to get taken down again, Miocic was hesitant as he tried to manage the distance, but Jones was able to measure strikes to the body from his southpaw stance to keep Miocic on the back foot.

Jones finished Miocic with a spinning back kick to the body (AFP via Getty Images)
Jones finished Miocic with a spinning back kick to the body (AFP via Getty Images)

Miocic enjoyed some success early in the third round, but once again Jones was able to work out the puzzle, connecting with a couple of punches late in the round before his creative rotating kick ended the bout.

In the aftermath, 42-year-old former champion Miocic said he was retiring from the sport.

In the co-main event, Brazil's Charles Oliveira defeated Michael Chandler by unanimous decision to put his name back in contention for a crack at the lightweight title he was stripped of for missing weight in May 2022.

Additional reporting: Reuters