Dana White: Stipe Miocic Still ‘Very Much in the Mix’ at Heavyweight

Before Jon Jones was paired with Ciryl Gane at UFC 285, it was rumored that “Bones” would make his heavyweight debut against Stipe Miocic in late 2022.

While that bout didn’t come to fruition, Miocic took notice when Jones vs. Gane was announced for the vacant heavyweight crown on Saturday.

“March 4 — I like it,” Moicic wrote on Twitter. “I got winner in July.”

March 4th - I like it.

I got winner in July.

— Stipe Miocic (@stipemiocic) January 15, 2023

A two-time UFC champion regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights in the history of the sport, Miocic is nearing two years of inactivity. The Ohio-based firefighter hasn’t competed since March 27, 2021, when he relinquished the heavyweight crown in a second-round knockout loss to Francis Ngannou at UFC 260. The 40-year-old Strong Style Fight Team product apparently isn’t ready to hang up his four-ounce gloves just yet — a fact that was confirmed by UFC president Dana White.

“Stipe is still obviously very much in the mix,” White said at the UFC Fight Night 217 post-fight press conference. “He’s going through some stuff right now that he’s dealing with. The timing just didn’t work for him.”