There’s nothing like a fight night at the Garden — at least in theory.
UFC returns to the Empire State on Saturday with UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. The promotion’s annual stop in New York City is headlined by Jon Jones, who will defend his heavyweight strap for the first time against former champion Stipe Miocic.
On paper, pinning Jones against Miocic — the greatest fighter of all time versus the greatest heavyweight of all time – makes for one of the most exciting fights in UFC history. As it’s been put into practice, however, the fight has failed to captivate audiences in a way that fans have come to expect from a main event at the Garden.
History takes place at Madison Square Garden
In its fourth iteration, raised from the rubble of the original Penn Station, Madison Square Garden stands tall amongst the giants of the Manhattan skyline. Passionate fans diligently set aside paychecks just to get in the building, stars flee from Hollywood to pack the celebrity row, and athletes dream of one day hearing their name called in the “World’s Most Famous Arena.” But why?
The promise of a miracle on 34th Street.
Within its striking circular exterior lies center stage for sports history. All eyes point to the center of the universe, where the fans cheer louder and the stakes are higher. Often, athletes cower in the insurmountable spotlight. Sometimes, though, the pressure makes diamonds.
Over decades, the Garden has amassed an unrivaled reputation for housing some of the most unforgettable moments in sport, acting as a museum that keeps on collecting. An impactful performance at the modern-day Coliseum can transform an athlete into an icon, etching their name in the history books alongside the legends that came before.
As the proud home of the Knicks and Rangers, the Garden boasts a ring of banners commemorating championship seasons and retired numbers. The mythos of Madison Square extends far beyond just the hardwood and ice, though, with many of its greatest scenes being painted on a canvas.
MSG is the mecca of combat sports
“Every fighter in the world believes they haven’t made it until they get to fight at Madison Square Garden,” noted boxing historian and analyst Steve Farhood, speaking with the Athletic in 2020.
Boxing built the Garden, both figuratively and literally. Not only has the arena hosted matches for over a century, but its third iteration was paid for and built by boxing promoter Tex Rickard.
In those 100+ years, Madison Square Garden has hosted some of the most significant battles of all time. In 1951, Sugar Ray Robinson met Jake “The Bronx Bull” LaMotta in midtown for their final matchup known as the “Valentine’s Day Massacre.” Twenty years later, the Garden hosted the “Fight of the Century” between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali.
With its foundation rooted in boxing, the Garden evolved into a hub for any and all combat sports. In 1985, MSG offered the backdrop for the first WrestleMania, perhaps the most influential event in the history of professional wrestling. When New York City finally lifted its ban on mixed martial arts in 2016, MSG wasted no time ushering in the UFC.
UFC was built for the Garden
“It is all over! History has been made!” yelled commentator Mike Goldberg after the main event of UFC 205 in 2016.
Conor McGregor – in the first UFC event held at MSG – knocked out Eddie Alvarez in the second round to become the first two-division champion in the history of the sport. After which, he apologized to “absolutely nobody” to conclude one of the most celebrated nights in combat.
After McGregor’s emphatic first impression, the Garden opened its doors to the UFC nearly every November and the arena has become a flagship stop on the promotion’s calendar. Fitting each occasion, the UFC has packed a punch for every visit to Madison Square Garden, stacking their cards with champions, fan favorites, and future Hall-of-Famers.
When coupled with unrelenting star power, the magical environment on 34th Street has produced a never-ending highlight reel that would compel even the strongest opponent of UFC to reconsider.
At the Garden, Georges St. Pierre returned from a four-year hiatus to reclaim the middleweight championship against Michael Bisping. At the Garden, Jorge Masvidal went toe-to-toe with Nate Diaz in the inaugural BMF title fight. At the Garden, Alex Pereira captured the middleweight strap after traveling across sports to knock out his rival Israel Adesanya.
Every card the UFC has brought to New York City has built on the folklore of fighting at MSG, establishing a precedent for excellence and spectacle. As it stands, the top three highest gates — the total amount of money paid for admission — in the history of the Garden came from UFC events.
Jones vs. Miocic won’t live up to past events
In theory, Saturday’s main event should have the same impact as the classics that preceded it. No matter how irritating UFC President Dana White’s persistence on the topic may be, Jones is the greatest UFC fighter of all time. With the exception of a questionable DQ loss in 2009, the 37-year-old is undefeated (27-1) with the most title defenses ever (13) and has not fought without the presence of a belt since 2011.
After dominating the light heavyweight division for over a decade, Jones moved to heavyweight last year where he claimed the gold after a first-round submission over Ciryl Gane.
In the opposite corner, Miocic has established a legendary resume in his own right. At 20-4, Miocic is a two-time heavyweight champ and holds the UFC division records for most heavyweight title defenses (4), consecutive title defenses (3), and most finishes in title fights (4).
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In a recent post on X, Jones explained that he views the matchup as a chance to build on his legacy.
“My journey isn’t dictated by hype or outside opinions – it’s about crafting a legacy that speaks for itself, one step at a time. I’m here to do what’s right for my career and my legacy, with a vision that’s clear and unshakable.”
There’s just one problem — Miocic is 42 years old.
While he may be the best heavyweight ever, Miocic has not fought in over three years in a fight where he was knocked out cold by Francis Ngannou. Jones — who currently stands as a -675 favorite on DraftKings — does not stand to prove anything with a win over Miocic.
Jones should be fighting someone else
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the UFC 309 main event is that the worthy opponent will be watching cageside.
It’s worth mentioning the battle between Jones and Miocic was supposed to occur at the Garden one year prior, but the champion was forced to pull out due to injury. While both fighters waited for the promotion’s return to the Big Apple, though, a 31-year-old from the United Kingdom emerged as the most dominant fighter in the division.
In the champ’s absence, Tom Aspinall captured interim gold with an emphatic first-round knockout of Sergei Pavlovich on the same card Jones and Miocic were originally targeted to fight at.
Typically, an interim belt serves as a ticket to cash in on the champ once they return to action. However, Jones has consistently shaken off the idea of fighting Aspinall, recently telling combat sports reporter Kevin Iole, “[Aspinall] just hasn’t proven anything. He hasn’t done anything.”
On top of winning – and defending – the interim belt, Aspinall holds wins over half of the current top ten heavyweights while producing the second most finishes in the promotion since 2020 with eight.
In his last three fights, Aspinall (15-3) has three knockouts in the opening minute. Not only has he never seen a judge’s scorecard in his 18-fight career, but he’s never even reached the third round of a fight. His average fight time of 2:02 is an all-time UFC record.
“A sitting UFC champion actively refusing to unify their title against their interim champ,” said Shaheen Al-Shatti of Uncrowned Combat. “Maybe this is all a work (if so, kudos), but if not? You want to talk about legacy? That’s the type of sh*t people will remember.”
Madison Square Garden was forged by historic fights with meaningful stakes, wielding the power to propel a fighter into immortality. However, with the champ forcing the illusion of a legacy fight while the true challenger sits on the sideline, the main event of UFC 309 just feels woefully inconsequential.
