Jon Jones shook hands with Stipe Miocic following Thursday’s criticism in the final showdown ahead of the pair’s heavyweight title fight at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday.

Jones, 37, refused to shake hands with American compatriot Miocic at Thursday’s press conference, but accepted the gesture in front of cheering fans at the weigh-ins.

Defending champion Jones weighed 237.6 pounds, 11 pounds lighter than the 42-year-old Miocic.

Introduced by UFC commentator Joe Rogan as the “GOAT,” Jones said, “Tomorrow is a great opportunity to showcase this gift that God has given me. I’m super excited, I feel great. And I still do.”

The fighters weighed in on the same scales used for boxing icon Muhammad Ali’s famous fight with Joe Frazier at Madison Square Garden in 1974.

The scales were removed from a museum especially for the event, which the UFC says will host the biggest heavyweight fight in the promotion’s history.

Jones stayed behind after the weigh-ins – the only fighter to do so – as he posed for photos, waved to the crowd and jokingly stood on stage with fans.

Miocic left curtly after saying, “It’s finally time. And new.’

There was no sign of interim champion and backup fighter Tom Aspinall, who revealed on Friday he had been excluded from Thursday’s press conference.

Aspinall has dominated the narrative during fight week, with an increasingly irritated Jones repeating to the media that he will not fight the Brit because “it does nothing for my legacy”.

Aspinall, 31, outweighed Jones and Miocic on Friday morning at 254.8 pounds (18st 2 pounds).

Aspinall stepped in a year ago and defeated Russian Sergei Pavlovich for the interim title, after an injury forced Jones out of his original fight with Miocic.

But instead of scheduling a unification title fight, Jones was rebooked against the 42-year-old Miocic.

Jones, who became the youngest UFC champion in the company’s history at the age of 23, is aiming to defend his heavyweight title for the first time after defeating Ciryl Gane for the title in 2023.

A former light heavyweight titleholder, Jones holds the record for championship fights (15) and has lost just once in 29 fights – a disqualification against Matt Hamill in 2009.

Miocic, who has not fought since being knocked out by Francis Ngannou in 2021, is aiming to become the UFC’s first three-time heavyweight champion.

Analysis – ‘aftermath as intriguing as the fight itself’

The main event isn’t as enticing as it was about five years ago, when Jones first hinted at a move up to heavyweight to take on Miocic, but it’s still a fascinating matchup.

At 37, Jones is the favorite to win, while questions loom as to whether Miocic’s powers have waned at 42.

What will happen in the aftermath of the fight is just as intriguing as how the fight itself will play out.

Both fighters have hinted at retirement, although Jones has indicated he would stay on for a superfight with light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira if he were to win.

However, UFC president Dana White has said the winner will face Aspinall – the man Jones has repeatedly said he is not willing to fight.

Aspinall has tried to lure Jones into a unification fight, much to the American’s chagrin, but would the UFC be able to make the fight happen?

The curveball is if Miocic wins, handing Jones’ first defeat in 15 years and becoming a three-time UFC heavyweight champion.

Would Miocic continue with his plans to retire, elevating Aspinall to undisputed champion, or would he be lured into a unification fight with the Brit?

These questions have been hanging over the UFC heavyweight division for over a year now after Aspinall won the interim title, but in just one day we will finally have the answers.

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