Dana White Hopeful Jon Jones Vs. Stipe Miocic Happens This Summer

UFC President Dana White has an idea of who Jon Jones’ opponent will be when he makes his heavyweight debut.

It’s unclear when Jones will make a return to the octagon, but White said he sees former heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic as the leading candidate to hand Jones his first fight since February 2020.

“I was just telling somebody the other day, our lineup for this summer is incredible,” White told TMZ. “So I’m hoping Jon Jones is going to be part of that lineup this summer. … Stipe makes sense.”

MMA Junkie reported that Miocic was offered an interim heavyweight championship fight against Jones at UFC 276 on July 2 in Las Vegas, according to an anonymous source.

White has previously said that if current UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is out for nine months – due to undergoing knee surgery – the promotion will set up a fight for the interim belt.

Jones, a former two-time light heavyweight champion, announced he was done in the light heavyweight division and plans to continue to work towards his heavyweight debut.

Ngannou last fought in January when he defeated then interim champion Ciryl Gane by unanimous decision. The champion later revealed he sustained knee injuries weeks prior the fight, forcing his surgery now.

There has yet to be an update on Ngannou’s contract with the UFC, which has been under negotiation for months.