The UFC returns to Madison Square Garden on Saturday, November 11, 2023, as UFC world heavyweight champion Jon Jones makes his Madison Square Garden debut to defend his title against former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic.
Jones made his heavyweight debut at UFC 285, where he made short work of Ciryl Gane, earning a submission victory to win the title in just two minutes and four seconds. Jones should have a much tougher challenge in Miocic, who will make his octagon return after losing the heavyweight title in March 2021 to Francis Ngannou.
The UFC holds the Madison Square Garden record with the two highest-grossing events in the building’s history: UFC 205, the first UFC event in New York City, and UFC 281, grossing over $11.5 million in November 2022.
Two-time super middleweight world champion and interim WBC super middleweight champion David Benavidez (27-0, 23 KOs) will battle two-division champion Demetrius Andrade (32-0, 19 KOs) Thanksgiving weekend on Saturday, November 25 in a compelling matchup.
Benavidez, who we last saw dominate Caleb Plant for 12 rounds in March, discussed the matchup.
“This is definitely the biggest fight of my career,” he said. “I give Demetrius a lot of props. He’s a great fighter and a lot of people have been ducking him for a long time. Nobody wanted to give him the opportunity but now we came together and we have the opportunity to make a great fight happen.”
Andrade, who we last saw in a dominant win against Demond Nicholson, added his thoughts.
“This is a great opportunity for myself and for David Benavidez to put on a show. I’m excited. This is a great matchup and David is giving me an opportunity to become a three-division world champion. I’m looking forward to it. We’re ready to rumble,” Andrade said.
Stephen Espinoza, Showtime Sports president, also discussed the fight.
“[Andrade] likes to say he’s the most avoided fighter in boxing but I think both of these guys can make that claim,” Espinoza said. “What do you do when you have two avoided fighters in the sport and you’ve got one mega-fight lurking?” You make the fight, and that’s what both fighters did.
WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will battle former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou next Saturday, October 28 on ESPN+ PPV from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. But the biggest news for Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) is a match against WBO, WBA, and IBF heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) was signed. The winner will become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999. No date has been announced for the fight, but one is certain to be set following Fury’s bout against Ngannou.
Shakur Stevenson (20-0, 10 KOs) and Edwin De Los Santos (16-1, 14 KOs) will battle for the WBC lightweight title on Thursday, November 16, 2023.
