In what was a vintage Jon Jones performance, the heavyweight crown stayed atop the head of the G.O.A.T. after a master class against the most accomplished heavyweight champion in UFC history, Stipe Miocic. Jones picked apart the former two-time champion for as long as the fight lasted, but questions still linger, mostly in the form of interim champion Tom Aspinall. That said, “Bones” is also entertaining a fight against a particular Brazilian knockout artist.
This is where we stand in the heavyweight division.
Champion: Jon Jones
Last Fight: TKO Win vs Stipe Miocic (11/16/2024)
Next fight: N/A

Outlook: After a cameo at heavyweight in his submission win versus Ciryl Gane, MMA fans got a full sampler plate of Jon Jones, The Heavyweight, at UFC 309. The result? The same as virtually every other one of his fights. Jones dominated the space, pace and action in each moment of the fight. His offensive arsenal was the big standout as he utilized all of his varied arsenal on Miocic until he uncorked a gorgeous spinning back kick to the body that crumpled Miocic. Afterward, Jones seemed to brush off an incoming fight with Tom Aspinall, instead expressing his desire to fight Alex Pereira. Whether the UFC grants him that fight instead of one against the defending interim champion is up in the air, but Jones reminded any wayward doubters that he is still as good as he has ever been.

Outlook: Aspinall weighed in as the backup at UFC 309, but his shot at Jones is still yet to come. UFC CEO Dana White did express his ultimate interest in an Aspinall-Jones matchup to unify the title, saying it is the clear fight to make in the UFC 309 post-fight press conference. It’s the only real fight that makes sense for Aspinall, but if Jones decides to dangle the carrot further down the road, Aspinall could defend his interim title for a second time over the winner between Ciryl Gane and Alexander Volkov.
2) Ciryl Gane
Last Fight: TKO Win vs Sergei Spivac (9/2/2023)
Next fight: vs Alexander Volkov (12/7/2024)

Outlook: Gane’s year-plus away from the Octagon hasn’t done anything to dissuade people of his quality and place in the heavyweight title picture. If he snags a second win over the resurgent Alexander Volkov, he’ll cement himself as the third-best heavyweight in the world at present. Amidst the noise for a fight between Jones and Aspinall, it’s easy to forget about the buzz for a potential Gane-Aspinall fight at some point. That matchup should feature a tantalizing display of speed and technique, but Gane must first defend his spot in his first fight since September 2023.
3) Alexander Volkov
Last Fight: Unanimous Decision Win vs Sergei Pavlovich (6/22/2024)
Next fight: vs Ciryl Gane (12/7/2024)

Outlook: After dropping two fights against Ciryl Gane and Tom Aspinall, Alexander Volkov went back to the drawing board and got back on track in a big way, scoring four wins in a row. Along the way, Volkov picked up three finishes before outclassing Sergei Pavlovich in Saudi Arabia. One could argue Volkov is in the form of his life as he looks to have a full-circle moment against Gane at UFC 310. Should he get revenge, he could find himself in a fascinating position below Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall.
4) Sergei Pavlovich
Last Fight: Unanimous Decision Loss vs Alexander Volkov (6/23/2024)
Next fight: N/A

Outlook: After going on a six-fight winning streak (all knockouts) that led him to an interim heavyweight title shot and status as the most feared power puncher in the division, Pavlovich has gone on a bit of a journey. He followed his knockout loss to Tom Aspinall with a disappointing performance against Alexander Volkov. Coming off back-to-back losses for the first time in his career, Pavlovich will likely need to defend his spot next time out. That could come against someone like Jailton Almeida, Marcin Tybura or Jairzinho Rozenstruik, but 2025 is a crucial year for him.

Outlook: Because Curtis Bladyes has competed in the UFC since 2016, it’s easy to forget he is only 33 years old and therefore still quite young as far as heavyweights go. In 2024, it felt like the full Blaydes experience to date. He halted the Jailton Almeida hype train in emphatic fashion before dropping a rematch against Aspinall for the interim heavyweight belt just a minute into the fight. Blaydes is a no-nonsense type who will fight anybody as long as it makes sense. He just needs fresh faces because he has fought the who’s who of the division for nearly a decade.
In the Mix: Alex Pereira, Jailton Almeida
Outlook: Jon Jones mentioned Alex Pereira several times in the lead-up to UFC 309. The light heavyweight champion has expressed interest in going for a third belt, and a fight with Jones would certainly be massive after his red-hot 2024. A fight against Tom Aspinall would also be must-see TV. “Poatan” has what any fighter would want: options, and he’s keen to cash in on them.
Meanwhile, his Brazilian counterpart Jailton Almeida was able to pick up a bounce-back win over Alexander Romanov at UFC 302 to draw his 2024 record to 1-1. The 33-year-old can regain traction in his run up the division in 2025 if he can get the right fights and get back to his dominant ways.