Jon Jones calls return of old gloves for UFC 309 ‘a major relief’

NEW YORK – The old UFC gloves are making a comeback Saturday, and Jon Jones couldn’t be any happier.

Tuesday, news broke that the UFC was returning to its most recent past generation of gloves for UFC 309 and not the updated ones that arrived in June. That was great news for Jones, who has not fought with the new gloves, and in using them in training ahead of his title defense against Stipe Miocic, had not grown used to them.

“I’m really excited about the old gloves,” Jones told reporters at Wednesday’s UFC 309 media day. “I got sent a pair of the new gloves several weeks ago. I tried them on, and I thought they were tight. I used to fit in XL and in the new gloves, I had to put on a XXXL. The shape curve in your hands, they were very uncomfortable for me.

“I was actually really stressing, thinking about how am I going to go and fight with these gloves that I don’t even want to train in. So when I got a phone call, recently, Hunter said, ‘Everyone on this card are veterans. Why put a bunch of veterans in the new gloves? Let’s give all you guys what you’re used to.’ It was a major relief to my coach, Brandon, who wraps my hands. It was a major relief to me, as well.”

Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) makes his first UFC heavyweight title defense against Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) in the main event of UFC 309  – which goes down in Madison Square Garden. The two were originally scheduled to fight in November 2023, but a torn pectoral muscle pulled Jones from the fight.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 309.