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Fighters competing at UFC 309 are set to wear older versions of gloves, which were initially replaced by a new design that debuted back in June.
No one was happier than heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Jones returns to action in the main event Saturday night against Stipe Miocic. The bout marks Jones’ first fight since March 2023 so his latest appearance was the first opportunity he had to use the new gloves. It turns out Jones wasn’t a fan of the re-design after receiving a pair of gloves to break in and use in the weeks leading up to his fight in New York.
“I’m really excited about the old gloves,” Jones said during 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 glove I had to put on a 3XL. The shape, curving your hands like that, they very uncomfortable for me.
“I was actually really stressed thinking about how I’m going to go into fight week wearing these gloves that I don’t even want to train in.”
The UFC ultimately decided to lessen Jones’ burden after he received a call from UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell to inform him that the old gloves would be employed for his fight against Miocic.
While promotion officials previously confirmed to MMA Fighting that the old gloves would return for UFC 309, it’s unclear if there are plans to return to the new gloves for future events.
Either way, Jones was happy to find out he’d still be using the same gloves that the UFC employed throughout his whole career.
“I got a phone call recently, Hunter [Campbell] said, ‘Everyone on this card are veterans, why put a bunch of vets in the new gloves? Let’s give you guys all what you’re used to,’” Jones ssif.
“It was a major relief to my coach Brandon [Gibson], who wraps my hands. It was a major relief to me as well.”