UFC 309 served as the promotion's annual pilgrimage to Madison Square Garden as they served up a heavyweight feast with its main event. In his first heavyweight title defense, Jon Jones took on the most decorated heavyweight ever in Stipe Miocic. Michael Chandler returned to the Octagon after a two-year layoff to face Charles Oliveira in a rematch as well, as drama and stakes loomed large atop the card. Did it deliver?
You bet.
After each pay-per-view, we break down and assess the quality of each fight and the fight card as a whole based on skill displayed, competitiveness and what is at stake. Andreas Hale looks at all 12 fights of UFC 309 and gives a grade to the card.
Heavyweight: Jon Jones (c) vs. Stipe Miocic
Result: Jones def. Miocic by third-round TKO
Grade: B-
Jones had minimal issues dealing with the man recognized as the most decorated heavyweight in UFC history. The problem was that Miocic didn't resemble the fighter who defended the heavyweight championship a record three consecutive times. The 42-year-old version of Miocic was slow and unsure of himself. Jones easily picked him apart before drilling him with a spinning back kick to finish the job in the third round. Jones was dominant, but Miocic offered little resistance in his first title defense.
Lightweight: Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler
Result: Oliveira def. Chandler by unanimous decision
Grade: B-
For 21 minutes, Charles Oliveira dominated Michael Chandler. He won the striking exchanges, routinely put Chandler on his back and controlled the action when the fight hit the canvas. Then the fifth round happened, which probably saved Chandler from ridicule and restored a potential showdown with Conor McGregor. Chandler slammed a right hand into a tiring Oliveira and pursued a finish on the ground as the crowd roared their approval. But "Do Bronx" was resilient, weathered the storm and took Chandler's back with 90 seconds left. Chandler couldn't shake him off as the fight ended, but the spirited effort made the final round worth watching.
Middleweight: Bo Nickal vs. Paul Craig
Result: Nickal def. Craig by unanimous decision
Grade: F
Nickal not shooting for a takedown wasn't on anyone's bingo card heading into this fight. Instead, Nickal stood with Craig for three uneventful rounds. The crowd hated it, Craig hated it and there isn't much of a reason to go out of your way to watch this fight. Nickal won, but he certainly didn't wow anybody. You can pass.
Women's Flyweight: Viviane Araujo vs. Karine Silva
Result: Araujo def. Silva by unanimous decision
Grade: C
This was strangely entertaining due largely to Silva stalking her opponent for the first two rounds. Between punching Araujo in the face and threatening an anaconda choke, Silva looked incredibly strong early. But just when it felt like Silva would walk Araujo down and finish the job, she ran out of gas. It led to a lackluster final round where Araujo did enough to win.
Catchweight (165 lb): Mauricio Ruffy vs. James Llontop
Result: Ruffy def. Llontop by unanimous decision
Grade: B-
Ruffy has a remarkable set of offensive weapons, making him one of the fastest-rising fighters in the UFC. Against Llontop -- who missed weight heading into the fight -- Ruffy opened the toolbox, put on his hard hat and went to work. Llontop refused to stop coming forward and forced Ruffy to deal with some adversity, but this was a Ruffy showcase against a big and formidable opponent. Ruffy couldn't get the finish but his arrow is pointing straight up in the lightweight division.
Bantamweight: Jonathan Martinez vs. Marcus McGhee
Result: McGhee def. Martinez by unanimous decision
Grade: C
This fight gets an average grade due to Martinez's negative Octagon IQ. McGhee did what was expected by pressing forward and launching his heavy hands at his opponent. But Martinez didn't unleash his signature leg kicks until late in the second round. When he did, he badly damaged McGhee's lead leg. Instead of attacking the compromised leg in the third round, Martinez clinched and stunningly let the fight get away from him. This was frustrating to watch.
Lightweight: Jim Miller vs. Damon Jackson
Result: Miller def. Jackson by first-round submission
Grade: B-
It's almost always a good time when Miller fights and UFC 309 was no different. The 41-year-old picked up his record 27th UFC win by snatching up a guillotine choke when Jackson recklessly left his neck open in the first round. Miller continues to add to his career, and it doesn't appear he will stop anytime soon. It's worth checking out because that guillotine definitely made Dustin Poirier proud.
Lightweight: David Onama vs. Roberto Romero
Result: Onama def. Romero by unanimous decision
Grade: B
Romero had no business doing what he did in this fight. He accepted the fight on less than a week's notice and made some noise in his UFC debut by nearly pulling off the massive upset. Onama steadied the ship after almost being knocked out in the opening round and came back to win a fun fight. The first round is a must-watch and the rest is worth checking out, especially Onama's stellar striking prowess.
Heavyweight: Marcin Tybura vs. Jhonata Diniz
Result: Tybura def. Diniz by second-round TKO
Grade: C+
Tybura appeared to be content with using his wrestling to ground the decorated kickboxer. But then he pivoted late in the second round and unleashed an assault of elbows that destroyed Diniz's face and led to the doctors stopping the fight before the third round. The fight turned on a dime, and if you like a horror movie, check out this finish. The conclusion is not for the squeamish.
Welterweight: Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Mickey Gall
Result: Brahimaj def. Gall by first-round KO
Grade: B
Brahimaj-Gall was a competitive striking matchup until it wasn't. Gall had demonstrated improvement in the striking department over the past few fights and sought to put it all together and end his four-fight losing streak. Brahimaj had other plans, as he snuck in a right hand during an exchange that slumped Gall and finished the fight. It was an impressive performance from Brahimaj, who collected his first knockout in his UFC tenure.
Welterweight: Oban Elliott vs. Bassil Hafez
Result: Elliott def. Hafez by third-round KO
Grade: C+
You may be lulled to sleep by Elliott methodically chipping away at Hafez for the first two rounds. However, we were all awakened once "The Welsh Gangster" unleashed a right hand that caught Hafez flush in the third round. It went 0 to 100 real quick as Elliott violently slammed hammerfists into Hafez's head before the referee stopped the fight at the 40-second mark. Excellent finish. It just took a while to get there.
Women's Flyweight: Eduarda Moura def. Veronica Hardy
Result: Moura def. Hardy by unanimous decision
Grade: D
Aside from Moura looking gigantic across from Hardy, there wasn't much to write home about. Moura's takedowns and head strikes got the job done, but she never stepped on the gas at any point in the fight to put a stamp on the win. You aren't missing anything if you decide to skip it.
UFC 309 fight card grade: C
As a whole, UFC 309 underwhelmed. Very few fights were competitive and there was an overall lack of excitement from the outcomes. There wasn't a single fight on the card that I'd suggest you go out of your way to see. With so little drama and several fights that looked better on paper than in practice, the UFC's return to Madison Square Garden didn't produce the fireworks of previous cards at the historic arena.