Jones, 37, submitted Ciryl Gane in the first round of his most recent UFC appearance in March 2023 to capture the vacant UFC heavyweight title in his divisional debut. Prior to that, Jones was a longtime UFC light heavyweight champion who held the belt under multiple reigns.

UFC 309 marks the promotion's annual return to Madison Square Garden, featuring a stacked card befitting the iconic venue. The co-main event sees a lightweight rematch between Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler, adding further intrigue to an already compelling night of fights.