Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic are eager to book their highly anticipated heavyweight title fight, despite the likelihood that the planned July date may not come to fruition. The fighters had been on a collision course for UFC 290, which is set to headline the International Fight Week in Las Vegas, but there have been hiccups along the way.

Jones took a shot at Miocic, claiming that the Ohio native “dodged” him for the entirety of 2022 and that there were rumors that the fight may not happen in July. While Miocic has promised to be ready for the summer, the delay in booking the fight seems to have resulted in an exchange of words between the fighters.

UFC President, Dana White, appeared to put the blame on Jones for the delay, which led to Miocic re-posting the interview with a caption questioning the narrative. Jones even teased a potential trip to New York’s Madison Square Garden later in 2023 for the Miocic fight, dubbing it his “retirement fight.”

Despite the healthy amount of respect shared between the fighters, the delay in booking their fight seems to have added fuel to the fire. While it looks unlikely that they will fight in July as planned, a later date in 2023 is more likely with Madison Square Garden being targeted as the venue.