Jon Jones counters accusation that he forced the UFC to make major change to UFC 309… ‘This was not my request’

Earlier this week it was announced that the UFC would be dropping off their new fighting gloves for the upcoming PPV event at Madison Square Garden, just five months after their introduction to the sport.

Due to the fact that the new gloves were originally designed to reduce eye gouging, something Jon Jones already has a reputation for in the fight game, fans quickly accused the UFC of giving in to 'Bones' requests.

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

The old fighting gloves return at UFC 309, replacing the gloves designed to reduce eye stings

Five months after their debut at UFC 302: Makhachev vs Poirier, the new fighting gloves will be replaced by the old design for this weekend's PPV in New York.

“I'm very excited about it [using] the old gloves,” Jones said at the UFC 309 pre-fight media day, explaining how he had had a major problem with the new design as his hands felt tight and in unnatural positions.

“A few weeks ago I was sent a pair of new gloves, I tried them on and I thought they were tight [around my hand] … I used to fit into XL and in the new gloves I had to put on a three XL; the shape and curve of your hand, they were very uncomfortable for me.

The heavyweight champion admitted he was “actually really stressed thinking about how I was going to go into fight week with gloves that I don't even want to train in”, before revealing his sense of relief when matchmaker Hunter Campbell called him to confirm the change.

“I got a call and Hunter said, 'Everyone on this card are veterans, why put the new gloves on a bunch of vets, let's give the guys what you're used to' – that was a big relief to my coach who had the mine hands, it was a great relief for me too.”

These comments certainly did not go down well with fans, many of whom were quick to accuse the UFC of giving in to Jones' requests; especially considering how the new gloves are designed to reduce eye stinging.

This is a terrible sight. Any way you look at it, it appears Jones influenced the decision to go back to using the older gloves for UFC 309 https://t.co/uO0aIbmOgm

– MMA Joey (@MMAJOEYC) November 13, 2024

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You mean the new gloves redesigned to prevent eye pokes won't be used on the one and only card Jon Jones will fight on??? LOL https://t.co/hpTdupJ52X

— OLIVEIRA+RUFFY DUB SZN🇧🇷 (@PoirierGaethje) November 13, 2024

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Jon Jones denies asking the UFC to change gloves for UFC 309

A few hours later, Jones was asked if he specifically asked the UFC to use the old design when he faced Stipe Miocic on Saturday night.

“No, this wasn't it [on] my request, this was brand new news to me a few days ago [but] I'm glad he hit me with it – it was a relief.”

If the UFC didn't change the gloves due to Jones' personal request, why did the promotion make the switch to UFC 309?

While the new gloves were originally designed to reduce cuts, abrasions and punctures to the eyes; they may also have inadvertently led to fewer knockouts being scored.

Data scientist Nate Latshaw recently revealed the results of his statistical analysis, finding that KOs across all UFC weight classes dropped by 8.5%.

The difference was greater in the male divisions (-8.6%) compared to the female divisions (-7%), although almost every weight class saw a drop in knockout percentage.

UFC glove data update ahead of #UFC309

This figure compares KO/TKO and knockdown rates between the old gloves (dating back to early 2023) and new gloves (the last ~5 months), both overall and by weight class.

The results don't look great for KO/TKO fans and… pic.twitter.com/4Tka0oFO7Y

— Nate Latshaw (@NateLatshaw) November 14, 2024

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“The results don't look great for fans of KO/TKOs and knockdowns,” said Latshaw, before reminding fans not to take his data as gospel: “I would still caution against drawing strong conclusions from these comparisons , partly due to small sample sizes.”

UFC 309 takes place on Saturday, November 16 live from Madison Square Garden.

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