One fighter with experience getting the better of Tom Aspinall has explained how Jon Jones could do the same against the interim UFC heavyweight champion.
While Aspinall has remained unbeatable on MMA’s biggest stage outside of a freak injury 15 seconds into his first fight with Curtis Blaydes, his record isn’t totally spotless.
The British powerhouse suffered two defeats in his first six fights as a professional, with the first coming via heel hook submission against Stuart Austin at BAMMA 21 in 2015.
During a recent interview with talkSPORT, Austin reflected on his successful performance against the now-UFC star a decade ago. He suggested that Jones’ path to victory lies in the same realm he was able to dispatch of Aspinall.
“The big thing that hasn’t been tested in the UFC has been his wrestling,” Austin said. “If you want to look back at me, I outwrestled him. Obviously he’s got a lot better since then. He’s been doing wrestling classes, he’s better at everything. He’s better with his distance management. He’s better with his MMA in general. You’ve seen moments like when he took down (Andrei) Arlovski, he did a really, really smooth takedown in that fight.
“But I think clinch and wrestling would probably be the way to go for Jon,” Austin continued. “Because if he strikes with Aspinall, I think there’s only one person going to win that fight.”
Aspinall’s striking has been on full display in recent times, with the Manchester native stopping Marcin Tybura, Sergei Pavlovich, and Curtis Blaydes for three consecutive first-round knockouts.
Dana White is urging UFC fans to be patient regarding the highly anticipated heavyweight unification bout between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall.
Despite White’s earlier “100 percent guarantee” that the fight would happen, nearly three months have passed since Jones’ victory over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 and over six months since Aspinall’s last fight — with no official announcement. This has worried some fans.
The only concrete update has been White dismissing reports of a massive boxing-style payday for Jones, which has done little to boost confidence in the fight’s likelihood. Adding to the uncertainty, a recent Instagram Live video showing a seemingly intoxicated Jones rambling about violence further fueled concerns about his mindset.
However, in his own recent Instagram Live session, White assured fans that the fight is still in the works. Reading a comment from a fan suggesting, “We’re not getting Jon vs. Tom ever,” White quickly dismissed the claim.
It’s possible that the fight is already agreed upon and the UFC is simply waiting for the right moment to make a formal announcement — a common tactic for the promotion, which often staggers its fight reveals.
For now, fans will have to trust White’s word that the long-awaited clash between Jones and Aspinall is still on track.
Jon Jones has no scheduled fights, and Ben Askren advises fans not to expect one anytime soon.
Just three months ago, Jones headlined UFC 309, successfully defending his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic in a long-anticipated but perhaps not highly demanded matchup.
Jones made quick work of the 42-year-old, who subsequently announced his retirement. However, the conversation surrounding UFC 309 largely centered on why the champion wasn’t facing his interim counterpart Tom Aspinall instead.
That fight still appears no closer to happening, and Askren is betting that “Bones” won’t be stepping back into the octagon anytime soon.
“If there were Kalshi odds on does Jon Jones fight again, I believe it would be less than 50 percent,” Askren said on Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel. “I think it would be somewhere around 20, 30 percent that he fights again. I would say if there’s odds, I think it’s less than half that he ever fights again.”
Though Jones has shown little interest in unifying the heavyweight titles with Aspinall, he has expressed openness to a superfight with Alex Pereira, the reigning light heavyweight champion. Pereira has become one of the UFC’s biggest stars, and a matchup between the two champions would undoubtedly generate widespread interest.
Besides Aspinall, the MMA legend’s other frequently discussed opponent is former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. However, Askren believes that fight is highly unlikely due to Ngannou’s current contract with the PFL.
“That one ain’t happening,” Askren said. “Obviously, I was outside of the UFC for a long time, and I always had the desire—yes, I would love to fight these guys—but I’m under no delusion that Dana White is going to do some type of co-promote or something because he just doesn’t do that. So the idea that Francis is going to fight Jon, that’s a pipe dream.”
Askren further argued that a “Bones” vs. “Predator” fight could only happen if Ngannou returns to the UFC. Given that Ngannou left the promotion as champion in 2023 and has since secured a lucrative PFL contract that includes the freedom to pursue high-profile boxing matches, “Funky” doesn’t see that as likely.
“The one thing I wanted to do, I wanted to try to be the best in the world, and I knew I couldn’t do that without fighting the right people,” Askren said. “Francis has already achieved that, so maybe he doesn’t feel the need.
“And Francis, I don’t think he’s lying—I don’t know that it’s debatable—but I believe he made significantly more money doing the boxing fights outside of the UFC. So if you’ve already proven you’re the best in the world, and listen, there was this Jon Jones thing because Jon Jones didn’t fight for a four-year window or whatever, but yeah, you already proved you’re the best in the world, go make a whole bunch more money. I think that’s great, but if he does want to fight Jon Jones, he’s going to have to come back.”
For now, it remains unclear when or if Jones will return to the Octagon. But if Askren’s prediction is correct, fans may wait a long time.
The former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight title challenger Chael Sonnen has defended UFC boss Dana White, claiming Francis Ngannou to be the roadblock in his highly-anticipated heavyweight clash with Jon Jones.
Jones vs Ngannou has easily been one of the most talked-about MMA fights for a couple of years now. However, the deal never reached fruition and differences with White led to the-then UFC heavyweight champion leaving the promotion altogether.
Following his departure from the UFC, “The Predator” explored other opportunities such as boxing fight Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. He also signed with the PFL, becoming their heavyweight champion by defeating Renan Ferreira.
Despite no plans to ever return to the UFC, Ngannou believes a superfight with Jones is still not off the table. In a recent interview, he claimed that Turki Alalshikh, the current Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, could intervene and convince White to cross-promote with the PFL for this bout.
Here’s what Sonnen said while putting the blame on the former UFC heavyweight champ for avoiding the Jones fight:
“Poor Francis was in a world title fight, in the fight capital of the world, in the world’s biggest promotion, where he is going to headline. He was not the champion of the world. He wanted to be. He was going to be given that opportunity. Do you understand? Okay. Because it was at that time that it had already been announced by Dana White, this giant obstacle, that when Jon Jones returns to heavyweight, it will be for the belt. So now we don’t, now we don’t only have an obstacle, it doesn’t even fully have to do with Francis. Francis didn’t even have the belt. He was scheduled to fight Stipe, a fight that Francis had already lost. Like, we didn’t know who the champion was going to be, but whoever it was going to be, we were going to stick to the deal and the plan that when Jon comes up, Jon will contest with that person. It’s important that you understand that, because that one detail, in and of itself, that timeline excludes the possibility that Francis was being picked on. It was an open statement that Jon will contend whenever Jon comes back, if he ever comes back, right into a world title fight. That happened to be Francis. And what happened next? Jon came back. So now we have Jon, and we have Francis, and we’re going to get to see Jon versus Francis. People are talking about it. You’re talking about it. Dana’s already announced it’s going to happen.”
Sonnen, being the company-man he is, believes that White cannot be blamed at all for Ngannou and Jones not being able to settle their rivalry inside the Octagon.
Although Jones first fought at heavyweight after over a year of Ngannou’s last UFC outing, “The American Gangster” believes if “The Predator” had not parted ways with the UFC, he would’ve fought “Bones” instead of Ciryl Gane in March 2023.
“But somebody blinked. That somebody, I would view to be the obstacle in this equation. Do you agree? Because that somebody was not Dana White. That somebody was not Jon Jones. As a matter of fact, Dana White went through with the plan exactly as he had previously stated, which is that Jon went right into a title fight. And it’s important that you understand this, because Francis left. So to make believe now that you wanted to do something, when you were in a position to do it, and so now the only thing stopping this fight is Dana White.”
Ngannou is promising his fans worldwide a big comeback to combat sports. In boxing, he definitely can be a part of big fights like the Fury rematch or a possible showdown against the hard-hitting Deontay Wilder. In MMA, he’ll have the option to defend his title against the top heavyweight contenders in the promotion.
The ongoing tension between Francis Ngannou and UFC CEO Dana White continues to unfold.
After vacating his heavyweight title to explore free agency, Ngannou secured highly lucrative boxing matchups against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua following his UFC departure in 2023.
In his return to MMA, the former UFC heavyweight champion made a statement with a dominant finish over Renan Ferreira at PFL: Battle of the Giants. However, White suggested after the fight that financial incentives primarily influenced Ngannou’s career decisions.
“The Predator” believes White struggles to accept how things played out and even questions whether the UFC boss wants to see him fail outside the promotion. Regardless, Ngannou remains focused on his own path forward.
One fight he still hopes for — but doesn’t believe will happen — is a long-awaited clash with Jon Jones. According to Ngannou, White remains the biggest obstacle in making that fight a reality.
“If you can get past Dana White, it could happen, [but] that’s a massive obstacle,” Ngannou told Sportsbook Review. “But personally, I don’t care. I’m doing well. I’m doing my stuff at my pace. I don’t care. That won’t change my sleep for me.
“Finishing my career without fighting Jon Jones would be OK. I have tried to fight Jon Jones for four years since I fought Jairzinho Rozenstruik [at UFC 249] back in 2020. I’ve been trying to fight Jon Jones, and then they were holding it out like a trap until the moment that I was about to leave. Then they said, ‘OK, here’s the Jon Jones fight.’ But it was bait. I felt they were very tricky.”
Jones looked great out there tonight. Congrats Jonny boy👏🏾 I see you 😉
While Ngannou acknowledges that a fight with Jones would be an incredible spectacle, he has gradually let go of the expectation.
“Yes, Jon Jones would be a great fight, a fantastic fight,” Ngannou said. “I have always hoped for that fight, but my hope and my expectation for that fight has faded over time.
“I have a lot of fights to get a measurement of his light heavyweight career, and I have way less to look at with him as a heavyweight. I think he’s by far the best light heavyweight. His cage time as a light heavyweight was over a decade. At heavyweight, he has two fights. He has barely done three rounds.”
The veteran heavyweight’s return after close to four years away went as many had predicted, with Jones finding a finish in the third round of their championship clash.
During a recent interview with The Schmo, Miocic was asked to pick between the UFC champ and PFL Super Fights titleholder.
“I mean, I’d go Francis (over Jones), just ’cause he is tearing it up, he’s doing great with his boxing,” Miocic said. “I go Francis.”
Ngannou secured a devastating knockout of Miocic to capture the UFC crown in 2021, exacting revenge on the American for the decision defeat he inflicted on him three years prior.
The interview question did eliminate current interim UFC heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall from the equation. The Brit, who has long been campaigning to face Jones, would no doubt put his name into the mix.
Unfortunately, talk of Jones and Ngannou’s competing greatness will likely never be settle in the cage, with the UFC not entertaining talk of a cross-promotion deal with the PFL to stage the highly desired heavyweight showdown.
The rivalry between Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones is one of the most intense and storied in UFC history.
As Cormier climbed the ranks, the rivalry intensified. Jones made disrespectful comments, and Cormier retaliated. The two fought twice for the light heavyweight title, with “Bones” winning both bouts. However, the victories were later marred by controversy.
Cormier has been vocal about his frustration with the circumstances surrounding their fights, believing that Jones’ history with performance-enhancing drugs tainted the competition. The Rochester native failed multiple drug tests, casting a shadow over his wins and raising questions about their legitimacy.
Because of Jones’ history, Cormier — now a UFC color commentator — refuses to consider him the greatest fighter of all time.
“You really can’t deny his greatness, right? Look at what he has done,” Cormier said during the UFC 312 Q&A in Sydney. “The guy has really fought through three generations of fighters. He fought that early generation with (Lyoto) Machida and them. He went through my generation, and now he’s fighting a whole other generation of guys.
“So yeah, of course he’s one of the greatest fighters of all time. But when you do dirty sh*t, you don’t get to be called the greatest of all time.”
“Bones” received plenty of flak for facing the veteran over his division’s interim titleholder, Tom Aspinall. And despite the division still having two champs, there remains no confirmation that they will face one another in 2025.
But could that change in less than 24 hours’ time?
Jones took to X on Wednesday to announce an announcement.
In 24 hours I’ll be making a huge announcement! #Andstill
Fight fans were caught off guard when UFC CEO Dana White made a rare on-the-record ‘guarantee’ that Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall for the unified heavyweight championship would take place in 2025.
Two months later, the fight remains far from finalized.
Talks of this potential bout began after Jones defended his title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November. However, Jones dismissed the idea of facing the interim champion unless he received “f*ck you money” from the UFC, while also teasing retirement. Despite this, White has remained confident the fight will happen.
Speaking to Oscar Willis of The Mac Life, White confirmed that discussions are ongoing. But although the UFC boss previously stated they would get the fight done, he acknowledged that nothing is guaranteed.
“One hundred percent,” White said. “If we don’t get the fight done, we move on and make another fight. But not last night, but the night before, I was up in my room with my people until like 6 in the morning. We’re working on lots of stuff right now. There’s lots of really good sh*t going on right now.”
Negotiations are still underway regarding Jones’ payout, which remains a key sticking point. White reaffirmed that this is the biggest fight the UFC can put together.
“There’s no situation. It’s the biggest fight we can make,” White said. “I know the fans like to mess with Jon or whatever. Jon Jones isn’t afraid of anybody, and Jon Jones will fight anybody. It’s just a matter of getting the fight done now. That’s our job.”
The MMA world is buzzing with speculation over UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones’ next fight. Fans are debating whether Jones should face interim heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall or light heavyweight kingpin Alex Pereira in his next appearance inside the Octagon.
While Jones has been dismissive of a potential unification bout with Aspinall, citing a desire for better pay, the prospect of a fight with Pereira has garnered significant attention. Pereira and Jones have maintained a respectful dynamic, with “Poatan” recently discussing the possibility of a matchup between the two champions.
In an interview with Ariel Helwani, Pereira revealed that he and Jones had previously spoken about fighting, though their conversation was casual.
“I’m the champ, I want to fight the champ. Let’s make the fight with Jon Jones … Before Jon’s last fight, we actually talked about fighting. More random talk, not too much about fighting. [He’s] not a friend or someone I talk with on the regular, but someone I respect. I know he respects me, and there’s mutual respect.”
Pereira believes a fight between him and Jones carries greater stakes and legacy value than a matchup with Aspinall.
“I think [Jon wants to fight me], because of the momentum and the risk. It’s a risk fighting Aspinall. There’s not a lot to gain there; it’s another title fight. But fighting Alex is a much bigger achievement… It’s a bigger fight. We saw the fight [with Miocic] later. It was an impressive win and impressive performance.”
"I'm the champ, I want to fight the champ. Let's make the fight with Jon Jones."
Alex Pereira also shares that he has spoke on the phone with Jon Jones about a possible fight. 👀 pic.twitter.com/uobvrEV7p8
As for Pereira, he’s currently focused on defending his light heavyweight title against former title challenger Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 on March 8.
However, a champion vs. champion showdown with Jon Jones remains an enticing possibility that could shape both fighters’ legacies.
When it comes to the ever-polarizing pound-for-pound debate between Jon Jones and Islam Makhachev, UFC light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith is in the corner of his former opponent.
This past weekend, Makhachev did no harm to his claim to top spot, where he already currently sits in the official UFC rankings. The Dagestani secured a record-breaking fourth successful defense of his lightweight belt and fifth UFC title win at the expense of Renato Moicano.
One man who has long been against that has been UFC CEO Dana White, instead putting forth heavyweight kingpin Jones as the clear and obvious P4P number one.
Interestingly, despite Moicano being a lower-ranked and late-notice replacement opponent for Makhachev after the withdrawal of Arman Tsarukyan, White finally acknowledged Makhachev as the P4P best while interacting with the media in Los Angeles.
During an appearance on Tuesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, though, Smith dismissed that take owing to one discrepancy when it comes to Jones and Makhachev’s record — one “legitimate” defeat.
“I still think it’s Jon Jones,” Smith said. “He’s gone through three different generations of fighters and has continued to win. And again, Islam has taken a legitimate loss and Jon Jones hasn’t.
“I think you take them all and put them in a room, Jon Jones walks out,” Smith concluded.
Makhachev’s sole career loss came a decade ago at UFC 192, where he was knocked out cold by Adriano Martins.
On paper, Jones boasts the same number of setbacks. But the importance of that has long been dismissed in MMA circles due to it coming via disqualification for a now-legal 12-6 elbow against Matt Hamill in 2009.
Tom Aspinall, like many fans and fellow fighters, tuned into UFC 311 to watch a man that many believe is at the very top of the sport right now. Islam Makhachev may have undergone a change to his opponent literally the day before fight night but this didn’t affect him one bit.
The lightweight champion still went out there like it was business as usual and submitted Renato Moicano in the first round. It may not have been the Arman Tsarukyan rematch that people have wanted to see for such a long time but it once again showed that when Makhachev says it doesn’t matter who you put him in there with, he means it.
At 33-years old, he’s now the record holder for the most consecutive lightweight title defenses with four and by earning his 15th consecutive win inside the Octagon, he is tied at second with Kamaru Usman for the longest winning streak in UFC history with one spot to go until he draws level with Anderson Silva.
Another Makhachev win meant more people making the case for why he is the pound-for-pound number one fighter in the sport today. Whilst some may argue that the accomplishments of Jon Jones speak for themselves, others might state that “Bones” hasn’t been overly active or facing the same level of opposition.
It was only a matter of time before Dana White was once again asked about this topic having been very vocal in the past that it’s Jones with no room for debate. After seeing the UFC boss change his answer, Aspinall commented on this during a video on his YouTube channel.
“Now we’re seeing Dana White coming out and saying that he’s the pound-for-pound No. 1 in the world, Islam Makhachev,” Aspinall said. “As we all know, to me, pound-for-pound is a lot of made-up stuff. I don’t look into that. But it’s just funny that he’s kind of jumped ship now from Jon Jones to Islam.”
Regardless of whether or not Makhachev was able to convince anyone else that he is the best fighter in the sport today, Aspinall was happy to see him go out there and get the win. In many ways, it felt like a fairly routine outing for the 155-pound king but that doesn’t bother the Brit one bit.
“Islam did what he was supposed to do: went out there, fought whoever was put in front of him, which is what a champion is supposed to do. Fought a guy that the UFC told him to fight, got the win, and he’s levels above anybody else in that division. He’s going to hold the belt for a long, long time, and that is something that I’m very excited for because I’m a massive Islam Makhachev fan.”
For years, Dana White has hailed Jon Jones as the UFC’s pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter. However, following UFC 311 on Saturday night, lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has finally claimed top spot in the UFC CEO’s eyes.
The recognition came after Makhachev submitted late replacement opponent Renato Moicano in the first round of the main event at Intuit Dome — an accomplishment White acknowledged to reporters.
“Yeah, I’ll give it to him,” White said during the UFC 311 post-event press conference. “Are you happy? Is everybody happy now? One hundred percent, there’s no doubt about it. He’s the pound-for-pound best in the world, and he’s definitely the best to ever do it in that division.”
Makhachev’s victory marked his fourth consecutive title defense, surpassing legends Khabib Nurmagomedov, Benson Henderson, and BJ Penn for the most in lightweight division history. Additionally, it was Makhachev’s 15th straight win in the UFC, placing him second only to Anderson Silva’s record of 16 consecutive victories.
Makhachev was initially scheduled to face Arman Tsarukyan in a highly anticipated rematch. However, Tsarukyan withdrew during Friday’s weigh-ins due to a back injury.
Despite the sudden change, White commended Makhachev for his readiness to compete against anyone.
“Islam was willing to fight anybody,” White said. “He’s stayed active, and he went out tonight and performed the way a guy should on a short-notice fight when you’re the best in the world, and you’re the champion.”
Right at the top of every fight fans’ wish list for 2025 is the potential for a heavyweight title unification clash in the UFC. Jon Jones might be considered by many to be the greatest to ever do it but some still question whether he is the best in his current division.
Interim champion Tom Aspinall has a claim to be the best heavyweight in the world right now and his speed, power and age makes him such an interesting challenge for Jones to take on. The excitement around seeing them meet inside the Octagon has only increased following the comments that have been exchanged between them, specifically on the side of the heavyweight champion who hasn’t been overly interested in the fight.
Fortunately, Dana White is and though Jones has proven to be a stubborn negotiator in the past, the UFC clearly wants to make it happen and that’s a step in the right direction. With Aspinall saying that he has already agreed to everything on his side, there appears to be plans in motion.
White gave the same impression during a recent interview with Jim Rome where he spoke about the fight and his expectations of seeing it take place.
“We’re in the works, we’re talking on it. I mean, I’ve said that I’m very confident that fight happens this year.”
Without having a look behind the scenes, many will assume given the narrative surrounding the fight that getting Jones to sign on the dotted line will be the biggest hurdle. White said that despite this, he doesn’t believe there is a substantial barrier stopping this deal from getting across the line.
“Nothing. Nothing’s holding it up. It’s just a matter of getting it done. You know, this stuff, it’s not as easy to put these type of fights together as people think they are. They take time and we’ll get it done.”
(White appears on the show and talks about the fight at around the 2:37:00 mark)
Interestingly, Rogan claimed on his podcast that he had heard whispers of the reigning UFC Heavyweight champion demanding a staggering $30 million to face Aspinall. He even expressed optimism that the UFC might meet the hefty price tag to make the highly anticipated clash a reality.
However, during a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience, the seasoned UFC commentator shared that he received a call from UFC CEO Dana White, who refuted his earlier statements. Rogan admitted the particular episode was recorded roughly two weeks ago and confessed he couldn’t recall the source who mentioned Jones’ rumored $30 million demand.
“We were talking about Jon Jones and I had heard a rumor that Jon Jones wanted $30 million to fight Tom Aspinall,” Rogan said. “And I did hear that rumor and I did hear that the UFC said yes. But it is not true, Dana contacted me and said that rumor is bullsh*t. So I felt obligated to tell everybody that was a fake rumor. I don’t even remember because we did that podcast two weeks ago, I don’t remember who told me that.”
“Bones” was last seen in action at UFC 309 in November 2024, where he secured a dominant third-round knockout win over former champion Stipe Miocic in his first heavyweight title defense.
Meanwhile, Aspinall has held the interim heavyweight title since knocking out Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 in November 2023. He further solidified his reign with another knockout win over Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in July 2024.
The manager of UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev has a firm take on Jon Jones’ pound-for-pound worthiness.
Debates over the P4P rankings don’t appear to have been left in 2024, with the discussion over who deserves top spot continuing to rage on into the new year.
The conversation picked up when Dana White rejected the official order, which has Makhachev on the throne. For the UFC CEO, the obvious pick is Jones, who returned from a lengthy layoff to achieve two-division glory up at heavyweight in 2023.
That stance has received plenty of pushback, largely down to the Rochester native’s inactivity and avoidance of interim champ Tom Aspinall in order to face Stipe Miocic last November.
Among those unsurprisingly backing the Dagestani’s claim is his manager. And more than just putting Jones below Makhachev, Ali Abdelaziz doesn’t even see a case for the heavyweight king holding a spot inside the top five.
“Listen, Dana all the time says Jon Jones is the pound-for-pound best. I think Dana’s wrong,” Abdelaziz told Kevin Iole. “Islam finished nine of his last 11 opponents. He beat the No. 1 P4P, the No. 3 P4P guy; he beat everyone who is really good in their prime.
“In (Jones’) time, he was the P4P (best). If you say all-time, he might be the greatest (of) all-time,” Abdelaziz continued. “But right now, I don’t think (Jones) is top five. You can’t beat Ciryl Gane and beat Stipe and be in the top five. … Islam right now is the best.”
Jones, meanwhile, has uncertainty surrounding his career. While White ‘guaranteed’ that any return to action would come against Aspinall in 2025, it remains to be seen whether “Bones” and the promotion will agree on terms for the unification clash to come to fruition.
Although Daniel Cormier doubts that UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones will secure his rumored $30 million asking price for a fight with Tom Aspinall, he believes his former rival could still earn a substantial payout for the bout.
The speculation about Jones’ desired payday for a title unification fight began when UFC commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan mentioned the figure during a podcast episode. The clash, which would pit the heavyweight titleholder against his interim counterpart, has been ‘guaranteed’ by UFC CEO Dana White to take place in 2025.
Cormier shared his perspective on what negotiations between Jones and the UFC might entail during a video uploaded to his YouTube channel.
“I’ll tell you guys, as a person who has been involved in big fights, a person who has sold pay-per-views, a person who at his time was at the top of the pay scale in the UFC as the heavyweight and light heavyweight champion, $30 million was literally a world away from anything we were making.
“I remember when I got paid in New York, I got a big bump to take a fight on three weeks’ notice, which ultimately became my salary, and people were astounded with the number. But I will tell you, it was a fraction of what that number that he’s asking for is. It was nowhere near that. But I’ve heard now rumors that the higher-end guys are making more. The Israel Adesanya, the Jon Jones, the Stipe Miocic. I heard that Stipe Miocic made big money for the last fight.”
Cormier believes that while Jones may not achieve the full $30 million, he could still negotiate a lucrative deal to make the fight happen.
“Rogan thinks that the UFC will pay the $30 million to get Jon Jones in there with Tom Aspinall,” Cormier said. “I’m not sure he gets to 30, but if you ask for 30 and you end up with 20 or you get 15, that’s a win for Jon Jones on his way out.”
Cain Velásquez will always be known as one of the best heavyweights that we have ever seen in MMA. Whilst injuries may have held him back at points, the former two-time UFC champion is one of the most well-rounded competitors in the history of his weight class.
At the top of the sport right now, a UFC heavyweight title fight might be the most desired contest that is out there with fans and fellow fighters still clamouring for Jon Jones to face Tom Aspinall in a unification clash. In one corner, you have the consensus greatest of all time whilst in the other, you’ve got the man that many believe is the best fighter in his weight class right now.
One of the biggest talking points surrounding this fight has been whether the Brit has the experience to beat someone like Jones who has been at the highest level for an incredible amount of time. Velásquez, however, believes that it is Aspinall’s predictability that would cost him in this potential matchup.
The interim champion is known for finishing opponents quickly with his lighting fast speed and one-punch power which makes it so difficult for opponents to deal with his timing. Velásquez recently appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show where he said that whilst Aspinall is incredibly effective at what he does, he believes that it is easy to predict meaning someone like Jones will be able to counter this inside the Octagon.
“I don’t think he [beats Jones],” Velasquez said of Aspinall. “Me just watching him, I kind of see his pattern a little bit, and his striking — the way he comes in and strikes. I think Jon sees it too. I think with that, just because, again, Jon, he studies, man. He does his homework. He’s a master at this. He analyzes things. He studies you over and over again. I think just for that reason, he’s going to know what to do. So I don’t think [Aspinall] beats Jon.
“Everybody has a pattern, right? There’s a fight pattern,” Velasquez continued. “Some people disguise it better than others. The simple fact is the way Tom comes in and fights, he does have a pattern that’s somewhat easier to find. He comes in and strikes. And I think you know what we’re talking about — a lot of things come with that. It’s disguising your pattern. It’s throwing fakes here and there before. But when he comes in to attack, he comes in and attacks. It’s 100% full go. He comes in, glides in, lunges in and does his attack. Again, not that it’s not effective — it is. He’s done great things with it. But I think with the type of guy that Jon Jones is, I think he studies him, and he beats him because of that.”
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Błachowicz believes an element of fear is playing into heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones’ apparent preference for his next fight.
And despite the belts still not being unified, “Bones” has frequently pointed to a showdown with light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira as his desired next outing instead.
While some have put that down to a marketing tactic that doesn’t truly reflect how Jones feels about facing Aspinall, one man who had his own pursuit of the Rochester native fail a number of years ago sees things differently.
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Błachowicz addressed the current state of the heavyweight title picture, outlining his belief that Jones is “afraid” of sharing the cage with Aspinall.
“I think (Jones) does this because Alex Pereira is now a big star in the UFC,” Błachowicz said. “Everybody knows him. He knows what he’s doing. But I believe he should fight against Aspinall, but I think he’s a little bit afraid of him.
“Because Aspinall is someone who can really stop him and beat him. I think he believes if he can fight against Pereira, he can take him down, control him, maybe something like this,” Błachowicz continued. “With Aspinall, it will be not so easy.”
Błachowicz looked to be next in line for Jones before he made the decision to vacate the light heavyweight crown in 2020 ahead of a move to heavyweight. The Polish powerhouse later captured the vacant throne at the expense of Dominick Reyes.
The veteran is now chasing a second reign, a goal that was most recently stalled by Pereira. Błachowicz welcomed the ex-middleweight champ to 205 pounds in 2023, losing a close and debated decision to “Poatan.”
Michael Bisping is impressed by the negotiation tactics that UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones appears to be using regarding whether he will fight Tom Aspinall.
Jones is coming off an impressive finish victory over Stipe Miocic. Following the UFC 309 fight last November, UFC CEO Dana White has guaranteed he can make the fight happen this year.
Joe Rogan first noted that he heard “Bones” wanted $30 million for the fight. For ex-UFC middleweight king Bisping, Jones’ plan is coming right along.
“As we know, Jon Jones kind of shied away from fighting Tom Aspinall leading up to the Stipe fight, which was an absolute stroke of genius in terms of marketing, because it drove the demand through the roof, sky high, made it the fight that everybody wants to see,” Bisping said. “Well, guess what? The man is going to get paid properly more than likely. That’s the rumor.”
Before the matchup came to fruition a year on from its initial cancellation, Jones came under heavy flak for facing a veteran returning from a near four-year layoff over his division’s interim champ, Tom Aspinall.
But the Rochester native didn’t budge in his dismissal of the Brit and ultimately had his hand raised as many had predicted, landing a thunderous spinning back kick to the body to stop Miocic at UFC 309.
And while listing his 2024 triumphs in a recent X post, Jones included his victory over “the greatest heavyweight in UFC history,” alongside actions like voting in a presidential election for the first time and traveling the world to spread his MMA knowledge.
Reflecting on the year
•Performed for the President: Had the honor of showcasing my skills in front of our country’s leader. •First-Time Voter: Took part in democracy and voted for the first time ever—a major personal milestone. •Global Traveler & Educator: Traveled to…
In a subsequent post, Jones revealed his plans to decide on some New Year’s resolutions ahead of 2025, a year in which he intends to produce a similar list of achievements.
It feels amazing to look back at the last year and make a list of achievements like that. I’m sure if I spent more time on it, I’d realize just how many things I left out. Now, I’m excited to start writing down some New Year’s resolutions and even more excited to see the list of…
“It feels amazing to look back at the last year and make a list of achievements like that. I’m sure if I spent more time on it, I’d realize just how many things I left out. Now, I’m excited to start writing down some New Year’s resolutions and even more excited to see the list of things I accomplish after 2025.”
Should something UFC-related appear in Jones’ post 12 months down the line, it would seemingly come via a long-awaited unification fight with Aspinall.
While “Bones” has continued to favor other assignments such as Alex Pereira for the new year, UFC CEO Dana White has been clear in stating that any return for Jones would come in the form of a clash with the British interim titleholder.
UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones acknowledges that his storied professional fighting career is nearing its twilight. With only a handful of fights left in him, the MMA star is focused on securing lucrative matchups to maximize his earnings during the remainder of his career.
Jones is coming off an impressive TKO victory over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. Looking ahead, he has expressed a preference for a fight against light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira over interim heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall. He views the potential matchup with Pereira as more financially rewarding.
“Money is a motivator,” Jones shared on Alex Gonzalez’s YouTube channel. “I think most people lie if they said they weren’t motivated by money. But also, I’ve been doing the UFC work just out of love, too. I really love what I do. I really love making money. I really love writing my name down in the history books and being a guy who’ll be able to live forever through the UFC record books. That all means a lot.”
Jones also recounted advice from UFC CEO Dana White that has shaped his approach to career and finances.
“Dana told me a long time ago, ‘Jon, money will never be your issue because I never want you to worry about money. It will always come to you for the rest of your life.’ And it seems like the less I think about money, the more it comes to me. It just starts falling in my hands these days, and I’m grateful for it.”
Looking to the future, Jones has mapped out his plans for the next decade. In the short term, he hopes to compete in at least one or two more fights over the next five years while pursuing other ambitions.
“Within the next five years, I want to win one more fight, maybe even two, and try to make as much money as possible in the UFC,” Jones said. Beyond fighting, he has aspirations to transition into acting. “I’ve always wanted to be an actor. I think I do pretty good on camera, and I’ve done little commercials and things like that. Every time I’m on set, everybody’s like, ‘Bro, it’s hard to believe that you’re a fighter. You conduct yourself just like all of our professional actors.’”
As he envisions his life a decade from now, Jones’s focus shifts to family.
“10 years from now, I just want to be the best dad I can be,” he shared, emphasizing his desire to leave a lasting legacy both in and out of the Octagon.
Francis Ngannou is tired of being asked questions about a potential fight with the UFC’s heavyweight champion, Jon Jones. The two of them colliding in the UFC was a huge talking point towards the end of 2022 until the saga ended with Ngannou leaving the promotion and vacating the title which was later won by Jones.
With the two men now being at the top in different promotions, it seems unlikely that they will face off with another if the UFC and PFL don’t go into business with each other but Turki Alalshikh might be the only person that could make that happen. During an interview with Seconds Out during fight week for Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 in Riyadh, Ngannou was asked about whether a meeting with the consensus greatest of all time is still of interest to him.
From Ngannou’s point of view, he has always claimed that he is happy to compete against Jones, stating that he has never been the one that has stopped it from happening. The PFL star said that he is no longer giving this fight any of his energy because whether we ever see it or not isn’t a decision that rests on his shoulders.
“It’s been four years that I’ve been saying it, I’m confused that people keep asking me this question,” Ngannou told Seconds Out. “It’s been four years! That’s not my problem, I don’t care about it anymore. If it happens, yes, if it doesn’t, f— it.”
It’s not clear what Ngannou’s next fight will be right now although there may be some more clarity on that following his conversations with Alalshikh in Saudi Arabia this week. Ngannou has picked Usyk to beat “The Gypsy King” for a second time on Saturday night and this result could potentially lead to him getting a rematch with Fury following their closely contested fight in his boxing debut last year.
“What I do know for sure is that I want a rematch with Fury,” he said.
“The rematch with Joshua, honestly I felt very off and not very comfortable in that fight,” Ngannou said. “It’s definitely something that could happen, but … I’m not a conspiracy theorist but I didn’t like the Joshua fight. I think things wasn’t right. Nothing was right. And if it’s going to be the same scenario, I’m not interested.”
The former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington made his return to the Octagon this past weekend in Tampa where he suffered his second consecutive loss. “Chaos” was stopped in the third round after the doctor waved off his fight with Joaquin Buckley due to a cut above his right eye that he suffered early on in the fight.
Covington has since disputed the loss despite Buckley producing an impressive performance to end 2024 going 4-0 in the welterweight division. Given his history of being extremely critical of other fighters, it’s not surprising that there were members of the UFC roster that were happy to see him suffer another defeat inside the Octagon.
One of those fighters is the UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones who Covington has a long history with “Bones” expressed his enjoyment on social media via the following post.
Big shoutout to Colby Covington for skipping training to get President Trump ‘ready’—we all appreciate the sacrifice 🤡At least he got to see me win 🫡
During a recent Twitch stream, Covington responded to Jones’ comments on X where he hit back at the champion by attacking him with many of the criticism that he has voiced in the past. The #9-ranked welterweight made reference to Jones’ controversial past and some of the issues that he has faced both in and out of the Octagon.
“Yeah, of course he’s talking about me. He wishes he looked like me. He wishes he had these kinds of looks and was this beautiful and had this much respect. He has no respect. He lost all his respect when he started doing drugs and hitting pregnant ladies. There’s nothing to respect about Jon, he’s cheating his whole career. He’s cheated on his wife, he’s cheating on his taxes so he’s a terrible person. Of course he’s talking about a saint and someone who’s a law abiding citizen like myself. You know, someone that stands for law and order. Someone that stands for the military, the troops, the Trumps. So f*** Jon Jones, he’s nothing.”
Arguably the most anticipated fight in MMA right now is a potential UFC heavyweight title unification clash between Jon Jones and the interim titleholder, Tom Aspinall. It has been one of the main talking points that has dominated conversation throughout 2024 but after Jones’ recent win over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, it still remains unclear whether it will happen or not.
Jones has come under some criticism for the way that he has spoken about the fight and played down the significance of fighting a guy like Aspinall who he sees as just another name. A lot of fight fans however believe that the Brit is the toughest fight out there for the consensus greatest of all time right now and as the interim champion, he deserves this opportunity to challenge “Bones” before he hangs up the gloves.
Curtis Blaydes is the only man to face Aspinall twice in his career and he’s also the only person to defeat the current interim champion in the UFC. After their first meeting back in 2022 ended in just 15 seconds when Aspinall suffered a devastating knee injury, they ran it back at UFC 304 this past July where on home turf, the interim titleholder defended his belt by stopping “Razor” in the first round.
In a recent interview with James Lynch for Sportskeeda MMA, Blaydes gave his thoughts on how a Jones and Aspinall matchup would play out if we do ever get to see it. He believes that (aside from his controversial disqualification loss against Matt Hamill) Aspinall could be the first man to defeat Jones inside the Octagon.
“I would pick him (Aspinall). Like, I would go 55 (percent) him. Obviously, it’s not going to be a landslide. Like, we’re going to get Jon Jones. He’s a legend. He’s got all the weapons. I think one area where Tom can win is just a presence inside. Like, Jon Jones gets away with being able to stand in front of his opponent and just paw and pick at him with the inside leg kicks and the teeps and the jabs.
“(Aspinall) definitely has the speed. He doesn’t have the range that Jon has, but who does? But I think he knows that. I think he’ll get on the inside of that range, and I think he’ll be able to land a overhand. And it’ll probably be early because he likes to blitz. He doesn’t like to wait. So yeah, I think it’ll happen early.”
