Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall: Will the Heavyweight Showdown Ever Happen?
So let’s talk about what everyone in the MMA world is buzzing about right now—what's going on with Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall? It feels like we’ve been stuck in this weird holding pattern in the UFC heavyweight division for what seems like forever. And let’s be real: fans, fighters, and even UFC president Dana White are starting to lose patience.
Here’s the deal—Jon Jones, arguably the greatest MMA fighter of all time, has been inactive since November 2023, when he defended his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic. But instead of facing off against interim champ Tom Aspinall, who has been more than ready, Jones has been dancing around the idea of retirement and teasing on social media. Meanwhile, Aspinall has been holding onto that interim belt for 18 months now—the longest reign of any interim champion in UFC history. The guy has done nothing but ask for a fight to unify the division, and yet, here we are with no date, no deal, and no clarity.
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Even other fighters are speaking out. Curtis Blaydes recently said what many are thinking: if Jones isn’t going to fight, strip him of the title. His opponent this weekend, Rizvan Kuniev, agrees and straight up called Aspinall the real champion. And honestly, it’s hard to argue with that logic. Aspinall has finished all of his UFC wins and holds the record for shortest average fight time. He’s done everything you want from a top contender—he’s active, he's winning, and he's hungry.
But then there's the other side. Analysts like Din Thomas believe this is all just one giant marketing move by Jones. That he's dragging this out on purpose to build hype and keep his name buzzing in the headlines. And yeah, that kind of makes sense too. Because let’s face it: we’re all still talking about this fight that hasn’t even been signed. Thomas thinks the UFC will make a big announcement soon, likely for a blockbuster card in New York or Vegas before the year ends. If that’s the case, the buildup has been genius, even if it’s been maddening to watch unfold.
Still, the UFC can’t afford to wait forever. Dana White has said the clock is ticking, and if Jones doesn’t commit soon, he might just move on. If that happens, Aspinall will likely be promoted to undisputed champ—making history as the first Brit to officially hold the UFC heavyweight title. And then the question becomes: who’s next for him? Ciryl Gane seems like the front-runner. He’s a former interim champ himself and currently ranked second. There’s also talk of Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida being in the mix, depending on how things shake out.
So here we are, still waiting. Will Jon Jones step up and give us the unification bout we all want? Or will Tom Aspinall finally get his moment, with or without the GOAT in front of him? Either way, this saga is far from over—but the UFC needs to make a move soon, or risk letting the whole division stall out completely.
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