Jon Jones, after successfully defeating Stipe Miocic with a third-round TKO at UFC 309, remains adamant about not wanting to fight interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. Despite Aspinall’s fervent desire for a match-up with Jones, the reigning champion has labeled Aspinall as “an asshole” and dismissed the idea of fighting him. Jones has even stated he would prefer to vacate his heavyweight title rather than give Aspinall a chance to compete for it.
UFC CEO Dana White, however, views a potential Jones-Aspinall bout as an immense opportunity. White believes that it could become the biggest heavyweight fight in UFC history, citing the excitement and anticipation surrounding such a matchup. He expressed confidence that the UFC would ensure Jones is well-compensated in order to facilitate the fight, although he did not disclose specific figures.
Interestingly, current betting odds show Jones as a slight underdog for this potential clash, a position he has not found himself in since early 2009. White is enthusiastic about this shift and believes that being seen as an underdog might add an intriguing dynamic to Jones’ approach in the octagon.
Jones’ performance against Miocic only reinforced White’s opinion of him, describing Jones as possessing an extraordinary fight IQ, likening him to “Elon Musk” due to his strategic brilliance in the ring. As the situation develops, fans are hopeful for a resolution that could lead to a jaw-dropping face-off between these two talented fighters.
Overall, while Jon Jones may not be on board with the idea of facing Aspinall just yet, the support from Dana White indicates that there remains a strong possibility for this much-anticipated fight to eventually happen, leaving fans excited for what’s to come in the heavyweight division.