At UFC 295, Tom Aspinall secured the Interim Championship in the UFC heavyweight division. In just one round, he swiftly knocked out the rising Russian powerhouse Sergei Pavlovich. Since then, the English fighter has firmly positioned himself as one of the most discussed contenders in the heavyweight category, along with the great Jon Jones, of course.
Tom Aspinall has also not held back in stating his eagerness to go up against the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, Jon Jones. However, Tom has faced a setback as Jones has consistently expressed his preference to face Stipe Miocic, even after a pectoral tear ruled him out of the UFC 295 main event against Miocic.
Tom Aspinall’s frustrations with both Jon Jones and the UFC’s persistent pursuit of a Stipe Miocic matchup are widely acknowledged. These, coupled with Jones’ injury, prompted Aspinall to advocate for the stripping of Jon’s heavyweight title. In response, Bones reacted negatively to Tom’s remarks, dismissing the Englishman’s attempt to influence the course of the UFC heavyweight division.
You’re right. Sorry Jon https://t.co/6JWgipi7Eg
— Tom Aspinall (@AspinallMMA) December 5, 2023
Furthermore, Jon Jones ridiculed the notion of Tom Aspinall trying to shape the trajectory of the division. In a previous exchange on social media, Aspinall had engaged in dry humor with Jones, sarcastically apologizing for his comments. Naturally, this drew a humorous reaction from online fans.
“Americans try to understand the sarcasm challenge,” wrote a fan on X. Another fan appreciated the Englishman’s dry humor as they wrote, “British humor goes hard; we all know he retires before facing Tom.” Another fan pointed out Aspinall’s age as an advantage over Jon Jones, who is nearing the end of what would be a legendary MMA career. “I am sure you can take the old man,” wrote the fan.
Both Jones and UFC CEO Dana White have stated that he is set to confront Stipe Miocic upon his recovery from injury.
Dana White is not ready to strip Jon Jones of the heavyweight title
Amid escalating calls for the UFC heavyweight title to be taken from Jon Jones due to his prolonged absence caused by injury. UFC CEO Dana White remains unwavering in his commitment to a showdown between Jones and Stipe Miocic. The demands to strip Jones of his title have been echoed by newly crowned Interim Champion Tom Aspinall and UFC legend Daniel Cormier.
The controversy surrounding Jon Jones revolves around his extended period of inactivity due to injury. It raises concerns about the legitimacy of holding the heavyweight title. Despite these appeals for decisive action, Dana White stands firm in his decision to proceed with the highly anticipated bout between Jones and Stipe Miocic.
Moreover, even fans would admit that the fight between Jones and Stipe was one of the greatest match-ups of the year and was seen as a ‘legacy fight’.