A combat of unification of potential heavyweights between UFC champion Jon Jones and the interim champion Tom Aspinall continues to be one of the biggest battles available in MMA in 2025, but the progress to make it appear minimal since the defense of the successful title of Jones against Stipe Miocic in November.
Jones, 37, sent the former champion twice with a third -round KO in their main UFC 309 event, while ASPINALL, 31, sat inactive, looking at the action to take place with the rest of the world and hoping that it would be the next for Jones earlier than later. The CEO of the UFC, Dana White, teased that the “100%” match will occur shortly after, but the months that followed were concern. Sources have told without crown in February that the hopes of the mega-combat began to decrease within the Aspinall team.
However, speaking on Wednesday on the “first take” of ESPN, White again sparked optimism, declaring that he expects Jones to return “This summer.” On Wednesday, one of the managers of Jones in the management of First Round, Malki Kawa, responded to the comments on “The Ariel Helwani Show”.
“Let me tell you like this: we sit in negotiations all day and we are talking about things all day, right?” Said Kawa. “I think that all those involved in everything related to all this wants all these fights to happen. No? I’m just going to leave that.
“I think that (Jones vs aspinall happens) depends on certain things, and if everyone wants or not that these things happen. And if the answer to everyone is yes, and these certain things happen, then yes, the fight will happen. That’s all I will say to that.”
Without saying it directly, Kawa seemed to echo Jones’ feelings after his Miocic victory. The champion said it would take “F *** You Money” to make him fight Aspinall for his second defense of the title. Before the UFC 309, Jones clearly indicated how little he had little interest in the British in full swing as an adversary, and that he preferred to fight the current heavy goods vehicle champion Alex Pereira.
Aspinall, 31, spoke this week His YouTube channel Regarding the situation, reiterating that maintaining its UFC return only depends on Jones. He is happy to compete with any heavy goods vehicle for his next time – as long as it is for the undisputed title.
“I stayed far from the media to talk about Jon Jones because, in all honesty, I’m tired of talking about it myself,” said Aspinall. “Where we are at the moment, I talked about several occasions on the UFC about this fight. I am continuing. I want the fight. I was recorded and I said that I wanted the fight. I was on the phone with the UFC saying:” I want the fight, when it happens? “I want the fight more than anyone.
“What supports him at the moment is his side. This is the truth. The UFC really wants, really that the fight happens. They have told me that. As I said, it is one of the greatest fights that could be made in MMA at the moment. Everyone knows it. It’s just to fight? And that’s where we are there.”
Since Aspinall won the acting title in November 2023, he fought once, successfully defending the belt with a KO of 60 seconds of Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 last July.
(Tagstotranslate) Jon Jones (T) Tom Aspinall (T) UFC (T) Chris Unger (T) Stipe Miocic
