Ben Askren is fairly shocked UFC CEO Dana White hasn’t switched gears towards a Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall unification bout somewhat than Jones vs. Stipe Miocic.
After Jones withdrew as a result of harm from his heavyweight title protection towards Miocic at UFC 295 this previous November, Aspinall as a substitute competed on the cardboard, knocking out Sergei Pavlovich briefly order to win the interim title. Since then, the bloom has seemingly fallen off of the proverbial rose by way of fan curiosity for a Jones vs. Miocic re-booking, particularly contemplating Miocic hasn’t fought since getting brutally knocked out by Francis Ngannou in March 2021. Aspinall continues to compete — he defended his interim belt with a knockout of Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 — main many to imagine the Englishman is the world’s finest heavyweight.
Askren is now left questioning, why isn’t UFC pushing for Jones vs. Aspinall?
“I nearly really feel like possibly Jon’s acquired some dust on Dana or one thing, as a result of Dana typically wouldn’t put up with the sort of habits,” Askren stated on Funky & The Champ with Daniel Cormier. “He would say, and that is what the UFC is based on the place boxing [wasn’t], is, ‘We wish the very best guys to combat. We wish to see who the precise finest man is. We don’t wish to waste time with shenanigans, we received’t wish to pad information to go to 40-0, we don’t do this, that’s what boxing does. Within the UFC, we put the very best guys in there and see who wins.’
“So the truth that Jon is being — I don’t wish to say, [I don’t know] if allowed is the suitable time period, however Dana’s taking part in alongside, and letting him and Stipe combat. Stipe goes to be near 4 years [since his last fight] by the point they ever combat. … You’ve this younger interim champion, he’s a beast, simply smashes individuals, and the truth that they received’t put them in there collectively — after which there’s this good [chance] that Jon beats Stipe after which says, ‘I’m completed, I’m gone.’ And then you definitely by no means get to see [Jones vs. Aspinall].”
Jones has competed simply as soon as previously 4 years, capturing the vacant heavyweight title towards Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in March 2023.
Askren understands enterprise and placing on the most important fights doable, however in some unspecified time in the future, he argues it needs to be about the very best two guys in a division competing for a world title.
“Dana nearly at all times presses these points with the very best guys, it’s fairly uncommon when he hasn’t,” Askren stated. “Like Sean [O’Malley] and Merab [Dvalishvili], he’s making that occur. He let Sean combat ‘Chito,’ that was one combat, however now Sean and Merab are combating.”
