Tom Aspinall took care of enterprise. Once more.
Now the ball is in Jon Jones’ court docket.
Within the co-main occasion of UFC 204 on Saturday in Manchester, England, Aspinall authored an emphatic protection of his interim heavyweight title by defeating Curtis Blaydes through first-round knockout. Not solely did Aspinall avenge a fluke damage loss to Blaydes from 2022, he stored himself in line for a combat with Jones, the UFC champion he has been angling to combat for greater than a yr.
Aspinall assumes Jones was watching and that the very last thing he wished to see was Aspinall’s hand being raised.
“Jon’s the undisputed champion, however I’m the perfect on the planet, if that makes any sense,” Aspinall mentioned on the UFC 304 post-fight press convention. “We all know what Jon’s doing. Jon was there, crossing his fingers and toes tonight hoping I’d lose to Curtis, let’s not bullshit about it. He posted about it hundreds anyway that I’m going to lose to him. That didn’t occur, in order that’s the combat I would like subsequent.”
Whereas it’s true Jones has been vocal about sticking to a beforehand booked matchup with heavyweight nice Stipe Miocic versus entertaining a combat with Aspinall, “Bones” was surprisingly absent from social media following Aspinall’s UFC 304 win.
Aspinall assumed Jones had chimed in by night time’s finish, however even when Jones doesn’t remark anytime quickly, Aspinall feels their potential matchup already has loads of steam behind it.
“I didn’t know that we hadn’t [heard from Jones], I’m positive we are going to at some stage,” Aspinall mentioned. “He’ll be very offended about it or the truth that everybody’s saying that I can beat him, however that’s OK. Quite the opposite to what Jon Jones fanboys may assume, I’ve nothing in opposition to Jon Jones as an individual. I believe I’m the perfect heavyweight on the planet and if he thinks he’s the perfect heavyweight on the planet, let’s settle it. Easy as that. It’s not rocket science. There’s two guys who’re claiming to be the perfect heavyweight on the planet. Let’s settle it, easy as that.”
“Jon Jones is an odd man,” Aspinall later added. “I don’t know what he’s doing. He does some bizarre strikes. I’m simply over right here making an attempt to be the perfect heavyweight on the planet, be the perfect model of myself. He’s carried out all that. He’s carried out every thing. I’m not taking away from what he’s carried out in his profession. The man’s profession is unbelievable, however me personally, I’m making an attempt to combat folks and that’s it. So I don’t know what he’s doing, I can’t communicate for him.”
Jones has not fought since March 2023, when he dominated Ciryl Gane to win a vacant heavyweight title at UFC 285. He was scheduled to combat Miocic the next November, however was compelled out of that bout resulting from damage.
A re-booking has not been introduced, however all indicators level to Jones and Miocic headlining UFC’s annual journey to Madison Sq. Backyard in New York this November.
Aspinall awaits the winner.
“Whoever wins that one, I’m preventing subsequent,” Aspinall mentioned. “Except they each retire.”
One of many solely different choices that is smart for Aspinall proper now can be mild heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. “Poatan” has received gold at 185 kilos and 205 kilos, and would grow to be the primary three-division champion in UFC historical past if he moved as much as heavyweight and defeated Aspinall.
That’s not Aspinall’s supreme state of affairs, however he could possibly be talked into it with the correct twist.
“They’re saying that Stipe and Jon Jones are going to combat in MSG in November,” Aspinall mentioned. “Why don’t we do a event? We’ll do Jon, Stipe, me, Alex, and do a full-on event. Two fights in a single night time. And let’s discover out who the true heavyweight champion of the world is. We’ve received the perfect heavyweight of all-time. We’ve received the perfect MMA fighter of all-time. We’ve received the sunshine heavyweight champion. After which we’ve received me, who’s only a poxy interim champion.
“Let’s do this, two fights in a single night time, put it to Dana [White]. … I’m truthfully the most important fan of Alex Pereira. He’s one scary man, however would that not be a cool little factor? Two fights in a single night time, let’s see how we get on. I’ve received the bottom common combat time within the UFC and it’s even decrease after tonight. My probabilities of doing alright in which might be fairly good. Let’s put some cash on the desk and let’s see who the man is at heavyweight.”
