Tom Aspinall wants nothing more than to unify the UFC heavyweight title in a fight against Jon Jones, but he has virtually given up all hope of this ever happening.
Despite his remarkable run in the UFC with eight wins and only one opponent who has even made it to the second round, Aspinall suddenly finds himself on the sidelines, clinging to his interim heavyweight title. While he waits, Jon Jones is preparing to defend his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic. The fight is expected to take place in November at Madison Square Garden in New York.
What makes matters worse is that Jones may ultimately decide to quit the sport if he beats Miocic. And while it could cement Aspinall’s position as the UFC’s undisputed heavyweight champion, he prefers to prove it in the cage.
“There is no public statement from him anywhere that he will fight me,” Aspinall said of Jones on the Believe me Podcast. “There is no such thing. I challenge anyone who sees this interview to find the statement, quote, a video of Jon Jones saying he’s going to fight me after he fights Stipe. There is no such thing. The guy is smart, and we know he’s been a little overweight lately. The guy was sitting there with the Cheeto fingers or whatever, Doritos on his fingers and his iPhone in his hand, waiting for me to get knocked out (by Curtis Blaydes) so he could start tweeting about it.
“Let’s be honest: Since I won the fight, he’s been completely silent. He’s going to continue to be completely silent about me until he retires. Because there’s no way he’s going to fight me. No way. I’m going to retire Jon Jones without even having fought him.”
Of course, Jones has made comments about Aspinall in the past, but he has mainly stated that a fight against a legend like Miocic simply means more to his career and legacy, which is why he has been so open about pursuing this fight.
Miocic is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time and holds the record for most title defenses in that division in UFC history with three consecutive title defenses. However, Miocic just turned 42, is fresh off a knockout loss to Francis Ngannou, and hasn’t fought since March 2021.
The fact that Jones prefers this fight to a possible showdown against Aspinall tells the current interim UFC champion everything he needs to know.
“They don’t f***ing deserve to fight for the heavyweight title,” Aspinall said. “These guys are not the best in the heavyweight division right now. Dana White and everybody else can say what they want, these guys are not the best heavyweights in the world right now.”
“I’m not saying they didn’t have great careers, because I idolize those guys. I want to have a career like that. That’s what I want to do with my life, that’s what they did, but right now they’re not the best. Right now they’re definitely not the best, so let’s stop talking all that nonsense like they are.”
The biggest obstacle to Aspinall getting to Jones is probably not Miocic, but UFC CEO Dana White.
Over the past few months, White has consistently expressed that he believes Jones is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport and the greatest mixed martial arts fighter of all time, and that he wants to give him the courtesy of seeking a fight against another legend like Miocic.
While this would fulfill Jones’ greatest wish, Aspinall scoffs at the idea that this would somehow prove that he is the best heavyweight in the UFC.
“The way I look at it, I’m the best heavyweight in the world and I’m not getting the recognition for it,” Aspinall said. “They’re holding the belt hostage and Jon Jones loves it. He loves the fact that Dana White comes on every possible interview – you talk about bantamweights and Dana White turns the tables and starts talking about how good Jon Jones is! If he’s that good, let’s fight. I’m the No. 1 heavyweight in the world right now. Let’s put it all on the line and see who’s the best, me or Jon? It’s that simple.
“I’m the best fighter in the world, the best heavyweight in the world right now, and Jon Jones is not, and I’m ready to prove it, and he’s not. That’s what I’m about. I want to be the best heavyweight in the world.”
As his frustration mounts, Aspinall revealed that he is expected to step in as a replacement fighter for the Jones-Miocic fight later this year. If he does get the call to face either man in November, Aspinall vowed, “If I have to, I will step in and beat either man within the hour.”
If the Jones-Miocic fight goes off without incident, Aspinall has accepted that he may have to go through an entire training camp without the reward of a fight, but that is a risk he is willing to take.
In his eyes, it’s just further proof that he’s willing to do what Jones doesn’t want to do.
“I’m the heavyweight, not him – me,” Aspinall said. “I want to be recognized as the best. I have the real belt. I’m the one defending it. He’s defending against a 42-year-old Stipe Miocic with a million miles on the clock. If you want to be the real man, you have to fight me.”
