Jonathan Jones doesn’t mince words these days when discussing the topic of Tom Aspinall. As the current title holder in the UFC heavyweight division, Jones vehemently dismissed the prospect of a unification match with Aspinall, who holds the interim heavyweight champion title from England. His decree transpired during the press briefings leading up to his anticipated UFC 309 title bout against ex-champion Stipe Miocic. Aspinall’s rise to the top has cast a daunting shadow over Jones’ rule in 2024 and became more imminent after Aspinall defended his interim title with a swift one-minute knockout against Curtis Blaydes.
Jones minced no words in the build-up to UFC 309 confirming that his post-victory roadmap contains two possible scenarios: He will either face-off against Alex Pereira, the light heavyweight champion with whom he might share his career’s last match or bid adieu to his illustrious MMA journey. In this decision, Jones explicitly directs the blame toward Aspinall. As per Jones, his issue with Aspinall stems from a fundamental lack of respect and courtesy exhibited towards him.
Pereira, on the contrary, is perceived as a respectful individual by Jones, who doesn’t speak much, signifying a valuable partner for conducting business. Jones expressed his willingness to take on considerable risks when dealing with someone like Pereira, who also happens to boast a decorated achievement list that lends credibility to his features. Jones’ formidability is well-documented and has its own significant weight. A native of New York city, Jones defended the UFC light heavyweight title in eleven successive rounds during his multiple stints between 2011 and 2020.
He then shifted towards the heavyweight category and managed to seize the vacant title with an impressive first-round submission against Ciryl Gane in March 2023. This switch was decided upon the departure of the then-champion Francis Ngannou from the UFC. Despite a personal trail filled with rampant controversies and drug test infringements, no one has ever truly managed to overcome Jones inside the cage; his lone defeat came in 2009 owing to a disqualification for an arguable elbow usage legality that was eventually discontinued.
Jones confirmed this Wednesday that he is prepared to let go of the heavyweight title post-UFC 309 if the absence of the title expedites a match with Pereira, the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion. Aspinall, aged 31, has been almost indomitable in the UFC heavyweight category since his admissions in 2020. Aspinall, the heavyweight from the United Kingdom, holds a commendable 8-1 record under the UFC’s sponsorship, all eight victories ended in initial or second round stoppages.
He effectively avenged his sole defeat – a swift 15-second failure due to an injury caused by Blaydes during his interim title defense conducted in August. Aspinall took home the interim belt after a first-round knockout against Sergei Pavlovich in UFC 295, substituting for Jones on short-term notice owing to a shoulder injury; the event was originally scheduled to headline Jones and Miocic before the injury. He is currently in New York to potentially serve as a substitute fighter for UFC 309.
It seems quite evident though, post Wednesday’s announcements, that Aspinall will never go up against Jones. Jones acknowledges the potential hurdles that Tom Aspinall could pose. Nevertheless, he firmly stands on his stance that overcoming Aspinall wouldn’t bring about any monumental changes to his already illustrious career. What really enthuses Jones is the prospective match against Stipe.
Should that arrangement fail to happen, Jones expressed an interest in engaging Alex Pereira in combat. Regardless, he remains open to the UFC making the final call on his potential opponent. In summary, the course of Jones’ career will follow one of the two routes – a potential career-defining fight against Alex Pereira or simply, stepping away from his remarkable MMA career. The crux of the matter is, Jones displays a clear disinterest in engaging with Tom Aspinall.