Daniel Cormier believes Jon Jones will eventually fight Tom Aspinall, despite Jones’s hesitations and the potential risk of being knocked out, as his ego won’t let him avoid the challenge.
Daniel Cormier believes Jon Jones will eventually face Tom Aspinall. It’s been a hot topic in MMA for nearly two years, with fans eagerly awaiting the heavyweight title fight. Dana White insists it’ll happen, but Jones has been cryptic, leaving Aspinall waiting to unify titles. Cormier thinks Jones is grappling with being the “old man” in the sport now.
“Jon’s now a 38-year-old man looking at a 30-year-old who’s bigger, younger, fresher,” Cormier shared on his YouTube channel. “He sees the wear and tear on himself, not on Aspinall.” With Stipe Miocic, Jones saw age, but now he faces a young, formidable opponent.
Jones isn’t scared, Cormier insists, but there’s doubt. A big concern? Aspinall could knock him out cold. “I don’t know that he wants that visual out there,” Cormier mused. Jones has never been knocked out; his only loss was a disqualification. Meanwhile, Aspinall’s been on a knockout spree, finishing his last three opponents in just over three minutes.
Fans find the matchup thrilling—arguably the greatest fighter facing a dangerous challenge. Yet, hope is dwindling. Cormier believes Jones’s ego won’t let him walk away. “I don’t know that he vacates without fighting him,” Cormier said. “The idea that he ran from someone might be too much for his ego.”
There’s a chance Jones could outclass Aspinall. Cormier thinks Jones will take the fight rather than risk the perception of fear. “Even though he could walk away saying, ‘I’m the best,’ the idea of running will pull him back,” Cormier concluded.