UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has reaffirmed his intention to fight Stipe Miocic next, dismissing suggestions that he should instead pursue interim champion Tom Aspinall, and hinting at possible retirement after the Miocic fight.
Jon Jones is sticking to his guns. He’s got his sights set on Stipe Miocic, and no amount of chatter about interim UFC heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall will change that.
He made his stance clear on Twitter. He’s not about to drop his planned fight with Miocic. That fight was on the cards for UFC 295 last November. But then, Jones tore a pectoral muscle. The 36-year-old veteran had to bow out.
With Jones out of the picture, the UFC made a move. They booked Aspinall for an interim title fight against Sergei Pavlovich. It was a move to salvage the pay-per-view, which took a hit when the original headliner fell through.
Aspinall made short work of Pavlovich. Since then, he’s been calling out Jones. But the reigning UFC heavyweight champion is having none of it. He’s got his eyes on Miocic, and that’s that.
Jones put it bluntly. “I’m in the middle of a pretty clear decision,” he wrote. “Stick to exact and original plans, and fight the man with all the accolades or completely disregard all of the Stipe training I’ve put in and fight another potential hype train that may not even be around in three years.
“I am not changing my plans for anyone. Stipe is over there as the best heavyweight ever working his ass off. I’m gonna give that man what he wants, and I’m going to claim another head. Whatever comes next comes next.”
In an ideal world, Jones wouldn’t have gotten injured. He would have faced Miocic in 2023. That would have lined up other contenders like Aspinall for a shot at the belt.
But Jones got sidelined. The UFC decided to introduce the interim title. That decision muddied the waters when it came to deciding the next title challenger. Jones gets why the UFC made the interim title fight. But he doesn’t agree with it. It casts a shadow over his expected matchup against Miocic.
“UFC is a brilliant company, did what they had to do to save the event,” Jones wrote. “But I do agree with you, it definitely confused a bunch of UK fans, got them entitled thinking their boy really is the champion. It reminds me of when [Daniel Cormier] was the ‘champion’ during my absence.”
Jones also takes issue with the idea that he’s holding up the heavyweight division. He’s waiting to fight Miocic later this year, sure. But he’s firm in his decision to make that his next fight. He thinks Aspinall could and should still be fighting in his absence. But that hasn’t happened yet. Aspinall hasn’t fought since this past November when he claimed the interim title in 69 seconds.
“I think it’s great to see the UFC showing such a level of respect to their champion athletes,” Jones said. “I’ve dedicated my entire adult life to the sport, I think I’m allowed to get hurt once. This injury was supposed to take up to a year to heal, but I’m already back in pre-camp, I’m committed to progression.
“And besides, there’s not many people in the heavyweight division right now that are capable of creating super fights. If Alex [Pereira] doesn’t move up in the near future, you’re not really missing out on much. The belt will just be tossed around like usual business.”
Aspinall has said he’s ready to stay active while Jones is out. All signs point to his return at UFC 304, which takes place in Manchester, England, in July. But he remains unbooked.
In Jones’ mind, it looks like Aspinall is sitting and waiting for a title unification bout. He’s not stepping up to face the next contender in line.
“Would you agree that it’s just as selfish to have a completely healthy [interim] champion who is only 30 years old, sitting out and waiting to fight the winner of a 42 and 36 year old,” Jones wrote. “Who literally actually already committed to fighting each other? No one stopping anyone, I’m on a mission.”
Rumors have been swirling that Jones might call it quits after facing Miocic. He’s long targeted Miocic, who holds the record for the most successful UFC heavyweight title defenses (3). Jones sees Miocic as a big jewel to add to his crown. He’s arguably the greatest mixed martial artist in history. After Miocic, there might not be much left to achieve.
“I was talking about retirement after Stipe way before there was an [interim] champion announced,” Jones said. “I would literally be in the same exact position if Sergei [had the interim title]. I love how the UK have convinced themselves I’m afraid of their [interim] champion. Opens me up to a whole new fanbase. They all know who the actual champion is.”
As of now, there’s still no word when Jones may fight Miocic. It’s likely the fight happens in either September, November, or December based on the current UFC schedule. With pay-per-views happening in England in July, Australia in August, and Abu Dhabi in October, the domestic schedule only leaves UFC 306 at Sphere in Las Vegas in September, an expected event at Madison Square Garden in New York in November, and the year-end event usually held in Las Vegas in December as options.