Renowned MMA coach and UFC analyst Din Thomas is beginning to question whether Jones really intends to fight Tom Aspinall.
Many people believe Jones to be the greatest fighter in the history of mixed martial arts. This is mostly because of his work in the light heavyweight class, where he won multiple titles while defeating a number of elite opponents. After a protracted hiatus, Jones advanced to heavyweight in 2023 and defeated Ciryl Gane to win the vacant title. Regretfully, he has only once defended his title, defeating an aged Stipe Miocic in November of last year. Due to his extended absence from heavyweight competition, the UFC had to appoint Aspinall as the interim champion. In 2023, Aspinall defeated Sergei Pavlovich to win the title. After defeating Curtis Blaydes last year, Aspinall has already successfully defended his title once. But ever since he took home the title, he has been demanding a bout with Jones.
Thomas has witnessed enough to question if Jones ever intended to engage in combat.
“Tom’s going to have to defend [the interim belt],” Thomas told MMA Junkie, speaking of Aspinall’s goal of fighting again this summer. “There’s no way Jon Jones accepts that fight [this summer]. He says he needs more time to prepare. It’s not like he didn’t know about this for the last two years. … The more and more time that passes, the more and more I think Jon is just pulling us along and may not ever take this fight.”
“I’m thinking you have to go Tom Aspinall [for UFC 317],” Thomas said. “How do you not go with the heavyweight champion of the world? He wants to fight this summer. I’m thinking you have to go Tom Aspinall somewhere. Now whether that’s Jon Jones, Ciryl Gane, Derrick Lewis – I don’t know, but it’s got to be Tom Aspinall for International Fight Week.
“If I had to put my money on it, I think they convince Tom Aspinall to fight Ciryl Gane,” Thomas added. “We’re two months out [from UFC 317], and I think they’ll throw a number. Tom wants to fight and he’ll be like, ‘All right, I’ll fight.’ Then they’ll throw a number at Ciryl Gane. It won’t be ideal for him, but they’ll throw a number he can’t refuse and he’ll have to take it, and I think it makes more sense that way.”
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