Dana White provides update on Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall and who will fight the winner
The heavyweight title clash – to unify the belts – is the fight that many fans want most in 2025
A date for Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall looks no closer to being confirmed, although UFC president Dana White has said he is targeting a summer event for the heavyweight title fight.
Aspinall won the interim belt in late 2023, after regular-title holder Jones suffered an injury that ruled him out for a year. In Jones’s absence, Aspinall even defended the interim gold – an unusual move in the UFC – and retained it, before Jones returned and defended his own belt.
However, Jones’s successful title defence came against Stipe Miocic, whom he was due to face before getting injured, meaning Aspinall has been forced to wait for the standard match-up between a regular and interim champion. Jones’s dismissive attitude towards the prospect of a fight with the Briton has also complicated matters.
“The plan is [for Aspinall] to fight Jon this summer,” White, the UFC president, said on The Jim Rome Show. “Obviously when, where and all that stuff is being determined. My goal this year is to make that fight [with] Aspinall.
“I think that the fight that everybody wants to see right now is Jones and Aspinall, and then there’s no doubt that Pereira could fight the winner.”
White was referring to light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, who defends his title against Magomed Ankalaev this weekend, in the main event of UFC 313.
“The other thing about Pereira that everybody loves is, this guy wants to go up to heavyweight and fight at heavyweight, too,” White continued. “I’m the one that’s actually holding him back on that.
“He wants to [fight Jones]. Let’s see how this fight [against Ankalaev] plays out – if he wins, how he wins, all that kind of stuff.”
Before winning the UFC heavyweight title in early 2023, Jones took a three-year hiatus from MMA. Before taking that break, he vacated the light-heavyweight title, ending his second reign with the belt.
The American, 37, is considered by many to be the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. However, Jones’s career has been marred by numerous failed drug tests and run-ins with the law.
Meanwhile, 31-year-old Aspinall seems to be entering his prime. His sole UFC loss came via injury in 2023, but he has won his eight other fights in the UFC – and all by stoppage (seven in the first round, one in the second round).
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The heavyweight title clash – to unify the belts – is the fight that many fans want most in 2025
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UFC commentator Paul Felder is growing concerned about the status of Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall.
Anticipation for a heavyweight title unification bout between Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) and interim champ Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) has been building for more than a year. UFC CEO Dana White guaranteed it would happen in December, but the latest update from Aspinall was much more grim.
Aspinall, 31, recently stated Jones, 37, is “holding up” finalizing the contest, and claimed he would be willing to take another fight as long as it’s for the undisputed belt.
Jones has claimed in the past that he would be content with relinquishing so the division could move on, especially if he could get his preferred matchup with light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira.
Felder, a primary UFC color commentator and analyst as well as co-host of the “Believe You Me” podcast with UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping, is getting an uneasy feeling about the whole situation.
“I’m starting to get a little nervous for it,” Felder told MMA Junkie. “Now with Pereira getting ready to fight (at UFC 313), if he gets a big win, I think he’s going to get on the mic and he’s going to say, ‘I want to fight Jon Jones.’ If that happens and he gets people enticed about it, then there’s a chance maybe – you know how the UFC is: They want the biggest and best fights. If that seems to be the way that everyone is wanting the fight to go, then maybe that happens.
“That’s a fight that I would love to see, but not when there’s somebody like Tom Aspinall, who is exciting, who is the next generation of these heavyweights, and is somebody that most of us think really could beat Jon. I’m not saying he will, but if there’s a guy out there right now, I think we’re all looking him going, ‘This guy’s got what it takes to be the guy to do it.’ He’s fast, he hits hard as sh*t. That’s the fight we want to see. That’s the biggest fight to make.”
After capturing the vacant heavyweight title with a first-round submission of Ciryl Gane in March 2023, Jones returned from a lengthy injury hiatus in November. He earned a third-round TKO of Stipe Miocic for his first defense, and afterward teased retirement if he didn’t get a fight with Pereira.
Jones, however, slightly left the door open for a fight with Aspinall, claiming he would only do it if paid “f*ck you money” by the UFC brass. Since then, “Bones” has largely remained hum about his future fighting plans.
Although it’s possible fruitful negotiations could be ongoing in private, Felder is struggling to see encouraging signs of progression. That leads him to some bold questions about how Jones is managing the final stages of his career.
“There’s still nothing,” Felder said. “The crazy thing is, it is all in Jon’s corner because he has the negotiating power. He’s the one that can be like, ‘No, I want all this money.’ Where Tom is like, ‘Look, until I fight you and beat you, the ball’s in your court. I’m the interim champ. I’m not the one where I can say I want $25 million to fight Jon.’ Because they’ll just say, ‘No, you’re out, there’s this other guy that can jump in.’ It really is all on Jones and I’m just starting to worry that maybe – I don’t ever want to say anybody like Jon Jones is scared. But it looks like he’s ducking him.
“I think he knows he’s at the end. He’s not scared, but he knows if there’s a chance that things can go sideways, or maybe really bad for his last fight. The guy that’s going to do that is Tom. Alex Pereira is as scary as they come, but Jon’s toolbox against him, there’s many more ways to win.”
To hear more from Felder, check out his complete his appearance on “The Bohnfire” podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn in the video above.
Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
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With Jon Jones ‘holding up’ UFC title fight, Tom Aspinall ready to ‘fight somebody else for the undisputed belt’
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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) CEO, Dana White, is prepared to “move on” from reigning UFC heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, and now it sounds like current interim 265-pound titleholder, Tom Aspinall, is willing to follow him.
That’s because “Bones” is “holding up” the title unification bout that was expected to take place at some point later this year … or is he? Perhaps the penny-pinching promotion is unwilling to meet this costly demand (for a second time).
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“Where we’re at right now is, I have spoke to the UFC on multiple occasions on this fight,” Aspinall said on his YouTube channel. “I’m chasing it. I want the fight. I’ve been on record and said that I want the fight. I’ve been on the phone with the UFC saying, ‘I want the fight. When’s it happening?’ I want the fight more than anyone. What is holding it up right now is his side. That’s the truth of it. The UFC really, really want the fight to happen. They’ve told me that. This is one of the biggest fights in MMA. Does [Jones] want to put himself in a position where he’s comfortable enough financially to take the risk that he’s taking to fight me? And that is where we’re at.”
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“The UFC tell me, they assure me they are doing everything they can to make this fight. So as far as I’m aware, this is now totally down to Jon Jones and his team to work that out.” Aspinall continued. “I’m literally just waiting for a date. But what’s holding it back is the UFC want to make the fight with me and Jon, and as far as I’m aware, it’s now about maybe financial, or otherwise. I’m not too sure, to be honest. I’m just waiting for the call right now. I said quite a while ago now: I will retire Jon Jones without even fighting. That’s something that I said. Jon, let’s do it. If you want to do it, you don’t have to ask me twice. If not, I’ll fight somebody else for the undisputed belt. Happy to fight anybody. Any time, anywhere, doesn’t matter. I’m ready to go.”
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Jones, 37, returned from a devastating pec injury to retire Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 last November, just his second victory after transitioning to heavyweight back in early 2023. During his absence, the 31 year-old Aspinall captured the substitute strap by stopping Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295, then defended the interim title by creaming Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.
If Jones is off the table, that means … Aspinall vs. Gane?
