UFC CEO Dana White recently insisted that if Jon Jones successfully defends his heavyweight championship against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 on Saturday, he has only one option – and that is to face current interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. White made it clear that there is no way Jones can fight Pereira, whether or not he wins against Miocic for his heavyweight championship.
Dana White responded to Jones’ statement on “The Jim Rome Show” in which Jones said he has no interest in fighting Tom Aspinall and instead expressed a desire to fight light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira if he successfully defends his title against Miocic. White completely dismissed the notion that Jones’ next fight would be against Tom Aspinall and only Tom Aspinall.
“If Jon Jones decides to fight again after Saturday night, he has one choice. He will fight Tom Aspinall. That’s very clear,” White insisted.
There has been a lot of talk about Jones for a long time about whether he will fight Aspinall for a unification or he will opt to continue his feud with a big name like Pereira. Jones also said that if he gets the chance to fight Pereira, he is even willing to give up his championship. He believes that a fight with Pereira, who is a kickboxing specialist and recently became the light heavyweight champion, could be an interesting challenge. However, White has completely rejected Jones’ idea, as he believes that Pereira does not have the ability to compete with Jones, especially when it comes to wrestling and physical strength.
White said, “He is not fighting Pereira. Pereira was a middleweight who moved to light heavyweight and made a name for himself there. Although he is a great kickboxing specialist, his wrestling level is nowhere near that of Jon Jones. Jones is much bigger and physically stronger than him.”
It is clear from this statement that White believes that Jones’ next fight will not be against Pereira but against Aspinall, who is currently at a historic turning point in his career. White said that Jones will face Aspinall only because he is proving to be the biggest threat in the UFC right now.
Tom Aspinall is on a blistering run in the UFC with a record of 8-1. All eight of his wins have come in less than seven minutes, and his only loss was when he injured his leg during a fight against Curtis Blaydes. However, despite this loss, Aspinall’s technical ability and finishing power have made him one of the most important fortified men in the heavyweight division.
“To suggest that Jones is avoiding Aspinall is simply false. Jon Jones is 37-38 years old, he made his UFC debut at the age of 23 and has competed against the biggest names in the world. He is not afraid of anyone, especially a new fighter,” White said.
White believes this could be a great opportunity for Jones to take on a rising star like Aspinall and continue his dominance in the UFC. However, White also said that if Jones decides to fight Pereira at some point, he will defend his championship properly by fighting Aspinall first.
White said about Jones, “It’s classic Jon Jones. He always does what he wants. If he beats Miocic, he may disappear for a while, but then he will come back and feel that competitive spirit again. Then money will talk, and Jones’ next fight will definitely be against Tom Aspinall, unless he decides to retire.”
White believes Jones’ next move will definitely be a fight with Aspinall, and UFC fans should be ready for it. Whether Jones decides to take on Pereira or not, the UFC has an exciting and competitive fight lined up that could lead to even bigger changes in the heavyweight division in the future.
Sources:
