Jon Jones’ top priority for his MMA career moving forward is to get healthy and defend his UFC heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic. But that doesn’t mean all hope is lost for Tom Aspinall.
After Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) suffered a torn pectoral muscle that forced him out of a scheduled bout with Miocic at UFC 295 in November, the promotion introduced an interim title to the scene. Aspinall (14-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) claimed that belt in emphatic fashion, scoring a vicious 69-second knockout of Sergei Pavlovich in a short-notice bout on the same UFC 295 card which Jones was meant to compete on.
Although Aspinall is now the interim champion, he will not fight Jones next. Both Jones and UFC CEO Dana White are adamant the showdown with Miocic still has to happen, despite the fact Miocic hasn’t fought since March 2021, and hasn’t won since August 2020. That’s been immensely frustrating for Aspinall, and he’s vocalized as much in engaging with multiple back-and-forth exchanges with “Bones.”
