Although UFC chief Dana White today reaffirmed a desire to rebook Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic for the full heavyweight title next summer once Jones has fully healed after surgery on a torn pectoral tendon, new interim champion Tom Aspinall doesn’t want to wait a year to get the dream fight he’s been longing for against the two-division titlist. Ultimately, he might have no choice though…
Aspinall doesn’t want to wait a year, but may have to
- Aspinall during the UFC 295 post-fight presser: “I’ve seen Jon talking nice stuff about me on a podcast, as well, it’s really nice. Obviously it’s always nice to hear nice things about you, but from someone like that, who I massively look up to, even moreso. Just give me the opportunity, give me my dream fight… why not? Let me fight for my legacy now please.”
- Jones not expected to return until June 2024, with all suggestions pointing towards the Miocic matchup being rebooked – both are nearing retirement and it’s unclear where both would go, regardless of the result
- Former interim titlist Ciryl Gane [2] has already called out the 30-year-old Englishman on social media, a few months removed from the roles being reversed before this short-notice opportunity was seized with both hands
Fortune favours the brave, so the saying goes.
Tom Aspinall revealed post-fight that he pulled a back muscle – severely limiting his movement – when he began training for an unlikely short-notice date with interim championship gold the shiny reward dangling between him and Sergei Pavlovich.
The latter had already been gearing up for the date as the Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic alternate and once news of Jones’ serious shoulder injury broke, the pairing was shelved completely and this one made during the final week of last month.
All things considered, the scale of Aspinall’s achievement is heightened by all those factors and the issues which led to him making the walk in New York against the division’s most feared fighter. A reminder: the 31-year-old had a six-fight stoppage streak and flatlined perennial contender Curtis Blaydes back in April.
So now, the Mancunian has become the hunted – at least for everyone not named Jones in the short-term. Former interim champion Ciryl Gane made his desire quickly known on social media, with Jailton Almeida providing an apt response.
“That’s interesting after I just called him out, went to France, and he turned the fight down. I think he should fight [Jailton] Almeida, fight each other first and see what happens there.”
- Aspinall on the timing of Gane’s callout
Jones has previously said he didn’t harbour much interest in fighting the Englishman, and as far as legacy is concerned, adding Miocic to his stacked resume would do far more – though the two-time champion hasn’t fought since losing his title to Francis Ngannou in March 2021 and at 41, has physically diminished.
Heavyweight rankings, 1-8 as it stands
C: Jon Jones
1: Tom Aspinall (IC)
2: Ciryl Gane
3: Sergei Pavlovich
4: Stipe Miocic
5: Curtis Blaydes
6: Alexander Volkov
7: Jailton Almeida
8: Serghei Spivac
You only have to look at how he’s captured here uncomfortably hobbling to his seat, wife alongside him, to wonder what might have been if Jones wasn’t injured:
Blaydes will need a win or two before he can warrant fighting up the rankings, so perhaps the promotion will rebook Blaydes-Almeida once the former recovers from his ankle injuries that forced Derrick Lewis to slide in as a replacement.
Gane holds a win over Volkov and Miocic was guaranteed a title shot on his return, so there’s no reason to risk it in an eliminator against the Frenchman. Unfortunately, it seems there will be a bit of waiting for the division to shake itself out again.
Other tidbits from the card
- Rising featherweight Diego Lopez wants to be active in 2024 and calls for five-round main event matchup against Bryce Mitchell, should he be ranked in Tuesday’s update: “He’s been looking for a five-round fight, so why not a main event? If the UFC wants it, I’ll be right there to fight him.”
- Alex Pereira insists he can lure former foe Israel Adesanya out of proposed hiatus: “I meant what I said over there, I think I owe this to Adesanya – he motivated me first – the whole thing with him staying out all this time until 2027, it’s a waste of talent. I think I can bring him back.”
- Former light-heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz takes exception to Pereira’s callout on social media, explains why he feels they still have unfinished business to settle after Aleksandar Rakic rematch at UFC 297
- Ranked strawweight contender Loopy Godinez after becoming the first woman to win four fights in a calendar year: “I’m making records by accident, I just love fighting everyday, don’t do anything else. I just put all of my love and heart into this and of course, good things come.”
- Former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade accepts redemption will be ever-present in her quest to become a two-time champ: “I know that to actually be a champion, to fight for the belt toward the end of next year, I’m going to have some rematches and beat some girls who beat me.”
Up next: Ranked middleweights Brendan Allen [10] vs. Paul Craig [13] headline the UFC Apex this weekend (Nov. 18)
Picture source: Getty Images, quotes via UFC broadcast unless hyperlinked
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