UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall revealed he had sources close to Jon Jones during Jones`s recent visit to Thailand, gaining insight into the situation.
The prolonged speculation about a fight between Aspinall and Jon Jones culminated last weekend when Jones unexpectedly announced his retirement. UFC CEO Dana White confirmed the news, and Jones made his own announcement on social media. This led to Aspinall being recognized as the undisputed heavyweight champion, with plans for his return later this year.
Aspinall stated that he hadn`t doubted the fight would happen until he received information about Jones`s alleged conduct during his trip overseas.
Tom Aspinall: Rumored Conduct in Thailand Signaled Doomed UFC Clash with Jon Jones
Earlier this year, Jones traveled to Thailand for what was intended to be a season of The Ultimate Fighter featuring regional prospects, with Jones and Nate Diaz as coaches. The show was abruptly cancelled after a physical altercation on set led to Diaz and his team departing.
Following the cancellation, Jones remained in Thailand for leisure with members of his entourage. Aspinall claims he knew several individuals who spent time with Jones there and provided him with insights into Jones`s questionable actions during the period of fight negotiations.
During a recent interview on The Ariel Helwani Show, Aspinall explained when he started to believe the fight wouldn`t happen. “A few weeks ago,” he said, adding, “Everybody seemed to think that Jon was playing this game of ‘Let’s make Tom not think I’m giving him the fight, and then I’ll just spring it on him’. But the MMA community, at the highest level, is a pretty small world. And I know people who have been out in Thailand, similar times that he was there. And I know people who were around his circle, and I know that from the behavior he’s doing outside the Octagon, that he’s not going to fight anytime soon.” He noted that the elite level of MMA is a small community, allowing him to get information from people connected to Jones`s circle during his time in Thailand.
When pressed about how he felt hearing these reports while preparing, Aspinall emphasized his consistent readiness for the UFC. “I honestly think I’ve got to be one of the easiest people for the UFC to ever work with,” he stated. “Everything they’ve told me, I’ve done. They just told me for a year, ‘Be ready, stay fit, stay in shape and be ready for a date and a contract’. And that’s what I’ve done for the last year, I haven’t done anything else.” He detailed his dedication: “No vacations, no days off. I’m looking after my diet, recovery, doing the sparring, strength and conditioning and learning new techniques. Everything that a professional fighter at the elite level should be doing to get ready for a fight.” He concluded, “It’s a bit of a strange situation, but I’m just so glad it’s done and I can move on.”
With Jones`s retirement and Aspinall`s confirmation as champion, the UFC heavyweight division is poised to move forward with increased activity. Aspinall might face an opponent whom Jones has previously fought for his first title defense.
Potential Opponents Emerge for Aspinall`s First Title Defense
Ciryl Gane, a former interim champion, recently stirred discussion by suggesting negotiations for a fight against Aspinall were underway. Gane`s last bout was a debated victory over Alexander Volkov in December.
Aspinall and Gane have been linked to potential matchups before, but Aspinall has previously claimed that Gane turned down fight opportunities, including one prior to Aspinall winning the interim belt at UFC 295.
Alexander Volkov is also mentioned as a possible challenger for Aspinall. Despite some recent hints from Jones about a potential return, it seems unlikely that the former champion will compete again in the near future, if ever.
