A prominent former opponent of Jon Jones shared his perspective, suggesting the current UFC heavyweight champion is not in a financial position that would allow him to retire specifically to avoid fighting Tom Aspinall.
The status of the UFC heavyweight division remains a major talking point in mixed martial arts, clouded by persistent uncertainty.
While there are currently two fighters holding titles in the division, only the interim champion has consistently expressed readiness for a unification bout. Tom Aspinall has long been vocal about his desire to fight, but Jones has seemed hesitant to commit to a matchup against him.
Following his victory over Stipe Miocic last November, which saw him defend his title, many observers predicted that `Bones` might retire. This speculation has continued despite UFC CEO Dana White`s repeated assertions that a fight between Jones and Aspinall will indeed take place.
Though perhaps not a widely held view, one of Jones` long-standing rivals appears to support White`s statement.
Chael Sonnen Predicts Jon Jones Will Fight Tom Aspinall Due to Financial Necessity
Chael Sonnen, a former two-division UFC title challenger known for his commentary on the sport`s significant events, has weighed in on the heavyweight title situation.
In a recent video discussing the topic, Sonnen, often referred to as `The Bad Guy`, dismissed the rumors circulating about Jones` potential retirement. He argued that the fighter widely considered a candidate for MMA`s `Greatest of All Time` status is not yet financially secure enough to walk away.
“They keep asking about Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall,” Sonnen remarked, reflecting on questions he`s faced during media engagements. “Everybody that has asked the question has prefaced it from the standing point that Jon Jones is holding this fight up and refusing to fight Tom Aspinall.”
Sonnen expressed skepticism about this narrative. “We don’t have that evidence. … I don’t buy it. There isn’t two options for Jon Jones,” he asserted. “Jon Jones will be offered a fight with Tom or he can not fight at all. When you’re a prizefighter, electing to not fight does not make you good at negotiating, it makes you unemployed.”
He concluded his point by stating, “Jon Jones has done great, but Jon Jones has not made walk-away money. He simply isn’t at a point in his life or career that he’s going to be walking away.”
Jon Jones` Inactivity Leads to Unwanted Record for Tom Aspinall
The ongoing delay has undeniably caused frustration for Tom Aspinall. His forced break from competition since successfully defending his interim title against Curtis Blaydes last summer has resulted in an undesirable record within the UFC.
Late last month, Aspinall officially became the longest-reigning interim champion in UFC history. His tenure with the belt surpassed the previous record of 534 days, which was held by Renan Barao for over a decade.
As might be expected, the British fighter was not pleased upon acknowledging this milestone. “No, I’m not that proud of that, to be honest,” Aspinall commented. “The interim title is nice, but the longest-reigning one?”
He further elaborated on his aspirations, stating, “I obviously wanted to contend for the undisputed in the time that I’ve been interim.”
Aspinall is undoubtedly hoping that his lengthy spell as interim titleholder concludes soon, ideally by defeating Jon Jones to unify the belts and be crowned the undisputed champion.
