Bad News For Tom Aspinall as Jon Jones’ HW Champ status gets Clarity from UFC Legend

In the recent UFC heavyweight drama, clarity is certainly clouded. And time and again, fans need clarity, which usually comes from veterans. If there’s one voice in MMA that knows how to throw verbal jabs with nuanced technical truth, it’s Chael Sonnen. Never one to shy away from the rulebook, the former title contender flipped the rulebook again. This time, the unofficial rule-keeper stepped forward with a take that could impact Tom Aspinall’s status as interim heavyweight champion. For the veteran of the game, this is not a one-off incident. In the past, he had slammed unilateral rule changes, calling them “ridiculous.” It proves he cares about the integrity of the rules as much as the athletes who fight under them.

Amid swirling questions about the legitimacy of Tom Aspinall’s interim heavyweight title, Sonnen gave a sharp comment: “You cannot have an interim champion in the presence of the champion… this is per the dictionary.” Sonnen posted a portion of his conversation from the ESPN channel on his YouTube and Instagram platforms, where he defined exactly who an interim champion is. He blatantly raised a question the UFC has avoided: Can Tom Aspinall still be called a champion?

The answer, according to the MMA analyst, is available in the rulebook itself. Sonnen said. “And this is per the dictionary. These aren’t sales rules. You can go and look the word ‘interim’ up.” And then he didn’t miss the beat to hit directly at Aspinall’s legitimacy.

When Jon Jones stepped away from his scheduled title defense against Stipe Miocic in November 2023 due to injury, the UFC introduced an interim title to keep the division moving. It was undoubtedly a fair game. Tom Aspinall captured that belt with a thunderous KO over Sergei Pavlovich. But the moment Jon Jones returned and won the bout against the firefighter from Ohio in November 2024, questions started simmering. To make this even crazier, Tom Aspinall also defended his interim status by winning against Curtis Blaydes in July 2024.

Sonnen laid it bare: “The interim champion can only exist in the absence of a champion,” he declared. “Meaning, the moment that the bell rang for what would have been Jon Jones versus Stipe Miocic, that by definition would have stripped Tom Aspinall of his interim championship…and that never happened.”

Here’s where it gets messier. Not only has the UFC continued to recognize both fighters as champions, but there’s now talk of one being stripped if a unification bout doesn’t materialize. “There is now a discussion that one of them will be stripped if the unification bout doesn’t come to head,” Uncle Chael mentioned. But that creates a problem of its own. “You can’t strip the interim champion because per definition, he no longer exists,” Sonnen argued.

Tom Aspinall has maintained composure throughout, but Sonnen claims he posed the question directly: what happens to your interim status once Jones returns? Sonnen recalled the moment vividly in the video. “I asked Tom Aspinall that question flat out. That was after Jon got done defeating Stipe. ‘Tom, have they talked to you about your interim championship?’ And Tom said, ‘Chael, the only one I’ve ever even heard say that I’m no longer the interim champion is you.’”

That alone speaks volumes about the UFC’s communication, or lack thereof. Now the spotlight is on Dana White, who gave the idea of a future unification bout, without addressing the limbo in which Aspinall’s belt currently lives. Sonnen has exposed a procedural inconsistency that needs clarity and fast resolution for the UFC fans.

“If you were to look at the rules, history books matter,” Sonnen himself emphasized the role of veterans in pointing out technical inconsistencies. He acknowledged that those who pay attention, himself being one of them, can find errors and help fans become aware of issues that go unnoticed. “And that’s why you come to Old Chael, because Old Chael pays attention to details. Because I know for you, these things matter.”

The unification fight – Tom Aspinall vs Jon Jones – that may never happen

So, where does that leave Aspinall in this technical gray zone? Until Jon Jones fights again, the UFC appears content to let both men hold the title. But what happens when the Jones vs. Aspinall bout fails to happen by summer?

The UFC kingpin has publicly backed the unification clash by calling it “the biggest fight in heavyweight history.” But as Sonnen warns, the delay in action has already distorted the division’s integrity. If Jones returns and the UFC rings the bell on his next bout, Aspinall’s title vanishes in that instant. This is perhaps the sport’s foundational rule, which is underscored by the veteran fighter and MMA analyst.

Though fans have waited anxiously for Jones and the UK powerhouse to clash, the matchup remains uncertain. What seemed inevitable in 2023 has now turned into an endless waiting game.

Chael Sonnen, unsurprisingly, doesn’t buy into the waiting mantra. His insight cuts through the promotional optimism. “If the unification bout doesn’t happen,” he says, “you don’t have two champions anymore. You’ve got a mess.” For Aspinall, the delay is potentially damaging. He continues like a champion. But the longer the unification fight stalls, the more his title risks becoming a mere ornament rather than a legitimate one.

For hardcore fans, the drama is exhausting. Many feel that a unification bout is the only remedy, but the UFC’s silence on the timeframe leaves everyone in limbo. Should fans rally behind Aspinall? Wait on Jones? Will the UFC address the elephant in the Octagon situation, which was loudly called out by the former fighter? Time to chime in and put forth your thoughts in the comments box.