Jon Jones, arguably the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, finds himself at a crossroads. Fresh off his triumphant title defense against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, ‘Bones’ stands as the reigning undisputed heavyweight king. But when the dust settled in Madison Square Garden, one question loomed large in the MMA sphere, who’s next?

The obvious answer seemed to be Tom Aspinall, the interim heavyweight champion who has steamrolled his way to the top and has been campaigning for a unification bout. But Jones doesn’t seem interested. So where does that leave UFC CEO Dana White? According to a pair of UFC veterans, the UFC boss may be trying to pull off a play that may send shockwaves through the MMA world!

Dana White’s “games” for Jon Jones’s future questioned by Renato Moicano and Gilbert Burns  

In a recent clip from the ‘Show Me the Money’ podcast shared on Instagram, UFC lightweight Renato Moicano stated, “Jon Jones should not have the option to not fight Aspinall.” Gilbert Burns, the welterweight star agreed with his take as Moicano continued, “Because makes zero sense. If Aspinall is the interim champion, now Jon Jones is the champion, they should make the fight. But I think the fight the UFC is going to do, even though Dana White maybe is playing games, its Jones and Alex Pereira. 100%, that fight makes sense for Pereira…”

Moicano wasn’t the only one raising eyebrows. His co-host questioned whether the UFC would risk Pereira’s star power against someone like Jones, who could take him down and make him look bad. ‘Durinho’ didn’t flinch as he pointed out, “But he’s Jon Jones, Jon Jones makes everyone look bad.”

The debate turned into a chess match of speculation. Moicano pointed out Pereira’s age—37 and creeping toward 38. Time is a relentless opponent, especially in a sport where youth often reigns supreme. “But they know he’s 37 right now, soon to be 38, a senior citizen like Gilbert Burns,” Moicano joked, aiming a playful jab at the welterweight sitting next to him.  

Yet behind the humor lay a serious point, the UFC may be looking to capitalize on Pereira’s marketability before his window closes. After all, ‘Poatan’ has stepped up to save multiple PPVs for the promotion in 2024 and has become one of the most recognizable faces in the sport in his meteoric ascent to the top of two-weight divisions.

But here’s the twist, Jon Jones holds the cards, but Dana White holds the deck. And at the UFC 309 post-fight press conference, the boss made it clear that the prospect of Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones is clearly the bigger fight to make!

Jones may not be interested in Aspinall but White hints at the potential to be “biggest heavyweight fight ever” 

The UFC heavyweight division is caught in a tug-of-war. On one side, Jon Jones stands tall as the reigning champion, fresh off a dominant TKO win against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. On the other, Tom Aspinall, the interim titleholder, is knocking loudly on the door, demanding his shot. Jones has made his stance clear as he stated at the post-fight press conference, “I want that f— you money. Honestly. That’s just what it is. My life is perfect without him (Aspinall). I don’t need him at all, and he needs me, and that’s a good place to be in a negotiation.”

No exact figures were mentioned, but it’s clear Jones wants a payout that could rival a lottery win. Yet, Dana White sees a different story. During his time in front of the media after UFC 309, the UFC head honcho stated, “It would be the biggest heavyweight fight in UFC history, by a long shot, It’s going to be the biggest heavyweight fight ever. And it’ll probably be the biggest fight we’ve ever done.”

To him, this isn’t just another fight, it’s an event that could break records and redefine the division. It’s a classic clash of old guard versus new blood, with enough intrigue to captivate even casual fans. But the game isn’t just about title belts, it’s about marketability, legacy, and timing. Will Jones bow to the pressure of facing the up-and-coming Aspinall, or will Dana White pivot towards the proven star power of Alex Pereira? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!