The UFC’s heavyweight division is dominating headlines, and it’s no surprise why—reigning champion Jon Jones and interim champion Tom Aspinall remain at the center of one of the sport’s most anticipated matchups. A unification fight between the two has been in talks since last year, yet despite both having defended their titles once, the bout remains nothing more than speculation. The delay has left fans frustrated, and the Englishman himself has voiced his anger. accusing Dana White & Co. of shielding ‘Bones’ to preserve his undefeated status in the division.

Many consider the Englishman one of the toughest opponents Jon Jones may ever face, thanks to his size, strength, and well-rounded skill set. Some even accuse the heavyweight kingpin of avoiding him, intensifying the debate. As pressure mounts, Dana White recently weighed in on the fight’s timeline at UFC 313, saying, “Listen…we’re working on now.” With UFC 317 set to headline International Fight Week in June, anticipation continues to build. For ‘Bones’, the stakes couldn’t be higher!

However, the Albuquerque native’s training partner and No-Gi grappling superstar Gordon Ryan recently shared his thoughts on the potential matchup during The Ariel Helwani Show.

While praising Tom Aspinall’s takedown skills and “decent” jiu-jitsu, Ryan highlighted a past weakness in his submission defense. “The one fight I saw of him losing, he actually got heel-hooked, and the heel hook wasn’t particularly tight,” Ryan said. “That was a long time ago, and Tom has obviously improved a lot since then. But grappling is definitely an area where I think we can win the exchanges. Jon already has a strong grappling background, so I believe that’s an area where we can take advantage.”

Ryan was referring to Tom Aspinall’s 2015 encounter with Stuart Austin, a fellow Englishman who shared the cage with him at BAMMA 21. During round two, Austin secured a heel hook on the Englishman. However, despite that, Aspinall’s takedown defense tells a different story, with a perfect 100% takedown defense rate. Moreover, the interim champ is famous for finishing every bout in the first round itself with the exception of just one.

Out of eight wins, six were by knockout. His only UFC loss has come at the hands of Curtis Blaydes, where the Englishman suffered a leg injury. Despite Aspinall’s impressive takedown defense and accuracy, a certain UFC lightweight legend still has doubts about his wrestling abilities.

Eddie Alvarez made an eye-opening remark about Tom Aspinall’s potential matchup against Jon Jones

Former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez admires Tom Aspinall’s striking and athleticism but doesn’t believe he can handle Jon Jones on the ground. Alvarez emphasized that the Brit’s strengths—his speed, movement, and athleticism—“go out the window” once ‘Bones’ brings the fight to the canvas.

Speaking with Ariel Helwani last year, Alvarez predicted Tom Aspinall would suffer the same fate as many other contenders who’ve faced Jon Jones, recognizing Aspinall’s threat on the feet but asserting that it wouldn’t matter once the fight hits the mat. “But none of that matters when you’re on the ground. The allure of Tom Aspinall being so great—the movement, the speed, the athleticism—all goes out the window when Jon rips him to the floor and submits him,” Alvarez said.

When Helwani reminded Alvarez that Aspinall holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Alvarez questioned his wrestling, stating, “Yeah, but how’s his wrestling?… I don’t care if you have a black belt. I’m more concerned with your wrestling. ‘Cause look, you get punched, you go from black belt to purple belt, then you get punched again, and you’re a white belt. I’ve submitted so many black belts after a few shots to the head. Your black belt doesn’t mean anything.”

What’s your take on Gordon Ryan’s claims? Do you think that almost a decade of performances from Tom Aspinall will halt his career, especially now that he’s more mature and has gained valuable experience with nine UFC fights under his belt? Drop your opinion.”