As the year 2024 comes to a close, we are approaching the culmination of several highly anticipated matchups, including the return of UFC heavyweight king Jon Jones for one last dance in the octagon against former champion Stipe Miocic, scheduled for Madison Square Garden at UFC 309.

However, this isn’t how the fight fans want Jones to hang up his gloves. Many would prefer a matchup against interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall—a clash that could echo through generations and further solidify Jon Jones’s greatness for the upcoming era. The excitement surrounding this highly anticipated bout prompts speculation about the potential outcome, one that even Kazakh prospect, Shavkat Rakhmonov can’t escape.

Shavkat Rakhmonov weighs in on the dream fight between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall

Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic was initially slated for UFC 295 last year; however, the fight was abruptly postponed due to ‘Bones’ suffering a tendon tear in his left shoulder just days before the event. This caused the fight to fall apart, leading to the interim title belt being contested on the same card between 31-year-old Tom Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich, which ‘The Honey Badger’ won via a brutal knockout. Since then, Aspinall has defended his interim title against Curtis Blaydes and has been asking for a title unification fight against Jones from Dana White and ‘Bones’ himself.

However, both have ignored ‘Brit’s’ calls, as Jones has already announced through various sources that he will retire, claiming, “After this year, Jon Jones will never have to work again. He retired at age 37. Winning.”

As the future of this dream bout still seems to be on hold, the possibility of the fight continues to linger in the minds of enthusiasts and analysts. Recently, during an interview on Red Corner MMA, welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov, who is preparing for his first title challenge against division king Belal Muhammad, was asked by the host, “Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones?” Without wasting time, Rakhmonov weighed in on the potential matchup, stating, “I think Jon Jones would win.”

As of now, Jon Jones remains committed to his decision to hang up his gloves after UFC 309, but countless fans and fight analysts keep expressing their hopes that he might change his mind about fighting again.

Daniel Cormier urges ‘Bones’ to address his unfinished business before retirement

Just like many others, Jon Jones’s former arch-nemesis Daniel Cormier is also vocal about wanting to see the dream matchup between Jon Jones and his perfect opponent, Tom Aspinall, before ‘Bones’ fully retires from his triumphant career. During this impressive run, Jones has consistently remained on top in his remarkable 16-year journey, remaining ‘mostly’ undefeated (excluding that disqualification against Matt Hamill). It would be hard to argue against him being the true king of the promotion.

However, his journey has not been as smooth as that of UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov; it has included numerous setbacks, struggles with anti-doping agencies, and legal issues. Yet, Jones has managed to overcome every obstacle thrown his way. Still, there’s one thing missing to complete his successful run in the promotion. According to Daniel Cormier on his YouTube channel, “It sucks because I do believe there is some work left to be done with Aspinall. I don’t think anyone else right now warrants him sticking around. No, I really don’t, because we saw what he did to Ciryl Gane.”

Now, all eyes are on the upcoming UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, where Jon Jones will look to further solidify his legacy in the world of MMA. However, the burning question is whether he will remain in the promotion to take on what could be his most formidable challenge yet—Tom Aspinall. Drop your opinion below.