
via Imago
via IMAGO

via Imago
via IMAGO
The UFC heavyweight division has been in chaos since Francis Ngannou‘s departure, leaving Jon Jones as the reigning champion. With the rise of Tom Aspinall, many have questioned Jones’ legitimacy, claiming that he has yet to face the division’s greatest opponent. While fans dispute whether interim champion Tom Aspinall is the actual king of the division, Joe Rogan is certain about one thing: Jon Jones would crush the Englishman if they ever met inside the Octagon.
While many regard Aspinall to be the most skilled heavyweight today, Rogan is certain that Jones still has the upper hand. In a conversation with Brendan Schaub, the UFC commentator shot down the notion that Aspinall is the finest heavyweight on the planet. “Who knows?” [Maybe] Jon beats him. Jon might beat him up,” Joe Rogan stated. But he did not stop there. The podcaster further emphasized Jones’ grappling edge with a brutal assessment: “He could take him down and f—–g ragdoll him on the ground.” The Briton has great striking and agility for a heavyweight, but Joe Rogan believes ‘Bones’ will dominate once the fight reaches the mat.
It is worth noting that Jones won the heavyweight championship after defeating Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in March 2023. And so far in the UFC, he has had 12 successful title defenses—11 for the light heavyweight title and 1 for his heavyweight title. His most recent victory was a TKO over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 that ended spectacularly as ‘Bones’ completely dominated the heavyweight GOAT and ended things with a spinning back kick. Meanwhile, Aspinall won the interim title after Jones was injured and even defended it against Curtis Blaydes, setting up an inevitable clash between the interim and undisputed champions.
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Beyond grappling, Joe Rogan emphasized Aspinall’s lack of experience in deep waters. “We also don’t know what happens to Tom Aspinall in the third, fourth, and fifth rounds,” he said. “We have zero idea. No one’s gotten there; no one’s even gotten close.” Aspinall has the record for the quickest fight time in UFC history, averaging 2 minutes and 2 seconds per bout. While this proves his finishing skill, it also raises questions about his endurance against someone like ‘Bones,’ who thrives in long, grueling fights.
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If their paths cross, Tom Aspinall may have to show that he can survive where no one has forced him to go before. But will they really fight to finally give fans just one UFC heavyweight champion? Well, a UFC fighter has provided Dana White with a brilliant idea.
UFC fighter provides suggestion to end the Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall debate
“It’s the biggest fight we can make,” Dana White stated when asked about a possible fight between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall. And he is not wrong. The UFC heavyweight division has been waiting for an undisputed champion, and a unification fight between Jon Jones and Aspinall would put an end to the dispute. Despite the importance of this fight, no official announcement has been made. Fans have grown increasingly frustrated with the holdup, while other fighters, like Jailton Almeida, have proposed different ideas to keep the division going forward.
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What’s your perspective on:
Can Jon Jones truly claim the heavyweight throne without facing Tom Aspinall in the Octagon?
Have an interesting take?
Almeida recently took to X (previously Twitter) to propose a Grand Prix-style tournament for the heavyweight division. His proposal was simple: while ‘Bones’ and the Briton competed for undisputed gold, the UFC should stage a mini-tournament featuring top contenders. Almeida offered a long-awaited bout between himself and Alexander Volkov, as well as a matchup between Ciryl Gane and Sergey Spivak. According to him, the winner of these fights—particularly the most outstanding victor—should receive the next title shot.
While Almeida’s concept is intriguing, it is unlikely to influence Dana White’s decision-making. Instead, the UFC president is determined to make Jones vs. Aspinall happen as soon as possible. On the night of UFC 309, White addressed the topic and provided a major update. When questioned if the fight would take place in the summer of 2025, he confirmed that this was the plan. However, he made it clear that if negotiations took too long, the UFC would move on. But what do you think? Will we get a definitive champion in 2025? Let us know in the comments.
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Debate
Can Jon Jones truly claim the heavyweight throne without facing Tom Aspinall in the Octagon?