Ever since sending Stipe Miocic into the realm of retirement last year, the MMA community has been buzzing about Jon Jones’ next move. Will Jones hang up his gloves, or will he risk his heavyweight title in a unification bout against Tom Aspinall? Initially, the consensus MMA GOAT seemed more inclined toward a showdown with Alex Pereira, stating, “Would you rather lose me or get one more super fight? That only makes sense to me, and my team is Alex Pereira.” However, UFC boss Dana White dismissed the possibility, firmly asserting that the reigning champion would face Aspinall “100%.” But there has been widespread speculation that Jones has been ‘ducking’ the Aspinall fight, a claim that Gordon Ryan, Jones’ training partner and pound-for-pound number one no-gi athlete in grappling, had firmly refuted.

“@jonnybones entered the @ufc 16 years ago. He’s beaten every single person the ufc put in front of him across 2 weight division. He’s beaten multiple generations of champions in every fashion. To even put jon jones and “ducking” in the same sentence is absolutely one of the most absurd things I’ve ever heard. Are you people insane?” Ryan had written on his Instagram in November last year. And why not? After all, he had seen Jones firsthand when they trained together ahead of Jones’ later canceled fight against Stipe Miocic in the UFC 295. And Ryan was thoroughly impressed.

“With Jon, he’s very similar to GSP, George St-Pierre, in that he’s not the best in any one area, but the way he combines everything is just on another level. Even just grappling, his ability to intuitively change his game plan is incredibly impressive. I was very impressed with him as a person and an athlete all around. You don’t know what to expect when training with athletes from other sports, but Jones’s wrestling, jiu-jitsu, and quick learning are top-notch” Ryan had said of Jones in 2023. In fact, he also cornered Jones in his fight against Miocic in the UFC 309. Interestingly, Ryan wanted Jones to continue after his victory over Miocic.

“It is very inspiring to be around greatness. As a fan, Iawant to see him continue because hes as exciting as they come and never loses. As a coach, I want to see him continue because despite being better than everyone else, there is so much more for him to learn,” The King had written. Well, Jones has already announced that he is not retiring, but at the same time, he has not shifted from his stance to refuse a fight against Aspinall. So who is he will be up against next? That is still clouded, by Ryan’s recent update from Jon’s training area might disappoint fans.

As ‘Bones’ approaches the twilight of his illustrious career, Ryan took to Instagram to post a meme showing a man with “skinny” legs during a workout—an unmistakable nod to the New Yorker, whose slender legs inspired the nickname ‘Bones.’ Alongside the meme, Ryan wrote, “@jonnybones started his last and final camp. Watch out, people.” But this update from Ryan did not emerge in isolation.

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Its timing coincides with comments made by UFC commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan. On episode #2253 of his podcast, Rogan, joined by his friend and comedian Theo Von, delved into the speculation surrounding Jones’s rumored fight against the Englishman. Rogan swiftly dismissed the claim that ‘Bones’ was being offered “f–k you money” as high as “$30 million,” labeling it as “bulls–t.”

The podcaster then proceeded to offer a sobering perspective on Jones’s future, stating, “Well, apparently, Jon is thinking about retiring. And he should.” Nonetheless, the UFC commentator emphasized the importance of allowing Jones to make this decision on his terms. He urged the media, critics, and the MMA community to avoid pressuring the fighter, adding, “Give him all the time he needs.” Interestingly, although Jones is dismissive of Aspinall, the interim champion has only reverence for him.

Speaking to TNT Sports in November last year, Aspinall had said, “His knowledge in MMA is some of the best to ever do it and I’ve got to say that. What he generally does with his style is he’s very long, 6’4 – I mean, not as long for a heavyweight – but he fights kind of here and does a lot of this kind of stuff. His attacks are very varied so he’ll go this way on the front leg, he’ll go here, he’ll also bring the head kicks up. He’ll fake the takedowns, come in with the spinning elbows.”

Breaking down Jones’ technique further, Aspinall had added, “His grappling, a lot of the time what Jones does really, really well is once he gets his hands together on a double leg, it is so difficult to break that so he’ll be here, he’ll set up a double. Once his hands are locked and he starts to pull his opponent away, he almost always finishes the takedown.” But will the UFC really offer Jones the insane amount of money he is demanding for the Aspinall fight?

Daniel Cormier reacts to Jon Jones’s $30 million rumor to face Tom Aspinall

Who doesn’t love money? And Jon Jones is no exception! As we enter 2025, his journey in the promotion has been long and intertwined, delivering fans a mix of entertainment, excitement, and adrenaline. The UFC boss has never hesitated to praise Jones’s contributions to the sport. But does that mean White is ready to offer the New Yorker a whopping $30 million to face the “dangerous up-and-comer,” Tom Aspinall?

Many in the MMA world, including Jones’ former arch-nemesis Daniel Cormier have met this idea with skepticism. He doesn’t buy into the rumors of Jones securing $30 million for a fight with Aspinall. Addressing the situation on his official YouTube channel, DC ran through some calculations involving PPV buys and sponsorships, which didn’t add up to the rumored amount.

Cormier remarked, “You can do 16 million at the gate, you can do whatever you do on pay-per-view, you’ve got sponsorships for the fight night, those aren’t yours, you are bringing them on… I’m not sure he gets to 30, but if you ask for 30 and you get 20 or you get 15, that’s a win for Jon Jones on his way out.”

What do you think about Joe Rogan’s comment? Is it time for Jon Jones to walk away from his MMA career? Will we see him slugging it out the Englishman? Share your opinion below!