‘Laws of Logic’ Ignored as Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones in Jeopardy After UFC HW Steps Into Championship Scene

“I’m confident enough to tell you that fight is done,” declared Chael Sonnen on Good Guy/Bad Guy, sparking fresh anticipation for the long-awaited clash between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall. With the heavyweight division stuck in limbo and fans growing increasingly frustrated by Jones’ inactivity, Sonnen offered a glimmer of hope. However, it seems he may have snuffed out that very spark—walking back on his words once again and leaving fans more confused than ever.

Just a day ago, in his conversation with Daniel Cormier, Chael Sonnen expressed that he is confident that the UFC has negotiated with both the stakeholders of the heavyweight division for their clash. “No, I’m confident enough to tell you that fight is done, though. That fight is agreed, all the way down to the date. That, I do have confidence to tell you,” quipped Sonnen. This was a huge update for the MMA community, as fans have been waiting for this clash since late 2023, when Aspinall won the interim title. But Jones’ heavyweight title reign has had more twists than an M. Night Shyamalan flick.

While speaking on his YouTube channel, The American Gangster explained that the situation was much more grim than he had anticipated, and that the fight between Tom Aspinall and Jon Jones might not happen for now: “According to a remarkably good source, Jon Jones is going to be afforded the ability to wait 180 days, which is equivalent to six months—exactly what he asked for.”

So, who will be Tom Aspinall’s next opponent? Will the Briton have to defend his interim heavyweight belt once again? Well, that appears to be the case, as according to Sonnen, Aspinall will fight Ciryl Gane to defend his interim heavyweight belt. “Tom Aspinall is going to fight with Ciryl Gane, which was in fact on the table many months ago. Then Ciryl was gifted a decision in a fight that he lost against Volkov—that’s the way the story happened.”

He further added, “And now, we’re going to defend an interim champion with the existence of an undisputed champion, which is against the laws of logic and the Oxford English Dictionary’s definition of ‘champion’.” Now, if you think about it, this fight should have happened a long time ago. On two separate occasions at least.

This time last year, Aspinall and Gane were going at each other over their fight not materializing. The interim champ was in attendance at UFC Paris in September 2023, watching Gane demolish Serghei Spivac. He hoped to secure a fight with the Frenchman, but ended up winning the interim belt in November of the same year.

Then, he accused Gane of turning down fights against himself, Curtis Blaydes, and  Sergei Pavlovich. ‘Bon Gamin’s response on X did not hold back either. “I never, ever say no to any challenge or any opponent,” Gane told Aspinall. “[Curtis] Blaydes was never an option. They said [Sergei] Pavlovich, I said yes. Don’t worry, I’ll see you in September. Stop tripping,” he wrote.

The entire heavyweight title scene has been stagnant since Jon Jones claimed the title. If this fight happens, Aspinall will have done more in the division as interim champion than Jones has as the undisputed champion. While UFC CEO Dana White has been doing everything possible to make the fight happen, Jones has never given a straight answer about fighting Tom Aspinall. In the face of this endless uncertainty, White has found some unexpected support.

Ariel Helwani comes in support of Dana White amid heavyweight title fiasco

Tom Aspinall has been the interim heavyweight champion for over 500 days now, causing a major uproar in the MMA community. Many fans are demanding answers from UFC CEO Dana White, but he has yet to respond. Despite the UFC’s best efforts, the title unification bout remains in limbo. As the UFC CEO is being targeted for entertaining Jones’ shenanigans, Ariel Helwani has come forward to support Dana White in a rather surprising move.

Taking to his X handle, the renowned journalist expressed that the UFC CEO, along with the top brass of the promotion, did everything in their power to make the fight happen. If it doesn’t materialize, he added, the blame should not fall on Dana White. “If Jon Jones x Tom Aspinall doesn’t come to fruition, if for whatever reason it falls apart, the UFC is not to blame. The UFC has, based on the conversations that I’ve had, made every effort, in very good faith, to make this fight happen. We know Tom wants this fight. We know the UFC wants this fight,” said Helwani.

He further added, “Placing the blame squarely on the heavyweight champion. We’re going to find out how much Jon wants this fight.” Well, Helwani was the first to break the news about Jones demanding at least six months to face Tom Aspinall, and his statement on Dana White just proves one thing: Jon Jones is not ready to fight. Given that, what are your thoughts on the hubbub? State your opinions in the comments below.