All’s fair in love, war, and MMA—or so it seems, according to Paddy Pimblett. The outspoken Scouser recently weighed in on the burning question that’s been stirring up the heavyweight division: Who would win in a showdown between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall? In a moment of brutal honesty, ‘The Baddy’ made a choice that surely wasn’t easy. Despite his friendship with fellow countryman and the interim heavyweight kingpin, Paddy picked ‘Bones’ as the victor in a potential title unification clash. A tough pill to swallow, but Pimblett didn’t shy away from calling it how he sees it—even if it meant ‘betraying’ a mate!

While speaking on the Full Send Podcast, the Englishman weighed in on the question that is on every MMA fan and veteran’s mind. The verbose 155fer’s thoughts were shared by MMA outlet MMA Pros Pick on their Instagram handle. “I’ll be honest! Tom is a friend. I love Tom, he is one of the coolest dudes in the whole of MMA. Even though Jones is getting up, I just can’t pick against Jon Jones. I’ve been watching Jon Jones, as I say, since 2010. I can remember watching when he got DQed against Matt Hamill live.”

The Englishman further added, “It’s mad he’s got proper longevity, and the one thing I do think Jon Jones has got the best in the world and the best ever, is his fight IQ. His game plans to, beat people, and he doesn’t fight the same way every fight. He has a perfect game plan to beat that person. And as much as I love Tom and I want Tom to win, I couldn’t pick against Jon Jones, it’s just something I couldn’t do.”

Will Tom Aspinall Like this change of heart from a close friend? Who knows—but it’s giving deja vu. Paddy Pimblett has once again thrown his support behind Jon Jones—just like he did when ‘Bones’ was set to face Stipe Miocic for his UFC 309 heavyweight title defense. Back then, Pimblett told DAZN:

“I think Jon Jones is going to win. I could never pick against Jon Jones, I don’t think. I’ve watched all his fights since before his DQ loss to Matt Hamill. I’ve been watching him for years. I never thought he was going to lose. I don’t want to say a round but I think he’ll probably get a finish. Stipe rarely gets finished. No disrespect to Daniel Cormier but if Cormier can knock him out with his short body type, and short boxing, I think Jon Jones will be able to keep him long.”

Fast-forward to now, and Pimblett has repeated the exact same sentiment—word for word—as speculation swirls about a possible Jones vs. Aspinall unification bout. And keeping Pimblett’s faith intact, Jones did deliver back then, securing a TKO victory over Miocic at MSG last November. But this time, things feel different.

Aspinall isn’t backing down. In fact, he’s growing increasingly vocal. After holding the interim heavyweight title for nearly 500 days, the Brit is done waiting. The MMA world’s patience is wearing thin, and Dana White’s repeated assurances that this fight is happening “100%” are starting to sound like a broken record—especially with no date or venue set.

In the meantime, Aspinall has turned to a new strategy: cheeky, calculated callouts. Most notably, he brought a yellow rubber duck to the UFC London broadcast—clearly implying that Jones is ducking him. The criticism aimed at Jones is certainly growing. From Michael Bisping to Colby Covington. But some corners of the MMA world, including Team Khabib, still have faith in ‘Bones’ and his legendary fight IQ.

Team Khabib vouches for Jon Jones ahead of potential Tom Aspinall bout

It’s no secret that Dana White sees Jon Jones as the best fighter in UFC history. But did you know Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, also held ‘Bones’ in high regard? He once called the 28-1 star’s skill a “gift from God.” And he’s not the only one from Team Khabib who shares that view.

Javier Mendez, head coach at AKA and a longtime figure in Khabib’s corner, has also spoken highly of Jones, saying there’s no hurdle he can’t crush. In fact, Mendez believes Jones has every right to take his time before finalizing a fight against Tom Aspinall. “He wants to win. He does everything he can to win. He’s a perfectionist. This guy will do everything he can to win. He’s a winner. He knows how to win, and he’ll do certain things that maybe are not ethical or unethical just so he can win,” Mendez said on his YouTube podcast, Javier & Mo Show.

According to Mendez, Jones is not delaying for no reason—he’s making sure he’s fully prepared to take on Aspinall and come out on top. And that makes sense because Aspinall is no ordinary opponent. The Brit is the interim heavyweight champ for a reason. He boasts a 100% finish rate and an average fight duration of just around two minutes. Swift, agile, and dangerous—he poses a serious threat to anyone, even someone as decorated as Jon Jones.

So if Jones is truly as amazing as everyone says, why does he need so much time to prepare for Aspinall? Because this isn’t just another title defense. This is a legacy fight. Do you agree with Paddy Pimblett and think Jones will get it done? Or will Aspinall rise to the occasion and flip the script? Share your thoughts in the comments below.