Tom Aspinall did everything right in the lead up to winning the UFC heavyweight interim title. He showed up to all his fights, never pulled out, finished every opponent, and even suffered a knee injury loss for it. Becoming the undisputed champion is the ultimate goal for any fighter in the UFC – same for ‘Honey Badger’. It must very frustrating then for him to wait to unify his title against undisputed champion Jon Jones. What’s even worse is Dana White’s unwavering support for ‘Bones’, and shutting down request from fans to make that fight. For now, Tom Aspinall will have to wait for UFC 309 to end, to get answers about his title unification future.

With Aspinall watching, Jon Jones will return to action at UFC 309 against Stipe Miocic, in his first title defence at heavyweight. With Dana White claiming “Jon Jones is the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world, period, end of story”, Aspinall has now come out with a simple, yet bold request for the UFC boss and the narrative surrounding Jones’s ‘GOAT’ status!

Tom Aspinall fires off on Jon Jones and Dana White as he makes a bold demand 

Tom Aspinall knows that fighting Jones isn’t just about taking home a belt; it’s about securing a legacy. In a recent appearance on the ‘Vechtersbazen’ podcast, the interim heavyweight champion stated, “I think if you can get that name on your resume as a scalp, I think that goes a long way but all I ask is like, Dana White saying he’s the GOAT and the P4P no. 1. If I fight Jon Jones and beat him, he still has to be the P4P no. 1 – you can’t start saying he’s old then.”

The English fighter, who has surged in popularity since his UFC debut in 2020, represents the new wave of heavyweights. His skill set, youth, and power make him a dangerous competitor, a fact that hasn’t gone unnoticed by fans and critics alike. With all eight of his UFC wins coming by way of KO/TKO or submission, the British fighter has showcase what modern-day a top-tier heavyweight mixed martial artist looks like.

Yet, in a recent interview with Kevin Iole, Jones surprisingly stated that after UFC 309 he’s “More than likely not (fighting Tom Aspinall)”. Not taking kindly to Jones brushing him off yet again, Aspinall stated, “If he’s the P4P GOAT or whatever, [he should] keep the same energy when I beat him, that’s all I ask.”

Jon Jones indicated that UFC 309 is his last bout. However, in a new conversation, the two-weight world champion indicated that he might fight on, for his legacy. Once again, Jones waylaid Tom Aspinall leading fight analysts like Luke Thomas to believe that ‘Bones’ is clearly ducking the Englishman.

Jones doesn’t think Aspinall fight is big enough for his “legacy” 

As UFC 309 approaches, fans are buzzing. Jon Jones faces Stipe Miocic in what could be his final UFC appearance. But retirement in the MMA world is bittersweet and generally difficult for fighters. In the world of MMA, there’s always another fight, if a fighter is willing to take it. If Jones decides to continue fighting, he has his sights set on one particular opponent which, unsurprisingly, isn’t Tom Aspinall. Instead, Jones is intrigued by the prospect of battling Brazilian knockout artist Alex Pereira.

Speaking to Kevin Iole, Jones stated, “If there were to be a fight of a guy that’s still on our UFC roster that would be not only financially worth it but legacy worth it, it would be Alex Pereira.” But why is Jones so captivated by Pereira? According to Bones, “I think that fight would go much farther on my legacy than a young man who’s cool today and maybe gone tomorrow.”

With two UFC titles in different weight classes, Pereira has built a legacy of destruction. He’s taken out former champions and is riding a fierce five-fight win streak, four of those victories ending in knockouts. So, what about Tom Aspinall, the man who currently holds the interim title and has been dubbed the ‘future’ of the heavyweight division by the fandom? Jones stated, “I feel like Tom Aspinall is, I don’t want to say nobody, but he just hasn’t proven anything”

The British interim champion has the talent, power, and will to face Jon Jones, yet ‘Bones’ remains unmoved, with his gaze set elsewhere. Aspinall’s request is simple: if he dethrones Jones, he wants the same respect Jones earned throughout his storied career. But with Jones’s attention locked on Alex Pereira – a fighter he sees as a worthy final chapter – the path to a Jones-Aspinall showdown seems increasingly narrow. Do you think Tom Aspinall will get a shot at unifying the titles against Jon Jones? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!