Stipe Miocic’s campaign for the undisputed heavyweight title clash against Jon Jones has faced an unexpected hurdle! Miocic holds the record for the most consecutive title defenses in UFC heavyweight division’s history. However, he has been out of action ever since losing the crown to Francis Ngannou at UFC 260 in 2021.

As such, questions have been raised about the upcoming clash between him and Jones due to Miocic’s inactivity. But in a recent ranking update, the former champion has found himself in another tough spot as the division’s landscape has seen a significant shift. This has left the MMA sphere wondering, is he truly the best option for taking on the challenge of ending Jon Jones’s reign as the undisputed king amongst UFC heavyweights? 

Stipe Miocic’s ranking in the heavyweight division gets threatened in latest update

According to an update shared on X by John Morgan, it was reported that, “With his impressively quick #UFCVegas95 submission victory, Serghei Spivac moves up two spots – and into a tie with Stipe Miocic – to the No. 7 spot in the latest official heavyweight rankings update.”

With Jones holding the no. 1 spot as the undisputed champion and Tom Aspinall right there with him as the interim champion, the new rankings indicate that Miocic’s inactivity is doing him no favors. Originally set to clash at UFC 295, Jones’s pectoral tendon injury derailed the UFC’s plans to have Miocic and Bones face off in November 2023.

Now, sources indicate that the promotion is looking to set-up the canceled bout at Madison Square Garden later this year. Before the injury happened, Jones’s last fight was against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 where he won the vacant heavyweight title in his debut in the 265 lbs. weight class. With Miocic finding his place in the rankings threatened by the rise of names like Serghei Spivac, it’s also raised a lot of eyebrows about the validity of his claims for a title shot against Jon Jones.

Another issue that has fanned the flames of doubt about Miocic has been UFC CEO Dana White’s recent comments. Talking to Kevin Iole, the UFC boss claimed that, “Stipe 100 percent is going to retire after this (Jones) fight.” So, even if Miocic wins the fight and the title, the UFC head honcho believes that he might walk away from the sport.

As such, it’s hard for many in the MMA sphere to get on board with the former champion’s claims for the title shot if he is planning to hang up his gloves immediately afterward. Where does that leave Tom Aspinall, the man who currently holds the interim title? Well, he thinks that Stipe Miocic needs to take a page out of Joe Biden’s book!

Tom Aspinall thinks the UFC should pivot in their plans for Miocic

At UFC 304, Tom Aspinall avenged the only loss of his UFC career so far as he ran through Curtis Blaydes in the very first round and defended his interim belt in the process. But with all signs pointing towards Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic fighting for the undisputed title next instead of him, the British UFC star has come out guns blazing against Miocic!

In a recent conversation with MMA Fighting, Aspinall was brutally honest as he stated, “Let’s be honest. The guy (Miocic) is 43 years old, he’s had a four-year layoff, and his last fight was a knockout loss.” Using the example of President Joe Biden’s decision to step down from the election race this year, Aspinall further went on to cheekily claim, “The guy needs to be Joe Biden’d, mate. He’s too old. No one’s that interested anymore. And I respect Stipe a lot. Pull him out, stick me in.”

Aspinall isn’t wrong because as mentioned above, the Cleveland native hasn’t stepped foot in the cage since 2021. Now, with the rankings also changing in the division, the political analogy isn’t just a throwaway line. It highlights Aspinall’s conviction that Miocic’s time has passed, and it’s his turn to shine. What are your thoughts on the Stipe Miocic vs Jon Jones fight? Do you think the UFC is right in their decision to keep Aspinall waiting to face the winner of that bout? Let us know in the comments below!