UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has been vocal about his desire to face former champion Stipe Miocic next, rather than engaging in a unification bout with interim champion Tom Aspinall. Jones has emphasized his commitment to sticking to his original plans and facing the man with all the accolades, disregarding the potential hype surrounding Aspinall.
Aspinall, who claimed the interim championship last November with a first-round knockout of Sergei Pavlovich, has been on an impressive run in the UFC. Despite a setback due to an injury resulting in a TKO loss to Curtis Blaydes in 2022, Aspinall has finished all seven of his opponents, none lasting longer than 7 minutes in the Octagon with him. Aspinall has been vocal about his desire for a unification fight with Jones, but the heavyweight champion remains uninterested in anyone other than Miocic.
Jones, aged 36, last fought in March 2023, making his heavyweight debut against Ciryl Gane for the vacant championship. Jones secured a victory by submitting Gane in just over two minutes and has since set his sights on Miocic. The scheduled fight between Jones and Miocic at UFC 295 last November was derailed due to an injury sustained by Jones. The confusion surrounding the potential unification bout has been attributed by Jones to the UFC elevating the Aspinall-Pavlovich fight to the main event and making it for the interim title.
While there is no set timetable for Jones’ return to the Octagon, he has mentioned being in the early stages of preparing for his next fight. On the other hand, there have been speculations that Aspinall may defend the interim title at UFC 304, set to take place in Manchester, England. Despite the possibility of a unification bout down the line, Jones remains focused on facing Miocic next, emphasizing the ever-present nature of challengers in the sport.
Jon Jones is resolute in his decision to pursue a matchup with Stipe Miocic over Tom Aspinall, highlighting his commitment to facing established veterans in the UFC heavyweight division. The prospect of a unification fight with Aspinall may be considered in the future, but for now, Jones is focused on making his mark against one of the all-time greats in Miocic.