Interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall and his father are becoming increasingly impatient as they await clarity on a potential fight against undisputed champion Jon Jones.
Aspinall, who holds the interim belt, recently had to defend it against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304. This came after observing plans unfold for Jones to defend his title against Stipe Miocic, who hadn`t competed for nearly four years.
Aspinall`s father openly shared his frustrations in a recent video appearance.
“It`s ridiculous,” Aspinall Sr. said on his son`s YouTube channel. “I genuinely don`t understand why the UFC seems hesitant for Tom to fight anyone other than Jon Jones.”
“`Stay tuned,` that`s the only message they wanted Tom to convey. We even had a meeting with Hunter [Campbell], and they mentioned trying to arrange the fight with Jon Jones. But here we are in April, and there`s still no definitive word from this guy on whether he`s fighting or not. I find that baffling for a professional fighter.”
He questioned, “Why is he still just sitting around, refusing to give a clear answer about his fighting future?”
As Aspinall approaches a full year without facing the champion, UFC CEO Dana White publicly expresses confidence in eventually making the Jones vs. Aspinall fight happen. However, faith within the MMA community appears to be diminishing daily.
With the possibility of a Jones fight looming, Aspinall and his father must carefully navigate the complex decision of what Tom`s next career move should be.
“What else can he do?” his father asked rhetorically. “He could take on fighters ranked lower than Jon Jones. But doing that might mean losing the opportunity to fight Jones – which is a massive chance because he`s the champion and arguably the greatest of all time. If Tom could beat him, that would be incredible.”
He continued, “What alternative does he have other than just waiting? He could potentially fight someone ranked No. 8 right now, but why should the No. 1 contender fight No. 8? It all seems a bit nonsensical to me.”
Naturally, competing for the undisputed heavyweight title against an all-time great like Jones would significantly boost Aspinall`s legacy and financial standing. However, the ongoing delay continues to cost Aspinall money, particularly during the prime years of his career.
“Honestly, it`s just a huge hassle,” Aspinall Sr. stated. “It would be really great for him, as a fighter, to actually have a fight. His last three bouts combined lasted only about a minute, and while that happened, we could definitely use more actual fights.”
“This is how we make our living, and you need to be earning money from your profession, especially while you`re fit and healthy, rather than just sitting around doing nothing but training all the time.”
