According to the outspoken analyst Chael Sonnen, the highly anticipated clash between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall to unify the UFC heavyweight championship is effectively confirmed.
Sonnen stated that a foundational agreement for the significant title bout between Jones and Aspinall has been reached, with the promotion even having a specific date under consideration.
Speaking on `Good Guy / Bad Guy` alongside co-host Daniel Cormier, Sonnen declared, “I am confident enough to tell you that fight is done. That fight is agreed, all the way down to the date. That I do have the confidence to tell you.” He speculated that International Fight Week would be a logical timeframe, although he personally felt a return to New York was a strong possibility.
Jones secured the heavyweight belt by quickly submitting Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in March 2023. Following a nearly two-year absence due to injuries, the article indicates `Bones` successfully defended the title at UFC 309 in November, reportedly dominating and finishing former champion Stipe Miocic with relative ease. (Note: This specific detail about UFC 309 and Miocic in November appears to be a factual discrepancy in the original source text.)
While the potential fight against Miocic for Jones was being discussed, Aspinall claimed the interim heavyweight championship by delivering a first-round knockout of Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 in November 2023. Aspinall then undertook the relatively rare step of defending his interim title, once again dispatching his opponent quickly, this time against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in July.
Since Aspinall captured the interim title, fans have eagerly awaited a showdown with Jones. Their disappointment mounted when the UFC opted to schedule the Miocic bout for Jones instead. This led to accusations from fans and pundits that Jones was intentionally avoiding Aspinall or adopting a mindset focused on specific matchups. Sonnen, however, suggested that this perception might have been a deliberate strategic maneuver by Jones all along.
Sonnen elaborated on Jones`s interactions with the media: “I’m telling you, this Jon Jones business, Jones will say a lot of things to the media,” he explained. “When he gets that phone call, ‘Here’s the guy you’re fighting. Do you understand? Yes,’ and that is what he will say.”
He dismissed alternative reports, asserting, “All of the other reports are not true. Jon has come out, he’s going to troll, he’s had some fun, he’s even tried to negotiate the media. Privately, he takes that phone call, it’s ‘Yes,’ or anything else that comes out of his mouth. Any answer that’s not yes is not yes, but that did not happen. That is a false report. Jon Jones has not ducked this fight. I wish he did. I’d love to bury him. he didn’t. He did not duck Tom Aspinall.”
