UFC CEO Dana White has confirmed that Jon Jones has agreed to face Tom Aspinall, promising that this highly anticipated heavyweight clash will happen soon. White addressed the recent public back-and-forth between the two fighters, which has fueled speculation despite White`s assurance that the fight is already accepted by Jones.
“I`ve been saying it since the beginning. Jon Jones agreed to do the fight,” White stated at the UFC 316 post-fight press conference. He added, “Jon was offered the deal and accepted the deal. Jon agreed to fight Tom, yes.” White reiterated his confidence, telling reporters, “I guarantee this fight is going to happen.”
While White admitted he wasn`t fully caught up on all of Jones`s recent social media posts, including a mention of potentially fighting Francis Ngannou next, he dismissed their significance. Regarding a possible return for Francis Ngannou to the UFC, White was definitive, simply stating, “Probably not.”
White acknowledged that should Jones have a change of heart and decide against fighting Aspinall, or even consider retirement, his options are limited. However, he is not giving up hope on making the matchup. “I haven`t been keeping up with the gossip,” White said, noting he would discuss the situation with Jones upon his return home from Thailand. “Tom Aspinall’s the guy,” White affirmed, but conceded, “If [Jones] wants to retire, and doesn’t want to fight, nothing you can do.” He drew parallels to previous retirements like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Daniel Cormier.
Negotiating with Jon Jones often requires extra effort, a process White is familiar with, comparing it to dealing with “artists.” Despite the challenges, he views the fight as Aspinall`s opportunity. “It’s Aspinall’s fight,” White stated. “You can’t make people fight. If Jon doesn’t want to fight, you can’t make him fight. We can try to make him fight… inspire him to want to fight but we’ll figure it out.”
White also addressed the online petition advocating for Jones to be stripped of his title, allowing Aspinall to be recognized as the undisputed champion. He downplayed its impact, calling it “kind of f*cking silly” given the vast global fanbase compared to the number of signatures.
Amidst the constant rumors and online chatter between Jones and Aspinall, White remains confident a deal will be finalized. He urged fans to only trust official announcements. “Unless you hear it come from here or we put out a press release, don’t believe any of this bullshit,” White advised, concluding with the confirmed fact: “Jon agreed to fight Tom.”
