Tom Aspinall isn’t sweating the Jon Jones fight.
It’s well-known that Aspinall has been eager to fight Jones to unify their UFC heavyweight titles. Aspinall, currently ranked No. 1 in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings for the division, secured an interim belt by defeating Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295. This fight occurred after a planned bout between Jones and Stipe Miocic was postponed due to a Jones injury.
Jones claimed the vacant undisputed title (following Francis Ngannou`s departure as champion) at UFC 285 and subsequently defended it against Miocic at UFC 309. Aspinall has also defended his interim title once during this period. Despite being a three-time light heavyweight champion, Jones has often downplayed Aspinall as a deserving challenger.
Last Saturday in London, Aspinall and his team met with UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell. Following these discussions, Aspinall feels more optimistic, although it remains unclear if the promotion is leaning towards a fight with Jones or another opponent.
“We had a nice meal and we talked everything through,” Aspinall shared on The Ariel Helwani Show. “Hunter has consistently been very approachable and reasonable with me – I can’t speak for his interactions with others, but with my team and myself, he has been nothing but welcoming and fantastic. We had a great meeting, everything went very well. I now understand my position and the company’s current direction. You’ll need to stay tuned as there is some significant news on the horizon.”
When asked if things were progressing positively, Aspinall agreed, “That’s fair to say.” He further mentioned his excitement for the future and dismissed concerns about his inactivity since his last fight against Curtis Blaydes in July.
“After the meeting, my optimism about everything is very high,” Aspinall stated. “I’m in a really, really, really good place regarding everything and my path forward. These are exciting times, truly exciting times.”
“The time off isn`t really that long, to be honest. People say, ‘Jon Jones is stalling your career’ and things like that. It’s only been seven months, which isn`t too bad. I don’t want to reveal too much, but exciting things are definitely coming.”
While Aspinall kept the specifics of his conversation with Campbell vague and didn`t confirm if Jones was the main topic, he made it clear that his primary goal is to be recognized as the undisputed No. 1 heavyweight in the UFC.
“Of course, I want to fight,” Aspinall said. “But it needs to be the right fight, and as I’ve consistently said, what I deserve is the undisputed heavyweight title. That’s paramount for me. Money and other things are secondary. My main objective is to become the undisputed heavyweight champion, and I’m working towards that.”
“I’m not just sitting at home doing nothing; I’m in the gym every day. … I’m in a good position, a really, really good position. I’d prefer to fight sooner rather than later, but I also believe that everything happens for a reason. So, I trust that when the time is right, it will be the perfect time.”
He also confirmed that he has no intention of defending the interim title again.
Regarding Jones publicly demanding excessive money to fight Aspinall, the British fighter has no issue with that aspect of negotiations.
“I agree that he deserves every penny he earns because he has achieved everything he could,” Aspinall commented.
Aspinall attended UFC London and appeared to jokingly mock Jones when cameras showed him with a toy duck, continuing the running joke that Jones is “ducking” a fight against him. The meaning of the gesture was quite clear.
“No, I just like ducks,” Aspinall joked. “I always carry a little duck with me, just in case. No, of course, it was just a playful bit of fun, a little indirect, some ‘bants,’ as we say. Just a bit of fun, that’s all.”
