Following UFC 316, Dana White addressed the Jon Jones situation — one that’s turned into a total mess.
White said he’s going to find out what Jones’ intentions are, but if he does fight, it’s going to be against Aspinall.
It’s not uncommon in the fight world for fighters to play games to drive up interest, but the Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall drama has gone over the top.
Now, the situation has created a whole new problem for White — even other UFC champions and former champions are publicly calling out Jones.
UFC Stars Comment On Jon Jones
Miesha Tate weighed in, saying she believes Jones is ducking Aspinall.
“I feel like Jon Jones is ducking Tom Aspinall,” Tate told Esports Insider.
“I think Jon Jones is an incredibly smart man and he is a technician, and he knows when he sees someone that would be difficult to beat. I don’t think he’s confident that he has the pieces it takes to put Tom Aspinall on the mat.”
“Your job is to prove that you’re the best, and you’re supposed to move up to heavyweight and do that,” Tate added.
What really caught people off guard was hearing Alexander Volkanovski, who typically stays quiet, speak out about Jones.
“If you’re the champ, you defend your belt — it’s a responsibility.
You need to be reasonably active.
If you’ve got an interim champ, that’s a no-brainer.
Don’t hold up the division.
I know your résumé is incredible, you’re considered the GOAT.
So if you don’t want to fight, just retire.”
Alexander Volkanovski urges Jon Jones to show the responsibility of a true champion 🏆
“If you’re the champ, you defend your belt — it’s a responsibility. You need to be reasonably active. If you’ve got an interim champ, that’s a no-brainer. Don’t hold up the division. I know… pic.twitter.com/VofyXtBtWr
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) June 14, 2025
It’s pretty simple what needs to happen next.
Dana needs to give Jones a deadline, and if he doesn’t commit, move on.
Yeah, he’ll be walking away from a star. But if there are no fights, what’s the point?
Spectacular fights make stars, and it’s time to get back to that. The machine needs to keep moving instead of relying on aging legends with one foot out the door.
