For over two years, the UFC heavyweight division has been stuck in a frustrating state of uncertainty.
Jon Jones finally returned but that wasn’t before a ton of drama surrounding Francis Nannangou which wasn’t fun to watch.
Then Jon Jones came back and won the title, exciting fans who hoped the heavyweight division would return to its former glory.
Which it sort of did and didn’t.
Since capturing the belt, Jones has defended it just once—against Stipe Miocic—and has shown little interest in facing the new wave of heavyweight talent. However, White insists that the fight is moving forward. Now, at long last, Dana White has provided an update that suggests progress is being made toward a showdown between Jones and interim champion Tom Aspinall.
The wait has been excruciating for Aspinall, who has positioned himself as the rightful number-one contender.
“Listen, Jon Jones definitely wants to fight,” White said. “[It’s] just when and where is what we’re working on now.”
Despite White’s optimism, Aspinall is frustrated (you can’t blame him), stating that Jones’ side is holding up negotiations. The British powerhouse believes the fight should have already been finalized, but White remains firm in his confidence that the matchup will take place this summer.
If this blockbuster fight does get signed, it could become the biggest payday of Jones’ legendary career. Rumors suggest that a massive $30 million purse is being discussed, a sum that might finally lure “Bones” back into the octagon for what could be his farewell fight. The match is going to be a heck of a fight—on one side, a seemingly unstoppable force in Aspinall, and on the other, arguably the greatest mixed martial artist of all time.
While Jones vs. Aspinall appears to be the clear direction, other names, including Alex Pereira, were briefly thrown into the mix. However, it doesn’t appear that will happen after Pereira’s latest performance.
“You’re trying to ask a guy to move up two weight classes to heavyweight and take on the greatest of all time,” White said. “There’s still tough guys to fight in the light heavyweight division. I believe in moving up after you clean out divisions, and this division wasn’t cleaned out yet.”
With Pereira suffering a recent loss to Magomed Ankalaev, that potential superfight is off the table, leaving Aspinall as the only real contender left. Now, all Dana has to do is get Jones to sign on the dotted line; as we’ve seen, that is not easy.
