It is the biggest fight currently available in heavyweight MMA but Dana White is keen to dismiss any fake news surrounding negotiations to hold a title fight between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall in 2025.
Interim champ Aspinall has been vocal in his desire to challenge Jones to determine the undisputed heavyweight pacesetter this year but Jones, speaking last November ahead of his return against Stipe Miocic, has so far distanced himself from taking on the Englishman — saying that he would require what he called “f*ck you” money to step into the cage with Aspinall.
Speaking on his podcast recently, UFC commentator Joe Rogan said that he had heard whispers that Jones was seeking $30 million to fight Aspinall, and added his belief that the organisation would pay up in order to make the fight a reality.
However, Rogan has subsequently walked back this statement.
“I had heard a rumour that Jon Jones wanted $30 million to fight Tom Aspinall — and I did hear that rumor, and I did hear the UFC said yes, but it is not true,” Rogan said, as noted by MMA Fighting. “So Dana contacted me and said that rumour was bullsh*t, so I felt obligated to tell everybody that was a fake rumour.”
“Apparently Jon is thinking about retiring,” Rogan added. “And he should. He’s going to have to some day. I’m not saying he should retire, I’m saying he should think about it.
“Give the man all the time he wants. He can fight whenever he wants to fight. That’s Jon Jones. He’s the GOAT. So leave him alone. If he decides one day to come back, and he comes back and wants to fight Tom Aspinall for the heavyweight title… the question is, how long are you allowed to hold onto the title before they start having that conversation? Now, he just knocked out Stipe Miocic, so give the man months. Give the man five or six months. Just leave him the f*ck alone.
“But at a certain point in time, you have to decide who the heavyweight champion is. And if Tom is the interim heavyweight champion and Jon decides he doesn’t want to fight anymore, he could do that — and he could do that, come back in a year and fight for the title. He can do that. He can do whatever he wants.”
