UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has issued a mysterious update on the elusive title unification bout with interim champion Tom Aspinall.
Jones has defended his title only once since winning it by submission against Ciryl Gane way back in March 2023.
With 'Bones' sidelined by injury, Aspinall became the interim champion by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich in November 2023.
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The English fighter, itching to unify the belts, has been left frustrated by various delays in getting the highly anticipated superfight booked.
After Aspinall was scheduled to meet Gane in June for a very unusual second interim title defence – typically a fighter who wins an interim belt will enter the octagon for their next fight against the champion but Aspinall has already seen off Curtis Blaydes – leading MMA journalist Ariel Helwani made it clear that Jones is the man holding up proceedings.
But Jones, training in Thailand, provided a denial of sorts after UFC fans responded to a post from his account on X, formerly Twitter.
Responding to a series of critical comments demanding the fight, the heavyweight champion boasted about how 'lucrative' his haters are for him.
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He also appeared to attempt to put the ball in the UFC's court: "Yall barkin up the wrong tree, I told the Ufc my plans a long time ago. I have no clue why they haven’t shared them with you guys yet."
Jones subsequently swerved invitations to actually share those plans, suggesting instead that "to continue to monetize on this amazing brand that I’ve created" is his priority.
Asked again whether he would fight again, Jones attempted a cryptic response: "Not a bad idea."
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The champion's apparent refusal to lock in the bout is wearing thin and UFC could now step in a set a deadline for an agreement.
On the Fight Disciples podcast, journalist Adam Catterall said Jones could be stripped of the belt.
"I think we're going to get to that stage of defend or strip. Whatever happens, the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world has to be contested at Madison Square Garden in November," said Catterall.
"I know Tom Aspinall will be there. He will be ready to go whether he's got a niggle, whether he's ill, whatever, he'll be ready to fight. If Jon Jones decides that it's not going to be him, then the belt has to come off him."
Topics: Jon Jones, Tom Aspinall, UFC
Chris Nee