LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 07: UFC CEO Dana White attends the UFC 310 event at T-Mobile Arena on … [+]
If one polled fans and fighters on the one UFC fight they want to see in 2025, odds are good that a contest between UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones and interim UFC heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall would be at or near the top of that list. That matchup has not been booked, but UFC CEO Dana White said on Saturday night at the UFC Tampa post-fight press conference that he thinks there will be a heavyweight title unification bout in 2025.
Dana White on Jones vs. Aspinall
“I’ll say 100 percent (the fight happens),” said White. “I think it’s probably the biggest fight in heavyweight history, and it’s a massive fight in the history of the company, too. It’s a big fight.”
While Aspinall has been asking for a unification bout for some time, Jones has been lukewarm on the idea, at least when speaking to the media.
“It’s weird,” White said when asked about what seems like a disconnect. “What’s weird about that, let me tell you what’s weird about that: So usually guys say that (expletive) behind the scenes and not publicly. Jon says that (expletive) publicly but not behind the scenes. Jon is a very unique individual to deal with. From Day 1, I’ve been confident that Jon Jones would do that fight. Even before the fight (with Miocic), I said Jon will do this fight. Jon Jones isn’t afraid to fight anybody, and that’s a fact.
“The only time that anything remotely weird has happened with Jon Jones is the time that his (expletive) camp did the weird Chael Sonnen thing, ‘We can’t fight Chael Sonnen on short notice.’ and that wasn’t him. It was his team, and he listened to his team for whatever reason. But that’s like the goofiest (expletive) move in the history of the UFC. But other than that, Jon Jones is not a guy that, behind the scenes, turns down fights.”
Jones is coming off a third-round TKO win over Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 309 in November. Aspinall captured the interim UFC heavyweight title in November 2023 with a first-round knockout of Sergei Pavlovich. He defended the interim crown in July with a first-round knockout of Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 16: Jon Jones of the United States of America reacts after his TKO … [+]
Aspinall on Jones vs. Aspinall
Aspinall recently spoke about the conversation he had with Dana White following UFC 309, where Aspinall weighed-in as a potential emergency fill-in for either Jones or Miocic.
“Actually, right after that press conference, I had a meeting with Dana,” Aspinall said. “So, in all honesty, I was expecting to come and maybe we negotiate a little bit. He literally walks into the room and said, ‘It’s happening.’ I said, ‘Well, he’s going to want loads of money.’ He said, ‘I know, but it’s happening.’ And he said, ‘It’s going to be the biggest fight in UFC history.’”
As for his side of the negotiations, Aspinall said money is a secondary concern.
“No, no,” Aspinall said. “I don’t really care about money at this point. Obviously, I’ve got a family. I want to make as much money as I can. But to me, what’s more important is unifying belts.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 16: Interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall looks on during the … [+]
Jones on Jones vs. Aspinall
In late November, Jones offered an update on his side of a potential title unification fight.
“Right now, the UFC and I, we’re in negotiations,” Jones said. “We’re in talks to see what happens next. I’m back in the gym. I’m training. I feel really great. The team supports me and they’re behind me. We’ll just be ready for whatever opportunity comes our way.”
“There is (a figure in mind), but I’m not going to discuss that publicly,” Jones added. “Yes, I will be competing in 2025, more than likely.”
Stay tuned for more news on a potential title unification bout between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall.
