Jon Jones’ upcoming showdown against Stipe Miocic has been heavily criticized, with a large percentage of fans accusing the MMA legend of avoiding Tom Aspinall.
Regardless, the pair will lock horns on November 16 at UFC 309, headlining a stacked card that features an intriguing rematch between Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler.
Jon Jones, though, has spent more than a year out of the octagon following his first-round demolition over Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight title.
But now, he looks to resume his reign by dispatching Stipe Miocic, who has suffered a far greater spell of inactivity since his devastating second-round stoppage defeat to Francis Ngannou.
Stipe Miocic reveals why he leapfrogged Tom Aspinall to earn a shot at Jon Jones
Before losing to Ngannou back in 2021, Miocic had amassed several spectacular wins over the likes of Daniel Cormier and Alistair Overeem, becoming arguably the UFC’s greatest heavyweight champion of all time.
And yet, it is fair to say that the 42-year-old is now a far cry from his prime, especially given the explosive nature of his last defeat.
Tom Aspinall, meanwhile, has worked remarkably hard to earn his number one spot, beating Sergei Pavlovich for the UFC interim strap before defending it against Curtis Blaydes
But still, the Brit is yet to secure a clash with the top dog of his division, while Miocic, on the other hand, was seemingly gifted the opportunity based on his decorated legacy.
“I just wanted to fight Jon,” Miocic told MMA Fighting. “[Tom] Aspinall is a great fighter but I just wanted to fight Jon Jones. … It’s a fight I wanted and the UFC gave it to me. They didn’t have to.”
Tom Aspinall could be forced to compete with Alex Pereira for a shot at Jon Jones
Even after Jones’ title defense against Miocic, it would seem that Aspinall could be in danger of getting sidelined once again.
Having established himself as the bona fide king at 205 lbs, Alex Pereira has expressed an interest in moving up to the land of the giants.
But despite this, and while the Brazilian is yet to confirm his next fight, he has been heavily linked to a potential matchup with number one light heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev.
Yet still, one would suspect that it is only a matter of time before the 37-year-old makes his heavyweight debut, potentially leaving Aspinall waiting in the wings for much longer than anticipated.