UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones returns to action next weekend in the main event of UFC 309; a title fight that almost every single MMA fan wishes involved interim king Tom Aspinall, rather than 42-year-old Stipe Miocic.
But what happens if Jon ‘Bones’ Jones does emerge from Madison Square Garden with the championship belt over his shoulder, but refuses to face Tom Aspinall for undisputed gold next?
Michael Bisping believes the UFC should consider stripping Jon Jones
Earlier this week, heavyweight champion Jon Jones generated headlines around the world when he suggested that he could overlook Aspinall in favor of a showdown with light heavyweight superstar Alex Pereira next.
Those comments certainly haven’t gone down well with either fans or fighters, with UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping now coming out to state that should ‘Bones’ go the Brazilian route, he should be stripped of his heavyweight title.
“The reality is that Jon Jones is now the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and if he fights Stipe Miocic, and if he is victorious, he has to face Tom Aspinall next – this is just the way that the world works.
“If he doesn’t, this is – in the words of Khabib Nurmagomedov – Number One Bull****, I’m telling you right now, it is number one bull****… If he refuses to fight Tom Aspinall next, then we’ve got to start having a serious conversation as to whether or not this man should be stripped.”
Bisping, who retains a close friendship with Aspinall, lamented the fact that Jones was already calling for a super-fight with Alex Pereira as he noted that if this was boxing, ‘Bones’ would be forcefully removed from the top of the tree.
“They should face one another [next] but he’s calling out Alex Pereira for a legacy fight… What I’m saying sounds crazy and I’m not saying this as a Jon Jones hater but if this was boxing, then Jon Jones would be stripped [of his title] and that’s a fact.
“Oleksandr Usyk fought Tyson Fury for the undisputed belts, Usyk won and was undisputed champion – but guess what? The mandatory IBF challenger was Filip Hrgovic, but because he’s going to rematch Tyson Fury, he was stripped of the IBF title… And this should be the same thing.”
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Win or lose at UFC 309, there is still a very real possibility that ‘Bones’ could walk away from the sport entirely; recently confirming via Ketone-IQ that his decision rests on his performance against Miocic.
“I feel like whether I retire or not will depend on this next performance; one of my main goals is to make it look really easy and if I can accomplish that, I think curiosity will keep me in the game.”
Back to the legendary former middleweight champion, who argued that should Jones stick around for one more fight, but opt to face Pereira over Aspinall, it would tarnish his outstanding UFC legacy.
“It’s not a good look when you’re a champion and there’s an undisputed [interim] champion that you’re saying you will not fight – and you’re calling out the champion from the weight class below, it’s just not a good look.
“I’m not saying Jon Jones should be stripped, but there needs to be a very serious conversation about it.”
UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic goes down next weekend from Madison Square Garden, with Tom Aspinall expected to weigh in as the backup fighter.