UFC ‘GOAT’ Jon Jones has been tipped to come back against Tom Aspinall.
It hasn’t even been a month since the UFC Heavyweight Champion relinquished his title, hanging up his gloves on a legendary MMA career and a narrative that he’s ‘ducking’ a title unification bout with Tom Aspinall.
Jones’ retirement announcement came nearly 600 days after Aspinall became the interim champion. During that time, Aspinall defended his interim title against Curtis Blaydes while Jones instead fought Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 last November, not giving way to a fight with Aspinall.
Despite past guarantees, UFC CEO Dana White said he did all he could to make the super-fight happen, with ‘Bones’ unwilling to budge.
While some have moved on from the not-so-potential matchup, there is a British champion who still has his fingers crossed on Aspinall vs. Jones.
Leon Edwards reckons Jon Jones comes out of retirement for Tom Aspinall
Former UFC Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards was one of the many fans clamoring for the Aspinall-Jones super-fight.
A fighter out of Birmingham, Edwards was happy to see his countryman Aspinall promoted to the undisputed heavyweight champion, admitting it stings we didn’t get to see him fight Jon Jones.
However, Edwards believes there will be a day where Jones and Aspinall finally cross paths.
“I’d love to see him and Jon Jones,” Edwards told Sky Sports’ Joe Leigh.
“I thought he was trying to get more money out of the UFC,” Edwards said of why Jones retired.
“I reckon he’ll come back, though,” the former champion said of Jones.
“Let Tom go out there and compete. I reckon he’ll come back, definitely.”
Edwards’ prediction if the massive heavyweight title fight comes into fruition?
“For me, Jon Jones is the goat…
“But heavyweight, I feel like you have to edge Tom, probably,” Edwards added.
Daniel Cormier says Jon Jones will beat Tom Aspinall right now
Jon Jones’ greatest rival, Daniel Cormier, says Jones could be making a mistake by not fighting Aspinall.
Jones retires from the sport a month before his 38th birthday. Aspinall is much younger at 32 years old. While the Brit has been making quick work of the heavyweight division, its former champion Cormier would have to pick Jones over Aspinall currently.
“Gun to my head, I would have said Jon Jones will beat him right now,” Cormier said on The Pound 4 Pound Podcast.
“Guess why? Tom has never been pushed into those championship rounds. Once he gets to those championship rounds, even now, say, Ciryl Gane pushes him twenty five minutes…
“If he beats Ciryl Gane, but he learns to go twenty five minutes where that first time you feel that—Tom hasn’t gotten off the stool for a third round.
Aspinall has only made it out of the opening round once in his UFC career. Aspinall’s longest UFC fight lasted a little over 6 minutes against former champion Andrei Arlovski, a fight he finished in the second round.
“Francis [Ngannou], when he fought Stipe [Miocic] and he went to try to knock him out, by the middle of the fight, Francis looked like he saw a ghost…
“You needed to fight Tom now when he doesn’t have that experience. Especially as Jon Jones,” Cormier said.