Despite Tom Aspinall claiming the interim heavyweight title by defeating Sergei Pavlovich on Saturday, Dana White remains committed to re-booking Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic. The original match, scheduled to be the headline event at Madison Square Garden, had to be postponed because of a pectoral tendon tear sustained by Jones. Aspinall and Pavlovich stepped in last-minute for an interim title fight, a decision justified by White as it would have been discourteous to offer an interim fight to Miocic instead.
Aspinall impressed during his bout with Pavlovich, securing a notable first-round KO win. Jones, the newly-crowned interim champ, lauded Aspinall’s victory. The sentiment among fans and experts is that Aspinall and Pavlovich should have been the initial contenders for the undisputed title, taking into account that Jones’ recovery might consume a significant amount of time.
That said, Dana White remains unswayed by Aspinall’s victory over Pavlovich in UFC 291. White is insistent upon re-booking the Jones vs. Miocic match, stating a prospective contest between the victor and the interim champ. He expressed his preference for this match at the post-fight press conference, contending that both fighters deserved this fight given it was the one they had initially wanted. He commended Jones for his diligence in recovering post-injury, detailing how Jones immediately sought surgery and is now committed to physical therapy.
Speculation surrounded the future of Jones and Miocic, had their much-awaited UFC 295 face-off proceeded as planned. It was suggested that they might have considered retirement post-fight, with Miocic’s future plans remaining uncertain. According to White’s recent conversation with Miocic, it is apparent that retirement is not on the table. Instead, the heavyweight fighter’s focus remains solely on a match against Jones. White reiterated that this is the fight they want and the one that should happen.