Tom Aspinall gets it. He totally understands why Jon Jones is eyeing a fight with Stipe Miocic. It’s a big deal, you know?
Jones had his eyes set on defending his heavyweight title against Miocic at UFC 295 this November. But, fate had other plans. A torn pectoral muscle benched him. So, Aspinall stepped up. He faced Sergei Pavlovich and, boy, did he deliver – knocking Pavlovich out and snagging the interim title.
But here’s the kicker: Jones is still fixated on Miocic. He’s not giving Aspinall a second glance. And honestly? Aspinall was peeved at first. He even called for Jones to be stripped of his title. But, he’s had a change of heart. Now, he’s all in for a showdown with Jones. Yet, “Bones” and Miocic seem to have other plans. Rumor has it, their clash might be the last hoorah for both.
Rejected by Jones and Miocic, Aspinall’s next move? Defending his interim title against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304. Jones threw some shade, calling it a ‘number one contender’ fight. Despite the snub, Aspinall’s not holding grudges. He told Title Sports Network he gets where they’re coming from. If he were in Jones’ shoes, he’d probably make the same call.
“No, no, no. I’d be very, very surprised if Jon Jones ever signed a contract to fight me,” Aspinall said. “Very surprised. I don’t think it’s gonna happen. I’m very skeptical. Jon Jones is a smart man. And if the shoe was on the other foot and I was in his spot, and I was like, ‘Right, I can fight this 42-year-old guy who’s at the end of his career and make probably five times more money than he can fighting me,’ I would definitely do that as well.”
So, there you have it. Aspinall’s take on the whole situation. It’s a mix of understanding, a bit of disappointment, and a whole lot of realism.