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Interim Champ Tom Aspinall Slams Jon Jones Fight Delay: 'It’s Pissing Me Off'

UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is fed up with the promotion's obsession with booking Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic for Jones' heavyweight title.

Zain Bando

Nov 11, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Tom Aspinall (blue gloves) reacts to beating Sergei Pavlovich (red gloves) during UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 11, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Tom Aspinall (blue gloves) reacts to beating Sergei Pavlovich (red gloves) during UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) is not happy with UFC brass wanting him to sit out and wait for the winner of the targeted Jon Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1, 1 NC UFC) vs. Stipe Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) fight that is expected to take place Nov. 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York City as the UFC 309 headliner.

Aspinall, fresh off a first-round KO victory in the co-main event of UFC 304 against Curtis Blaydes, said he is looking for answers as to why he is not considered the rightful No. 1 contender to fight Jones.

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"It is pissing me off; I don't like to f****** complain," Aspinall told the Believe You Me Podcast. "Cause everyone's like, 'Oh, you're crying about this.' There are six guys in the top 10 who I have finished in the first round. Just let that sink in. Six guys in the top 10 who I have finished in the first round. I just beat the No. 1 contender, who is Ciryl Gane. And the No. 1 contender before him, it was Sergei Pavlovich, in a combined time of 2:07. Two fights. So, it's like, f******* Jon's not doing that. He beat one guy, Ciryl Gane, who didn't want to be there [in the Octagon] two years ago. Dana is walking around calling himself [Jon Jones] the real champion. Granted, he's had an amazing career. He's been a real champion most of his career. Not at heavyweight. I'm the guy at heavyweight. Not him. Me. So, I want to be recognized as the best. I've got the real belt."

The UFC doesn't see it that way, however. Jones, who last competed 17 months ago and has since nursed a pectoral injury suffered in camp weeks before UFC 295, has remained the champion. This goes against the UFC's standard of inactivity in stripping champions.

Instead of Aspinall getting a title shot, CEO Dana White has been adamant that Jones and Miocic have to fight, simply because of legacy and prestige, not because of rankings or activity.

It is unclear whether or not Jones-Aspinall will ever occur, but in the eyes of the fans, it's a must-see attraction.

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Do you believe Jones should fight Miocic next, or wait for Aspinall?

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Zain Bando

ZAIN BANDO

Zain Bando is a writer for MMA Knockout, part of the Sports Illustrated/Minute Media umbrella. He has covered combat sports since 2019 for notable outlets BJPenn.com and FanSided MMA. He also co-hosts a podcast called "The MMA Outsiders," part of the Empty The Bench Podcast Network, which airs Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. A Chicago suburban native, Bando has been enthralled with MMA since 2006 and has been fortunate to attend some of the most high-profile events in the sport's history, both as a fan and media member, including UFC 264, Bellator 297 and Kayla Harrison's PFL MMA debut. He is excited to take the next step in his combat sports writing journey and looks forward to continuing his following of the fight game for years to come. Bando can be reached via email at zainbando99@gmail.com or by social media @zainbando99

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