MMA Knockout

In Defence of Jon Jones Ducking Tom Aspinall

Opinion: Yes, Jon Jones is ducking Tom Aspinall, but it's not as straight-forward as you think.

Mathew Riddle

Jones (Jeff Bottari Zuffa LLC) / Aspinall (Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall is the right heavyweight title fight to make, but it's clear Jones and the UFC don't want it --- and it's not as straightforward as it seems.

Yes, Jones is avoiding Aspinall, but it's all about 'legacy fights'. While defeating Aspinall would be a major accomplishment, how much does that matter when looking back at Jones' record a decade or two from now?

Historical Revisionism Trumps Beating Aspinall Right Now

"He [Aspinall] hasn't proven anything," Jones told Kevin Iole. "He hasn't done anything. I'm not here to gamble on someone else making a name off of me."

The hard truth about MMA and the UFC is that historical revisionism is common. It's happened to fighters like Jose Aldo, Anderson Silva, and BJ Penn. When a 'GOAT' has losses on their record, newer MMA fans often overlook the significance those fights had at the time.

It's like Jones' fight with Dominick Reyes. A majority of viewers thought Jones lost two rounds to three. But, half a decade later, Reyes is just another name in Jones' win column. When the baseline shifts, so does the narrative.

Jones won’t “gamble” on fighting Aspinall because the weight of that victory depends on Aspinall’s future success. In contrast, Miocic has an established legacy; if he retires after UFC 309, the significance of having Miocic’s name on Jones’ resume would be unquestionable.

Heavyweight Log-Jam Could Have Been Avoided

I don't want to justify Jones ducking Aspinall, because it's absolutely the fight that should be happening at UFC 309. This could have been avoided by not granting the interim title fight to Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich in lieu of Jones-Miocic at UFC 295.

Read More UFC & MMA News


Stick with MMAKnockout for more FREE coverage of the UFC, MMA, Boxing, WWE, and AEW. Follow MMAKnockout on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Published
Mathew Riddle
MATHEW RIDDLE

Mathew is a UK-based combat sports journalist, graphic designer, and SEO expert with over five years of experience in digital marketing and a dedicated four-year track record in MMA journalism. He joined MMAKO in 2023. Mathew's insights have been featured on The Fight Fanatic, Heavy on UFC, Fansided, and Sportskeeda. Reach him at mr@thefightfanatic.com.

Home/UFC