UFC News: Dana White Shoots Down Double Retirement for Jon Jones & Stipe Miocic
Dana White has shared his thoughts on the likelihood of a rumored double retirement when UFC greats Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic finally fight later this year.
The two heavyweights were scheduled to meet in the main event of UFC 295 after Jones claimed the vacant heavyweight belt against Ciryl Gane, but a pectoral injury forced “Bones” to withdraw.
Fans speculated that both Jones and Miocic could be planning to retire after they fought at UFC 295, but White expects that the winner of that matchup will stick around for a massive bout against interim titleholder Tom Aspinall.
Aspinall claimed the interim heavyweight belt in his last fight.
(Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
“I mean, either guy that wins, how do you not fight Aspinall?” White said on The Rush with Maxx Crosby. “I think there’s almost like a courtesy, if you will. If you’re looked at as one of the GOATs – whoever wins this fight – it’s almost like a courtesy thing to give [Aspinall] the shot. Give him an opportunity to win. Or you win and just, it f***ing absolutely cements – nobody can poke holes in [their GOAT status], nobody can say anything about it.”
White has remained committed to the Jones vs. Miocic matchup despite a large portion of the UFC fan base expressing disinterest in the fight, and after knocking out Sergei Pavlovich to win the interim title at UFC 295, Aspinall has indicated he’d be open to fighting either man when the opportunity arises.
Considered by many fans to be the greatest heavyweight in MMA history, Miocic hasn’t fought since 2021 and allegedly turned down the chance to fight Aspinall at UFC 300 to wait for the Jones matchup.
Jones also recently claimed that he turned down a UFC 300 matchup with Aspinall, but the former light heavyweight champion did indicate he might be interested in that fight after he finally steps into the Octagon with Miocic.
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