Tom Aspinall would be the backup for this fall’s undisputed heavyweight title scrap between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic.
Up to now, the UFC has not formally confirmed when or even when Jones vs. Miocic goes to occur, however all indicators level towards the long-awaited legacy conflict happening at UFC 309 when the promotion makes its annual pit spot at Madison Sq. Backyard on November 9.
Anticipated to face the winner, or whichever one who doesn’t instantly retire, interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall revealed in a video on his YouTube channel that he has spoken to the UFC about being the official backup for ‘Bones’ vs. Miocic in case both one can’t make the stroll come struggle night time.
“Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic, New York Metropolis. As I mentioned, this struggle hasn’t been confirmed. However after my final struggle in opposition to Curtis Blaydes there was some speak about me being the back-up fighter. The UFC spoke to me instantly about that, I mentioned, ‘I’m in!’ Someone pulls out, I’m in. At some point discover, ten day discover, ten weeks discover, one hour discover, I’ll be ready for that date” (h/t Sportskeeda).
Tom Aspinall Comfortable to ship Jon Jones into retirement, a method or one other
Initially, Jones and Miocic had been scheduled to struggle at UFC 295 final yr, however a pectoral harm compelled ‘Bones’ out of the bout. That prompted the promotion to introduce an interim belt on the occasion. Aspinall captured the short-term title with a quick-fire end of Sergei Pavlovich within the co-main occasion.
He’s since turn out to be the primary fighter in additional than a decade to defend an interim title, dispatching Curtis Blaydes 60 seconds into their UFC 304 co-main occasion in Manchester.
Sadly, there’s no assure we’ll ever see Jones vs. Aspinall with ‘Bones’ constantly teasing retirement on social media. If Jones does resolve to pack it in later this yr, that’s completely high quality with Aspinall. He’ll simply go down because the fighter who retired Jon Jones with out ever having to truly struggle him.
“[Jones] was praying that I’d lose that struggle in opposition to Curtis Blaydes,” Aspinall mentioned on the Imagine You Me podcast with Michael Bisping. “As a result of there may be nowhere that you would be able to publicly discover him saying he would struggle me. It doesn’t exist… Since I gained that struggle, he’s gone fully quiet… I’ll retire Jon Jones with out even combating him.”
