Tom Aspinall’s Cryptic Post Rekindles Jon Jones Unification Talk

The mind games between Tom Aspinall and Jon Jones continue.

Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) reignited the rumor mill on Monday with a cryptic Instagram post that read, “Heavyweight news…coming soon.” The message from the UFC interim heavyweight champion immediately sparked speculation that the long-awaited title unification bout with Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) was about to be announced.

However, Aspinall quickly moved to temper the excitement.

“UFC announce my fights guys, not me,” the Brit wrote in the reply section below the post.

He followed up with a tongue-in-cheek response, saying, “Sorry, guys, I’m fighting for a new belt. Interim of the interim BMF UFC heavyweight title. Living my best life.”

Aspinall has been relentlessly pursuing a fight with Jon Jones ever since capturing the interim title at UFC 295 in November 2023. Jones had originally been scheduled to face former heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic on that card, but a torn pectoral tendon forced him out of the bout and sidelined him for a year.

Aspinall stepped in to fill the void at Madison Square Garden, knocking out Sergei Pavlovich to claim the interim title and establish himself as the de facto No. 1 contender in the heavyweight division.

Fans immediately called for Jones to face Aspinall upon his return to the Octagon in late 2024, but the undisputed champion stuck to his original plan and fought Miocic instead.

Since Jones defeated Miocic last November, the demand for a showdown with Aspinall has only intensified. UFC President Dana White has promised the fight will happen, but both the fanbase—and Aspinall himself—are still waiting for an official announcement.

Paul Browne

Paul Browne is a professional mixed martial arts commentator, feature writer and podcaster based in Dublin, Ireland.