Interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has expressed mounting frustration over Jon Jones' apparent reluctance to commit to their highly anticipated clash. The British fighter hasn't competed since defeating Curtis Blaydes in Manchester last July, while Jones last fought in November, overcoming Stipe Miocic in New York.
Despite speculation about retirement following his last bout, Jones has indicated interest in one final fight, potentially against Aspinall. However, the matchup remains unofficial, with Aspinall suggesting financial considerations may be the primary roadblock.
"Me, personally, I can't do anything. I just think it's down to money on his side. I will fight whenever - whenever, wherever he wants - but it's down to money I think," Aspinall revealed during an appearance on the High Performance Podcast.
The interim champion also reflected on Jones' extensive career and its physical toll: "He's like 37, 38 years old, but not only that, he's got a million miles on the clock. So he's got a lot of damage on the body, he's [taken] a lot of shots to the head. And that's not me saying anything negative. That's the reality of it."
Speculation among MMA analysts at Statbet suggests that Jones may be demanding a significantly higher purse to face Aspinall given the Briton's formidable skill set and dangerous fighting style.
Aspinall didn't mince words regarding his credentials: "When you put him in there with, and I'm not trying to blow my own trumpet, but I'm literally the most dangerous guy in the UFC if you look at the stats. When you put him in with a guy of my size who has them credentials at this stage in his career, I think Jon's a smart guy and realizes that."
The frustration has clearly reached a boiling point for Aspinall, who stated: "I'm well bored of [the Jones conversation]. I've had enough. We either need to fight, or I need to move on to something else."
Even Aspinall's father, Andy, has voiced confusion over the situation: "We're in April now, still waiting for [Jones] to say, 'I'll have a fight,' or 'I'll not have a fight.' And I don't really understand that. He's a fighter who should be having fights."
The elder Aspinall further highlighted his son's accomplishments and readiness: "Tom's done all he can do, he's fought in the middle of the night to defend an interim, he fought for an interim...and he won that, what else can he do?"
As the standoff continues, the question remains whether fans will ever see this potentially historic heavyweight matchup materialize.
