GSP talks about Tom not focusing on the right thing

[BEATDOWNS]

He's asked UFC for a different fight but they keep stringing him along making empty promises. It's not his fault.

 

[Ramon Antonio]

You're missing the point it's completely up to you. I look at Baraos defenses against Faber, Windland and mcdonald as real defenses. No reason not to. I look at toms win against blaydes as a legitimate title defense. Not interested in what others say.

Aljo has the most defenses at BW, but no one holds him in too high of a regard, because TJ had one arm, Cejudo was off the couch, Yan was a DQ followed by a Lay and pray. We can look at fights and apply context.

There’s a difference between what people can do and what they will do. The more time passes the less nuance there will be. People are just going to check the records, not the entire history and context of the fights.

 

[RockyLockridge]

There’s a difference between what people can do and what they will do. The more time passes the less nuance there will be. People are just going to check the records, not the entire history and context of the fights.

Let them be uneducated, you can always tell yourself you know better

 

[icemun]

At this point not sure why Tom isnt taking this advise

Why isnt he calling out everyone?

Gane is #2

If hes the baddest, why sitting around talking about Jones on the internet

 

[Killer Kadoogan]

Ahh so you're not saying it's on him, but on the UFC. Fair enough. Except...you claimed he was pouting sitting on the sidelines etc when the reality is he said he'd fight someone else and the UFC shot it down. So maybe don't act like he's had the chance to smash the division. (Even though there's only 2 other guys left out of the top 10 for him to smash anyway.)

*should

 

[mkess101]

*should

Yes. "Should" implies that Aspinall has control over the situation if the word is directed at him. He doesn't decide the matchups. He's stated he's open to fighting other people and done it publicly.

I'm questioning whether you know what "should" means.

 

[Cameron]

The only top HWs that Tommy hasn't starched are Gane who ducked him multiple times, and Jailton.

Both fights I want to see.

 

[WoozyFailGuy]

Both fights I want to see.

Me too, when he has the undisputed title, so that he hasn't cleared out the division beforehand.

 

[El Fernas]

Jones isnt fighting him, but the problem Aspinall is facing right now is that Jones fought like 6 months ago...he just bought himself like a year with the Miocic win, Aspinall´s last win was like 10 months ago...he should had fought right next to Jones to push the issue, get a few fights, it doesnt matter if he ends up defending the interim like 2-3 times, just do it, even if he beats Jones, there is the fact that Jones isnt a career HW but a HW and (if) he beats him it could be because Jones is very well past his prime in a division above his more natural weight class.

Just fight, defend the Interim title, i have been saying this way before GSP did.

 

[Killer Kadoogan]

Yes. "Should" implies that Aspinall has control over the situation if the word is directed at him. He doesn't decide the matchups. He's stated he's open to fighting other people and done it publicly.

I'm questioning whether you know what "should" means.

could *should also apply to the UFC? hmmmm. it's like both thoughts can be true or something. wild. crazy even. big.

 

[mkess101]

could *should also apply to the UFC? hmmmm. it's like both thoughts can be true or something. wild. crazy even. big.

Your tone was quite obviously directed at Aspinall "whining and drinking protein shakes" or whatever. As if he has any say at all in what's happening.

 

[MMAFanCal]

Aspinall has only one 'next thing' and that is the undisputed championship. There is no other next thing for him. He cleaned out the top of the division and destroyed them in seconds. Jones is purposely and maliciously trying to hold him up and UFC being in Jones' pocket, is complicit in this situation making every excuse in the book to allow him not to be stripped.

DEFEND or VACATE!

 

[Killer Kadoogan]

Your tone was quite obviously directed at Aspinall "whining and drinking protein shakes" or whatever. As if he has any say at all in what's happening.

 

[Alpha_T83]

What I want to know is, why aren't we doing Aspinall vs Gane? Is it Aspinall that doesn't want it? I've heard Gane also doesn't want to fight Aspinall? And I've heard the UFC doesn't want to do it, because they don't want to risk Jones vs Aspinall later this year?

Because I agree with GSP. Tom should just fight Cyril Gane, defend his interim title, make himself 100% undeniable, and start publicly calling out the real problem: Dana White.

 

[mkess101]

What I want to know is, why aren't we doing Aspinall vs Gane? Is it Aspinall that doesn't want it? I've heard Gane also doesn't want to fight Aspinall? And I've heard the UFC doesn't want to do it, because they don't want to risk Jones vs Aspinall later this year?

Because I agree with GSP. Tom should just fight Cyril Gane, defend his interim title, make himself 100% undeniable, and start publicly calling out the real problem: Dana White.

Why would a win over Gane (who was just gifted a decision over Volkov--injury or not) make him "100% undeniable" more than he is now?? The hurdle isn't ANYONE (anyone sane anyway) claiming there's someone other than Aspinall that Jones needs to fight (if he chooses to defend vs vacate). The hurdle is Jones actually making the decision on IF he's gonna defend or not.

You think we need Aspinall to sign to fight Gane and knock him out and the next day Jones magically coincidentally decides he's ready to defend and the fans get Jones vs Tai Tuivasa? Yeah...great.

 

[Luffy]

I think this is the right thing GSP might be alerting Tom... The real danger may be looming in, and this danger may be too big for Tom... A full locked in Alex Pereira !!

 

[Luffy]

GSP was in a mirror situation to Jones.

He dodged Woodley to fight Bisping, which was the easier fight against the more weathered opponent.

Whittaker was next, and GSP chose to retire instead.

But, the thing is, if you've already competed against the best for 10-15+ years, you've already accomplished everything there is to accomplish, what else do you really have to prove?

Would GSP or Jones gain anything if they'd fought Whittaker and aspinall? It would be a great feather in the cap at the end of a storied career, but it wouldn't really change the bottom line in terms of legacy and all time status.

Much as we want the fight, I think people need to understand such a situation from the perspective of a top fighter at the end of their career.


With that in mind, where this situation does change is money. Jones is in a position where he doesn't have to fight again. If the UFC wants it, they'll bend the rules to make it happen, if not, then he's out.

Which is a great position to be in terms of leverage, especially in a star deprived ufc.

That being said, I think it happens.

Probably depends on who wins the poatan magomedov rematch. If poatan wins, I could see Jones giving up the title and moving down.

Exactly. But I don't think there needs to be a rematch vs Ankalaev though. I'd like for Jiri to have a go. Poatan filled his role in 205 and defended his belt 3x and had a close fight vs Ankalaev in which Ankalalev was ever so slightly better. Alex had already spoken about wanting to move up to HW, and he has said he would like to fight Aspinall or JJ and said he thinks he can win against both, but sees Jon Jones as the hardest fight ever, saying for whatever match at HW, he'd need to be in a really good shape, locked in totally.

He lost to Adesanya and moved up to LHW, defeating Jan, Jiri twice, Hill, Rountree... Then lost to Big Ank in a close fight. The UFC doesn't like when a champion who has barely defended the belt vacates and moves up. When Jon Jones and Alex were totally in for the match up, Dana said he could do it, but Alex would need to vacate his LHW belt and go to HW to have a super fight vs Jones. Alex chose to fight Ankalaev though, he said it wouldn't feel right moving up without having fighting all legit contenders in LHW. I case he had won, he said he'd think of either fighting Jiri again, or fighting the winner of Chimaev vs DDP at 205. He and DDP had agreed to fight at LHW, as well. Alex also called Chimaev to fight at 205 as a possible match up and Chimaev accepted, but said he first needed to get the 185 belt and then he'd think about whether he fights Alex or keeps in 185, saying he would like to, but "I don't know. Whatever the UFC wants".

Now LHW has a new champion. And Ankalaev has never expressed willingness to go to HW, specially since his physique is well tailored for 205. Ankalaev weighs ~ 220 lb naturally I guess. Alex Pereira is naturally at 230 ~ 235 (slightly bigger than Jon Jones' natural, most fitting weight)... And at his age, I think it's best for him to go to HW and get a shot at JJ or Tom. I think Tom should be promoted to undisputed and have a fight vs Alex as his first defense. Then,,if Alex wins, I think JJ and Alex would sim for a super fight. Even if not for the HW belt, as JJ would have vacated it... Let's say they have both a retirement fight with a BMF title on the line as a symbolic match between legends. Jon Jones recognizes Alex as a legend, like, he says Alex is in the category of a Francis Ngannou.

 

[Luffy]

Sure doesn't look like Jones wants to fight to me.

Stipe was 5 years removed, did not have a single win over a current HW and refused to get involved in either interm title match. Would you have preferred GSP stuck around to fight Rich Franklin instead of Whittaker?

5 years removed? You mean 3, right? Because he fought Ngannou in 2021 and JJ, in 2024. Last I checked, 2021~2024 is 3 years.

Plus, JJ was 3 years "removed" too. Had never fought in HW. What happened when he fought after 3 years (same amount of time as Stipe hadn't fought) against Gane, who's 7 years younger than Stipe?

Oh, and once Ngannou didn't sign the contract to fight JJ, which was offered to him by the UFC and agreed by Jones, right after it, in late 2022, JJ straight up called Stipe to fight him in November 2022, or March 2023. Stipe's response was that he was planning to fight Francis in a trilogy and get the belt back. But since Francis left, he declined JJ calling him out in late 2022 saying he needed a specific preparation for JJ, as that'd be his last fight, and against someone who is considered the GOAT, hence Miocic said he wanted to fight Jones later on with a proper camp, rather than jumping in too early.

Check your facts straight, buddy

 

[CombatCyborg]

He's right but Tom has just been saying the same thing. The situation didn't get really bad until this year now that we're several months past the Stipe fight, Alex lost his belt, and Jon's out of legitimate competition-related excuses. Basically only a little bit of Tom's time has been wasted, as long as he moves on right now.

 

[Wreckless]

It's easy to say, but the reality is he's the interim champion. There's nothing beyond that except the undisputed title. That’s the ultimate goal.

You can’t expect him to keep fighting top contenders indefinitely. Eventually he risks losing and then what? He’s no longer next in line?

The idea of defending an interim belt is absurd. And he’s already done it once.