Tom should forget about Jones and ask for another fight

[JKS]

November, I hope you're right.

I am pretty sure that is what they are aiming for. Jon always wants that option to perform or possibly retire at home. It will happen sometime this year. I mean, what other option do they have lol.

And another point to consider. I understand that fans are annoyed with how long it's taking to make this fight. But it has to be understood that between Nov 24 when Jon last fought, the last 4 months is the first and only time the UFC, Jon Jones and Tom Aspinal have actually entered actual negotiations to make this fight.

This fight has been talked about since late 2023 since Tom won the interim title. But it has to be understood that last year, there was zero chance of this fight happening as the UFC, Jon and Stipe were set on their fight. I see people mixing up last year and adding that to the timeline, last year there was nothing more than demand from fans and Tom asking for this fight, but that's not real negotiation and plans to make the fight. People need to seperate that talk last year and understand that the acutal negotiations have only been the last 4 months. It takes time to make a fight this big.

 

[shunyata]

Or, stay with me here, they should make the disputed champ unify the belts with the interim champ or strip him. It does nothing for Tom to keep defending the belt. It's not like they'll going to recognize the defenses when it comes to his legacy.

Simple as that.

Jon books the fight, or they book a defense for Tom and Jon vacates.

 

[OldBoy91]

If they strip Jon for not fighting "the only deserving contender" then who and how does Tom suddenly by contrast have someone he can fight for the title?

Or are you giving the game away that you just don't want Jon to be champion?

Not at all. If Jon fights Tom and beats him then it's all gravy

Jon deserves to be a champion as long as he fulfills the role of the champion. Which is defending against the next guy in line.

Even a joke like yourself cannot make the argument that that somebody is anyone other than Tom Aspinall. He has beaten 5 of the top 10 at HW, 3 of the top 5. He holds an interim title making Jones's own belt very much disputed.

If Jon doesn't take the fight then he isn't fulfilling his required role as champion and he loses the privilege of him holding that position, and that belt, and then they put Tom in against the NEXT next guy.

Being a champion doesn't grant you privileges that other fighters don't have like you seem to state all throughout this thread. Besides a pay bump that is. It actually comes with more obligations.

And I'm not somebody that just wants to see the belt off Jon at all costs. I'm just a fight fan that cares more about the health of the division, and the integrity of the sport, more than I care about preserving Jon Jones's record or supposed legacy.

You see the irony here with that accusation though right? Well, YOU don't but actual intelligent people reading this exchange do. You, being someone who actually does care more about not seeing Jon Jones lose than the integrity of the sport, sees anyone who wants to hold Jon to his obligations as champion as an attack against him.

 

[Söze Aldo]

I am pretty sure that is what they are aiming for. Jon always wants that option to perform or possibly retire at home. It will happen sometime this year. I mean, what other option do they have lol.

And another point to consider. I understand that fans are annoyed with how long it's taking to make this fight. But it has to be understood that between Nov 24 when Jon last fought, the last 4 months is the first and only time the UFC, Jon Jones and Tom Aspinal have actually entered actual negotiations to make this fight.

This fight has been talked about since late 2023 since Tom won the interim title. But it has to be understood that last year, there was zero chance of this fight happening as the UFC, Jon and Stipe were set on their fight. I see people mixing up last year and adding that to the timeline, last year there was nothing more than demand from fans and Tom asking for this fight, but that's not real negotiation and plans to make the fight. People need to seperate that talk last year and understand that the acutal negotiations have only been the last 4 months. It takes time to make a fight this big.

Tom should get it in writing that if a fight is booked for November, and if Jon pulls out for any number of reasons including injury, he either fights the backup for the undisputed or Jon is stripped and he gets awarded the title.

It'll be so easy for Jon to agree to the fight and then get itchy fingers and pull out just before and want to move negotiations to 2026.

 

[Tweak896]

If they don't do it now, it'll lose it's luster. Jones not being dethroned or the chance of him having the belt taken from him makes it less historical.

 

[jitzmonkey]

I think fans are being too impatient and not understanding in this scenario. I also think that too many people are taking the time last year where Tom was demanding this fight and the UFC going with Stipe/Jones as part of this delay. I think it has to be separated and understood that whatever was going on in 2024 was not real talks as this fight had zero chance of happening then.

I think people need to realize that since November 2024 to now is the first time this fight has actually been negotiated and looking to be made for an event. It hasn't even been 4 months yet and we know these fights with Jon take time to materialize. Like I said, the last few months is the first time the UFC has actually tried to make this fight, it's not some two year journey. It just takes time.

I’m talking about the last 10 years of Jon’s career.

 

[Romulas]

He's already the real champ in the eyes of several Sherdoggers, why not defend?

The sherdoggers that matter! He should be soliciting challengers

 

[Alpha_T83]

Tom should get it in writing that if a fight is booked for November, and if Jon pulls out for any number of reasons including injury, he either fights the backup for the undisputed or Jon is stripped and he gets awarded the title.

It'll be so easy for Jon to agree to the fight and then get itchy fingers and pull out just before and want to move negotiations to 2026.

Definitely Aspinall needs to get the UFC to commit in writing that if Jones pulls out, he gets stripped and Aspinally will accept any replacement opponent for the vacant belt.

I feel that's a "when" not "if".

 

[Tito Tapped]

I can't blame him for only wanting to fight Jones. He doesn't stand to make a dime fighting anyone else.

But Jones has his millions and legacy and isn't in any rush.

So we sit. And nothing happens. And that's okay because Heavyweight is the shittiest division in all of MMA. Always has been too, just before we had more lhw and MW fighters fill the ranks.

 

[Portland8242]

He's already the real champ in the eyes of several Sherdoggers, why not defend?

Unfortunately the eyes of Sherdoggers don't bring a bigger payday. Guys fight to get paid at the end of the day and the Jones fight is likely a substantially larger pay day then some bum like Gane or Almeida.

 

[cburm]

If Tom would a Ben active that's 500k a fight he'd earned 3 million by now with wins.. he's kinda robbed of his youth and money.. since UFC didn't get him 3 fights a year..