Latest news with #StipeMiocic
The Independent
06-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Jon Jones: UFC heavyweight picture ‘sucks' but ‘I don't pull the strings'
Jon Jones has hinted that he has in fact retired from fighting, admitting it 'sucks' that the UFC heavyweight division has stalled in recent months. Jones has held the heavyweight title since March 2023, while Tom Aspinall has reigned as interim champion since November of the same year. Aspinall claimed the interim belt by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich, after an injured Jones was unable to defend his title against Stipe Miocic. American Jones finally returned in November 2024, stopping compatriot Miocic to remain champion, but only after Aspinall made the rare move of defending the interim strap. The Briton retained the gold with a first-minute knockout of Curtis Blaydes in July. Despite that dynamic atop the division, the UFC has still not booked a unification bout between the champions, and Jones has never publicly said he will fight Aspinall, who insisted to The Independent this week that 'Bones' is retired. Now, Jones himself has offered perhaps the greatest hint yet that he has called time on his career. When one X user told Jones to vacate his title on Thursday (6 June), the former two-time light-heavyweight champion replied: 'I spoke to the UFC a long time ago about what my future plans were. I haven't really worked out since my last fight in New York City. 'Honestly, I believe it's been in the UFC's best interest to keep presenting me as the company's champion—not Tom. I've just been playing the role of the company man by doing nothing at all… and holding the position. 'And truthfully, it's been incredibly lucrative. I've made more money off of Tom being the interim champ than Tom has himself. It sucks to see the rest of the division get slowed down like this, but that has nothing to do with me. I don't pull the strings. 'And remember, you can't strip a guy like me at this point I give the belt up freely. Veni, vidi, vici.' Jones, 38, also took aim at Aspinall, 32, saying: 'Unfortunately, my boy is not as special as his fan base thinks he is right now [...] Time will show. Here today gone tomorrow. 'No, honestly, I wish Tommy no ill will. He is no threat to me whatsoever, he should start with just trying to be the best heavyweight of all time, that goal would be plenty. My career is on a completely different planet if we're being honest. I really don't hate on other fighters, i'm usually just responding to their envy. 'It really has nothing to do with fear [that I won't fight him]. The question I asked my close friends and family is how much higher can a person like me [climb] this sport. The goal for athletes is to build a brand and then take that brand and become so much more than an athlete. 'A lot of the fans and fighters are not used to seeing someone go out on top the way I have. I get that it's uncomfortable and I don't expect people to understand territories that they've never been.' While some view Jones as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, his career has been marred by numerous failed drug tests and run-ins with the law. Still, Jones is effectively unbeaten, with his sole loss having come via DQ in 2009. Meanwhile, Aspinall is 15-3 in MMA and 8-1 in the UFC. In the promotion, his only defeat occurred due to injury, while all of his career finishes have come via stoppage. In fact, Aspinall holds the UFC record for the shortest fight time of an athlete with five or more bouts; all of his wins in the promotion have come in the first two rounds – seven in round one, two in the first minute. Aspinall's decision to defend the interim belt was a rarity in the UFC, as the Wigan heavyweight aimed to stay active during Jones's absence. In that fight, Aspinall stopped Curtis Blaydes in 60 seconds, avenging his injury-induced loss to the American in 2022. This week, Aspinall spoke to The Independent about Jones's apparent retirement, and broke down the skillsets of the other heavyweights whom he could fight next – most likely Ciryl Gane, Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida.
The Independent
06-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Tom Aspinall evaluates possible UFC opponents after Jon Jones retirement claim
Tom Aspinall has broken down the threats posed by the UFC heavyweights whom he could fight next, after claiming Jon Jones has retired. Aspinall has held the interim UFC heavyweight title since knocking out Sergei Pavlovich in November 2023, when an injured Jones was unable to defend the regular belt against Stipe Miocic. Jones finally returned 12 months later and stopped Miocic, but only after Aspinall made the rare move of defending the interim title, which he retained with a knockout of Curtis Blaydes last July. As a result of the Briton's victory and Jones's success against fellow American Miocic, the pair should have been paired in a title unification bout by now. However, 38-year-old Jones has refused to commit to such a contest, never publicly saying he will fight Aspinall, 32. This week, the Wigan heavyweight told Chael Sonnen and Daniel Cormier, two of Jones's former opponents, that 'Bones' has retired. He then told The Independent: 'I want to keep my job, so I don't want to say too much, but I said what I've said in other interviews and stuff... People think I'm joking, but it's the truth. I'm not the kind of guy to pull any media stunts or anything like that, like... What I'm saying is the truth.' Aspinall added that his next fight 'will be announced pretty soon as far as I'm aware', after he told Sonnen and Cormier: 'I've got a date and a location.' Fans may interpret those updates as Aspinall having agreed a return date with the UFC but without Jones being confirmed as his opponent. With the UFC having announced main events for its pay-per-views in June, July and August, Aspinall seems unlikely to fight before September, which was set to host a Mexican-centric PPV that is now a standard Fight Night. And if Jones is not his opponent, the likeliest options are Ciryl Gane, Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida – ranked second, third and sixth respectively. Aspinall has already beaten No 4 Pavlovich and No 5 Blaydes, and although he also holds a submission win over Volkov, the Russian bounced back with four straight wins before a controversial split-decision loss to Gane. 'Volkov is the tallest guy in the UFC, 6f 9in,' Aspinall told The Independent. 'He's got like 45-50 pro fights, bags of experience, and he's just a good, solid all-rounder. He's good everywhere, really awkward, massive. He's seen everything except a UFC title. I think all that combined just makes him really dangerous. 'Gane's a great mover, controls the range very well. He's a great kicker for a big guy. He's a former interim champion himself, he's fought everybody apart for me at the top level basically. He's very good. 'Almeida is a good grappler, striking we haven't seen too much of yet, but people say the same about my grappling. People say, 'Well, he's not that good of a grappler,' but I just haven't had the chance to show it. Maybe he's the same with his striking. Most of his fights are predominantly grappling-heavy, but it doesn't mean he can't strike; he's just not had the opportunity to show it yet.' Aspinall also opened up on how he has stayed motivated over the past 11 months, without having a fight signed, saying: 'I'm in a really lucky position. We've set up a really good training situation, where heavyweights and light-heavyweights come to us to do their camps. I'm so lucky that my dad has created that kind of environment. 'Guys are coming from overseas to do training camps, coming in sharp for hard sparring and hard rounds. If I ain't there, I'm gonna get my ass kicked basically, and I don't want that! I want to be as sharp as possible. So, I just want to say how much I appreciate my training situation and the guys I've got there, because without them, it would have been a really depressing time. 'I'm not the kind of person who gives myself a lot of credit; I beat myself up a lot. But I feel like I've really been consistent in improving my skills in the time I've not been fighting. That is one of the blessings of not having a fight booked: you can just work on your overall game. [Jiu-jitsu champion] Craig Jones was here last week; a couple of weeks ago, I was in Holland sparring Rico Verhoeven, the best kickboxer of all time. So, I've really taken this time to improve as a mixed martial artist. Thank God, soon I will get the opportunity to show everybody.' Aspinall was speaking at the launch of his long-term partnership with sportswear brand Champion. On the new deal, he said: 'I was looking to move forward with someone who I can go to the end of my fighting career and beyond with. I'm in a really good position, where it can be a brand that I like; I don't just have to take a brand for money or exposure. Champion had the same kind of vision as me, wanting to make MMA mainstream. That's really important to me – not just for myself, but for the generation after me.'
BBC News
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Aspinall shares petition for UFC to strip Jones of belt
Tom Aspinall is continuing his campaign to fight for the undisputed UFC heavyweight championship by sharing a link on Instagram to a petition urging the promotion company to strip Jon Jones of his 32, has been interim heavyweight champion for 18 months and was passed over by Jones as his opponent for his injury comeback last November, with the 37-year-old fighting Stipe Miocic months later, Manchester's Aspinall has repeatedly said he is unsure if he will fight Jones UFC fans have tried to take matters into their own hands by setting up a petition, with more than 150,000 people calling for Jones' title to be taken off from Thailand this week, Jones has continued to keep his cards close to his chest regarding his future."I don't know what life holds as far as fighting and competing," Jones said on DeepCut with VicBlends., external"There's a lot of great competition still in the UFC. I do view myself as more than a fighter, and being in my position, I feel like I have a lot more options than a lot of the other fighters as far as the ability to leave and return and things like that."Aspinall has beaten every fighter in the top five of the rankings except Frenchman Ciryl Gane, who sits at number two. Jones enjoys teasing people on social media and said last week he had already told the UFC his plans, and was unsure why it had not shared them with the American hinted he was retired, before appearing to suggest he would be open to fighting in the UFC is widely considered one of, if not the best, MMA fighter of all time and has an overall record of 28 wins, one loss and one became the youngest UFC champion aged 23, a two-weight champion, and is undefeated in 20 UFC fights in a row - the company's longest unbeaten streak."I'm so connected to winning, it's probably not even healthy," Jones said."I see fighters that take losses and they smile, they hug their wives, 'better luck next time'."If I were to ever lose I'd be devastated, angry, upset, and depressed."
The Sun
25-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
‘Shut your mouth' – Jon Jones channels inner Conor McGregor to mock Tom Aspinall's struggles amid UFC fight doubt
JON JONES has brutally mocked Tom Aspinall for opening up on mental struggles during his octagon hiatus. Wigan warrior Aspinall has been waiting on the sidelines for a heavyweight title unification fight with the former pound-for-pound king since last July. 4 4 4 Negotiations over the bout, which ramped up after Jones' title defence against Stipe Miocic, have yet to bear fruit - despite the UFC brass meeting Jones' demands to be paid " F**K YOU MONEY". The idling has started to get to eat away at interim champion Aspinall, who told ex-flyweight king Demetrious Johnson: "I've been almost a year inactive with no prospects of anything apart from… wait. "So now is actually a little bit more of a tricky time for me mentally than it was [after injury in 2022]. "[Before] I constantly had little goals that I could work towards, whereas now, it's like, 'Just be ready and we'll just let you know.' "And it's kind of difficult mentally. . . . This is the fight against Jon Jones, the fight is another thing. "This is the tricky bit where I have to stay switched on, stay motivated. It's tough, sometimes." It didn't take long for Aspinall's frank admission to come to the attention of Jones, who had no sympathy for the Brit bruiser. Commenting under the clip, Jones said: "Shut your mouth and do as you're told." JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 4 The jibe was reminiscent of Conor McGregor, who has often told his rivals, "You'll do what you're told", throughout his career. MMA fans are doubtful a fight between Jones and Aspinall will come to fruition due to the former's conflicting statements on his fighting future. Jon Jones Blasts UFC Rival Tom Aspinall In X-Rated Rant The former long-reigning light-heavyweight king recently claimed he was " DONE" with the fight game but somewhat retracted the claim the following day. In an impromptu X posting spree, he wrote on X: "I don't know if I wanna call it retired. "I feel like I'll always have an ability to pop out and show 'em. "I've had many breaks throughout my career, my identity outside of fighting is well intact. "I'm genuinely enjoying life, I'm growing in different ways." Jones has repeatedly been accused of "ducking" by MMA fans since his Madison Square mauling of Stipe Miocic. But the Hall of Famer has rubbished those claims, insisting he's already told the UFC brass of his plans. The 37-year-old: "Y'all barkin' up the wrong tree. "I told the UFC my plans a long time ago. "I have no clue why they haven't shared them with you guys yet." Jones' adamance that the UFC know his plans came just DAYS after UFC CEO and President Dana White GUARANTEED he'd return to the octagon this year. He told Adam Glyn: "Jon Jones will be fighting in 2025. 100 per cent."
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall twists continue amid ‘retired' claim
Jon Jones continues to emit mixed messages about the prospect of a fight with Tom Aspinall, 18 months after it was first mooted. Despite Jones holding the regular UFC heavyweight title and Aspinall owning the interim belt, a dynamic that has existed since November 2023, the pair are yet to have a bout booked. Britain's Aspinall claimed the interim title by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich, as the pair stepped up after Jones sustained an injury that thwarted his planned defence against Stipe Miocic. That all-American match-up finally materialised 12 months later, in November 2024, with Jones stopping the divisional great – but only after Aspinall defended and retained the interim strap in July, a rare move in the UFC. Jones, 37, and Aspinall, 32, have therefore been poised for a unification fight for six months, yet 'Bones' continues to toy with Aspinall. On Tuesday (20 May), footage emerged of Jones saying, 'I'm done,' while seemingly on a video call with an old friend, who joked that the former light-heavyweight king could go on for another '10 years'. Yet on the same day, Jones posted an Instagram story of a video captioned: 'Have you ever seen a dog correct another dog like this?' The clip shows a dog incessantly barking at another, before a third dog arrives and instantly causes the vocal canine to become submissive. 'What I feel like returning to the UFC after some much needed downtime,' Jones wrote. He later replied to a fan who wrote, 'How does it feel to be retired?', responding: 'I don't know if I wanna call it retired, I feel like I'll always have an ability to pop out and show em. I've had many breaks throughout my career, my identity outside of fighting is well intact. I'm genuinely enjoying life, I'm growing in different ways.' This online activity followed a series of tweets from Jones on Sunday (18 May), when the controversial American hit back at fans. He wrote: 'Yall barkin up the wrong tree, I told the Ufc my plans a long time ago. I have no clue why they haven't shared them with you guys yet. 'Lol do I come across as the type of person who cares about things like [being stripped of the title] [...] This, this attitude, right here is making me a very wealthy man. This desperation [from fans] is incredibly lucrative, so thank you. Keep it coming.' With the UFC , Jones vs Aspinall is unlikely to happen before October. UFC president Dana White did vow last week that he would soon announce the bout, but fans continue to await such an announcement. In an interview with UFC legend Demetrious Johnson on Wednesday (21 May), Aspinall said the wait for a fight with Jones has been more mentally taxing than his injury-induced year off, from 2022 until 2023. 'Then, I was at a bit of a crossroads really,' said the Wigan heavyweight. 'I'd made a little bit of money then, I'd made enough to buy a house and stuff, and then it was like: Do I want to carry on with this thing? It was obviously devastating to get injured in front of everybody and stuff. But anyway, it was a tough time for me. 'Came back, took me a year with the rehab, with the knee and everything… the physiotherapy and all that kind of stuff. So, it was a tough couple of months mentally, but then once I started working towards getting back, I'd see the doctor, I'd see the physio, they'd be like: 'In two weeks, this is what I want you doing in the gym. I want you squatting down to 90 degrees. I want you to be able to jump on this box. I want you to be able to run a mile and then you can start boxing, you can do this, that.' I always had a little goal to work towards. 'So, after a couple of months of being sat on the couch, as soon as I could get in the gym and start working towards different things, it was great and I felt good. I was like: 'I definitely want to come back. Now I'm going to go; I don't have any injuries, I'm going to win the heavyweight championship, I'm going to become this legend, I'm going to knock everybody out.' And all that stuff. I felt great about it. And I was on my recovery path to getting back. 'Now, I've been almost a year inactive with no prospects of anything apart from 'wait'. So, now it's actually a bit more of a tricky time for me mentally than it was then [...] Now, it's just like: 'Just be ready and we'll just let you know.' It's kind of difficult mentally, but this is the fight against Jon Jones. The fight is another thing, this is the tricky bit where I really have to stay switched on, stay motivated, and I'm trying my best. It's tough sometimes.' While some fans view Jones as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, his career has been marred by numerous failed drug tests and run-ins with the law. Still, the American is effectively unbeaten, with his sole loss having come via DQ in 2009. Meanwhile, Aspinall is 15-3 in MMA and 8-1 in the UFC. In the promotion, his only defeat occurred due to injury, while all of his career finishes have come via stoppage. In the UFC, Aspinall holds the record for the shortest fight time of an athlete with five or more bouts; all of his wins in the promotion have come in the first two rounds – seven in round one, two in the first minute. Aspinall's decision to defend the interim belt was a rarity in the UFC, as the Wigan fighter aimed to stay active during Jones's absence. In that fight, Aspinall stopped Curtis Blaydes in 60 seconds, avenging his injury-induced loss to the American in 2022.
