Dana White Offers Sympathy for Tom Aspinall Losing ‘Time and Money’ over Jon Jones Saga

After months of uncertainty and delays, the UFC heavyweight division has finally moved on from its frustrating and unclear situation. Dana White officially announced Jon Jones’ retirement, marking the end of a dominant yet controversial chapter in heavyweight history. Tom Aspinall now stands as the new undisputed champion, but his journey was filled with setbacks and several doubts.

Aspinall captured the interim heavyweight title at UFC 295 by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich in a stunning performance. Despite the win, he wasn’t granted a unification bout and was instead forced to defend his interim belt once again. At the UFC Baku presser, White addressed the time lost waiting for Jones versus Aspinall.

Do I regret the time that I gave him(Jones)? Listen, if you look at what he’s accomplished in the sport, no. No, is what it is. I obviously feel bad for Tom that he lost all that time and obviously money but we’ll make it up to him. Tom Aspinall’s a good guy. He’s been incredible through this whole process that we’ve gone through. He’s been willing to do anything…So, Aspinall’s been great. He’s going to be a great heavyweight champion for us and I’m excited to work with him.

Dana White via UFC Baku Presser

Throughout his professional career, Jones remained dominant, widely praised for his elite fight IQ and title run. His consistent success turned him into a major pay-per-view attraction and helped significantly in growing the UFC’s global popularity. Because of that impact, White always supported Jones strongly, even during times when his controversies created intense public backlash.

Dana White says that he doesn’t regret the time that he’s given to Jon Jones to make the decision regarding his career, but feels bad for Tom Aspinall, who "lost all that time and money." pic.twitter.com/ZD1KIn7Gbw

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) June 22, 2025

Tom Aspinall tried everything possible to secure the Jones fight but eventually grew frustrated and considered fighting someone else instead. Despite his efforts, it was the UFC that denied him the chance and wasted important years of his fighting prime. Even Aspinall’s father publicly complained about the financial loss and directly slammed Jones for delaying the fight unnecessarily.

Tom Aspinall gets an immediate call-out from a top heavyweight

Tom Aspinall once jokingly claimed Jon Jones was scared and would never step inside the octagon to fight him directly. He boldly stated that he’d retire Jones without fighting, and surprisingly, that’s exactly how the situation has played out. Now, Aspinall fully embraces his role as champion and promises to be the active, present titleholder fans have long wanted.

Tom Aspinall has already beaten several top contenders like Curtis Blaydes, Alexander Volkov, and earned respect in the division. Former interim title challenger Ciryl Gane remains one of the biggest threats and likely opponents for Aspinall’s next potential defense. Following recent events, rising heavyweight contender Jailton Almeida took to X, officially making his case for a well-deserved title shot.

Congrats champ. You deserve that Now, lets make the only fight who make sense! Aspinall vs Almeida for undisputed HW title of the world Gane ducks you and me before, already fought for the belt and lost 2-times, and his last win was a robbery.

Jailton Almeida via X

Almeida is currently the #6-ranked fighter in the heavyweight division and is riding a two-fight winning streak. After defeating Derrick Lewis, Almeida called out Ciryl Gane and offered to fight him in his home country, France. Despite his dominant performance and top ranking, the UFC never booked the fight, leaving fans frustrated and demanding more clarity.

Congrats champ. You deserve that
Now, lets make the only fight who make sense! Aspinall vs Almeida for undisputed HW title of the world
Gane ducks you and me before, already fought for the belt and lost 2-times, and his last win was a robbery@AspinallMMA @danawhite @Mickmaynard2 pic.twitter.com/RiTrNu4CCj

— Jailton Almeida “Malhadinho” (@Malhadinho_UFC) June 21, 2025

Almeida again called for Gane after submitting Alexander Romanov, labeling it a title eliminator and insisting he was medically cleared already. Following his win over Serghei Spivac, Almeida made a third call-out, yet the fight still hasn’t been officially scheduled or confirmed. Frustrated with the wait, the fighter now wants the title shot and is ready to fight the king next.