“He Just Wants To Retire …” Jon Jones Finds Rare Support in Ilia Topuria, Who Refutes He’s Dodging Tom Aspinall

Ilia Topuria also addressed claims of former 155lbs king ducking him, rubbishes comparisons to Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall saga.

“He Just Wants To Retire …” Jon Jones Finds Rare Support in Ilia Topuria, Who Refutes He’s Dodging Tom Aspinall

Ilia Topuria says Jon Jones isn't ducking Tom Aspinall (Source: IMAGO/X)

The UFC has a new undisputed 265-pound champ, and it’s not Jon Jones. 30 pro career fights, no defeats, a consensus GOAT status, a stellar 205-pound run, and 7+ months of PPV unifier hassle later, Jones has relinquished his spot.

An interim champ since November of 2023, Tom Aspinall finally got his dues in the form of an upgrade. However, Ilia Topuria is high on believing ‘Bones’ did not quit because he dreaded this matchup with Aspinall.

While Ilia Topuria has let go of his admiration for one fight town biggie, Jon Jones still holds on to his GOAT status, somewhat. The 37-year-old never wanted to fight Tom Aspinall, billing him a fledgling name. UFC CEO and headman Dana White a while ago told media scrum for ‘TheMacLife‘ that a PPV unification bout was a done deal. However, even the brass agreeing to a massive PPV compensatory payday did not make ‘Bones’ take up the charge.

Some have showered praises for the GOAT fighter, while others believe this now opens up a line of questioning and reasonable doubt that he ‘quit’ because he dreaded a KO loss from Tom Aspinall. During his ‘snub season,’ the UK Native even caused a first-round TKO of Curtis Blaydes in Manchester, UFC 304 PPV co-feature, last July; yet another first-round highlight for the indomitable Englishman.

However, ‘El Matador’ is on a hard pass that Jones quit because he was scared:

Not at all. You can’t even compare that situation, …[With Makhachev]…You can’t compare Jon Jones with Islam. Jon has done so many great things in the sport. He fought the best of the best in the last ten years. So, I don’t think he’s ducking anyone; He just wants to retire. He’s tired, maybe, of the game or whatever, and he wants to retire. I don’t think he’s ducking anyone because you can find a guy always that’s [will be], ‘He’s the next one to beat Jones’…

Ilia Topuria on “The Ariel Helwani Show” for ‘Uncrowned’ Combat

In the near past, Ilia Topuria billed that the promotion’s #1 P4P fighter and former lightweight champ, Islam Makhachev, ducked out on a fight with him. Now, he challenges for his vacant gold at the UFC 317 PPV main event this weekend. However, he claimed that the case does not pass for Jon Jones, the promotion’s b*stardized #1 Pound-for-pound name.

To that end, he also claimed that he understands where Jackson’s Team Acoma fighter comes from. Tom Aspinall might be the hot new thing now, but not every other roster heavyweight would pose a similar stylistic challenge.

Bones himself once stated much the same, iterating the cost to his legacy and longevity through two divisions. Doubling down, Topuria had some choice take about the former lightweight king as well.

Ilia Topuria opens up on former champ Islam Makhachev allegedly ducking him with UFC 170-pound shift

Similar to Tom Aspinall sorting out PPV title unification with Jon Jones, but the latter avoiding it, Ilia Topuria wanted to challenge the former long-time reigning 155-pound champ. But for Team Makhachev, it would drive up claims that he’s a weight bully and could only defend against former/current featherweight class fighters.

Ilia Topuria's wait for lightweight PPV title bout not another Jon Jones - Tom Aspinall saga
Ilia Topuria’s wait for lightweight PPV title bout not another Jon Jones – Tom Aspinall saga (Source: X)

Hence, the Dagestani wanted more 155-pound ballot fights out of the Spaniard, before even committing to it. Then came his own shift to welterweight; a lifelong dream, per coach Javier Mendez and rep Ali Abdelaziz. It had nothing to do with ducking Topuria and had existed for long time.

Recently, Makhachev’s training partner, Umar Nurmagomedov, said that UFC CBO Hunter Campbell visited Dubai and Dagestan to convince him to relinquish the title strap. It made way for Topuria contending for the 155-pound hardware while Makhachev could push for his elusive move up.

With that recent discovery, an angry and crass Topuria once again claimed that Makhachev should have kept his head down and driven up the bargain for a UFC 155-pound title fight, just as he did – because all in all, not for the lack of trying, he did end up fighting for the strap anyway. However, the former featherweight king had a class take on comparisons to the Jon Jones-Aspinall logjam saga:

Not at all. No, you can’t even compare… I think he’s doing his things. I don’t think he’s ducking me, to be honest. I would be lying if I tell you [now]… that he’s ducking me — I think [Makhachev’s] tired of the weight cut…He wants a new challenge. He moved to the welterweight division. He feels and he thinks that he has a chance to become a double champion, and I think that this is all he’s trying to do…

Ilia Topuria further said on “The Ariel Helwani Show” for ‘Uncrowned’ Combat

Topuria has offered two paths for the former lightweight king. Despite the UFC CEO keeping it on tap as a ‘definite no, maybe’, he can take the challenge to the UFC 170-pound weight class. Or, per the Spaniard, Makhachev can come down to his original weight class, and Topuria can readily defend against him. Only time will tell if this PPV title super fight can ever see the light of day.

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