Jon Jones’ Rival Tom Aspinall Comes to Defense As UFC Fumble White House Superfight

UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall voices support for Jon Jones amid tensions with the UFC despite their past rivalry.

Jon Jones’ Rival Tom Aspinall Comes to Defense As UFC Fumble White House Superfight

Tom Aspinall comes to Jon Jones' support (via The Mac Life)

Jon Jones is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters to ever step inside the UFC Octagon. Recently, that reputation came under scrutiny amid a dispute with the UFC over his retirement. However, UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall surprisingly voiced support despite his past tensions with Jones.

Aspinall and Jones have a rivalry dating back to July 2024, when the British Star called out ‘Bones’ after knocking out Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in his interim title defense. Both fighters continued exchanging words online while repeatedly calling for a potential showdown. The bout never materialized after Jones retired and vacated the heavyweight belt in June 2025, promoting Aspinall to undisputed champion.

As the UFC White House card was revealed at UFC 326, many expected Jones to appear on the historic event. However, UFC CEO Dana White stated that Jones was never under consideration for the card and confirmed his retirement.

Jones later revealed that the UFC had sent a low financial offer that his team had immediately declined, setting the stage for Aspinall to publicly support the former two-division champion.

This is probably going to be crazy to a lot of people listening, but why is the UFC not giving Jon the respect he deserves financially? That’s crazy to me. If anyone should be getting paid a lot in this sport, it should be Jon Jones for the stuff he’s done. And that’s me saying that after the history I’ve had with Jon Jones. If anybody should be getting money in this sport, it’s Jon Jones. They offered him $30 million to fight me, so why haven’t they offered it to him again?

Tom Aspinall via The Ariel Helwani Show

White maintained that Jones would not return to the UFC, citing a leaked video in which the former champion discussed arthritis and said it was the reason for his retirement. Jones pushed back and accused White of spreading misinformation. He stated that while the condition is painful, he can still compete and has undergone stem cell treatment as he prepared for a potential White House card fight.

The $30 million figure referenced by Aspinall traces back to the early stages of Jones’s strained relationship with the UFC. In early 2025, Jones reportedly accepted a $30 million deal to fight Aspinall, who was the interim champion at the time. However, Jones later backed out of the agreement and announced a temporary retirement, a move that reportedly left a negative impression on the UFC CEO.

Jon Jones has long been one of the UFC’s biggest contributors to the promotion’s global rise, making the recent tension with the organization surprising. The situation contrasts with his earlier relationship with the UFC, where he served as a poster star and a mainstay on the pound-for-pound rankings. Despite their rivalry, Tom Aspinall’s public support highlighted the respect he still holds for Jones’ legacy in the sport.

Dana White reacts to Jon Jones’ public outburst

Dana White was long regarded as one of Jon Jones’ strongest supporters throughout the fighter’s career. Many believed the UFC CEO often defended the Albuquerque legend despite inactivity and repeated controversies outside the cage. However, that dynamic appears to have shifted noticeably in recent months following Jones’ retirement and the tensions that followed.

Jon Jones and Dana White
Jon Jones and Dana White (via Bleacher Report)

Jones’ recent outburst marked the first time the longtime UFC star publicly directed such strong accusations toward the promotion. During the rant, Jones also requested an immediate release from his contract, escalating the situation. The issue surfaced while White was answering questions at Zuffa Boxing 04, prompting the UFC head honcho to respond to accusations from his former star fighter.

I never said there were no negotiations. I said were they talking to Jon Jones? They talked to everybody. Not one word of what I said was not true about the whole Jon Jones thing and how many time have I sat up here and said ‘He is not fighting at the White House’. Have all of you guys not seen the video of the dude with the meta glasses when he didn’t know he was being filmed? Jon Jones is the greatest of all time but there is no way that he is going to be booked fort he White House.

Dana White via MMA Junkie

Jon Jones’ request for a release from his contract, along with his claim that he can still compete despite arthritis, has raised the possibility of him fighting outside the UFC in the future. Emerging promotions such as Dirty Boxing, which Jones co-owns, and the rising Real American Freestyle could become potential destinations. For now, it remains uncertain whether ‘Bones’ will compete again in combat sports.

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