‘Master Manipulation’ Suspected from Jon Jones as UFC Legend Leaves Tom Aspinall Hanging

UFC veteran Anthony Smith points out Jon Jones' habit of manipulation as reason for delaying the Tom Aspinall title unification bout. 

‘Master Manipulation’ Suspected from Jon Jones as UFC Legend Leaves Tom Aspinall Hanging

Anthony Smith shares his opinions on Jon Jones avoiding the Tom Aspinall fight (via Imago)

The UFC heavyweight division is not going anywhere as long as Jon Jones is ruling it with complete authority. The UFC GOAT has consistently avoided the much anticipated heavyweight title unification bout with the interim champion Tom Aspinall. However, the constant delay has made the UK native extremely frustrated and impatient with the ongoing situation in the division.

UFC CEO Dana White has frequently given assurance about this fight and mentioned making an official announcement in the near future. Aspinall has already stated he was fully prepared for the fight, waiting patiently while the delay continued from Jones’ side. According to a UFC veteran, Anthony Smith via ESPN MMA, this is one of Jones’ signature tactics involving mental warfare strategies.

Jon is a master manipulator, and he’s a master at the mind games that are behind this sport. He’s been doing it for so many years against the best guys in the world. Jon Jones does not care what Tom Aspinall wants. Jon is a master at emotionally and mentally exhausting people, and you can see it in Tom Aspinall a little bit already. He’s started to get tired.

Smith is an old rival of Jones, having fought him for the light heavyweight title at UFC 235 in 2019. During the intense fight, Jones delivered an illegal knee to Smith, who was clearly in a grounded and vulnerable position. The referee halted the action and deducted two points, but Smith chose not to win through disqualification, showing sportsmanship.

Ultimately, ‘Lionheart’ lost the bout via unanimous decision, and his recent comments come from personal experience fighting Jones directly. Over a more than decade-long professional career, Jones has engaged in many intense rivalries, always seeking mental dominance over opponents. In what could potentially be his final UFC bout, ‘Bones’ has no plans to lose or stain his legacy.

Initially, Aspinall was hyped about the fight and aimed to become the first fighter to ever beat Jones. With his speed and knockout power, many believed Aspinall had a legitimate chance to dethrone the dominant reigning heavyweight champion. However, due to the extensive delay and losing prime years, Aspinall has seemingly given up hope on that long-awaited fight.

How much does UFC need to pay Jon Jones to fight Tom Aspinall?

Last year, Jon Jones focused entirely on securing his legacy fight against heavyweight GOAT Stipe Miocic, avoiding Tom Aspinall altogether. One of Jones’ main reasons for avoiding Aspinall was the British fighter’s lack of mainstream popularity and limited pay-per-view draw. As a result, ‘Bones’ opted to consider facing former light heavyweight champion and top UFC superstar Alex Pereira in a blockbuster showdown instead.

Jon Jones wants to control everything around his last UFC fight
Jon Jones wants to control everything around his last UFC fight (via X)

However, with Pereira’s recent title loss, that superfight is now off the table, though Jones still continues dreaming of big opportunities. Jones has delivered multiple massive pay-per-view events for the UFC and is allegedly demanding a staggering $30 million fight purse in return.

This demand has caused a negotiation delay as no fighter other than maybe Conor McGregor has made that kind of money in the UFC. As such, esteemed coach Javier Mendez said on Tim Welch’s podcast that the UFC will have to spend the big bucks to make this fight possible.

If he doesn’t feel he can win that fight and doesn’t have a good advantage, he’s not gonna take it. But Aspinall is one of those, ‘Do you really want to take this fight?’ I think the UFC is going to have to put a lot of money out there for Jon to say, ‘I’m down.’

Unlike many fighters who struggle to retire at the right time, Jones actually has a well-thought-out retirement plan prepared. He’s already taken his first big step into show business, landing his upcoming acting debut in a major Netflix production. The UFC heavyweight champion has discussed possibly following Dwayne Johnson’s path to stardom, earning wealth without constantly putting his health in danger.

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