“If Tom wants to defend the title,” Dana White still advocates Jon Jones’ legacy showdown, but reassures Tom Aspinall’s BIG aspirations to take shape

Dana White provides some absolution to Tom Aspinall's current standstill and says he would be allowed to fend for his interim title if he wants.

“If Tom wants to defend the title,” Dana White still advocates Jon Jones’ legacy showdown, but reassures Tom Aspinall’s BIG aspirations to take shape

Dana White voices his willingness to let Tom Aspinall defend his interim gold (Source: Instagram/IMAGO)

Dana White does not mince words or shy away when voicing his admiration for Jon Jones. From dismissing the prized fighter on rare instances to considering him the G.O.A.T., White knows exactly how he feels about him. One other fighter that is overshadowed in this outcome is Tom Aspinall. However, the UFC CEO hints at that changing soon.

After his 69-second highlight win, the interim titleholder has been adamant about a title unification. Even veteran commentators Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen have nudged on his hardware being moot without unification. Aspinall, along with many enthusiasts and pundits had lambasted White and Co. for halting the heavyweight division in hopes of a legacy fight.

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Now, here’s what White says:

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Jones is set to fight Stipe...I hope the winner of that fight to fight Tom...[on defending the interim title] Jon  Joens and Stipe, because of the injury...who knows they'll fight...If Tom wants to defend the title, we'll absolutely do it.
Dana White to UFC on TNT Sports

This was in conversation with Adam Catterall, for UFC on TNT Sports. White had advocated for Jones’ legacy fight with Stipe Miocic, which was to originally take place at UFC 295, instead of Aspinall in the picture. But time and again, Jones’ rant about his unproven heavyweight legacy ended in a social media tirade, despite his subbing in.

Snubbed from a heavyweight unification, he wanted to defend his interim gold in the meantime. Even Miocic turned down a prospective UFC 300 fight, in light of the legacy bout first. However, Dana White suggests, chances aren’t that thin. With UFC probably returning to London, the champ might just have his way.

Tom Aspinall en route to heavyweight contention: Road So Far

Interim heavyweight Tom Aspinall is in quite a bind; on the lines of what one would call “in between a rock and a hard place.”

The 14-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC Briton had stepped in for an injured Jon Jones at UFC 295. He made quick work of 265lbs peer Sergei Pavlovich, with a 69-second knockout. Jones, the 27-1-0 out of Jackson’s MMA Acoma Gym is the most-oft fight to make. Even away from active participation. His move to the 265lbs roster was a famed affair.

Tom Aspinall's road to heavyweight contention with Jon Jones has been turbulent so far
Tom Aspinall’s road to heavyweight contention with Jon Jones has been turbulent so far (Source: IMAGO/Instagram/UFC.go.com)

Jon Jones was to fight Stipe Miocic on the card. Incurring a pectoral tear in the lead-up to UFC 295, Jones put the division on hold, undergoing a subsequent elbow surgery. Ever since then, Aspinall had been pleading for a unification bout, but in vain. Here’s how that discourse ran:

What began as Aspinall baiting and asserting ‘active’ champion status, turned out into all-out war and dismissal. Concurrently, in no shortage of words, Jon Jones expressed that he is not interested in such a matchup. The Aspinall-Jones dynamic is thus, now, at a standstill.

Currently, Dana White has said he is hopeful that the winner of Miocic-Jones’ heavyweight affair would naturally match up with Aspinall. On the other hand, with Jones still recovering, he is also willing to let the Brit defend his interim heavyweight title, in a historic first.

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