It seems time for Tom Aspinall to shift his focus beyond Jon Jones.
For nearly 600 days, the interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall has been awaiting his shot to prove he is the top heavyweight in the world.
Whether this highly anticipated moment will involve a title unification bout against Jon Jones remains uncertain.
UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones recently added to the speculation regarding a potential fight with Aspinall, stating he is waiting for the UFC to make an official announcement.
In contrast, Aspinall, who holds the interim belt, has declared himself the true undisputed heavyweight champion, believing `Bones` is effectively retired from active competition.
The ongoing delay in confirming Jones vs. Aspinall has led some fans to draw parallels between Aspinall`s situation and that of Michael Chandler, who endured a prolonged wait for a fight against Conor McGregor that ultimately never materialized.
Tom Aspinall Rejects Being Compared to Michael Chandler`s Wait
UFC Lightweight Michael Chandler waited two years for Conor McGregor`s return, scheduled for UFC 303 last summer, only for the fight to be canceled due to McGregor suffering a toe injury. A year later, Chandler still appears fixated on facing `The Notorious`.
However, Aspinall insists that he is not merely waiting around for Jon Jones or any single opponent.
“I see a lot of people comparing me to Michael Chandler,” Aspinall commented.
“Michael Chandler waited for a long time for Conor McGregor and stuff like that. I’m not waiting for one fight. I’m not trying to fight one guy.
“I’m trying to fight all the guys,” Aspinall clarified.
“I’m trying to be the guy at heavyweight who takes out everybody, and it doesn’t matter who it is. Ciryl Gane, [Alexander] Volkov rematch, [Jailton] Almeida, Derrick Lewis, Brock Lesnar, whoever it is. I don’t care.
“I wanna fight everybody, and I wanna fight as much as possible, get some excitement back in this division.”
Aspinall clarifies that his primary goal isn`t specifically to fight Jon Jones, but rather to compete for and claim the undisputed heavyweight title.
Petition to Strip Jon Jones of UFC Title Nears 200,000 Signatures
The UFC has yet to make an official announcement regarding the future of the heavyweight division and whether Jon Jones will continue to hold the title.
Amid this uncertainty, many fans have taken initiative by supporting a petition.
Last week, a petition on Change.org advocating for Jones to be stripped of his heavyweight championship reached 100,000 signatures. Within days, it rapidly increased to 150,000 signatures.
As of this writing, the petition, which has received support from Aspinall himself, stands at 179,418 signatures, closing in on the 200,000 milestone.
Only time will tell if this fan-driven petition will have any impact on the situation as the MMA community awaits the UFC`s ultimate decision concerning the heavyweight title and the status of Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall.
Percy Harlow