Jon Jones has sparked excitement among UFC fans by announcing that he and Tom Aspinall have an agreement regarding their potential heavyweight clash.
The two fighters, aged 37 and 32 respectively, have been on a trajectory towards a significant heavyweight title unification bout since November of last year.
However, this highly anticipated fight has not yet materialized, even though the UFC reportedly met Jones` demands for substantial compensation.
MMA fans have been kept guessing by Jones in recent weeks, as the former pound-for-pound king has hinted at the possibility of retirement.
Last month, the Hall of Famer claimed that UFC management is fully aware of his plans and insisted that he is not holding Aspinall back in any way.
Speaking at a recent seminar in Phuket, Thailand, Jones disclosed that he and Aspinall have mutually agreed not to reveal any specifics about their potential fight or the future of the division before the UFC makes its official announcements.
In a video from the seminar, when a fan inquired, “When are you fighting Tom?”, the former long-time light heavyweight champion responded, “I was waiting for it.”
He added, “The UFC, Tom, and I have a lot going on behind the scenes. They are one of the biggest organizations in sports. Right now, Tom and I have agreed to wait for the UFC to make their announcements, so I legally can’t really talk about it.”
Jones` comments triggered a strong reaction among UFC fans, with opinions divided regarding his statement.
One fan reacted enthusiastically: “Holy s**t! I told all of you.”
Another simply stated: “It`s happening.”
A more skeptical user posted: “Wait for the UFC to make the announcement… of his retirement! Will not believe it till I see it, thanks.”
One comment expressed anticipation for the fight: “Can`t wait for Jones to beat Aspinall`s ass and end this.”
Another user speculated differently: “Going to announce he`s taking a break and vacating belt.”
These statements from Jones came just a few days after a recent interview aired, where he admitted to being undecided about his future in the sport.
During an appearance on `Deepcut with VicBlends`, he shared, “I don’t know what life holds as far as fighting and competing.”
He continued, “I do feel like I’ll be a lifelong martial artist whether I’m coaching others or taking exhibition matches and things like that.”
Jones also mentioned, “There’s a lot of great competition still in the UFC. I do view myself as more than a fighter.”
He believes his position offers flexibility: “Being in my position, I feel like I have a lot more options than a lot of the other fighters as far as the ability to leave and return.”
Regarding his current focus, Jones said, “And so right now I’m just focusing on love, happiness, kindness. We’re at the quarter-century mark, and this year should be a really special year.”
Jones has not fought since his dominant performance against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 last November.
Meanwhile, Britain`s Tom Aspinall has been sidelined since his swift victory over Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 last July.
Percy Harlow