Jon Jones Shares major ufc udpate after aspinall agreement
Jon Jones has revealed significant progress in securing his UFC fight against Tom Aspinall. The two fighters have reportedly reached an agreement, moving the bout closer to confirmation.
UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has hinted that an official announcement about his highly anticipated fight with interim champion Tom Aspinall could be imminent, leaving fans eager for one of the biggest bouts in recent UFC history.
Jones, 37, spoke from Thailand during a seminar and reality show filming, revealing that negotiations have been ongoing behind the scenes and that the UFC will soon update fans after months of delay. Aspinall, 32, has been out of action for nearly a year since his July 2023 knockout win over Curtis Blaydes, adding pressure on the promotion to finalize the fight.
Jones said, “The UFC, I and Tom, we all got a lot of stuff happening behind the scenes... Tom and I have agreed to wait for the UFC to make their announcements. So I legally can’t really talk about it.”
The situation has sparked frustration among fans, with a Change.org petition nearing 180,000 signatures demanding Jones be stripped of the heavyweight title due to inactivity. The petition argues that Jones shows no intention of fighting soon, fueling debate over the future of the belt.
Jones fired back at Aspinall last week with a dismissive social media comment, telling him to “shut up and do what you’re told,” amid a prolonged standoff with no unification bout booked. Both fighters currently hold heavyweight titles—Jones the undisputed champion, Aspinall the interim champ—after a series of delays and injuries derailed the original plan for a unification fight.
Jones won the vacant heavyweight belt in March 2023 but was forced out by injury before defending it against Stipe Miocic. Aspinall claimed the interim title by defeating Sergei Pavlovich, and Jones later retained his belt by stopping Miocic in November 2023.
Aspinall recently opened up about the mental toll of the lengthy wait, telling UFC legend Demetrious Johnson: “It’s kind of difficult mentally... The fight is another thing, this is the tricky bit where I really have to stay switched on, stay motivated.”
Despite the tension, Jones remains vague about his future, at times hinting at retirement but also leaving the door open for a potential return. He tweeted: “I don’t know if I wanna call it retired... I’m genuinely enjoying life, I’m growing in different ways.”
With UFC events lined up through the summer, including pay-per-view cards in June, July, and August, plus a Mexico-focused event in September, the Jones vs. Aspinall showdown likely won’t happen before October. UFC President Dana White has promised the fight will be announced soon, but fans continue to wait for the official confirmation of this blockbuster matchup.