The MMA landscape is buzzing as fans express their frustrations on social media, urging the UFC to strip Jon Jones of the heavyweight title. This outcry has arisen from ‘Bones’ reluctance to accept a bout with interim champion Tom Aspinall, prompting Aspinall to suggest that the delays may be influenced by UFC politics that he cannot control.
Despite previously stating his disinterest in Jon Jones, Aspinall is eager to fight for the undisputed heavyweight title. Following those comments, Jones took to social media to respond with some jabs of his own. Recently, Aspinall was spotted training alongside UFC lightweight sensation Paddy Pimblett. In their training session, Aspinall opened up about his discontent with the governing dynamics of the UFC. During a conversation on Paddy ‘The Baddy’s’ YouTube channel, he remarked:
“It’s a crazy situation, but there’s a lot of politics in there in the UFC at the top levels, and it’s out of my hands. There’s nothing I can really do about it.”
UFC President Dana White has also weighed in on the matter, commenting during the UFC 316 post-fight press conference. He reassured the audience that the highly anticipated fight between Jones and Aspinall is on the horizon.
Dana White Acknowledges Petition To Strip Jon Jones; Tom Aspinall Fight Is Forthcoming
The excitement surrounding a potential superfight between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall has reached a fever pitch, and as a result, fans have initiated a petition demanding that Jones be stripped of his heavyweight title.
In his remarks at the UFC 316 post-fight conference, Dana White acknowledged the petition, revealing that he has been listening to the fans. When asked for his thoughts, White stated:
“Every human on earth DMing it to me, yeah I saw it. How many fans there are worldwide, now what’s the number? It’s like 400 million or something like that. 130,000 people want to see him stripped. It’s kinda fu*king silly.”
In addition, White noted that Jon Jones has accepted a fight offer against interim champion Tom Aspinall, emphasizing the need for fans to remain patient as the official announcement will come soon.
For further insights, check out our piece on how veteran MMA opinions reflect that Jones vs. Aspinall is likely to materialize, with many believing Aspinall would not have continued to pursue this if he thought the fight was off the table.
