UFC: Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall twists proceed as conflicting messages emerge

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Your help makes all of the distinction. Learn extra Jon Jones continues to emit combined messages in regards to the prospect of a combat with Tom Aspinall, 18 months after it was first mooted.

Regardless of Jones holding the common UFC heavyweight title and Aspinall proudly owning the interim belt, a dynamic that has existed since November 2023, the pair are but to have a bout booked.

Britain’s Aspinall claimed the interim title by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich, because the pair stepped up after Jones sustained an damage that thwarted his deliberate defence towards Stipe Miocic. That every one-American match-up lastly materialised 12 months later, in November 2024, with Jones stopping the divisional nice – however solely after Aspinall defended and retained the interim strap in July, a uncommon transfer within the UFC.

Jones, 37, and Aspinall, 32, have subsequently been poised for a unification combat for six months, but “Bones” continues to toy with Aspinall.

On Tuesday (20 Could), footage emerged of Jones saying, “I’m performed,” whereas seemingly on a video name with an previous pal, who joked that the previous light-heavyweight king may go on for one more “10 years”.

But on the identical day, Jones posted an Instagram story of a video captioned: “Have you ever ever seen a canine appropriate one other canine like this?” The clip reveals a canine incessantly barking at one other, earlier than a 3rd canine arrives and immediately causes the vocal canine to change into submissive. “What I really feel like returning to the UFC after some a lot wanted downtime,” Jones wrote.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/05/21/10/27/Jon-Jones-dog-story-Instagram.png" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/05/21/10/27/Jon-Jones-dog-story-Instagram.png?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/05/21/10/27/Jon-Jones-dog-story-Instagram.png?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="Jon Jones shares an Instagram story seemingly referencing his attitude towards a fight with Tom Aspinall" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 QHifS inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

Jon Jones shares an Instagram story seemingly referencing his perspective in the direction of a combat with Tom Aspinall (@jonnybones through Instagram) This on-line exercise adopted a sequence of tweets from Jones on Sunday (18 Could), when the controversial American hit again at followers. He wrote: “Yall barkin up the incorrect tree, I instructed the Ufc my plans a very long time in the past. I've no clue why they haven’t shared them with you guys but.

“Lol do I come throughout as the kind of one who cares about issues like [being stripped of the title] [...] This, this perspective, proper right here is making me a really rich man. This desperation [from fans] is extremely profitable, so thanks. Preserve it coming.”

With the UFC having introduced predominant occasions for its pay-per-views in June, July and August, in addition to a Mexican-centric occasion in September, Jones vs Aspinall is unlikely to occur earlier than October. UFC president Dana White did vow final week that he would quickly announce the bout, however followers proceed to await such an announcement.

Whereas some followers view Jones as the best combined martial artist of all time, his profession has been marred by quite a few failed drug assessments and run-ins with the regulation. Nonetheless, the American is successfully unbeaten, along with his sole loss having come through DQ in 2009.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/11/17/07/APTOPIX_UFC_309_Mixed_Martial_Arts_96471.jpg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/11/17/07/APTOPIX_UFC_309_Mixed_Martial_Arts_96471.jpg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/11/17/07/APTOPIX_UFC_309_Mixed_Martial_Arts_96471.jpg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="Jones (right) stopped Stipe Miocic in the third round, before the latter retired post-fight" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 QHifS inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

Jones (proper) stopped Stipe Miocic within the third spherical, earlier than the latter retired post-fight (Copyright 2024 The Related Press. All rights reserved.) <img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/07/28/05/SEI214519102.jpg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/07/28/05/SEI214519102.jpg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/07/28/05/SEI214519102.jpg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="Tom Aspinall (left) drops Curtis Blaydes before sealing the knockout in their rematch" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 QHifS inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

Tom Aspinall (left) drops Curtis Blaydes earlier than sealing the knockout of their rematch (REUTERS) In the meantime, Aspinall is 15-3 in MMA and 8-1 within the UFC. Within the promotion, his solely defeat occurred as a consequence of damage, whereas all of his profession finishes have come through stoppage.

Within the UFC, Aspinall holds the report for the shortest combat time of an athlete with 5 or extra bouts; all of his wins within the promotion have come within the first two rounds – seven in spherical one, two within the first minute.

Aspinall’s choice to defend the interim belt was a rarity within the UFC, because the Wigan heavyweight aimed to remain lively throughout Jones’s absence. In that combat, Aspinall stopped Curtis Blaydes in 60 seconds, avenging his injury-induced loss to the American in 2022.