“I want to be compensated to the point where if I won or lost, that really wouldn’t matter.” Those were the words of UFC’s reigning heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones, spoken during last year’s UFC 309 press conference. At the time, ‘Bones’ made it clear that if Dana White & Co. wanted him to defend his title against interim champion Tom Aspinall, it would require a massive payday. He envisioned the potential bout as a true “super fight“—one that would demand, in his words, “f–k you money.”
Soon after, rumors began circulating that Jon Jones was asking for somewhere between $30 million to $50 million for the fight. However, Dana White and his associates quickly dismissed those numbers. Still, despite all the buzz, the highly anticipated heavyweight unification bout between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall remains in limbo. As time drags on, the Brit has now held the interim title for over 500 days—an unprecedented stretch. Fans, along with the interim champ himself, have grown increasingly frustrated as the heavyweight division remains stalled.
Taking matters into their own hands, fans launched an online petition calling for the New Mexico resident to be stripped of his title—and it has now garnered over 150,000 signatures. Despite the public backlash, Jones appears unfazed and in no rush to return. Recently, UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley weighed in ahead of his title defense at UFC 316. During an appearance on the Full Send Podcast, ‘Suga’ reacted to the petition’s popularity and the ongoing saga,
“Jesus Christ. I mean, it’s getting kind of crazy. On one hand, it’s Jon Jones, and on the other, it’s like Tom Aspinall has been winning all these fights. And didn’t he defend his interim belt? Pretty sure. Insane—like, defending your interim belt.”
Sean O’Malley’s reaction captures the growing frustration surrounding the situation. Jon Jones is a legend—arguably the greatest to ever step into the Octagon. But opposite him stands Tom Aspinall, a surging English contender who has bulldozed top names like Sergei Pavlovich and Alexander Volkov to earn his place.
As fans continue to grow restless, the situation has begun to send the wrong message—not just to fighters, but to the audience at large. Questions are now swirling around Dana White’s handling of the division, both as a promoter and as the UFC Bossman. The tension has only deepened with Jon Jones recently suggesting he might walk away without ever facing Aspinall at all.
Jon Jones considers other “options” as Tom Aspinall fight stalls
Jon Jones last stepped into the Octagon in November at UFC 309, where he successfully defended his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic. Since that night, he’s been noticeably absent from competition. In fact, back in December, his coach even hinted that they were deep into what he called the “final camp.” But now, midway through summer 2025, there’s still no official word on ‘Bones’ return to action.
In the meantime, Jon Jones has been making the most of his time away from the cage. He’s currently in Thailand, reportedly filming for the Russian version of The Ultimate Fighter. He’s also planning to host a martial arts seminar—a strong indication that he’s capitalizing on his status as a heavyweight champion of the UFC, while staying far removed from active fighting. On the other side, interim champ Tom Aspinall hasn’t held back. He’s made his frustrations known, both in interviews and across social media, repeatedly calling out Jones.
But the reigning heavyweight champion seems unbothered. With his legendary resume already written, he appears to have lost the hunger for competition, with financial opportunities now seemingly his main motivation. Speaking from Thailand this week during an interview with Deep Cut with VicBlends, Jon Jones addressed the uncertainty surrounding his fighting future, stating,
“I don’t know what life holds as far as fighting and competing. There’s a lot of great competition still in the UFC. I do view myself as more than a fighter, and 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 and things like that.”
With criticism mounting around him, do you think Jon Jones will end his hiatus to take on the hungry, younger Tom Aspinall? Or is this the beginning of the end for his fighting career? Share your thoughts below.
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