“I’m well bored of it, I’ve had enough. We either need to fight or I need to move on, do something else.” That’s what Tom Aspinall said on the High Performance podcast. It’s clear his frustration over the Jon Jones fight is hitting a boiling point. The whole heavyweight unification saga has been nerve-racking, not because he’s scared to face the greatest UFC fighter ever. But because getting the fight locked in is taking forever. As the wait drags on, a UFC legend has stepped in with a word of advice.
Michael Chandler waited over two years for his “red panty night” with Conor McGregor after losing to Dustin Poirier at UFC 281. Unlike Aspinall, Chandler’s fight was at least booked for UFC 303, until McGregor pulled out with a pinky injury. Chandler kept calling him out, even in WWE, but the bout never happened. Tired of waiting, he returned to face Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 and later Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314. Both fights ended in losses, marking a rough comeback.
Aspinall’s current stretch, nearly a year without a fight, is starting to draw parallels to Michael Chandler’s long wait for McGregor. With frustration building, advice has started pouring in. The latest comes from former UFC fighter Matt Brown, who suggests Aspinall follow Chandler’s lead and get back in action.
In his recent interview with MMA Fighting, Brown said: “I look at that like Chandler’s situation with Conor McGregor. Just go and fight bro! Like keep your name out there, keep showing that you’re the man to fight him, keep building your legacy, keep showing the world, keep your name, keep your name out in the news. Keep showing the world that you’re the guy that should be fighting him. If it’s true, then your case is going to be stronger. If you’re sitting on the sidelines, it doesn’t really help your case as much.”
Although there’s a point in Brown’s statement. It’s also true that Aspinall has already cleared most of the top-ranked competition, including Sergei Pavlovich and Curtis Blaydes. Ciryl Gane is the only notable name he hasn’t faced yet. According to a rumor sparked by Chael Sonnen, Aspinall was set to return against the Frenchman. However, Dana White assured fans during the UFC 317 fight announcement stream that the heavyweight fight is indeed happening and later revealed in the MMA Pros Pick interview that 2025 is indeed the target.
Well, that put a lot of rumors to rest. On top of that, Jon Jones’ recent trip to Thailand sparked even more speculation, with a series of cryptic messages hinting that the fight might finally be on the horizon. At this point, everything seems to be happening, except for an official confirmation. Still, predictions are rolling in, and interestingly, some of Aspinall’s fellow countryman, who had previously picked against him, are standing by his take.
Paddy Pimblett sticks to his prediction, backing Jon Jones against Tom Aspinall
Paddy Pimblett has always shown admiration for Tom Aspinall, calling him one of the most successful fighters to come out of England. He even questioned why Jon Jones hadn’t been stripped of his title yet. But despite the support, Paddy surprised fans when he picked Jones to beat his fellow countryman in the highly anticipated superfight. Appearing on the Full Send podcast, Paddy said, “I’ll be honest, Tom’s a friend. but I just can’t pick against Jon Jones.”
‘The Baddy’ was asked to clarify his statement in a recent Q & A session in Liverpool, where he backed his claim by saying, “I love Aspinall, he’s my mate and all that. But I can just never pick against Jon Jones, we’ve never seen him get beat and I think now if anyone’s going to beat him it is Aspinall, Aspinall could just knock him out with his hands.”
Well, that didn’t come off as a bad take from the Liverpudlian. If anything, Paddy was just being realistic. Jon Jones is the most accomplished champion in UFC history, and betting against him hasn’t exactly worked out well for most. Still, Paddy didn’t downplay Aspinall’s threat either; he gave the fellow Brit his flowers, especially for the ungodly power and explosiveness that make him one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the game right now.
With that being said, how do you see the whole Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones situation playing out? Does the British juggernaut take Matt Brown’s advice and fight someone else to stay active, or does he keep waiting for the elusive unification bout? And if it finally happens, are you siding with Paddy Pimblett’s take, or do you think Aspinall shocks the world? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
The post Warning Tom Aspinall From Repeating Michael Chandler’s Mistake, UFC Vet Gives Solution to Jon Jones Fight Dilemma appeared first on EssentiallySports.
