Alexander Volkanovski raises questions on Jon Jones' heavyweight championship status if he dodges Tom Aspinall
Alexander Volkanovski recently raised questions regarding Jon Jones' status as UFC heavyweight should he retire without fighting Tom Aspinall. The Englishman has certainly made the most of his opportunities and recently earned a statement win over Curtis Blaydes before turning his attention to 'Bones'.
Since becoming interim heavyweight champion, fans have been clamoring for the UFC to change their plans regarding Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic and instead book a title unification bout. Despite fans wanting to see the bout, Dana White appears to be committed to Jones vs. Miocic, with Aspinall serving as a backup in case somebody is forced to withdraw.
The former UFC featherweight champion recently uploaded a video to his YouTube channel, where he shared his thoughts on the Englishman's win and a potential title unification bout. Volkanovski mentioned that Jones and Aspinall need to fight and mentioned that the legitimacy of 'Bones' as the heavyweight champion, could be questioned if they don't. He said:
"Obviously, they're [UFC] waiting for the Stipe [Miocic] thing. That's okay but what's the point of all this if Tom Aspinall and Jon Jones aren't gonna face [each other]? Can you really claim heavyweight champion, you know, a defending heavyweight champion without actually facing Tom Aspinall? Some people might get upset with me with this but that's just what I feel." [5:08 - 5:30]
Check out Alexander Volkanovski's full video below:
Alexander Volkanovski believes Tom Aspinall is the only heavyweight that could test Jon Jones
In addition to sharing his thoughts on the potential UFC heavyweight title unification bout, Alexander Volkanovski heaped praise on Tom Aspinall and claimed that he is the only heavyweight that could test Jon Jones.
During the aforementioned video, Volkanovski mentioned that Aspinall has showcased his abilities as a well-rounded fighter and claimed that a win over him would be much greater for Jon Jones' legacy. He said:
"The only test for Jon Jones is an Aspinall. He does that at heavyweight against Tom Aspinall, man, I know he likes to say that everyone says this every single time, 'oh, this guy's the guy', but I'm telling you Tom Aspinall is the guy cause he is that well-rounded, he is that dangerous, so if he could pass that test as well Jon Jones, mate, that is incredible." [5:39 - 6:03]
Check out Tom Aspinall's post-fight interview