"I really do believe that" - Jon Jones claims Tom Aspinall is the one to watch out for in the UFC heavyweight division
Jon Jones is widely considered to be the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, however, he has shared that he doesn't plan to stick around for much longer. The heavyweight champion recently praised Tom Aspinall, while claiming that he has the potential to do special things in the division.
During a recent appearance on the OverDogs Podcast, 'Bones' stated:
"Tom Aspinall, I think he really has the potential to do something really special in the heavyweight division. I think he's going to be hard for the majority of guys to beat. I really do believe that."
Check out Jon Jones' comments on Tom Aspinall below (starting at the 47:47 mark):
After being sidelined for a year after injuring his knee, Aspinall laid out his plan to eventually face Jones. The No.4-ranked heavyweight shared that he plans to face the winner of this weekend's bout between Ciryl Gane and Sergey Spivak before challenging 'Bones' for the heavyweight title.
It is unclear, however, if Jones will stick around to face the rising star. He has shared that he plans to defend the belt one time before retiring. The long-time light heavyweight champion is scheduled to face Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 later this year.
What did Jon Jones say about facing rising heavyweight contenders?
While Jon Jones has been clear about his intentions at heavyweight since joining the division, fans have clamored for a potential matchup between 'Bones' and either Tom Aspinall or Sergei Pavlovich. 'Bones' addressed those comments during his appearance on the OverDogs Podcast, stating:
"Don’t get me wrong, these guys are amazing. They’re starching people in the first round, but as I get older, I have to look at it as a business and not just speak out of pride, but I have speak as my legacy and as a business."
The UFC heavyweight champion continued:
"If the hardcore fans know who these guys are, that’s great, but at the end of the day I have to fight people that the mainstream public is going to be excited about. Because when you’re in my position, there’s always going to be this new challenge that’s younger than you that everyone wants to see you do it one more time."
Check out Jon Jones' comments on facing upcoming heavyweight contenders below (starting at the 21:45 mark):
While his comments may not be the answer that fans want to hear, Jones does not have anything left to prove. The two-division champion holds several promotional records and is widely considered to be the greatest mixed martial artist..