"I don't think Dana is gonna kill him publicly" - MMA analyst predicts fallout Jon Jones could face if he refuses to fight Tom Aspinall
MMA journalist Luke Thomas recently offered his take on the situation surrounding Jon Jones and his potential future bout against Tom Aspinall.
After a three-year lay-off, Jones defeated Ciryl Gane in his heavyweight debut to win the vacant title at UFC 285 in March 2023. He was then set to defend the belt that same year against Stipe Miocic, however, a pectoral injury put him on the sidelines for over a year.
In his absense, Aspinall picked up the interim belt with a stunning knockout win over Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295. 'Two Pints' then went on to stake his claim for an undisputed title shot further by defending the interim title against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.
Despite it typically being mandatory that the champion would face the interim champ next, Jones was still keen on Miocic. The pair then went on to fight at UFC 309 with Jones picking up the victory.
It is now believed the UFC are in negotiations with Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall, however, rumors have suggested that if 'Bones' isn't given a significant pay bump, he's willing to walk away from the sport.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Luke Thomas then had his say on the situation. According to the MMA journalist, should Jones retire instead of facing Aspinall, he doesn't believe Dana White would chastise him publicly. He explained:
"Let's just say the Jon vs. Tom fight doesn't happen, I don't think Dana is gonna kill him publicly...I think they will do a media blitz discussing how Tom is the most avoided guy in the sport, how he's the future of the sport. They'll really lean in to that in the same way they've been leaning in to Jon being the greatest of all time."
Check out Luke Thomas' comments below (46:00):
Dana White makes claim regarding Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall
Whilst the futures of Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall currently remain up in the air, Dana White recently dropped a major hint about their potential clash.
Earlier this week, White took to social media to make a number of blockbuster announcements regarding UFC 314 and UFC 315. In the Instagram live video, the UFC CEO also answered a number of fan questions, including one by a fan who was skeptical about whether Jones vs. Aspinall would ever happen.
The 55-year-old then revealed some positive news about the fight, stating:
"Yes you will. It's coming. Relax."
Check out Dana White's comments below (3:17):