Is Tom Aspinall ready to challenge Jon Jones? Joe Rogan passes verdict
Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones is a fight many are demanding. Now, Joe Rogan has weighed in with his thoughts, evaluating whether the Englishman is up to the task of facing an opponent as legendary and as well-rounded as Jones. He discussed the matchup on episode #162 of the JRE MMA Show with Belal Muhammad.
While Aspinall was praised for his quick finishing ability and how easily he dispatched virtually everyone he faced inside the octagon, the question about his cardio arose. Naturally, both Rogan and Muhammad wonder if Aspinall can carry his speed and explosiveness into the later rounds.
So, when 'Remember the Name' questioned Aspinall's cardio, the veteran UFC commentator chimed in with his thoughts. He said:
"It's a bit of a problem for him [Tom Aspinall], right? He has not been tested in that way. You know, you're getting up to elite status where you're calling out Jon Jones, right? That's the boogeyman."
Thereafter, Rogan praised Jones' ability to clinch the championship rounds, referencing how he did so against Alexander Gustafsson in their first encounter, and with little training before the fight.
"The skill-set and the ability to push deep into rounds, it's nuts. Jon [Jones], when he fought [Alexander] Gustafsson, he had almost no training camp. They said he barely showed up. I talked to [Greg] Jackson about it. Greg Jackson was like, 'He didn't even train for that fight,' and he pulled that fight off in the fourth and fifth rounds. That's when he really turned it up."
Check out Joe Rogan's analysis of Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones (33:27 and 33:57):
Ultimately, it will be up to Aspinall to prove whether his cardio holds up in the later rounds. For now, he has done everything in his power to earn a crack at Jones.
He has finished three of the heavyweight top five, captured the interim heavyweight title, and defended it.
Tom Aspinall has only been past round one once in the UFC
In his overall MMA career, Tom Aspinall has been past round one thrice, with the first two instances occurring in his pre-UFC run and resulting in losses. However, in the UFC, the Englishman has only gone to round two once, against former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski.
Check out Tom Aspinall submitting Andrei Arlovski in round two:
Ultimately, Aspinall finished his opponent, submitting him with a rear-naked choke in a stellar performance. Thus far, he remains the promotion's most prolific finisher, so his abilities in the later rounds are entirely unknown.