"Let's talk to unify the belt" - Stipe Miocic responds to Tom Aspinall expressing displeasure over ex-champ getting to fight Jon Jones for title next
Stipe Miocic has responded to the recent criticism directed against him by Tom Aspinall.
In his most recent MMA bout, Miocic lost the UFC heavyweight title via second-round KO to Francis Ngannou in March 2021. The Ohio native was to return against reigning UFC heavyweight champion Jon 'Bones' Jones at UFC 295 on Nov. 11, 2023.
However, in late October 2023, 'Bones' suffered a pectoral injury, due to which the highly anticipated Stipe Miocic vs. Jon Jones matchup didn't transpire at the event.
Instead, the UFC had UK heavyweight star Tom Aspinall fight Russia's Sergei Pavlovich for the interim UFC heavyweight title at UFC 295. Aspinall won by first-round KO and was crowned the interim UFC heavyweight champion.
In the ensuing weeks, Aspinall has suggested that the UFC shouldn't rebook the Miocic-Jones UFC heavyweight title matchup next.
In a series of tweets, he recently labeled the legends' much-awaited clash as a 'legacy heavyweight title' bout, which won't determine the current best among the UFC heavyweights.
The 30-year-old British fighter jibed at Miocic's MMA hiatus. Although he expressed his respect for both veteran fighters' accomplishments, he maintained that he's more deserving than Miocic of a shot at Jones' UFC heavyweight belt. One of Aspinall's tweets read as follows:
"Last time Stipe fought and won, GTA: San Andreas had just come out on PS2. He will fight next for the undisputed heavyweight title, ahead of me, who’s the interim champ, active and ranked #1 in the world right now. This makes me quite upset"
Miocic has fired back at Aspinall. The 41-year-old insinuated that it was Jones' injury that delayed their fight, and it wasn't his (Miocic's) fault.
He implied that he will beat Jones to win the UFC heavyweight title and face interim champion Aspinall in a title unification bout. Replying to Aspinall's tweet, Miocic wrote:
"I have never caused a delay in the Jon fight. Tom, once I get this win, let’s talk to unify the belt."
Dana White moving forward with Stipe Miocic vs. Jon Jones in 2024
Tom Aspinall and other MMA personalities, like Daniel Cormier, have lately speculated that Jon Jones could be stripped of his heavyweight title due to his injury-related inactivity.
Meanwhile, in the aftermath of UFC 295 in November, UFC CEO Dana White asserted that Jones will defend his title against Stipe Miocic next.
During the UFC Austin post-fight press conference in December 2023, White was asked about the recent lobbying to strip Jones of his heavyweight title. He replied by pointing out that 'Bones' wouldn't be stripped of the title and would face Stipe Miocic next.
The consensus is that the winner of the Jones-Miocic clash will likely face Aspinall in a title unification bout later this year. White said:
"Well, the Stipe fight has to happen, yeah. Both of those guys deserve it. You got the greatest mixed martial artist of all-time (Jon Jones) versus the greatest heavyweight of all-time."
Watch White's assessment below: