Jon Jones says it is “more than likely” he will not fight Tom Aspinall if he continues his UFC career, revealing he would rather take on Alex Pereira instead. The 37-year-old American, who defends his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 on November 16th in New York, has recently hinted at retirement. However, if he does decide to keep fighting, Jones has dismissed the possibility of an imminent match-up with Aspinall, the interim champion who will be the back-up fighter at UFC 309.
“I feel like Tom Aspinall is; I don’t want to say nobody, but he just hasn’t proven anything. He hasn’t done anything,” Jones told Kevin Iole. “I’m not here to gamble on someone else making a name for me.”
Instead, the long-time former light-heavyweight champion suggested he would be more interested in taking on two-weight titleholder Pereira, who currently holds the light-heavyweight belt. Jones believes a fight with the Brazilian would be the perfect “legacy” bout.
“If we were to have a fight involving a member of our UFC roster who would not only be financially worth it, but also leave a lasting legacy, it would be Alex Pereira,” Jones stated. “Alex Pereira and I are both 37 years old,” Jones stated. At the moment, my weight is approximately 235 pounds. I’m an incredibly light heavyweight. Pereira, in my opinion, weighs 240 pounds. I believe that a fight would have a far greater impact on my legacy than a young man who is cool today but might be gone tomorrow.
The comments come after UFC president Dana White said he believed the winner of Jones versus Miocic would want to fight Aspinall next. Miocic, a two-time heavyweight champion at 42 years old, is the underdog against Jones.
“They’re not going to just ride off into the sunset without settling the dispute with Tom Aspinall,” White told TNT Sports, citing their competitive nature and their status as massive legends in the sport.
However, Jones appears to have other plans, with the former light heavyweight king adamant that Pereira would be the more “legacy-worthy” opponent. The MMA journalist Ariel Helwani believes Jones may be intentionally stirring up controversy with his comments, suggesting the fighter is trying to “rile people up.”
“I’m convinced Jon is just saying this stuff to rile people up. And it works,” Helwani wrote on X. “If all goes well for him next weekend, I think he fights Aspinall next year.” Fans were quick to react to Helwani’s “hot take,” with one writing: “Jon knows how to rile up the soy boys; he owes the fans nothing… Alex vs. Jon is the biggest fight in UFC history.”
Another fan argued that Jones has already accomplished so much in his career that he doesn’t need to fight Aspinall, writing, “Why would he? He’s done everything. He has defeated individuals from three generations and is poised to do the same in the HW division.
Whether Jones is genuinely interested in Pereira or simply trying to generate buzz, the former champion’s comments have certainly sparked a heated debate among MMA fans. One thing is clear: if Jones emerges victorious against Miocic, the MMA world will be watching closely to see who he decides to face next in his pursuit of cementing his legacy.