The ongoing delay in securing a highly anticipated fight against undisputed heavyweight champion Jon Jones is causing significant frustration for interim titleholder Tom Aspinall and his father.
Aspinall, who holds the interim UFC heavyweight championship, recently defended his belt against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304. This occurred while he was waiting for Jones, who himself defended the undisputed title against Stipe Miocic, a fighter who had been out of competition for nearly four years.
In a recent video shared on his son`s YouTube channel, Aspinall`s father openly voiced his deep dissatisfaction with the situation.
“It`s stupid,” he stated. “I have no idea why the UFC seems reluctant for Tom to fight anyone else besides Jon Jones.”
He recounted receiving the instruction from the UFC for Tom to simply “`Stay tuned`,” and mentioned discussions with executive Hunter Campbell about trying to make the fight with Jones happen. However, he expressed bewilderment that, months later, Jones has still not given a definitive answer regarding a potential fight date. He questioned why a professional fighter should remain inactive without confirming his plans.
With Aspinall potentially facing almost a full year without a bout, UFC CEO Dana White continues to express optimism about arranging the Jones fight. Despite this, the belief within the wider MMA community that the clash will actually materialize appears to be diminishing daily.
Amidst the uncertainty surrounding the long-awaited showdown with Jones, Aspinall`s father highlighted the challenge of navigating his son`s next career move.
“What else can he do?” he pondered. “He could fight lower-ranked individuals, but that risks him missing the chance to face Jon Jones, which is a huge opportunity because Jones is the champion and arguably the greatest of all time.”
He found the idea of the interim champion potentially fighting someone ranked significantly lower (“why should No. 1 fight No. 8?”) to be illogical and somewhat foolish.
While an undisputed title fight against a legendary opponent like Jones would undoubtedly be a landmark moment for Aspinall`s legacy and a significant financial boost, the continued waiting period is costing Aspinall money, particularly during what should be the prime of his fighting career.
“It`s just a massive pain in the ass, really,” the father admitted frankly. “As a fighter, it would be genuinely nice to just have a fight. Tom`s last three fights combined lasted only about three minutes, and while that is what it is, we really could do with more fights.”
He concluded by emphasizing the financial reality of their profession: “This is how we make our living, and you need to be earning money from your living, especially when you`re fit and healthy, rather than just sitting around and constantly training without a fight.”
