530 days… That’s how long Tom Aspinall has held the interim UFC heavyweight title—yet Jon Jones still hasn’t stepped up to fight the Brit. Just days ago, Uncle Chael lit up the MMA world, claiming, “I am confident enough to tell you that the fight is done. That fight is agreed all the way down to the date.” Fans were buzzing—until Sonnen himself backtracked, revealing Jones would get his full six-month window. So, once again, Aspinall is left in limbo, forced to defend his interim title. And his response? Classic Aspinall. He dragged Jon Jones right in the comments of a Mark Zuckerberg post.
Tech Mogul, Mark Zuckerberg, recently took to his Threads handle to share an AI image of a llama in space with a caption that read, “Llama is headed to space. It’ll be used on the ISS so astronauts can operate AI locally and get things done faster. One small step for AI, and one giant leap for Llamakind!” This was certainly a promotional activity for Threads by the billionaire, however, this was an opportunity for Tom Aspinall to drag Jon Jones into the abyss.
Responding to Zuckerberg, Tom Aspinall commented, “ it’ll be next! That’s probably what he’s hoping for ” — clearly taking a jab at Jon Jones for delaying the fight. Jon Jones alluded to retiring after his last fight against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, but after beating Miocic, he announced that he would compete a few more times and “give the fans what they want”, before hanging up his gloves.
That was back in November 2024. Cut to the present day, and things don’t look optimistic. While Aspinall has been rallying for months now, calling Jones out week after week, ‘Bones’ has been radio-silent on this fight, instead engaging in side projects like taking a stand against corrupt medical insurance companies, and becoming part-owner of Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing Championship.
After what seems like an eternity of back-and-forths, there was some positive update for their ultimate clash when Chael Sonnen expressed that Dana White had already negotiated the fight, but this Sonnen we’re talking about. But now, Aspinall in a recent video, himself isn’t confident of that fight happening. Ariel Helwani speculated that the fight is not happening. Sonnen speculated that Tom Aspinall would have to defend his title against Ciryl Gane as the Jon Jones fight discussions in in limbo again.
MMA: UFC Fight Night-Volkov vs Aspinall, Mar 19, 2022 London, UK Tom Aspinall blue gloves defeats Alexander Volkov red gloves during UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports, 19.03.2022 23:50:09, 17932212, UFC Fight Night, Alexander Volkov, MMA PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xPerxHaljestamx 17932212
‘The American Gangster’ quoted, “Are you ready for the interim championship? According to a remarkably good source, Jon Jones is going to be afforded the ability to wait 180 days, which is equivalent to 6 months, which is what he asked for. Tom Aspinall is going to fight with Ciryl Gane. And now, we’re going to defend an interim champion with the existence of an undisputed champion, which is against the laws of logic.”
In a perfect world, the heavyweight title clash should have already happened, but Jon Jones is not someone who steps into the cage unless his demands are met. And what does he want? A massive $30 million payday. But also.. he wants legacy fights. The thought of losing your 16-year legacy to an up-and-comer (by comparison) is something that’s hard to digest. In the middle of chaos, Michael Bisping has come forward with his two cents on the fiasco.
Michael Bisping makes a bold claim on the Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane clash
Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones is the fight everyone wants to see. However, one should not overlook the fact that Aspinall’s clash against Ciryl Gane is equally intriguing — or at least that’s what former middleweight champion Michael Bisping believes. While giving his two cents on the rumored matchup, Bisping highlighted that the interim champion’s knockout prowess, excellent ground game, and technical ability will be put to the test against Gane, who has already fought Jones.
“Of course, when you look at Tom, what separates him from most heavyweights is his athletic ability, his size, his agility, his speed, of course, his technical prowess, and his knockout power,” Michael Bisping stated on his YouTube channel. “Ciryl Gane can match him for a lot of that stuff. Of course, Tom is more technical, and he’s more well-rounded. He’s got better wrestling. He’s got jiu-jitsu, and he probably hits harder. It’s because he’s not scared of being taken down.”
It must be noted that the Frenchman has shown vulnerability on the ground, and Tom Aspinall might capitalize on this to certain his victory, but what is worrisome for Aspinall is the fact that Gane, if not more, has equal knockout power within the division. Well, the UFC has yet to announce their fight, but it is quite certain that they will clash against each other. Given that, what are your thoughts on the hubbub? State your opinion in the comments below.
The post Tom Aspinall Uses Mark Zuckerberg to Mock Jon Jones as UFC Fight Rumors Get Massive Update appeared first on EssentiallySports.