Joe Rogan, the well-known UFC commentator, believes that Jon Jones made a significant misstep before retiring from mixed martial arts.
Rogan, like many fight enthusiasts, was eager to witness a heavyweight title unification bout between `Bones` Jones and the new undisputed champion, Tom Aspinall, projected for later this year.
However, over several months, Jon Jones actively avoided a potential confrontation with Aspinall.
The reigning heavyweight titleholder, considered by many the greatest fighter ever, definitively ended speculation about the fight last weekend by announcing his retirement.
Rogan Identifies Jones`s Error
Jones offered numerous justifications for sidestepping a fight with Aspinall, a situation that eventually led over 195,000 fans to sign a petition requesting his title be vacated.
A primary argument from Jones was that Aspinall lacked sufficient star power to warrant such a high-profile bout.
He expressed preference for fights against names like Francis Ngannou or Alex Pereira, but the UFC`s focus remained on the matchup with the British fighter.
Speaking on his podcast with Cory Sandhagen, Joe Rogan argued that Jones misjudged Aspinall`s popularity and marketability.
“I think he’s wrong because I think Aspinall is a star. I really do… And I think he’s saying, ‘Who is he? He’s no one.’ Aspinall is a star. When people ask me questions all the time, like casuals on the streets, it’s, ‘Is Jon Jones going to fight Tom Aspinall?’ That’s like the constant question.”
Aspinall Leaves the Door Open
Despite Jones`s retirement announcement, Tom Aspinall isn`t entirely ruling out the possibility of the fight happening, suggesting the UFC icon might change his mind.
Aspinall commented on his current standing: “I’m in a spot in my career where there’s not all that much footage out there on me… Maybe he sees something on me in the next few fights, and he thinks, ‘You know what? I can beat this guy. I’m gonna come back and beat him’… Mentally, I’m never counting that out. The fight could always pop back up and come back around on me.”
