UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones suggests his fighting career might not be limited to just two outcomes: facing Tom Aspinall or retiring completely.
Speculation about a potential title unification bout between Jones and interim champion Aspinall has been a major topic in the mixed martial arts community, particularly as uncertainty surrounding the heavyweight division`s future persists.
After prioritizing a rescheduled fight with Stipe Miocic over unifying the championships, Jones has continued to overlook Aspinall. This situation has led to Aspinall holding the unfortunate distinction of being the longest-serving interim champion in UFC history.
Adding to the concerns of fans eager to see Jones and Aspinall compete, Jones, often regarded as one of the greatest fighters of all time, has now hinted at the possibility of taking other types of matches.
Jon Jones Could Potentially Leave UFC for `Exhibition Matches`
During a recent appearance on DeepCut with VicBlends, Jones was once again questioned about his future in fighting and the possibility of one final UFC appearance.
Jones, known as `Bones`, did not mention Aspinall or the current heavyweight title landscape. Instead, he discussed the potential of leaving the UFC to participate in “exhibition” fights.
Jones stated, “You know, I don`t know what life holds as far as fighting and competing. I do feel like I will be a lifelong martial artist, whether I`m coaching others or taking exhibition matches.” He added, “There`s a lot of great competition in the UFC, [but] I do view myself as more than a fighter. Being in my position, I feel like I have a lot more options than a lot of the other fighters as far as the ability to leave and return, and things like that.”
The text notes a comparison to Floyd Mayweather Jr., who engaged in numerous exhibition bouts against various personalities and athletes after his professional retirement.
This suggests Jones might be considering a similar path.
Petition to Strip Jon Jones of Heavyweight Title Approaches 150,000 Signatures
While Jon Jones maintains a core group of supporters, a significant portion of the MMA fanbase is increasingly vocal about their discontent.
As `Bones` continues to disregard calls for a title unification fight against Aspinall, some fans have taken action by starting a petition on change.org.
The petition urges the UFC to strip Jones of his heavyweight championship.
The petition`s description points out that “Jon Jones is now the longest reigning champion in UFC heavyweight history and has only fought 2 times in that period.” It highlights that there is a clear interim champion, Tom Aspinall, who has defended his interim belt and is ready to fight Jones, but Jones “refuses to fight him.” The petition concludes by urging Dana White, “Therefore, we as fans must let Dana White know: It is time to strip Jon Jones of the heavyweight title. He clearly has no intentions of fighting anytime soon.”
The petition initially garnered a few thousand signatures but quickly went viral, currently standing at over 144,000 signatures from frustrated fans.
