Perhaps it`s time Tom Aspinall shifts his focus beyond Jon Jones.
For nearly 600 days, interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall has been seeking the opportunity to prove he is the best fighter in the world.
Whether this will happen through a title unification bout against Jon Jones remains uncertain.
UFC Heavyweight Champion Jones recently fueled speculation when asked about facing Aspinall, stating he was waiting for an official announcement from the UFC.
Meanwhile, Aspinall, the interim belt holder, has confidently declared himself the undisputed heavyweight champion, suggesting that `Bones` is effectively retired.
The extended wait for a potential Jones vs. Aspinall fight has led some fans to compare Aspinall`s situation to Michael Chandler`s lengthy, ultimately unfulfilled wait for a fight with Conor McGregor.
Aspinall Rejects Comparisons to Chandler`s Wait for McGregor
UFC Lightweight Michael Chandler famously waited two years for a bout with McGregor, only for it to be canceled due to McGregor`s injury just before UFC 303 last summer. Even a year later, Chandler appears solely focused on a potential fight with `The Notorious`.
In contrast, Aspinall insists he is not fixated on a single opponent.
“I see a lot of people comparing me to Michael Chandler,” Aspinall observed.
“Michael Chandler waited for a long time for Conor McGregor and stuff like that. I`m not waiting for one fight. I`m not trying to fight one guy.”
“I`m trying to fight all the guys,” Aspinall clarified.
“I`m trying to be the guy at heavyweight who takes out everybody, and it doesn`t matter who it is. Ciryl Gane, [Alexander] Volkov rematch, [Jailton] Almeida, Derrick Lewis, Brock Lesnar, whoever it is. I don`t care.”
“I wanna fight everybody, and I wanna fight as much as possible, get some excitement back in this division.”
Aspinall emphasized that his goal is not specifically to fight Jon Jones, but rather to compete for and secure the undisputed heavyweight championship.
Online Petition to Strip Jon Jones of Title Approaches 200,000 Signatures
The UFC has not yet announced the next steps for the heavyweight division or clarified Jon Jones`s status.
Amidst this uncertainty, many fans have taken collective action.
An online petition on Change.org calling for Jones to be stripped of the heavyweight title reached 100,000 signatures last week, rapidly increasing to 150,000 just days later.
As of now, the petition, which Aspinall has publicly supported, stands at 179,418 signatures, nearing the 200,000 milestone.
Time will ultimately tell if this petition influences the situation, as the MMA world eagerly awaits the UFC`s official decision regarding the heavyweight title picture involving Jones and Aspinall.
