According to Chael Sonnen, UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones won’t hesitate to say yes when presented with an official offer to fight Tom Aspinall this year.
Aspinall has pushed for unification showdown with Jones since winning interim gold in November 2023. The Brit made the most of the cancellation of Jones’ planned defense against Stipe Miocic by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich on short notice.
17 months later, the heavyweight division continues to be ruled over by multiple titleholders, both of whom have faced other opponents instead of colliding in a title unifier. With Jones remaining steadfast on his desire to face Miocic, Aspinall passed the time by dominantly defending his interim strap against Curtis Blaydes last July.
Since “Bones” had his hand raised four months later, talk of the pair unifying the titles has only increased, with the UFC also seemingly now firmly behind that plan.
The one delay in getting it booked? According to the British champ, a familiar reluctance from Jon Jones.
But in a video posted to his Instagram account, Sonnen dismissed any suggestion that his former rival will have rejected any offers from the UFC.
“My permission as the greatest insider in this sport, Jon will not turn that fight down,” Sonnen said. “Jon has not been offered that fight. That’s the monster in the closet that people don’t seem to want to be true. There has not been a suggestion of a date or a venue, not yet, and a phone call to Jon where his opponent would be Tom for the undisputed title. If you believe that Jon Jones is refusing to do those things, you’re wrong. He’s not yet been presented with that offer.”
Aspinall recently continued his taunting of Jones by holding up a duck toy while in attendance at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in London, England.
