GOATs Don’t Duck
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
With the minor exception of UFC CEO Dana White, it feels like most people are tired of Jon Jones’ s—t.
Last year, “Bones” tore his pec and was forced to withdraw from an already unnecessary title fight versus Stipe Miocic. Injuries happen, even to the best, so there’s no shame there. Chasing a big money fight — in this case, framed as a “legacy fight,” a term which didn’t exist until now — is annoying, but it’s hardly new behavior from UFC champions. We roll our eyes at Michael Bisping chasing a Dan Henderson rematch or Colby Covington’s third undeserved title shot, but that’s part of the sports-entertainment business.
Blatant ducking is not, and it’s hard to describe what Jon Jones is doing in regards to Tom Aspinall as anything else. Aspinall is the most exciting Heavyweight contender since Francis Ngannou burst onto the scene (Jones kind of ducked him too, but it’s more complicated), and he’s proven himself great every step of the way. A well-rounded Heavyweight in his prime with real deal knockout power, Aspinall is EXACTLY the type of fighter that fans wanted to see Jones face once he finally left 205-pounds.
Aspinall has a strong argument as the best Heavyweight in the world right now. Certainly, he has a better argument that Jones. I’m not going to talk bad about Ciryl Gane, as that was a legitimately excellent victory for “Bones” and made him a worthy champion back in March 2023. You are not going to convince me that any single win, however, is greater than Aspinall’s impressive body of work, filled to the brim with brutal and quick stoppages.
Jones is utterly dismissive of Aspinall’s case, and it’s infuriating. It’s bold-faced ducking. Retiring at the top would totally be acceptable, but now Jones is talking about Alex Pereira instead of Aspinall? It’s genuinely gross.
Honestly, my original intent for this article was to write a full-on incendiary hit piece on Jon Jones. That’s far from my go-to style, but Jones is a bad person and ducking is a deadly sin in combat sports, so why not? The only thing holding me back is actually just how troll-like and unlikable Jones is acting in the recent Kevin Iole interview.
There are two possible conclusions watching the interview: Jones is delusional in his dismissal of what fans want and what Aspinall has achieved, or “Bones” is negotiating. He’s at the end of his career, and he wants a massive paycheck. If that’s the case, what better way to drive up demand than aggravate the entire fan base and get them barking for an Aspinall match up?
If that’s the plan, it’s a good one. Assuming Jones beats up the aged Miocic as most everyone expects, a brief retirement — or even just a hinted one — could really turn Jones vs. Aspinall from a highly anticipated title fight to one of the biggest pay-per-views (PPVs) headliners of the last half-decade.
That’s not to say the game Jones is (possibly) playing is without risk. Beyond all else, Jones is a man obsessed with his legacy. It is so clearly precious to him. The man is highly sensitive to perceived slights, real or usually imagined. Even after 14 years of dominance, he’s talking about doubters like there are any left. At no point did you ever hear Georges St. Pierre, Fedor Emelianenko, or Anderson Silva barking nonstop about the pound-for-pound rankings. Making his insecurity even more absurd is the simple fact that Jones probably does have the best argument for all-time greatest ... assuming you’re willing to overlook some spicy drug tests, at least.
Regardless, it’s very clear that Jones’ legacy is of the utmost importance with him. If he continues to duck Aspinall while make outlandish statements about him then doesn’t actually fight him, that’s an absolute black mark on his legacy. It’s something people will remember, an easy counter argument to anyone who says Jon Jones is the best fighter of all the time.
If that’s the case, why was he scared of Tommy Aspinall?
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 309 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPNews at 8 p.m. ET), before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).
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