UFC fans may not see a heavyweight title unification bout until late 2024 or even early 2025.
UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones suffered a fight-ending injury during his UFC 295 training camp, putting his Stipe Miocic title bout on hold. In his absence, top contenders Tom Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich will collide for the interim 265-pound strap on Nov. 11 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
The winner is “gonna have to wait” for the promotion to rebook Jones vs. Miocic, though an exact return date has yet to be determined. UFC CEO Dana White has Jones on the shelf for eight months; however, this orthopedic surgeon claims “Bones” can knock a few months off that recovery timeline with the right treatment.
“I’m not thinking about anything until I know how Jon’s surgery goes,” White told reporters at the PowerSlap 5 press conference. “Gotta get through the surgery and see how fast he recovers. He wants to go get this thing done, start rehabbing, and start working his way back. Eight, nine months he’s gonna be out. You don’t strip him or take him out of the rankings after a year.”
Jones is expected to have surgery “this week.”
“If you’re Sergei and Aspinall, you’re getting the opportunity to fight for the interim title anyway, now,” White continued. “So, yeah, they’re gonna have to wait until [Jones vs. Miocic] happens. This fight was set up, this fight needs to happen. Two of the biggest legends in the sport who want the fight. The fans want the fight.”
And if the winner retires?
“Whoever wins that fight, it would be nice to see him stick around and defend it,” White said. “That we can’t determine until it happens.”
Until then, it’s more resting, sleeping, and eating.