Amid the current fiasco at the heavyweight limit with two championships in play, UFC CEO, Dana White has received flak from former welterweight star, Ben Askren who questioned the continued delay on Jon Jones’ return to action.
Jones, the current heavyweight champion, lifted vacant spoils in March of last year, submitting French contender, Ciryl Gane with a dominant opening round guillotine choke, however, he has yet to return amid a pectoral tendon injury.
Expected to make his comeback in an end-of-year outing at UFC 309 in November at Madison Square Garden in a rescheduled showdown with former two-time champion, Stipe Miocic.
However, an interim championship remains in play – with current gold holder, Tom Aspinall defending that crown just earlier this month at UFC 304 with a blistering rematch knockout of Curtis Blaydes in Manchester.
And staking his claim for an immediate shot at either Jon Jones or Stipe Miocic, Aspinall was informed by White how he actually “doesn’t deserve anything” in his next outing – despite his constant pursuit of a unification pairing.
Ben Askren weighs on Jon Jones fiasco with Dana White
Himself weighing in on the fiasco, the previously mentioned, Askren claimed Jon Jones must have some form of “dirt” on White as to why he has not fought Aspinall – and is instead expected to take on the veteran, Miocic next.
“I almost feel like maybe Jon (Jones) has some dirt on Dana (White) or something,” Ben Askren said on Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel. “Because Dana wouldn’t put up with this type of behavior. This is what the UFC has been founded on, whereas boxing [is not].”
“‘We want the best guys to fight, we want to see who the best guy is, no shenanigans, no padding records to go to 40,’” Ben Askren continued. “The fact that Jon – I don’t know if allowed is the right term, but that Dana is playing along and letting him and Stipe (Miocic) fight, when Stipe is going to be close to four years [out] by the time they fight.”