Tag: Jon Jones

Jon Jones’ lone loss opponent looking for matchup “He already lost to me!”

Jon Jones has one career loss and it’s a bit of an odd story. However, the one man to defeat him, Matt Hamill, is willing to fight ‘Bones’ once again.

Jon Jones’ Only Career Loss

Jon Jones has a near-perfect record at 27…

Jon Jones Loss

Jon Jones has one career loss and it’s a bit of an odd story. However, the one man to defeat him, Matt Hamill, is willing to fight ‘Bones’ once again.

Jon Jones’ Only Career Loss

Jon Jones has a near-perfect record at 27-1. Along the way, ‘Bones has defeated multiple generations of great fighters at the highest level, including several former champions. But on the way up, he ran into a loss on a rule violation.

In 2009, Jones met ‘The Hammer’ Matt Hamill. Hamill was a standout talented wrestler who had earned gold in the Deaflympics in multiple meetings. At this point in his MMA career, he was a dangerous rising prospect coming off of a first-round knockout against Mark Muñoz.

During their 2009 fight, the young Jones quickly took down Hamill, mounted him, and began delivering elbows from full mount. However, these were 12-6 elbows, directly from the ceiling to the ground. These have long been illegal in MMA although this was just overturned this past week. Therefore, due to a rule violation, Jones earned a loss via disqualification.

Because the rule was recently changed, Hamill offered to face Jones, now UFC heavyweight champion. “Let’s cut this chase,” He said, “[Dana White] – I know you’re desperate to get [Jon Jones] an undefeated record. I see how you want to profit from that! Is also why you bail him out of all the other things… How about a rematch?! I’ll be happy to fight him for a heavyweight title. If I beat him, I want a UFC belt. Let me know if Stipe Miocic backs out. I’ll take short notice, just remember he already lost to me!”

UFC 304 heavyweight winner to face Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic victor

UFC 304 heavyweight winner to face Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic victorThe winner of Saturday’s interim heavyweight title clash between reigning champion Tom Aspinall and Curtis Blaydes will move on…

UFC 304 heavyweight winner to face Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic victor

The winner of Saturday’s interim heavyweight title clash between reigning champion Tom Aspinall and Curtis Blaydes will move on to face the winner of Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic.

That comes according to Dana White who offered a one-word response when asked what comes next for the victor in UFC 304’s co-main event.

“Absolutely,” White said at the UFC 304 press conference when asked point-blank if the winner of Aspinall vs. Blaydes would fight either ‘Bones’ or Miocic next.

As great as that sounds, it’s not quite that simple. Ever since he won the undisputed heavyweight title at UFC 285, Jon Jones has routinely teased retirement once his bout with Miocic is in the books. And even if Miocic pulls off the upset, it’s hard to imagine the consensus heavyweight GOAT — who will be 42 by the time he actually fights Jones — would stick around to fight either Aspinall or Blaydes.

That’s probably why Blaydes has been running around touting his title tilt with Aspinall as being for the “real” heavyweight crown.

Tom Aspinall face off with Curtis Blaydes

Tom Aspinall thinks His UFC 304 fight with ‘Razor’ will be a tougher test than what Jon Jones brings to the table

After dispatching Sergei Pavlovich in 69 seconds to claim the interim belt last November, Tom Aspinall lobbied hard for a unification fight with Jon Jones.

Tom Aspinall and Jon Jones

Failing to bait the two-division titleholder into a scrap, the Salford, England native opted to move on to Blaydes, a man he believes presents a much tougher test than a past-his-prime ‘Bones.’

“Because Curtis Blaydes is a well-established heavyweight and I’m not discrediting Jon at all, the guy’s unreal—well I might be discrediting him a bit—but as a heavyweight, Curtis Blaydes has proven multiple times that he’s elite,” Aspinall told Sky Sports.

“And he’s in his prime, Jon Jones isn’t. I think Blaydes is a tougher fight” (h/t Bloody Elbow).

Dana White: UFC 304 Interim Title Fight Winner Will Face Jon Jones or Stipe Miocic

The winner of the interim heavyweight title fight will have a tough opponent waiting for them. Per ESPN’s Andreas Hale, UFC president Dana White said the…

The winner of the interim heavyweight title fight will have a tough opponent waiting for them. Per ESPN’s Andreas Hale, UFC president Dana White said the…

Former Opponent Of Jon Jones’ Believes Tom Aspinall Would Be ‘Too Much’ For Him: ‘He Has All The Weapons To Beat Jon’

A notable ex-rival of Jon Jones’ believes the UFC heavyweight champion’s interim counterpart “has all the weapons” to get the job done. Tom Aspinall was crowned interim champ at UFC 295 last November after being placed in a short-notice matchup with Sergei Pavlovich. That bout came together after an injury to Jon Jones forced his […]

Continue Reading Former Opponent Of Jon Jones’ Believes Tom Aspinall Would Be ‘Too Much’ For Him: ‘He Has All The Weapons To Beat Jon’ at MMA News.

A notable ex-rival of Jon Jones’ believes the UFC heavyweight champion’s interim counterpart “has all the weapons” to get the job done.

Tom Aspinall was crowned interim champ at UFC 295 last November after being placed in a short-notice matchup with Sergei Pavlovich. That bout came together after an injury to Jon Jones forced his planned defense opposite Stipe Miocic off the card.

With the presence of another titleholder, many suggested the promotion would look to book a logical unification showdown upon Jones’ return. But both the Rochester native and the UFC have remained firm on plans to reschedule the Miocic fight.

After months of backlash from both Aspinall and the fanbase, the Brit will instead defend his interim strap at this weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view, where a rematch with Curtis Blaydes awaits him in the co-main event.

Should he put in an emphatic performance on Saturday night, the likes of Daniel Cormier have theorized that pressure on the UFC to abandon plans for Jones vs. Miocic will only increase.

And if that potential “fan uprising” results in Jones vs. Aspinall for undisputed status, one fighter familiar to the former two-time light heavyweight kingpin thinks a loss could be on the cards for him…

Gustafsson Backs Aspinall To Get The Better Of Jones

During an interview with Crypto Sports Betting (h/t FightBook MMA), Alexander Gustafsson spoke on Aspinall’s rise toward the top at heavyweight and assessed how he would fare against the throne’s current occupier.

The Swedish standout is well-versed in the game of Jones, having shared the cage with him twice, narrowly losing out to him in their Fight of the Year clash 11 years ago.

While he was ultimately unable to have his hand raised at the expense of “Bones” at 205 pounds, “The Mauler” believes Aspinall would have a great shot of doing so up in Jones’ new weight class.

“Aspinall is on fire right now and he is a very, very good heavyweight. I don’t see anyone beating Aspinall right now,” Gustafsson said. “I understand why Tom wants to fight Jon, it’s because Jon is the GOAT, he is the biggest UFC star right now. If Tom was to beat Jon, it would be bigger than winning any UFC belt. The biggest achievement in the UFC right now is to beat Jon Jones. I understand why Aspinall is chasing the fight. I think he is ready for Jon. He’s on fire right now. If he fights Jon Jones, it should be now. 

“Yes, I think Tom will be too much for Jon. He has all the weapons to beat Jon. Jon hasn’t been that active, but he’s still the GOAT. You can never count this guy out, he’s so freaking good at what he does. He’s handled every opponent and everybody knows how good he is, but Aspinall right now, I see him as very dangerous for Jon,” Gustafsson continued. “He’s dangerous on his feet, he’s fast, he has great footwork, and he’s a smart fighter. He has the tools to do good against Jon and even beat him. If they will fight, now is the time for Aspinall. He could go down as one of the best heavyweights ever.”

Jones claims to see things very differently, however.

While some have suggested that his avoidance of Aspinall serves as an acknowledgement of the Brit’s threat, the UFC heavyweight champ has instead claimed that the decision comes down to drawing power and relevancy, something he states the interim titleholder lacks outside of the UK.

And in terms of Aspinall’s claim to being heavyweight’s best right now, Jones suggested in the lead-up to UFC 304 that he wouldn’t be surprised to see Blaydes finish him in Saturday’s co-headliner.

Continue Reading Former Opponent Of Jon Jones’ Believes Tom Aspinall Would Be ‘Too Much’ For Him: ‘He Has All The Weapons To Beat Jon’ at MMA News.

‘Smart decision’ Curtis Blaydes says Jon Jones is avoiding him

'Smart decision' Curtis Blaydes says Jon Jones is avoiding himWith business to attend to this weekend in the form of an interim heavyweight title fight, Curtis Blaydes has…

'Smart decision' Curtis Blaydes says Jon Jones is avoiding him

With business to attend to this weekend in the form of an interim heavyweight title fight, Curtis Blaydes has still claimed it’s likely a “smart decision” for champion, Jon Jones to avoid a bout with him ahead of his UFC 304 return. 

Blaydes, a perennial heavyweight contender, features in a title fight – albeit interim, for the first time in his lengthy promotional tenure this weekend, co-headlining UFC 304.

Curtis Blaydes UFC 299

Taking on former-foe, Tom Aspinall in a trip to enemy territory in Manchester, Blaydes looks to snatch the interim crown in another upset win – after a debilitating knee injury forced a TKO win in favor of the latter back in July 2022 in their London main event fight.

And last time out, Blaydes turned back the surge of Brazilian contender, Jailton Almeida with a stunning series of elbows at the Octagon fence whilst fending off a takedown, handing the Dana White’s Contender Series product his first UFC defeat. 

Curtis Blaydes scores stunning win over 15-fight win streak Jailton Almeida with TKO at UFC 299 Highlights
Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger – Zuffa LLC

Curtis Blaydes quips Jon Jones is clever to avoid fight with him

Hoping to position himself to a future fight with fellow veteran, Jones with a huge upset win over Atherton favorite, Aspinall this weekend, Curtis Blaydes has claimed that while the Rochester native has a UFC 309 return of his own lined up for Madison Square Garden in November against Stipe Miocic, it’s likely clever for him to avoid a showdown.

jones ufc

“I wasn’t surprised (that Gane vs. Jones was booked for UFC 285),” Curtis Blaydes told ESPN MMA. “I’ve been with the UFC for eight years now. Like, I get it,” Blaydes said. “Marketing. He’s French, which means he brings in all the fans over there. He has an aesthetically pleasing style. A lot of people don’t like wrestling, so I get that. He does all the fancy karate stance and all that. It’s easy to market his highlights versus the highlights that I have.

“Also, I think they asked Jon and were probably like, ‘Jon, do you wanna go against this guy who doesn’t know how to wrestle? Or this guy, who knows how to wrestle?’ I think he did the business, smart decision,” Blaydes continued. “I am a harder fight for him than Gane; I think a lot of guys are a harder fight for him than Gane.”

Over the course of his Octagon tenure, Illinois native has turned in eye-catching wins over the likes of Mark Hunt, Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos, Alexander Volkov, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, as well as the above-mentioned Aspinall and Almeida.

Who would you pick to win in a future matchup: Curtis Blaydes or Jon Jones?

Exclusive | ‘Just so it’s another f*ck you to Cormier’ Paddy Pimblett Talks Jon Jones at heavyweight

Exclusive | 'Just so it's another f*ck you to Cormier' Paddy Pimblett Talks Jon Jones at heavyweightPaddy Pimblett thinks Jon Jones‘ insistence on fighting Stipe Miocic is nothing but a big “f*ck you” to his…

Exclusive | 'Just so it's another f*ck you to Cormier' Paddy Pimblett Talks Jon Jones at heavyweight

Paddy Pimblett thinks Jon Jones‘ insistence on fighting Stipe Miocic is nothing but a big “f*ck you” to his greatest rival.

Stepping back inside the Octagon for the first time since scoring a win over Tony Ferguson in December, ‘The Baddy’ will meet No. 15 ranked lightweight contender King Green when the UFC descends upon Co-op Live in Manchester for its latest pay-per-view offering.

Paddy Pimblett

Ahead of his sixth promotional appearance, Pimblett spoke with Tim Wheaton in an exclusive interview to discuss all things UFC — including the chaotic state of the heavyweight division and its undisputed champion, Jon Jones.

During their conversation, Pimblett praised ‘Bones’ legacy and recalled watching the two-division titleholder’s domination as a 15-year-old boy in Liverpool dreaming of one day walking that same path.

“He’s the greatest of all time. He’s never lost a fight. I’ll never forget, I watched when he beat Matt Hamill, and it got classed as a DQ,” Pimblett said. “I watched that fight live when I was 15. I watched that live and I’ve been watching Jon Jones my whole career.

“He’s had a couple of close fights that people thought he lost, but he’s the greatest of all time. No one comes near his resume.

Jon Jones vs. Matt Hamill

After dispatching a slew of MMA legends at 205, Jon Jones made the move heavyweight following a three-year-long layoff and quickly submitted the division’s top contender, Ciryl Gane, at UFC 285 in May 2023 to take home the vacant heavyweight title.

Paddy Pimblett believes Jones beating Miocic is just another way for ‘Bones’ to torment Daniel Cormier

Immediately following the fight, Jones set his sights on Stipe Miocic, the only two-time heavyweight champion in UFC history and the man considered by many to be the division’s undisputed GOAT.

With Jones and Miocic touted as the best light heavyweight and heavyweight fighters of all time, a superfight between the two certainly makes sense — particularly for ‘Bones’ who is hellbent on solidifying his legacy as the best to ever do it.

However, Pimblett believes Jones’ desire to fight Miocic is a bit deeper and much more petty than that.

“I know why he wants to fight Stipe, because Stipe beat Cormier, twice and his hatred for Cormier,” Pimblett said. “He wants to have that win over Stipe who’s beaten Cormier twice, just so it’s another f*ck you to Cormier. That’s how his brain works. I don’t think he’s scared to fight Tom. I don’t think he is at all. I think to be honest, it’s crazy that Tom’s defending an interim title. Most of the champs would have been stripped, but we’re talking about Jon Jones here, the greatest fighter of all time.

“I don’t think he’s scared to fight anyone. Tom could be his biggest test out there. I think Tom’s going to win at UFC 304 against Blaydes. I’d love Tom to win. Then I’d love Jones to beat Stipe and then to fight each other early next year. That’s the scenario that I think every UFC fan wants.”

Before losing his last two UFC fights against Stipe Miocic in a trio of entertaining heavyweight title scraps, Daniel Cormier came up short on two separate occasions against Jon Jones — though one was later overturned to a no-contest.

Jones vs Cormier

The rivalry between Cormier and Jones was one of the most fierce in UFC history with ‘DC’ taking exception to Jones’ brash attitude and continuous run-ins with the law. Even today, the animosity is ever present despite their best efforts to remain cordial in front of the camera.

Could that be Jones’ real reason for wanting to fight Miocic? Probably not, but even ‘Bones’ can’t deny that defeating the man who beat Cormier twice would be a pretty big middle finger to ‘DC.’

cormier sad