Tag: Stipe Miocic

Tom Aspinall Tells Jon Jones To Hand Over The Title If He Doesn’t Want To Fight Him After UFC 304 Win

Tom Aspinall felt that he was in the fight of his life when he stepped in the Octagon for his UFC 304 interim heavyweight championship co-main event against Curtis Blaydes. The Brit is two years removed from his devastating MCL tear the first time he faced “Razor” in England, and it was his first fight […]

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Tom Aspinall felt that he was in the fight of his life when he stepped in the Octagon for his UFC 304 interim heavyweight championship co-main event against Curtis Blaydes.

The Brit is two years removed from his devastating MCL tear the first time he faced “Razor” in England, and it was his first fight since winning the interim belt at New York’s Madison Square Garden last November.

And despite a day that he described as the longest of his life, with nerves going throughout his body, Aspinall got the job done in just 60 seconds, finishing Blaydes to retain the championship.

Though Aspinall told Megan Olivi of ESPN MMA that it felt like a homecoming redemption moment after all he’s been through, he made sure to give a ton of respect to Blaydes.

“Curtis is a great wrestler, but he’s also got great hands. He’s a great MMA fighter,” Aspinall said. “The guy’s been in the top five since before I was in the UFC. He’s a veteran. There is a lot of emphasis on his wrestling because not a lot of guys in the heavyweight division can wrestle well, but he’s an MMA fighter, so I was expecting everything.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Curtis, and I want to get in and out as quick as possible without anyone getting hurt. That’s my plan. I hope Curtis is OK.”

‘You Can’t Leave Me Out’ – Tom Aspinall Awaits Jon Jones Or Stipe Miocic To Unify Heavyweight Championship

Following the win, Aspinall had a callout of UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones — a fight that many have been clamoring to see over Jones vs. Stipe Miocic. The interim champ commented about having a conversation with UFC CEO Dana White, implying the chance that plans could change.

White, however, stated at the UFC 304 post-fight press conference that the plan is still to go with Jones vs. Miocic. However, he appeared to insinuate that Aspinall will be assigned as the backup fighter in case Jones vs. Miocic falls through again.

Aspinall told Olivi that the plan is to fight the winner of Jones vs. Miocic, but he urged “Bones” to hand the belt over if he doesn’t want the fight.

“I’ll wait…that’s one worth waiting for,” Aspinall said. “If Jon Jones doesn’t want to do it, OK. Just hand me over the title. I’ll take it, no problem. But that’s the fight I want. It’s the right fight to do. I understand that’s a huge fight for the UFC and the company — Stipe vs. Jon Jones. But, c’mon, you can’t leave me out.”

Jones vs. Miocic was scheduled to headline UFC 295 last November before Jones tore his pec, which led to the fight where Aspinall defeated Sergei Pavlovich to become interim champion.

Jones defeated Ciryl Gane to win the then-vacant heavyweight title at UFC 285 following Francis Ngannou’s departure from the promotion. Miocic, meanwhile, has not fought since dropping the heavyweight title to Ngannou at UFC 260.

Rumors, reports, and even Jones himself have stated the plan is for Jones vs. Miocic to headline a Madison Square Garden PPV card in November. Those event plans, however, have not been confirmed by the UFC and have been left murky with a concert series taking place at the venue during UFC 309’s original target date of November 9.

Continue Reading Tom Aspinall Tells Jon Jones To Hand Over The Title If He Doesn’t Want To Fight Him After UFC 304 Win at MMA News.

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…

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

Jon Jones weighing 260lbs ahead of return fight at UFC 309: ’16 more weeks to become the beast’

Jon Jones weighs 260lbs ahead of UFC 309 return 16 weeks to become the beastExpected to make his comeback to the Octagon at the end of the year in a blockbuster headliner at…

Jon Jones weighs 260lbs ahead of UFC 309 return 16 weeks to become the beast

Expected to make his comeback to the Octagon at the end of the year in a blockbuster headliner at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Jon Jones has revealed he currently weighs 260lbs ahead of his clash with veteran ex-champion, Stipe Miocic.

Jones, a former two-time light heavyweight champion and a current heavyweight titleholder, has been out of action for over 500 days since his most recent return to the UFC – without a fight since March of last year.

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Sidelined through injury setbacks, Rochester native, Jones most recently snatched the then-vacant heavyweight crown in a dominant opening round guillotine choke submission win over former interim champion, Ciryl Gane. 

And currently awaiting bench trial after he was charged with two misdemeanors amid an alleged incident with a drug-testing agent at his residence back in March, Jones has since pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and also interfering with communications. 

Jon Jones cast doubts on UFC return with bizarre tweets I got half my finger cut off
Mandatory Credit: Patrick T. Fallon – AFP

Jon Jones reveals massive weight ahead of UFC 309

Previewing his comeback fight against Miocic later this annum in a first outing in ‘The Big Apple’ for the New York native, Jones has revealed he is weighing a whopping 260lbs as he continues training for his return to combat sports.

Jon Jones pleads not guilty to misdeameanor charges incident with drug testing agent

“Tomorrow, I’ll be 37 years old!!” Jon Jones posted on his official X account. “I’m 260 pounds 16 weeks away from fighting the most decorated heavyweight in UFC history. I feel like I’m in a great spot right before training camp ramps up. My form is far from perfect in these videos, but I’m happy with it considering the surgeries I recently had. 16 more weeks to become the beast, that’s exactly what I will do. #Champion2024”

Issued a stark warning by fellow former two-weight champion, Randy Couture ahead of his fight with Miocic, Jones has been warned the veteran Ohio has likely the best chance amongst other competitors of beating the former at UFC 309.

Who do you think wins at UFC 309: Jon Jones or Stipe Miocic? 

Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Names Who Has The Best Chance To Beat Jon Jones Out Of Stipe Miocic, Tom Aspinall, & Alex Pereira

Jon Jones has found himself arguing with fans on social media fairly regularly during his recovery process before he hopes to return later this year. The UFC heavyweight champion is expected to face former champ Stipe Miocic after their fight at UFC 295 was cancelled due to Jones’ injury. In the meantime, many fans believe […]

Continue Reading Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Names Who Has The Best Chance To Beat Jon Jones Out Of Stipe Miocic, Tom Aspinall, & Alex Pereira at MMA News.

Jon Jones has found himself arguing with fans on social media fairly regularly during his recovery process before he hopes to return later this year.

The UFC heavyweight champion is expected to face former champ Stipe Miocic after their fight at UFC 295 was cancelled due to Jones’ injury.

In the meantime, many fans believe that his next opponent should instead be Tom Aspinall, who won the interim title and will now be defending it at UFC 304 later this month.

Though the case has been made for Aspinall, Alex Pereira also became a part of the conversation following another dominant performance from the light heavyweight champion at UFC 303.

A former UFC champion at both heavyweight and light heavyweight believes that Jones’ toughest test is also likely to be his next one.

Randy Couture Says Experienced Stipe Miocic Has The Best Chance Of Beating Jon Jones Right Now

In a recent interview with InsideFighting, Randy Couture gave his take on who presents the biggest challenge to Jones and the heavyweight title right now.

Despite giving Aspinall and Pereira their dues, Couture pointed out how their experience competing at the top of the heavyweight division does leave a few question marks next to both men in potential match-ups with “Bones”.

With that in mind, “The Natural” sided with the man that many believe to be the best UFC heavyweight of all time, former champion Miocic.

It has been three years since Miocic last competed inside the Octagon but Couture chose to go with the tried and tested competitor at this current time.

“I think right now, because of experience, Stipe’s probably got the best shot at beating Jon. Aspinall has that raw physical ability and is still green enough and young enough that he’s going to be tough for Jon to deal with, especially if Jon waits any longer because he’s getting stronger and stronger each time out and I think the longer Jon waits, the better he’s going to be, he’s going to be in full stride by the time that fight happens so it’s interesting. Pereira has some things to prove, moving up is no easy task.

“It’s one thing to cut weight and move down and there’s still some questions there even but moving up and dealing with the bigger guys, and Jon’s answered that question already dealing with the bigger guys, it’s a different thing… certainly has all the ability in the world, Pereira does, and he’s a hell of a competitor and he’s just demonstrated that again. I think anybody’s crazy if they don’t think you better strap them on if you’re stepping in there with him because he’s gonna bring it.”

Read also: Alistair Overeem Favors Jon Jones To Beat Tom Aspinall But Names 50-50 Matchup For Him: ‘That Was The Fight To Make…’

Continue Reading Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Names Who Has The Best Chance To Beat Jon Jones Out Of Stipe Miocic, Tom Aspinall, & Alex Pereira at MMA News.