It’s not that bad a time to be Jon Jones right now. Even though he isn’t getting younger, both the UFC and PFL are looking to cash in on the fact that he still has a bit of fight left in the tank. While the UFC is rumored to have offered $30 million for a Jones vs Tom Aspinall fight, PFL has reportedly upped that bid to $50 million for Jones to take on Francis Ngannou instead.
Considered the greatest fighter of all time, largely due to backing from UFC boss Dana White, Jones has only featured twice since vacating the light heavyweight title for a legacy in the heavyweight division five years ago. Admittedly, besting former champions Ciryl Gane and Stipe Miocic in these outings, the Rochester native has made a successful leap into the division, at least on paper.
However, in matters of a truer challenge of his mettle, Jones has been accused of holding the division hostage by refusing to entertain a conversation with Aspinall. Now, with a new offer from PFL for what would essentially be MMA’s first lineal heavyweight title on the cards for Jones, UFC analyst Chael Sonnen feels compelled to ask if tens of millions of dollars are best sacrificed at the altar of Jones’ vanity.
“They’ve played hot potato with what’s gonna be next for Jon (Jones),” Sonnen said on his podcast.
“[But] there has never been a time in his career- as much as he’s done- that Jon has been sought after. I mean, there were massive budgets that had to go in place when you had a Jon Jones fight. To try to fill up an arena. And more times than not, they did not fill up the arena”, he added.
Sonnen is one man who cannot understand the economics behind the two rival properties’ rationale to go behind Jones since he does not have a strong case for filling up arenas and grabbing eyeballs for TV and digital viewership.
A perplexed Sonnen asked, “As great as Jon is, he does not have even close to- does he have a record for pay-per-view? For box office, for gate, for merchandise sale? None”.
While Sonnen has a valid argument to an extent, Jones’ to-be-opponent Aspinall doesn’t care. Despite vying for the same spot on the card as Jones, Aspinall asserts it’s not the name he is chasing – it’s the title.
Aspinall believes that he’s the best heavyweight in the world, and yet, somehow, Jones has the title he has already earned. This is the only reason he wants the gig.
Aspinall has further claimed that Jones was rather adept at this cat-and-mouse game, having already successfully played with former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou a few years before.
Jones afraid of Ngannou and me, claims Aspinall
Notably, Jones was also said to have demanded a fee in the region of $30 million to fight Ngannou between 2021 and 2023. At the time, Ngannou was White’s next big thing, and White was totally sold on him.
In fact, after Ngannou knocked out Miocic at UFC 260 in 2021, White had suggested Jones move to 185 lbs and try out for a middleweight title slot. Following the insult, Jones had allegedly threatened to quit the UFC.
Earlier this week, Aspinall claimed that Jones had a number of opportunities to show up and fight Ngannou for the title but instead spent his time demanding money he would never get from White.
Curiously, after Ngannou would leave the promotion in January 2023, Jones would immediately announce his return, fighting for the title against Ciryl Gane two months later and winning it.
And now that he’s seemingly back to the old tactics, Aspinall asserts the song remains the same.
“I’m not taking anything away from him,” Aspinall said of Jones on IMPAULSIVE.
“But do I think he’s scared to take the tough fights at this stage in his career? Absolutely. I can (understand it). I respect it. But if you’re going to ask me the straight-up question. ‘Is Jon Jones afraid to fight me?’ The honest answer would be yes”, added the interim heavyweight champion.
Jones has made no statement on this and the fight. So the coming weeks would be interesting as an official confirmation is being awaited with bated breath by fans across the world.
