According to UFC legend in the know, Chael Sonnen, it seems that fans of the promotion are growing tired of hearing about a huge fight that has refused to become a reality so far.
Without this fight considered, the UFC’s 2025 schedule remains in terrific health. Announcements concerning Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira, a future bout between Islam Makhachev and Jack Della Maddalena, and UFC 317’s rematch between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley have given UFC fans many reasons to be excited about the immediate future.
And while these fights are a huge boost for the promotion, there is one that presents a quandary for UFC boss Dana White. The potential flagship fight between two of the promotion’s biggest stars has lost its initial shine in the face of a number of confirmed, exciting fights.
Speaking to MMA Junkie about the fight in question, Sonnen revealed that interest in the bout is decreasing at an alarming rate.
“I can’t even make money with these guys. On my YouTube channel, I’m not only audited, I am publicly audited,” emphasized Sonnen.
“I am bombing. If I put Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall in a thumbnail, I bomb. People are not caring about this fight. I hypothesize that the audience doesn’t wanna get too behind something that they’re confident they can’t get. As time has gone on, this fight, unlike other fights, is not getting bigger. It has gotten smaller.”
Tom Aspinall’s pursuit of UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones is turning into one of the biggest sagas in the promotion’s history. Aspinall has now been the interim champ since November 2023. Since then, he’s had just one fight, which was a defense of that title against Curtis Blaydes last July.
Sonnen’s discussion of the potential fight’s now sorry state of affairs comes off the back of another failed set of negotiations between Aspinall and Jones. ‘Bones’ has openly discussed his unwillingness to fight Aspinall. He went as far as to troll the English fighter on social media by changing his display picture to a duck sporting a UFC title.
Sonnen: UFC may have missed a window of opportunity with Jones vs. Aspinall
Chael Sonnen was also eager to point out a memorable image that the UFC and Dana White could’ve hung the Jones vs. Aspinall fight on to help build hype and momentum.
“If I was to go back to November of last year, when Jon Jones was hitting the presidential dance… What a powerful moment. And that would’ve been the biggest fight in the industry.”
Jones went viral for his version of the presidential YMCA dance in front of Donald Trump, following his victory over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. Had Jones ridden that wave of momentum into a confirmed Aspinall fight, the UFC would surely be sitting on a generational heavyweight bout.
“That would’ve wiped out any notion of Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones, for example, which a year prior was the biggest fight in our industry,” added Sonnen. “If you remember, that’s not a torch that Francis handed to Tom. That was a torch that went to Sergei Pavlovich. Sergei Pavlovich was supposed to be the big, scary one in Jon’s closet.”
Pavlovich was the initial interim champ before Aspinall defeated him at UFC 295. Sonnen, however, suggests that Aspinall is the new “big, scary one” that Jones is afraid to face. And like those who came before Aspinall, Sonnen underlines that the UFC fans are not willing to wait for any fight, no matter who’s involved.
“I bring that example up because people don’t wait. They didn’t wait for Francis, they didn’t wait for Sergei. They’re not gonna wait for Jon. And that’s just the truth.”
Jones, for the time being, retains his aura of invincibility. But as recent history shows, if this saga continues to stretch out, it’s going to be severely damaging for Jones’ quality as a champion. Furthermore, it could be damaging for his legacy and claim to the throne as UFC GOAT.
There are great fighters, and then there are generational fighters like Jon Jones. But even that type of rare athlete cannot overcome a UFC fanbase that has quite simply lost interest.
