‘Enough Time for Another Cycle’: Jon Jones’ Old Wounds Get Scratched as ‘6 Month’ Demand for Tom Aspinall Fight Comes to Light

With Jon Jones, it’s become impossible to believe a fight is happening until he’s actually locked inside the octagon. With his history of legal troubles, failed drug tests, and last-minute withdrawals, Jones has been anything but predictable. And as if to prove the point, he’s now reportedly asked for 6 months(from the moment a contract is signed) to train for Tom Aspinall. 

For over a year now, the undisputed heavyweight champion, Jones, and interim champ Aspinall have been a headache for bossman Dana White. With Aspinall refusing to fight without a title unification bout, and Jones avoiding him like the plague, White has found himself in an impossible situation, he’s had a hand in creating for himself. 

For the entirety of 2024, the consensus among fans and analysts remained that Jones ought to have fought the Brit upon making a comeback to the octagon. But backed heavily by White, he picked an aging Stipe Miocic as his first title defense at UFC 309, while Aspinall had to contend with putting the interim title on the line against Curtis Blaydes earlier in the year.

And now that the UFC brass supposedly had plans of finally making the fight materialize in the summer of 2025, MMA scribe Ariel Helwani has dropped a bombshell.

“The clock is ticking on that one because I was told that Jon wants six months to prepare and is locked in. What is six months from now? September? Now I am sure money talks but it feels like if that is the goal, it is starting to slip away a little bit.”, he said. 

Earlier this year, it was widely speculated that Jones had been asking for a $30 million guaranteed paycheque for the bout, but the UFC President had put a pin on that number himself.

Regardless, this update from Helwani seems to have caused an uproar among fans who believe Jones was holding the division hostage. 

One fan, laughed it off citing Jones’ history of nefarious activities and said, “Just enough time for another cycle.” Pointing out a very valid fact another fan said, “He’s had a year and a half.”

“Bro wasted 2 full years.. Unbelievable”- reiterated another frustrated viewer. Meanwhile, this man seems to have lost all hope of the match ever taking place. “Fight ain’t ever happening just move on.”, he said, visibly dejected. 

As things stand, it’s not just the fans but also Aspinall who is losing patience with Jones. He is already looking at what other options are available for him since he is done waiting for the ‘undisputed’ champion to do the right thing. 

Aspinall bored of Jones’ indecisiveness 

After patiently waiting for over a year, Aspinall is officially over talking about Jones. The 31-year-old hasn’t fought since his lightning-fast 60-second knockout of Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 last July. 

So, when asked about the fight, Aspinall didn’t hold back. “I’ve had enough talking about it,” he told Jamal Niaz. “I’m honestly bored of it. We’ll see what happens.”, he added sounding reasonably frustrated by the state of affairs. 

“I’m ready to fight whenever they tell me. Just let me know, I’ll be there.” Aspinall sighed, possibly reminding the brass that he was also present and ready to fight at UFC 309, had Miocic or Jones, for that matter, had pulled out. 

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