At UFC 309, the heavyweight division saw its biggest action in months. But the Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic bout wasn’t quite enough to gloss over the fact that the big fights are too infrequent. Veteran Ben Askren has labeled the division “annoying,” pointing to the lack of top-tier matchups.
With Francis Ngannou outside the promotion now, and Jones accused of cherry-picking his opponents, the heavyweight landscape looks barren. Tom Aspinall is an exciting presence, for sure. But beyond the Brit, the division seems lacklustre.
Askren joined Demetrious Johnson on his YouTube channel to discuss how UFC doesn’t ensure its top athletes compete against each other regularly. So, there is no way to ascertain who the best among them is.
Askren was particularly harsh on Jones.
“The one division that I think of right now that is super annoying is heavyweight. Jones won’t fight people. I don’t really know what his deal is. He only wants to fight Stipe. You got Aspinall, and you got Francis, who left the UFC,” said Askren.
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UFC’s heavyweight division is often subjected to criticism because of how Ngannou left the promotion without losing the title. He then joined the PFL and defeated Rennan Fereira to win the title there. That makes him the lineal heavyweight champion of the world. While Jones is the belt holder in the UFC.
This has kept the debate open as to who the best heavyweight champion in the world is. And since Jones and Ngannou never fought when they were both signed to the UFC, there’s little chance that they will ever fight in the future.
While Ngannou can’t do much about the quality of opponents he can fight in the PFL, Jones has the option of fighting the next best guy — Aspinall. But he hasn’t shown any inclination to do so. And Jones’ stance has been backed by Ngannou.
Ngannou backs Jones’ decisions
Ngannou claims he understands why Jones is leaning toward a showdown with Alex Pereira instead of Aspinall. Speaking with TMZ, the Cameroonian said there’s more at play than what meets the eye.
“This is probably tied to negotiations,” Ngannou said, hinting at the UFC’s usual tactics of stirring public narratives.
“Jones is in a position to pick what he wants. Aspinall needs that fight, but Jones doesn’t… For Jones, it’s just another paycheck.”
UFC President Dana White, meanwhile, has claimed that Jones has always been paid well. He hinted that if money is what it takes, the UFC heavyweight unification fight featuring Jones and Aspinall will take place as per popular demand.
