Despite the general consensus regarding Jon Jones, UFC veteran Chael Sonnen is optimistic of a heavyweight title unification fight. As things stand, both Tom Aspinall and Jones are reportedly in discussions to fight next year.
It is the fight everyone wants to see- the GOAT vs. The new guard. However, ‘Bones’ does not seem very keen on fighting the Brit. Instead, he wants to take on light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira next.
Sonnen is in the same boat as the fans; annoyed with all the back and forth between the pair. He believes the UFC needs to give the undisputed champ an ultimatum. On the latest episode of the Good Guy/ Bad Guy show, the former middleweight contender told Daniel Cormier that Jones has but two options- fight or retire.
“Of course they are going to fight that’s the only fight that’s even going to be offered to Jon. He can either retire or fight. According to himself, he is in training camp which means….that he’s agreed to fight Tom.”
DC, however, does not share the same enthusiasm as Jones has openly claimed that he is willing to vacate the heavyweight championship and fight Pereira for the BMF belt. If Jones stays true to his words, Dana White and Hunter Campbell lose their leverage.
So, the only true option they have is to offer Jones an absurd amount of money. Jones even stated that it’s up to Dana and Hunter to convince him now with a wad of cash so big that won or less becomes irrelevant.
Meanwhile, as this frame unfolds, ‘Bones‘ has given a timeline for his return
Jones doesn’t plan on a long break
Jon Jones is back in the gym already, he was not joking when he said he is here to stay. Jones was back to lifting weights and gaining muscles just 5 days after defeating Stipe Miocic at UFC 310.
In an interview with The Schmo on YouTube, ‘Bones’, without revealing much said that he was in conversation with the UFC and they were in between negotiations.
“The UFC and I, we’re in negotiations, we’re in talks…I’m back in the gym, I’m training, I feel really great…Yes, I will be competing in 2025 more than likely.”
Jon Jones will be fighting next year, ‘more than likely’. While Jones doesn’t need to fight Aspinall at this point, it would be a dark spot on his legacy if he doesn’t. After all, he made his career by fighting guys, much older than him, guys on their way out of the sport. Furthermore, if he truly wants to call himself a two-division champion, he cannot just vacate the belt before ever fighting the toughest guy in the division.
