UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones just doesn’t want to fight interim champion Tom Aspinall. He is willing to give up his title if he retains it after UFC 309 and fights light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira for the BMF title. Following this revelation, MMA scribe Ariel Helwani has noted that this will be a dark mark on his otherwise illustrious career.
Although he understands where Bones is coming from, he wants to see him take on the Brit.
Helwani believes Jones not taking this fight harms his legacy far more than protects it. Ironically, ‘legacy’ is the reason the Rochester native had for not wanting to fight the Brit in the first place.
“When the story of Tom Aspinall is written, it will be said, it will be noted, that Jon Jones refused to fight him…This will be a mark, there will be a notation there that he did not fight this guy.”
Helwani also remains assured of Apsinall’s spot as one of the greatest of all time. He is confident that the Brit will be in the same conversation as the likes of Georges St-Pierre, Demetrious Johnson, and Jones when the curtain falls on his career.
Regardless, it seems Jones only has his eyes set on Poatan
Poatan’s going to prom with the big boys?
Would Pereira be less of a challenge for Bones than Aspinall? Or would he just be the more interesting matchup and a bigger brand for Jones to add to his legacy? Pereira can certainly KO Jones. And both fighters are almost the same age. So, on paper, it does make sense.
But the fact remains, to fight Pereira, Jones will have to wait quite a bit. The champion is certain to defend his title against Magomed Ankalaev sometime early next year. If he does retain the title, he will have to take time to gain about 30 lbs at least to compete at heavyweight.
While the Brazilian has expressed his wish to move up in weight class, he wants to do so to fight for the title. But Jones wants to give up his to fight for the BMF title. This puts both Pereira and BMF champion Max Holloway in a precarious position!
The BMF title, as it stands right now doesn’t have any clear definitions. So can it be defended by multiple people at different weight divisions or would Holloway have to vacate his title?
