Dana White has made a uncommon assure that Jon Jones will struggle Tom Aspinall for the UFC heavyweight title in 2025.
UFC President White shouldn’t be normally one to make ensures, however it appears to be like like he’s made an exception for what could possibly be the corporate’s biggest-ever struggle.
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Jones grew to become the heavyweight champion following a transfer up in weight lessons in 2023 by submitting Ciryl Gane on his return to MMA after a three-year hiatus at UFC 285.
He then comfortably defended the belt in November in opposition to an getting older Stipe Miocic, who has since retired from MMA.
The 37-year-old beforehand dominated the UFC’s mild heavyweights, defending the belt 13 instances throughout a interval when he was perched on the division’s summit for almost 10 years.
Aspinall, in the meantime, has cleared out the heavyweight division en path to UFC stardom since making his debut with White’s promotion in 2020.
The previous Cage Warriors fighter secured interim heavyweight champion standing after stopping Sergei Pavlovich in a single spherical at UFC 295 final November.
He then retained the interim belt in opposition to Curtis Blaydes at UFC Manchester eight months later, and has referred to as out Jones a number of instances for a unification bout to no avail.
When requested if Jones vs Aspinall is the largest struggle his promotion can placed on in 2025 throughout UFC Tampa’s post-fight press convention, White solid little question on his ideas concerning the conflict.
“I feel it is most likely the largest struggle in heavyweight historical past,” White mentioned. “And it is a large struggle within the historical past of the corporate, too. It is a large struggle.
White was then pressed by a journalist if he can 100% assure that the pair will meet in 2025.
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His response: “Yeah. I’ll say 100%.”
Within the buildup to his struggle with Miocic and since retaining his title, ‘Bones’ has publicly remained adamant that he would like a struggle with present mild heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.
However White appeared to verify that the phrases of the UFC heavyweight champion have been one large smokescreen.
“So normally these guys say that s*** behind the scenes and never publicly,” White added.
“Jon says that s*** publicly, however not behind the scenes.
“Jon is a really distinctive particular person to cope with. From day one, I have been assured that Jon Jones would try this struggle.
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“Proper. I imply, even earlier than the struggle I mentioned, if he received, there is no manner Jon does not do that struggle.
“Jon Jones is not afraid to struggle anyone, and that is a truth…Jon Jones behind the scenes shouldn’t be a man that turns down fights.”
UFC Tampa witnessed Joaquin Buckley climb up the welterweight rankings with a physician’s stoppage victory over Colby Covington.
Cub Swanson, in the meantime, knocked out Billy Quarantillo within the Struggle of the Night time, and Manel Kape was victorious over Bruno Silva within the final UFC card of 2024.
White additionally went on to tease the media with different plans he has for subsequent 12 months.
“I anticipate loads of large fights,” he mentioned.
“I received one thing within the works proper now. I’ll drive you f***ers loopy. All you guys can be operating round.
“I received one thing within the works that you’ll by no means see coming for 2025 that actually began to come back collectively final night time. We received some enjoyable stuff arising.”