[autotag]Chael Sonnen[/autotag] expects [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] to have to defend his interim heavyweight title again after UFC 309.
Jon Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) defends his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 309 main event at Madison Square Garden in New York (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Hulu/FX, ESPN+).
Jones continued to dismiss Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) as his next opponent if he gets past Miocic, and sees light heavyweight champion [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) as a more lucrative fight for his legacy. Sonnen sees a different path for the Brit.
“I have always believed – and this is nothing more than rumor, and I back this with a little evidence – but I have always maintained that Pereira’s next fight will be against Aspinall, and it will be for the interim title,” Sonnen said on “Good Guy/Bad Guy” with Daniel Cormier. “I even believe I know when it’s going to be. I believe it’s going to be mid-January in California (UFC 311).”
Sonnen acknowledges that Magomed Ankalaev is the No. 1 contender at light heavyweight and should be next for Pereira. With both Pereira and Aspinall expected to be in attendance for UFC 309, Sonnen thinks both fighters will be inserted into the aftermath of Jones vs. Miocic – but against each other.
“I do believe there’s going to be a panning to both of those guys,” Sonnen said. “I believe there’s going to be a conversation, but not because they’re next for the winner of Jones-Stipe. I think they’re going to find a way to get those two together and the winner will take on Jones or Stipe. That is purely a rumor, but I’m just offering it.
“I’m also hearing that Pereira’s hand isn’t going to be quite ready by December but could be by January and, again, you remove Ankalaev but you insert Aspinall, I just think there’s some legs to that. Now, there has to be certain outcomes. Stipe comes in, he wins this, everything we just said is up in smoke, but I’ve never seen Dana White play checkers. I’ve always seen Dana White be two and three steps ahead, and I’m telling you, I believe the direction they’re looking to go if everything works out, Aspinall-Pereira.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 309.