Tag: Jon Jones

Dominick Reyes: Jon Jones not happy that people ‘forever are going to say’ he didn’t beat me

Dominick Reyes and Jon Jones continue to go back-and-forth on their competitive title fight in 2020.

MIAMI – [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] and [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] continue to go back-and-forth on their competitive title fight in 2020.

Reyes (14-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) gave Jones arguably his toughest test to date when he lost a controversial decision in their light heavyweight title fight at UFC 247. Reyes is still adamant that he was robbed, and hasn’t hesitated to mention that whenever he’s asked during his media obligations.

UFC heavyweight champion Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) is tired of hearing that narrative, firing back at Reyes on numerous occasions, most recently when Reyes claimed he’s both mentally and physically stronger than him. Jones mocked Reyes by saying that he would perhaps have a chance to beat him in a rock, paper, scissors contest.

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But no matter what Jones says, Reyes is confident that the majority think he should have gotten his hand raised that night.

“In regards to Jon Jones, we’re locked in this moment of time, in history, forever – whether he likes it or not,” Reyes told MMA Junkie and other reporters Wednesday at UFC 314 media day. “That’s just the bottom line.

It was a legendary fight. It’ll go down in history as a legendary performance by myself, and he’s not happy that people forever are going to say that he didn’t win that fight. Whatever he has to say is what he has to say, but I know who I am, what I am, and what happened, and that’s the end of that.”

Since losing to Jones, Reyes has struggled. He went on to lose another three fights in a row, before getting back on track with back-to-back knockouts of Dusitn Jacoby and Anthony Smith. He returns against Nikita Krylov (29-9 MMA, 11-7 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 314 main card opener from Kaseya Center (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+).

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 314.

Henry Cejudo cites Khabib to argue Jon Jones’ worth in potential Tom Aspinall showdown

Henry Cejudo thinks UFC champion Jon Jones has a right for a big asking price to face Tom Aspinall.

[autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] believes UFC champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] has earned the right to ask for a massive payday to fight [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag].

Interim heavyweight champion Aspinall has been eagerly awaiting his title-unification bout with Jones, but it’s yet to materialize. With Daniel Cormier claiming that Khabib Nurmagomedov once turned down the UFC’s $40 million offer to come out of retirement, Cejudo thinks Jones should be offered a similar amount to fight Aspinall.

Joe Rogan said Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) wants $30 million to fight Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) – which he later retracted after UFC CEO Dana White reached out to him to deny the claim. Cejudo thinks “Bones” should use that number as leverage.

“Joe Rogan just came up with the whole $30 million deal, keep it at $30 million, he just helped you,” Cejudo told MMA Junkie. “This is what should be the storyline. If they’re willing to give Khabib Nurmagomedov $40 million, what is the greatest of all time worth?

“If Joe Rogan just said there’s a $30 million deal in there, let’s do it. Stick to that number. You’re undefeated, you deserve it, and Turki’s (Alalshikh) been giving money like crazy. Why don’t you get Turki involved, do it in Saudi Arabia, make it one of the biggest fights of all time, and do it. That’s how you get your money.”

Jones vs. Aspinall prediction

If the matchup does end up happening, Cejudo sees Jones’ experience and fight IQ being too much for Aspinall.

“We all know that Tom is dangerous, but there’s just too many tools that Jon has, too many tools. ” Cejudo said. “And I feel like this is where Aspinall is (boxing), he’s not much of a kicker. He’s not much of a grappler, too, and I feel like those are things that Jon brings, and he’s too smart. As soon as this guy starts coming, boom, there’s a clinch, there’s a leg. There’s all that, but he just has to be careful in that first round, and I think after that it’s all gravy.”

To hear more from Cejudo, check out his complete appears on “The Bohnfire” podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn.

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Michael Bisping shares ‘disrespectful’ take on Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall

Michael Bisping has full confidence that Tom Aspinall will be the one to solve the Jon Jones puzzle – and quite easily.

[autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag] has full confidence that [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] will be the one to solve the [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] puzzle – and quite easily.

Interim UFC heavyweight champion Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) is edging closer to his highly anticipated title-unification bout with Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC).

According to DraftKings, Aspinall is currently a small -130 favorite to beat +110 underdog Jones, who, outside of a disqualification loss to Matt Hamill early in his career, has never lost in MMA. Speaking in an interview with Carl Froch, Bisping doesn’t disagree with the odds.

“And he should be,” Bisping said. “Listen, Jon Jones is great, and you can’t deny what he’s done in the octagon, the career that he’s had, and he’s technically unbeaten. However, everyone meets their match eventually. I think Tom Aspinall is the new generation, he’s the new breed, and he will go down probably as the greatest mixed martial artist that we’ve ever had. He’s elite as a heavyweight. A lot of the heavyweights are very good, they’re very strong, they’re powerful, but they’re not as quick and as agile and as technical as Tom.

“Tom’s the whole package. Tom’s like a heavyweight Georges St-Pierre. He’s got no weak areas. He’s got absolute knockout power, super disciplined, super agile on the feet, he finishes everyone really, really quickly. However, he hasn’t gone up against somebody like Jon Jones because the competition in the heavyweight division isn’t necessarily there on a technical level. Jon Jones is, and Jon Jones has fought way better competition than Tom, but Jon hasn’t fought anyone like Tom, either.”

Aspinall’s past five wins have come by first-round knockout, and 14 of his 15 professional wins have come in Round 1. Bisping went as far as to say that Jones would suffer the same fate as Aspinall’s previous opponents.

“I would be very surprised – and this sounds disrespectful, but I’d be very surprised if it got out of the first round,” Bisping said.

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Former UFC champ says Tom Aspinall should stop waiting for Jon Jones

A Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall UFC heavyweight title showdown is “like a movie that we’re all excited about that might never come out.”

[autotag]Demetrious Johnson[/autotag] advises [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] against waiting for UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag].

It’s been more than 500 days since interim champion Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) has competed as he awaits his title-unification bout with Jones. But with the rumor circulating that Jones is asking for six months to prep for Aspinall once the fight is finalized, Johnson thinks the Brit needs to move on.

Aspinall has already defended his interim title once when he finished Curtis Blaydes by TKO at UFC 304 last July, and Johnson would like to see him fight again before a potential matchup with Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC).

“If I was Tom Aspinall, I’d be like, ‘God, dude, like I’m not f*cking waiting six months,'” Johnson told Submission Radio. “Like, y’all need to get me another fight. But then again, this could be the biggest fight of his career if he’s able to beat Jon Jones. I have mixed feelings on the six months. I think that Tom Aspinall should take another fight.

“I think when you put a athlete who’s very young like that on ice and they don’t get that ring time, they don’t get that opportunity to get out there and just fight and make the money, it’s a little bit different. If I was Tom Aspinall, I’ll say, ‘Jon Jones wants six months, I’m going to pass on that fight, I’m going to fight somebody else, I’ll defend the interim heavyweight championship.'”

With Jones’ return date still to be determined, Johnson doesn’t want to see Aspinall waste his prime years on the sidelines – especially with no certainty that the fight even happens.

“Everybody’s fighting on Jon Jones’ timeline,” Johnson continued. “If I was Tom Aspinall, I wouldn’t fight on Jon Jones’ timeline. He’s dictating what’s going on right now and when that fight’s going to happen. If I was Tom Aspinall, I’m like, ‘Nah, I’m not waiting six months. I’m not going to do that.’ I can’t remember the last time Tom Aspinall fought.

“When did Jon Jones fight? Was that last year in November? That is a long time, and the fight hasn’t even been signed. So, is it six months when they finally sign the fight? Or is it six months from now? It’s been prolonged so long that it’s almost like a movie that we’re all excited about that might never come out.”

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Daniel Cormier warns Tom Aspinall of provoking Jon Jones

Daniel Cormier knows first hand what it’s like to beef with UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones and then fight him.

[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] knows first hand what it’s like to beef with UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] and then fight him.

Cormier engaged in one of the biggest rivalries in UFC history with Jones, which resulted in two title fights. Cormier lost both fights to Jones – with their rematch being overturned to a no contest after Jones tested positive for a banned substance.

Interim heavyweight champion [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) has been continuously poking at Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) to try and get his long-awaited title-unification bout. He showed up with a rubber duck to Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 255 event at The O2 in London.

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Cormier warns Aspinall that fighting Jones will be a different experience than anything he’s gone through before.

“He’s very mean,” Cormier said of Jones on “Good Guy/Bad Guy” with Sonnen. “He’s durable, he’s hard to fight, and Tom Aspinall is going to find that out, right? So yes, Chael, I love the duck, I love all the fun, I love all that, but at the end of the day when you get in there with that dude, don’t start rethinking things. Because (if) you start rethinking things in there with that dude, he’s going to run right through you. You cannot start going, ‘Hey, man, it’s a little harder than I thought,’ because he is going to put it on you.”

Aspinall provided a positive update on his fight with Jones after meeting with UFC brass this past week. The Brit has torn through his competition, with his past five wins all coming by Round 1 knockout, most recently when he defended his interim title against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.

Cormier doubts Aspinall will have another quick night against Jones and is curious to see how he handles the later rounds.

“I don’t believe Aspinall feels that way,” Cormier continued. “You know what the craziest thing is about being Tom Aspinall and being young and winning? The fans and the world can really make you go, ‘I am going to get this dude.’ And then you’re in there and you start losing, and you’re like, ‘God dang it, how am I losing?’ How does he deal with that if that starts to show itself in the fight or a long fight, because it’s going to be hard to get Jon Jones out of there in a minute.”

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Tom Aspinall: UFC champion Jon Jones ducking me and Francis Ngannou, ‘conning the public’

Tom Aspinall accuses UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones of avoiding two major challenges in his career.

[autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] accuses UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] of avoiding two major challenges in his career.

First one being himself, as it’s been over 500 days that Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) has held the interim heavyweight title without getting the opportunity to unify it against Jones. The other fighter Aspinall is referring to is former UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag], who parted ways with the promotion during Jones’ three-year transition from light heavyweight to heavyweight.

Ngannou is still willing to fight Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC), but as long as he’s under the PFL banner, it’s highly unlikely to happen. Speaking on the IMPAULSIVE podcast, Aspinall was asked if he thinks Jones is scared to fight him.

“Yes, absolutely (he’s scared),” Aspinall said. “The thing with Jon: Jon is conning the public, man. I’m not disputing that he’s an amazing fighter. I think the fact that he didn’t want to fight (Francis) Ngannou for three years, and now he doesn’t want to fight me over a year, and just the way he manipulates the media and the public is super smart.

“I’m not taking anything away from him. But do I think he’s scared to take the tough fights at this stage in his career? Absolutely. I can (understand it). I respect it. But if you’re going to ask me the straight-up question, ‘Is Jon Jones afraid to fight me?’ The honest answer would be yes.”

While in attendance for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 255 event at The O2 in London, Aspinall had a positive meeting with UFC CEO Dana White and chief business officer of the UFC Hunter Campbell. He is more confident than ever that the fight with Jones happens.

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Overreaction Time: Leon Edwards falls flat, Jon Jones being ridiculous, more!

Check out the latest episode of “Overreaction Time” covering the UFC London main event, Jon Jones’ latest drama in the Tom Aspinall saga, and more.

The time for overreacting is here!

Check out the latest episode of “Overreaction Time” at noon ET/9 a.m. PT as host Simon Samano and MMA Junkie reporter Farah Hannoun debate these “overreactions” on the following topics in mixed martial arts:

  • 00:45 – UFC London: [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] was overrated this whole time.
  • 04:55 – Leon Edwards’ next fight should ABSOLUTELY be against [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag].
  • 09:43 – UFC London: [autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag] reestablished himself as a legitimate welterweight title contender.
  • 16:01 – [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] needing 6 more months to fight [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] is PREPOSTEROUS.
  • 19:06 – If not a title shot, [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag]’s first lightweight opponent should be [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag].

Watch the full episode in the video above.

Tom Aspinall confident about Jon Jones fight after ‘fantastic meeting’ with UFC

Can the UFC just hurry up and get the Jon Jones-Tom Aspinall fight done already?

“I’m confident.”

That’s where [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag]’s sentiment currently sits on the making of a heavyweight championship unification fight vs. [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] after a recent meeting with the UFC brass.

Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC), who holds the UFC interim heavyweight title, met with Hunter Campbell, chief business officer of the UFC, this past weekend in London to discuss his standing in the promotion and the status of the highly anticipated bout against Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC).

Speaking to Ariel Helwani on Monday, Aspinall kept his cards close to the vest but did voice his optimism in finally getting a crack at Jones and his belt.

“We had a fantastic meeting. Everything went amazing,” Aspinall said regarding his meeting with the UFC. “I understand my position now. I understand what the company is doing now, and you have to stay tuned, my friend, because there’s some big news coming.”

Aspinall and Jones have been linked to fight for well over a year. Jones won the vacant UFC heavyweight title in 2023, and Aspinall won the interim belt later that year after Jones got injured, forcing the UFC to implement an interim title. In an uncommon series of events, both Aspinall and Jones defended their titles but did not fight each other.

Despite UFC CEO [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] 100 percent guaranteeing a title unification in 2025, the two have yet to officially be booked, leaving many fans restless for the bout.

Aspinall is eager to get his hands on Jones and said he’s ready for whenever the UFC needs him.

“As Dana White said, they still got to settle a few things,” Aspinall said. “I’m just waiting. I’m in shape, and I’m ready to go whenever. I’m ready to fight, man.”

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Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: Sean Brady submits Leon Edwards, Jones-Aspinall update, UFC Mexico City preview, more

On Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses Sean Brady’s submission win over Leon Edwards, the Jones-Aspinall update, and more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Mike Bohn and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • [autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag] made a big statement Saturday, going into enemy territory and submitting former UFC champion [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag]. It was a big win for Brady, who’s now knocking on the door of a title shot. We break down Brady’s win at UFC Fight Night 255 and discuss what’s next for both fighters at 170 pounds.
  • Brady wasn’t the only fighter who shined in London. We discuss and analyze some of the key results outside the main event of UFC Fight Night 255, including [autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag] defeating former champion [autotag]Jan Balchowicz[/autotag] and [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag] getting back to his winning ways. 
  • Big topics circled in last week’s news cycle. UFC CEO [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] commented on the highly anticipated matchup between [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] and where things stand in the making of the title unification bout. Additionally, [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] commented about two potential opponents for his next bout. We weigh-in on those two topics, plus more. 
  • The UFC returns to Mexico City this week. A key flyweight bout between former champion Brandon Moreno and ex-title challenger Steve Erceg headlines UFC on ESPN 64. We dissect the main event and highlight other bouts from the card.
  • Lastly, we open things up for you to participate on the show. We’ll be doing a live fan Q&A in which we’ll answer your questions about any topic in the MMA world. Submit your question during the show on the YouTube live chat. The best submissions will get featured on the show. 

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UFC CEO Dana White on Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall: ‘It’s done, but it’s not done’

UFC CEO Dana White has revealed that Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall is close to the finish line.

UFC CEO [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] has revealed that [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] is close to the finish line.

White has spent the months since Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) defended his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November claiming that he would make good on booking a unification bout with interim champion Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC).

There has been impatience displayed by Aspinall and the fans waiting for an answer on whether Jones would agree to the fight or vacate and retire, allowing Aspinall to become undisputed champion.

White, however, has been largely steadfast in his confidence it would get done, recently telling MMA Junkie that he’s focused on a summer timeline. Now he’s dropped another promising teaser, claiming that the only remaining object – albeit a massively significant one – is putting pen to paper.

“It’s going to happen,” White told TNT Sports on Friday. “It’s done, but it’s not done. Not done enough to sit right here now and announce it and give you a date. But fight’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of getting it signed now.

“If we pull this off and actually make the fight, announce it and start leading up to it, this will be the biggest heavyweight fight in UFC history.”

In December, White said he 100 percent guaranteed everyone would get what they want and Jones would face Aspinall in the highly anticipated contest. The primary question, though, was whether Jones in particular would get what he wants.

After stating he wanted “f*ck you money” to fight Aspinall after UFC 309, the rumored and unconfirmed price tag demands from Jones have be tabbed at as high as $30 million.

Whatever is ultimately negotiated remains to be seen, but White once against expressed stern adamance that the heavyweight title picture will get its resolution sooner than later.

“I said it when we first started talking about it and I’ve said it many times in between, and I’ll say it now,” White said. “The fight’s going to happen.”

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