UFC commentator Jon Anik has claimed that Dana White and the UFC’s top brass want heavyweight champ Jon Jones to fight Tom Aspinall next. Aspinall, of course, is the interim champ and has been calling on ‘Bones’ to fight him before hanging up his gloves. But ‘Bones’ has outright refused to even entertain a matchup with the Englishman. Instead, the champ has floated another name he would probably like to face after the UFC 309 Stipe Miocic clash- Alex Pereira.

But Anik feels that the UFC would not be much in favor of a Jones-Pereira fight even if it will be a veritable super-fight. After all, it will put the Brazilian’s ongoing golden run in the UFC at risk, and derail the hype surrounding ‘Poatan’ at the moment. But, given Jones’s status in the sport, the commentator fears the UFC may in the end have to approve his demand to fight the 205lbs juggernaut.

“Well I shouldn’t say this but I would submit to you that for Dana White and Hunter Campbell, they would much rather make a Jon Jones-Tom Aspinall fight than inject Alex Pereira into the equation. But Jon Jones does have status as the greatest mixed martial arts athlete of all time. So if he wants to fight ‘Poatan’, I’d imagine promotionally you would listen,” Anik said in a recent interview.

Indeed, Dana White has said in a recent interview that he ‘strongly believes’ that the winner of Jones-Miocic will fight Tom Aspinall before retiring. Of course, that may be more wishful thinking than anything else, but it does show where the UFC boss stands. Not to mention it lends a lot of weight to Anik’s aforementioned claims. Anik also weighed in on Jones’s decision to not fight Aspinall.

Jon Anik gives his unique take on Jones vs. Aspinall fight

The UFC lead play-by-play commentator feels that Jon Jones made the right call to not agree and face Tom Aspinall for a unification bout inside the Octagon. As far as his career is concerned, ‘Bones’ has put down every doubter and naysayer in the past 16 years who has raised a question bar over his undeniable superiority in the sport. Let it be Rashad Evans, Rampage Jackson, or even Daniel Cormier.

However, the interim champ is a generational talent and has all the attributes, at least on paper, to defeat the GOAT contender, and thus a demand for a super fight does hold some weight. Anik agrees with fellow UFC commentator and Jones’s former nemesis Daniel Cormier that it’s not worth it for Jones to risk a loss and taint his legacy so close to retirement. Of course, that is not what the fans want, but it is the smart choice for Jones, according to Anik.

“If you were his [Jones’] manager, would you tell him to risk the O and legacy because he should fight Tom because Tom’s got the interim belt and Tom’s the f***ing man right now? I don’t know that you do that,” he said. What do you think about Jon Anik’s revelations about the UFC’s mood for a Jones-Pereira fight?

Top Stories

Dana White Set to Lose Another Star to Boxing as UFC Champ Reveals Major Career Decision

Alistair Overeem Urges Rampage Jackson to Reconsider Major Career Move Amid Health Concerns

UFC Vegas 112 Fighter Carried Out of Octagon After KO Loss Leaves Her Unable to Walk

Tom Aspinall Has MMA Fans Up in Arms as Francis Ngannou Wish Spells More Trouble for Dana White

First UFC Fight Night Under Paramount Still Lacks Flair After Six Bouts Reportedly Confirmed