UFC head honcho Dana White came under fire earlier this year from fans and mainstream media for his unwavering support of Jon Jones as the best pound-for-pound fighter. The stance sparked controversy, as Jones had been absent from the octagon for over a year and had struggled with consistency in his appearances even before that. Despite this, Jones has continued to enjoy White’s favoritism, strengthening their mutual loyalty.

In exchange for Jones’ commitment, White has been protective of his status as heavyweight champion, even postponing a potential unification bout with Tom Aspinall. However, that seems to have changed now, as Jones successfully defended his title against Stipe Miocic. White is now pushing for Jones to face Aspinall without further delay. Yet, Jones has expressed a desire to fight Alex Pereira instead. Dana White, however, dismissed Jones’ request outright, stating, “No f–king way” he would book a fight with Pereira. This difference in plans could create tension between the two.

Recently, Daniel Cormier discussed the situation on his Good Guy/Bad Guy podcast and predicted a potential rift between White and Jones. Cormier said, “They’ve been pretty aligned lately, Jones and Dana. This is the first time—I’m not saying they’re not aligned anymore—but the first time Dana has said, ‘No, it’s Tom Aspinall.’ Then he added, ‘If he fights Alex, he’s just going to take him down, right? He’s bigger, he kind of knows,’ and that’s like, you can’t trick the public.”

Now, with the directive seemingly coming from a higher authority, Jon Jones may have no choice but to follow Dana White‘s orders. Wasting no time, Jones has already returned to the gym, preparing to face whoever White and the UFC matchmakers decide to put in front of him during the twilight of his legendary career.

Is Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall Next?

The UFC fanbase is abuzz with anticipation over the potential clash between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall. Aspinall, in just four brief years under the UFC banner, has risen to become a formidable force in the heavyweight division. His resume includes dominant victories over top names like Sergei Pavlovich, Curtis Blaydes, and Alexander Volkov. Out of his nine UFC fights, Aspinall boasts eight wins, six of which ended in first-round knockouts, leaving fans wondering how his unstoppable momentum would fare against the legendary Jon Jones.

Adding fuel to the fire, Jones recently hinted at the possibility of the matchup during an interview with The Schmo, saying, “We’re in negotiations. We’re in talks to see what happens next. There is [a dollar amount in mind], but I’m not going to discuss that publicly.” Just days after this statement, Aspinall created a stir on social media, posting an Instagram story teasing a “big announcement” to be revealed soon.

For now, the clock ticks as fans eagerly await updates. Could this be the heavyweight showdown we’ve all been hoping for? What are your thoughts and predictions? Drop them below!