The journey towards a heavyweight unification clash between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall has been nothing short of chaotic. From the start, fans have been left in the dark, unsure of what to believe. Dana White recently offered a glimmer of hope, hinting that the long-awaited superfight could finally happen in 2025. The UFC heavyweight champion has now been compared to the former champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in a way not many would like. But how did that comparison even begin? Just as things were starting to make sense, a new video from Jon ‘Bones’ Jones surfaced—and it’s only added more confusion to the mix. 

A new twist came when Home Of Fight shared a video featuring Jon Jones in conversation with veteran Russian MMA promoter Kamil Gadzhiev. The clip quickly caught the attention of fans, adding another layer of intrigue to the already uncertain storyline surrounding the heavyweight title picture. During the conversation, some interesting information about Jones and his future in fighting was revealed. Gadzhiev, while speaking to ‘Bones, ‘ said, “You’re still active, 10 years left!” to which the champion replied, “No, I’m done. I’m done. Looking forward to seeing you again, Kamil. You look great.”

That brief statement sent shockwaves through the MMA community, fueling intense speculation. Fans were left dissecting every word, trying to figure out if Jones was hinting at walking away from the sport altogether or simply planning to retire after the much-hyped title unification bout. Well, according to Luke Thomas, it’s just the beginning of the end.

The 45-year-old took to his X account to react to the video shared by Jones. Thomas feels the UFC is going through the same situation when they wanted to bring back ‘The Eagle’ after his retirement. He wrote on X, “This is reminding me of Dana White trying to convince Khabib Nurmagomedov to fight one more time after he’d already retired. If the issue isn’t money and he doesn’t have any intention of competing again, then we’re just delaying the inevitable.”

The reigning heavyweight champion has been enjoying the sights and culture in Thailand, where he’s mixing business with pleasure. While enjoying his time abroad, he’s also expected to team up with Alex Pereira for some training. On top of that, he’s set to host an MMA seminar at Bangtao Muay Thai—an elite gym co-owned by none other than Alexander Volkanovski. While the champion is busy in his own world, the interim champion is finding it tough to stay motivated. 

Tom Aspinall gives an update about his mental health while waiting for Jones’ fight

Tom Aspinall has etched his name into the UFC record books, holding the longest interim title reign in history—557 days and counting. The previous record belonged to Renan Barao, who held his interim bantamweight belt for 535 days before being promoted after two successful defenses. But Aspinall’s situation is different. Despite already defending his belt once, he remains stuck in limbo, waiting for the shot he’s earned. And as the days drag deeper into 2025, it’s not just the calendar that’s wearing thin. His patience and mental resilience are also being tested like never before. 

In 2022, Tom Aspinall suffered a devastating knee injury just seconds into his bout with Curtis Blaydes, right in front of his hometown fans. The setback sidelined him for an entire year, bringing his momentum to a screeching halt. But even during that frustrating layoff, Aspinall had contenders lined up and he was able to win the interim title and exact revenge against Curtis Blaydes in his ‘interim title defense’.

While speaking to Demetrious Johnson, on his Mighty Cast, he shared how he is finding it tough mentally by just waiting. He said, “Whereas now it’s just like, right, just be ready and we’ll just let you know, now it’s kind of difficult like mentally to… this is the fight against Jon Jones, like, the fight is another thing, this is the tricky bit I really have to stay switched on, stay motived and I’m trying my best.”

Do you think the pair will ever fight against each other? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.