Tom Aspinall has now held the UFC interim heavyweight title for 534 days and counting—a reign no fighter ever wants to brag about. Thanks to Jon Jones’ long absence, the Brit has officially surpassed Renan Barao’s 2013 record to become the longest-reigning interim champion in UFC history. What does Aspinall want? Just one thing—a fight with Jon “Bones” Jones. But Jones isn’t budging. Despite Dana White’s best efforts to book the fight, the reigning champ has shown zero interest in facing Aspinall anytime soon. Even Olympic gold medalist and Jones’ close friend Gable Steveson weighed in. While he vouched for Aspinall’s shot, he made it clear—Jon Jones is still the GOAT.

Talking with Mike Perry on the OverDogs Podcast, Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Gable Steveson was asked about the ongoing fiasco in the heavyweight division. He stated that he believes Tom Aspinall is one of the best interim champions; however, to Steveson, Jon Jones is the undisputed champion of all time.

“Tom Aspinall—ah man, I think Tom’s a great interim champion. He’s a really great interim champion. And, um, there’s a lot of buzz about him right now—about him and the Jon Jones situation. But I feel that Jon has been undisputed this whole time, and I’ll stand by that forever until someone else tries to do something about it. And if it’s not Tom, then someone else can try too.”

He further added, “So, Jon is definitely undisputed right now, by far. I like Tom in the sense that Tom’s a go-getter, and he’s trying to fight for what’s right and trying to get the Jon Jones fight—and I applaud that. But until further notice, until Jon steps in the cage, I feel like we really can’t say anything.”

Quite a resounding statement from Gable Steveson on the Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall debate. For those who are unaware, the former Olympic gold medalist shares a close bond with Jon Jones. Steveson helped Jones prepare for his bout against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. In return, Jones was a constant presence during Steveson’s final college wrestling matches. Time and again, both have shown unwavering support for each other, and it’s clear that Steveson will always stand by Jones.

However, the question is when will Jones fight Tom Aspinall, or let us ask the bigger question, is Jones even interested in clashing with Aspinall? The heavyweight champion has yet to give any concrete response on the fight, and guess what, he is not even in the US right now. Jones is back in Thailand—why? He’s set to take part in an MMA reality show similar to The Ultimate Fighter, which is scheduled to take place in Thailand. He and Nate Diaz are there as coaches.

His absence from high-level discussions has fueled the narrative that Jon Jones might never fight Tom Aspinall—or at least not for several months. Interestingly, there were rumors that Aspinall might defend his interim title for a second time against Ciryl Gane. However, those rumors remain unconfirmed, as UFC CEO Dana White has not announced anything even with UFC 315 approaching. Well, the heavyweight division remains uncertain, at least for now. But who is looking to make his UFC debut? It’s Gable Steveson.

Gable Steveson calls out half of the heavyweight division as Tom Aspinall is handed a warning

After his stints in the NFL and WWE, Gable Steveson is now setting his sights on the UFC. In a conversation with Mike Perry, the Olympic gold medalist confirmed that he is certain he will soon step inside the Octagon. He also acknowledged that his path to glory in the UFC will not be easy.

“You always want to go up against the Tom Aspinall(s). You always want to go against the Gane(s). You want to go against the Vulkov(s). You want to go against the Sergei(s) — um, that’s how you say his name. You want to face them. You want to put on your best performance,” said the Olympic gold medalist as he took the names of some of the top-tier heavyweight stars of the UFC.

Was it all from him? Certainly not. ‘Golden Gabe’ didn’t shy away from stating that he will make sure that he fights till death, “But honestly, it doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t. There’s never been a time when I ran from somebody, and now is not going to be that time either. And when that day comes — when I have to stand and look another man in the eye and fight to the death — we’re going to fight to the death.”

Gable Steveson has issued a warning to all UFC heavyweights, stating that he’ll be there, looking them in the eyes with the intent to defeat them. But as for when he’ll make his long-awaited debut? That question remains unanswered. What are your thoughts on Steveson’s potential in the UFC? Share your opinions in the comments below.