Jon Jones continues to solidify his legacy as one of the most dominant forces in UFC history, but even legends aren’t immune to questions and expectations. The latest speculation revolves around a potential unification bout with interim title holder Tom Aspinall. Fans and pundits alike are eagerly discussing whether this clash will materialize in 2025 or remain another tantalizing “what if” scenario.

This debate recently took center stage on the JAXXON Podcast, where UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell shared his perspective on yet another dream match between him and Jones. For the unversed, ‘The Iceman’ became one of the UFC’s first mainstream stars as the light heavyweight champion from 2005 to 2007. Fast forward to 2011, Jones took his first steps on his journey to establish himself as the consensus MMA GOAT.

On the podcast, Liddell addressed the perennial “fantasy fight” question: who would prevail in a battle between these two legends? Liddell boldly declared, “I would have been a bad matchup for him because he, I’m probably one of the few guys that wait have a hard time dictating where I fought him. You know I mean; I would have fought him and he would have had to fight me standing, up because he could not out-wrestle me. He couldn’t take me down”

While Liddell acknowledged that he and Jones wouldn’t have been an ideal stylistic matchup, he firmly believed that in a prime-versus-prime scenario, Jones would struggle to take him down. This would leave Liddell with the opportunity to capitalize on his striking, potentially landing heavy shots in a stand-up battle. Moreover, ‘The Iceman’ still holds the record for most knockout victories in a way with seven.

Though the fantasy of a Liddell vs. Jones clash will forever remain speculative, the MMA world may soon get answers about a different showdown: Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones. As the possibility of this unification bout looms, fans eagerly await what could be a defining moment for the UFC heavyweight division.

Jon Jones may face his biggest challenge yet 

“The winner should fight Tom,” UFC CEO Dana White declared ahead of UFC 309, where Jones kicked Stipe Miocic into retirement. Coming from the boss himself, this statement seemed to seal the deal, often regarded as gospel by fans and fighters alike. However, since then, the situation has taken a turn, complicating what initially appeared to be a straightforward decision.

White remains adamant that Aspinall should be next in line for the title unification bout. Yet, Jones has other plans. The reigning heavyweight champion has expressed interest in a much easier payday with Alex Pereira. When former UFC lightweight Josh Thomson weighed in on the debate, his stance was clear, “I’m gonna take the Tom Aspinall fight. I wanna see him fight somebody that’s a true threat to his legacy.” Thomson dismissed Pereira as a significant challenge for Jones, arguing that Jones’ skill set would allow him to dictate and dominate that matchup.

For many MMA analysts and fans, Aspinall is the obvious choice. As Thomson aptly put it, Aspinall has been “starching dudes like Pavlovich,” solidifying himself as a legitimate threat to Jones’ reign. The question remains: will Jon Jones defend his heavyweight throne against Tom Aspinall, or will he follow his dream of fighting Alex Pereira? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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