Jon Jones, the undisputed heavyweight champion in MMA, has been accused by many in the MMA community of avoiding a fight with interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. Jones has consistently shown little interest in facing the British fighter, instead emphasizing that his next bout will be a “legacy fight” against former champion Stipe Miocic. Miocic is widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight in MMA history, a sentiment echoed by Jones himself.
Jones’ reluctance to fight Aspinall has sparked significant criticism from fans. Jones, however, has defended his position online, questioning Aspinall’s legitimacy as a title contender. Despite the widespread disapproval of Jones’ stance, Lerone Murphy, a fellow Manchester native and MMA fighter, recently expressed an understanding of Jones’ perspective.
Murphy, who defeated Edson Barboza in the main event of UFC Vegas 92 on May 18, was asked during his post-fight press conference if he thought Jones was avoiding Aspinall. Murphy responded by acknowledging Jones’ accomplishments and the reality of the situation:
“Jon Jones has earned his stripes, hasn’t he? Everybody knows he’s gonna have this one fight and then retire. That’s what he’s gonna do. If I was him, I wouldn’t fight Tom Aspinall at this point. Let’s just be real about the situation. Tom Aspinall is an up and coming lion, he’s young and he’s at the top of his game.”
Murphy’s remarks reflect an understanding of Jones’ decision to focus on a high-profile fight with Miocic rather than risk his legacy against a younger, formidable opponent like Aspinall.
Meanwhile, Aspinall is set to defend his interim heavyweight title in Manchester at UFC 304 on July 28, facing Curtis Blaydes in a highly anticipated rematch. The two fighters previously met at UFC London in 2022, where Aspinall suffered a knee injury less than a minute into the first round, leading to a stoppage of the fight. The rematch has generated significant interest, with both fighters eager to settle unfinished business.
Jones has weighed in on the upcoming Aspinall-Blaydes fight, suggesting that Blaydes could potentially defeat Aspinall. Jones took to social media platform X to share his thoughts, predicting a possible victory for Blaydes:
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Curtis won, I’ve seen scenarios like this time and time again. Dude prematurely drinking his own Kool-Aid ends up with a huge piece of humble pie. I mean if Sergei [Pavlovich] can touch Tom that easy, I’m sure Curtis can too. When Curtis decides to go, he’s a lot faster than people realize, and he hits hard…”
Jones’ comments indicate his belief that Aspinall might be overconfident and that Blaydes possesses the skills to exploit any weaknesses, potentially leading to Aspinall’s downfall in their rematch.
