Tom Aspinall shuts down Alex Pereira vs Jon Jones fight with five-word response after UFC 313
Tom Aspinall doesn’t believe Jon Jones can fight Alex Pereira following UFC 313. Pereira lost his light heavyweight title to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 this past weekend, subsequently derailing the Brazilian’s hopes of a future blockbuster fight with Jones. Ankalaev was crowned the new king at 205 pounds in Las VegasGetty Pereira will more than likely want a rematch before moving up to heavyweightGetty Jones is the UFC heavyweight champion and has publicly avoided any conversations about an undisputed bout with Briton Aspinall, who holds the interim belt at heavyweight. The 37-year-old New York native has instead insisted that he would happily vacate his title and only wants a fight with ex-UFC champion Pereira. However, following Pereira’s defeat to Ankalaev at UFC 313, and with both men seemingly having already agreed to a rematch, a fight between Jones and Pereira has been put in jeopardy for now. Aspinall agreed in his reaction to UFC 313, saying there’s just one thing left for Jones to do now. “That’s off the table now,” Aspinall said on his YouTube channel when asked about Jones fighting Pereira. “Jon. There’s only one thing to do mate. Sign the contract and let’s get a date going. “We seen last night Dana White was talking. Everything is now done on Jon’s side and the UFC now have to find a date and a venue. “So we’re waiting on that and we’ve got some good news coming soon hopefully.” UFC CEO White told the media at UFC 313 that the ‘when and where’ factors of Jones vs Aspinall are the only thing holding up the bout. This provided a positive update to the fight that thousands of MMA fans have been calling for after Aspinall’s concerns about Jones’ willingness to face him. Aspinall believes Pereira vs Jones is now ‘off the table’getty The Briton has asserted that he is waiting for Jones to sign the contractAFP - Getty talkSPORT BET: Latest Cheltenham Festival odds and free bet offers “Does he want to put himself in a position where he’s comfortable enough financially to take the risk that he’s taking to fight me?” Aspinall said, providing an update to negotiations with the UFC in March. “I’m chasing it. I want the fight. I’ve been on record and said that I want the fight,” the Wigan native added. “I’ve been on the phone with the UFC saying that I want the fight, when’s it happening? I want the fight more than anyone. “What is holding it up right now is his side. That’s the truth of it…The UFC really, really want the fight to happen. They told me that. “As I said, this is one of the biggest fights that can be made in MMA right now and everybody knows that. Everybody knows it.” Aspinall knows that a fight with Jones to unify the heavyweight division would be hugegetty White has said that he is waiting to sort out a date and place for Jones vs AspinallGetty Jones defended the heavyweight title for the first time, over a year after winning it, against the now-retired Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. He told the media after he blasted Miocic out with a sickening spinning back kick that he ‘doesn’t want to fight up-and-comers’ before he retires. ‘Bones’ also said that he is in a position in his career where he only has eyes for ‘established champion’. That plan was derailed following Ankalaev’s victory at UFC 313 and White’s comment that a rematch would ‘probably’ take place. The idea was also welcomed by Ankalaev, who was confident after his win. “Listen, I am happy for a rematch if he wants a rematch,” the 32-year-old Russian said. “I heard after the fight that he wasn’t sure why the victory was given to me. “Who is supposed to be given the victory? I was pressuring the entire time, he was running for 20 minutes, and then he is wondering who should have got the victory.”
Tom Aspinall doesn’t believe Jon Jones can fight Alex Pereira following UFC 313.
Pereira lost his light heavyweight title to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 this past weekend, subsequently derailing the Brazilian’s hopes of a future blockbuster fight with Jones.
Jones is the UFC heavyweight champion and has publicly avoided any conversations about an undisputed bout with Briton Aspinall, who holds the interim belt at heavyweight.
The 37-year-old New York native has instead insisted that he would happily vacate his title and only wants a fight with ex-UFC champion Pereira.
However, following Pereira’s defeat to Ankalaev at UFC 313, and with both men seemingly having already agreed to a rematch, a fight between Jones and Pereira has been put in jeopardy for now.
Aspinall agreed in his reaction to UFC 313, saying there’s just one thing left for Jones to do now.
“That’s off the table now,” Aspinall said on his YouTube channel when asked about Jones fighting Pereira.
“Jon. There’s only one thing to do mate. Sign the contract and let’s get a date going.
“We seen last night Dana White was talking. Everything is now done on Jon’s side and the UFC now have to find a date and a venue.
“So we’re waiting on that and we’ve got some good news coming soon hopefully.”
UFC CEO White told the media at UFC 313 that the ‘when and where’ factors of Jones vs Aspinall are the only thing holding up the bout.
This provided a positive update to the fight that thousands of MMA fans have been calling for after Aspinall’s concerns about Jones’ willingness to face him.
talkSPORT BET: Latest Cheltenham Festival odds and free bet offers
“Does he want to put himself in a position where he’s comfortable enough financially to take the risk that he’s taking to fight me?” Aspinall said, providing an update to negotiations with the UFC in March.
“I’m chasing it. I want the fight. I’ve been on record and said that I want the fight,” the Wigan native added.
“I’ve been on the phone with the UFC saying that I want the fight, when’s it happening? I want the fight more than anyone.
“What is holding it up right now is his side. That’s the truth of it…The UFC really, really want the fight to happen. They told me that.
“As I said, this is one of the biggest fights that can be made in MMA right now and everybody knows that. Everybody knows it.”
Jones defended the heavyweight title for the first time, over a year after winning it, against the now-retired Stipe Miocic at UFC 309.
He told the media after he blasted Miocic out with a sickening spinning back kick that he ‘doesn’t want to fight up-and-comers’ before he retires.
‘Bones’ also said that he is in a position in his career where he only has eyes for ‘established champion’.
That plan was derailed following Ankalaev’s victory at UFC 313 and White’s comment that a rematch would ‘probably’ take place.
The idea was also welcomed by Ankalaev, who was confident after his win.
“Listen, I am happy for a rematch if he wants a rematch,” the 32-year-old Russian said.
“I heard after the fight that he wasn’t sure why the victory was given to me.
“Who is supposed to be given the victory? I was pressuring the entire time, he was running for 20 minutes, and then he is wondering who should have got the victory.”
