The UFC heavyweight division has been buzzing lately with some serious drama. Jon Jones, the current champion who’s been picking his fights cautiously, has his sights set on Alex Pereira. Meanwhile, Tom Aspinall is standing there with his interim belt, feeling left out. But Dana White’s recent statement may bring some hope for him.
In a recent interview on the Pat McAfee show, White, in his typical straight-shooting style, just laid down the law. He mapped out exactly what needed to happen for Jones to get his wish of facing Pereira, and it’s not as simple as Jones might have hoped.
“If Jon Jones retires on Saturday, Tom Aspinall would be the heavyweight champion…. [But] if he [stays] and beats Tom Aspinall [in the title unification fight], then yes, I would do the Alex Pereira fight,” White said.
Jones first needs to handle business with Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. Then he will have to face Aspinall in a title unification bout. Only after clearing both those hurdles can Jones get his shot at Pereira. But fans highly doubt ‘Bones’ would stick around for that long.
Jon Jones has been pretty vocal about why he thinks Pereira is a better matchup for his legacy. At the UFC 309 media day, he practically dismissed Aspinall as just another exciting fighter. But Dana White’s plans threw in an interesting twist, though. It remains to be seen what Jones will do after the fight with Stipe Miocic.
Jon Jones Is Not Too Keen On Putting His Legacy At Risk
When it comes to the fight game, Jones has always danced to his own beat. Now, as he prepares for his heavyweight title defense against Miocic at UFC 309, ‘Bones’ is making waves again. However, this time, it’s about knowing when to stop.
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In a refreshingly honest chat with ESPN MMA, Jones dropped some truth bombs about why he’s being picky with his remaining fights. He compared himself to basketball legends like Jordan and LeBron. While those hoops heroes could bounce back from losses with their brains intact, fighters don’t have that luxury.
“You know you’ve seen Jordan lose you see LeBron lose. As an MMA fighter man when you have been able to do such a thing, the gamble is a lot greater. It becomes more and more great. We’re also risking our brain cells, right?“
Jon Jones talked about brain cells and long-term health in the MMA scene. After years of making other fighters question their career choices, he’s now questioning how he wants his own story to end. And honestly, who can blame the guy?
Also Read: Jon Jones Unwilling To “Gamble” His Legendary Career Despite Fierce Criticism
