The never-ending saga of Jon Jones and the UFC took another dramatic turn this past weekend. Now, given that Jones’ frustration has spilled over into publicly calling for his release from the UFC, perhaps the most surprising development is the emergence of Tom Aspinall as one of the few supporters in the all-time great’s corner.
Just days after UFC CEO Dana White publicly refuted claims that Jones had been in talks to participate in the upcoming UFC White House event on June 14, the veteran UFC superstar fired back on social media and did not offer any rebuttal. Jones, 38, disputed White’s version of events in a lengthy statement on Monday afternoon, insisting that negotiations for the historic card were very real and accusing the promotion of offering far less money than Jones believed he deserved.
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“If the UFC truly feels that I am done, then I respectfully request to be released from my contract today,” Jones concluded in the statement. “No more spins, no more games.”
These latest comments will only further exacerbate a situation that has been going on for years, particularly surrounding Jones’ long-discussed heavyweight showdown with current champion Aspinall. While the fight was repeatedly considered one of the biggest fights possible for the UFC, negotiations stalled multiple times before Jones ultimately retired this past June.
Aspinall appeared on Monday’s edition of “The Ariel Helwani Show” and had a surprising reaction to Jones’ release request – defending the former two-division champion and arguing that the UFC should indeed pay Jones more.
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“This may be crazy to a lot of people listening, but why is the UFC not giving Jon the respect he deserves financially? That’s crazy to me,” Aspinall told The Untitled.
“If anyone should be paid well in this sport, it should be Jon Jones because of what he’s done. That’s what I say after having a history with Jon Jones. If anyone should be paid money in this sport, it’s Jon Jones.”
Aspinall repeatedly pushed for a life-changing unification match with Jones after claiming interim gold in 2023, but was rebuffed each time. He said the promotion has shown he is willing to pay a premium for the fight. Ariel Helwani of Uncrown reported that the UFC made Jones an offer of up to $30 million for the Aspinall fight, and Jones ultimately agreed, but abruptly backed out.
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“They offered him $30 million to fight me,” Aspinall said. “So why don’t they offer it anymore? I don’t understand.
“These are people who have brought in over 10 years of revenue. In my opinion, they need to be paid what they deserve.”
Cyril Gunn will step into Jones’ shoes at the White House, pitting him against Alex Pereira in the fantasy showdown that “Bones” was hoping for. The fight will also produce another interim heavyweight title, with the winner set to collide with Aspinall once the champion has fully recovered from an eye injury suffered against Gunn in October.
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As for Jones, if he gets his way and completely separates from the UFC, at least one of the two biggest “what if” fights in recent heavyweight history will be gone forever.