The UFC has a lot of ground to cover if they want to keep their best fighter in the octagon.
UFC star Jon Jones dominated legend Stipe Miocic on Saturday to retain his heavyweight championship at Madison Square Garden. The consensus greatest MMA fighter of all time masterfully combined brutal ground shots with devastating body kicks and ultimately folded the challenger with a spinning heel kick to the ribs to secure a TKO victory in the second round.
After rumblings of retirement, Jones noted that he’s open to fighting again after retaining his belt with relative ease. While acknowledging that he’ll work with UFC president Dana White to reach a deal for his return to action, Jones made it clear that he will be incredibly selective in the process.
“Whenever Dana [White] wants me to fight is when I’ll fight, as long as we can come to an agreement,” he mentioned in his post-fight press conference.
Jones is pushing for a “super fight” against Alex Pereira
After defeating Miocic, Jones expressed his interest in continuing to compete in “super fights” with the biggest names in the sport. Echoing previous statements in his post-fight presser, Jones reiterated his enthusiasm toward a dream matchup with the light heavyweight champ, Alex Pereira.
Pereira made his UFC debut in 2021 and quickly emerged as one of the most dominant fighters of the modern era. Holding a career record of 12-2, the 37-year-old has defeated a whopping five former champions en route to becoming one of the select few fighters in UFC history to capture gold across two divisions.
Boasting elite kickboxing and a left hook with the force of a semi-truck, Pereira is a must-watch every single fight. Recognizing the spectacle of the matchup, Jones stressed his burning desire to go toe-to-toe with the light heavyweight champ.
“If the UFC wants to have me back, then I think that’s the fight they’ll make.”
Dana White is strongly opposed to Jones fighting Pereira
While the sheer star power of Pereira and Jones would make for one of the most high-profile bouts of all time, White doesn’t believe the matchup would translate into a competitive fight. Citing Pereira’s smaller frame and lack of experience on the ground, White emphasized that Jones would run right through him.
“You know what tonight told me? There’s no f***ing way I make the [Jon Jones] vs Alex Pereira fight,” White said in his post-fight press conference. “Jon’s too big. Great wrestler.”
White urges that Tom Aspinall is next in line
The UFC president’s objection to a potential clash between the promotion’s heaviest champions was hammered down throughout the week leading up to the fight. At the event’s press conference on Thursday, White insisted that if Jones were to return after UFC 309, it would have to be against the interim champ, Tom Aspinall.
Aspinall is one of the most lethal fighters in the sport, holding a 15-3 record with 11 knockouts. The 31-year-old from the United Kingdom captured the interim strap last year after an injury forced Jones out of his originally scheduled bout with Miocic.
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While Jones and Miocic waited for the promotion’s return to the Garden, Aspinall stayed active and defended his interim strap in dominant fashion. Not only has White confirmed that Aspinall will finally get his shot at the official belt, but he believes Aspinall and Jones would make for one of the biggest fights of all time.
“It doesn’t have the potential to be – it’s going to be the biggest heavyweight fight ever,” he mentioned in his post-fight press conference. “It’ll probably be the biggest fight we’ve ever done.”
Jones will only consider fighting Aspinall if the price is right
Not sharing White’s opinion, however, is Jones, who has repeatedly expressed his disinterest in fighting Aspinall. The heavyweight champ has been adamant that Aspinall has not earned the right to fight him, disregarding his accomplishments, referring to him as an “a**hole” that he doesn’t want to do business with, and even offering to relinquish the heavyweight strap so he could fight the aforementioned Pereira instead.
Despite his unwavering sentiment, Jones acknowledged in his post-fight presser that if Aspinall was the only opponent UFC offered him, it would take a laughable amount of money to get him back in the octagon.
“If I give him the opportunity to fight me, I want to be so compensated… I want that ‘f*** you’ money, honestly. That’s just what it is. Or else, my life is perfect without him. I don’t need him at all and he needs me. And that’s a good place to be in a negotiation.”
At 37 years old, Jones boasts the most title defenses ever and just added a TKO victory over the greatest heavyweight of all time to his resume. Surely, he and the UFC will work towards a deal that keeps him in the octagon. But if they can’t find common ground, Jones is content with riding off into the sunset as the greatest to ever do it.
“If that was my last fight ever, then I’m cool with that.”
