To hear UFC President and CEO Dana White tell it, Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall is a bigger heavyweight fight than anything even Brock Lesnar could have brought to the table.
In the late 2000s/early 2010s, Lesnar was the biggest thing in MMA, and a brute that dominated the promotion’s heavyweight division. Short as his career was, reduced by diverticulitis, Lesnar was a massive draw for the company.
Jones vs. Aspinall, which “Bones” initially rejected but appears to have warmed up to, is bigger still, according to White.
“It would be the biggest heavyweight fight in UFC history, by a longshot,” White exclaimed on Saturday, following UFC 309.
The Jones vs. Aspinall question was brought up early and often during the UFC 309 post-fight press conference, which had Cageside Press and other media outlets on hand. Asked when negotiations for the fight might begin, “I’ve got Tom waiting outside for me right now, and you let Jon do Jon,” replied White. “Jon’s going to disappear. Not only will you not hear about him, or what he’s doing, neither will I. And then he’ll resurface and he’ll call, and we’ll get it done.”
“Of course,” White said in regards to a time limit on those negotiations, however. “No,” he added when asked if he had any idea what that limit would be.
Jones was vocal about wanting to be well-compensated for a fight with Aspinall, who he believes is a high-risk, low-reward opponent. “Jon’s always been well-compensated. He’s always been well-compensated. I would never put his total purse number out there, but it’s f*cking massive,” White said in response. “The number that he went over tonight, he’s made a lot of money in his career. You don’t fight and then disappear for five years because you weren’t well compensated. He makes a lot of money. He’ll make a lot more for this fight.”
Just days ago, it seemed like Jon Jones had completely rejected the idea of fighting the interim heavyweight champ. After a strong showing opposite Stipe Miocic, however, he changed his tune while speaking with Joe Rogan in his post-fight interview. Jones has also floated the idea of a fight with Alex Pereira, which White hinted earlier this week could come were he to face off with Aspinall first. White backtracked on that, saying “there’s no f*cking way” he’d make the fight, though adding a “maybe” if both men truly wanted it.
Later in the night, White also made clear that Jones is not just the greatest fighter currently, but in the UFC chief’s opinion, ever.
“He is the best to ever fight in a f*cking fight period, ever. Unless like maybe in the Roman days, I don’t know anybody who fought back then. But since people have been documenting fighting, he’s the best ever.”
