Jones and Aspinall: The UFC Fight
Tom Aspinall’s 2024 challenge to Jon Jones never produced a title unification fight. Jones instead defended the heavyweight belt against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, then retired in June 2025; the UFC subsequently elevated Aspinall from interim champion to undisputed heavyweight champion.
Why Aspinall wanted the fight
After knocking out Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in July 2024, Aspinall held the interim title while Jones was the undisputed champion. Aspinall publicly pushed for a unification bout and questioned whether Jones would agree to face him. Their heated exchanges became a major storyline in the heavyweight division, but no fight between them was booked.
Jones chose Miocic, then retired
Jones returned from injury to fight former champion Miocic at UFC 309 on Nov. 16, 2024, winning by third-round TKO. The UFC later announced Jones’s retirement in June 2025 and said Aspinall was now the UFC heavyweight champion. That decision ended the long-running prospect of an Aspinall–Jones title bout without the two meeting in the Octagon.
Aspinall’s path then shifted to defending the undisputed belt. His first such defense, against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 in October 2025, ended in a no-contest after an accidental eye poke.
Sources
Tags: MMA
