Recent reports indicate that Jon Jones has opted out of his highly anticipated UFC heavyweight title clash with Tom Aspinall. Consequently, Aspinall will now face a different challenger at UFC 317 this summer.
This week, excitement was palpable as fans awaited the official announcement of the long-anticipated battle between Jones and Aspinall for the heavyweight championship.
The buildup for this title unification fight intensified after Aspinall secured the interim heavyweight title with a knockout victory over Sergei Pavlovich back in November 2023.
However, just days after the fight was set to be announced, Jones made the surprising decision to withdraw. According to UFC veteran Chael Sonnen, Aspinall’s new opponent will be former title contender Ciryl Gane at UFC 317 in Las Vegas.
Sonnen revealed that Jones has requested a six-month preparation period for his second title defense, which has been over two years in the making. Meanwhile, Aspinall is eager to step into the Octagon soon, prompting the decision to match him against Gane.
The victor of the Aspinall-Gane bout in June is anticipated to challenge Jones for the championship later this year, once he feels prepared to compete again.
While Sonnen acknowledged Aspinall’s eagerness to remain active, he raised concerns about the possibility of Aspinall losing to Gane, which could jeopardize the long-awaited showdown with Jones.
If Jones ends up fighting Gane instead of Aspinall, it may lead to disappointment among fans, especially since their previous encounter saw Jones claim victory. The excitement for a matchup with Aspinall could diminish significantly in such a scenario.
