"I knew they'd resign Ngannou" - Fans react as UFC insider offers major tease about Tom Aspinall's potential next opponent

Finally, the Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall debacle have been put to rest. After months of teasing whether or not he'll fight Aspinall for the unified heavyweight belt, Jones announced his retirement from the UFC.

In an episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on YouTube featuring MMA journalist Eric Jackman, the men on the mic discussed what happens to Aspinall next. To Jackman, a lot hinges on who the Englishman will fight next - and whether or not he wins. As per him, if Aspinall loses his next fight, he'd be dismissed as having zero impact on Jones' legacy.

UFC Hall of Famer Chael Sonnen, who may have some insider information in the promotion, disagrees with Jackman's speculation, tweeting:

"Rick is solid dude but that take is crazy. Tom's next fight 100% impacts Jon. When Rick sees who Tom is fighting, Rick will understand this tweet."

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Check out Chael Sonnen's comments below:

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Sonnen's tweet fired up fan speculations on who might be facing Tom Aspinall for the belt, with @NathanGlasshole saying what we're all hoping for:

"I knew they'd resign Ngannou... 👀"

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Meanwhile, @RyanReynol86903 suggested another opponent:

"It’s Gane, that’s why he’s not fighting on the Paris card."

More comments on the tweet. [Image courtesy: @ChaelSonnen on X]

Jon Jones retires from MMA and relinquishes UFC heavyweight belt

June 21, 2025 will forever be etched in MMA history as the day Jon Jones finally leaves the sport.

In a lengthy tweet, Jones looked back at his accomplishments in the sport. He thanked the UFC President Dana White and the fans. Jones ended the tweet with:

"As I close this chapter of my life, I look forward to new opportunities and challenges ahead. MMA will always be a part of who I am, and I’m excited to see how I can continue to contribute to the sport and inspire others in new ways. Thank you all for being part of this incredible journey with me. The best is yet to come."

Here's the full tweet:

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About the author

Duane is an expert MMA writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience working for the likes of Philippine Star, Esquire Philippines, Playboy Philippines, etc. A major in English, he has written over 2000 articles for Sportskeeda section, extensively covering UFC and boxing fights.

Duane is a practicing MMA fighter with a 11-7 record. He is also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt and trains Muay Thai. His connection with MMA dates back to 2005, when he turned into a fan after watching Fedor Emelianenko defeat Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipovic at Pride FC - Final Conflict 2005.

Emelianenko finds himself right at the top of Duane’s Mt. Rushmore of MMA fighters, alongside other big names like Demetrious Johnson, Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre, and Anderson Silva.

Duane’s love for the sport is reflected in his writings, where he believes in speculating but not insinuating. He uses his intensive knowledge and skills in MMA to provide unique insights to the readers, along with sourcing information only from reliable sources.

Outside of work, Duane enjoys martial arts training, visual arts, film criticism, video games, and creative writing.

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Edited by Tejas Rathi