Mike Perry feels UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is strategically playing out the situation of a potential fight with Tom Aspinall. Jones has been hesitant to confirm a fight with Aspinall as his next assignment even though their clash, according to fans, seems inevitable after the 37-year-old's win over Stipe Miocic.
Perry suggests that Jones is purposely acting indifferent to the fight, creating a sense of mystery among fans. He believes that by downplaying his eagerness, Jones is building anticipation for a potential matchup with Aspinall, which could boost the demand even further. He further claimed that Jones might be leveraging this suspense as a negotiating tactic to maximize his financial reward before agreeing to fight Aspinall.
Speaking with former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar in a recent episode of the Overdogs Podcast, Perry said:
"Tom is lower on the pound-for-pound rankings. [Alex] Pereira is higher... I feel like John's doing something sneaky here where he's like trying to make people want the Tom Aspinall fight more. He's acting like he just doesn't want it and then if they they sign him on the fight he's like, 'I got you."
Check out Mike Perry's comments below (10:10):
Meanwhile, Jones recently confirmed that negotiations for his next UFC fight are underway, following his win over Miocic to retain the heavyweight title. Jones, who has returned to training, expressed a desire for a lucrative deal before facing Aspinall. He aims to compete in 2025, but details on the fight and his financial expectations remain private.
Firas Zahabi previews a potential clash between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall
Firas Zahabi, the renowned coach behind Georges St-Pierre’s illustrious career, has predicted that Tom Aspinall is the fighter who can defeat Jon Jones. Following Jones' dominant win over Stipe Miocic, speculation has risen about a unification bout with interim champion Aspinall.
Zahabi believes that while Jones could handle a fight with Alex Pereira, a clash with Aspinall would be much more dangerous. He stated that Aspinall’s power and skill make him a serious threat, and he sees him as the one to finish Jones within two rounds at heavyweight. Previewing the fight on his YouTube channel, Zahabi said:
“I don’t think Jon Jones is gonna fight Aspinall. The was a once upon a time where I thought he would and he could win, but I went over Aspinall’s fights and I’m thinking this is the man who can beat Jon Jones. At heavyweight, this is going to be a dangerous fight. Jon is not crazy. Jon is going to go down to fight Pereira, but I don’t think the UFC gives him Periera."
He added:
“I think [Aspinall] could be the man who beats Jon Jones and finishes Jon Jones. I don’t think anybody could last more than two rounds with Aspinall, nobody in the world."
Check out Firas Zahabi's comments below: