Jon “Bones” Jones recently fought at Madison Square Garden, where he headlined the UFC 309 fight card against Stipe Miocic. After the fight, discussions about the potential matchup between the heavyweight champion and Tom Aspinall resurfaced. Recently, Jones provided an update on when the UFC community can expect to see his next fight in the promotion.
Jon Jones entered the UFC heavyweight division last year and currently holds the title of champion. Ahead of the Stipe Miocic fight, Jones has repeatedly hinted at the possibility of retirement after UFC 309. However, this news sparked concern among fans and analysts alike. Recently, the UFC heavyweight champion confirmed that he was not retiring. As such, he also provided an what happens next as well.
Right now, the UFC and I are in talks to see what happens next. I’m back in the gym, I’m training, I feel really great. The team’s support, they’re right behind me, and we’ll just be ready for whatever opportunity comes our way… I’ll be competing in 2025, more than likely.
Jon Jones via The Schmo
Interim champion Tom Aspinall recently hinted at his upcoming fight in 2025. Moreover, the British fighter also teased that he had some big news coming soon. Additionally, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed a potential match between Aspinall and Jones. Interestingly, all these speculations point directly to a heavyweight title unification bout in the UFC.
👀💥Jon Jones said that he’ll “more than likely” compete in 2025 and is currently in negotiations with the UFC:
“Right now UFC and I are in negotiations to see what hapens next.I will be ready to whatever opportunities happens comes next.”
🎥 @TheSchmo312 ▫️ pic.twitter.com/0c2RHkOVKg
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) November 24, 2024
The UFC heavyweight champion has shown little interest in a title unification fight against the interim champion. Per Jones, Aspinall would not significantly impact his illustrious UFC career. Nevertheless, Bones has not completely dismissed the possibility of facing the Brit, provided he receives a lucrative offer for the bout.
While many prominent figures in the UFC community are urging Jones to take on the British fighter, there is one individual who believes that Bones can avoid that matchup.
Israel Adesanya claims that Jon Jones ‘doesn’t owe anything to the game’
Jon Jones is widely regarded as one of the top fighters in the UFC. Most recently, he delivered a brutal knockout to Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. Despite this impressive victory, some members of the UFC community are expressing dissatisfaction with Jones’s slower fighting style now that he is 37 years old.
Israel Adesanya and Jon Jones together (Image via X)Recently, former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has stepped in to defend Jones against these criticisms. As such, according to Adesanya, the heavyweight champion has done enough in his illustrious more than a decade-long career in the promotion.
I think he (Jon Jones) was 21 when he made his debut. That’s sixteen years plus in the game-classic. He’s given enough. I mean he doesn’t owe the game anything.
Israel Adesanya on his YouTube channel
A few years ago, both Jon Jones and Israel Adesanya had a significant rivalry and animosity toward each other. However, over time, the two UFC fighters reconciled and since then, have publicly supported one another. Adesanya’s recent statement about Jones’ legacy in the promotion is a notable example of their newfound camaraderie.
