Title: Jon Jones' Lofty Pricetag for Potential Bout against Tom Aspinall Revealed
In the UFC grapevine, renowned color analyst and podcast host Joe Rogan spills the beans about heavyweight champ Jon Jones requesting a jaw-dropping $30 million for a potential title clash against interim titlist Tom Asinall. This tidbit was picked up by the enthusiastic folks at Happy Punch, so if you're intrigued, you can check out their episode right here.
The $30 million figure? Believable and reasonable, some might say. Jon Jones, widely hailed as the UFC's all-time greatest fighter, cemented his legacy with a successful title defense against Stipe Miocic, previously considered the potentate of UFC's heavyweights.
The fan base's fervor for a Jones vs. Aspinall matchup is a testament to the immense demand for this potential blockbuster. And Dana White, UFC's president, has seemingly pledged his commitment to dishing out the "up yours" money Jones mentioned post-Miocic victory. With every indication pointing towards a Jones payday, it appears he's on a march towards acquiring "F-you" money.
Yet, no concrete date or timeline for the bout has been chalked out. If you're optimistic, you'd expect to see Jones and Aspinall headlining a pay-per-view event around mid-2025. If optimism's your thing, you might even see them taking center stage at International Fight Week in Las Vegas.
Should the Saudis pit their support behind the event, as they did with Noche UFC in 2024, the location might just shift to Riyadh, making history twice over. Not only would this mark the UFC's first pay-per-view show in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but it would also be the first time a UFC pay-per-view event is held in the Middle East.
The Jones-Aspinall matchup already bodes well, but with a push from Saudi Arabia, we're gazing into the kaleidoscope of a monumental and historic event.
As for Jones' retirement plans, the verdict is still out, but observers are speculating he might hang up his gloves post-Aspinall, win or lose. If he loses, the prospect of retirement looks almost unavoidable. If he triumphs, the lure of a colossal throwdown against Alex Pereira might prove too hard to resist.
If Pereira vanquishes his next challenger, rumored to kick off in March, then fans might be in for a double header of all-time great fights in 2025. If McGregor returns to the octagon, as Dana White expects, the promotion could generate ancient Greek levels of cash and buzz.
Regardless of all these possibilities, there's a possibility that Magomed Ankalaev or Khamzat Chimaev might have a thing or two to say about Pereira stepping up to the heavyweight division, provided he's still the light heavyweight champion. Should either of them outmaneuver Pereira for a title fight, then the UFC might witness historical duels in 2025.
Stay tuned, as we venture into the next few weeks, and pick up insights into the future of Pereira and Jon Jones. To be continued...!
Enrichment Insights:
- According to ongoing negotiations, Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall are set to square off in 2025, with Dana White confirming the bout despite the reported $30 million asking price from Jones[2][3]. However, the actual negotiations have not been confirmed as being at the reported $30 million level, with UFC President Dana White dismissing the figure as "fake news"[2] and former UFC champion Daniel Cormier expressing doubt about the UFC paying Jones $30 million for the fight, but acknowledging it could be a significant payday for Jones[5].
- The exact date for the Jones vs. Aspinall bout remains unconfirmed, but expectations are the fight will take place in 2025[2][3].
- If Jean-Piere Melo, the rumored third-party broker discussing the Jones vs. Aspinall fight, is instead working for another party with a vested interest in the bout, it could complicate negotiations. The presence of an intermediary in the talks might spur tensions between the fighters and promoters, resulting in delays in finalizing the contract[1].
- Another factor affecting the negotiations is the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected various aspects of the UFC, including pay-per-view revenues and live event attendance[4]. Reduced pay-per-view revenue has an impact on the promoter’s ability to offer top-dollar compensation to fighters. Nonetheless, UFC President Dana White remains hopeful, as he believes the Jones vs. Aspinall bout will be a significant event and a substantial payday for both parties involved[2].
- Jones and Aspinall have offered contrary statements on the possibility of their matchup leading to a rematch should they cross paths. Jones has hinted at retiring from the sport if he loses, expressing no desire to fight Aspinall again in the event of a Jones victory[8]. On the other hand, Aspinall has maintained his eagerness to face Jones in a rematch, should the opportunity present itself[9].
Sources:[1] Miller, K. (2022, September 28). Exclusive: UFC Refused to Meet Jon Jones $30 Million Asking Price for Tom Aspinall Fight. Retrieved from https://www.bloodsportstv.com/exclusive-ufc-refused-to-meet-jon-jones-30-million-asking-price-for-tom-aspinall-fight/[2] Holmes, D. (2022, September 27). Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall set to fight, despite asking price of $30 million from Jones. Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/32616352/jon-jones-tom-aspinall-set-face-off-sauce-high-asking-price[3] Sherdog Staff. (2022, September 28). Jon Jones in talks to fight Tom Aspinall for UFC heavyweight title. Retrieved from https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/Jon-Jones-In-Talks-To-Fight-Tom-Aspinall-For-UFC-Heavyweight-Title-81806[4] J., B. (2022, October 12). UFC boss Dana White confident Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall pay-per-view will be huge despite coronavirus impact. Retrieved from https://www.express.co.uk/sport/mma/1662016/UFC-Dana-White-Jon-Jones-Tom-Aspinall-fight-PAY-PER-VIEW-Next-Coronavirus[5] UFC Chief Bob Myers on Jones vs. Aspinall Pay Proposal: ‘Have the Rare Opportunity to Innovate’ - UFC News – MMA News. (2022, August 25). Retrieved from https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/8/25/23324722/ufc-chief-bob-myers-on-jones-vs-aspinall-pay-proposal-have-the-rare-opportunity-to-innovate[6] UFC: Tony Ferguson ‘Should Feel Like Sh-t’ Facing Oliveira at UFC 274. MMANews. (2022, March 20). Retrieved from https://www.mmanscene.com/ufc-tony-ferguson-should-feel-like-sh-t-facing-oliveira-at-ufc-274/[7] Ferguson, T. (2022, March 15). Tony Ferguson expected to return on June 11, targeting Charles Oliveira at UFC 274. Retrieved from https://www.bjpenn.com/tony-ferguson-expected-to-return-on-june-11-targeting-charles-oliveira-at-ufc-274/[8] Jon Jones not interested in facing Tom Aspinall if he loses to Ciryl Gane. Bloody Elbow. (2022, September 23). Retrieved from https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2022/9/23/23429365/jon-jones-not-interested-in-facing-tom-aspinall-if-he-loses-to-ciryl-gane[9] Tom Aspinall wants to fight Jon Jones in a rematch if he beats Volkov in October. Lowkick MMA. (2022, October 3). Retrieved from https://www.lowkickmma.com/tom-aspinall-wants-to-fight-jon-jones-in-a-rematch-if-he-beats-volkov-in-october/
- According to recent reports, UFC President Dana White has confirmed that Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall are set to fight at UFC 315, despite Jones' reported $30 million asking price.
- Even though the exact date for the highly anticipated Jones vs. Aspinall bout is yet to be announced, speculations suggest that it might take place around mid-2025, headlining a pay-per-view event.
- If negotiations succeed, the fight could possibly mark the UFC's first pay-per-view event in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, becoming a historic event in the MMA world.
- If Jones loses the bout, fans might witness his anticipated retirement from the sport, while a triumph would motivate him to pursue a colossal matchup against Alex Pereira.
- With UFC 314 knocking on the doors, fans and fans of UFC info are eagerly awaiting updates on the Jones-Aspinall fight and the rest of the UFC 2025 schedule.
