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Tom Aspinall believes he will benefit from Alex Pereira’s UFC title loss, claiming the result takes a fight between Jon Jones and the Brazilian “off the table”.
As interim heavyweight champion, Aspinall should be in line to challenge regular-title holder Jones next. However, Jones has long dismissed the Briton, while eyeing a super-fight with light-heavyweight star Pereira.
But on Saturday, Pereira lost his 205lb title to Magomed Ankalaev via decision, in the main event of UFC 313. That result saw “Poatan”’s stock drop slightly, meaning a Jones vs Pereira bout has lost some shine. Also, Pereira has expressed a desire for a rematch with Ankalaev.
As such, Jones may have no choice over whom he faces next, with a showdown against Aspinall looking likelier now. If the American, 37, refuses to face Aspinall, 31, he will almost certainly be stripped of the regular heavyweight title.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Aspinall said on Sunday (9 March): “That’s off the table now, the Alex Pereira fight at heavyweight – or any other weight really. I mean, I guess [Jones] could still fight him at light-heavy, but it won’t be for a title.
“Yeah, Jon, there’s only one thing to do, mate: sign the contract, and let’s get a date going. I know we’d seen last night, [UFC president] Dana White was talking. Everything is now done on Jon’s side, and the UFC now have to find a date and a venue – a place, location.
“So, we’re waiting for that. We’ve got some good news coming soon hopefully. We’ve got some big news coming soon, I hope.”
Jones is a former two-time light-heavyweight champion, who won the vacant heavyweight title on his divisional debut in March 2023. He was then due to defend the belt against heavyweight great Stipe Miocic in November 2023, but he suffered an injury that delayed the bout by a year.
In the meantime, Aspinall won and retained the interim strap with knockouts of Sergei Pavlovich and Curtis Blaydes. When Jones returned in November 2024, he stopped Miocic to retain the official title. However, he has since continued to play down a unification bout with Aspinall.