Recent reports indicate that Jon Jones has decided to withdraw from his highly anticipated heavyweight title clash against Tom Aspinall. Consequently, Aspinall will now be matched up with a different fighter at UFC 317 this summer.
Earlier this week, excitement was palpable around the potential showdown between Jones and Aspinall, which was on the brink of being officially confirmed.
The buildup for this title unification bout intensified when Aspinall secured the interim heavyweight championship with a stunning knockout of Sergei Pavlovich in November 2023.
However, just days after the matchup was seemingly set, Jones opted to step back. According to UFC veteran Chael Sonnen, Aspinall will now defend his interim title against former title contender Ciryl Gane at UFC 317 in Las Vegas.
Sonnen revealed that Jones has requested an additional six months to prepare for his upcoming title defense, which would be his second since winning the title over two years ago. Meanwhile, Aspinall is keen to fight sooner rather than later, leading to the decision to take on Gane.
The winner of the Aspinall versus Gane fight in June is expected to be the next challenger for Jones when he feels ready to return to the octagon later this year.
While Sonnen recognized Aspinall’s eagerness to remain active, he raised concerns about the potential risk of Aspinall losing to Gane, which could endanger the much-anticipated fight with Jones.
If Jones ultimately faces Gane instead of Aspinall, it could be seen as a letdown, especially considering Jones’s previous win over Gane. The excitement surrounding a matchup with Aspinall would likely diminish in such a scenario.
