Several MMA community pages on social media have launched a petition to strip Jon Jones of his title. Now, fans have the support of big names like Michael Bisping. The UFC veteran has expressed frustration over Jones delaying his fight with Tom Aspinall, suggesting that ‘Bones’ either step up to fight or vacate the belt.
Bisping is calling out the reigning heavyweight champion for apparently avoiding a matchup with Tom Aspinall, the current interim titleholder. He highlights the irony in the situation, noting that Jon Jones was once given a huge opportunity when he became the youngest UFC champion after others took a chance on him. In a recent interview with Mike Bohn, the UFC veteran stated,
“Defend or vacate. You were given a shot as the youngest champ — now give others the same chance. For Jon to not want to give Tom an opportunity, where other people gave him an opportunity — he was the youngest champion in the sport, and he’s always talking about, Oh, there’s going to be younger guys coming along.”
Bisping argues that holding a championship means you have a responsibility to defend it against the best. If Jones isn’t willing to do that, especially against someone as deserving as Aspinall, then he should vacate the belt and let others compete for it.
Demetrious Johnson Believes Tom Aspinall Could Be UFC’s Biggest Star By Beating Jon Jones
Jones is considered the GOAT, and many believe Aspinall has the tools to beat him. Though UFC CEO Dana White has said the fight will happen eventually, there’s still no official date, leaving the MMA world buzzing with speculation. Adding to the excitement, MMA legend Demetrious Johnson recently weighed in, saying Aspinall could become a megastar if he pulls off the win. In a YouTube video, Johnson said:
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“In my opinion, I think it’s a huge risk. You’re younger, you’re athletic, you hit hard, you pose problems — we don’t have much data on you. You blitz across the void, so if you get across the void and Jon gets hit, he might go down. If that happens, you become the biggest star ever — you just slayed the GOAT.”
With reports of Jones asking for a bigger payday, this could even be his final fight, making the stakes sky-high. If it happens this year, it’s almost certain to go down as one of the biggest fights in UFC history.
Also Read: Tom Aspinall Reveals His Favorite Knockout — It’s Not What You Think
