Dana White responds to Tom Aspinall pleas to fight Jon Jones next

Aspinall became the third UFC champion from these shores in New York on Saturday night, taking just 69 seconds to knock out Sergei Pavlovich at Madison Square Garden.

His victory – just 16 months on from suffering a serious knee injury in London in July 2022 – came after taking Saturday’s fight on 17 days’ notice.

Jones had been scheduled to headline this weekend’s card, putting his heavyweight title on the line against Stipe Miocic but that fight was shelved after the American suffered an injury.

Aspinall is eager to fight Jones next to become outright champion next year with Wembley Stadium one possible destination.

‘That would be incredible. It doesn’t have to be in Manchester,’ Aspinall said.

‘But I think if we do the greatest fighter of all time versus the UK heavyweight champion of the UFC in the UK, that would be insane.  Let’s do it.’

Aspinall’s interim title victory will not move him to the top of the queue however with White explaining the promotion is still planning for Jones and Miocic to meet first.

The Croatian has not fought since March 2021 when he lost the heavyweight title to Francis Ngannou.

Asked if Aspinall has overtaken Miocic in the race to fight Jones, White said: ‘No. You do those two [Jones and Miocic]. Those two both deserve that fight.

‘That’s the fight they want. JJ, as soon as he heard that he was injured, went right to LA and got the surgery. He’s already in physical therapy’. 

Jones was quick to congratulate Aspinall after his performance on Saturday night.

He wrote on Twitter: ‘Tom congratulations on the interim heavyweight championship belt! That was an awesome performance!’.

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