Written by Daniel Cormier | Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Daniel Cormier does not believe Tom Aspinall is really the backup fighter for UFC 309.
At UFC 309, Jon Jones defends his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic in a fight well over a year in the making, and earlier this week, UFC CEO Dana White declared interim champion Tom Aspinall is the backup fighter for the bout. But despite White’s assurances, some doubt remains about whether Aspinall would actually step in should something happen to either Jones or Aspinall, and UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier is one of the doubters.
“You’re gullible,” Cormier told co-host Chael Sonnen on their Good Guy/Bad Guy show when Sonnen said both Jones and Miocic agreed to fight Aspinall at UFC 309. “No, it does not mean that! What it means is now we have another opportunity for disappointment…
“If one of those dudes gets hurt, neither one of them is fighting Tom Aspinall. You’re out of your mind. No way. When Jon Jones got hurt the first time, Sergei Pavlovich was the backup fighter. Who fought?! If somebody gets hurt, get ready for Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane. Mark my words.”
As Cormier noted, this would not be the first time a backup fighter was passed over for a title shot, and not even the first time it happened with this particular matchup. Jones and Miocic were supposed to fight a year ago at UFC 295 when Jones sustained an injury and withdrew from the contest. Instead of having then-backup fighter Sergei Pavlovich step in against Miocic, the UFC opted to delay the Jones-Miocic fight and Aspinall stepped in on short notice to fight Pavlovich in an interim bout.
That, plus other instances of backup fighters not even having the opportunity to fulfill their role, makes Cormier doubtful about Aspinall’s chances to fight for a unified title at UFC 309.
“I don’t get the backup fighter,” Cormier said. “Remember when Charles Oliveira was going to fight against Islam Makhachev and Mateusz Gamrot was the backup fighter and then they brought Alexander Volkanovski in there? I get that you want to look at this thing with clear eyes, but I’m giving you two prime examples.
It’s not even about being scared. It’s about risk management. If someone gets hurt in this fight, the reward vs. the risk of fighting Tom Aspinall is so great, I don’t believe that either of them will do it. Love that it’s a part of the story now. We all love the story. We love a great story. But I don’t know that it plays.”
Contributing to the doubt around Aspinall’s role is the fact that this fight is believed to be the final bout for both Jones and Miocic. Dana White previously said as much for Miocic, while Jones recently stated this would “more than likely” be it for his career. And for Cormier, that decision isn’t based on fear of Aspinall, but basic career calculus.
“I don’t think he’s scared, but again, it’s risk vs. reward…” Cormier said. “A win over Tom Aspinall does nothing more for Jon Jones than a win over me or Vitor Belfort or Rashad Evans or Shogun Rua or Alexander Gustafsson, and all this list of great fighters he’s already beaten. So many great fighters. Beating Tom Aspinall doesn’t really do much to add to that. But losing to Tom Aspinall does do something, because now you see him lose. He’s never lost… So for him to go out there and fight a young, hungry guy who seems to possess the skills to beat him, it’s not worth the risk.
“I’m telling you this as a guy that for a long time was one the wrong side of the Jon Jones equation, didn’t like Jon Jones, didn’t care for him: I don’t think that you risk [what he would be risking]… His legacy to him, I feel, might mean more than taking that risk, especially when you don’t need to.”
Cormier has extensive history with both Jones and Miocic, having fought the two of them a combined five times; however, his rivalry with Jones is the defining one of both their careers. Given that, Cormier knows a thing or two about Jones, and believes there is only one real way fans see Jones fight Aspinall.
“Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall is more likely to happen if Stipe Miocic wins,” Cormier said. “That’s my take… If Stipe wins and Jones loses and feels like he has something to prove, it’s more likely that he fights Tom Aspinall. If he wins, he’ll go off into the sunset.”
UFC 309 takes place on Nov. 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.