Written by Daniel Cormier is confident the UFC heavyweight title unification bout between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall will come to fruition in 2025.
UFC CEO Dana White recently 100 percent guaranteed that Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) and interim champ Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) will clash in a highly anticipated matchup next year.
If White’s confidence becomes reality and the unification bout does materialize, Cormier thinks Jones – win or lose – will retire from active competition afterward.
“(White’s comment) tells me that they’re getting it done,” Cormier told MMA Junkie. “It tells me that they’ve given Jon Jones a number big enough to get it done, because I always thought that Jones was kind of negotiating publicly. I don’t think for a second he’s afraid of anyone. I think that he was kind of going, ‘I want a number so big that I’m going to ride off into the sunset and be done.’
“But he’s also kind of laying the foundation for people to recognize that it’s almost over. He’s about done, right? So, start getting ready for life after Jon Jones because I do believe that he’s laid the foundation for a massive payday, but what will be his final payday. I don’t think he’ll be a guy that if he gets beat, or if the fights get more competitive, will just stick around trying to make money.”
Although it’s rare for White to speak publicly about an unannounced matchup with the confidence he did when discussing Jones vs. Aspinall, nothing is official as of yet. The details when it comes to date and location are still unconfirmed, and until that is sorted, a degree of uncertainty will exist.
Cormier has faith White’s words will prove accurate, though, and thinks it would be in Jones’ best interest to schedule things for the nearest available date.
“He (White) would say that if he feels like they’re getting close or it’s done,” Cormier said. “I would probably think to the summer. If I was Jon Jones, I would do this earlier than later because every month that passes, he just gets older, and Tom Aspinall gets better. So, I would try and do this as soon as possible. I wouldn’t want to wait until New York next year, where he’s almost 38, 39 years old with that kid just continuing to improve.”