Written by Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Jon Jones might really want to fight at the White House, but he might have the worst timing in history after announcing his retirement and then declaring his plans to compete again just after Tom Aspinall books a fight.
The saga to pit Jones against Aspinall seemingly ended after the now former UFC heavyweight champion confirmed plans to call it a career following his most recent win over Stipe Miocic this past November. Days later, Aspinall traveled to Las Vegas and later confirmed he has a date and opponent set for his return to action after he was promoted to undisputed champion.
But President Donald Trump teasing a fight happening at the White House in 2026 was enough for Jones to reveal he was re-entering the UFC’s anti-doping program to set the stage for at least one more appearance in his career. It could all be a matter of coincidence, but UFC legend Matt Brown says none of it looks good for Jones.
“I’m as big a Jon Jones fan as anybody,” Brown said on the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer. “I’ve always defended he’s not afraid of Tom, he’s willing to fight anybody. It’s hard to not fall into that narrative here though. To me, fighting at the White House, that doesn’t do it. But maybe I’m a different person, maybe everybody looks at it different. For me, you tell me they’re going to have a fight at the White House, it would be cool to do it. If not, whatever, a fight’s a fight. Maybe Jon looks at it different. Maybe that got him motivated and sparked his interest enough.
“But I’ll tell you this looks bad, in my opinion. I’ve got the most respect for Jon. I talk about it all the time. The dude was kicking people’s asses while on cocaine. I’ve done enough cocaine to know, I could not do that. Respect, Jon, you are a bad mothef*cker. But this looks like ducking.”
Jones already faced plenty of accusations that he was running from a fight with Aspinall over the continued delays in actually booking the matchup prior to his retirement.
While UFC CEO Dana White continuously backed Jones while saying there’s no way the now 38-year-old future Hall of Famer was scared of anybody, the way this whole ordeal played out paints a picture that he did everything possible to avoid Aspinall.
Deep down, Brown doesn’t believe that’s the case but Jones returning from retirement and fighting anybody other than Aspinall still ends with the same story being told.
“I’ll be very clear, I don’t believe that Jon is scared of him or ducking him or any of that shit,” Brown said. “But if he chooses not to fight him, makes the choice — if he comes back and fights [somebody else], he is choosing not to fight Tom Aspinall, I don’t know if we necessarily say that’s a bad look but it’s saying exactly what it is. He chose not to fight Tom Aspinall. That’s not cool.
“I’m going to argue to the bitter end that he chose and probably not out of fear. Maybe he wants a lower risk, he wants an easier payday, he doesn’t want to train as hard, whatever it is. I’m going to argue he’s not afraid, it’s not a fear thing. He’s making the choices. He’s choosing not to fight him. If you’re Dana, why do you give a f*ck? But if you’re Jon, choosing not to fight Tom Aspinall, you’ve got to understand how that looks. You’ve got to understand that everybody’s going to say you’re ducking.”
Now when it comes to the UFC, Brown expects the promotion to just get excited at the prospect of having Jones back for at least one more fight no matter who he faces.
The key there is Jones already gave up the heavyweight title so he’s no longer holding up a division and Brown knows the UFC only sees dollar signs when it comes to putting arguably the greatest fighter of all time on a marquee event like the one that could take place at the White House. The difference comes down to Jones being able to live with himself knowing that he’s planning to fight again but still refusing to face Aspinall for whatever reason.
“Look if I’m Dana White, I’m like cool Jon, fight whoever you want,” Brown said. “But I’m saying if you’re Jon Jones, there’s no other fight. If you’re Dana White, it’s Jon Jones. He’s going to fight somebody and it’s going to sell. We all know who he is. Hell, even the fact that it’s not Tom Aspinall, that’s going to get even more people talking, more people are going to want to watch. If people are talking, then they’re watching. That’s all that matters.
“But if you’re Jon Jones, I can’t imagine feeling good about fighting anybody else. Dana probably doesn’t give a f*ck really. When he had the title, I think Dana should have given a f*ck — maybe he did, maybe he didn’t but he probably should have — he doesn’t have the title now. Like who cares? Jon Jones is fighting. We’ve got the star on there. If you’re Jon, I don’t know how you justify it to yourself to fight anybody else.”
For all the amazing accomplishments that Jones achieved during his career, Brown admits that coming back and fighting anybody other than Aspinall would change the way he’s remembered.
“That in my opinion damages his legacy,” Brown said. “Now people will be saying he chose not to fight Tom Aspinall. We can argue ducking or scared, whatever — I highly doubt it. But choosing not to fight him? It’s basically a fact at that point if he comes back and fights anybody else.”