Title: Dana White Debunks Massive Jon Jones "Fake Rumor"
According to Joe Rogan, who had a chat with UFC President Dana White, current heavyweight champ Jon Jones hasn't actually asked for a jaw-dropping $30 million to face off against interim champ Tom Aspinall. Rougan spilled the beans about Jones' supposed asking price during a recent episode of his podcast. However, Rougan later revealed that White called him and flat out said those numbers were total bull$#!t.
Despite the speculations, the heavyweight unification fight between Jones and Aspinall seems like it's still on the cards for 2025. But, it appears we might never know exactly how much money Jones and Aspinall are pocketing for their anticipated showdown, dubbed by many as the biggest heavyweight fight in UFC history.
Jones, at 37, is coming off a stunning victory at UFC 309 where he brutally took out Stipe Miocic with a spinning back kick in the third round, successfully defending his title. Although some criticized Jones for facing Miocic instead of the younger and seemingly dangerous Aspinall, who holds the interim title, Jones continuously dismissed Aspinall as just another flash in the pan, joining the likes of Johnny Walker, Dominick Reyes, and Volkan Oezdemir.
Meanwhile, Dana White remains steadfast in his belief that Jones will ultimately defend his title against Aspinall. And judging by Aspinall's impressive performances in the octagon, where he's bagged a stoppage in every single one of his MMA victories, it's not hard to see why.
Aspinall, just 31, avenged his only UFC loss against Curtis Blaydes in July 2024 at UFC 304, delivering a powerful first-round knockout. His previous losses were against Blaydes in 2022 due to a knee injury and Marcin Tybura in 2020. But since those setbacks, Aspinall has picked up three electrifying first-round finishes over Sergei Pavlovich, Curtis Blaydes, and most recently, Marcin Tybura.
So, will Aspinall finally be the man to crack Jon Jones' impenetrable aura? Time will tell, but it appears the $30 million demanded by Jones might not be as extravagant as was previously thought.
Upcoming UFC Action
The UFC is gearing up for another action-packed event on Saturday, January 11, at the Apex in Las Vegas. Mackenzie Dern will step into the octagon again to face off against Amanda Ribas in a rematch of their 2019 clash. Dern will be looking to settle the score from their first encounter where Ribas emerged victorious.
Here's the full lineup for the event:
UFC Vegas 101 Main Card
- Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas
- Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Carlston Harris
- César Almeida vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan
- Chris Curtis vs. Roman Kopylov
- Christian Rodriguez vs. Austin Bashi
- Punahele Soriano vs. Uroš Medić
UFC Vegas 101 Preliminary Card
- Jose Johnson vs. Felipe Bunes
- Marco Tulio vs. Ihor Potieria
- Thiago Moisés vs. Trey Ogden
- Preston Parsons vs. Jacobe Smith
- Ernesta Kareckaitė vs. Nicolle Caliari
- Magomed Gadzhiyasulov vs. Bruno Lopes
- Fatima Kline vs. Victoria Dudakova
- Nurullo Aliev vs. Joe Salecki
- Fans are eagerly waiting for the announcement of when Jon Jones will be fighting Tom Aspinall, as the heavyweight unification fight seems to be on the cards for 2025.
- During a recent episode of his podcast, Joe Rogan revealed that UFC President Dana White had called him to say that the $30 million figure Jones reportedly asked for to face Aspinall was a complete fabrication.
- Tom Aspinall, who is only 31, has proven his worth in the UFC with impressive stoppage victories in every single one of his wins, earning him the interim heavyweight title.
- According to Dana White, Jon Jones will ultimately defend his title against Tom Aspinall, which many believe will be one of the biggest heavyweight fights in UFC history.
- The UFC has planned another exciting event on January 11 at the Apex in Las Vegas, with Mackenzie Dern set to face Amanda Ribas in a rematch of their 2019 clash, in what promises to be an action-packed night of MMA.
