Demetrious Johnson advises Tom Aspinall against waiting for UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Itās been more than 500 days since interim champion Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) has competed as he awaits his title-unification bout with Jones. But with the rumor circulating that Jones is asking for six months to prep for Aspinall once the fight is finalized, Johnson thinks the Brit needs to move on.
Aspinall has already defended his interim title once when he finished Curtis Blaydes by TKO at UFC 304 last July, and Johnson would like to see him fight again before a potential matchup with Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC).
āIf I was Tom Aspinall, Iād be like, āGod, dude, like Iām not f*cking waiting six months,'ā Johnson told Submission Radio. āLike, yāall need to get me another fight. But then again, this could be the biggest fight of his career if heās able to beat Jon Jones. I have mixed feelings on the six months. I think that Tom Aspinall should take another fight.
āI think when you put a athlete whoās very young like that on ice and they donāt get that ring time, they donāt get that opportunity to get out there and just fight and make the money, itās a little bit different. If I was Tom Aspinall, Iāll say, āJon Jones wants six months, Iām going to pass on that fight, Iām going to fight somebody else, Iāll defend the interim heavyweight championship.'ā
With Jonesā return date still to be determined, Johnson doesnāt want to see Aspinall waste his prime years on the sidelines ā especially with no certainty that the fight even happens.
āEverybodyās fighting on Jon Jonesā timeline,ā Johnson continued. āIf I was Tom Aspinall, I wouldnāt fight on Jon Jonesā timeline. Heās dictating whatās going on right now and when that fightās going to happen. If I was Tom Aspinall, Iām like, āNah, Iām not waiting six months. Iām not going to do that.ā I canāt remember the last time Tom Aspinall fought.
āWhen did Jon Jones fight? Was that last year in November? That is a long time, and the fight hasnāt even been signed. So, is it six months when they finally sign the fight? Or is it six months from now? Itās been prolonged so long that itās almost like a movie that weāre all excited about that might never come out.ā
Jon needs to be stripped if he wont defend against the #1 contender.
Stop wasting everyones time