Jon Jones is not ruling out a future showdown with UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, but he made it clear that he has no real motivation to pursue that matchup right now. Instead, Jones is focused on securing a historic main event slot at the White House card in June 2026, and in his mind, Alex Pereira is the opponent that brings true legacy and long-term value.
Speaking on the Geoffrey Woo podcast, Jones took aim at Aspinall’s most recent performance, a no-contest against Ciryl Gane after an eye poke halted the fight. Jones questioned Aspinall’s reaction to the foul, suggesting that the British heavyweight was looking for a way out rather than trying to continue.
“His last situation with Ciryl Gane, he gets poked in the eye. Normally, you see fighters trying to see or asking the doctor to check it,” Jones said. “The doctor said he seemed fine and Tom said, ‘No, I can’t fight, I can’t see.’ The guy wasn’t trying to see. The guy didn’t want to see.”
Jones argued that Aspinall did not even cover the correct eye and implied he exaggerated the damage.
“I don’t think Tom really knew which eye was supposed to be more compromised,” Jones said. “He just knew there had been a foul and it was his way out.”
While he acknowledged Aspinall’s athleticism and skills, Jones reiterated that his interest lies in facing fighters whose legacies elevate his own.
“I still think Tom is an amazing athlete, a great fighter,” Jones said. “But I don’t feel like I need him, especially after his last performance. Just because someone is newer or more exciting doesn’t mean that they replace what is already here.”
On the other hand, Jones sees Alex Pereira as a rare opponent who brings both prestige and global resonance.
“He has that ‘it’ factor,” Jones said. “The brand he represents, the energy behind him will be remembered more than five years from now.”
Jones added that Pereira provides a more meaningful legacy fight, in contrast to Aspinall.
“Do you fight the guy who is impressive right now, who I don’t think anybody is really going to care about in a few years, or the guy who will be remembered around the world for a very long time?”
When asked about how he would approach matchups with Aspinall or Pereira, Jones emphasized his faith in his grappling power and fight IQ over their striking.
“I think my grappling power and wisdom would be a lot for either of them to handle,” Jones said. “With both of them, the clearest path to victory for me is getting them to the ground.”
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