Ben Askren is fairly shocked UFC CEO Dana White hasn’t switched gears towards a Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall unification bout quite than Jones vs. Stipe Miocic.
After Jones withdrew because of harm from his heavyweight title protection towards Miocic at UFC 295 this previous November, Aspinall as a substitute competed on the cardboard, knocking out Sergei Pavlovich in brief order to win the interim title. Since then, the bloom has seemingly fallen off of the proverbial rose when it comes to fan curiosity for a Jones vs. Miocic re-booking, particularly contemplating Miocic hasn’t fought since getting brutally knocked out by Francis Ngannou in March 2021. Aspinall continues to compete — he defended his interim belt with a knockout of Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 — main many to imagine the Englishman is the world’s greatest heavyweight.
Askren is now left questioning, why isn’t UFC pushing for Jones vs. Aspinall?
“I virtually really feel like possibly Jon’s acquired some grime on Dana or one thing, as a result of Dana usually wouldn’t put up with one of these conduct,” Askren stated on Funky & The Champ with Daniel Cormier. “He would say, and that is what the UFC is based on the place boxing [wasn’t], is, ‘We would like the most effective guys to combat. We need to see who the precise greatest man is. We don’t need to waste time with shenanigans, we gained’t need to pad data to go to 40-0, we don’t do this, that’s what boxing does. Within the UFC, we put the most effective guys in there and see who wins.’
“So the truth that Jon is being — I don’t need to say, [I don’t know] if allowed is the fitting time period, however Dana’s taking part in alongside, and letting him and Stipe combat. Stipe goes to be near 4 years [since his last fight] by the point they ever combat. … You have got this younger interim champion, he’s a beast, simply smashes individuals, and the truth that they gained’t put them in there collectively — after which there’s this good [chance] that Jon beats Stipe after which says, ‘I’m completed, I’m gone.’ And then you definately by no means get to see [Jones vs. Aspinall].”
Jones has competed simply as soon as up to now 4 years, capturing the vacant heavyweight title towards Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in March 2023.
Askren understands enterprise and placing on the largest fights potential, however in some unspecified time in the future, he argues it must be about the most effective two guys in a division competing for a world title.
“Dana virtually all the time presses these points with the most effective guys, it’s fairly uncommon when he hasn’t,” Askren stated. “Like Sean [O’Malley] and Merab [Dvalishvili], he’s making that occur. He let Sean combat ‘Chito,’ that was one combat, however now Sean and Merab are preventing.”
