Dana White drops bombshell update on Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall – as ‘Bones’ appears to finally give green light for UFC heavyweight mega-fight

Jones has long rebuffed advances to set up a clash to unify the belts at 215lbs

Interim heavyweight champ Aspinall as steamrolled the division since debuting

The bout would undoubtedly be one of the UFC’s biggest draws of the year

Dana White has provided a bombshell update on the much-desired potential mega-fight between Tom Aspinall and Jon Jones.

UFC heavyweight champion Jones has left his fighting future up in the air after knocking out 42-year-old former champion Stipe Miocic last November, insisting that he isn’t interested in competing in anything other than legacy bouts.

However, the man who is undoubtedly next in the line for the belt in British interim champion Tom Aspinall, who has steamrolled the heavyweight division on his way to the top.

Despite appearing a generational fighter and one that signifies a new age at 215lbs, Jones had so far rebuffed any advances from the UFC to set up a match against Aspinall to unify the belts, making his disinterest in fighting the much younger, heavier Brit known publicly on many occasions.

But according to UFC president White, ‘Bones’ has finally given the green light on stepping into the cage with Atherton’s finest – with the next point of call being logistics.

‘Jon Jones definitely wants the fight,’ White said. ‘Now we’re working on when and where.’

There is a strong case that Jones is the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, boasting the status as the UFC’s youngest ever champion at 23 years old, when he beat Shogun Rua for the light heavyweight title all the way back in 2011.

Jon Jones could finally be about to defend his heavyweight strap against Tom Aspinall

Jones is arguably the greatest fighter in UFC history and is the promotion’s youngest ever champion, winning the light heavyweight belt aged just 23 back in 2011

Tom Aspinall poses a whole new threat to Jones as a new breed of heavyweight in the UFC

He has since gone on the to establish himself as a seemingly untouchable in the combat, going unbeaten since first claiming gold, while also engaging in arguably the most heated rivalry of all time with Daniel Cormier.

Jones returned after a three-year hiatus in 2023 to prove that he still had what it takes at the top, barely breaking a sweat against heavyweight’s then next big thing Ciryl Gane to become a two-divisional champion.

However, fans now feel the threat to Jones’ supremacy is greater than ever – and that threat comes in the form of Aspinall.

After debuting in the UFC in 2020, Aspinall has gone on a tear at 215lbs – with each of his wins bar one not going past the first round.

That said, it appeared the UFC were more interested in pushing Russian bruiser Sergei Pavlovich into the stratosphere, placing him as the backup for Jones’ initial fight with Miocic in 2021.

But when Jones pulled out with injury and Miocic wasn’t interested in getting flatlined by the up-and-comer, Aspinall stepped in on two weeks notice – and proceeded to sleep Pavlovich in one minute and nine seconds of the very first round to become interim heavyweight champion.

Aspinall then went onto defend his belt against Curtis Blaydes – the only blotch on his UFC record after suffering a freak knee injury 15 seconds into his first meeting with the American.

He dispatched the contender with ease before promptly calling Jones out the only way Aspinall knows how – like an absolute gent.

Aspinall proved his worth as the next big thing by sleeping Russian knockout artist Sergei Pavlovich, who had the rocket strapped to him by the UFC, on two weeks notice

Jones has previously rebuffed advances to get a fight with Aspinall signed to unify the belts

But Dana White has now revealed Jones is finally on board, a major boost for Aspinall

‘Hello Jon, I have nothing against you personally, but I just think I’m better than you,’ Aspinall said following victory at UFC 304. ‘I know I can beat you in a fight.’

Despite this relatively polite plea from Aspinall, Jones has not taken kindly to calls to share the Octagon the Brit, branding the interim champion an ‘a**hole’.

But now, after months of strain, it appears progress is finally being made towards getting a fight signed, with Jones now at long last on board, according to White.

While nothing is confirmed just yet, Jones vs Aspinall has now surely jumped up the pecking order of fights fans will be hotly anticipating an official announcement for.