The heavyweight titan poised to defeat the UFC's greatest fighter. [OPINION]
A single poor performance can make fans and pundits question an athlete's place among the all-time greats, overlooking their prime. Statistics are twisted, narratives are rewritten, and new stories quickly take shape.Widely regarded as the greatest fighter of all time, 'Bones' plans to retire on top this year or next, with a rumored matchup against fellow UFC legend Stipe Miocic.
Bigger, younger, stronger, faster, better. It sounds cliché, but Aspinall is all these things and more when stacked against Jones. His resume is nothing to sniff at either, trumping tough stylistic matchups in Sergei Pavlovich and Curtis Blaydes, both fighters many considered stiff tests for heavyweight Jones.
First, let's circle back to Jones vs. Dominick Reyes, which many, including myself, scored for Reyes. Jones struggled with volume and aggression out of the gate in this fight. Reyes didn't respect Jones' range or his striking, opting to storm him with boxing combinations, smashing his parrying arm away and launching rib-crushing kicks. If Reyes could have kept that pace for one more round, that's an official loss on Jones' record.
The reality of this fantasy matchup is that Aspinall could make it completely anticlimactic, a one-round demolition job with no payoff. But that makes the fight so alluring: does Jones overcome one final hurdle? Or does Aspinall make MMA history?It's no secret that Jones, who debuted in the UFC at 21, was much younger than his opponents on his rise to fame. Jones has only fought three fighters in his career who were truly younger than him: Anthony Smith , Dominick Reyes , and Ciryl Gane .
Aside from Alex Pereira vs. Jones, a bout between Aspinall and Jones for the heavyweight strap would be the biggest fight the UFC could make this decade. The result matters less to me than the fact that it happens, although it's unlikely. Still, Aspinall is doing a great job of calling out Jones and building interest in the matchup, so there's always potential.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘Jon Jones Jumps for No One,’ UFC Champ Talks Tom Aspinall, Teases RetirementUFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones responds to ducking accusations in regards to Tom Aspinall and more.
Read more »
MMA And Boxing Today: Tom Aspinall Calls Out UFC Brass, Jon Jones, Event Schedule SetGet all of the latest headlines for Monday, Aug. 19.
Read more »
UFC News: Tom Aspinall Likens Stipe Miocic to Joe Biden, ‘Too Old’ to Fight Jon JonesInterim champ Aspinall wants to replace Miocic in the next UFC Heavyweight title fight.
Read more »
UFC’s Tom Aspinall: ‘Jon Jones Is Not an Idiot’ for Wanting ‘Way Easier’ FightAspinall gives his two cents on Jones pursuing a fight with Stipe Miocic rather than him.
Read more »
UFC Champ Tom Aspinall Confirmed As Backup Fighter For Jones-MiocicTom Aspinall’s path to an undisputed title shot is mapped out.
Read more »
Tom Aspinall retains UFC title, leaving door open for battle with Jon JonesTom Aspinall retained the UFC interim heavyweight championship with a punishing first-round knockout of Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 on Saturday night.
Read more »