Jon Jones Dodges a Bullet as Fan Puts Him in a Tough Spot With Tom Aspinall Question

“Honestly, who cares now? I’m done with waiting.” Robert Whittaker‘s laugh on the MMArcade Podcast might come from frustration as the topic shifted to the Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall situation. What was once the most hyped heavyweight matchup in recent memory has now become a source of mounting irritation. That frustration has led to the now-infamous “Strip Jon Jones” petition, whose signature count keeps climbing. And through it all, ‘Bones’ continues to feed the uncertainty.

The reigning heavyweight champion living his best life in Thailand has generated a whirlwind of reaction among fans and various pundits. Although there were cryptic messages that at first showed the fight might still happen, in the end, they only generated more confusion. Meanwhile, while fans grilled ‘Bones’ for keeping everything in the dark, UFC head honcho Dana White was the only one who kept the hope alive, confidently stating on multiple occasions that the heavyweight fight would happen.

Along with meeting Hasbulla and filming with Nate Diaz, holding an MMA seminar at Bangtao Muay Thai—which is co-owned by featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski—was also on the list. So, the champ was present there to share his knowledge with aspiring martial artists, and that’s where he also had to face the inevitable question from a fan. 

In a Q&A session, a fan straight-up asked him, “When are you fighting Tom?” Well, that’s a question Jones has probably heard a million times by now. He responded, “The UFC and I have a lot of stuff happening, so we’ll see. They’re one of the biggest organizations in sports. Right now, Tom and I have agreed to wait until the UFC makes their announcement. So, I’m legally obligated not to talk about it.”

Although the heavyweight king’s statement didn’t reveal much in terms of details, it hinted that something’s been brewing behind the scenes. Jones already mentioned in a Twitter row that he’s shared his plans with the UFC, but we’re still waiting to find out what those are. So, that “legal obligation” is expected to come to light sometime soon. And if that reaction wasn’t frustrating enough, his answer to another question might just send already waiting fans straight to the Mariana Trench of despair.

Jon Jones gives another cryptic message about his possible comeback

It’s been a roller coaster ride with Jon Jones and his statements about the heavyweight fight, going a little up and down. Tom Aspinall has already surpassed Renan Barão as the interim champion in the UFC, and he’s also opened up about the mental frustration he’s been dealing with throughout this whole situation. The Brit has been chasing the unification bout for a year and fears any further delay. 

But during the Bangtao Muay Thai session, another fan asked Jon Jones when the world would see his infamous eye-pokes once again. The heavyweight champ answered, “Next year.” Well,  that’s a response that many wouldn’t like. Although he hasn’t said outright, that could mean he’s aiming to fight sometime in 2026.

It’s already 2025, and as mentioned, Aspinall has been waiting to unify his interim belt since he defeated Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304. If this fight somehow gets pushed to next year for any reason, it wouldn’t just make Aspinall mad, it would also stall the entire heavyweight division. Alexander Volkov has already voiced his displeasure, and further delay would make many divisional fighters upset. 

That being said, we’re still waiting on a lot of details that might come to light as we get closer to November. But with all the uncertainty, especially on Jones’ side, how do you think things will play out? And will Dana White finally step in and take matters into his own hands? Let us know in the comments below.

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