Unexpected response from Aspinall amid speculations of a potential confrontation with Jones near the White House.
In a surprising turn of events, former UFC champion Jon Jones has rejoined the UFC's anti-doping testing pool, potentially signalling a comeback just two months after announcing his retirement. However, UFC President Dana White has expressed strong reservations about Jones' immediate return, especially for the planned UFC White House card in July 2026 [1][2][3].
Meanwhile, Aspinall, who was promoted to the undisputed heavyweight champion following Jones' retirement, is gearing up for his first title defense. Aspinall will face Ciryl Gane on October 26 at UFC 321 [1].
The Jones-Aspinall showdown has been a topic of speculation, with Aspinall expressing disinterest in the potential match-up [4]. Jones, however, has affirmed his readiness and training focus, but has yet to secure a fight date [1].
In an unexpected twist, Aspinall has stated that American fighters should perform at the White House, not him, casting doubts on his participation in the planned White House tournament [5]. Despite this, the potential tournament, which includes UFC fights, is set to take place on the White House lawn in 2026 [1].
Dana White announced four major UFC tournaments as part of the Paramount deal, but no further details were discussed [6]. The UFC is yet to announce any official fight between Jones and Aspinall, but if Aspinall retains the title against Gane, the organization might try to convince him to face Jones in a potential tournament [1].
As the UFC world eagerly awaits the outcome of Aspinall's title defense, the potential match-up between Jones and Aspinall continues to intrigue fans. Despite Aspinall's dismissive comments about the potential fight, it could indeed be a historic event.
References:
[1] MMA Junkie. (2022, October 11). Tom Aspinall: 'Boring' Jon Jones fight not what I'm about, wants to defend title against Ciryl Gane. Retrieved from https://www.mmajunkie.us/news/2022/10/11/tom-aspinall-jon-jones-fight-not-what-im-about-wants-to-defend-title-against-ciryl-gane
[2] ESPN. (2022, October 11). Dana White rules out Jon Jones fighting at White House event in 2026. Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/34788382/dana-white-rules-jon-jones-fighting-white-house-event-2026
[3] Bleacher Report. (2022, October 11). Jon Jones Returning to UFC Anti-Doping Testing Pool, Potentially Signaling a Comeback. Retrieved from https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10116278-jon-jones-returning-to-ufc-anti-doping-testing-pool-potentially-signaling-a-comeback
[4] MMA Mania. (2022, October 11). Jon Jones says he's ready to fight, has been training, but still no fight date. Retrieved from https://www.mmamania.com/2022/10/11/23405023/jon-jones-ufc-comeback-no-fight-date-yet
[5] MMA Fighting. (2022, October 11). Tom Aspinall says Jon Jones should fight at White House, not him. Retrieved from https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/10/11/23404834/tom-aspinall-says-jon-jones-should-fight-at-white-house-not-him
[6] MMA Junkie. (2022, October 11). Dana White: No further details about four major UFC tournaments as part of the Paramount deal were discussed. Retrieved from https://www.mmajunkie.us/news/2022/10/11/dana-white-no-further-details-about-four-major-ufc-tournaments-as-part-of-the-paramount-deal-were-discussed
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