Jon Jones has been in the UFC since 2008, having been champion since 2011 in different stints of his career, and with only one disqualification loss as his lone flaw on his career resume. Despite his downfalls outside of the Octagon, Jones has continuously been labeled as not just the only reigning pound-for-pound number one fighter, but the greatest fighter of all-time throughout history.
While he’s been on the sideline recovering from a torn pectoral muscle in preparation for his heavyweight title fight against Stipe Miocic, Jones continuously hears his name being called out by other rising stars in the UFC. After multiple title defenses at Light Heavyweight, reigning champion Alex Pereira has heard his name called to fight Jones, although the road to that fight is more difficult than Tom Aspinall’s journey.
Aspinall, the reigning interim Heavyweight champion just defended his interim title against Curtis Blaydes last month at UFC 304 and immediately grabbed the microphone to call out Jones, politely. It certainly wasn’t a bad callout for Aspinall as Jones is still the reigning Heavyweight champion, but for the masses to call for Jones to fight either man, doesn’t really make sense in the grand scheme.
Jon Jones has had his legacy as a world champion, rare-breed of UFC fighter cemented for years. With a controversial disqualification as the only low of his record, Jones has beaten everyone sent his way, many of whom are considered the best of their generation, and he has done so with relative ease throughout his entire career.
Too often, there are calls for a fighter who is currently on the rise or at the pinnacle of their career, to fight the biggest name available to them. This is the case for both Aspinall and Pereira who, respectively, worked their way into the spotlight and definitely deserve a massive fight, but Jones has no reason to be their Huckleberry.
The reality is, Jones has nothing more to show, prove, or earn at this stage in his career. That is why keeping the fight against Stipe Miocic is what the UFC has done and it should be the only plan for Jones at this point. For a man who did it all at light heavyweight, the move to heavyweight was one to just add to his legacy, and since he’s become champion, the only thing left to do is cement his legacy in the division against the greatest champion in history of the division.
Tom Aspinall and Alex Pereira have done incredible feats in their careers, they’ve blazed their own path, and in their own right, they’re the next stars of the UFC. Jon Jones has earned the right to choose the best fight for him, he’s also earned the right to say no.
In the history of the UFC there have been several high-profiled fights that were never made but called for repeatedly. That shouldn’t mean the next high-profiled megafight needs to happen because there have been missed opportunities before, these things happen in MMA.
When Jon Jones eventually steps inside the Octagon, it’ll more than likely be to face Stipe Miocic, because the history of the heavyweight division deserves that fight, both men deserve that fight, and they’ve earned that right.
There will be other big names who rise to the top while Pereira and Aspinall are at the top, and their individual focus should be to keep their claim as the current best, rather than chase a man who has no desire, need, or responsibility to face either of them.
