In 2020, after Stipe Miocic stopped Daniel Cormier in their rubber match to retain the heavyweight title, that fans would have been salivating over a Miocic match-up with Jon Jones. Those days, though, are long since passed.
But, like it or not, Jones is going to fight Miocic next, probably in November at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Two fights in the last three weeks have made massive statements while Miocic has sat on his couch at his home in Ohio watching on television like the rest of us. There are three potential opponents for Jones, the UFC’s heavyweight champion, in his next defense and if you polled fans about who they’d want to see face Jones, it’s almost certain Miocic would come in third.
Tom Aspinall, the interim heavyweight champion, made a bold statement Saturday where it should be made, inside the Octagon at Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England, in the co-main event of UFC 304. Aspinall, who has finished all 15 of his professional victories, knocked Curtis Blaydes down with a jab and finished him at exactly the one-minute mark of the first round.
In his last three fights, Aspinall has simply knocked out Marcin Tybura in 1:13; finished Sergei Pavlovich in 1:09 to claim the interim belt and then stopped Blaydes on Saturday in a minute in Manchester.
Contrast that to Miocic, a great guy and a once-great champion, who will turn 42 in three weeks; who hasn’t fought since March 27, 2021, when he was kayoed by Francis Ngannou and who hasn’t won since he defeated Cormier on Aug. 15, 2020.
Light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has to be in the conversation given what he has accomplished in the last year-plus. In his last three bouts, he’s knocked out Jiri Prochazka twice in the second round and knocked out Jamahal Hill in the first round. After defeating Prochazka on June 29, he said he wanted a shot at Jones.
Pereira has fought nine times since Miocic last competed and Aspinall, who suffered a serious knee injury in 2022, fought six times.
How in the world can Miocic, who is 2-2 in his last four, get the next shot at the champion?
A heavyweight title shot isn’t — or at least shouldn’t be — a lifetime achievement award. That’s, though, what it seems like it is if Miocic is given the fight. If he wants to come back, he should have to face an elite challenger to prove he deserves a shot at the belt again. But barring that, it’s mind-boggling how anyone could rationalize giving Miocic the shot at Jones.
Tom has a message for Jon Jones 👀#UFC304 | @AspinallMMA pic.twitter.com/rFJE5fIfn1
— UFC (@ufc) July 28, 2024
Aspinall is extremely quick, has heavy hands, good technical striking and elite jiu-jitsu. It's a lethal combination.
"I'm the best finisher in the UFC," Aspinall said flatly, a statement which is hard to dispute.
He may well be the best heavyweight in the world now. Jones has fought once at heavyweight, and was impressive in beating Ciryl Gane by submission in the first round at UFC 285 on March 4, 2023. Gane, though, had little ground game.
Jones' legendary career at light heavyweight and the run of extraordinary wins he has means that he'll remain the greatest fighter in the sport's history, but it's up for debate as to who the greatest heavyweight is right now.
It for sure isn't Miocic, who perhaps should fight Pereira if he wants to come back. That would do one of two things, both of which would be good in an attempt to sort out the heavyweight picture. First, it would establish Miocic as a legitimate contender with a win. Or, if Pereira wins, it would establish his bonafides at heavyweight, and with titles at middleweight and light heavyweight, he'd be uniquely positioned to become the first three-division champion in UFC history.
Aspinall, though, had his mind squarely on Jones, who has routinely been ignoring him.
"Hello, Jon," Aspinall said in the cage after his win. "Nothing against you personally, but I just think I'm better than you. I just know that. So I'm coming for it."
At the post-fight news conference, UFC CEO Dana White indicated Jones-Miocic will be next. It was an expected position, though highly disappointing.
The UFC has made their belts mean something by having the champions defend them against the best opposition. Giving the shot to Miocic next goes against everything the promotion has stood for, yet White stood firm.
"There's no doubt that whoever wins the fight between Jon Jones and Stipe, is a great fight for Aspinall," White said.
It's a great fight for Aspinall NOW. It's a better fight for the fans now. And it's better for Jones, because if he defeats Miocic and heads into retirement without meeting Aspinall, there will always be questions about his reign at heavyweight.
White couldn't be more wrong in this stance.
Keep the value of the belts high and make the two best fighters compete for it. The fight to make is Jones versus Aspinall. After what Aspinall has done, and what Miocic hasn't done, nothing else makes sense.