Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez believes Jon Jones will make it look easy against Tom Aspinall.
UFC heavyweight titleholder Jon Jones and interim titleholder Tom Aspinall are expected to clash to unify the heavyweight titles later this year. After Jones defended the title by stopping Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, Aspinall is the most logical option for his returning opponent.
At the time of writing, Jones is in active negotiations with the UFC to potentially return for at least one more fight. This is a strong pivot from his previous retirement leading up to UFC 309.
As negotiations between Jones and Aspinall continue, fans and pundits are starting to imagine what the fight could look like inside the Octagon. Some believe Aspinall could be the one to dethrone Jones from the UFC's top ranks and put a damper on Jones' UFC GOAT case.
Aspinall possesses unusual speed and technique for a heavyweight, but former UFC champion Cain Velasquez believes that won't be enough to faze Jones in the cage.
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Cain Velasquez sides with Jon Jones in the fight with Tom Aspinall
During a recent interview on The MMA Hour, Velasquez shared his pick for Jones vs. Aspinall.
'I don't think so [Aspinall wins],” said Velásquez. “So when I look at him, I can kind of see his pattern, the way he comes in with his shots. I think Jon sees it too. Jon, he studies people, he does his homework. He is a master at that, analyzes things and studies you again and again. Just for that reason, I guess [Jon] will know what to do…
“Everyone has a pattern. Some people hide it better than others. The way Tom comes in and fights has a pattern that's a little easier to fight… when he comes in and attacks, it's 100 percent, full out. Slides in, charges in and does his attack. Not that it isn't effective, it is, he has done great things with it. But something about Jon Jones is… I think that's what makes him beat him.”
To be fair, Aspinall has done an excellent job of disguising his fighting patterns during his UFC tenure. He has recent victories over Marcin Tybura, Curtis Blaydes and Sergei Pavlovich, finishing all three with ease.
But Jones' strong schedule during his UFC career means Aspinall may not have a puzzle he hasn't seen before. Despite previous questions about his move to heavyweight, he has silenced his previous opponents by dissecting Miocic and Ciryl Gane.
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Jones and Aspinall have been trading barbs in recent months ahead of their likely grudge match. Before UFC 309, Jones refused to do business with Aspinall after their recent back-and-forth, even going so far as to pitch a potential Alex Pereira fight instead.
Barring a dramatic twist, the Aspinall fight could be Jones' last appearance in the Octagon. Meanwhile, Aspinall is considered a top candidate to lead the UFC heavyweight division into the future.
Velasquez will play Jones vs. Keep a close eye on Aspinall when the fight wraps up later this year. But for Velasquez, Jones' rigorous preparation and game planning will be the difference in the cage.
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