It is almost 600 days ago and Jon Jones still has to unite the title against Tom Aspinall.
Instead of being confronted with the interim champion last year, the UFC Heavyweight Champion closed its first title defense against the 42-year-old former champion Stipe Miocic on UFC 309 in November.
After his TKO victory on Miocic, Jon Jones has not shown so much interest to then fight against the unmistakable Tom Aspinall, who opts for a reality TV program in Thailand opposite Nate Diaz, where he 'leads his best life to coconut nuts and hanging around with Hasbulla.
In the meantime, Aspinall, in turn, awaits with the cave of the consensus of all time in a super fight that may never happen.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty images
Michael Bisping tells Jon Jones to 'defend or abandon' heavyweight title
Jones, 37, fought generations of light heavyweights in his heyday, but is not so enthusiastic about Aspinall, who is six years younger and gets harder than 'bones'.
Just like how Mauricio Rua then gave a 21-year-old Jon Jones a chance on the title in 2011, former UFC Middleweight Champion Michael Bisping thinks it's time for Jones to give back the favor of Aspinall.
“For Jon not to give this man a chance, where other people gave him a chance …” said Michael Bisping on the Bohnfire with Mike Bohn.
“He was the youngest champion in this sport, and he is always talking about, there will always be younger guys who come by. Well, what about when you were fighting for the belt and you were the youngest person ever did it?
“You have that chance. And if you become the champion, there is an obligation to do that.
Bisping continued.
“Defense or abandoned, it's that simple.”
“And all these cryptic tweets and going out to Thailand and his best life and s Leiden – great. If that is what you want to do, congratulations, go, enjoy your life, but do the decent …”
Tony Ferguson gave a similar message to Conor McGregor before he was finally stripped of a lightweight title
Before Jon Jones claimed the heavyweight throne, Superster Conor McGregor held one of the most exciting divisions of the UFC with lightweight.
Instead of defending his newly won title against Tony Ferguson or Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2017, McGregor crossed to the boxing ring for a match of several millions of dollars against Floyd Mayweather.
Ferguson had been campaigning for the McGregor fight for some time and told the Irishman to 'defend or leave' the title.
“What about our division?” Ferguson told TNT Sports from McGregor's move to boxing in 2017.
“There are plenty of people beaten up, but I have to say defend or leave.
'If you don't hold that belt for a certain time, you let it go, son.
“If you just keep it up a little more, you have to let it go. You stuck to something that is just not there.”
After winning the title in November 2016, McGregor was finally stripped of the belt in April 2018 with Khabib Nurmagomedov who Aliaquinta was overtaking for the vacant belt.
McGregor's title Reign lasted 521 days without defense.
At the moment, the title line of Jones is almost twice as many in 810 days with a only deficiency defense about Stipe Miocic. Aspinall became the interim champion 558 days ago after an injury for Jones who took him out of his defending defense against Miocic on UFC 295.