Ilia Topuria refutes the idea that Jon Jones is afraid of fighting Tom Aspinall.
The UFC has a new undisputed heavyweight champion and his name is Tom Aspinall. An interim title holder since November 2023, Aspinall was eventually promoted to the undisputed champion as a result of the official pension of Jones on Saturday.
The 37-year-old Jones ends his legendary career after 30 pro fights and an undefeated record in title fights.
'Bones' was not so interested in fighting Aspinall before and after his last defending defense took place against Stipe Miocic on UFC 309 last November and a huge UFC payment day could not convince him otherwise.
Jon Jones has received mixed reactions from the UFC world after his retirement, in which some express their respect to the all time and others accuse the former heavyweight champion of 'Ducking' Aspinall.
Prior to his lightweight title fight on UFC 317, unbeaten UFC -Superster Ilia Topuria has given his two cents about the situation.
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
“He just wants to retire” … Ilia Topuria says that Jon Jones is not running from Tom Aspinall
In the past, Topuria accused lightweight champion and pound-for-pound King Islam Makhachev of diving a fight with him when Makhachev decided to leave the division to pursue a second belt in welterweight.
Now, instead of fighting against Makhachev on UFC 317, Topuria will fight against Charles Oliveira this weekend for the empty title.
On Monday the Spaniard was asked if he sees any similarities between Makhachev and Jones, who retire before he fought against Aspinall.
“Not at all. You can't even compare that situation,” said Topuria in the Ariel Helwani show.
“You can't compare Jon Jones with Islam.
“Jon has done so many great things in the sport. He fought the best of the best in the past ten years. So I don't think he is diving someone.
“He just wants to retire. He might be tired of the game or whatever, and he wants to retire. I don't think he dives someone because you can always find a man [new]”He's the next one [to beat Jones]. '
“Even if he beats Tom Aspinall, someone will be new.”
Quote: 'Tom Aspinall has the legacy of Jon Jones in his hands'
Although Aspinall may have no distinctions that Jones has, some believe that Jones's refusal to fight Asinall will leave a spot on his overall inheritance as perhaps the greatest hunter of all time.
That of course largely depends on what kind of title Reign Aspinall has on heavyweight now that he is the undisputed champion.
“Tom Aspinall has the legacy of Jon Jones in his hands,” said MMA producer Eric Jackman in the show of Ariel Helwani.
“If Aspinall goes out and becomes the big heavyweight as I believe he can be, Jon Ei will have on his face and this will become an indelible part of his estate.
“He will be inextricably linked to Tom's turnout,” Jackman said about Jones.
“But if Tom Aspinall loses his next fight, it has no real impact on Jon's inheritance.
“In fact, people will rewrite history and say that Tom was not equipped for it, that he was not ready. And if he had fought against Jon at that time, Jon would probably have won,” Jackman explained how the story could possibly change with an Aspinall loss.