Matt Brown warned Tom Aspinall against continuing to wait for Jon Jones without an insured fight.
Interim UFC heavyweight title holder Tom Aspinall broke the record for the longest interim champion governments in the UFC history earlier this year. While he continues to wait for the potential return from Jon Jones to the Octagon, Aspinall defended the interim -belt against Curtis Blaydes last July and did not fight since the UFC 304 finish.
In the past few weeks, Jones has bullied and rotated on retirement while he continues to wait Asinall for a chance for the undisputed title. Despite uncertainty, UFC CEO Dana White remains convinced that the Jones vs. Aspinall Matchup will flourish later this year.
Aspinall's long waiting time for Jones has drawn comparisons with Michael Chandler's multi-year waiting for Conor McGregor, before Chandler returned to the Octagon to look at Charles Oliveira on UFC 309. After the end of his Hiatus, Chandler Fight lost for Oliveira and paddy McGregor fight fell out of the photo.
Jon Jones on stage at the UFC 285 press conference, commit Tom Aspinall on stage at the UFC 304 press conference. Credit: Chris Unger/Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC
Matt Brown presses Tom Aspinall to resume the regular UFC activity
A recently retired UFC fan -favorite warned Aspinall against possibly the same fate as Chandler.
In a recent episode of MMA Fighting's The Fighter vs. The Writer Podcast advised UFC legend Matt Brown Aspinall in the midst of his long wait for the Jones fight.
“I just look at that when the [Michael] Chandler situation with Conor [McGregor]. Just fight, “said Brown about Aspinall.
'Keep your name out of it. Keep showing that you are the man to fight him. Continue to build up your estate. Keep your name out of the news. Keep showing the world that you are the man who should fight him.
“If it is true, your business will become stronger and stronger. If you are on the sidelines, it doesn't really help your business.”
Aspinall earned the UFC-Interim heavyweight title in a short-notice knockout victory on Sergei Pavlovich on UFC 295. Jones was supposed to head the opposite Stipe Miocic before he withdrew due to an injury.
Top heavyweight tears Jon Jones for 'privilege' in the midst of stuck Tom Aspinall Fight Talks
Jones is accused of deliberately 'mentally tiring' Aspinall with the long wait for an undisputed announcement of the title fight. Aspinall has opened the struggles of motivated and composed, and how the absence of Jones has influenced his personal life.
In recent days, a top heavyweight competition accused the UFC of granting Jones the unfair privilege to leave the title photo of the Division in Flux. Alexander Volkov expressed frustrations that Jones held the division up.
Jones defended the heavyweight title by eliminating Miocic on UFC 309 in November. Despite the tease of retirement in the structure of the fight, Jones played in that attitude in his interview after the fight with Joe Rogan.