Dec 14, 2024; Tampa, Florida, UNITED STATES; UFC CEO Dana White watches the fight between Cub Swanson (red gloves) and Billy Quarantillo (blue gloves) at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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Despite Online Backlash, Dana White Claims Jon Jones Said Yes To Tom Aspinall Fight

Dana White sheds light on the impending Jon Jones fighting to unify his title against the interim champion Tom Aspinall!

The heavyweight division has been a mess for months now, and Jon Jones sits right in the middle of it all. The former light heavyweight king moved up to heavyweight and grabbed the title, but instead of cleaning up the division, he’s created more drama than a reality TV show. Fans have been screaming for a unification bout with interim champion Tom Aspinall. Meanwhile Jones keeps talking about legacy fights and retirement plans.

Social media became Jones’ playground this week as he went on another one of his famous tweet storms. The heavyweight champion teased retirement again, explained why he won’t fight Aspinall, and even called out Francis Ngannou who hasn’t been with the UFC since 2023. But while fans were pulling their hair out over his latest social media antics, Dana White dropped a bombshell that nobody saw coming.

Dana White Drops The Truth Bomb

During the UFC 316 post-fight press conference at Newark’s Prudential Center, White caught everyone off guard with his latest revelation about the Jones situation. When journalists pressed him about whether the Jones vs Aspinall fight would actually happen, the UFC CEO didn’t dance around the question like he usually does. Instead, he delivered a statement that left the room buzzing with confusion and excitement.

White stated clearly that Jon Jones had already accepted the fight with Tom Aspinall. Not only that, but he claimed Jones was offered a deal and said yes to it. The UFC boss dropped this information like he was ordering coffee, completely casual about what should have been massive news. When reporters asked him to clarify because they couldn’t believe what they had just heard. White doubled down on his statement without hesitation.

“Yeah, I’ve been saying it since the beginning…Jon Jones agreed to do the fight. Jon Jones was offered the deal and accepted the deal.”

This revelation creates a fascinating contradiction with Jones’ recent social media behavior. The champion has been publicly explaining why he doesn’t want to fight Aspinall and talking about retirement. White insists that behind the scenes, Jones already agreed to the bout.

Dana White Not Interested In The Francis Ngannou Fight

White also used the press conference to slam the door on any hopes of a Jones vs Ngannou superfight. The UFC president emphasized that they have been talking to Aspinall about this opportunity forever. He is just not interested in chasing after fighters who aren’t under contract.

The Ngannou situation highlights one of the biggest problems with modern heavyweight boxing and MMA. Champions and contenders keep looking past deserving challengers to chase bigger paydays elsewhere. Ngannou left the UFC in 2023 after contract disputes, fought Tyson Fury in boxing, and now everyone wants to bring him back for one massive payday. Meanwhile, Aspinall has been sitting there as interim champion, doing everything right and getting ignored!

(Image Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck – Imagn Images)

Dana White

Jon Jones

Tom Aspinall

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!