‘I’ll say 100 per cent’ – Dana White confirms Jon Jones WILL fight Tom Aspinall in 2025 to unify UFC heavyweight division
Dana White has made a rare guarantee that Jon Jones will fight Tom Aspinall for the UFC heavyweight title in 2025. UFC President White is not usually one to make guarantees, but it looks like he’s made an exception for what could be the company’s biggest-ever fight. UFC President White [right] said he is 100% certain the fight will happenGetty Jones became the heavyweight champion following a move up in weight classes in 2023 by submitting Ciryl Gane on his return to MMA after a three-year hiatus at UFC 285. He then comfortably defended the belt in November against an aging Stipe Miocic, who has since retired from MMA. The 37-year-old previously dominated the UFC’s light heavyweights, defending the belt 13 times during a period when he was perched at the division’s summit for nearly 10 years. Aspinall, meanwhile, has cleared out the heavyweight division en route to UFC stardom since making his debut with White’s promotion in 2020. The former Cage Warriors fighter secured interim heavyweight champion status after stopping Sergei Pavlovich in one round at UFC 295 last November. He then retained the interim belt against Curtis Blaydes at UFC Manchester eight months later, and has called out Jones several times for a unification bout to no avail. When asked if Jones vs Aspinall is the biggest fight his promotion can put on in 2025 during UFC Tampa’s post-fight press conference, White cast no doubt on his thoughts regarding the clash. “I think it’s probably the biggest fight in heavyweight history,” White said. “And it’s a massive fight in the history of the company, too. It’s a big fight. White was then pressed by a journalist if he can 100% guarantee that the pair will meet in 2025. Aspinall has been waiting in the wings for a UFC title shot for monthsGETTY His response: “Yeah. I’ll say 100%.” In the buildup to his fight with Miocic and since retaining his title, ‘Bones’ has publicly remained adamant that he would prefer a fight with current light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. But White seemed to confirm that the words of the UFC heavyweight champion have been one big smokescreen. “So usually those guys say that s*** behind the scenes and not publicly,” White added. “Jon says that s*** publicly, but not behind the scenes. “Jon is a very unique individual to deal with. From day one, I’ve been confident that Jon Jones would do that fight. Colby Covington was beaten up badly by Joaquin Buckley in UFC Tampa’s main eventGetty “Right. I mean, even before the fight I said, if he won, there’s no way Jon doesn’t do this fight. “Jon Jones isn’t afraid to fight anybody, and that’s a fact…Jon Jones behind the scenes is not a guy that turns down fights.” UFC Tampa witnessed Joaquin Buckley climb up the welterweight rankings with a doctor’s stoppage victory over Colby Covington. Cub Swanson, meanwhile, knocked out Billy Quarantillo in the Fight of the Night, and Manel Kape was victorious over Bruno Silva in the last UFC card of 2024. White also went on to tease the media with other plans he has for next year. “I anticipate a lot of big fights,” he said. “I got something in the works right now. I’ll drive you f***ers crazy. All you guys will be running around. “I got something in the works that you will never see coming for 2025 that literally started to come together last night. We got some fun stuff coming up.”
Dana White has made a rare guarantee that Jon Jones will fight Tom Aspinall for the UFC heavyweight title in 2025.
UFC President White is not usually one to make guarantees, but it looks like he’s made an exception for what could be the company’s biggest-ever fight.
Jones became the heavyweight champion following a move up in weight classes in 2023 by submitting Ciryl Gane on his return to MMA after a three-year hiatus at UFC 285.
He then comfortably defended the belt in November against an aging Stipe Miocic, who has since retired from MMA.
The 37-year-old previously dominated the UFC’s light heavyweights, defending the belt 13 times during a period when he was perched at the division’s summit for nearly 10 years.
Aspinall, meanwhile, has cleared out the heavyweight division en route to UFC stardom since making his debut with White’s promotion in 2020.
The former Cage Warriors fighter secured interim heavyweight champion status after stopping Sergei Pavlovich in one round at UFC 295 last November.
He then retained the interim belt against Curtis Blaydes at UFC Manchester eight months later, and has called out Jones several times for a unification bout to no avail.
When asked if Jones vs Aspinall is the biggest fight his promotion can put on in 2025 during UFC Tampa’s post-fight press conference, White cast no doubt on his thoughts regarding the clash.
“I think it’s probably the biggest fight in heavyweight history,” White said. “And it’s a massive fight in the history of the company, too. It’s a big fight.
White was then pressed by a journalist if he can 100% guarantee that the pair will meet in 2025.
His response: “Yeah. I’ll say 100%.”
In the buildup to his fight with Miocic and since retaining his title, ‘Bones’ has publicly remained adamant that he would prefer a fight with current light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.
But White seemed to confirm that the words of the UFC heavyweight champion have been one big smokescreen.
“So usually those guys say that s*** behind the scenes and not publicly,” White added.
“Jon says that s*** publicly, but not behind the scenes.
“Jon is a very unique individual to deal with. From day one, I’ve been confident that Jon Jones would do that fight.
“Right. I mean, even before the fight I said, if he won, there’s no way Jon doesn’t do this fight.
“Jon Jones isn’t afraid to fight anybody, and that’s a fact…Jon Jones behind the scenes is not a guy that turns down fights.”
UFC Tampa witnessed Joaquin Buckley climb up the welterweight rankings with a doctor’s stoppage victory over Colby Covington.
Cub Swanson, meanwhile, knocked out Billy Quarantillo in the Fight of the Night, and Manel Kape was victorious over Bruno Silva in the last UFC card of 2024.
White also went on to tease the media with other plans he has for next year.
“I anticipate a lot of big fights,” he said.
“I got something in the works right now. I’ll drive you f***ers crazy. All you guys will be running around.
“I got something in the works that you will never see coming for 2025 that literally started to come together last night. We got some fun stuff coming up.”
