The ongoing saga surrounding the UFC heavyweight title, involving Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall, continues to unfold, potentially leading to disappointment for fight fans.
Due to repeated delays involving Jon Jones, the prospect of a heavyweight title unification bout between `Bones` and Tom Aspinall seemed increasingly unlikely.
Despite the uncertainty, Aspinall recently offered a hint of positive news earlier this week, stating he was bound by secrecy but now fully aware of the situation`s details.
Shortly after Aspinall`s update, UFC Hall of Famer Chael Sonnen ignited excitement among fans by claiming that the fight between Jones and Aspinall had not only been agreed upon but also had a date set.
Sonnen Changes Course with `Breaking News`
However, the former UFC star has now significantly altered his previous stance, offering a rather surprising new revelation.
“You guys probably haven’t heard this, you’re probably getting this right from me,” Sonnen stated in a recent video posted to his YouTube channel.
“The current plan right now is Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane, are you ready, for the interim championship.”
“Now, I will back the moves with full integrity in place because our overarching theme… Is we fiercely adhere to the rules that we make up as we go, so I’m on board. I like anything that ends in world championship, but that’s a pretty hard sell,” Sonnen added.
This new claim from Sonnen is particularly startling because Aspinall has consistently emphasized that his focus is solely on the undisputed title, not just fighting Jon Jones specifically. He has stated he will only compete again if it`s for the undisputed championship.
Furthermore, Ciryl Gane`s last fight against Alexander Volkov at UFC 310 resulted in a win that was widely considered controversial, even disputed by Dana White himself, which further casts doubt on Sonnen`s latest suggestion.
Aspinall and Gane: A Past Connection
This isn`t the first time Aspinall and Gane have been considered potential opponents for each other.
After Aspinall suffered a serious injury in his first fight against Curtis Blaydes, he was looking for opponents upon his return and publicly named `Bon Gamin` as a fighter he was interested in facing.
At that time, Gane reportedly declined Aspinall`s offer, stating he had no interest in fighting someone ranked below him. However, following Aspinall`s subsequent capture of the interim title, Gane has since indicated a willingness to fight the Brit.
Rupert Hartwell