Rashad Evans, a former opponent of Jon Jones, has shared his conflicting thoughts regarding Jones`s possible return to the UFC.
The current UFC heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, is reportedly in ongoing negotiations with the promotion for a potential title unification bout against interim champion Tom Aspinall later this year. While the fight seems likely, not everyone is entirely convinced or supportive of the potential clash between Jones and Aspinall.
After Jones secured his first title defense by defeating former heavyweight king Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, attention quickly shifted towards making the Aspinall fight a reality. However, despite six months passing, the heavyweight title picture remains unclear, leaving many questions unanswered.
Both Aspinall and Jones have recently hinted at positive news about the fight being forthcoming, including Jones showcasing his collection of fight posters. Yet, Jones`s return to the Octagon is not yet a guaranteed conclusion. In the meantime, one of Jones`s past adversaries is questioning whether he should actually go through with one final fight inside the cage.
Rashad Evans Voices Concerns About Jon Jones`s Potential Fight Against Tom Aspinall
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Rashad Evans admitted to having mixed feelings about Jones making a comeback.
“Here’s the thing I’m kind of torn about it,” Evans stated. “I feel like the part of me, the fan side of me definitely wants to see it. I want to see it for sure. But the other part of me who’s like very impressed with what Jon Jones is able to do, want to see him go out on top and not even have to [fight again]. Because there’s the thing about it, there’s always going to be somebody. He beats Tom Aspinall, people [will say] yeah, there’s this new guy. There’s always going to be that last dragon to vanquish. Part of me can respect him for not taking the fight, but another part of me is just like man, you better step the f— up and beat this boy. I’m kind of mixed about it to be honest.”
Evans went on to speculate about Jones`s potential motivations for pursuing one last high-stakes fight against the rising contender, Aspinall.
He added, “I don’t know Jon Jones now and I don’t know if there’s a part of him that needs this in a way. There’s sometimes that you can be in something for so long that it just becomes so much a part of who you are, rediscovering yourself in a different frame outside of it is maybe not something that you’re ready to explore, and maybe not something you’re ready to give up.”
Jones and Evans previously faced off at UFC 145 in what was Jones`s third defense of the light heavyweight title. Jones secured a unanimous decision victory. Before becoming rivals, Jones and Evans were close friends and long-time training partners at Jackson-Wink MMA in New Mexico, until Evans left the gym after a notable falling out.
Leading up to his most recent victory over Miocic, Jones had initially hinted at a potential super fight against the then-UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira as an alternative to the Aspinall bout. However, following Pereira`s loss to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313, the prospect of a Jones vs. Pereira fight was no longer part of the conversation.
Tom Aspinall Holds Unwanted Record While Waiting for Jon Jones
Tom Aspinall recently became the longest-reigning interim champion in UFC history. He earned the interim title with a quick knockout win over Sergei Pavlovich on short notice at UFC 295 and successfully defended it by finishing Curtis Blaydes in the first round at UFC 304 last July.
Tensions between Jones and Aspinall have increased significantly in recent months as negotiations for their potential fight remain in a holding pattern. Despite the delays, Aspinall recently hinted that he was `sworn to secrecy` regarding a potential fight announcement after meeting with UFC CBO Hunter Campbell in London earlier this year.
As the wait for the Jones vs. Aspinall fight continues, the debate over its potential outcome rages on. Evans, reflecting on his long and complex history with Jones, contemplates how he would handle the current situation if he were in Jones`s position.
Rupert Hartwell