Tom Aspinall calls for the UFC to strip Jon Jones of his heavyweight title: “I should be the real champion”

Tom Aspinall has called for the UFC to strip Jon Jones of his heavyweight title.

It was just last weekend at UFC 295 that Aspinall (14-3 MMA) defeated Sergei Pavlovich (18-2 MMA) by KO to claim the interim heavyweight belt.

The UFC is planning to have Jon Jones (27-1 MMA) defend his heavyweight title belt against Stipe Miocic in 2024. The two were supposed to fight at UFC 295, but ‘Bones’ had to withdraw due to an injury he suffered during training.

The 30-year-old Aspinall is calling foul – as he believes Jones should be stripped of the title as he recovers from a pectoral tear. Aspinall in fact believes he should be given the official UFC heavyweight title.

Aspinall, speaking with Michael Bisping shared the following:

“I think Jon Jones should be stripped from the title to be honest, because everyone else does when they get injured like that. I don’t see why he’s still got it. I don’t understand that. I think I should be the real champion right now.”

Continuing the Brit said:

“It’s hard to say without sounding rude, but who’s asked about Jon Jones and Stipe anymore? Why do we get this legacy fight, and they get to live by their own rules? What’s a legacy fight, a retirement fight for a title? I want to fight Stipe and then I want to fight Jon Jones. … I think all this other stuff is rubbish. Stop protecting him now. Stop protecting your boy Jon Jones at the top. If he’s injured, get out of the way and I’ll fight Stipe.”

Tom Aspinall believes he should be the one to defend the title against Stipe Miocic next (h/t MMAJunkie):

“That fight is completely dead in the water now. You have a new champion at the weight, which is me. You got Stipe, who by the time Jon Jones comes back will have fought once in four years, and he’s 42 years old, and he’s got one fight where he got knocked out, and now he’s going to fight Jones, who’s coming off a big injury and again had one fight in three years.”

Concluding, Aspinall said:

“Again, who’s going to be bothered by that fight in a years time? Let’s move on. I’m the champion now. I’ll fight Stipe, he’s available. Me and Stipe will fight, and then when I beat Stipe, I’ll fight Jon Jones.”

Do you agree with Tom Aspinall that he should be declared the champion and not the ‘interim’ champion?

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