Title: Why the UFC Needs Jon Jones to Fall to Tom Aspinall, Says Daniel Cormier
Daniel Cormier suggests the UFC might need to develop a grudge against Jon Jones, despite the former two-division champion's reign of hostilities ending long ago. Cormier discusses the rumored $30 million payday for Jones' heavyweight title fight with Tom Aspinall, willing to bet that the number will not reach that figure but deeming it a reasonable ask. Cormier is aware of Jones' potential departure from the sport after the fight, which could leave the UFC with a substantial financial hole to fill.
Cormier stated, "Jones leaves, and you can do whatever you want. We could go Aspinall versus [Alex] Pereira, Aspinall versus this guy, or that guy. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter because, even though Francis Ngannou isn’t the name that Jon Jones is, people were saying when Jones became champ, ‘Well, he didn’t beat Francis,' right? There was a break in the heavyweight championship timeline. If you want to say it like that, we can make massive fights, but it will never overcome the idea that Jon Jones left as the champ. And then that would happen two times back to back. So it'd be a massive mistake. They've got to get him in there with Aspinall. And you've got to hope that Aspinall wins if you want the heavyweight title to continue being what the heavyweight title has been. Because if he doesn’t, and Jones goes, ‘I’m walking away as the greatest of all time, as the reigning heavyweight champion,’ it leaves a gap that's hard to fill."
Time may ease the sting of old animosities, and it could bring forth a champion with a stronger public perception. Conor McGregor took command of the featherweight division, dominating the title before transitioning into a proven megastar. While McGregor never relinquished the featherweight title, the man who usurped it, Jose Aldo, achieved legendary status upon recapturing it later.
Newly crowned champions may not enjoy an immediate surge in reputation, but time eventually cultivates an air of prestige around them, provided the succeeding champion demonstrates title-worthy prowess.
- UFC fans are eagerly awaiting the news of when Jon Jones will be facing Tom Aspinall at UFC 315, following Daniel Cormier's suggestions.
- Despite Daniel Cormier's doubts about the $30 million payday for Jon Jones' heavyweight title fight with Tom Aspinall, some sources suggest that it could indeed be a reality.
- If Jon Jones defeats Tom Aspinall at UFC 315, as suggested by Daniel Cormier, it could leave a substantial void in the UFC after Jones' potential departure from the sport.
- In the absence of Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones, Tom Aspinall has a chance to emerge as the new UFC champion, as suggested by Cormier, and potentially bring a new era of dominance to the division.
