Many individuals want to see Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall battle for the undisputed UFC heavyweight title on principal alone, however former UFC champion Michael Bisping believes “Bones” wants the battle to safe his MMA legacy.
That will seem to be a stretch, however there’s no cause why Jones and Aspinall shouldn’t be preventing subsequent. Jones is the present UFC heavyweight champion, whereas Aspinall holds the interim strap. The promotion remains to be attempting to carry out for a Jones vs. Stipe Miocic matchup later this 12 months, however that appears extra nostalgic than something at this level.
Bisping, who has been round lengthy sufficient to see Jones rise by the UFC rankings to turn out to be probably the greatest fighters ever, acknowledges that there’s not a lot left for Jones to show. Nonetheless, Aspinall is such a novel heavyweight and has regarded so dominant since his UFC arrival again in 2020 that it could be a travesty if he and “Bones” by no means locked horns.
“He doesn’t have something to show, apart from he can beat Tom Aspinall,” Bisping mentioned on his YouTube channel. “If he does retire proper now, that’s at all times going to be the narrative. There’s individuals on the market – and I do know this annoys Jones, so I’m sorry to convey it up – individuals say that he averted Francis Ngannou. I’m not saying that, however that’s a story that exists. I don’t suppose that’s true, however individuals do say that.
“If he doesn’t battle Tom Aspinall, if he beats Stipe, that can without end be the narrative. That can without end be the narrative – that he’s ducking Tom Aspinall, that he’s afraid of Tom Aspinall, that he appears to be like at Tom Aspinall – this gigantic man, a real heavyweight that strikes like a middleweight, that has ridiculous ending capability, a heavyweight Georges St-Pierre, a blended martial arts model of Muhammad Ali, (and is scared).”
If Jones does in actual fact return simply to take out Miocic and stroll off into the sundown he’ll nonetheless be thought-about probably the greatest fighters ever. But when he’s in a position to come again, really cement his footing within the heavyweight division, and defeat Aspinall in a unification bout it can fortify his legacy without end (based on Bisping).
“How on earth can Jon Jones retire when there’s one other lively, defending heavyweight champion?” requested Bisping. “You simply can’t do this. That’s insanity, and it’ll have an effect on his legacy and tarnish his accomplishments without end.”
Ideas? Does Jones have to battle Apsinall or will it have zero affect on his general legacy?
Hold forth!
