Jon Jones, the original headlining fighter for UFC 295, is nursing a pectoral injury that will take at least eight months to heal. After the success of UFC 295, which broke into the top 2 of the live gate record, Dana White was asked about the future of the heavyweight division.
In the co-main event of UFC 295, Tom Aspinall won the interim heavyweight title with a first-round KO of Sergei Pavlovich. With Jones out for at least eight months, White was asked whether Aspinall and Jones would lock horns inside the octagon.
Dana White drops hints on Jon Jones next fight
UFC 295 was a big success for the UFC. Dana White was visibly happy after the event where all the fights in the main card ended in under 2 rounds. Even though the promotion lost their original main event of Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic, the co-main event of Jiri Prochazka vs Alex Pereira, which was elevated to the main event, alleviated the loss of the Jones vs Miocic matchup.
Dana White reiterates that Stipe Miocic, not Tom Aspinall, will be next for Jon Jones 🏆 #UFC295 pic.twitter.com/JUYecUtd17
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) November 12, 2023
Before the main event which saw Pereira become the undisputed light heavyweight champion, the co-main event between Tom Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich happened as predicted by many. The fight ended in a little over a minute with Aspinall catching Pavlovich on the temple and finishing via hammer fist.
In the post-fight press conference, Dana White was asked about the current state of the heavyweight division after Aspinall’s victory. MMA journalist John Morgan wanted to know whether the stage is set for an Aspinall vs Jones matchup. However, Dana White was adamant that Jones vs Miocic was the fight to make.
“Jon Jones, you know, as soon as he heard that he was injured and he knew how bad it was, went right to LA, got the surgery, and he’s already in rehab, so, um, physical therapy, I should say. He’s in physical therapy, um, yeah. Yes, Jon Jones is in physical therapy already. All right, we’re happy about it.”, said Dana White.
Everybody at the press conference found a joke in White saying that Jones is in rehab as opposed to physical therapy, which he later corrected. This was due to Jones’ past, which is marred by a variety of problems, with substance abuse being one of them.
Jon Jones past struggles with drugs and alcohol in the past
Jon Jones is arguably the GOAT of MMA. However, many have discredited his achievements, citing his actions and decisions outside the octagon. Nobody doubts Jones’s natural talent in the realm of MMA, but what leads to the discrediting of his achievements is his abuse of alcohol and drugs, which has even caused harm to others.
As of now, Jones has been suspended a total of three times. Firstly, he was suspended for an alleged hit-and-run incident where he fled the scene after hitting a pregnant woman. This was followed by a second suspension, this time by USADA for a doping violation, just before his scheduled light heavyweight title fight.
His third suspension was after UFC 214 where he TKOed Daniel Cormier which was later turned to a No Contest after he tested positive for an anabolic steroid. In addition to the suspension, there are also other black marks in his life.
During his self-imposed hiatus after the controversial victory over Dominick Reyes, Jones was allegedly involved in a domestic violence incident with his girlfriend, the mother of his three daughters. The incident happened in Las Vegas, and even the UFC CEO, Dana White, blatantly criticized “Bones.”
Who do you think will win a potential bout between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall? Leave your prediction below!
