Michael Bisping believes the UFC needs to seriously consider stripping Jon Jones of the heavyweight title if he turns down Aspinall

Michael Bisping believes the UFC should consider stripping Jon Jones

Earlier this week, heavyweight champion Jon Jones made headlines around the world when he suggested he might sideline Aspinall in favor of a showdown with light heavyweight superstar Alex Pereira.

These comments certainly didn’t go down well with fans or fighters. UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping has now spoken out and stated that “Bones” should lose his heavyweight title if he goes the Brazilian route.

“The reality is that Jon Jones is now the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and if he fights Stipe Miocic and if he wins, he has to fight Tom Aspinall next – that’s just how the world works.”

“If he doesn’t, that’s – in the words of Khabib Nurmagomedov – bull number one***, I’m telling you now, it’s bull number one***… If he refuses to fight Tom Aspinall As Next we need to start a serious conversation about whether or not this man should be stripped.”

Bisping, who has a close friendship with Aspinall, lamented the fact that Jones was already demanding a superfight with Alex Pereira, noting that “Bones” would be forcibly removed from the top of the tree if it were boxing.

“They should face each other [next] But he’s calling out Alex Pereira for a legacy fight… What I’m saying sounds crazy and I’m not saying this as a Jon Jones hater, but if this was boxing then Jon Jones would be stripped [of his title] and that is a fact.

“Oleksandr Usyk fought Tyson Fury for the undisputed belts, Usyk won and was undisputed champion – but guess what? The IBF mandatory challenger was Filip Hrgovic, but because he will face Tyson Fury again he was stripped of the IBF title… And that should be the same thing.”

Win or lose at UFC 309, there’s still a very real possibility that “Bones” could retire from the sport entirely; recently confirmed via Ketone-IQ that his decision depends on his performance against Miocic.

“I feel that whether I retire or not will depend on my next performance; One of my main goals is to make it look really easy, and if I can do that, I think curiosity will keep me in the game.”

Back to the legendary former middleweight champion, who argued that it would tarnish his stellar UFC legacy if Jones took one more fight but chose to face Pereira instead of Aspinall.

“It doesn’t look good when you’re a champion and there’s an undisputed title [interim] You say you won’t fight and you name the champion of the weight class listed below. That just doesn’t look good.

“I’m not saying Jon Jones should be stripped, but there needs to be a very serious conversation about it.”

UFC 309: Jones vs. Miocic takes place next weekend at Madison Square Garden, with Tom Aspinall expected to step in as a replacement fighter.

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