UFC’s Jon Jones sets his sights on Pereira fight, takes out Aspinall

If UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones decides to keep fighting after his clash with Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, it likely won’t be a title unification fight with interim champion Tom Aspinall.

Jones, 37, announced his retirement following his fight against Miocic on November 16th. While UFC boss Dana White expects the winner to face Aspinall in a unification fight, Jones said he is simply not interested.

“Most likely not,” Jones told Kevin Iole when asked about the game against Aspinall. “I feel like Tom Aspinall is – I don’t want to say nobody – but he hasn’t proven anything, he’s done nothing. I’m not here to bet on someone else making a name for themselves.”

Aspinall, 31, has repeatedly called for a fight with Jones after winning the interim title with a first-round knockout of Sergei Pavlovich last November. He is widely considered Jones’ biggest threat and has defeated every opponent he has faced in the UFC in under seven minutes, including a 60-second knockout of Curtis Blaydes in July in his last fight. Aspinall was brought in as a replacement fighter for Jones vs. Miocic.

However, rather than commit to a fight with Aspinall, Jones has his sights set on another champion if he decides to continue his fighting career.

“If there was a fight with a man who is still on our UFC roster that would be worthwhile not only financially but also in terms of his legacy, it would be Alex Pereira,” Jones said, referring to the UFC -Light Heavyweight Champion. “Alex Pereira and I are both 37 years old. Right now I weigh about 235.” [pounds]. I’m an incredibly light heavyweight. I think Pereira is running around at 240. I think this fight would weigh much further on my legacy than a young man who is cool today and might be gone tomorrow.

Pereira has won world titles in two weight classes and has had a remarkable string of title defenses, knocking out Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree Jr. within 175 days. Pereira is considering a move to heavyweight to fight for an unprecedented championship in a third weight class, and Jones seems interested in granting Pereira his wish.

“I’ve just been here too long to get excited about someone who’s hot today,” Jones said. “I’m here for the legacy. I’ve been playing for too long to just pick random battles.”