Greater than 130,000 UFC followers have demanded that Dana White strip Jon Jones of his heavyweight championship. And the quantity is rising by the minute.
It’s been 18 months since Tom Aspinall knocked out Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 to seize the interim UFC heavyweight title whereas ‘Bones’ was on the sidelines nursing a torn pectoral muscle. And but, we’re seemingly no nearer to seeing the 2 fighters unify their respective titles. Because of this, a Change.org petition urging the promotion to strip Jones of his belt has now crossed six figures and reveals no indicators of slowing down.
Conscious of the petition, Jones mocked its existence early on in an Instagram submit, writing, “The equal to pico grams.”
MMA analyst urges Jon Jones to both defend or vacate
Whereas struggle followers have clearly made their opinions identified, MMA analysts like Michael Bisping just lately chimed in, imploring ‘Bones’ to do the appropriate factor, whether or not meaning defending the belt or vacating it.
“In the event you’re the heavyweight champion of the world, then you have got an obligation to the game, the followers, to the opposite fighters within the divsion,” Bisping advised MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn on The Bohnfire. “Reside your life, and if you’re considerably retired, simply be trustworthy and are available out and say it.
Chael Sonnen just lately urged that persons are “caring much less and fewer” about Jones vs. Aspinall with every passing day that it goes unannounced. Nonetheless, his Good Man/Dangerous Man co-host Daniel Cormier stays optimistic that the struggle will ultimately come to fruition.
Since ditching the sunshine heavyweight division 5 years in the past, Jon Jones has solely competed twice contained in the Octagon. He defeated Ciryl Gane for the vacant heavyweight title in March 2023, then efficiently defended the belt in opposition to Stipe Miocic at UFC 309.
Within the meantime, Aspinall logged a uncommon interim title protection in July 2024, scoring a 60-second knockout of Curtis Blaydes in Manchester.
