Former longtime UFC welterweight Matt Brown believes that heavyweight champion Jon Jones should have handled his refusal to fight Tom Aspinall differently.
Jones is gearing up for his first defense of the 265-pound title that he won from Ciryl Gane in March 2023. Following an injury layoff, “Bones” will face former champ Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 309.
Jones and Aspinall were initially slated to fight last November before Jones got injured. Aspinall then became the interim champ by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich, but Jones is focused on Miocic.
Jones’ choice to avoid unifying the title has sparked controversy. During UFC 309 fight week, Jones hinted that he only plans to fight light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira in the future.
In a recent episode of MMA Fighting’s The Fighter vs. The Writer show, Brown criticized Jones for this decision.
“The fact that he mentioned not fighting the current interim champion is a mistake,” Brown said. “UFC should have intervened and advised him to focus on the present and address future plans later.”
“By hinting at future opponents, Jones opened himself up to criticism and accusations of avoiding fights,” Brown added. “It’s not a good look. Jon doesn’t seem to care. He just says what he wants.”
If Jones sticks to his stance after UFC 309, Aspinall may have to hope for a last-minute change in the fight lineup to get a shot at facing Jones.
Aspinall is in New York City as a backup fighter for UFC 309. After weighing in on Friday, his next move remains uncertain.
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