What started as a simple two-man battle for the undisputed heavyweight title last November has devolved into a quagmire involving three champions across two weight divisions.
In fact, Saturday's UFC 309 headliner, Jon Jones, was finally scheduled to defend his UFC heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden — as planned a year ago. That was before the champion was put on hold due to a muscle tear.
But interim champion Tom Aspinall won the title at the Garden, which the UFC created last year to fill the void left by losing Jones-Miocic, and it's not just who holds the other belt. , squirming in the wind to see which one was holding. The guy is interested in playing against him next.
The creation of an interim title typically leads to the quick booking of a unification match to determine one champion to rule them all.
Not applicable here. That's because Aspinall was busy with a rare interim title defense in July while Jones rehabbed.
The Briton made it clear this week he would not do it again. His next fight, no matter the opponent, will be for the undisputed crown.
UFC CEO Dana White has widely speculated that Jones or Miocic, or both, may choose to ride off into the sunset after Saturday, thereby elevating Aspinall to undisputed status. He said that he had been
Jones told the Post ahead of UFC 309 that he would rather face Alex Pereira, the light heavyweight champion whom Jones reigned for much of his illustrious but controversial career, than Aspinall. He indicated that he has always been interested in.
White assured Jones on Friday that he could have dessert as long as he took his medication.
“If he beats Tom Aspinall, yeah, he'll fight Alex Pereira,” White said during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” but the unstated caveat is that Jones will be in New York this week. The plan is to take out Miocic first when he arrives. Former two-time heavyweight champion.
The UFC's marquee has been a staunch supporter of Jones as the promotion's No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, and throughout the year he's been pushing to keep it Jones vs. Miocic instead of focusing on Jones vs. Aspinall. I have steadfastly defended it.
That's a naive assessment of the talented fighter, who has had several clashes over the promotion and run into legal and regulatory trouble since first establishing himself as light heavyweight champion 13 years ago. Don't be misunderstood.
As it turns out, the chaos between the four of them doesn't last long.
“Obviously, a player like Jon Jones has made a career of if he wants something, we'll do it,” White said. “But you can't just have a fun match and not fight the next interim heavyweight champion. … Jon Jones was given a chance. He was 23 years old, the youngest champion of all time. Now , sitting where he sits, it is his duty to give it to the young man and give him that opportunity.”
Jones, 37, is still relatively young compared to Miocic, 42, who has been out of competition since losing his heavyweight title to Francis Ngannou in March 2021.
At 31, Aspinall is one of the youngest big men far from the top of the division.
Aspinall attended the weigh-in on Friday as a backup in case either Jones or Miocic suffers a catastrophe and is forced to miss Saturday's main event, but he told The Post in a studio interview Thursday that he was interested in fighting Jones. As much as there is, I said the following. On Saturday night, I'm eager to see this divisive chapter in the department's history come to an end.
“I'm just looking forward to this game being over,” Aspinall said. “Everything will be clear in just a few days and we will all move forward.”
