Former UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones believes Tom Aspinall is a “one-trick pony,” primarily based on Aspinall’s abbreviated title battle in opposition to Ciryl Gane final month.
Aspinall (15-3) noticed his first official title protection finish in a no-contest at UFC 321 on Oct. 25 when he was unable to proceed after an unintentional eye-poke by Gane within the first spherical. The bout lasted solely 4 minutes, 35 seconds, however Jones indicated he was way more impressed with Gane, whom he submitted to win the heavyweight title in March 2023, than he was with Aspinall.
“Tom’s an excellent athlete, however I do really feel like he is a one-trick pony,” Jones advised the NoScripts Podcast on Wednesday. “I imagine that his wrestling and jiu-jitsu is extremely overrated. He has a stupendous 1-2 [combination]. I bought to be taught rather a lot about his patterns in his final battle. That is actually about it. That is the one factor that he is establishing actual good.
“He could not contact Ciryl Gane in any respect, that is the way in which I felt. I felt Gane was simply getting warmed up. Gane’s palms have been down, he was shaking his shoulders, bouncing round, touching him. He was so comfy.”
Jones (28-1) was tied to a possible title unification matchup with Aspinall through the first half of 2025, however finally introduced his retirement from combined martial arts in June as an alternative. He has since expressed curiosity in a comeback, stating he desires to battle present gentle heavyweight champion Alex Pereira on the UFC’s deliberate occasion on the White Home subsequent 12 months. He has not expressed curiosity in dealing with Aspinall.
The UFC intends to rebook the championship matchup between Aspinall and Gane, in keeping with UFC CEO Dana White. Nonetheless, Aspinall continues to be coping with the results of the eye-poke. In keeping with the newest updates from his father and head coach, Aspinall has not regained full imaginative and prescient in both eye. His proper eye was initially extra compromised than the left, though the eye-poke did affect each.