Alexander Volkanovski appears uncertain whether Jon Jones can prevail against Tom Aspinall in a potential heavyweight showdown.
When Aspinall stepped up on short notice and knocked out Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 last November to claim the interim heavyweight title, he immediately set his sights on a title unification bout against the reigning champion.
However, "Bones" has consistently dismissed the challenge, even belittling Aspinall’s dominance in the division. Instead, Jones has expressed his desire to reschedule his canceled bout with former longtime titleholder Stipe Miocic, with their anticipated clash seemingly set for later this year.
With Jones currently out of the picture for now, Aspinall has chosen to make the first defense of his interim heavyweight belt against former foe Curtis Blaydes. The rematch will serve as the co-main event of UFC 304, set to take place this Saturday on Aspinall's home turf in Manchester.
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If the 31-year-old Englishman triumphs over Blaydes on July 27, the ultimate matchup for him and fans alike would undoubtedly be a showdown with Jones.
"Bones" is widely regarded as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. However, Volkanovski believes Aspinall possesses the complete arsenal necessary to challenge and potentially disrupt Jones' storied legacy...
Volkanovski Foresees Aspinall's Victory Over Jones
During a recent video on his YouTube channel, "The Great" delved into his predictions for the upcoming UFC 304 card. Volkanovski confidently picked Aspinall to triumph over Blaydes and went on to heap praise on the Brit, assessing his chances against Jones in a potential heavyweight showdown.
The former UFC featherweight champion asserted that if there's anyone on the current heavyweight roster capable of standing toe-to-toe with Jones and perhaps even having the upper hand, it's Aspinall.
I think Tom Aspinall is too good," Volkanovski said. "But what I mean is compared to other fighters, which I'm always going to pick Tom Aspinall. Because I believe he's that good Jon Jones, I want to see that fight. Jon Jones is that good, and he can maybe handle a heavyweight Tom Aspinall.
But if anyone's ever going to beat Jon Jones, it's someone like Tom Aspinall. He can really mix it up still fast; he's going to be just as fast as Jon Jones you get what I mean it's he's that good.
Aspinall's sole setback in his eight Octagon appearances occurred two years ago at UFC Fight Night London when he sustained a severe knee injury in the first round against "Razor". Now, he is determined to rectify that misfortune.
While the prospect of a Jones vs. Aspinall showdown tantalizes the MMA community, its realization seems distant. Jones remains steadfast in his desire to face Miocic upon his return and has even hinted at potentially hanging up his gloves after that bout.