Tom Aspinall has shared a compelling argument for why Jon Jones might not be regarded as the greatest fighter of all time.
For years, Jones’ name has been enshrined in conversations about the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, with his career achievements loudly affirming why he’s often seen as deserving of that title.
"Bones" cemented his place in UFC history as the youngest champion ever, capturing the light heavyweight title at just 23 years old. With a remarkable career record of 28-1, his sole loss remains a hotly debated blemish. Furthermore, Jones holds an unbroken streak in 16 world title fights, underscoring his dominance in the sport.
However, as the saying goes, nothing in this universe is flawless.
Jones' decorated career has not been without its blemishes, plagued by a string of high-profile controversies, including multiple notorious positive tests for banned substances. It’s this shadow over his legacy that fuels Aspinall’s belief that, despite Jones' monumental achievements, the reigning UFC heavyweight champion falls short of earning the GOAT title.
During a recent interview with Piers Morgan, Aspinall began by recognizing "Bones" for his impressive achievements but quickly shifted focus to the American's failed drug tests, calling him a cheat. According to the Brit, those infractions gave Jones an unfair advantage over his opponents.
Let me first start by saying Jon is absolutely elite, and I completely agree with the notion that he’s one of the best fighters ever,” Aspinall said. "Potentially [the greatest], but the way that I look at is he has failed a couple of drug tests. To me, that rules you out of being the best of all-time. For me, personally.
If you’re on steroids or whatever — I don’t think he was on steroids, but he was on PEDs, performance-enhancing drugs. If you’re on PEDs and your opponent isn’t, that’s absolutely cheating in my book unless you’re both allowed to do it.
Jones made the first defense of his heavyweight title with a dominant third-round TKO victory over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. Since then, speculation has been running rampant about who might be next in line to challenge him. As the interim heavyweight champion, Aspinall is widely regarded as the natural contender for a shot at the undisputed title.
Despite Jones’ consistent lack of interest in facing Aspinall, UFC CEO Dana White has expressed a strong intention to make the highly anticipated title unification clash happen in the near future.