Jon Jones tells Tom Aspinall to ‘shut up and do as you’re told’ as tensions rise in UFC feud

The regular heavyweight champion continues to play coy over a fight with Aspinall, who owns the interim belt

Jon Jones has dismissed Tom Aspinall’s frustrations over the wait for a fight between them, telling the Briton to “shut up and do what you’re told”.

In one of the most controversial UFC sagas in recent memory, Jones and Aspinall continue to hold a heavyweight title each, without having a unification bout booked.

Jones, a former two-time light-heavyweight champion, won the vacant heavyweight belt in March 2023, but a planned defence against divisional great Stipe Miocic collapsed later that year when Jones suffered an injury. Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich stepped up, with the Briton knocking out the Russian to win the interim title, while Jones’s clash with Miocic was delayed by 12 months.

Last November, Jones stopped his fellow American to retain the regular belt, seemingly setting up a fight with Aspinall, who retained the interim strap last July.

However, Jones has continued to play coy over the prospect of that contest coming to fruition. As such, Aspinall opened up on the mental toll of the saga this week, telling UFC legend Demetrious Johnson: “I’ve been almost a year inactive with no prospects of anything apart from ‘wait’. So, now it’s actually a bit more of a tricky time for me mentally than it was [when I was out for 12 months with an injury, from 2023 until 2024].

“Now, it’s just like: ‘Just be ready and we’ll just let you know.’ It’s kind of difficult mentally, but this is the fight against Jon Jones. The fight is another thing, this is the tricky bit where I really have to stay switched on, stay motivated, and I’m trying my best. It’s tough sometimes.”

Verdict MMA shared the 32-year-old’s quotes on Instagram, and 37-year-old Jones commented, “Shut your mouth and do as you’re told,” along with a laughing emoji.

Jon Jones commenting on an Instagram post sharing Tom Aspinall's words (verdictmma via Instagram)

The comment comes during a week in which Jones has been as vague as ever over the chances of him fighting Aspinall.

In one video, he said, “I’m done,” though he tweeted on the same day: “I don’t know if I wanna call it retired, I feel like I’ll always have an ability to pop out and show em. I’ve had many breaks throughout my career, my identity outside of fighting is well intact. I’m genuinely enjoying life, I’m growing in different ways.”

And earlier in the week, he tweeted: “Yall barkin up the wrong tree. I told the Ufc my plans a long time ago. I have no clue why they haven’t shared them with you guys yet.

“Lol do I come across as the type of person who cares about things like [being stripped of the title]? [...] This, this attitude, right here is making me a very wealthy man. This desperation [from fans] is incredibly lucrative, so thank you. Keep it coming.”

Jon Jones (right) during his stoppage win against Stipe Miocic (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Tom Aspinall (left) drops Curtis Blaydes before sealing the knockout (REUTERS)

With the UFC having announced main events for its pay-per-views in June, July and August, as well as a Mexican-centric event in September, Jones vs Aspinall is unlikely to happen before October. UFC president Dana White did vow this month that he would soon announce the bout, but fans continue to await such an announcement.

While some fans view Jones as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, his career has been marred by numerous failed drug tests and run-ins with the law. Still, the American is effectively unbeaten, with his sole loss having come via DQ in 2009.

Meanwhile, Aspinall is 15-3 in MMA and 8-1 in the UFC. In the promotion, his only defeat occurred due to injury, while all of his career finishes have come via stoppage. He also holds the UFC record for the shortest fight time of an athlete with five or more bouts; all of his wins in the promotion have come in the first two rounds – seven in round one, two in the first minute.

The Wigan fighter’s decision to defend the interim belt was a rarity in the UFC, as he aimed to stay active during Jones’s absence. In that fight, Aspinall stopped Curtis Blaydes in 60 seconds, avenging his injury-induced loss to the American in 2022.