UFC Has New Breakthrough in Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall Mega-Fight

New information leaked by the UFC analyst and former fighter Chael Sonnen suggests the market-leading MMA firm already struck a “verbal agreement” with heavyweight superstars Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall for a unification mega-fight.

A bout between Jones, the UFC heavyweight champion, and Aspinall, the company’s interim belt holder, is the biggest fight the UFC can create — by some margin. It is a potential passing-of-the-torch as Jones, widely-regarded as one of the best MMA fighters of all time, takes on one of the biggest tests of his career in Aspinall, who is in surgent form.

Jones spent the bulk of his career at light heavyweight but now, at 37, is fully filled out at heavyweight but must overcome an age disadvantage against Aspinall, who is the new big thing in the division, defeating everyone he’s faced, so far, in the UFC.

Jon Jones & Tom Aspinall’s professional MMA records (as of 30/03/25)
	Jon Jones	Tom Aspinall
Fights	30	18
Wins	28	15
Losses	1	3
No contests	1	0

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Chael Sonnen Suggests UFC Has Verbal Agreement

Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall would be a true mega fight

Aspinall has been consistent in his pursuit of the Jones fight, but it’s one in which Jones has, to date, resisted. His two UFC fights at heavyweight so far have been against Ciryl Gane, which was a reasonable fight to take in his debut in the division, and then Stipe Miocic, who had not fought for three years.

The wait, for fans, to see this fight may soon be over, though, according to Sonnen who shared with Submission Radio what he described as “inside information.”

“They got a deal done with Jon Jones and Aspinall, at least verbally, the night before — this is inside information, you will not have heard this story anywhere else — they got a deal done verbally the night before Pereira vs. Ankalaev.”

Previous comments alleged to have been made by Jones described the fighter wanting at least six months to prepare for the fight, together with a $30 million purse. Sonnen, though, doubts Jones “meant it when he said” he needed six months.

He continued: “I know when Jon sat down at the table and the very first time he ever spoke about Tom Aspinall he said, ‘I need $30 million,’ he didn’t mean that. They were just words and then they ended up sticking … he didn’t actually mean it. He didn’t mean that he needs six months, but now they put him in the position where he almost has to demand that he gets six months because it’s been so big.”

The length of time it takes to prepare, and the amount of money on the table, will not decide who wins, Sonnen said.

“If they fight tonight, if they fight in Madison Square Garden in November, if they fight in the street in a month, if they fight in six days, six weeks, six months, or six years, whoever is better will win. 100 percent of the time.”