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Jon Jones is ready to shake up the UFC once again. Just days before his highly anticipated heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in Madison Square Garden, Jones hinted at an alternative goal post-title fight: a showdown with reigning light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, not for the heavyweight title but for the "BMF" belt. Jones, who has often made waves with bold moves, remains uninterested in facing Tom Aspinall, the current interim champion. He is more intrigued by a unique cross-division fight that could see him and Pereira compete for a third belt.
While some critics have questioned Jones’s reluctance to engage Aspinall, Jones is unfazed, reaffirming he’s willing to vacate the heavyweight title if it clears a path to fight Pereira.
“It’d be cool to fight over the heavyweight championship, but I would also willingly give up it,” Jones shared in an interview with SportsNet. “I walked away from the light heavyweight championship. I’d love to walk away from this one as well on top, on [my] own terms.”
Jones finds the prospect of a “BMF” title fight enticing, especially as both he and Pereira would be fighting for what could be their third championship. “How cool would that be?”
The “BMF” title has historically gone to some of the UFC’s most resilient fighters, first awarded to Jorge Masvidal in his bout with Nate Diaz, later moving through hands like Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway. This title’s appeal, not confined to any weight class, aligns with Jones’s vision for his storied legacy, adding another intriguing layer to his potential fight with Pereira.
However, Jones’s stance on Aspinall remains firm. Jones criticized the introduction of the interim heavyweight belt, created when an injury sidelined him last November, and has voiced frustration with the “confusion” it has introduced. Aspinall claimed the interim title after knocking out Sergei Pavlovich, but Jones argues this title was unnecessary.
“The interim championship shouldn’t have been there in the first place,” Jones said.
He believes the Pavlovich-Aspinall bout should have been a standalone event rather than an interim title fight. In Jones's eyes, his absence should not have led to an interim champion, especially given his long tenure as one of UFC's most consistent champions.
As UFC 309 approaches, Jones remains focused on Miocic but hints that his next steps may redefine what it means to be a champion in the UFC. Jones’s willingness to relinquish the heavyweight title demonstrates his commitment to shaping his legacy and taking on fights that speak to his ambitions.
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