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Is Jon Jones Holding Up the UFC Heavyweight Division?
Jon Jones is on the verge of surpassing Stipe Miocic’s record for the longest UFC Heavyweight Championship reign. But there’s one major problem—he’s only defended the title once in that time. With the division stuck in limbo, many fans and analysts argue that Jones, along with UFC President Dana White, is deliberately holding up the heavyweight division.
A Reign Without Defenses?
Jon Jones won the heavyweight title at UFC 285 (March 4, 2023), quickly submitting Ciryl Gane. Since then, however, he has fought only once and has been sidelined due to injury. Meanwhile, the division has been kept waiting, with top contenders left without a clear path to the title.
In the past, inactive champions were stripped of their belts or forced to defend against the top contender. Yet, Jones has been granted special treatment, with the UFC delaying his title defenses and pushing a legacy fight with Stipe Miocic instead of matching him against the rightful top contender, Tom Aspinall.
Tom Aspinall: The Interim Champion Stuck in Limbo
Tom Aspinall became the interim UFC Heavyweight Champion at UFC 295 (November 11, 2023), knocking out Sergei Pavlovich in just over a minute. By tradition, interim champions are supposed to fight the undisputed champion next to unify the belts. Yet, Aspinall has been left waiting while the UFC continues to insist that Jones will fight Miocic first.
This has led to frustration among fans, with many calling for Jones to either defend his belt against Aspinall or be stripped of the title.
Is Dana White Protecting Jon Jones?
Dana White has always favored big-money fights, and Jon Jones remains one of the biggest draws in the sport. A fight against Miocic—a legend of the division—makes for a marketable superfight, even though Miocic hasn’t fought in years. But from a competitive standpoint, Aspinall is the more deserving challenger, and the fact that Jones is avoiding him raises eyebrows.
It wouldn’t be the first time that White has given special treatment to superstars. Conor McGregor, Brock Lesnar, and Ronda Rousey all received similar privileges. But is it fair to the rest of the division?
What Should Happen Next?
The UFC must make a decision:
Force Jones to defend against Aspinall by mid-2025 or strip him of the title.
Promote Aspinall to undisputed champion if Jones remains inactive.
Book Aspinall vs. Pavlovich or Jailton Almeida for the vacant belt if Jones doesn’t return soon.
The UFC Heavyweight division cannot afford to remain in limbo. If Jon Jones isn’t ready to defend his title against the top contender, then the UFC should move on—just like they have with inactive champions in the past.
What do you think? Should Jon Jones be forced to fight Tom Aspinall next, or does he deserve more time? Let us know in the comments!