MMA expert Chael Sonnen says he has concerns about Tom Aspinall if he decides to get into the octagon with Jon Jones.
Heavyweight champion Jon Jones recently defended his title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. The champ defeated his opponent via third-round TKO and immediately recanted his retirement statement. The champ says he will give up the title if he gets to battle Alex Pereira for the BMF title.
Although “Bones” is eager to face Pereira, UFC CEO Dana White has confirmed that the champ will have to face Aspinall in his next bout. Fans anticipate this matchup, but Chale Sonnen believes Aspinall does not have enough fights to face a world-class champion.
“One thing that worries me about Aspinall is what other people praise him for,” Sonnen said on Submission Radio. “Which is, he’s only been out of the first round one time. People praise him for that. He had to go almost seven minutes in to finish Andrei Arlovski. I don’t like that.
“I think that’s a problem. You’re going to end up third, fourth, and fifth round if you’re going to find a way to get the jump on Jon Jones. Nobody’s doing it fast,” Sonnen added. “And I think that’s one thing that Jon has, he’s tough, he can regroup. He shows up in great shape regardless of his lifestyle. I’ve never seen anyone out-condition him, I just think it’s relevant, I’m just going to plant that seed right now.”
Sonnen believes Aspinall needs to be tougher for Jones and would likely not withstand a long time in the octagon with the champ. Despite the Brits’ impressive finishing record, Sonnen feels the fighter doesn’t have the stamina to withstand Jones in the long run, and he also believes a fight with Aspinall will do nothing for Jones’s legacy.
“I think Jon is right. I think that’s the biggest heavyweight fight of all time.And, I think that’s the biggest fight our industry can make right now. He’s going to leave there with the biggest check. That’s going to include soaring over Brock Lesnar and the other greats. He’s going to be rewarded for it. But if Jon is not confident that he can actually bring in that kind of attention, then how do you go to the table and say, ‘Well, give me a guarantee up front?’
“It’s like, ‘I’ve given you a guarantee. I’ve guaranteed you a piece of the business, and you don’t have any risk. Just get in there and throw your punches and kicks. I’ll handle it from there. It’s a very great spot and somebody should sit Jon down and explain this is the one. All this work you’ve done for that big payday is the one, but we don’t need to change the contract. It’s already in your contract.”
