According to Chael Sonnen, a verbal agreement is in place for a highly anticipated match between UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones and interim champion Tom Aspinall.
The possibility of a Jones versus Aspinall fight has been a major topic in MMA for over a year. Chael Sonnen, a UFC Hall of Famer, suggests that the fight is now more a question of “when” rather than “if”.
Sonnen mentioned on Submission Radio that Alex Pereira was considered as an alternative opponent to push for the Jones vs. Aspinall fight. He stated that if Jones continued to delay, Pereira might have been offered a fight against Aspinall instead. Sonnen considers Pereira vs. Aspinall a strong backup plan if the Jones fight couldn`t be arranged.
Sonnen revealed inside information, claiming that a verbal agreement between Jones and Aspinall was reached the night before the Pereira vs. Ankalaev fight. He emphasized this as exclusive news.
Sonnen’s statements appear to align with recent comments from UFC CEO Dana White, who mentioned to TNT Sports that the fight is just awaiting signatures and finalization. Aspinall has also expressed optimism about the matchup. Despite this positive outlook, the fight is not officially confirmed. Rumors suggest Jones desires six months for training, or as Sonnen speculates, Jones might have unintentionally created a situation where he feels obligated to request a long preparation time.
Sonnen doubts Jones genuinely needs six months, suggesting Jones`s initial mention of it might not have been serious. He believes Jones`s earlier statement about needing $30 million was also not meant literally but became a talking point. Sonnen thinks Jones might now feel pressured to demand six months because it has become a widely discussed topic.
Sonnen advises fighters to secure their earnings quickly, stating that the outcome of the fight remains the same regardless of the timeline. He believes the better fighter will win whether the fight happens soon or later.
Earlier in the year, Dana White hinted at a possible summer fight, which contradicts Jones’s rumored six-month preparation request. However, Sonnen notes that if the verbal agreement is accurate, a November fight in New York City during the UFC`s annual event there would be a logical timeline.
Sonnen predicts the fight will happen in November in New York, mentioning UFC`s usual November event in New York and December event in Las Vegas. He suggests New York, with its history of large live gates for UFC, as a potential location for this significant fight.
