Daniel Cormier has taken a different stance from Jon Jones when it comes to the idea of facing Tom Aspinall in the Octagon. While he understands why Jones might prefer Alex Pereira as his next opponent, Cormier is confident fear isn’t holding Jones back.
In a recent video, Cormier dismissed any notion that Jones is dodging Aspinall out of fear. “Jon Jones isn’t afraid of Tom Aspinall,” Cormier said. “I wish people would stop saying that. He is not afraid of that guy. He’s not afraid of anyone. He’s not afraid to fight this guy. He’s not.”
Jones, who is preparing to defend his title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, recently admitted that he’s more interested in a fight with Pereira, the light heavyweight champion, than with Aspinall, the current interim heavyweight titleholder. Financially, the Pereira matchup appeals more to Jones, and Cormier understands that logic. “Yes, financially it would make sense,” Cormier explained. “It would [also] be much less risky because of that glaring hole in the matchup.”
Why Daniel Cormier Believes Jon Jones Isn’t Dodging Tom Aspinall
According to Cormier, the Pereira fight presents fewer risks for Jones, mainly due to Pereira’s relatively untested grappling skills at the elite level. “I don’t know if Alex Pereira can defend takedowns against the best guys,” he said. Although Pereira has trained extensively with former UFC fighter Glover Teixeira, Cormier isn’t sure that training will be enough in a real fight against an elite wrestler like Jones. He continued, “Jan Blachowicz isn’t [a top-level wrestler], and he was able to take him down effectively.”
“So yeah, Jon would prefer that matchup because it’s much less risky than fighting Tom Aspinall,” Cormier added. “Financially, he does have a point. That is the biggest money fight for him with the less risk because people now know Pereira.”
The Aspinall fight, however, doesn’t hold the same appeal for Jones. Cormier noted that Jones may feel Aspinall’s achievements don’t yet warrant a title fight. According to Cormier, Jones stopped short of calling Aspinall a “nobody,” but he has suggested the British heavyweight hasn’t defeated anyone significant enough to catch his attention. Jones even remarked that he’s finished taking risks against up-and-comers looking to build a name off him.
Cormier Defends Jon Jones’ Decision But Questions His Logic
Cormier believes this reasoning is flawed. As the interim champion, Aspinall is more than just a rising contender. “Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua had to fight Jon Jones back in the day,” Cormier said. “‘Rampage’ [Quinton Jackson] had to fight Jon Jones back in the day. Those guys were big names that fought him as the young guy that was a champion, and he made a name off of all those legends. So that by the time that I got to him, he was a legend. Already in 2015, 2016, he was already a legend in fighting years, but that was only because he had beaten all those great guys before. It really is the tale of sport, right? The tale of entertainment.”
Cormier drew a parallel between Jones’ rise and other great athletes, emphasizing that the passing of the torch is natural in sports:
“Before Michael Jordan could be Michael Jordan, he had to go through the Detroit Pistons, who were winning in the 80s. He had to beat the Boston Celtics to get to the finals, who were going back and forth with the Lakers. The old guard has to get passed through for the new guard to happen. So for Jon to say he’s a nobody — but is he really? He’s the world champ. Honestly, that’s who he is. He is the No. 2 heavyweight in the world. He’s the interim champ. He’s not a guy that’s just working his way through the division. This is a guy that’s smashed the division.”
Fight That Got Away
Despite Jones’ apparent disinterest in the Aspinall fight, Cormier suspects there may be more to it. He suggested that this could be a strategic move by Jones to increase his payout, especially if the UFC is keen to set up the Jones vs. Aspinall showdown. Adding a few extra zeros to the paycheck might change Jones’ mind.
Cormier does see Jones’ logic in assessing risk versus reward when considering Aspinall and Pereira. Aspinall’s aggressive style has led to eight finishes in the UFC, with only one opponent making it out of the first round. On the other hand, Pereira, while dangerous on his feet, lacks the grappling depth that could threaten Jones. “I don’t think he’s scared,” Cormier clarified. “Is there a worry that he could lose that match? As I read [his comments], it sounds more and more like it. But he’s not because of fear. He doesn’t really feel like the juice is worth the squeeze.”
What do you make of the whole situation with Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall? Agree with Daniel Cormier? Let us know in the comments!
Featured image credits Embed from Getty Images
