By BBC (Sports) | Created at 2025-01-11 19:44:24 | Updated at 2025-01-11 22:55:47
3 hours ago
Jon Jones would be "too smart" for Tom Aspinall were they to meet in the UFC, says fighter Henry Cejudo.
Briton Aspinall, the UFC interim heavyweight champion, is expected to face Jones in a unification fight next should the American decide against retiring from MMA.
Jones, 37, has not lost since 2009 and Cejudo gives Manchester's Aspinall little chance against the champion.
"I watched a little bit of Tom Aspinall. He's got lateral movements - really, really good. But Jones is just too smart," Cejudo said on the Pound 4 Pound podcast., external
"Jones just needs to press him, stay in the middle, don't react, find his wrestling. I think it will be easy money [for Jones]."
Aspinall spent much of 2024 calling out Jones, but the former light-heavyweight UFC champion fought Stipe Miocic on his return from a lengthy injury in November.
UFC president Dana White promised after that bout Aspinall would be next in line, but Jones has repeatedly suggested he does not want to fight him.
Jones is considered by many MMA fans, including White, to be the greatest ever MMA fighter.
UFC commentator and podcast host Joe Rogan stirred the rumour mill this week when he suggested Jones was asking for $30m to fight Aspinall, before retracting that statement a day later.
Aspinall, 31, has won his past three fights via a first-round knockout and his only loss in the UFC in 2022 against Curtis Blaydes was because of a knee injury he sustained in the opening seconds.
