Robert Whittaker aligns with a growing number of mixed martial arts enthusiasts who feel it`s time to move past the speculation surrounding a potential fight between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall.
Tom Aspinall, currently holding the interim UFC heavyweight championship, finds himself in a prolonged state of uncertainty. He awaits a decision from Jon Jones, the “undisputed” champion, regarding his future in the sport. For now, Jones appears to be enjoying global travel and posting ambiguous updates about his competitive status, while Aspinall is keen to secure his next title defense soon, regardless of his opponent.
Speaking on his MMArcade Podcast, Whittaker was asked about the seemingly endless Jones-Aspinall situation. He responded with a shrug, implying the opportunity for that particular matchup has likely vanished.
“Honestly, who cares now?” Whittaker stated. “I`m done. I`m done with waiting. It`s like finding something else to play… I`m just done.” He added that the constant pestering and attempts to extract comments from Jones are equally tiresome for him.
Whittaker also questioned why Jones continues to hold the undisputed title. While he previously felt stripping Jones was not appropriate given his history, he now believes Jones is unnecessarily delaying things, describing it as “taking the piss.”
Jones established his legacy primarily in the 205-pound light heavyweight division, reigning for nearly a decade against many top contenders. After a three-year absence, he moved up to heavyweight in 2023. He won the vacant title at UFC 285 by defeating Ciryl Gane, following Francis Ngannou`s departure from the promotion. A planned defense against veteran Stipe Miocic was canceled due to Jones` injury, which subsequently led to Tom Aspinall winning the interim belt.
Despite Jones` past achievements, critics question his apparent reluctance to face Aspinall, who boasts an 8-1 UFC record and has already successfully defended his interim title once. Should Jones remain inactive, Aspinall would likely be elevated to undisputed champion. Potential challengers for Aspinall in that scenario could include Ciryl Gane or Jailton Almeida.
For his part, Whittaker expressed interest in seeing Aspinall and Gane settle their differences in the cage.
“I`m keen to see Gane,” Whittaker said. “I`m curious to see how that fight plays out. Does it become a kickboxing match, or does Aspinall get a takedown and take him to where Gane’s very uncomfortable? Because Aspinall’s ground game is very good.”
