Sean O'Malley: 'Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones needs to happen'

Interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall continued to make his case for being the best heavyweight in the world this past Saturday by taking out Curtis Blaydes in 60 seconds in the UFC 304 co-main event.    

The last time Aspinall legitimately tasted defeat was in 2015.  He lost to Blaydes in their meeting after suffering a knee injury 15 seconds into the first fight in July 2022.  He lost by disqualification in 2016 for illegal elbows but that rule was recently lifted.    

Heavyweight titleholder Jon Jones is expected to face former two-time heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic later this year.  Jones last fought in March 2023.  He tore a pectoral muscle while training to defend the title against Miocic at UFC 295.  While Jones has been sidelined recovering from the injury, Aspinall has been finishing all of his opponents in the first round.  The Brit hasn’t seen the second round since February 2021.  

Aspinall has been on a collision course with Jones.  A title unification bout between Aspinall and the winner of the upcoming Jones versus Miocic match seems inevitable.  UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley believes a fight between Jones and Aspinall ‘has to happen.’    

“Tom Aspinall versus Jon Jones, that’s a fight that needs to happen,” O’Malley said on his YouTube channel.  “Who would you rather see, Tom Aspinall versus Jon Jones, Alex Pereira versus Tom, Pereira versus Jon Jones?  Who would you guys rather see?”  

According to O’Malley, a fight between Jones and Aspinall would be ‘interesting,’ but perhaps a match between light heavyweight titleholder Pereira and Jones would be a bigger fight.  

“Jon Jones versus Tom Aspinall is f***ing interesting,” O’Malley said.  “I think as far as entertainment, fun aspect of it, the bigger fight would be Jon versus Alex Pereira.  I don’t know how close that would be.  

“Alex can knock anyone out.  Jon could probably win that I’d guess.  Alex versus Tom?  Alex can knock anybody the f**k out, but I think Tom’s just too big.  Tom is 260,” O’Malley continued.  

O’Malley headlines the UFC 306 “Noche” fight card at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Sept. 14 in celebration of Mexican Independence Day.  He’ll face top contender Merab Dvalishvili.