Subscribe
Follow Us
For months, the MMA world has been fixated on the will-they-won’t-they saga of a UFC heavyweight title unification bout between interim champion Tom Aspinall and undisputed king Jon Jones. Despite UFC President Dana White’s public optimism and Aspinall’s own hints that negotiations were moving, the fight remains frustratingly out of reach. Now, with International Fight Week and UFC 317 looming, the narrative has shifted dramatically, all signs point to Aspinall defending his interim title against former champion Ciryl Gane, while Jones continues to play a strategic waiting game.
Why Aspinall vs. Gane? The Inside Story
The rumor mill began churning in earnest after UFC analyst Din Thomas went public with his belief that the UFC has “convinced” Aspinall to fight Gane at UFC 317, scheduled for June 28 in Las Vegas. “If I had to put my money on it, I think they convinced Tom Aspinall to fight Ciryl Gane,” Thomas told Mike Bohn, echoing similar sentiments from Chael Sonnen and other insiders.
International Fight Week is 60 days away. Still no UFC 317 main event.@DinThomas predicts Tom Aspinall will be defending his interim title in the main event on a new episode of The Bohnfire. 🔥
WATCH HERE: https://t.co/sWD450ctSX pic.twitter.com/9xR7UutFp1
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohn) April 29, 2025
Aspinall, who hasn’t fought since his thunderous knockout of Curtis Blaydes, is reportedly eager to get back in the Octagon. With Jones requesting more time-citing the need for a lengthy training camp and, some suspect, a calculated effort to gather more intel on the British interim champ, the UFC has been left with little choice but to keep the division moving.
The promotion’s dilemma is clear: Aspinall is the longest-reigning interim champion in UFC history, and fans are growing restless as Jones’ absence drags on. According to Thomas, “Tom wants to fight and he'll be like, ‘Alright, I'll fight.' Then they'll throw a number at Ciryl Gane. It won't be ideal for him, but they'll throw a number he can't refuse and he'll have to take it, and I think it makes more sense that way”.
Jon Jones: Strategy or Stalling?
The elephant in the room is Jon Jones. After moving up to heavyweight and claiming the vacant title with a submission win over Gane, Jones has defended the belt just once, against an aging Stipe Miocic. His prolonged inactivity forced the UFC to crown Aspinall as interim champ, and now, as Jones approaches a record for heavyweight title reigns, his reluctance to face Aspinall is drawing criticism.
“Jon is a chess player, he's a very intellectual chess player,” Thomas explained. “He's trying to collect as much information on Tom Aspinall as possible. We haven't seen him in a lot of tough spots, we don't know how he's gonna respond to that, and I think Jon is probably waiting on that”.
Article Continues Below
Many analysts, including Thomas, are beginning to question whether Jones ever truly intended to take the fight. “The more and more time that passes, the more and more I think Jon is just pulling us along and may not ever take this fight,” Thomas said bluntly.
For Ciryl Gane, this is a golden opportunity for redemption. The Frenchman’s last title shot ended in disappointment against Jones, but his technical striking and athleticism make him a compelling challenger for Aspinall. The matchup is more than just a stopgap, it’s a high-level clash that could reshape the upper echelon of the heavyweight division.
Aspinall’s camp, particularly his father Andy, has voiced frustration at the delays, but the fighter himself appears ready to accept the challenge. The UFC 317 card, still being finalized, is expected to be a pay-per-view event, and all indicators suggest Aspinall vs. Gane will headline, giving the division some much-needed momentum.
The Frustration is Starting to Set In
The UFC’s heavyweight division has rarely been so talent-rich, but the logjam at the top is testing the patience of fans and fighters alike. While Dana White maintains that a Jones-Aspinall fight would be “the biggest heavyweight fight in the history of the company and the history of the sport,” the reality is that business must go on.
With UFC 317 just two months away and no official main event announced, the promotion’s move to book Aspinall vs. Gane is both pragmatic and necessary. As Thomas put it, “How do you not go with the heavyweight champion of the world? He wants to fight this summer. I’m thinking you have to go Tom Aspinall somewhere. Now whether that’s Jon Jones, Ciryl Gane, Derrick Lewis – I don’t know, but it’s got to be Tom Aspinall for International Fight Week”.
As the chess match at the top of the division continues, Tom Aspinall appears set to defend his interim title against Ciryl Gane, giving fans a high-stakes battle while Jon Jones strategizes from the sidelines. Whether this is a temporary detour or the undisputed heavyweight crown remains to be seen.
