Tom Aspinall has etched his name into the UFC history books, surpassing Renan Barão to become the longest-reigning interim champion in the promotion’s history, with 541 days and counting as of May 5, 2025. This milestone, while a testament to Aspinall’s dominance and consistency, is also a bittersweet symbol of the never-ending saga between the English powerhouse and the undisputed heavyweight king, Jon Jones.

Aspinall’s journey to this record began with a thunderous 69-second knockout of Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 in November 2023, claiming the interim title on short notice after Jones was sidelined by injury. He then defended the belt in spectacular fashion, dispatching Curtis Blaydes in just over a minute at UFC 304, further solidifying his status as one of the most dangerous finishers in the division. Yet, despite his achievements, the shadow of Jon Jones looms large, with fans and pundits alike clamoring for a title unification bout that remains frustratingly out of reach.

The Never-Ending Wait: Why Hasn’t Jones vs. Aspinall Happened?

The MMA world has been fixated on a potential clash between Aspinall and Jones, a fight UFC CEO Dana White has called “the biggest fight in heavyweight history”. Negotiations, however, have been fraught with delays, posturing, and public speculation. Jones, fresh off a dominant win over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, has shown little urgency to face Aspinall, instead floating the idea of retirement or even a superfight with Alex Pereira.

Behind the scenes, sources suggest Jones is demanding a massive payday to face Aspinall, with some insiders claiming he wants “f*** you money” from the UFC to make the fight happen. Others, like former champion Colby Covington, have alleged that Jones is simply pricing himself out of the contest, while Aspinall himself has openly questioned whether Jones is genuinely interested in risking his legacy against a surging, unpredictable opponent.

Chael Sonnen, never one to shy away from controversy, recently weighed in with his own theory: Jones’ real concern is what happens to his career if he loses to Aspinall and is denied an immediate rematch. At 36, with his legacy already secure, Jones may be wary of passing the torch to a younger, more dangerous champion without a clear path to redemption.

Aspinall’s Frustration and Relentless Improvement

For Aspinall, the record-setting interim reign is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it cements his place among the sport’s elite; on the other, it highlights the absurdity of his situation-an interim champion left in limbo, waiting for the undisputed king to step up or step aside. Social media has been ablaze with fans urging the UFC to strip Jones of the title or simply elevate Aspinall to undisputed status, with some calling the ongoing stalemate “pathetic” and a “sad look for the sport”.

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The rivalry has spilled over into the public sphere, with both men trading barbs and accusations. Aspinall has repeatedly accused Jones of “dodging” him, even going so far as to say the champion “can’t sleep at night” knowing he might lose to the Brit. Jones, for his part, has responded with his trademark bravado-and, at times, with crude social media tirades, insisting that Aspinall will never surpass his legacy and dismissing the interim champ’s achievements.

The lack of extensive fight footage on Aspinall, whose average UFC fight time is a record-setting 2 minutes and 2 seconds, has also been cited as a factor in Jones’ hesitance. Aspinall himself believes this unpredictability is a major psychological edge: “He has no chance of doing that with me because my average fight time is the shortest in UFC history… I’m a massive question mark for him. There’s next to no footage on me out there apart from me bouncing people’s heads off the canvas and he has no idea what to prepare for”.

What’s Next? Hope, Frustration, and the Future of the Heavyweight Division

As negotiations drag on, the MMA community remains in a state of anxious anticipation. Dana White continues to promise that the fight “is going to happen,” insisting it’s just a matter of finalizing the details. Yet, with each passing day, doubts grow about whether Jones vs. Aspinall will ever materialize-or if the saga will end with Jones vacating the belt and Aspinall being promoted by default.

For now, Tom Aspinall stands as the UFC’s longest-reigning interim champion-a record he never wanted, but one that symbolizes both his greatness and the heavyweight division’s current malaise. The world waits, not just for a fight, but for closure to one of MMA’s most compelling and exasperating storylines.