KenFlo on Nostr: It is my belief that the hostility between Jon “Bones” Jones and Tom Aspinall is ...
It is my belief that the hostility between Jon “Bones” Jones and Tom Aspinall is more about Jones being upset about the reality of the fight game more than anything else. Sure, Aspinall is egging Jones on and calling him out any chance he gets. And Jones is most certainly firing back at Tom himself but make no mistake about it, strings are being pulled behind the scenes to make this fight happen and the media loves it. This is by no means a knock on the UFC or the media for that matter. After all, it is their job to promote the biggest fights they can and ensure the future of their business by building future stars. I believe Jones recognizes what is at play. This is business.
It’s quite simple isn’t it? The UFC needs budding superstar Aspinall to be an actual PPV superstar. In a fight promotion recipe as old as time, this “next best thing” needs a GOAT or a legit superstar to put him over. Jones feels disrespected and to a certain extent may be hesitant in accepting the reality that it may be his turn as an older legend to be “meat” for a younger, fresher foe. Nobody likes to accept the fact that time is looming and looking to keep its undefeated streak alive. Could it be that for the first time, he sees a younger lion who is hungry and can match his high level of talent, athleticism and potency? I believe these factors makes Aspinall a bonified existential threat to the legacy of Jon Jones. It makes for a great fight, there’s no denying that.
However, every fight offered to another pro fighter, especially one with the legacy of the great Jon Jones is something that should be considered with great deliberation. While Jones is not necessarily known for making great decisions outside of the cage, when it comes to preserving his legacy and keeping his undefeated streak intact, he tends to be very careful and protective with how he goes about his business. It’s war for Jon Jones and he will use any tactic and edge he can to preserve what he has worked for. Rightfully so!
I don’t want to pretend I know Jones’ thinking behind his decisions but I’m reminded of some quotes from Sun Tzu as potential possibilities. “He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight". Perhaps for the first time in his career, Jones understands that this may be a fight he can’t win. Or, could it be he’s using this as a negotiating tactic to earn more money and give him more time to get better prepared. "Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win”, -Sun Tzu. Could it be that he’s trying to fatigue the young Brit with mind games, roadblocks and a virtual high ground position? "Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted”, Sun Tzu.
Whatever it is, Bones is near the end of his career and he’s been around the block and seen the fight game both inside and out. Jones is no dummy and is already offering the UFC and the fans another fight after the one with Miocic, attempting to add to his leverage as the ultimate decision maker. He’s proposed what I think is another great fight from a promoter’s perspective but it comes with some negatives for the UFC as well. Jones wants the Brazilian striking sensation Alex “Poatan” Pereira. Poatan who is the current 205 lbs (Light Heavyweight) champion in the UFC has been proven as a PPV star and his achievements in combat sports both as a kickboxer and a MMA champion is nothing short of legendary at this point. I would vehemently argue that people around the globe know of Pereira and his exploits more than that of Aspinall. Jones understands what kind of PPV numbers this would bring and understands that the length, size, skillset, experience and takedown ability he brings is something that Pereira has yet to experience inside the octagon. Put simply, it’s a less riskier fight for Jones and one that would do much better in PPV buys than the one against Aspinall. Problem is, the UFC loves having Poatan as their 205 champion and would be reluctant to let an exiting fighter in Jones tarnish their golden goose. Jones has countered this thinking well imo by wanting to make it a BMF belt fight at a catchweight. Is this enough for the fight to materialize? I’m not sure but Jones is doing his damnest to offer himself options. Options are both a fighter and business man’s best friend and one should take advantage of them if you have them at your disposal. Fight a smaller fighter, easier match-up for more money? This would be agreeable to any highly accomplished fighter with his brain still intact. As a fan and former fighter, I’m cool with either Pereira or Aspinall. I’m even cool with Jones walking away from the sport forever. It’s the fight business kids and just like the promotion, a fighter who has positioned himself in the right seat at the right time gets to participate in this business as well. If a promotion, any fight promotion, has it their way, they’ll extract every bit of juice from their stars till there’s no juice left and discard them when there’s no more use for them. Jones still has a lot of juice and he wants to leave the sport on his terms but money often has a way of making a certain physical endeavor seemingly worthwhile. Time, physical health, legacy all come with a price and risk management is something every fighter must understand well to come out the other side successful. I remain curious to see how this all plays out as another older lion, Stipe Miocic, looks for an opportunity to spoil a lot of people’s plans.
It’s quite simple isn’t it? The UFC needs budding superstar Aspinall to be an actual PPV superstar. In a fight promotion recipe as old as time, this “next best thing” needs a GOAT or a legit superstar to put him over. Jones feels disrespected and to a certain extent may be hesitant in accepting the reality that it may be his turn as an older legend to be “meat” for a younger, fresher foe. Nobody likes to accept the fact that time is looming and looking to keep its undefeated streak alive. Could it be that for the first time, he sees a younger lion who is hungry and can match his high level of talent, athleticism and potency? I believe these factors makes Aspinall a bonified existential threat to the legacy of Jon Jones. It makes for a great fight, there’s no denying that.
However, every fight offered to another pro fighter, especially one with the legacy of the great Jon Jones is something that should be considered with great deliberation. While Jones is not necessarily known for making great decisions outside of the cage, when it comes to preserving his legacy and keeping his undefeated streak intact, he tends to be very careful and protective with how he goes about his business. It’s war for Jon Jones and he will use any tactic and edge he can to preserve what he has worked for. Rightfully so!
I don’t want to pretend I know Jones’ thinking behind his decisions but I’m reminded of some quotes from Sun Tzu as potential possibilities. “He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight". Perhaps for the first time in his career, Jones understands that this may be a fight he can’t win. Or, could it be he’s using this as a negotiating tactic to earn more money and give him more time to get better prepared. "Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win”, -Sun Tzu. Could it be that he’s trying to fatigue the young Brit with mind games, roadblocks and a virtual high ground position? "Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted”, Sun Tzu.
Whatever it is, Bones is near the end of his career and he’s been around the block and seen the fight game both inside and out. Jones is no dummy and is already offering the UFC and the fans another fight after the one with Miocic, attempting to add to his leverage as the ultimate decision maker. He’s proposed what I think is another great fight from a promoter’s perspective but it comes with some negatives for the UFC as well. Jones wants the Brazilian striking sensation Alex “Poatan” Pereira. Poatan who is the current 205 lbs (Light Heavyweight) champion in the UFC has been proven as a PPV star and his achievements in combat sports both as a kickboxer and a MMA champion is nothing short of legendary at this point. I would vehemently argue that people around the globe know of Pereira and his exploits more than that of Aspinall. Jones understands what kind of PPV numbers this would bring and understands that the length, size, skillset, experience and takedown ability he brings is something that Pereira has yet to experience inside the octagon. Put simply, it’s a less riskier fight for Jones and one that would do much better in PPV buys than the one against Aspinall. Problem is, the UFC loves having Poatan as their 205 champion and would be reluctant to let an exiting fighter in Jones tarnish their golden goose. Jones has countered this thinking well imo by wanting to make it a BMF belt fight at a catchweight. Is this enough for the fight to materialize? I’m not sure but Jones is doing his damnest to offer himself options. Options are both a fighter and business man’s best friend and one should take advantage of them if you have them at your disposal. Fight a smaller fighter, easier match-up for more money? This would be agreeable to any highly accomplished fighter with his brain still intact. As a fan and former fighter, I’m cool with either Pereira or Aspinall. I’m even cool with Jones walking away from the sport forever. It’s the fight business kids and just like the promotion, a fighter who has positioned himself in the right seat at the right time gets to participate in this business as well. If a promotion, any fight promotion, has it their way, they’ll extract every bit of juice from their stars till there’s no juice left and discard them when there’s no more use for them. Jones still has a lot of juice and he wants to leave the sport on his terms but money often has a way of making a certain physical endeavor seemingly worthwhile. Time, physical health, legacy all come with a price and risk management is something every fighter must understand well to come out the other side successful. I remain curious to see how this all plays out as another older lion, Stipe Miocic, looks for an opportunity to spoil a lot of people’s plans.